Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 123
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 123 any previous scriptures is abrogated by the. Quran it is re- placed by a better commandment and, whatever command- ment previously revealed is forgotten but is still needed, is revived in the Quran. This is all part of the wisdom of the Divine Who has full power to do all that He wills. This brings out the progressive character of the teaching of the Holy Quran as compared with the previous scriptures, which undoubtedly contained fundamental teachings, that have been repeated in the Quran; but they also contained direc- tions that were of a temporary or a local character and were no longer needed. These latter were abrogated by the Quran. Also in the previous scriptures certain directives were given which were suited to the circumstances of those times, but were of an intermediary character. These were replaced in the Quran by more perfect, more comprehensive and mote definite directions than the intermediary directives. For in- stance, liquor was not totally and absolutely forbidden in previous scriptures; only its excessive use was restrained. This was a wise directive because at those stages of human de- velopment the harm done by the moderate use of liquor was not greater than the benefit that could be derived from it in the then conditions of human existence. By the time of the advent of the Holy Prophet, the stage had been reached in which on the one side human intellect and human spiritual capacity had been developed to a degree where the harm to be apprehended from the use of the smallest quantity of liquor had increased manyfold, and on the other side the benefit that could be derived from its moderate use could be obtained in alternative ways that had been developed and had become available. Therefore, Divine wisdom forbade the use of liquor altogether. The Holy Quran has pointed this out: 'They ask thee concerning liquor and gambling: Tell them there is great harm in both and also some benefit for people, but their harm is greater than their benefit' (2:220). In view of this total abstention was prescribed: '0 Ye who believe, liquor, gambling, idols and divining arrows are. but abo- minations and Satanic devices. So turn wholly away from