Spirit of Islam · TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

Spirit of Islam, June 2020, p. 43

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.

The real option is between the universe with God, and no universe at all. As we cannot refute the existence of the universe, we cannot refute the existence of God as well. The objections raised by atheists to the holding of religious beliefs seemed to carry any weight only so long as human knowledge was confined to the level of the macroworld. But when human knowledge, making a great leap forward, made its entry into the microworld, atheistic suppositions were totally demolished. It was because, unlike the macroworld, the microworld was unobservable. Now a whole range of realities had come within the scope of man’s knowledge which are neither observable nor measurable. Therefore, the only kind of argument which was applicable to them was the indirect argument. This academic revolution brought about a paradigm shift in the science of logic. By admitting that indirect or inferential argument was logically as valid as direct argument, it became possible for the concept of God to be proved by exactly the same kind of reasoning as is applied in the various branches of science. One of the ineluctable features of this world is its uncertainty. That is why every individual, young or old, rich or poor, finds oneself helpless at one time or another in the face of the circumstantial and environmental factors which are pitted against him. This uncertainty has not decreased, but has rather increased in the wake of modern revolutions. That is why the unrest found in the peoples of ancient times is greatly on the rise today. It is significant too that, as compared with the past, the number of suicides is greatly on the increase. To be able to stand fast in this world, every person requires a concept which, at all times and in all places, will be an unending source of hope and confidence to him. Such an eternal concept cannot be other than that of God. Indeed, since ancient time, the only solution for man has been to have faith in an all-powerful Supreme Being. Throughout the ages this has served as a fountainhead of courage and strength for human beings, and will remain so forever. The greatest and most basic social requirement of humankind is peace. This is vital for any kind of human progress, for without peace viable social structures cannot be erected. So far as human beings are concerned, they all appear to be equal. And it is a fact that peace is most difficult to establish among equals. For the establishment of peace in society, therefore, an Agent is required who has a status immeasurably superior to that of human beings—in effect, a Supreme Being.

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