Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 204
204 islam’s response to contemporary issues refined and noble in man is brought out and he is made so sensitive to the sufferings of others that he sometimes feels it to be a crime to live in luxury and comfort while others suffer and eke out an existence of misery and wretchedness. Of course, such highly cultured people who form the vanguard of sublime human values are always in a small minority but the overall consciousness in society for the well-being of others is raised to such a respectable level that it becomes impossible for them to remain concerned only with their own necessities and comforts, oblivious of the miserable state of the less fortunate section of society. Their concern in life no longer remains introvert. They learn to live with a wider consciousness of life around them. They feel uneasy unless they materially participate in ameliorating the sufferings and raising the standards of life of others. The characteristics of such society of believers is described in one of the earliest verses in the Holy Quran and cited previously in this address: And spend out of what We have provided for them. 26 Basic Needs In the previous section on socio-economic peace, we have seen how Islam has revolutionised the concept of alms for the poor and needy. As far as the rights of individuals in the national cake are concerned, the Holy Quran gives us the criteria whereby we can determine how