The principle of secular democracy is exactly in accordance with the teachings of Islam. There is a verse in the Quran describing those who know this principle as those “who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation.” (42:38)
A tradition of the Prophet explains it further: “As you will be, so will be your rulers.” (Sunan Al Baihaqi Vol. 6, p. 22; Mishkat Al Masabih, No. 3717) This verse and this tradition tell us that the principle of Islam is to accept the opinion of the majority in worldly matters common to all. This principle can be called practical settlement. This practical settlement can be arrived at with declaration or without declaration.
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in Makkah without interfering with the tribal Parliament known as Dar-an-Nadwa’. Neither did he challenge the presence of the 360 idols placed in the Kabah, etc. It was in the nature of an undeclared settlement. After the migration, he entered into a proper written agreement with the Quraysh on the occasion of Hudaybiyyah. In this agreement, it was mentioned in writing that neither party would commit any aggression, directly or indirectly, against the other. It was, in effect a declared settlement.
Secular democracy is neither an absolute theory nor an eternal system. It is only a practical settlement that is made according to the situation. Its basic purpose is to provide opportunities by maintaining peace in social life. By avoiding confrontation, such a process should be set in as it may facilitate the journey to the desired goal. Secular democracy is in keeping with Islamic teachings in spirit. Holding secular democracy against Islam is extremism, and there is no place for extremism in Islam.
Source: The True Face of Islam
What is democracy? Democracy is defined as a majority rule. But this definition is not enough to understand democracy. You will have to add these words: Majority rule in secular affairs.
The fact is that democracy is not an absolute theory, rather it is only a practical solution. Democracy is a practical system for a society that comprises people of different religious traditions. In a democratic set -up government institutions can be formed peacefully wherein all religious groups are given full opportunities to observe their religious obligations.
To understand democracy we have to add the element of secularism with it. In present times the democratic system has been based on the principle of secular democracy. Secularism does not provide any philosophy of life in the absolute sense.
Secularism, in actual fact, pertains to worldly affairs. For instance, the establishment of peace, city planning, infrastructure, etc. Secular democracy means that the administration of common worldly matters should be referred to as the democratic process, but, so far as the matter of the observation of religious duties is concerned, people should be given equal rights and full freedom.
This division does not mean reducing the sphere of religion, it rather means giving a starting point to religious people. In a secular democratic system, a religious group finds the opportunity to adopt the principle of “beginning from the possible” and start its peaceful struggle. That is, to achieve whatever is achievable today and for the rest, it may prepare the minds of the people and thus may keep increasing gradually and peacefully its sphere of influence.
Source: The True Face of Islam
People generally believe that religion and secularism are quite opposed to each other—religion is anti-secularism and secularism is anti-religion. However, a deeper study shows that this kind of thinking is completely unfounded. Instead, secularism is a great blessing for religion. One can understand this fact simply by applying the well-known saying: “It is in comparison that we understand”.
History tells us that during previous centuries, religion was always under attack; it is a recent phenomenon that religious people enjoy freedom. In previous centuries, religious people were like a deprived class, but now religion is flourishing everywhere in the world. What is the reason for this change?
It is due to modern secularism. Secularism is the dominant thinking of the modern age. And it is due to this secularism that religion is finding greater acceptance in modern society.
The fact is that the previous age was an age of persecution—persecution of political opponents; persecution of women; persecution of slaves; and, of course, religion was included in this list of persecution. Then, after the advent of modern science, secular thinking emerged; gradually it became the dominant thinking of the present world. If the previous age was an age of persecution, the present age is an age of secularism.
Secularism has brought a great intellectual revolution. Secularism is a kind of compromise that is based on practical realities. Secularism is not a religion; it is simply a practical adjustment between different groups of society.
According to the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, secularism is a policy of non-interference in religious matters. A secular scheme in political administration implies that all common issues, like infrastructure, irrigation, city planning, etc., will be managed by the state; and all other ‘non-political fields’, are open to one and all. Religious people may enjoy complete freedom in fields such as moral reform, spirituality, and education—especially informal education.
