Better Your Approach

Better Your Approach

1988 12 December 11 Better Your Approach (352) Over the last hundred years, Muslims have been struggling to achieve their ends by confronting their enemies in military and political arenas. In such conflicts, there has been incalculable loss of life and property. Yet, despite such great sacrifices, Muslims affairs have hardly prospered. This being so, it is time for Muslims to make a re-appraisal of their recent history, and to formulate some new and better approach. They could, with profit, follow the example of Japan and Germany countries which were crushed by the defeat they suffered at the hands of the Allied Powers, (Russia, Britain, America and France) but whose peoples rehabilitated themselves with such thoroughness that they are now the economic leaders of the world.

Having lost militarily, they decided to give up their former ideas of military conquest and set themselves to rebuilding their industrial and other economic assets. This change of objective, coupled with dedication and diligence, produced spectacular results. In a very short span of time, considering how devastated both countries had been, they placed themselves economically in, the top international bracket. As was observed in an article on Japanese post-war economic success which appeared in the British weekly, New Society, of February 5, 1982, “They have fulfilled in peace the visions which took them to war 40 years ago.”

The Muslims, for their part, have resources which not even Germany and Japan – with all their scientific and technological prowess can rival, for they are the bearers of true religion as enshrined in the Quran. They have in their possession the sole authentic Book of God, which has been perfectly preserved in its pristine state. It is time that they turned, therefore, to the great inner strength conferred by this priceless possession, and devoted themselves to communicating Islam to the rest of the world. They can only do this successfully if they give up the politics of agitation and militant confrontation. Once they have set their feet on the right path, concentrating on spiritual, not material wealth, they will surely achieve the fulfillment of the visions they have cherished for such a long and infructuous period.