Al-Asr:2 - Worldly Mirror

Question

How do modern philosophies (like Darwin, Freud, Marx) contribute to the "khusran" (loss) mentioned in the ayah by degrading the human "nafs"?

Maani AI

The ayah (103:2), إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ (Indeed, mankind is in loss), establishes a fundamental truth that humanity, by its very nature, is headed towards "perdition and deficiency," as al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains. Allah (God) swears by time to emphasize this universal state of `khusr` (loss).

Sayyid Qutb, in his reflection on this ayah, connects this `khusr` directly to how various philosophies degrade the human `nafs` (inner self or soul). He argues that systems or ideologies, like those of Darwin, Freud, and Marx, contribute to this loss by diminishing humanity's inherent dignity and spiritual standing.

According to Qutb, true faith fosters the perception that humanity is honored and elevated by Allah. It instills a sense of `haya` (modesty or shame) in the believer's conscience, preventing them from acting in ways that would degrade this esteemed status. In contrast, Qutb critiques any philosophy that reduces humanity in its own eyes, portraying humans as contemptible creatures. He specifically mentions Darwin's and Freud's philosophies, along with Marxist systems, as contributing to severe affliction by giving humanity a distorted view of its nature. These philosophies, he contends, present degradation, impurity, and baseness as natural and inherent parts of human life, thereby severing humanity from its connection to the higher realm and lowering its perceived value. This, in turn, contributes to the state of `khusr` (loss) because humanity loses sight of its true, honored position bestowed by Allah.

Source: Sayyid Qutb (Fi Zilal al-Quran)

Dr. Israr Ahmad's commentary also discusses the importance of fulfilling four conditions to avoid this state of `khusr`. Would you like to explore those conditions?