Hi Friends,
I recently had a discussion with my friends of what differentiates similar crimes in our judicial system. Our case point was how a judge would handle these two cases of where it both had the same conclusion; someone had died.
Our first case was an actual murder for example. We thought of something that would probably happen, someone would either shoot or kill a person, the victim would die. Our second case was a car accident. Bad weather, black icy roads on the highway, and an accident happens. Someone dies, and the driver is a survivor. However, would both cases be considered as murder? What's the difference between these two cases?
Now I'm sure you probably figured out the difference between these two cases faster than you can name your past family lineage in correct order. In the first case, the killer obviously had the intention to harm and kill the person, which is why the case was considered a murder. However in our second case, the driver had no intention in killing the other driver, and due to unfortunate circumstances, we have a deceased victim. But we obviously don't consider him a murderer, even though he could be linked to it. Why is that? What did we look for in these cases?
The Intention.
That's right. This is how important it is to look at one's intention, however in this example, although an extreme example of course. Intentions are what differentiates all our choices and actions from being malicious or honest with no ill-intent.
So if we're able to differentiate extreme actions like these without hesitation, then why can't we transfer this thought process through our daily lives and with the people we interact with?
If you're Muslim, then this should probably remind you of the so many ayats and hadiths you've read or learned over the years that tackle the concept of niyat, one of the famous hadiths being:
I also understand that some of you may not be Muslim, or you may not even be religious at all. That's cool! No worries, that doesn't mean that all this isn't applicable to you. Think of it this way:
You've got a loved one or a friend you consider important to you. Through some means, you've heard or witnessed that this person may have wronged you. How fast do you think you'll be to jump to conclusions and retaliate without figuring why this person may have done that? How much energy would you save figuring out the reason why a person may have done that thing to you, and finding the best solution from that point forward with your new stable baseline of their intentions you have with you?
Do you see just how much energy and time you saved from doing this? All the unneeded conflict is easily avoided.
Think of your past conflicts you've encountered. I'd even go as far to ask you to think of your various online conflicts you've had and ask yourself this: Did you look at the other person intentions? Did a person have a conflict with you from a negative act you may have done unknowingly? How much time, effort and energy would you have saved if you or the other person looked at your or his/her intentions without first reacting to the act itself? How many pages and pages of online texts about qabils, sexism, racism and overall negativity would you have avoided?
I hope I've got my point across somehow, but its an interesting concept to think of.
If in anyway you feel offended by this thread, or feel like I may have done something wrong here, please do me a huge favor,
And look at what my intentions were!!
I recently had a discussion with my friends of what differentiates similar crimes in our judicial system. Our case point was how a judge would handle these two cases of where it both had the same conclusion; someone had died.
Our first case was an actual murder for example. We thought of something that would probably happen, someone would either shoot or kill a person, the victim would die. Our second case was a car accident. Bad weather, black icy roads on the highway, and an accident happens. Someone dies, and the driver is a survivor. However, would both cases be considered as murder? What's the difference between these two cases?
Now I'm sure you probably figured out the difference between these two cases faster than you can name your past family lineage in correct order. In the first case, the killer obviously had the intention to harm and kill the person, which is why the case was considered a murder. However in our second case, the driver had no intention in killing the other driver, and due to unfortunate circumstances, we have a deceased victim. But we obviously don't consider him a murderer, even though he could be linked to it. Why is that? What did we look for in these cases?
The Intention.
That's right. This is how important it is to look at one's intention, however in this example, although an extreme example of course. Intentions are what differentiates all our choices and actions from being malicious or honest with no ill-intent.
So if we're able to differentiate extreme actions like these without hesitation, then why can't we transfer this thought process through our daily lives and with the people we interact with?
If you're Muslim, then this should probably remind you of the so many ayats and hadiths you've read or learned over the years that tackle the concept of niyat, one of the famous hadiths being:
And this common quote by Hamdun al-Qassar (R.A) who said:
I also understand that some of you may not be Muslim, or you may not even be religious at all. That's cool! No worries, that doesn't mean that all this isn't applicable to you. Think of it this way:
You've got a loved one or a friend you consider important to you. Through some means, you've heard or witnessed that this person may have wronged you. How fast do you think you'll be to jump to conclusions and retaliate without figuring why this person may have done that? How much energy would you save figuring out the reason why a person may have done that thing to you, and finding the best solution from that point forward with your new stable baseline of their intentions you have with you?
Do you see just how much energy and time you saved from doing this? All the unneeded conflict is easily avoided.
Think of your past conflicts you've encountered. I'd even go as far to ask you to think of your various online conflicts you've had and ask yourself this: Did you look at the other person intentions? Did a person have a conflict with you from a negative act you may have done unknowingly? How much time, effort and energy would you have saved if you or the other person looked at your or his/her intentions without first reacting to the act itself? How many pages and pages of online texts about qabils, sexism, racism and overall negativity would you have avoided?
I hope I've got my point across somehow, but its an interesting concept to think of.
If in anyway you feel offended by this thread, or feel like I may have done something wrong here, please do me a huge favor,
And look at what my intentions were!!
