Selfishness is an Insult
to Humanity

The teaching of Islam is that everyone should follow the same course of action for others as he does for himself. The same attitude he should adopt towards others as he would like them to adopt towards him.

According to one tradition the Prophet of Islam once observed: “None of you can be a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 13)

According to this tradition, the criterion of human ethics is so simple that anyone can understand and follow it. The truth is that in this matter, no other criterion could be simpler.

Everyone knows without being told what he approves of and what he does not approve of. The teaching of Islam is that everyone should follow the same course of action for others as he does for himself.

Everyone likes others to talk to him politely, so everyone should try to talk to others politely. Everyone likes the promises made to him to be fulfilled. He should adopt the same attitude towards others as he would like them to adopt toward him. Everyone likes to be dealt with honesty so he too should be honest with others.

The evil person is one who knows the truth about himself, but forgets it in the case of others. As compared to him, the good human being is one who does not have this double standard. He should be to others what he is for himself.

Knowing one’s own likes and dislikes is selfishness. Knowing others’ likes along with one’s own likes is sacrifice. Selfishness is an insult to humanity, whereas, sacrifice is a superior form of humanity. A selfish person acknowledges only himself, while a person who lives at the level of sacrifice, acknowledges others as well.