Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 128
128 is revelation alone that enables him to proclaim with complete certitude and in utter confidence that God is. Indeed, revelation as an individual experience is both a need and a fulfilment of spiritual life. Only experience of direct communion with God through revelation establishes in men’s minds and hearts the absolute certainty of faith in a living and beneficent Creator, and furnishes the motive power for the acceptance and realisation of the highest spiritual values. If a religion sincerely accepted and faithfully acted upon does not lead its followers into the enjoyment of such a communion, it fails to serve the ultimate and highest purpose of religion. Concerning such a religion it must be concluded that it is no longer adequate to the spiritual needs of mankind. Islam claims to fulfil these needs in all ages. That reason by itself could have led to the discovery of, and faith in, the existence of God is a complete inversion of the truth. God is the Creator of the universe and by virtue of His attribute of Providence has throughout made provision for man’s spiritual as well as for his material needs. Up to a certain stage in the course of creation, that is to say before man’s capacities had been perfected to a degree which made him conscious of the need of communion with God, or enabled him to experience it, he needed only a general concept of good and evil, right and wrong, that which was