Moral Principles as the Basis of Islamic Culture — Page 3
Moral Principles As The Basis Of Islamic Culture ,. Belief in the existence of a Divine Creator has,· in some shape or ot:her, persisted. throughout the history of mankind in the most back- ward as well as the most culru~ed and civilized sections. It is unneces- sary for our present purpos~ tp enter upon a determination of the ques- tion whether such belief is the result of the progressive exercise of human reason alone or has, a$ taught by Islam, been in~lcated from the beginning through revelation. Islam bases ,the culture that it seeks to promote upon the founda- tion of this finn belief. It teaches that the object of man's creation was to bring into existence a being endowe~ with faculties that should enable him tq become a manifestation of divine attributes. The Quran says·thatbefore the creation of man God proclaimed: ''/have decreed the coming into. being upon the earth -of one who should be. My Vice· gerent and should manifeft Aly attribJJtes in himself. '' (Ch. II, v. 30) This means, not oiily that. the first man, or Adam, was to have these faculties but that man as such was to be endowed with them. At an- other place the. Qt. iran says: "God is He Who has appointea you (mankind). His Viiege1·en1s upon earth. Knou•, then, that he U'ho fails to recognize this dignity 1md to. act in accordance thereu·ith shall be 1111JWt1·abl<R for his neglect. " (Ch. . XXXV, y, __. 39). The Holy Prophet of lsfani has in tum· exhorted the Muslims to equip themselves. . with divine attributes. This articlt: v. ·as writ1. •n primarily for Volumr: VI, Sden. -e of Culrure Series, en· tirll'd MORAL PRIJl. <CIPLE OF ACTION. eJatt:d by Ruth XanJa An~htn. Harpc:r and Brorhtrs, publishe-rs. '\X'e t:xprt:ss \lur dt:cp ,a. :rdtitudt' ioc rh;. :ia 'kind permimOf\ ~1• rt:pn:,. :;. ·cc the. :uriclt::