NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE

There are innumerable journals on science, religion and humanities. Spirit of Islam is very special in that it fills a void, one so prominent these days. This is a void left deep within the soul that hasn’t yet recognized its Creator. point of view and accept it even if he doesn’t belong to one’s community. Scientists acknowledge the shortcomings of a theory once another advanced theory is proposed to explain the same set of phenomena, irrespective of the reverence in which the previous theory was held. Spirit of Islam is infused with practical wisdom for life, drawn from the Quran and the life of the Prophet. The benefits of virtues such as peace, patience and tolerance are expounded with such logical reasoning that one cannot but adhere to them. The November 2020 issue teaches: “Whenever you start some work, you will have to face complaints from others. If you give importance to every complaint and hurt caused to you, you will start fighting with people. You will leave aside your real task, being so engrossed in opposing them.” In one Q&A section, Maulana incisively says that tension is a natural occurrence, just as the rain. When it rains, you don’t demand that it stop raining, rather you use an umbrella. When faced with stress, find a solution to it instead of becoming anxious. An aspect highlighted in almost every issue is how people from different religious backgrounds are assisting one another. An example cited by the Maulana dismantles the rhetoric on “clash of civilizations” of Islam and the West. The pioneering work of western scientists in uncovering the laws of nature and making astonishing discoveries about the universe offers great support to Islam. They make the majesty and intelligence of the Creator mentioned in the Quran so understandable! If Muslims acknowledge the role of those involved in bringing about this scientific age, they would look upon them as brothers in humanity’s journey towards God. Dear readers, we wish that this Year 2021 be a year to recover from the losses the world has incurred due to the pandemic. Let us sort out our lives with changes in our attitudes towards the blessings of God and become responsible citizens of this planet Earth. May we be enlightened with knowledge and wisdom to mould our lives according to the creation plan of God! Thank you o Dr. Maria Khan Editorial Committee