The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 216
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI healthy circulation once again; educated, capable, intelligent men under the guidance of a government ruled by honest, democratic ideals found encouragement in the new order and were able to rise to the highest public offices. It is safe to say that after a few inevitable excesses by soldiers during the invasions, a new era of prosperity and wealth was ushered in, a richness which Asia had not witnessed for centuries. The life of the conquered peoples, their civil rights and wealth received a degree of protection approximating to that enjoyed by the Muslims themselves. . Disturbed by such a profound political and religious transformation, men asked themselves what had brought it about? But many of them were blind or purposely closed their eyes, wandering long and hopelessly in a labyrinth of wrong conjectures. They could not realize that only a holy force could have supplied the first impulse for such a vast movement. They did not want to believe that the wisdom of God alone was responsible for the mission of Muhammad, the last of the great law-bearing Prophets, the one who forever concluded their series. Such a mission had to be a universal mission for all mankind without distinction of nationality, country or race. . They were either blind or did not want to see. These people went on spreading the word that the essence of Islam was violent aggression. . They claimed it was a religion imposed by the sword; they charged it with intolerance. They accused Muhammad himself of lying, of cruelty and of lust. They tried to demolish his admirable work of social and religious reform. They tried to make the devotion of his companions and followers appear as selfish interest, and represented them as people animated only by a desire for wealth and worldly prosperity. " (An Interpretation of Islam p. 17-22). Islamic civilization flourished from the 7th century to the 13th or 14th century. Islam had provided stimulus to its followers to seek knowledge and sciences. The Holy Prophet taught that wisdom is a lost property of a Muslim. He should adopt it from wherever he finds it. The Holy Quran repeatedly urges the believers to study and reflect upon God's creation which is nature and they will find great harmony and order in the universe and they will exclaim that it has. 216