LOOKING BEYOND THE SELF

The intention of the divine message is to save man from eternal doom and to show him the straight path which makes him worthy of Paradise. Far from mere concern for one’s community, a divine mission takes into account all communities. It derives its inspiration from God rather than from the community to which it belongs. What makes this matter considerably grave is the fact that the Prophet of Islam was the last of the prophets, and, therefore, Muslims are now the trustees of his prophetic mission. It is for them to perform the task for which the prophets were sent by God. When we keep this in mind, the communication of the divine message to every human being becomes the prime responsibility of every Muslim. Failure to perform this task, which is of the utmost importance, is certain to incur the wrath of God. No amount of good deeds can atone for this offence. o Patience is not inaction. It is the virtue needed for systematic and planned action.