Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 233
233 of the law are not arbitrary but are designed to promote man’s welfare and to safeguard him against all harm). He lifts those burdens of theirs which they could not have lifted themselves owing to fear of social penalties (that is, he relieves them of useless social customs), and he removes the shackles of evil habits. ' 130 As evidence of this, one may cite the enforce- ment of total prohibition among the Arabs, who were, as a nation, the slaves of drink. This was accomplished by a single injunction of Islam prohibiting the use of liquor and the effect was so instantaneous and so complete that from a nation of drunkards the Arabs became in one day the most abstemious people, and wine has never since become a national drink among them. Science has now fully demonstrated the ill-effects of drinking and the whole medical profession is opposed to the use of liquor, yet some of the most civilized nations and Gov- ernments have failed in enforcing total prohibition. In short, habits and customs are responsible for a great number of evils and sins, and Islam has rendered a valuable service to humanity by freeing the Muslims from the yoke of any such habits and customs. What I have said in regard to the moral teachings of Islam is merely by way of illustration. 1 trust, how- ever, that it will serve to convey some idea of the char- acter and significance of those teachings. 130 Al-A‘r a f, 7:158.