Civilisation at the Cross Roads — Page 9
transgressing nor falling short of the measure set up by God, that life on earth cau become beneficent. "Verily, We sent Our Messengers with Manifest ~igns and sent down with _them the Book and the Balance that men should ~onduct themselves with equity". (LVII : 26) "The heaven He has raised high and set up a measure, so that you keep the balance with equity and neither transgress nor fall short of the measure". (LV: 8-10) It is only a life whid1 is iu "balance" in the perspective of to-day and of to-morrow, that is to say, a perspective that embraces both the foregro:md of the here and the background of the hereafter, in accordance with the measure set. up by God, neithC'r transgressing nor falling short of it, that can he tr•ily beneficent. It is only !hen who lead surh lives who will always stand with truth and justice and eonduct themselv. es with equity. In their hands and under their control, all powers and all fo1·ces "stratospheric", · 'fissio. nary", "fusionary" and still other111. that may be rlE'veloped. will on!)'. be instruments of benefirence, that will · be employed for fostering human welt'ue to the greater glory and praise of God. It may be asked,. is this not merely a counsel of perfection. It certainly is a co~rnsei of perfection ; nothing less would be adequate:. But it is not merely a counsel in the sense of being only academic speculation. What has been said here by way of introduction and illustration and that which is expounded in the Qurai1 in greater detail as the way of the beneficent life in all spheres, spiritual, moral, physical, is all eminently practicable and can. easily be put into effect. But it may be said further, what about the mischief that may be wrought involving the- destruction of culture and civilisation, if not the destruction of life itself, by the irresponsible conduct of those who may not be prepared to subscribe to these values and may in fact be opposed to them? In the first place, while offering guidance on all funclameutal. s aft'eding various aspects of human life, the Qur1rn takes not. : 9