Collective Choices in View of Islam
This is according to Hojat-ol-Islam Seyed Abbas Qaem-Maqami, speaking about the social aspects of Ashura. Excerpts of what he said are as follows:
Making choices is linked to human’s inherent dignity and finding this link, which has been emphasized in the Quran, has important outcomes that can lead to a new theological, religious, jurisprudential, and ethical approach.
Some say that humans’ choices include faults and could lead to corruption and therefore see the solution in limiting the principle of making choices and acting accordingly. This is wrong, means confronting the nature and divine creation and is an example of Shirk (polytheism).
It is true that some of man’s choices are wrong and could lead to corruption. The Quran has referred to this in a number of verses, like verse 41 of Surah Ar-Rum: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea with what the hands of the people earned. Therefore, they taste some of what they did in order that they return.”
But what should we do? Could there be no controls on man’s choices.
What matters is the need to raise awareness as a duty of all members of the society, and this is what the Quran refers to as Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
This does not mean to be nosy and meddle in others affairs. Being nosy comes in the domain of others’ personal affairs and that domain requires consultation.
Some choices that one makes are fundamental and significant. In deciding about them, when you benefit from others’ consultations and use collective wisdom, you let you wisdom grow. It does not mean that you have abandoned your own wisdom.
By benefiting from collective wisdom, the possibility of choices leading to corruption diminishes. That possibility does not completely disappear but benefiting from collective wisdom is justifiable.
In making decisions we are not after truthfulness and making what we do 100 percent in accordance with the truth. What we seek is using all of the available capacities to know the truth.
That way we have fulfilled our duty about reaching the truth and that is enough. That is what Tawakkul (putting one’s trust in God) is for. If you have Tawakkul and made a mistake, God will make up for it.
