ACROSS THREE CONTINENTS

Muslims commence their works from the top and that is why they achieve nothing. Their works never reach completion, because in order to complete anything, one has to start at the foundations. was trying to be a good listener. Most of our groups seem to think that they should talk continuously, even when etiquette requires them to remain silent. When Islam Ceases to Exist in Its True Form An official of a certain institute recounted the story of an elderly lady who had come to him, saying that she wanted to perform Hajj, but did not have the means to undertake the journey. She asked if the institute could make arrangements for her travelling expenses so that she could do so. She was told that since she lacked the means—from the point of view of the Shariah—it was not incumbent upon her to go on the pilgrimage. She answered: “I have been going on Hajj every year for the last seventeen years, why should I be deprived of it this year?” This is the kind of misconception which occurs when Islam ceases to exist in its true form. Building from the Top An Arab scholar made certain painful observations on the state of present-day Muslims. “I am sorry to say that Muslims commence their works from the top and that is why they achieve nothing. Their works never reach completion, because in order to complete anything, one has to start at the foundations.” It is indeed lamentable that this weakness is found in Muslims the world over. The Real Task Ahead When the conference was over, I returned via Paris and London on December 10. At Paris I found that my onward journey had not been confirmed, so the lady at the desk had to do a good half an hour’s work on the telephone, computer and telex to sort matters out. Even then, no direct flight from Paris to Delhi being available, the route had to be changed, entailing repeated re-calculations of flight schedules. In spite of all this extra work, she became neither exasperated nor annoyed. Finally, she managed to book me on a British Airways Flight from London to Delhi. All this had taken quite a long time and I had to rush to catch the BA Flight. It was not until I had reached the aircraft that I discovered that I had left my collection of books at the airport desk. When I informed the air-stewards of this, they requested me to remain seated, assuring me that they would fetch my books. They then