Way of The Seekers — Page 94
94 THE as four volumes. He is supposed to have pronounced the last word on the subject. I would like to throw some light on the subject to enable the student of today to appreciate the errors in the earlier expositions. In their own day, their views were valid, but today they need to be modified. The basic difference between the moral philosophy of Al- Ghazali and the Ahmadiyya moral philosophy is that the former emphasizes negative values while the latter is essen- tially positive in character. This change in approach was brought about by the Promised Messiah (on him be peace). He pointed out that morals do not merely mean the absence of evil but also the presence of Good. It is not denied that self-control is a road to morality, but it is not the only road. While contemplating the philosophy of morals, we cannot ignore certain factors, some of which are as follows. God says: I have created men, high and low, that they may worship Me. (51:57). Again, He says: Those who prove fortunate shall be in the Garden, abiding therein so long as the heaven and earth shall endure, excepting that which thy Lord may will. This is a bounty which shall never be cutoff (11:109). This shows that man was created, not for not doing certain things, but for doing certain things. Hence our creation has a positive and not a negative purpose. Negation is at best a precaution. It means to remove the obstacles which stand in the way of the realization of the ultimate goal. It is a means, never an end. If the purpose of man’s creation was no more than negation or extinction, where was the need for his creation? This purpose was being served better without his creation. The situation is similar to the one in Hindu Theology in which God is described as not this and not that. Man was created not to negate but to affirm, always accepting negation to be a means, never the end. Therefore, the real issue is what should man become, not what he should not become.