Rehabilitation
When someone has done something wrong, or been lead astray, is it really so hard to start over? Theoretically, the answer is no, if you really repent, and feel bad for what you have done, then you can always start anew, and choose to follow the right path. Al ta2eb min al zanb Kaman la zanb lah, mish kida? (means like: someone who repents, is like someone with no sin). That is the theory. But unfortunately that is not the truth. Prison is supposed to be a rehabilitation facility, right? To make the prisoners better people when they come out? Right? Wrong!
What happens is, that people do not forgive, and do not forget. And forever they would deal with someone who had done something wrong like a leper, not accepting them into the society, shunning them with shame all their lives. And for someone who wants to repent, it becomes so much harder. They want to live normally within the society, be honest, and then the society does not give them a chance. And they are then filled with bitterness and agony, which can lead them back to worse than before.
Lets take this example… a woman who had gone astray in the past…lets say even was a prostitute one day…. She does not want to do this anymore. She believes it is wrong and quits. She moves to another place and repents. She has needs, she wants to marry an honest man and live honestly the rest of her life. What happens is that no one wants to marry her. They look at her as if she is forever dirty, and thus forcing her to live in the same dirt she is eager to get out of. She would lie about her past naturally, and not say what she had done. People would dig it up, and scandalize her, and on top call her a liar to conceal her past. So what would someone like that do? She is unable to live normally, and she does not want to go back. And she would think… are these the people that I respect so much and want to live among? These merciless judgmental people? To the hell with them she would say… and she would go back to her old ways…."tried repenting, did not work" she would say. Thank you God for your mercy… He accepts repentance and erases the sins like they never were… and forgives…. And tells us…. If we do something wrong and repent…. Then we should not go and tell people about it. This is not a lie then, this is satr (cover that God has given us permission to use.. for He knows the nature of people… and how unforgiving they can be).
Another example…if you are a thief… you steal for a while…then want to quit….maybe even go to jail for a while… come out and want a new start.. an honest start. Surprise…. you have no job… no one wants to hire you. No one wants to even help you. You have kids who will starve…your innocent kids themselves will be shunned for their father's sins. You hate the society that does not ever forgive you… so you decide… if forever you treat me like a thief… maybe then I will be one again.
Why are we so unable to forgive… why is it so hard to give someone a break. Ok, be cautious with someone with a past… but give them a break if you can… help them… take a part in their repentance by encouraging them to be good. Show kindness and marvels can happen. The ones who really want to repent will be able to… the ones who do not… well at least you have done your part.
The ones who most are able to forgive and understand… are the ones who one day made a mistake themselves…they understand. They can feel for the sinners…. Indeed we all are sinners to some degree….maybe have not done what they have done...because we were lucky enough to never be put in the path that led them there… maybe we would have done the same in their place, who knows? Or maybe we were just not exposed. And God is the most forgiving and merciful. Al hamdulillah rabb al 3alamein.
What happens is, that people do not forgive, and do not forget. And forever they would deal with someone who had done something wrong like a leper, not accepting them into the society, shunning them with shame all their lives. And for someone who wants to repent, it becomes so much harder. They want to live normally within the society, be honest, and then the society does not give them a chance. And they are then filled with bitterness and agony, which can lead them back to worse than before.
Lets take this example… a woman who had gone astray in the past…lets say even was a prostitute one day…. She does not want to do this anymore. She believes it is wrong and quits. She moves to another place and repents. She has needs, she wants to marry an honest man and live honestly the rest of her life. What happens is that no one wants to marry her. They look at her as if she is forever dirty, and thus forcing her to live in the same dirt she is eager to get out of. She would lie about her past naturally, and not say what she had done. People would dig it up, and scandalize her, and on top call her a liar to conceal her past. So what would someone like that do? She is unable to live normally, and she does not want to go back. And she would think… are these the people that I respect so much and want to live among? These merciless judgmental people? To the hell with them she would say… and she would go back to her old ways…."tried repenting, did not work" she would say. Thank you God for your mercy… He accepts repentance and erases the sins like they never were… and forgives…. And tells us…. If we do something wrong and repent…. Then we should not go and tell people about it. This is not a lie then, this is satr (cover that God has given us permission to use.. for He knows the nature of people… and how unforgiving they can be).
Another example…if you are a thief… you steal for a while…then want to quit….maybe even go to jail for a while… come out and want a new start.. an honest start. Surprise…. you have no job… no one wants to hire you. No one wants to even help you. You have kids who will starve…your innocent kids themselves will be shunned for their father's sins. You hate the society that does not ever forgive you… so you decide… if forever you treat me like a thief… maybe then I will be one again.
Why are we so unable to forgive… why is it so hard to give someone a break. Ok, be cautious with someone with a past… but give them a break if you can… help them… take a part in their repentance by encouraging them to be good. Show kindness and marvels can happen. The ones who really want to repent will be able to… the ones who do not… well at least you have done your part.
The ones who most are able to forgive and understand… are the ones who one day made a mistake themselves…they understand. They can feel for the sinners…. Indeed we all are sinners to some degree….maybe have not done what they have done...because we were lucky enough to never be put in the path that led them there… maybe we would have done the same in their place, who knows? Or maybe we were just not exposed. And God is the most forgiving and merciful. Al hamdulillah rabb al 3alamein.
posted by doshar @ 4/29/2006 12:04:00 PM
7 comments
