A RELIGION MISUNDERSTOOD

The formula given in the Quran for social reform and social betterment is simply that everyone is accountable to God. Accountability, indeed, is the bedrock of Islam: it is the ideal solution to the problem of anarchy in society and the misuse of freedom. Freedom has to be accepted as being necessary for development. If there is no freedom, there can be no development. Without freedom, there is no progress. But, we cannot afford unlimited freedom. There is a very interesting story in American history. When America became free, an American citizen ran out into the street and, in jubilation, started swinging his arms as he walked along. Quite by accident, he hit a passer-by on the nose. The man who was hit, an elderly person, asked him why he had hit him. He replied that now he was free to exercise his freedom.’ The elderly person retorted, ‘Your freedom ends where my nose begins!’ The Christian as well as the Islamic formula goes thus: We may exercise our freedom, but we are not free to hit other people on the nose. There is a beautiful saying in the Hadith: 'A Muslim is one from whose hands and tongue people are safe' This is a common spiritual maxim in Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. In this age of imperialist wars, one has forgotten the philosophical basis of Christianity: ‘Love your enemy’. When one says, ‘Love your enemy’, one means ‘love all including your enemy.’ Similarly, the Quran states: ‘Do good deeds in return for bad deeds and you will find that your enemy has become your dearest friend.’ This means that every enemy is potentially a friend. While differences between religions arise out of theological interpretations, there seems to be no difference if we try to understand the spiritual basis of religions. Consider Hinduism’s great truth: All human beings are one family. The same truth is expressed in the Hadith. Mankind is the family of The formula given in the Quran for social reform and social betterment is simply that everyone is accountable to God.