This secular scheme is highly appreciable and practiced happily by many religious people. The administration of a multicultural and multireligious society is a great responsibility. It is good that all these responsibilities are given to secular departments; so one is free to avail the opportunities present in modern times in other fields.
Source: Spirit of Islam July 2013
The answer is in the negative. Islam itself is a system of democracy, not only in political matters but also in other social matters. There is a clear direction in the Quran in this regard. The Quran has this to say—Affairs of the believers are decided by mutual consultation. (42:38)
It means that in every social issue, Muslims must follow the method of mutual consultation. If they reach a consensus, then it is good; otherwise, the matter will be decided by the majority. Democracy is another name for the rule of the majority, and the same principle is accepted in Islam.
The Prophet of Islam used to adopt this principle in every matter. He used to gather people whenever he was faced with a problem. He asked them to give their opinions, and the matter was settled only after discussion with his companions. The prophet used to say, ashiruu ‘alaya 'ayuha alnnas (O people, give me your opinion). It is on record that sometimes the Prophet accepted the opinion of the majority, even though it was against his personal opinion. One such example is found at the time of the battle of Uhud in 2 A.H. During this battle the Prophet felt that they should stay back in Madinah and defend themselves, whereas his companions were of the opinion that they should go on to the outskirts. The prophet agreed with the opinion of the majority. This was also the method of his four caliphs.
The Prophet of Islam said: “As you are, so will be your rulers.” (Shu'ab al-Iman by Al-Bayhaqi, Hadith no. 7006)
It means that the government will be formed by the people’s opinion. That is, the democratic process will determine who will be the ruler of the nation. The government cannot be formed by an individual; it is subject to the opinion of the majority. The well-known dictum of democracy: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” is also accepted by Islam. Therefore, Islam is a system of democracy; not only politically, but also socially.
Source: Spirit of Islam February 2013
Covid-19 has taught an important lesson to the whole world and that is, how helpless we are as human beings. Covid-19 did not discriminate between age, gender, income group, or faiths. It impacted everyone and caused a massive realization among humankind that what is the real purpose of our life. When people saw their loved ones pass away and they could do nothing, they realized how short our lifespan is and if in this short lifespan, we waste our time fighting, then we truly are eternal losers.
With the help of digital media, CPS reached out to millions carrying out the message of well-wishing and positivity, helping people understand the creation plan of God, introducing humankind to their Creator, and explaining what is His expectation of us. CPS members worldwide started using technology as physical movement was completely restricted. We converted our English magazine Spirit of Islam, and Urdu magazine Al-Risala into digital magazines. More effort was made to make all of my literature and talks available online. e-interaction was tremendously increased. All this was well received by people who had become more serious due to the Covid-19 shock.
Source: Spirit of Islam September 2021
The March 28, 2021, issue of The Guardian carried a very insightful piece by John Harris on how faithless people like me make sense of this past year of Covid. The article directly touches on the question of how the covid pandemic is affecting people. He writes:
“I felt a pang of envy that has occasionally surfaced in the past—this time to do with a year of lockdown, the sudden fear of serious illness and death, and the sense of all of it being wholly random and senseless. Was this, I wondered, how religious believers were feeling? Or were they able to give their recent experiences at least a semblance of coherence and meaning?
Like millions of other faithless people, I have not even the flimsiest of narratives to project onto what has happened, nor any real vocabulary with which to talk about the profundities of life and death.”
Thus, it becomes quite clear that an ideology that negates the authenticity of the religious narrative is quite incapable of finding meaning in seemingly negative experiences. When the limit of human intelligence is reached without providing credible answers, where do human beings turn to? The same article provides the following statistics:
“In the first phase of the pandemic, there were clear signs that a lot of us needed much more. Across 95 countries, Googling the word “prayer” increased by 50%, surpassing the level associated with Christmas and Ramadan. In April 2020, a service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury from his kitchen table drew 5 million viewers, described by the Church of England as the largest congregation in its history. And since then, as churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples have been at the heart of some communities’ Covid experiences, the symbols and rituals of religion have made very visible comebacks. They were seen again in (…) doorstep vigil, complete with candles and massed silence, for the people lost to Covid.”
