Civilisation at the Cross Roads — Page 16
our needs is 11ot tn·aitable. I have referred to the opeDinl? verse of thf' Quran. The very next vtrse mentions one of the attributes ·of God as Rahman "The word 1s commouly trans- lated as the Beneficent, but its exact import is "Be who makes provision for our every need before the need manifests itself"- We may be sure, therefore, that He has made provision for our guidance through the epoch which is opening up before us. Bv ac•cepting and acting upon that guidance, we can make our lives wholly and truly beneficent. This alone would give us complete security. We shall the. reby disarm all aggression. Should aggre~sion nevertheless -be embarked upon and persisted in, we shall, ha,·ing put ourselves and all aspects of our lives in complete accord with Divine guidance, but only then and not merely because we have chosen any particular label, be granted the strength and the pt:rseverance to overcome it, even, if we may happen to be smaller in numbers and weaker in resources. History bears ample witness to this, · "How many a small party has triumphed over a large party, by God's command: God is with the steadfast". (II : 250) The Quran says: "God is the light of the heavens and the earth". (XXIV: 36). "lie brings men out of darkness into the light through His Signs and bestows light upon Hisser- vants by which they are guided and in which they walk. " (LVII : 10, 13 and 29) The principal function of light is to make · everything appear in its true reality. We must constantly seek God's light for our guidance, so that we may be enabled to see everything in its true reality and may be safeguarded against falling i11 to ·error. We have His firm promise that if we strive for Him, He wilt guide us along His paths and that He is ever with those who act righteously. (XXIX : 70) Before I conclude, I should like to say a word to remove a misconception concerning Islam which is very C'ommon in the West. It is often said that the attitude of Islam is one of opposition to other faiths. I shall here content myself with making two quotations, to repel this charge: "Surely those who have believed, and the Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians-whoso believes in God and the Last Day and acts righteously, on them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve". (V : 70) "Say, oh people of the Book, come to a word equal between us and you-that we worship none but God and that we- associate no partners with Him and that some of us take not others for Lords besides God". (III : 65) That invitation stands for all time. "All praise to God, the Lord of all the Universes"! 16