GENUINE MORAL IDEALISM

 

 Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society

Chapter 11

GENUINE MORAL IDEALISM

 

A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF

CHRISTIAN ALLEGATIONS AND CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY

 

Preliminary Observations:

Every religion possesses a certain type of moral Idealism. Of course, there are differences among religions in respect of the form and the content of that idealism. But noble ideas and ideals are nevertheless found, however defective in individual cases their setting, their projection, or their range. Going, however, beyond theoretical assessment into the practical aspect of those ideals, we may consider their worth in the light of the question: ‘How far have those ideas and ideals influenced the respective followers of those religions and brought blessings to humanity in practical terms?’ 

 

If we compare Islam and other religions in this perspective of evaluation, it will be possible to assess the nature and worth of the Qur’anic moral Idealism. For that purpose, we may place Islam and Christianity in the scale of comparison, especially because the Christian propagandists have been, in the past and in the present, foremost in attacking Islam on that ground—others being only their imitators or camp-followers. And those attacks have continued from their side during the past millennium ceaselessly and violently without regard for either Justice or Truth. We have already made certain references to Christian misrepresentations in Chapter 1 of Part 1 of this volume. We may quote here one more—one, which is more recent and which comes from an eminent Christian religious dignitary who has been acclaimed as “one of the greatest missionary-statesmen of the twentieth century”, viz., Rev. Dr. Glover. In chap. 4 of his publication: Progress of Worldwide Missions (Harper & Bros., New York, 1960), he makes the following observations: 

 

“He (Muhammad) was an Oriental and a Potentate … He was nurtured in the faith that his hand must be against every man. His Arabian armies were possessed by a wild fanaticism and a thirst for plunder and conquest. The Prophet’s injunction to them was to exterminate all heathens …

“The sword of Mohammad and the Koran are the most stubborn enemies of civilization, liberty and truth, which the world has yet known.” 

 

We have already quoted Max Weber’s statement on page 3. His allegations relate to the establishment of feudalism, serfdom, slavery and subjection of women by Islam. 

 

The above and other similar calumnies have been actually repeated ad nauseam, because Western orientalists, historians, religious writers, missionaries, journalists, and others have been ceaselessly working under a planned effort to malign Islam and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be on him!)—seemingly convinced that, through widespread and continuous repetition, even totally false statements can accomplish the alienation of humanity at large from goodwill for Islam and the demoralisation of the rising generations of Muslim intelligentsia. The latter, because of persistent westernisation during the past one and-a-half century of Western domination of the world of Islam and the impoverishment of the agencies of Islamic knowledge and inspiration, are more under the intellectual and cultural influences of the West than of Islam. Hence, the adversaries of Islam hope that, side by side with political and military intrigues, thrusts and assaults, which, engineered by them, have continued unabated to this day—though changing their forms according to circumstances, their anti-Islamic propaganda might finally succeed in weakening Islam to an extent that it may no more be able to challenge their faults and the evils which they endorse. 

 

In his Age of Faith, Will Durant has tried, as a good Christian, to tender a lame apology for all that cruelty and blatant dishonesty, though he himself could not escape it on numerous occasions. But, the very term ‘religion’ loses all grace if there is no adherence to principles of truth and justice by its upholders. Hence, the entire anti-Islamic Christian-Jewish propaganda is a standing disgrace for the very name of Religion. 

 

In our discussion here, we shall confine ourselves only to the testimony of believing Christian scholars, although their appreciation of Islam can in the very nature of the case be only very meagre, and in certain respects very defective, while in others even non-existent. As for Islam’s own stand, the present work has projected it on the basis of Islam’s scripture itself in all its basic dimensions. 

 

Confining ourselves to Dr. Glover’s and Max Weber’s allegations, we shall project the realization in history of the values of mercy, tolerance, regard for freedom of conscience and respect for human dignity in such of their dimensions as bear reference to the allegations made; and because the said allegations have been projected in the perspective of the supposed superiority and sublimity of  Christianity, we shall present a comparative evaluation in terms of’ Muslim as well as Christian history. (Dr. Glover’s allegation that Islam is the enemy of civilisation has been already dealt with in the previous chapter). As for the complete rebuttal, it emerges at relevant places in the present work in connection with the exposition of the Qur’anic philosophy and code of life. Hence, the statements that follow should be read in conjunction with it.

Source

to be continued . . . . . 

Quranic Foundation & Structure Of Muslim Society In The End Times