This human tendency is described in the Quran in these words:
“When man suffers some affliction, he prays to his Lord and turns to Him in penitence, but once he has been granted a favour from God, he forgets the One he had been praying to.” (39: 8)
“When an affliction befalls men, they cry out to their Lord, turning to Him in repentance.” (30: 33)
The truth of the matter is that religious narrative is an integral part of human life. Disbelief makes this world meaningless. The bad experiences in life are part of the divine test. Those who respond positively to this test would be rewarded in the Hereafter. The only possible explanation of this universe is to believe in a ‘universe with God’. The other option, according to John Harris, poses questions: “(…) life without God has turned out to be life without fellowship and shared meaning.”
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2021
The covid pandemic affected every aspect of our lives, including religion. The authors Swami Agnivesh and Valson Thampu made an excellent point in an article published in The Indian Express dated June 30, 2020:
‘It looks as though the COVID pandemic has come to emancipate us from this subhuman religiosity. (…). The virus has undermined every aspect of priest-driven religiosity. (…). 'Post'-COVID, religion must be God-centered and priest-free, unburdened with places of worship. Worship, free from rituals, dogmas, deception and priestly hypocrisy, must nourish life.’
The religions promulgated by the priestly class as just a set of strict rituals and incantations have proven to be null and void. It was pure narrow-mindedness to differentiate between people as ‘us’ and ‘them’. Every religious community claims to be the chosen people of God. This pandemic proved that all are equal before God. The covid pandemic brought to the fore the essential aspect of religion. Religion should be based on reason, spirituality, universal brotherhood, and the welfare of humankind.
The pandemic must make us realize that our life, this earth, and everything in the universe is a gift from God. He can take it away whenever He wants. It must make us realise how the spectacular achievements in the field of science and technology widen the canvas of God-realization. It must teach us the necessity of peace and brotherhood. It must make us grateful for the amazing planet Earth with its life-support system, and learn lessons from nature to lead us on the journey of the realization of God, our Supreme Benefactor.
Further, it should make us realise that for humankind to survive and thrive on this planet, the most important need is ‘peace’. We need peace between human beings and peace between humans and nature. We need to treat with utmost care every object of the universe. Every aspect of nature plays an integral part in keeping this planet human-friendly. In our zeal for luxurious life and entertainment, we should not forget that our habits are harming the ecosystem. It is time to live responsibly.
Source: Spirit of Islam January 2021
The word kafir has never been used in the Quran to mean either a non-Muslim or an infidel. In fact, this term was applied solely to contemporaries of the Prophet. Kafir (pl. kuffar) was used to refer to those people who had completely understood the true message of Islam and refused to believe in it due to stubbornness. The Prophet peacefully conveyed to them the divine message over a long period of time, but they refused to follow the truth of his words. God, therefore, declared those people, the contemporaries of the Prophet as kuffar that is, the deniers. The use of the word kafir for anyone other than the contemporaries of the Prophet is not permissible.
The most important point to be grasped on this subject is that the word kafir denotes an individual rather than a certain race or community. It is in no way a group appellation. However, the generally held view is that one who is not a Muslim is kafir. This is an entirely baseless supposition. The word kafir is not synonymous with non-Muslim or a non-Muslim community.
Being a kafir is a matter of the heart, which God alone knows and therefore no person has any right to accuse a fellow human of being kafir. Kafir was a term of reference, restricted in place and time, and which is no longer relevant today. Now all are equally human beings and they have to be dealt with as human beings.
There is a relevant story in the life of the Prophet of Islam that aptly illustrates this principle. The Prophet of Islam migrated from Makkah to Madinah in 622 AD at which time there were some Jewish tribes living in Madinah. One day it happened that the Prophet of Islam, seated at that time, saw a funeral procession passing through a street in Madinah. On seeing the funeral, he stood up in deference.
One of his Companions said, ‘O Prophet! That was the funeral of a Jew, not a Muslim.’ The Prophet replied: ‘Was he not a human being?’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1312, 1313)
The Prophet could discover a commonality between himself and a Jew because both were human beings and creations of God.
