Our Sense of Morality: Banker’s Nude Photo Viewing Issue

[By Asif Sibgat]

Many would know the recent hot topic that is being discussed all over the world. A banker at work was caught red handed viewing nude photos of a model knowing not he was being filmed from the rear in a live interview session. This has been a big news since.  The man’s employer is reported not to be very happy with the incident and on the verge of taking a serious decision about it.

The incident in itself is not much of interest for me. But based on what I have heard of people’s reaction and my own understanding of morality deduced from Islam I would like to make some comment.

1. People who are sharing their opinions are varied in their opinions. To some he should be fired. Others have more sympathetic tone. Yet almost nobody seems to be bothered about the problem of pornography itself. The model of the photos is not at all the object of the discussion, and if she is then that is for the wrong reason. No one is interested in discussing about the immorality of being a model of such photos. It seems, moreover, not seeing pornography, rather being caught is what has amused millions of people around the globe. It is a double standard then and there. Pornography itself is not regarded as immoral but somehow seeing it and being caught seeing it is. One might argue that  its not his watching  pornography rather doing it at work which  has caused the problem. But that does not hold much water, does it? Would it be such a news had the man watching a sports clip, cartoon or even if he was facebooking? The answer is a resounding no.

That is, if anyone ponders sincerely, a very jumbled and unacceptable sense of morality. If this man’s watching pornography is wrong then so should be the actual photos themselves. If capturing such photos or pornography in general is something not immoral, then what is problem with what the man has done? What’s the use of pornography then? Who are supposed to watch it? If the model showing her nakedness and letting it for public viewing is not immoral then why would the viewing be? How can the cause be morally okay when its consequent result isn’t?

2. Theoretically it has always been a point for those who do not believe in God that God is not a necessity for them being righteous. Obviously in a discussion table that makes an unbreakable logic. Yet this serves as an example, amongst million and million others, that our practical experience tells something different. Man by his nature is prone to mistakes and sins specially when he has the confidence he is not accountable. Before this rueful experience, this guy must have been a everyday corporate fellow who would make a perfect next-door-guy off work. Yet after this accidental mess up, people’s perception would not be the same for this guy. But aren’t there many many others who will and would do the same thing if they sense the protection of not being checked? How many people who are laughing at this person’s foolishness wouldn’t do the same had they the opportunity?

But an important point to make before a typical atheist, agnostic or secularist raises hand. Am I saying that a person who believes in God, or specifically a muslim, wouldn’t or doesn’t ever watch porn? or doesn’t do other bad things or sins? In other words, am I claiming infallibility for a God-fearing person. No, not at all. In Islam we attribute infallibility only to Prophets. That infallibility again is not something inherent to the prophets. Rather they are infallible because they are rightly guided directly and immediately by Allah. As for others, they have every potential to be a sinner and in fact they are. But this inherent fallibility is reduced to the degree of faith or Emaan he has with God. And faith in Islam is not believed to be a static phenomenon as well. It increases and decreases and so does the possibility of his sinning and doing unrighteous deeds and refraining from righteous deeds. Hence the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “A thief is not a  believer when he is engaged in theft.” That is it is the drop of faith that has barred him from restricting his sinning self. It also means that he has the every possibility to come back to faith by repenting to God. But claims that a non-believer can be inherently righteous and not being unrighteous is a fallacy, a non-logic and in itself just a claim. Islamically we believe a person,  believer or non-believer, is a potential sinner secretly or openly, and its solution lies in believing in God truly and being in the state of Muraqabah – which means being conscious of God’s presence  – the Almighty One who knows and sees everything and would account man for what he does.

We do not know whether the man who did it  is a believer in God or not. And that is not important at all. This is a little but significant example of what man in general  is potential of doing, specially when he believes he is alone and not being watched. This is the reality, not the one he pretends to be or would like to be projected as in our outward yet deceiving domain.

[A note of caution: I would request those who do not already know about the incident to not to search about the incident. That is not required. The lesson we take is important, not the incident itself. It would be better for us not to delve and haunt on other people's privacy and make fun out of it]