Ahmadiyya Movement — Page 48
48 to employ the balance towards objects of public utility rather than towards the gratification of personal desires; that is to say, that they ought to prefer the happiness to be derived from the distribution rather than that to be derived from the hoarding or squandering of wealth. The teachings of Islam stand unique in this respect. Islam recognises and upholds the principle of pri- vate ownership, but it also recognises that no man can be rich without a contribution of the labour of others, and it therefore explicitly enjoins that out of the wealth of the rich a portion should be set apart and spent through the government for the welfare of the poor as compensation for the contribution made by the poor towards its production. It also enjoins upon the State the duty of providing for all its people the necessaries of life and the means of instruction. With regard to international relations, he pointed out that they could never be put on satisfactory basis till it was realised that nations and Governments were as much subject to the dominion of morals as individuals. Indeed, most International disputes are the result of the false doctrine which prevails that Governments are not bound to conform to the moral standard expected of in- dividuals. For the peace of the world he also considered it necessary that the subjects of each State should cooperate with their respective Governments. There could be no objection to their taking measures to demand and safeguard their rights, but in so doing they must not adopt a course of conduct which is calculated to disturb the public tranquility or to undermine the authority of the Government, or which is objectionable from a moral standpoint. Again, he considered that, so long as there were people who believed sincerely in some religion or other, and the world was not composed entirely of men who used religion as a cloak to be donned on ceremonial occasions, religious differences were bound to arise, and that true concord would be established only