The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 218
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI of Western sciences, but he argued that Muslims should become more religious not less, and must offer their daily prayers and fast as prescribed and follow the teachings of the Holy Quran. He laid it as a condition to become his follower that he or she will give preference to their religion of Islam over their worldly considerations. . The Promised Messiah said that early glorious era of great success of Muslims was due to their following of teachings of the. Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet. And now in this era of decline. . Muslims will once again become great by following Islam and the. Holy Quran. He explained the subtle difference of divine laws. governing Islamic civilization compared to other civilizations. He said that it is Allah's decree that Muslims will not gain great worldly success as a nation or civilization if they neglect Islam. There is no such condition attached to material success of other civilizations like. Graeco-Roman civilization ог modern Western civilization. . Christianity does not play such a central role in Western civilization as Islam plays in Islamic civilization. There is no doubt that native. nations comprising Western civilization are Christians and the common religion of Christianity has served as a unifying force for them. But the soul of modern Western civilization in 20th century is secular and materialistic. One cannot say that Christianity is the basic force for the great scientific achievements of Western civilization. . Traditionally, the church has been against the scientific discovery charging it to be against the Bible. The Promised Messiah explained the above condition for Muslims, by saying that Muslims are the last people who have been entrusted the task of defending and propagating Tauheed (Oneness of God). Thus if they neglect Islam or rebel, they will be punished. He gave the analogy of a government and its workers in its administration. If their workers rebel, they are given exemplary punishment. . We have already discussed the prophecy of the Promised. . Messiah about the great and glorious success of Islam and the. Ahmadiyya Movement in the next century or two. This the second phase of Islam will also be glorious like the early Islam. Its scope and spread will be greater than the first phase, because the whole world 218