taken to a world where they are compelled to accept being completely subordinated to Someone Else—God. If you keep this reality in mind, your life will be totally transformed. It will make you realize

in an environment free from polytheistic influences, who would become true worshippers of the one God. The effect of such detachment from a cultural continuity is illustrated by an example from the life

have created a negative mentality in society. The Qur’an again has the answer: “If they separate, God will compensate each of them out of His own abundance: He is Munificent, Wise.’’9

In the universe, only God is the Being who has the power to do something without any fear of the consequences (Quran 91:15) But so far as a human being is concerned, he is a limited and powerless creature

thinking; we have to de-condition their conditioned minds. Initially, every nation is a favoured nation. God is merciful to every group of people, but, with the passage of time, signs of degeneration begin to

can a man have the effrontery to ask for mercy or love from God when he grudges giving either to his fellow men? There is a golden rule which should be borne in mind: ‘Do as you would be done by.’ To give

functioning. It means that we must have the will and ability to seize the opportunities given to us by God and to learn to grapple with whatever their built-in conditions may be. We cannot expect the world—of

importance of learning, but also demonstrates how all the factors necessary to progress in learning God has provided. An especially vital factor is the freedom to conduct research. Such freedom was encouraged

under him in the world. While those who were kind to people under them will be given kind treatment by God. Here is a hadith to this effect, related by, Aishah: The Prophet said, ‘The best of you is one who

he may stand up to criticism. This feeling was so intense in Umar ibn al-Khattab that he said,‘May God bless the man who sends me the gift of my shortcomings.’ (Sunan al-Darimi,Vol. 1, p. 506) This introspective