Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 357
357 waste. The spiritual cause of this conflict, of this chastisement, is described as the taking of God’s servants as protectors, instead of Him. The remedy indicated is, “Your Lord is only One God. So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act righteously, and make no one a sharer of the worship due unto his Lord. ” The true remedy, therefore, for the ills that afflict mankind today and that threaten to overwhelm it tomorrow is for man to turn to God with the single- minded purpose of making his peace with Him, having sincerely determined that in all matters whatsoever his guiding rule shall be: “Thy will and not mine. ” Truly, mankind stands again on the brink of a pit of fire. God’s Grace and Mercy alone can save it. To win His Grace and Mercy, mankind must turn to Him alone, the one God, Ever Gracious, Most Merciful, discarding all and everything that may have been associated with Him, anything that may have displaced Him in men’s minds, any being beside Him from whom mankind may at any time have besought protection. There is no other way. Inasmuch as the indications are that the cataclysm would overtake mankind in consequence of certain causes (18:103 ⎯ 107), the real and effective remedy is the removal of those causes. Once this is done, mankind may be led out of the shadow of the cataclysm into the light. God’s purpose is to lead mankind into His Grace and Mercy. His purpose is