Ahmadiyya Movement — Page 50
50 God reveals a religion for our guidance, that religion must in itself contain all the necessary principles and the arguments in support of them, for otherwise that religion, instead of being of assistance to us, would stand in need of our assistance for proof of its truth. 4. The advocates of different religions should be required not to confine themselves merely to an abstract explanation of the teachings of their religion, but also to illustrate in practice the results which can be obtained by acting upon tho teachings, so that people might be able to judge whether thos teachings do or do not lead to any result. If the properties of a medicine can be demonstrated by the effect which it produces upon a par- ticular disease, why cannot the nature of the teachings of a religion be demonstrated with reference to the relationship which they succeed in establishing between God and man. I have here mentioned only a few instances of the teachings of Islam calculated to promote peace and amity, but I have, as al- ready indicated, shown in my book Ahmadiyyat, or the true Is- lam, that Islam gives detailed instructions concerning this aspect of man’s life. It even outlines an international council and lays down the principles on which it should be based. These prin- ciples are different from those on which the present League of Nations is based, but a consideration of those principles would lead everybody to the conclusion that no international council can work successfully without them. Life after Death. Ever since man has been created he has believed in the existence of a life after death and every religion has held out the hope of such a life to man. This Paper will therefore remain incomplete if I omit a reference to the reform effected by the Promised Messiah in the prevalent beliefs concerning the life after death. But, as this is rather a subtle question and requires a long ex-