Is Ignorance Bliss?

It’s wonderful not knowing the negative consequences of a seemingly innocent pleasure. One can indulge in its sinfulness without carrying the burden of any guilt. After all, you can’t be held responsible for something you didn’t know about in the first place. It’s a common notion supported by most of us; made infallible over centuries by the accursed Satan and further adorned by our own whims and fancies. We give ourselves up to the devil and allow him to steer us along a blinded path and so live a life we hardly have any control over. But, is this how we want to continue to live until ultimately death pushes us into the realm of afterlife?

Since man began to live in clusters, there have been rules, spoken and unspoken, to make sure life proceeds smoothly. Man needs some kind of direction to give him a sense of purpose. This direction is outlined by laws and regulations to ensure peace and stability. Imagine living in a country where the law is hardly implemented and corruption is widespread; a land where there is no sense of security; a state that lacks the basic infrastructure. Think of Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Pakistan etc. Why are the resourceful ones settling in the west? What compels people to move out of their homelands, leave their families and choose to live in places that are usually in contrast with their culture, religion and social values? You see, where there’s no consideration for the law, essentially, there is insecurity, fear, confusion and eventual chaos. People choose to go to the developed world due to its stern adherence to the laws; this not only leads to a deep sense of safety but gives way to numerous opportunities, which finally culminate in peace, stability and contentment.

It’s much the same when it comes to our Akhira as the outcome rests exclusively on our ability to keep to the fundamentals. Like everything else, religion is composed of a set of rules too; a guideline for all to follow if we want to achieve this state of true peace and tranquillity. There are only two possible ends to our existence; heaven or the hell. One is a result of confusion, doubt, negligence and disregard of the divine principles; the other is a consequence of knowledge, understanding, realization and complete obedience. If one genuinely ignorant of the traffic rules, drove, in all innocence, on the wrong side of the road, would that exempt him from being fined? If a killer finds justification for his crime claiming purity of intention and goodness of the heart; would that deter the law from prosecuting him? Freedom comes only with sticking to the law of the land. Why do we then suppose, that in matters of religion, we’re free to choose our own way?

We must stop living in this common delusion and instead of remaining in our ignorance, strive for knowledge and understanding. The more we learn and the more we struggle to abide by the divine laws, the better will be our chances of attaining immortality in a state of indescribable ecstasy rather than chaotic wretchedness. I’d rather be aware and in control of my future than take the foolish risk of losing paradise for there is not a soul that would ever knowingly trade absolute bliss with eternal damnation.