Looking Beyond the Self

Looking Beyond the Self

1985 5 May 8-9 Looking Beyond the Self (433) When the financial straits of one's family spur one on to earn money, all one has in mind is to solve family problems by means of the money earned. Problems concerning the outside world do not matter. Even when more money becomes available than the family actually needs, the excess wealth is also considered a possession of the family.

The requirements of the poor and the needy – of relatives and acquaintances do not take pride of place. It does not seem a good idea to spend hard-earned wealth on catering to the requirements of others besides one's family.

As the affairs of the family had been the initial stimulus, it is but natural that the problems of the family should be given prime importance. All else pales into insignificance.

In similar vein, Islamic movements and institutions in the present day and age have received their inspiration from the immediate issues facing the Muslim world. Naturally their outlook and activities have heir limitations. Such communal motivation, in fact, accounts for their not attaching sufficient importance to communicating the message of Islam to non-Muslims.

The narrow, confined attitude which is reflected in the example of the family is common to the attitude adopted by Islamic movements, which derived their inspiration from their community. Such domestic affairs like reform and progress of their nation, safeguarding and domination of their own community were the issues around which their activities revolved.

Any national movement invariably thinks in terms of the promotion of the interests of its own nation, rather than in terms of the welfare of other nations. All other issues outside the realm of its own community are relegated to a secondary position.

The intention of the divine message, in the main, is to save man from eternal doom and to show him the straight path which makes man worthy of paradise. Far from mere concern for one’s community, a divine mission takes into account all communities; it derives its inspiration from God rather than from the community to which it belongs.

What makes this matter considerably more grave is the fact that the prophet of Islam was the last of the prophets, and, therefore, Muslims are now the trustees of his prophetic mission. It is for them to perform the task for which the prophets were sent by God. When we keep this in view, the communication of the divine message to non-Muslims becomes our prime responsibility.

Failure to perform this task which is of the utmost importance, is certain to incur the wrath of God. No amount of good deeds can atone for this offence.