Wishful Thinking

People seek their own happiness in other’s pain. They oppress those who are close to them and attempt to make a name for themselves amongst the far-distant. They are unjust in their private lives, but put on a show of justice in public. They cannot bear to hear themselves criticized, but consider themselves as having been appointed by God to criticize others. They are expert in detecting the faults of others, while ignoring their own.

But the reward of God will be reserved for those who give others what is due to them, and who do no wrong to their neighbours; who are not selfish in their dealings with others, but think in terms of what is fair and just; who do not think of their own interest when the truth is at stake; who lose themselves in the greatness of God.

People are playing with fire, but have no idea of the consequences of their deeds. They are careering towards Hell but are happy in the mistaken idea that they are well on the way to heaven. One can but pity those who have only false hopes to their credit, and who seek to make capital out of such wishful thinking. One can only pity those who want to fashion, in the world created by God, a world of their own choice—which is not permissible in the eyes of the Almighty.