The nafs of the human being has been created weak... self-absorbed, prone to desires, forgetful & ungrateful in nature. These verses help us understand human nature and give us the most important clues for our growth. Sûrah an Nisa 4.28
'... man has been created weak (in resolution).'
Sûrah Younas 10.12
'For when affliction befalls man, he cries out unto Us, whether he be lying on his side or sitting or standing, but as soon as We have freed him of his affliction, he goes on as thought he had never invoked Us to save him from the affliction that befell him! Thus do their own doings seem goodly unto those who waste their own selves.'
Sûrah Hûd 11.9,10
'And thus it is; if We let man taste some of Our grace and then take it away from him.. behold, he abandons all hope, forgetting all gratitude.'
'And thus it is; if We let him taste ease and plenty after hardship has visited him, he is sure to say, 'Gone is all affliction from me!' - for, behold, he is given to vain exultation, and glories only in himself.'
Sûrah Ibrahim 14.34
'... behold, man is indeed most persistent in wrongdoing (given up to injustice), stubbornly ingrate!'
Sûrah al Isra 17.11
'As it is, man prays for things that are bad as if he were praying for something that is good, for man is prone to be hasty (in his judgment).'
Sûrah al Isra 17.67
'...for indeed, bereft of all gratitude is man.'
similar content in Sûrah 22.66; 42.48; 43.15; 100.06
Sûrah al Kahf 18.54
'...however, man is, above all else, always given to contention.'
Sûrah al Anbiya 21.37
'Man is a creature of haste...'
Sûrah an Na'îm 53.39
'And that naught shall be accounted unto man but what he is striving for.'
Sûrah al Ma'arij 70.19
'Verily, man is born with a restless disposition (impatient).'
Sûrah al 'Abasa 80.17
'Man destroys himself, how stubbornly does he deny the truth!'
Sûrah al Balad 90.4
'Verily, We have created man into pain, toil and trial.'
Sûrah al Asr 103.2
'Verily, man is bound to lose himself (at a loss).'
So we are weak in resolve, we harm ourselves, we are forgetful, ungrateful, stubborn and impatient. Yet all these traits can be changed if we apply ourselves. If we are honest with ourselves we know that we don't spend the energy required to change ourselves. It takes too much effort, it feels too difficult, and most of the time I am just too lazy.
The Quran also tells us that:
Sûrah at Tin 95.4
'Verily, We created man in the best conformation (mold/form).'
For within everyone is the potential of reaching the 'highest of high'. Within each one of us is the ability to tell right from wrong. We are told that human beings have been created in the best of forms.. and it is our job to fit into this mold.
How should we handle our own errors as well as those of others?
We are human, we will make mistakes. Making mistakes as such is not the problem.. what we do with these mistakes is. If we continue making the same mistake over and over again we stand to lose. However, if we decide to pay attention to our mistakes and make the effort to learn the lesson from it, change our behaviors for the better, only then do we stand to gain.
We rush to judge & criticize others, we are impatient with others and ourselves, we minimize or overlook our own mistakes, we prefer to think we are always right... and we don't want to believe there is anything wrong with me! Sooooooooo, where are we headed? The only end we will reach is that we will make our own life miserable, but since we refuse to see our own role in it, we will continue to blame others. We continue to want to change the other person. We often say...'if he or she stopped doing this, that or the other, I would be fine.' The reality is the opposite... my situation will change only when I change myself. When I learn to control my anger, my impatience, or when I will quit avoiding dealing with my problems... only then will things change for me.
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