ISLAMIC MESSAGE IN A CHANGING WORLD

ISLAMIC MESSAGE IN A CHANGING WORLD Explosion of Opportunities T HE world we live in has changed tremendously since the close of 20th century. The Soviet empire crumbled, taking down with it the communist ideology. The US has abandoned its role as universal master when it declared to demilitarize many warzones around the world. The Berlin wall has been demolished by the very people who built it. The Cold War has come to an end. The superpowers have put their guns down, admitting that warfare is no solution to human problems. Thinkers have coined a new term ‘endism’, which means that all ‘isms’, all ideologies, all systems, have exhausted their credibility as modern man’s ideal. Endism is the belief that something of significant scope and duration is coming to an end. Muslims generally see these changes as a tide that is going against them, as a danger, in fact, to Islam. This kind of thinking is quite wrong and is no doubt against the teachings of Islam. The Quran says: “Surely with every hardship there is ease.” (94: 6) It means hardships and ease inevitably coexist. They have been ordained inseparable. Modern changes have brought problems in their wake for Muslims, but these changes have also created new opportunities. Fortunately the opportunities far exceed the problem. When we look at that matter from this angle we find many positive and hopeful aspects in the situation. For although the modern world is witnessing great changes, these changes are going mostly in favour of Islam. This is the most important aspect of the new world. There are many examples which clearly indicate that the present changes greatly favour Islam. Two examples are cited here to bring the point home. The one is theoretical, and the other is practical elucidation. Stephen Hawking starts his most popular book A Brief History of Time with the following amusing anecdote: Modern changes have brought problems in their wake for Muslims, but these changes have also created new opportunities. Fortunately the opportunities far exceed the problem.