BUILDING A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS INDIA
History is Waiting
THERE are some people who consider Indian Muslims a liability. This is a view opposite to the role that any creative minority is destined to play in accordance with the infallible law of nature.
The British historian Arnold Toynbee, in his famous book Study of History theorises that it is always the creative minority that plays a revolutionary role in any civilization or society. The creative minority is the one that reacts creatively to solve problems affecting the society as a whole, generating growth and progress. There is no reason why the Muslim minority in India cannot occupy this position.
In one of the prophecies of the prophet of Islam (Jami-ul-Usool Fee AhadeethAI-Rasool–Part IV; 202), it is said that a group of people would spread the message of Islam peacefully in India. It is predicted in this Hadith that a day will come when the Muslims of India will perform an important constructive role in this country and will be instrumental in taking this country to a position of true glory and progress. I think that time has finally arrived.
What should the Indian Muslims do to fulfil this prophecy? They should simply give up a life-style marred by agitation and protests and learn to live as a creative group. In this country, they should not be a 'taking group' but a 'giving group'. Such is the requirement of Islam. And then a new era will dawn in our country, when India will emerge as a developed nation and will attain that position on the map of the world which it deserves.
Swami Vivekananda said in 1889 that the India of the future would be a glorious India and this glorious India would be built by Hindus and Muslims together. This is undoubtedly true. But, Hindus and Muslims shall both have to prove that they are capable of performing this historic role. Without the necessary capability, it will not be possible for either of them to do so.
Certain Hindus think that this country is meant specifically for them. This is a very dangerous misunderstanding. With this mentality it will not be possible for them to discharge the requirements of the role they are expected to play. The Hindus undoubtedly enjoy the position of the majority community in this country. But every majority is ultimately subject to certain infallible laws of nature. In this world, every majority is as much subject to the laws of nature as a minority.
The Hindus on their part shall have to take care that they do not look upon Muslims purely from the view-point of their numerical ratio, but consider them their natural partners in work. They should accept Muslims as the second wheel of the Indian cart. Without this approach, the real process of progress in the country cannot even begin.
Similarly, Muslims should also realise that the essential condition for the fulfilment of the above mentioned prophecy is their proving capable of cultivating in themselves that talent which is known as creativity.
A truly creative group is one which is free from a negative mode of thinking and looks at matters from a positive view-point; which in its relations with others treads the path of broad-mindedness; which keeps an eye on its duties rather than its rights; which respects others’ feelings rather than its own feelings; which knows the difference between issues and non-issues and devotes its attention only to those matters that are relevant to issues in the process of development.
A creative group is one which is free of any groupist mentality and looks at things from the humanist point of view; which in its heart wishes others well and feels no hatred or contempt for them; whose tolerant temperament so elevates it that it does not become provoked in spite of annoying circumstances; which leads a life of high purpose and does not act in its own personal interest.
A creative group is one which, due to its noble qualities, is in a position to make continuous progress in its thinking. It should be able to find new and superior solutions to problems. It should, by opening every closed door of life, manage to reach the desired goals. Nothing should prove to be an impediment in its way.
These are the qualities which have been described in the Quran (Chapter 4, AI-Qalam) as ‘superior character’ (Khulq-e-Azeem). It is people who are broad-minded and noble in character who perform the greatest tasks in this world. In this world it is a law of nature that people of ordinary character perform everyday tasks and people of high character perform great tasks.
The gift of God bestowed on the people of Islam in the shape of religion is not the property of any one group. It is the common asset of the whole of humanity. Passing on this wealth to other people is the fulfilment of a Divine Trust. And it is solely in this spirit that this task can be properly performed.
History shows that the people of ancient times could not make any real progress in the field of knowledge, culture or civilization for thousands of years. All notable development started after the advent of Islam.
The world of those days was bogged down in the worship of God’s creations. The people of Islam raised it above the worship of creation and showed the way of the worship of the Creator. People used to treat the phenomena of nature as holy and imagined that it was sufficient to offer obeisance and homage to them. Islam put an end to such misconceptions and opened the door to harnessing nature for human needs. People had given wealth and power the position of a deity and considered them their everything. The people of Islam put wealth and power on the list of man’s needs and services and thus exalted man’s position. People at that time were immersed in different types of superstitions due to beliefs based on false presumptions. The adherents of Islam pulled them out of baseless presumptions and superstitions and made them come to grips with realities.
For details, see the author’s book Islam the Creator of the Modern Age.
This revolution in human thought came about for the first time through the influence of the followers of Islam, i.e. those believing in the unity of God. This revolution of thought opened to humanity the door of constructive activities and development, which had remained closed to it for thousands of years.
Islam taught the world the lesson of realism freeing people from superstition and causing humanity to enter a new era of progress.
Man in ancient times was living in the group of polytheistic thinking. Every department of life had become subordinate to polytheism. In reality, polytheism is another name for believing in superstitions. And where people are of a superstitious temperament or, in other words of an unscientific temperament, there can never be real progress. In the shape of the Islamic people, the world for the first time had the experience of a human group whose thought was based on the pure unity of God. It was completely free of polytheism and superstition. Accordingly, through Muslims, the world learned the lesson of realism for the first time. It became possible for people to free themselves from superstition and construct their lives on the basis of the laws of nature. This is the special gift of Islam which caused the history of humanity to enter a new era of progress.
While that new era of progress began for the rest of the world fourteen centuries ago, progress in this country had come to a standstill. Indeed, it is still waiting for the Islamic people to spread the message of the unity of God, so that history may repeat itself. Only then can true progress be made.
Welcoming Failures
If you want to be a success in this world, the first thing you have to do is display enough courage to welcome failures.
