Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 503
17 May 1908 503 at, nothing pleasing can be seen. Externally, Islam has been attacked so much and has suffered so many setbacks that a large section of Muslims, having been influenced by them, have themselves given up on their faith altogether. In addition to them, a large number of sceptics have surfaced who are not sat- isfied with Islam and are extremely weak. The rest, who have strong conviction and believe in Islam on the basis of thorough understanding, are very few indeed. Many types of attacks are taking place. The weapons of scriptural objections are being fired upon Islam. The Aryas and the Christian priests are rain- ing down objections, albeit they realize that they are ignoble and possess nothing themselves. It is always easy to criticize but difficult to offer a compliment. The Assault of Modern Sciences Modern sciences are also a sort of assault on Islam. Today’s edu- cation, philosophy, physics, and astronomy also engage man in error. It is my experience that most individuals, whether they have acquired full and proper knowledge of these sciences or possess it to a limited degree, they generally adopt an unre- strained mode of living. And then they gradually lose even the respect for Islam and the Holy Prophet s as and there comes a time when they deny even God Himself. A sort of stench emanates from their conversation and one perceives that they are about to be lost whether it be today or perhaps tomorrow. In reality, the assault mounted by this group is worse than the assaults of the Aryas and the Christian priests. And although the criticism of the latter are usually in the form of scriptural objections which bear the possibility of