THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY: Islam’s Ethical and Spiritual Outlook

they would find that they are just as insignificant as others. When someone speaks harshly against another person, it is because they consider the other to be inferior. But if they were to see the situation in relation to God, they would run out of words—for before God, they are just as powerless as the other person. Islam aims to create a person who does not see matters as transactions between individuals, but rather as things that will ultimately be presented before God. This perspective cuts at the root of all evils. After this, there remains no room for pride, jealousy, lust for power, or injustice. One’s ‘stick’ then falls from their hand—rather than landing on another person’s head. DEVOTION TO GOD, SERVICE TO MAN Islamic acts of worship are primarily intended for the remembrance and worship of God. However, their structure is such that they also serve as a means for the moral development of humanity. In performing these rituals, Muslims not only fulfill their duty to God but also cultivate the discipline needed to fulfill their responsibilities toward fellow human beings. Take, for example, the prescribed act of worship known as salat (prayer). Along with remembrance of God and supplication to God, salat has also become a means of promoting equality