Reflecting on Consequences Sound Choices and Secured Futures

Each human being is bound by their decisions, small or big. Some of the choices that people make concern trivial matters, hence the result is usually not significant. However, many choices are often critical in nature, and as such, they can have serious results, not just for the individual but for others in their sphere of influence. For this reason, Islam has emphasized the importance of gathering information and acting from a position of understanding. The presence of knowledge demands that a person consider a given condition or situation from every perspective before advancing towards a particular course of action. In order to be prudent in life, one must ponder on the consequences of their actions, not just for themselves, but for anyone who might be directly or indirectly affected. This is the clear message of the Holy Quran and the advice of the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) and his Holy Progeny (p). This booklet describes the importance of considering the future impact of a person’s actions, both from the perspective of self-building and personal improvement, and with the objective of fostering a peaceful and supportive family environment. It presents Quranic verses and traditions from the Infallibles to illustrate how a person can carefully navigate their choices before engaging in a specific direction, while simultaneously pointing out certain pitfalls to be aware of along the way. This simple work is exactly the type of blueprint that a believer can easily digest and implement in their life with immediate benefit.

Islam emphasizes the mind and the importance of knowledge as the means by which a successful person navigates life. When built upon the scaffold of faith, depth of understanding and sound application create safeguards for every situation a person encounters, whether it is in the pursuit of education or career, decisions about marriage, raising children or even divorce.
The Holy Quran and the traditions of the Infallibles (pbut) clearly describe the importance of pondering the consequences of one’s decisions and considering both the positive and negative results of every act. The lessons provide a framework that puts into perspective not only the role of what we know, but also the influence of emotions and morality, and the degree to which self-accountability and personal responsibility apply to our choices.
In this concise booklet, His Eminence Shaykh Mohamad al-Ali al-Halabi provides a simple, yet impactful, look at how important it is for every person to deeply think about why they choose to act in a certain manner, how those actions impact others, and the downstream effects of everything they do. Chapters One and Two examine the Holy Quran and Sunnah, respectively, and describe the importance of reflecting on past nations, their course of progression over time, and their eventual final state. In addition, His Eminence delves into the valuable advice of the Infallibles on understanding reality and discerning righteousness from falsehood and evil in the refinement of decision-making. The beauty of this message lies in its simplicity and immediate impact for those who are willing to heed and implement it.
As such, Chapter Three covers aspects of self-building and succinctly describes the innate and extrinsic forces that shape our motivations and create mental streams that lead to a justified decision, whether sound or not. This invariably has an impact on us and on those who share our lives, from our relatives to our friends and colleagues. Hence, Chapters Four, Five and Six discuss the dynamics of family, including how one can foster a peaceful and loving marriage, and raise children to be well-adjusted adults. Yet even when they collapse, Islam emphasizes pondering on consequences to ensure the dissolution of marriage occurs in a way that minimizes pain, suffering and long-term damage.