Through Force or Faith? — Page 39
Principles to Promote World Peace 39 message of peace in the world and noble souls kept joining them, and Islam emerged from Arabia and spread to other countries in Asia and the Far East. Africa benefited from its blessings too and the banner of Islam waved in Europe as well. But when righteousness declined, when peace was replaced by selfishness, when the place of love and affection was taken by jealousy, rancour and grudges, Muslims became progressively deprived of those rewards and blessings that Allah had ordained for those who cherish His righteousness in their hearts. Allah, the Exalted, brought down His final teachings upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad s as to remove the discord from the land and oceans. Even today, it is these teachings that have to replace darkness with light. Even today, it is these very teachings that have to remove the disorder in the world by its message of peace. Though such people—from whose hearts righteousness has vanished and who have indulged in selfishness, jealousy, and mal- ice—became deprived of it, yet God, the Exalted, did not retract the promise that He had made with the Holy Prophet s as , who was the final Law-Bearing Prophet of Allah, that Islam is the religion which is destined to prevail over all religions. If anyone suffered, it were those who were devoid of righteousness, Islam did not suf- fer. Today, Allah, the Exalted, has raised a true lover of the Holy Prophet s as for the renaissance of Islam and its revival. Today, the believers of the Promised Messiah as are to bring back the lost leg- acy of Muslims by acting upon the true teachings of Islam and by satiating their hearts with righteousness. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every Ahmad i to propa- gate this message of peace all around, and impress on every heart that Islam is the flag bearer of love and compassion and not of