Ramadan Night 23

What led you
Into hell-fire?
They will say:
We were not of those
Who prayed:
Nor were we of those
Who fed the indigent;
But we used to talk
Vanities with vain talkers;
And we used to deny
The Day of Judgement,
Until came to us
(The Hour) that is certain.
S.74 A.42-47

I appreciate the straight forward nature of this verse: Pray, take care of the less fortunate, watch your talk, and prepare yourself for final judgement.  I have done one fairly well, that leaves much to improve upon.  Two themes, prayer and good talk have been objects of my concern this Ramadan and I am making progress.  I don't know if I think of judgement properly, for I do not fret it, opting instead to think of my daily and momentary thoughts and actions, then evaluating them at night.  I suppose I think my judgement will follow the success of becoming a better man.  I need to think about this some more.

Ramadan Night 22 - The Fourth Entry

Verily it is thy Lord
That knoweth best,
Which (among men)
Hath strayed from His path:
And He knoweth best
Those who receive
(True) guidance.

S.68 A.7

This reinforces an earlier post I wrote about recognizing evil in others and myself.  God knows who and what we are, and God will determine the parameters and criteria for judgement.  This is an important admonition, as it would be unwise for us to try to determine and/or manipulate these conditions.  We may do so by overemphasizing the positive qualities we have while minimizing the negative.  We may put more emphasis on the easier tasks, or those that bring us the most benefit.  I think it would be very easy to kid ourselves setting up a false paradigm - truly believing we are on the right path, headed for a terrible disappointment.  This verse reminds me to challenge my thoughts and beliefs, to continually consult the Koran, and to network with honest and pious Muslims for points of reference.     

Ramadan Night 22

Then did they taste
The evil result of
Their conduct, and the end
Of their conduct
Was perdition.
S.65 A.9

I often wonder about people that I see in the world who appear to be evil, or at least, do consistently evil things.  I wonder if they enjoy what they are doing, or if they think about the path they are undertaking.  To be honest, sometimes when that evil is a little to close to me, I take little comfort in the knowledge that they will pay for it eventually when finally judged.  This verse does remind me though, that they will face the consequences of their actions. 

Sometimes I wonder if evil people always know they are evil.  If not, then I have a whole lot more to think about. If evil people don't realize they are evil, then how do I know I am not evil, or at least, I do not do evil things?  I think it is a fair question. I know this sounds odd, but how confident can any of us be that when we are judged, we will prevail over a lifetime of sins and mistakes?  So now, evil has a different context for me - no longer fretting over the evil of others, but making sure my thoughts, my words, my actions are pure, and the consequences thereof are not harmful.  I never have contemplated whether or not I was evil, or that my actions were either.  Perhaps it is time to start reevaluating.