Present-day Muslims often callously use the term kafir. They must bear in mind the following hadith of the Prophet of Islam where he condemned the mindless usage of this term and said:
“If one accuses another of being a kafir and the accused is not one, then the word will return to the accuser.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 6045)
Muslims must therefore absolutely refrain from alleging anyone as being a kafir or a denier.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
Islamic law does not recognize violent protest; the word itself does not exist. In terms of democracy, the protesters may have been right; but not in terms of Islam. I do think Salman Rushdie abused his right to expression in the book, but Islam recognizes the right to disseminate your ideas; if one expresses one’s ideas in a completely peaceful manner.
Islam does not require that the author should take into consideration the sentiments of his audience, but Salman Rushdie has misquoted history, which he has no right to do. Muslims needed to protest peacefully, and counter argument with argument.
Source: Spirit of Islam March 2013
The Quran said, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.” (41:34) In light of this verse, Muslims must try to give a positive response to anyone who is against Islam in efforts to change his enmity into friendship. So, the protests against Salman Rushdie were completely wrong from the Islamic perspective. Salman Rushdie has every right to come to this country. I heard his interview after the video conference was cancelled and agree with him when he said that all other freedoms rest on the freedom of expression. If you abolish the freedom of expression, all other freedoms will cease to exist.
According to Islam, you have to counter a book with a book; statement with statement. Countering a statement with violence is not right. It is un-Islamic. Protest and argument are two different kinds of reactions.
The Prophet himself faced many negative things and abuses, but he never protested. The prophet’s life is a model for Muslims, thus violent protest in this manner is against the spirit of Islam.
Source: Spirit of Islam March 2013
The Quran tells us that the Prophet’s contemporaries, misusing their freedom, spoke abusive words against him. Some of them called the Prophet a ‘man possessed’ (15:6), a ‘liar’ (23:24), and ‘a forgerer’ (25:4). The Quran has referred to these incidents but it does not give the command to kill those who abuse the Prophet. On the contrary, the Quran tells us that the Prophet and his companions either ignored their abuses or they countered them with argument, and nothing more.
In the era when the Prophet of Islam began to spread the divine truth, the Makkans worshipped idols. Therefore, the majority of the people reacted strongly, heaping abuses on him. For instance, one poet wrote a poem condemning him, one line of which was: “You are a condemned person, we reject you.”
This poet once came to see the Prophet and uttered these words, but the Prophet was not enraged. He did not ask his companions to beat him or kill him. On the contrary, his reaction was, as recorded by his earliest biographer, Ibn Ishaaq, totally different. Ibn Ishaaq writes: ‘The Quraysh had named him "condemned" (Muzammam) and they abused him by this name. The Prophet would say to counter it: “Aren’t you surprised how God has saved me from the abuses of the Quraysh? For they abuse ‘Muzammam,’ while I am Muhammad.”’
The environment of freedom of expression is extremely important for Islam. Open, and frank discussion takes place in such an environment. One needs to meet intellectual challenges and reflect deeply. Only then will the minds of people open up. The environment of freedom of expression prevents intellectual stagnation and produces creative thinking. The importance of freedom of expression is so great that no curb should be placed on it. If someone misuses his freedom, he should be countered with argument. Protest or legal punishment is no solution.
Source: The True Face of Islam
Islam lays great emphasis on freedom of expression. Blasphemy in Islam is a subject of intellectual discussion rather than a subject of physical punishment.
Before the advent of Islam, holding beliefs different from that of the establishment was considered a punishable act. People used to be punished on matters of belief just as they would be if they committed a social crime. This old practice of religious persecution was abolished by Islam. In Islam, the culture of dissent and freedom of expression is given utmost importance. The concept of blasphemy, therefore, is completely alien to the original teachings of Islam.
