Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 68
68 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad further steps towards secular knowledge, they continue to leave Islam further and further behind. Finally, nothing is left but mere rituals and the essence of reli- gion is lost. This outcome does, and has previously come about, due to people be- coming engrossed in one-sided investigation and education. Many who are even dubbed leaders of their nation have been unable to understand the point that acquiring knowledge in modern sciences is only beneficial when done so with the sole intention of serving religion, and if one benefits from the company of a holy and divinely inspired man of God. It is my firm belief that the spread of atheistic naturalism is due to the fact that in order to counter or respond to those satanic onslaughts that are laced with the poison of disbelief and waged against Islam by naturalists, philosophers and astronomers, Muslims employ hollow rationalism along with conjectural and hy- pothetical argumentation because they deem the teachings of Islam and heavenly light to be inadequate. Consequently, such apologetics are led far away from the deeper meanings and aims of the Holy Quran. They cover their hearts with the hidden veil of irreligiousness, which sooner or later—if not for the grace of Allah Almighty-takes on the guise of atheism, leaving a tinge on the heart, which then leads to such a person's ruin. Another affliction which plagues the secular academics of today is that they are absolutely ignorant of religious knowledge. And so when they come across an al- legation levelled by an astronomer or philosopher, they begin to harbour doubts and objections in relation to Islam. As a result, they either become Christians or atheists. In such circumstances, the parents of such people also commit a grave injustice against their children for not giving them the least bit of time so that they may be educated in religious knowledge; and they involve them in such tasks and engagements from a very young age, which deprive them of pure religion. The Proper Time for Religious Education and Training Another point to bear in mind is that the most appropriate and advisable time for the acquisition of religious education is during the period of childhood. How much can one achieve if they begin to learn the basics of Arabic grammar in old age? Retentive faculties are sharp in childhood. The memory is never as firm in the later stages of one's life. I remember vividly certain things from my childhood even now, but have forgotten many instances from fifteen years ago. The reason for this is because the imprints of learning in the early stages of life become so