Why do some people perceive the wrong path as beautiful?

Why do some individuals perceive the wrong path as beautiful? This is a profound question that delves into psychological, social, and particularly, spiritual and Quranic dimensions. The Holy Quran, as a guiding scripture from God, offers unparalleled insights into this phenomenon, unveiling its core reasons. To understand this issue, we must consider several key aspects highlighted by the Quran. In essence, this "beautification" of the wrong path is merely an illusion created by Satan and the lower self (Nafs al-Ammara) within people's hearts to divert them from the straight path. One of the central reasons emphasized by the Quran is Satan's beautification of evil deeds. Satan, the sworn enemy of humanity, has always strived to distort the truth, presenting falsehood in the guise of truth and ugliness in the cloak of beauty to human perception. He employs all deceptive means and tools to make sin appealing, disobedience sweet, and deviation desirable. The Quran mentions Satan's role in numerous verses. For instance, in Surah Al-An'am, verse 43, it states: "But their hearts hardened, and Satan made attractive to them that which they were doing." This verse clearly indicates that one of Satan's primary tasks is to adorn and beautify reprehensible actions. He deceives the human mind and heart with false promises, the illusion of power, fleeting pleasures, and fake successes. He whispers to individuals that this wrongful act will actually benefit them, or that this sinful pleasure is an opportunity not to be missed. Satan exploits all human weaknesses in this endeavor, from ambition to greed and lust, and with smooth talk and embellishment, he portrays the path of error as a flowery and attractive route. Another reason presented in the Quran is following one's whims and worldly desires. Often, humans, consciously or unconsciously, succumb to their inner impulses and cravings instead of adhering to sound intellect and divine guidance. The lower self (Nafs al-Ammara), which inclines towards evil, if left unchecked, propels individuals towards transient and sinful pleasures. In Surah Al-Jathiyah, verse 23, the Quran says: "Have you seen he who takes his desire as his god, and Allah sends him astray knowingly, and seals his hearing and his heart and puts over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?" This verse beautifully and profoundly illustrates the consequence of following one's desires: misguidance and the blinding of the heart's eyes and ears to the truth. When a person prioritizes their desires above all else, they gradually lose the ability to distinguish right from wrong and perceive whatever their lower self craves as beautiful and correct, even if it contradicts divine and rational standards. Instant gratification and the glitters of this world can cast such a veil over one's eyes that they can no longer see the consequences of their actions, leading them to choose the path of deviation that presents itself with an adorned appearance. Furthermore, heedlessness and lack of contemplation on divine verses and signs of Allah can lead to perceiving the wrong path as beautiful. When a person becomes heedless of God and indifferent to religious teachings and divine warnings, their heart hardens and loses its capacity to grasp the truth. This is the "sealing of the heart" and "veiling of vision" mentioned in the Quran. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 7, it states: "Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment." This sealing and veiling are natural consequences of persistent aversion from the truth and sinking into the quagmire of sins. The more a person persists in error and turns away from divine reminders, the more their spiritual insight diminishes, to the point where they are no longer able to see the ugliness of their own actions and may even find them beautiful and pleasing. Such individuals often become trapped in a vicious cycle of self-justification and satanic whispers that plunge them deeper into the wrong path. The absence of proper role models, the influence of environment and bad companions, and weakness of faith also contribute to this phenomenon. A society where material and superficial values prevail over spiritual and moral ones can create a fertile ground for the beautification of falsehood. Bad friends and associates, by justifying sins and normalizing them, can lead an individual to accept wrongdoings. In such an environment, the boundaries between right and wrong become blurred, and distinguishing the correct path becomes more difficult. Weak faith also makes a person more vulnerable to Satan's temptations and deceptions, leading them to surrender to the false allure of sin instead of resisting. To escape this deception, the Holy Quran provides clear remedies. The first step is Taqwa (piety and God-consciousness). Taqwa grants a person insight to distinguish truth from falsehood. The second step is reflection and contemplation on divine verses and the signs of creation. The Quran constantly invites humans to ponder on the horizons and within themselves, so that the truth becomes clear to them. The third step is seeking refuge in Allah from the evil of Satan and seeking His help against temptations. Fourth, associating with the righteous and avoiding the corrupt. Good companions can help a person stay on the right path and prevent them from falling into misguidance. Fifth, self-purification (Tazkiyah al-Nafs) and struggle against one's desires. By purifying the self, one can gain control over their desires and be freed from their bondage. This is a challenging but fruitful path that grants unparalleled power to see the truth and resist the false allure of falsehood. Ultimately, "perceiving the wrong path as beautiful" is a spiritual and psychological ailment deeply rooted in satanic whispers, weakness of will, and following one's desires. The Quran teaches us that this beauty is false and its ultimate outcome is nothing but loss and regret. The path to salvation lies in holding fast to the rope of Allah, increasing spiritual insight, and staying away from anything that makes us forget God. This is a constant reminder that the deceptive appearance of some worldly matters should not distract us from the ultimate truth and the noble purpose of creation. Only with the light of divine guidance can we truly recognize ugliness as ugly and true beauty as beautiful, and thus escape the traps of Satan and the lower self. This insight is a gift from Allah to those who persevere on the path of truth and sincerely desire guidance.