Chapter 8THE LAW OF REQUITAL
I. What is It?FOR the savage, as for the child, the world is the scene of fortuitous
events none of which stands in an intelligible relationship with the
other. With the growth of intellect, both awake to the presence of
order in the world around them. The first thing they notice is the
sequence of certain events – for example a flash of lightning is
followed by a crash of thunder, and contact with fire is followed by
burning. Knowledge of invariable sequence helps them to make
better adjustment to the world. They become conscious of the
causal nexus between events. They seek to know the causes of
events, because this knowledge enables them to predict the effects
and also to control them. They become aware that they themselves
operate as causal agents producing changes in the world. The
knowledge that all their actions have consequences gives them a
sense of power as well as of responsibility. They realise that in
choosing to act in a certain way, they are also choosing the
consequence of their action. If the consequence is unpleasant and
man wishes to avoid it, he can do so only by refraining from the
action which leads to it. The Law of Requital states that every action
of man has consequences and the doer will have to bear them
whether he likes them or not. But far more important than the
external effect of the action is its effect on the personality of the
doer. All actions, however, do not necessarily modify personality.
An action which has been performed inadvertently or carelessly has
little influence on man's self. But an action performed deliberately
for a set purpose, or with a high degree of ego-involvement,
changes personality for better or for worse. It strengthens or
weakens the moral fibre. It furthers or hinders his progress toward
self-fulfilment. This distinction between human actions is made by
the Qur'an and is of great importance to the moral life of man. The
Law of Requital is specially relevant to the changes in personality
which result from the voluntary actions of man. It means that