Freedom is the right or ability to do or say whatever you want without any restraint. It is defined as the right to use something with nothing to limit you. It is also defined as the quality or state of being free, such as: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.
There are different types of freedom such as physical freedom, psychological freedom and moral freedom.
PHYSICAL FREEDOM: It refers to the absence of physical restraint. A person has the freedom of mobility to go wherever he wants. He is not impended in his actions by any physical force.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FREEDOM: It is also called the freedom of choice. The person is free to perform actions that he considers as right and wise. A person is also free to act or not to act.
MORAL FREEDOM: This refers to using freedom in a manner that upholds human dignity and goodness. Moral freedom is the freedom to live one’s life in harmony with one’s moral convictions and commitments, whether or not they are transcendent.
But do we fully have the right to do whatever, however and wherever we want a thing to do? Aren’t we obliged to respect the rights of others?
No. We cannot be free to do everything. At some point we are obliged to stop and know that what we are doing in the name of freedom is taking away some other’s freedom and it’s an immoral act to do. For instance, you cannot cheat in an exam and argue that it’s your right nor can you steal someone else’s property saying that you have the freedom to do whatever you want. It ends up destroying our society. History is full of such examples like the Roman Empire which was destroyed due to the widespread corruption and immorality. Now this false definition of freedom is spreading to the Middle East and also India and China.
Human beings, unlike animals, are able to establish civilized behaviours. But we live in a time where morality; what is right and wrong, what is acceptable and not acceptable, what is politically correct and incorrect, changes every year. What looked immoral and unacceptable 20 years ago has now become acceptable and very normal now. The movies and songs the general public is enjoying today are the various forms of pornography and noone has the audacity to stop such material from coming into the market. In fact, they are the most money-maker ones.
Moral freedom is defined by various philosophers and also many religions. A very famous German philosopher named Immanuel Kant proposed a moral ethical theory which is based on the notion that “I ought never to act except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law.”
Hinduism also defines freedom in the light of morality. These correspond to five Yamas of ancient Hindu ethics: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth, non-falsehood), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy if unmarried and non-cheating on one’s partner if married), and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
The golden moral principle of Christianity is loving your neighbour the way you love yourself. According to some Christian sources, honesty is important in relationships and marriage. Some say that honesty is the basis for trust and that relationships are built on truth.
Islam also emphasizes the moral ethics simultaneously providing every person his/her freedom. Good manners, or adab, in Islam are behaviors that reflect respect, kindness, and humility. The Quran teaches many etiquette, including Not lying, Not spying, Not exulting, Not insulting, Not wasting, Feeding the poor, Not backbiting, and Keeping oaths.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be to him) said: “Whoever cheats (or deceives) is not of me.” Narrated by Muslim (101). This implies for cheating in exams, cheating in business deals, cheating in relationships, etc.
Islam also ordains you not to indulge in adultery. Neither premarital nor extramarital affairs are permissible in Islam.
وَلَاتَقْرَبُواالزِّنَاإِنَّهُكَانَفَاحِشَةًوَسَاءَسَبِيلًا
Do not go near adultery. It is truly a shameful deed and an evil way. (The Quran 17:32)
Adultery is considered an unforgivable crime, due to its calamitous consequence which affects the person involved, family unit and the society in general. It leads to betrayal and infringes the faith and harmony which is the basis for a satisfying family life. It fritters away the vigor, it knocks off balance, it deteriorates the purity of the character and obliterates the feelings of devotion and loyalty and consequently the individual has to face the fury of Allah and punishment in various forms.
This fake freedom is not just spreading immorality but also setting its roots in the transmission of many sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The rates of STIs have been rising every year. While the West is facing epidemics of STIs, India’s 6% of adult population i.e., around 30-35 million people are suffering from STIs. Among these, while Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are the most common ones, HIV, Herpes and human papilloma are the deadliest.
Today, in this modern era we are seeing many crimes and betrayals being done in the name of freedom. Slogans like “my body, my choice” are being used to encourage such heinous and shameful acts. Governments and jurisdictions are making such immoral deeds more accessible by bringing laws while the people, passing such bills and legalizing such acts, themselves do not personally allow their kins to participate in such immoral deeds.
The immorality we are seeing today is just a fallacy trap of the West, hiding behind the veil of freedom, equality and fraternity. We are made to believe that those are the true principles that are very important for a society and that this is what freedom looks like.
A few globally accepted moralities are:
One should not take the life of another without justification.
One should not take away the property of another by injustice.
One should not covet the husband or wife of another.
One should not slander.
One should not undermine others.
Let’s strive to wipe away the immoralities hiding behind the veil of freedom. Let’s work to make our relations in the family and in the society strong, healthy and morally acceptable. Let’s prevent ourselves and our future generations from being destroyed in the name of false freedom.
[The writer is Joint Secretary, Women’s Wing, DARE Khammam.]