UNIVERSAL MYTHS MISTAKEN AS UNIVERSAL REALITIES (6th Myth "Human Conscience") BY GHULAM AHMED PARWEZ,

Myth 6: Human Conscience

The myth of 'human nature' begot the myth of 'human conscience' '. an innate ability to distinguish right from wrong. Universally accepted as fact, it has also been called 'the voice of one heart' and 'the inner light, among others. People who digress from the 'right' path are believed to have a 'dead' conscience whereas the 'righteous' ones are said to possess a 'living' heart.

The Quranic View

Rejecting this false notion, the Quran maintains that animals do possess an innate ability to tell the safe frol11 the dangerous; for instance, young chickens do not have to be taught to avoid water while ducklings naturally adapt to it. This is termed 'animal instinct.' But Man has no such ability:
'And he (Man) beckons Evil as though it was Good;

Man is hasty!'
That is why Man needs divine help to tell right from wrong, bad from good. He is horn into the world with his slate blank. He becomes what his environment makes him. His attitude regarding Good and Evil is determined by his social upbringing. That is his conscience. In other words, human conscience is the 'internalized society.' A Hindu child cannot stand even the thought of meat whereas a Muslim child thrives on it. That is why the Quran says that things are right or wrong not because Man sincerely considers them 50. Fur that, an objective standard is needed which is there in the form of Divine Revelation contained in the Quran.

What we (Muslims) did

Muslims readopted the notion of human conscience which had been so clearly rejected by the Quran. The majority of Muslims continue to believe in it, ignoring the fact that 'right' and 'wrong' is decided by God's Book (the Quran) and not by human 'conscience.' The Divine Word is consistent whereas human conscience varies from one person to another. If human conscience was to decide the validity of an action, no criminal would fall liable for punishment; no capitalist may be blamed for exploiting the worker; no man may be put to shame for subjugating women, and so on. Therefore, the concept of human conscience is a myth. The reality is preserved in the Quran.