Some Muslims advocate the theory that freedom of expression is good, but that no one has the right to hurt the religious sentiments of others. This theory is quite illogical. Freedom is not a self-acquired right. It is God, who, because of His scheme of putting man to the test, has given him total freedom. Then the modern secular concept of freedom is that everyone is free, provided he does not inflict physical harm on others. In such a situation, the above kind of demand by Muslims is tantamount to abolishing two things: first, it abolished the divine scheme of granting freedom to everyone, and second, it abolishes the modern secular norm. Muslims’ demand that others should not have the freedom to hurt their religious sentiment is thus invalid, as it can never be achieved.
Source: Spirit of Islam October 2018
Blasphemy finds no mention in the dictionary of Islam. It is only an innovated term. The Arabic equivalent of blasphemy is shatm. According to a saying of the Prophet of Islam, any innovation in the religion of Islam is liable to be rejected. The authentic sources of Islam are only two: the Quran and the Hadith. No Mufti or legislature has the right to add any law to the Islamic Shariah (Jurisprudence).
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in 610 CE in Makkah and he died in 632 CE in Madinah. During these twenty-two years, there were some people both in Makkah and Madinah who used abusive language against the Prophet of Islam. But the Prophet never said they should be killed. He opted only for two kinds of response: either he avoided the issue or he asked some of his Companions to meet them and remove their misunderstanding.
The Quran does not ask others to refrain from using abusive language against Islam; it enjoins Muslims not to use abusive language against other religions.
Looking at the early history of Islam, one can say that present-day Muslims must adopt this prophetic model. Muslims must either ignore such events or they must respond to them in a peaceful manner, that is, statement for a statement, a book for a book. There is no other option for Muslims.
According to the Creation Plan of God, everyone is free. Freedom is everyone’s birthright, so no one can abolish anyone’s freedom. People are free to use their freedom as they please, if you disagree with the point of view of your fellow beings, you can express your views in a rational manner; you must try to address their minds. Guns and bombs are no options for Muslims.
Killing in the name of blasphemy is the Islamisation of something that has nothing to do with Islam. It is strange that no Muslim of repute speaks against this un-Islamic act. Almost all Muslims are silent on this issue. This silence is highly objectionable as there is a Hadith, that if one sees an evil and fails to speak out against it, such a person is as a dumb Satan.
If one takes the act of blasphemy as a difference of opinion, then it will be to one’s advantage. Difference of opinion invites discussion, which gives a good opportunity to remove misconceptions. Moreover, according to the Quran, differences create an opportunity to turn an enemy into a friend.
Islam emphasizes a rational approach. The Quran does not ask others to refrain from using abusive language against Islam; it enjoins Muslims not to use abusive language against other religions. Islam tries to root out the cause of blasphemy rather than command people to kill those who commit blasphemy. Save others from your evil, to be saved from the evil of others.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2017
At no point in the Quran is it stated that anyone who uses abusive language about the Prophet should be stopped from doing so and that in case he continues to do so he should be awarded severe punishment. On the contrary, the Quran commands the believer not to use abusive language directed against opponents: “But do not revile those [beings] whom they invoke instead of God, lest they, in their hostility, revile God and out of ignorance.” (6:108)
This verse of the Quran makes it plain that it is not the task of the believers to establish "media watch" offices and hunt for anyone involved in acts of defamation of the Prophet, and then plan for their killing, whatever the cost. On the contrary, the Quran enjoins believers to sedulously refrain from indulging in such acts as may provoke people to retaliate by abusing Islam and the Prophet. This injunction of the Quran makes it clear that this responsibility devolves upon the believers, rather than holding others responsible and demanding that they be punished.
Looked at from this angle, the stance of present-day Muslims goes totally against the teachings of the Quran.
Source: Times of India, 2nd October 2012, p. 22
Islam greatly believes in freedom of expression. As such blasphemy in Islam is a subject of intellectual discussion rather than a subject of physical punishment.
The concept of blasphemy is completely alien to the original teachings of Islam. Before the advent of Islam, difference of belief was also a punishable act. They used to punish on matters of belief just as on matters of social crime. This old practice is called religious persecution in history. Islam abolished this practice. The Prophet of Islam declared that personal belief is a subject of discussion and exchange rather than of legal punishment.
