Approaching the West — Page 79
A pproaching the West—79 Qur’ ā nic morals among the Muslims, keeping the spirit of Isl ā mic Shar ī ‘ah working within the establishment of peace, justice and love. The Great Jih ā d is to preach the message of PEACE (i. e. , Isl ā m). Striving for the propagation of Isl ā m, and dissemination of its teachings, is the Jih ā d which the Muslims are perpetually enjoined to carry on. If the spirit of Isl ā mic Shar ī ‘ah is properly and rightfully infused among the Muslims, it would help prevent acts of terrorism. The upholders of the Shar ī ‘ah have to instill in the Muslims the respect for life that the Qur’ ā n teaches. According to the Holy Qur’ ā n, to kill a person without due process of Law is as if one has killed all of mankind; and whoso saves a life, the Qur’ ā n says, “It shall be as if he had saved the life of all of mankind” (5:32). As I have said earlier, the spirit of the Religious Law is common in the Holy Scriptures—the Vedas, the Torah, the Gospels and the Qur’ ā n. I would like to quote, therefore, a passage from the New Testament, Matthew, 22:35-40. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him (Jesus) a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as your self. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. ”