Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 172
172 islam’s response to contemporary issues It is also possible that to meet the growing challenge from the gigantic economy of Japan and to put a check on its rapidly expanding economy, other Far Eastern countries would no longer remain beneficiaries of American know-how and capital. On the other hand, it is also possible that America may lean even more on its Far Eastern allies to meet new combined challenges from Japan and an economically much bigger and united Europe. This augurs ill for the future of mankind and may ultimately shatter the prospects for peace on a completely different plane than the ideological rivalries between capitalism and communism. It is too early to predict how the changes in Eastern Europe and Russia may influence the economic balance of the world and whether their return to capitalism may be complete or partial or slow or rapid. Whatever happens, one thing is certain that these changes will further adversely influence the economies of the Third World. Such a state of affairs cannot last indefinitely. Already, the world is heading towards a global catastrophe. Islam has a word of advice for the presently exultant capitalist countries built on a hollow foundation of usury and interest. They are ultimately bound to tumble down and shatter to pieces. The so-called recent victory by capitalism over socialism will only provide transient peace. Capitalist philosophies by themselves will give birth to powerful demons which will rapidly grow to gigantic size in the absence of rivalries from socialism. The volcano of capitalism will finally erupt with such force that the whole world will shake, quake and convulse.