If you go through the Quran and Hadith, the only two authentic sources of Islam, you will find that there is not a single Quranic verse or Hadith that gives this kind of injunction which says: Kill the person who commits blasphemy against the Prophet.
The Quran tells us that since ancient times God has sent prophets in succession to every town and every community. It says, moreover, that the contemporaries of all of these prophets adopted a negative attitude toward them. There are more than two hundred verses in the Quran that reveal that the contemporaries of the prophets repeatedly perpetrated the same act which is now called ‘blasphemy or abuse of the Prophet’ or ‘using abusive language about the Prophet’. Prophets throughout the ages have been mocked and abused by their contemporaries (36: 30); some of the epithets cited in the Quran being “a liar” (40: 24), “possessed” (15: 6), “a fabricator” (16: 101), “a foolish man” (7: 66). The Quran mentions these words of abuse used by prophets’ contemporaries but nowhere does the Quran prescribe the punishment of lashes, or death or any other physical punishment.
The Prophet of Islam declared that personal belief is a subject of discussion and exchange rather than of legal punishment.
This clearly shows that ‘abuse of the Prophet’ is not a subject of punishment, but rather a subject of peaceful discussion. That is, one who is guilty of abusing the Prophet should not have corporal punishment meted out to him: “He should rather be given sound arguments in order that his mind may be addressed. In other words, peaceful persuasion should be used to reform the person concerned rather than trying to punish him.”
Those who adopt a negative stance towards the Prophet will be judged by God, who knows the innermost recesses of their hearts. The responsibility of the believers is to observe the policy of avoidance, and with a well-wishing attitude, convey the message of God to them in such a manner that their minds might be properly addressed.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2017
The greatest strength of peace is that it allows nature to work. If you want to achieve your goal through war, then you yourself shall have to fight. Peace on the other hand works on its own. If you stop war, peace will prevail. In this case, we only need to give nature a chance. In such a situation, nature starts to have an instant effect. The only condition is that when nature is at work, one must not interfere. Peace works only in an environment of non-interference. When there is interference, this process of nature comes to a halt. Just as after the seed is sown, the tree starts to grow on its own, this is also the greatest strength of peace. Those who understand this inherent power of peace are never confronted by failure.
Through violence, you can cut down a tree, but violence cannot help you to grow a tree. This is true likewise of human life. In the human world, war only leads to destruction. Peace, however, has a positive role. No constructive work can be done if there is violence, whereas peace facilitates constructive work on its own. Peace paves the way for nation-building along healthy lines.
War starts with anger and ends in anger. War does not have any healthy or constructive aspect, neither at the beginning nor at the end. But peace, from A to Z, is a healthy state of affairs. Peace, in every way, leads to a positive result, for it is in keeping with the law of nature. That is why, when a person adopts the peaceful method, the entire world of nature comes to his support. That is why, in terms of result, the Hudaybiyyah Peace Treaty is called a clear victory in the Quran. On the other hand, if a person adopts the violent method, the entire world of nature stands out in opposition to him. In this way, we can understand the strength of peace.
Source: The Age of Peace
The greatest benefit of these modern developments is that for the first time in human history, the age of peace has been ushered in. In earlier periods of human history, bloody battles had to be fought if any end was to be achieved. Everything was decided upon on the battlefield and because of this, a great number of human beings left this world without having performed their due role. In the wake of modern developments, for the first time in human history, it has become possible to achieve any target, great or small, through completely peaceful means.
Through long planning, the Creator brought about a revolution in human history, which brought the age of war to an end. In this way, it had become possible by using peaceful means to attain all ends in a way that was far better than the violent one which achieved nothing of any value.
This is the greatest achievement of the modern age. Those who adopt the method of war and violence in today's age only demonstrate that they are totally unaware of the modern developments of history. This crass ignorance is reflected in their reckless use of arms. By stooping to violence, they have committed the most heinous crime in history.
