Hurting
Others

You know,

one way to decide whether something a human might do would be a Wrong Action

is to think about whether it hurts someone else.

Of course people hurt each other by accident,

but that doesn't count as Wrong Action,

except, perhaps, unless the accident was due to carelessness

which is not very good.

No, it's when they try to hurt other people on purpose in some way.

Like the kind of things that they do when they are angry,

trying to hurt other people by calling them names

or hitting them.

They think those kinds of actions will make them feel better,

and they can do for a little while,

but then they very quickly find

that actions made in anger

only make things worse.

Saying nasty things to people, to hurt them,

usually gets nasty things said in return,

and in the end it's a battle

to see who can get hurt the most.

And each one hurts the other's feelings.

Then there is the other kind of hurt they cause each other,

when they fight, with fists and teeth and claws.

That's a different kind of hurt,

but one that can often heal more quickly than times when

the tongue causes hurt to the heart.

Yet even though they can see

that doing or saying hurtful things back at whoever hurts them just makes things worse,

they find it really hard not to do it.

It's really not an easy thing to control.

So learning this kind of control is part of our Deen.

Those around us should be able to trust us.

Our neighbours should not be afraid of us,

and until such time as they know that,

if they say bad things to us we try to reply with the good.

We learn our Adab, our self-control and good manners,

and show by our example the Way of Life that is least hurtful,

our Deen.