WHAT IS TRUTH

WHAT IS TRUTH Nature T HE Quran states: " If truth had followed their whims and desires, heavens and earth and all that lives in them would have been brought to ruin. (23: 71). God’s scheme of creation is a perfect one. The whole universe, except man, is following this divine scheme. That is why the Quran points out that the universe is faultless (67: 3). But man is free to act as he likes. He follows his desires and forsakes the true path. The result is corruption and disorder in the human world. Man’s perversion is the price of his freedom. The Islamic solution to the problems of man is the same as that which has been ordained for the rest of the universe. If man follows the path of truth, like the universe, he can produce the same spirit of peace and harmony which the cosmos already displays. The path of truth as opposed to the path of man’s desire can be understood from this verse in the Quran: " The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the day; each floats in (its own) orbit" (36: 40). It is God’s will that everything should move in its own orbit. All astronomical bodies act accordingly, never clashing with one another on their course. If man were to apply this principle to his life, everyone would operate in his own given sphere, thus rectifying the friction which exists in human society. On the other hand, if he follows his own desires, he comes into conflict with his fellow men which causes trouble both at the individual and societal or national levels. o USA Centre for Peace and Spirituality 2665 Byberry Road, Bensalem, PA 19020 kkaleemuddin@gmail.com If man follows the path of truth, like the universe, he can produce the same spirit of peace and harmony which the cosmos already displays.