Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 232
232 customs of a certain country or class may require a man to dress in a particular style and, not having the means of complying with this unwritten social law, he may find himself compelled to adopt unlawful means to acquire money sufficient to enable him to comply with it. Islam has abolished all such habits and customs. For instance, in eating and drinking it has prohibited the use of everything that is likely to result in the formation of a habit and to enslave a man,—such as wine, liquors, stimulants, etc. It describes habits as chains which it is the function of Islam to cut asunder. In regard to cus- toms, Islam says that they are a burden which men are often compelled to carry out of fear of ridicule, though it is often too heavy for them to bear, as the rich and the poor, the heavily indebted and the free from debt are all expected to conform to them. Customs compel people to commit sins and crimes in their effort to preserve a fictitious dignity in the eyes of their equals. They thus destroy their souls in the anxiety to preserve outward appearances. The Holy Quran describes one of the objects of the advent of the Holy Prophet sa as follows: 'This Prophet enjoins good on them and forbids evil unto them (that is, he is the bearer of a perfect law). He makes lawful unto them that which is pure and beneficent and declares that unlawful which is impure or harmful (that is, the injunctions