SPIRITUAL UNITY — Man's Greatest Need

The Unity of Nature The Quran states that: There is no changing in God’s creation. (THE QURAN 30: 30) According to the Prophet of Islam ‘every child is born with an upright nature.’ (Al-Bukhari) We learn from this that unity is found among all human beings at the level of nature and creation. Nature forms the common constituent in the creation of human beings, just as the atom forms the common constituent in all the varied objects of nature in the physical world. That is to say that the same unity which exists in the external world at the physical level has existed among human beings at the spiritual level from the outset. The main concern of all religions is to produce spiritual unity within, and between all human beings. But man tends at times to be oblivious of his own nature. This is no less true in the sphere of unity. Today people are unaware of their spiritual potential. In such a situation, the easiest way to bring about spiritual unity is to make men aware of that potential. The moment they became aware of it, spiritual unity will come into existence of its own accord. The Unity of Mankind The Quran says: O Men, have fear of your Lord, who created you from a single soul. From that soul He created its mate, and through them, He scattered the earth with countless men and women. (THE QURAN 4: 1) This shows that men and women have been created from the same substance. Their being physically one, of necessity, demands their spiritual oneness. Making a similar point, the Prophet Muhammad said that all human beings are brothers (Abu Dawud). This gives rise to the concept of a common brotherhood, and, without doubt, it is this sense of brotherhood which generates the strongest feeling of oneness and togetherness among different people.