The Spread of Indecency in Society

Abandoning the manner of best conduct is indecency. Allah Almighty says:

“And argue with them in a way that is best” (Surah An-Nahl: 125).

Thus, adopting the best manners is good character, and failure to do so is indecency — another name for misconduct.

A person may live in the most advanced region and lead a glamorous life, but if he harbors corrupt thoughts and intentions, he is considered ill-mannered. If his thinking is flawed and he indulges in evil intent, then despite benefiting from metropolitan luxuries, he has chosen bad intentions and avoided sincerity. (This is a hypothetical scenario.)

There are two types of such individuals.

• First, those who momentarily fall into bad intentions but later adopt good thoughts and values.

• Second, those who are constantly driven by corrupt thinking, detached from the constraints of time and place. These individuals not only indulge in evil themselves but also influence others to do the same. At this stage, they act as agents of evil. Such individuals are the most indecent and morally degraded people in society. This type falls under intellectual indecency.

The second category of indecency is verbal indecency — the misconduct of speech. Individuals in this category do not uphold standards in their conversations and neglect the ethics of communication. Their speech is labeled as rude and offensive. Allah Almighty says:

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice” (Surah Al-Ahzab: 70).

Those who disregard this divine instruction and display every fault of speech are considered verbally indecent.

Here too, there are two types of people:

• First, those who, due to their profession, indulge in slander or defamation. For example, in the past, poets composed defamatory verses for money, targeting rival tribes. In today’s world, this includes journalists, writers, and media outlets that spread negativity.

• Second, those who habitually use foul language. Their speech is consistently filled with curses and obscenities, which they direct toward other members of society.

The third level of indecency pertains to behavior. Some individuals, although occupying positions of authority, mistreat their subordinates, look at them disdainfully, curse them, call them names, use abusive language, involve them in personal tasks, and treat them like slaves — all under the guise of bureaucratic etiquette. Such behaviors are commonly found in the bureaucratic attitudes of developing third-world countries.

At this same level, another form of behavioral indecency can be identified — boorishness. This refers to individuals who are ignorant of moral values, unfamiliar with civilized behavior, and unaware of the principles of decency. These are the people in our society who take pride in their misconduct and consider rude behavior a sign of boldness and superiority.

According to the discussion above, indecency exists at three levels:

• Intellectual

• Verbal

• Behavioral

These three are interlinked. As Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Correct your thinking, for thought turns into speech, speech reflects in actions, actions form character, and character defines a person’s identity.”

Thus, it is thought that determines whether a person’s character will be good or bad. These three types of indecency are commonly seen in our society. However, it is certain that any society where indecency prevails on all these levels — and in abundance — is headed toward decline.

It is essential to eradicate these negative tendencies, strive to reform them, and promote positive thinking, respectful speech, and noble actions. But this is only possible where there is some connection to a moral system and a willingness to implement it. Therefore, it is even more necessary to bring such thinking into practical reality at the top levels of leadership, because only then can changes be observed at the grassroots level.

A robust ethical system along with determined and visionary leadership is essential. Only then can the trend of intellectual, verbal, and behavioral indecency be stopped.