In such a situation, those who in the twenty-first century have abandoned the peaceful method and opted for the strategy of guns and bombs, are only proving that all they can carve out for themselves and others is a history of death and destruction, and in the Hereafter this verse of the Quran will apply to them: 'Those of you who act thus shall be rewarded with disgrace in this world and with a severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection.' (2:85)
Source: The Age of Peace
After the grave disasters of the 1st and 2nd World Wars, global conditions have completely changed. If earlier the age of war prevailed, now it is the age of peace. The question arises as to how peace may be attained. According to the law of nature, peace can be attained only on a unilateral basis, and not on a bilateral basis. This means that first of all, we have to abandon all kinds of confrontational methods such as political activism, protest-based activism, and human rights activism. This kind of unilateralism will establish normalcy, normalcy will then lead to peace and peace will open the door to all kinds of opportunities. Then, by wise planning, we can achieve all those goods that we want in terms of social justice and human rights.
Source: The Age of Peace
God Almighty created man and settled him on the planet Earth. He gave man total freedom, which he was required to use in a self-disciplined manner. But he failed to do so. Greed for political power, economic self-interest, and religious intolerance became the order of the day. The situation continued for several thousands of years. This was the basic reason for the prevalence of war culture in previous centuries.
This state of affairs was against the creation plan of God. According to the creation plan, it was required that every man and woman should have a free environment in which to develop his or her personality. But over time this scheme was vitiated. Then, God endeavoured to manage history while maintaining human freedom. This required very intricate planning. It, therefore, took a long time for the goal to be reached. The present age is the culmination of this divine planning.
The limited options available in earlier times gave way to the gaining of monopolies over all things: political power, economic opportunities, and religion. Everything was monopolized by one group or another. In such a situation, the Creator wanted to de-monopolize all the resources of life so that every man and woman might have freedom of choice. Therefore, God initiated a process of management of history. Our modern civilization is the culmination of this long process of divine management.
The age of democracy brought the de-monopolization of political power. Modern industrialization was the outcome of de-monopolization in terms of economic opportunities. The modern age of intellectual freedom made possible the de-monopolization of religious dogmatism. The emergence of modern science led to the de-monopolization of ideological regimentation.
It is this phenomenon that the British writer J.F. West has rightly called a great intellectual revolution. The de-centralization of all kinds of monopolies was bound to lead to a culture of peace. After de-monopolization, everything has come within everyone’s reach, so that there is no question of having to indulge in violence to gain one’s ends.
In previous ages, the choices were apparently very limited. It was this state of affairs that produced the culture of monopoly. Human beings were then divided into two groups: the haves and the have-nots. This division of people was bound to create a clash of interests between different groups. This was the main reason why people of the previous ages were frequently engaged in war and violence.
Modern civilization has virtually de-centralized all the opportunities of life. It has become possible for everyone to be free to achieve what he or she wants to achieve in the field of his or her choice. Opportunities are now available for everyone. That is why the modern age can be called the age of opportunities.
Source: The Age of Peace
The present age is a unique period of human history. Ancient man would have been unable to even comprehend such a phase of mankind. Many revolutions in human civilization have bestowed man with numerous blessings. Religious persecution has been abolished and replaced by religious freedom, traditional and superstitious beliefs have given way to a rational and scientific era and the age of antagonism and hostility has been put an end to and replaced by an age of inter-dependence. In other words, an era of problems has been eradicated and in its place, we have only opportunities and more opportunities everywhere.
How do we avail of the many opportunities the age has to offer? It is through wise planning. Wise planning involves recognising these myriad opportunities in various fields—business, social work, education, and inviting people to God—and using the freedom we have been blessed with, to avail of these opportunities. There is but one restriction—one may not harm or trouble anyone else. As long as one does not harm others, there will be no obstacle to avail the many opportunities that abound today.
Let me cite a story to illustrate this point. When America won independence from Britain, an American man, overjoyed at the news, stepped out into the streets to celebrate. In his joy, he waved his hands about, and by mistake, struck a passer-by on the nose. The angry passer-by asked him why he had hit him. The man said “We’ve won freedom, and I’m now free! I was exercising my freedom!” The second man replied, “Yes, you are free, but your freedom ends where my nose begins!”
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2018
