Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 294
294 national prejudices for the achievement of the common good. I shall, therefore, confine myself to what Islam teaches concerning the present aspect of international relations. One of the causes of international disputes and squabbles is in the covetousness with which advantages enjoyed by one nation are viewed by others, and the attempt of one nation to take undue advantage of the weakness of other nations. Islam lays down a principle which removes all such causes of disputes and dissen- sions. The Holy Quran says: 'Do not lift thy eyes covetously to those material benefits which we have bestowed upon other na- tions in order to try them in their actions. That which thy Lord has bestowed on thee is best for thee and most enduring. ' 143 This means that things plundered from others are neither lasting nor can they be of any real benefit. That which is bestowed by God can alone last even unto the next world. Another cause of international disputes are inter- national dislikes and jealousies. For instance, one nation wrongs another and a truce is patched up at the time, but the aggrieved nation nurses a grudge against the aggres- sor, and looks for opportunities to injure it or take undue 143 Ta H a , 20:132.