Islamabad (Digital Post) A Snake Can Change Its Skin, Not Its Nature

Islamabad (Digital Post) After offering the morning prayer, I got up and, as usual, looked at my mobile phone. I was watching HJ Channel. I have a very dear brother, Mr. Jafri, from Gujranwala. Meanwhile, I came across a piece written by Chaudhry Salahuddin Sahib. It was only a few lines, but such that a person cannot read them once and simply move on. I read them again and then kept thinking for a while that indeed, sometimes the great experiences of life are condensed into just a few words.

Chaudhry Salahuddin Sahib wrote:

“You have seen the world and read many books, but listen to this reality: a snake can change its skin, but not its nature.”

This statement appears very simple, but it contains great depth about human nature. A person sees the world, reads books, gains experiences, meets different people, and learns many things over time. But despite all this, one question remains: does a person really change from within as well, or does only his outward appearance change?

In life, we meet many people who change their style over time. Their clothes change, their way of speaking changes, their sitting and social circles change, their friends change, their gatherings change, and sometimes they even completely distance themselves from their previous ideas and relationships. Apparently, it seems that the person has completely changed, but after some time, there comes an occasion when his real nature once again comes to the surface.

This is the point where a person understands that there is a great difference between outward change and real change.

The example of a snake has been given in our society for centuries. It is said that a snake changes its skin, but remains a snake. Similarly, there is a famous proverbial saying that even if a snake is fed milk, it can bite when given the opportunity. The purpose of this example is not to state a scientific fact, but to explain human behaviour—that mere kindness, closeness, or outward gentleness does not necessarily change someone’s basic nature.

We also have such experiences in our lives.

You stand by someone during their difficult time. You help them, take time out for them, come to their assistance, and consider their worries your own. You begin to feel that this relationship has now become strong and that the other person will always remember this sincerity as well.

But time passes, circumstances change, interests change, and sometimes that same person reaches a position where they no longer need you. Then their attitude changes.

At that point, a person thinks: what happened?

Perhaps the reality is that the person did not change; rather, their real character came before us.

A person’s true identity is not revealed when they are sitting in front of you and saying good things. Their true identity is revealed when they have no benefit to gain from you. One should see whether they still respect you at that time or not.

If you want to know a person, give them authority and see. Their behaviour after gaining power will tell you what they are from within. Observe how they treat the weak. Observe how they behave with someone younger or lower in status than themselves. Listen to how they speak about their old friends. What they say about someone from whom they no longer have any benefit is a great mirror of their character.

Similarly, difficult times also introduce a person’s true self.

Everyone comes to congratulate you on an occasion of happiness, but who remains standing with you during difficult times—that is the real question. In illness, loss, loneliness, or difficulty, the person who holds your hand may not make great claims, but their character speaks for itself.

On the contrary, some people speak of great principles in words. They talk about loyalty, tell stories of friendship, and give lessons in morality, but when their own interests come into question, all their principles change.

Here again, the same thought comes to mind: a snake can change its skin, but not its nature.

But this does not mean that one should decide about every person that they can never change.

A person can indeed change.

If someone admits their mistake, reforms their behaviour, leaves arrogance and adopts humility, abandons oppression and turns towards justice, leaves lies and speaks the truth, and begins to care about the rights of others, then this is real change.

Real change is not proven by words; time proves it.

One day of good words does not prove a person to be good, but years of consistently good character become a testimony to that person. Similarly, one mistake does not determine a person’s entire life, but if the same wrong behaviour is repeated again and again, it can become a habit and then a part of one’s nature.

That is why one should not be quick to understand or judge a person. Time should be given an opportunity. People are recognized not by their words but by their consistent actions.

I have seen many people in life. Some people impress you greatly at the first meeting, but with time their reality comes to light. Some people appear very simple at first glance, but when life puts them to the test, they demonstrate such character that a person respects them for the rest of their life.

That is the real wealth.

Whether a person has wealth or not, whether they hold an office or not, whether they have fame or not, if their character is strong, they leave behind a good memory.

And if their character is weak, even the highest position cannot always give a person lasting respect.

After reading Chaudhry Salahuddin Sahib’s writing, I also felt that we are often very busy judging the character of others. We immediately know that so-and-so has changed, so-and-so has changed their colours, so-and-so did not remain loyal, so-and-so forgot the favour.

But perhaps we should also ask ourselves a question.

Are we ourselves the same people we were a few years ago?

Has there also been any change within us?

Are we more humble than before?

Are we more sincere towards our friends than before?

When we help someone, do we remember it as well, or do we remind them of the favour?

Do we respect a person who is weaker than us?

And above all, do we have the courage to admit our own mistakes?

These questions are not for others; they are for ourselves.

Recognizing the character of others is wisdom, but recognizing one’s own character is true understanding.

We should neither become suspicious of everyone nor be deceived by everyone’s outward appearance. Give people time, observe their actions, observe their behaviour during difficult times, and then form an opinion about their character.

Life has taught me this: faces can hide many things, words can change many things, but time eventually brings the truth to the surface.

After the morning prayer, I kept thinking about those few lines by Chaudhry Salahuddin Sahib:

A snake can change its skin, but not its nature.

And perhaps the greatest lesson of this sentence is that before considering outward change to be real change, one should look at the character.

Then, finally, one should take one more step and look at oneself as well.

Because recognizing the reality of others is easy, but recognizing the reality within oneself is difficult.

May Allah Almighty grant us the understanding to recognize people not by their outward appearance but by their character, and, more importantly, grant us the ability to reform our own character. Ameen.