IN FOCUS

I n Srinagar, many of my companions have initiated a series of activities dedicated to social welfare and public service. One such endeavour is the establishment of a blood bank, an initiative of profound humanitarian value, which I have been invited to inaugurate. I pray to God to grant success to these philanthropic ventures, to strengthen all those who are engaged in them, and to bless their noble efforts with sincerity, continuity, and lasting benefit for humanity. While I was preparing to leave for Srinagar, I happened to meet a gentleman who enquired about the purpose of my journey. I informed him that a blood donation camp was being organized and that I had been requested to inaugurate it. This gentleman, however, held rather conservative views. He asked me whether it was lawful in Islam to give one’s own blood to another person. I chose not to respond to him directly at that moment, yet the question lingered in my mind long afterwards. I found myself deeply astonished at the degeneration of the present Muslim mindset. Many today appear preoccupied with questioning the permissibility or impermissibility of matters that were, in reality, settled centuries ago. Instead of addressing the real challenges facing humanity, they remain entangled in doubts that arise from a misunderstanding of religion itself. It must be clearly borne in mind that Islam took a revolutionary step in the seventh century AD. During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, an event of extraordinary intellectual and civilizational significance took place—an event that changed the very course of human history. The question posed by that gentleman, and many similar doubts that trouble people today, are directly related to HUMAN WELFARE AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM PERSONAL EXPERIENCES