The Modern Age and Non-Violence

second course. The result was that the entire history of Arabia was revolutionized in just a few years’ time. The same state of affairs is widespread in modern times. Although today Muslims have suffered great losses, political and material, at the hands of other nations, however, there still exist a great number of opportunities on a far larger scale. If availed of wisely, we can rewrite the history of Islam in magnificent terms. The Manifestation of Religion The modern age is regarded by Muslims as being fraught with problems for Islam. But this is quite contrary to the actual situation. The modern age was in fact the age of Islam, just as the period of rainfall is the period of farmers. But Muslims, lacking in understanding and awareness, have failed to understand this; hence their failure to convert this potential into reality. What is called izhar ad-din in the Quran does not refer to something which is temporary in nature. It, in fact, refers to an eternal ideological ascendancy of Islam. It means that in the world of ideology, such a revolution would be brought about as would establish the ideological supremacy of Islam forever. God has already brought it into existence potentially; the believers have only to tap and convert this potential into reality. The aim of the revolution brought about by the Prophet and his companions in the seventh century is stated to be izhar addin in the Quran: ‘They desire to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths: but Allah seeks only to perfect His light, however much the infidels may abhor it’(9:32).