All evils are the result of ignorance

All thinkers consider crime, sin and evil to be the result of ignorance. They say when a person commits a crime or a sin, it is because he is not properly educated. Therefore, the person who commits an evil or a sin is actually a pitiful creature. He does not know what his interests are and what the interests of his colleagues are. Therefore, if a criminal is insane, instead of punishing him, his insanity should be treated. If he is ignorant, he should be given knowledge. We also find that physical diseases, much like moral diseases, arise from ignorance. According to Greek philosopher Epicurus, the purpose of living is to enjoy life, but to enjoy life we also have to understand it. If we don’t understand life, how can we enjoy it? We must understand the world around us and understand the nature of its inhabitants. In other words, we must discover who we are and why we are the way we are. On the other hand philosopher Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius says, “The limit of human stupidity is that, inspite of his weakness and worthlessness, he nurtures in his heart the desire for glory and greatness.

But where is that hero, General and Emperor of the past now? Everyone has forgotten them. All things get annihilated, they become rotten stories, no one remembers them. What is the reality of Rome? What is the greatness and splendor of a Kingdom except that it is a story of gossip which archeologists search in ruins? Is it not true that all the stories of the great names of our history and the glory of power have become rotten today? All the stories of these great men of the past are rotting in the trash of history today. Today’s generation does not even remember them. Nobody visits their graves. But some people repeatedly try to revive them, but each time their luck fails. No one today has the slightest interest in their hollow, false, artificial and contrived stories. They have all become shrines of the past. But in spite of this, when we hear and see the stories of the false glory of the current rulers, the glory and the artificial crown and throne, we feel pity for them. It’s because they are all pitiful, and ignorant of the true purpose and meaning of life. They take their ignorance lightly. Actually, they are all patients who are not aware of their disease. They are those who get satisfaction by taking away their bread, rights, freedom and prosperity from people like themselves. They consider wealth, palaces, lands and estates as the purpose and meaning of life. Apparently, they look very strong and brave, but actually they are very weak and timid like ordinary human beings.

In his book, A Tear and A smile, Kahlil Gibran writes, “In the deep silence of the night, the Angel of Death descends to the Earth. Hovering over the city, he takes a deep look at the houses, and sees moral human beings enjoying sleep. At last he arrives at a luxurious palace, crossing the locked doors. Without prying, he goes to stand at the head of a rich man, and let him feel the touch of the cold hand of death on his forehead. The man opens his eyes in terror, and when he sees this monster at his head, he says with a mixture of fear and anger, ‘Be gone, my nightmares, stop following me, O terrible ghost! Who are you? How did you come to this place? And what do you want? Get out of my house immediately, I am the owner of this house. I will call my slaves and guards and order them to kill you.’ The Angle speaks in a very soft, but thunderous voice, ‘I am the Angle of Death… rise and come with me.’ The man says, ‘What do you want? Why have you come here while I have not finished my dirty works? Why do you come to a powerful person like me… go to a weak and helpless person and take him with you. Take whatever you heart desires from my treasures of gold and silver. My only desire is for you to spare my life. O death, there are the most beautiful women in the world in my sanctuary, take whatever you want from them. I have only one son and I love him very much, take him with you instead of me.’ The Angel of Death hears his words and says, ‘you are not rich, but pitifully poor’.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2023.

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