Islam and Modern Life — Page 9
ISLAM AND MODE RN LIFE 9 increasing his power over the forces of nature. It’s a matter of intellectual pride at any rate. But in itself, this accession of power is neither good nor bad. It is the application of it which might make it of the utmost benefit to mankind, or of the gre atest injury to mankind. Now here is something which I, in my experience, have found for Western audiences very difficult to grasp. Here is a faith which claims allegiance of over 400 million people, which through 14 centuries has shown how strong a hold a nd deep a hold it has over those who profess this faith. It’s a living faith, and yet it manages to survive, and not only to survive, but to control the lives of those who profess this faith to a much greater degree than any other faith, and yet it has no church organization. Now this puzzles the West, but it’s an explanation to us. It governs the lives of the Muslims, unfortunately today not to the same degree, I shall come to that later, but nevertheless it governs the lives of the Muslims to a much great er degree, because there is no church in Islam. Anyway, there is neither a church hierarchy nor a priesthood, nor anybody called to holy, admitted to holy orders, no ordination, nothing of the kind. And therefore, one aspect of the problem didn’t arise at all, anyhow. But that was not the only reason, though it was that also a very wise provision.