How to Treat Others and Why

Sometimes I find myself aggravated with others. I am impatient with them, or bored with the situation, or caught in some other negative train of thought. When this happens, it always helps me to remember the scriptures’ excellent advice to treat others in the best way possible:

Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely, the devil is man’s most ardent enemy. (17:53)

In fact, God tells us to regard everyone:  You shall worship GOD alone—do not associate anything with Him. You shall regard the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the poor, the related neighbor, the unrelated neighbor, the close associate, the traveling alien, and your servants. GOD does not like the arrogant show-offs. (4:36)

The Bible tells us that Jesus taught with very similar words: Do unto others as you would like them do unto you. (Luke 6:31)

I find that when I follow this good advice, the situation almost always changes from

frustration and aggravation on my part to a comfortable peace with the other person. It gives me the added benefit of helping me work on subduing and, God willing, eventually killing my ego as Moses told the Children of Israel they must do: Recall that Moses said to his people, “O my people, you have wronged your souls by worshiping the calf. You must repent to your Creator. You shall kill your egos. This is better for you in the sight of your Creator.” He did redeem you. He is the Redeemer, Most Merciful. (2:54)

Since we know that Satan tricked Adam and Eve into eating from the only tree which God forbade for them (7:19-25) we should work hard to kill our egos and grow our souls by performing the religious duties God blessed us with. Then we can withstand God’s immense energy in the Hereafter and be close to Him:

Had we willed, we could have given every soul its guidance, but it is already predetermined that I will fill Hell with jinns and humans, all together.* (32:13)

 *32:13 The majority of humans “insist” upon going to Hell, by choosing to ignore God’s invitations to redeem them. God will not put a single person in Hell. Those who fail to redeem themselves by denouncing idolatry and devoting themselves to God ALONE, and fail to develop their souls through the practices prescribed by our Creator, will have to run to Hell on their own volition. They will be too weak to stand the physical presence of God’s energy.

Again, the Bible gives similar advice: “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

When I follow this advice, I do not hurt other people and incur the black mark of sin for it. Often my change in attitude allows a friendship or a deepening of one to grow between us. This illustrates one more advantage of following the guidance that God has sent to us through the scriptures.

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