The Qur’an and World Peace - Intro

The Qur’an and World Peace
 

by

Dr. Israr Ahmad 

 

Translated by Dr. Absar Ahmad


 Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an

Lahore

2002

First Edition

1st Printing July, 1980  2000 Copies

2nd Printing July, 1982  2200 Copies

3rd Printing Nov., 1987  2000 Copies

4th Printing Dec., 1992  2000 Copies

5th Printing May, 1994  2000 Copies

Second Revised Edition

Printing Nov. 1998  2200 Copies

Third Revised Edition

Printing Oct. 2002      2200 Copies

Published by:

Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an Lahore

36-K, Model Town, Lahore-54700

Phone: 5869501-3    Fax: 5834000

E-Mail: anjuman@tanzeem.org

Webpage: www.tanzeem.org

No rights reserved.

The Anjuman does not reserve to itself any copyright for the publication of this tract. 

It may be published by any person who happens to be inspired by the same purpose as the author.

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Translator's Note

Man’s most fundamental needs can be summed up as the need for knowledge, 
the need for peace and harmony, and the need for a way to salvation.

That these needs have many degrees and modes and that they are closely related to one another cannot be denied. It is with these very questions that the Holy Qur’an — the last of the Divine Books — deals. Mostly people from outside look at it as a book containing some instructions about certain facts and principles of life and conduct. It, however, is not so. There are guiding principles regarding all vital issues, and one can unfold any number of valid interpretations.

Many of the best minds devoted to burning questions such as ecological problems, pollution, feeding of mankind, conquest of disease, bridging the gap between rich and poor and, in particular, world peace, have been inspired by the faith and tenets of Islam. And rightly so. Belief in One God brings us to believe in the oneness of mankind and on the unity of mankind is built the concept of human dignity and brotherhood. On the metaphysical existential plane, many would concede today that true human happiness (in contradistinction to sensuous pleasure), mental peace, and tranquility are not possible to attain without some sort of spiritual orientation. When man follows Divine Guidance, he becomes free from any fear for the present or the future, and any grief or sorrow for the past (khauf and huzn in the Qur’anic terminology).

According to the Qur’anic teachings, it is shirk (assigning partners to Allah) and kufr  (repudiation and disbelief in Allah) that causes fasad  (colossal wrongness) across the world — the corruption and disorder in which people indulge in this world, an active perversity which degrades things and depraves men. Iman  (staunch religious belief), on the contrary, grants a believer serenity of spirit and heart, resultant upon faith and prayer, the awareness of the Divine sufficiency and inner tranquility. A truly believing and practicing Muslim experiences in his heart sakinah  (the Scheehinah  of the Old Testament), the token of Divine Presence and the peace it brings with it. Needless to say, true faith and belief also entails ceaseless vigil on purity of motive and inner integrity.   Dr. Israr Ahmad, the author of this tract, firmly believes that the deep trouble and distress in today’s world may have a simple cause that we humans — and we must also add, we Muslims too — have not properly obeyed God’s essential instructions and thereby have missed our main goal. In his own modest way, Dr. Israr Ahmad has been actively busy in propagating and disseminating the Qur’anic message for the last twenty years. The present tract is based on a speech which he delivered on several occasions at well-attended meetings of students and general public with the sole purpose of calling people back to the Qur’an. I pray to the Almighty that this humble effort may serve the purpose of bringing entire humanity in the fold of genuine religious fellowship. 

DR. ABSAR AHMAD

Director, English Department

Qur’an Academy, Lahore  

Source:(Book) "The Qur'an and World Peace" by Dr Israr Ahmed