Interfaith Dialogue in Islam

applicable to religious matters. That is, although we do not see angels directly, we can believe in them indirectly by their effects. How do things around us function? How does photosynthesis take place in the leaves? How does cow take in grass and make milk? How does the salty water of seas get converted into fresh water in the rain? How is everything in nature so systematic? These effects would lead to an inference that there is someone who is controlling all these natural processes. God has His angles positioned to take care of these processes. One may say that these processes are ‘automatic processes’ or ‘self-occurring processes’, but I would say these are just another name of ‘angelic processes’. Someone may use the word ‘automatic’, I use the word ‘angelic’. Thus, the concept remains the same. What is charity and what is the Islamic concept of charity? Charity in Islam (zakat) is the giving of alms out of one’s own private means at a minimum fixed rate. This money is given in the name of God and is to be spent on worthy causes and on meeting the needs of the poor and the helpless. Charity is a reminder to a person that everything he possesses belongs to God. A person himself plays only a very small part in obtaining whatever he owns in this world. Were he not to have the benefit of God’s endless bounty, he would neither be able to grow grain, raise cattle, set up industries nor accomplish any other work of a useful nature. The system of life created for him by God, meeting as it does all of his requirements from those of his inner being to those of external environment, is one of greatest perfection. Were God to withdraw even a single one of His blessings, all of man’s schemes would lie in ruins and all his efforts would be in vain. All productivity would come to a grinding halt and life itself would come to a standstill. Charity is a way of acknowledging this fact of life. Islam desires that private wealth should be considered as belonging to God. In so doing, no one should consider that he is conferring a great favour upon those less wellendowed than himself and should in no way be condescending to the recipients of his charity. When a man gives alms to others, he should do so in the knowledge that they have a rightful share in his wealth, for this is as God has ordained. He is doing no more than give others their due. Everyone is required to recognize the rights of others, just as everyone is expected to sympathize with those afflicted by adversity. This feeling should be so well developed that one has no hesitancy about sharing one’s possessions with others, or coming to their assistance, even when it is clear that nothing can be expected in return. Even where there are no ties of friendship, one should wish others well and guard their honour as if it were one’s own. According to a hadith: