The Road to Peace and Salvation

[kalamazoo]

INTRODUCTION

There are major issues which vex every thinking man and woman at sometime in life.
One of these matters is the existence of God.

Another is the anguished question: why, if there is a God and He is merciful, is there so much suffering in the world, and why is peace so elusive?

This last question is particularly pertinent in this last decade of a century which seems to have
nothing but war and bloodshed.

Mawlana Mawdudi, like many scholars before him, tackles these questions head-on. But his
approach is down-to-earth, and seeks to explain his answers to these questions by using
everyday examples which are easily understood.
Having pointed towards the answers to these important questions, Mawdudi throws some
questions back at us, which each and every one has to answer:

Now that we know of the Maker and His plan, what are we going to do about it?


Huda Khattab May 1994.
Huda

to be continued Inshaa Allah.

 

[kalamazoo]

Huda Khattab was born in Lancashire (England), and raised as a Protestant Christian. Although a devoted and regular church-attender in her teens, she found that many of her questions were not answered by Christianity. After studying Christianity and other religions, she embraced Islam in 1983, whilst still at University. She received her BA (Hons) in Arabic from the School of Oriental and African Studies (London University) in 1986. She has translated several books from Arabic to English, and is the author of “Stories from the Muslim World” (Macdonald 1987) and “The Muslim Woman’s Handbook” (Ta-Ha 1993).

Chapter 1

ON THE EXISTENCE OF THE DIVINE BEING

If some one were to tell you that in the centre of town there was a big store, with no sales staffor managers, which was running smoothly, with goods coming in on time and being sold automatically to customers, would you believe it? Could you accept the notion of goods coming in without any supplier, and being sold without the agency of any salesmen? Could you agree that the goods in the shop would be safe from burglars and thieves without the supervision of security staff? It goes without saying that nobody in his right mind could believe in the existence of such a store.
Or take another example: Suppose somebody told you that he had seen a large factory running by itself, without any managers, foremen, engineers or machine operators. Imagine, furthermore, being told that the factory had come into existence spontaneously, that all the components of the machines had fitted themselves into place and were running smoothly,churning out excellent products. Surely you would doubt the sanity of the person telling you this story - only a mad-man could make up such a tale! Think, then, about these examples: Could you accept that an electric light bulb would generate ight by itself? Could the greatest philosopher in the world convince you that a chair had assumed its present form by itself? Could you be persuaded that the cloth of your coat hadwoven itself, or that your house had not been built, but had come into existence spontaneously?
These are just a few everyday examples. But if you cannot believe that a shop can be run
without salesman, or that a factory can be built without engineers and run without staff, how
can you possibly be persuaded that the Universe is without a creator or master? In the vast
complexity of the Universe, countless living beings and innumerable heavenly bodies function
and interact with clockwork precision. Vapour rises from the oceans and forms into clouds; the
wind blows the clouds to distant parts of the earth and, under the right conditions, the
vapour condenses and falls to the earth as rain. The rain-water brings the dead earth to life, and
facilitates the growth of food-crops, trees, fruit and flowers. Could any rational person be
convinced that this vast, complex and integrated system came in to existence without any
creator and is running without a master controller?

We have no hesitation in dismissing as a lunatic a person who believes that a piece of cloth or a
chair came into existence spontaneously; can we then accept the thesis of the person who says
that the earth sprang into existence of its own accord, that the animals came to life by
themselves and that the most complex of living beings - mankind - came into existence without
any creator? Chemical analysis of the physical make-up of the human body has shown it to
be composed of certain quantities of iron, carbon, sulphur, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, etc. -
substances which would cost no more than a few pennies altogether. But could anybody
create a human being merely by combining these substances in the same proportion in which
they are found in the human body? Surely not - so how can we be expected to believe that a
human being, capable of such complicated feats of technology as making aeroplanes and
televisions, came into existence without the design of a superior intelligence and the skill of a
master craftsman?

Have you ever thought about how the human infant is formed and developed in the tiny
workshop of the mother’s womb? Neither father nor mother has anything to do with this
wonderful process. At a moment of which neither father nor mother is aware, two small “lifegerms”,
which cannot even be seen without the aid of a microscope, come together and unite.
Thereafter, the new life draws its nourishment from the mother’s blood, which supplies it with
sufficient quantities of iron, calcium and other essential nutrients. In time, the two cells which
initially united develop into a bundle of cells, like a lump of flesh. Then this “lump” begins to
acquire a definite and recognizable shape, and the various organs and parts of the body begin to
grow in the appropriate places: the eyes, ears, brain, heart, bones and muscles are all
developing as and where they should. The embryo then acquires life, and begins to
develope senses. When the embryo has at last developed into a fully-formed human infant, the
small workshop of the womb delivers it to the outside world, to begin independent life. These
“uterine workshops” are delivering millions of new infants every day, but every single one is
different from the others - in appearance, voice, disposition and potential. Even “identical”
twins will have some important differences, and will never be one hundred percent identical.
This is indeed a marvel which staggers the imagination.

Only a person who is out of his mind could believe that the whole wonderful system of life and
the universe, which has continued for countless centuries and generations, could have come into
existence without the agency of a wise, all- knowing and all-powerful God.

Chapter 2

THE UNITY OF GOD

Let us take the matter of life a little further. Anyone possessed with basic common-sense
would accept that no enterprise, whether big or small, can run smoothly unless a single person is
made ultimately responsible for its progress.

Have you heard of a single school with two headmasters, a department with two directors, an
army with two commanders-in-chief, or a country with two presidents? Could any institution
under such dual control function efficiently?

Even in everyday life, we are aware that “too many cooks spoil the broth”. Any project left
under the leadership of more than one person cannot be managed properly - they will bicker
and squabble until the work is ruined. However good the team spirit may be, good
management, smooth working and efficiency are inconceivable without the presence of a single
authority in ultimate control.

Bearing this simple, common-sense fact in mind, take a look around you at the grand system of
the universe. Look at the planets in constant motion, the earth on which you live, the moon
which rises in the evening and the sun which rises at dawn; their movements indicate a strict set
of rules or laws. Have you ever found evening setting in or the sun rising before the natural
hour? Has the moon ever collided with the earth? Has the sun ever deviated from its fixed
position? Have you ever heard of a planet deviating from its fixed course by even a hair’s
breadth? Like the parts of a watch, these millions of heavenly bodies, some of which are
thousands of times bigger than our own earth or sun, are following their appointed courses
strictly in accordance with the “laws of nature”. The distances between them, and the
direction and speed of their movements, are fixed, and even the slightest deviation of one of
them would throw the entire system into chaos.

Moving down from the heavens to our own earth, let us look more closely at the world in which
we live, and at our own selves. The whole system of the earth and the drama of life which we
see enacted upon it are governed by certain strict rules. For example, the gravitational pull of the
earth keeps everything on it in its proper place. If the earth were to relax this hold for even a
second, the world would quite literally fall to pieces. All the wheels and cogs of the world’s vast
workshop are governed by a rigid set of regulations, which cannot be altered in the least. Air,
water and light obey the laws laid down for them; the seasons of the year adhere strictly to
the schedule set out for them. Rocks, metals, electricity, trees, animals... nothing has the power
to overstep the boundaries within which it is required to exist by the laws which govern it.
Nothing can change its qualities or properties, or refuse to discharge the duties assigned to it.
Within the limits set, all parts of this vast machine are co-operating with one another, and every
event and development we witness is due to this co-operation.
Take the apparently insignificant example of a seed which has been sown in the ground. It is
obvious that the seed cannot germinate and grow unless everything else in heaven and earth cooperates in sustaining it and aiding its development. The soil has to provide it with the necessary
heat and light. Water and air also have their part to play. The night makes it cool and provides
dew; the day brings warmth and helps it to germinate and grow. The various elements cooperate
for months, even years, on end, until the plant reaches maturity and bears fruit. All the
crops which provide our food and sustenance grow as a result of this co-operation
between the various forces of nature. Indeed, we are only alive because of this natural cooperation
which sustains us. If the co-operation of any one of these elements was to be withdrawn, life would become virtually, if not absolutely, impossible. If, for example, the air were to withdraw itself from this co-operative enterprise, we would instantly cease to exist. If water refused to act in harmony with the air and heat in the atmosphere, there would be not adrop of rain. If the soil did not co-operate with water, our gardens and fields would dry up, ourcrops would never ripen, and we would never be able to build houses. If fire refused to bekindled, all our ovens, mills and factories would grind to a halt. If iron refused to react to fire,we would not be able to make a needle or a knife, not to mention cars, trains and heavy machinery. In short, the world in which we live exists only because of the interdependence andco-operation of the various elements and “departments” of the world around us.
Could anyone find anything wrong or false in the statements made above? If it is all true, and
supported by our own observations, is it not natural to wonder about the raison d’être of this
whole grand scheme, with its regularity and harmony, this perfect co-operation between the
myriad elements and forces of the Universe? The cosmos has existed as such for billions of
years; trees and animals have existed on the earth for millions of years; mankind has lived on
earth for thousands of years. But the system of the Universe has never experienced any
disruption. The moon has never fallen upon the earth, or the earth collided with the sun. The
fixed duration of day and night has never altered, and soil and water, fire and heat, have
continued their appointed partnerships. One is bound to wonder, why do all the various
‘departments’ of this vast realm adhere so strictly and faithfully to the rules and regulations laid
down for them? Why do they not fall foul of one another? Why is there no disorder or
disturbance in this system? What is the force that keeps its various parts under the control of a
single administration? You only have to search your own hearts for the answers. Don’t you feel
intuitively that a single Divine Being is the Sovereign of the Universe, and that it is the Supreme
Power of this Single Sovereign that keeps everything in the Universe subject to His own laws
and regulations? If this Universe were governed by two gods let alone several - its affairs
could not possibly have been run so regularly and efficiently. If even a small enterprise such as
a school or business cannot be run by two leaders at the same time, how could the vast realms
of the heavens and earth be run by more than one Sovereign?

In short, it is a fact that the Universe did not come into existence by itself, and that it is not
functioning spontaneously. The Universe has been created, and is being run, by a single Being.
The regularity, precision and efficiency with which it is being run, and the adherence of all its
components to its laws leaves no room for any doubt that it is under the control of a single
Administrator. The strictness of the laws of the Universe bears testimony to the fact that a single
Sovereign rules the heavens, the earth and everything in between. The sun, the moon and the
stars, the earth and all that it contains - rivers, trees, mountains, animals - are all under His
command. The life and death of human beings are in His hands. He has full control over the
whole world, and nothing is able to enforce its own will in the kingdom of God.
The perfect order of the Universe precludes the existence of more than one administrator. The
very nature of its organization demands that no other being should have a share in His authority,
that there should be a single Ruler and that all other beings should be His subjects. If any
other being enjoyed even a fraction of the original authority, disorder, indiscipline and chaos
would surely follow. Moreover, the administration of such a vast realm demands not only
power, but also knowledge. It requires such a vision as can encompass the whole universe at
one time, and a mind so comprehensive that it can issue commands and directions whilst
keeping in view the needs and demands of the entire system. The organization of the universe
would surely have been disrupted if some lesser “deities”, not endowed with this universal
vision, had been allowed to share the sovereignty of the universe with the supreme Lord and
Master, and been entrusted with authority over particular matters and certain parts of
creation. Even a simple machine is likely to be thrown out of gear if it is entrusted to a person
who does not know how to operate it and tries to interfere with its workings. With regard to the
greater system of the Universe, the very fact that it is being run with complete efficiency and
order should make it clear that no force or being shares even the slightest degree of the
sovereignty of the Universe with God.
This is not merely a statement of fact. It is also right and proper that God’s sovereignty over
the universe should not be shared with any other entity and that His law alone should govern the
entire realm. Those who are His own creatures, who depend entirely upon His mercy for their
very survival, who cannot live for a second by virtue of their own capacities, are surely not
competent to share His sovereignty. Could a servant share his master’s right of ownership?
Would a master share his power or rights with his servant? Such a situation is not only
unacceptable according to the patent realities of the universe; it is also repugnant to reason,
nature, truth and logic.

2 B continued...Inshaa Allah.

 

[kalamazoo]

Chapter 3
THE REAL CAUSE OF MAN’S DISTRESS
These are the basic realities underlying the scheme and system of this world and of the entire
Universe. As the saying goes, “No man is an Island”; none of us exists independently - each
of us is a part of the grand system, like parts of a machine. For every one of us, therefore,
these realities are as relevant and fundamentally important as they are for the world as a whole.
Each of us is perplexed as to why human life is so lacking in peace and security. Why are we
so frequently faced with such troubles and hardships? Why have our systems and laws gone
awry? We are forever seeing nations falling foul of one another, country struggling against

country, men tearing one another apart like wolves. Millions of people are being killed,
wounded, or displaced by war. Homes are being destroyed, and property and businesses
worth billions of pounds are being devastated. The strong are crushing the weak, the rich are
exploiting the poor, governments are tyrannical and oppressive, and the so-called guardians of
law and order are corrupt and unjust. The rich man is intoxicated by his wealth and the man in
authority is consumed with arrogance. There is no loyalty in friendship, and promises are easily
broken. Morals are unknown and godlessness prevails, even under the guise of religion. Man
has lost faith in man; humanity is divided into countless groups, parties, tribes, each of which is
trying to harm others by force, by fraud, by whatever means it has at its disposal - as if this were
the correct way, indeed the only way to conduct one’s affairs.
What is the root cause of all these troubles? Beyond the human realm, we find perfect
tranquillity. The stars, air, water, trees and animals are at peace, obediently following the
laws laid down for them. The rest of creation is running smoothly, showing no sign of indiscipline
or disorder; why is human life deprived of this blessing? This is a very important, but difficult,
question. Most people find it deeply disturbing and baffling, but the answer is not so hard to
find. My analysis of the situation, which may give you food for thought, is this: Man is suffering
because he has adopted a way of life at variance with truth and reality. Unless he brings his life
into line with truth and reality, he will never know peace.
This is not so difficult to understand. Imagine, if you were travelling by train, and took the door
of the carriage to be just like your own front door. If you stepped out of it, just as you would
out of your front door, your delusion would not help you in the least. The carriage door would
not turn into your front door, and the ground you fell onto would not turn into your garden path.
When you fell from the speeding train, your fate would be inevitable, even if you were to
continue to nurse your delusion along with your broken limbs.
Similarly, if you persuade yourself that this world is without a Divine Master, or choose to
believe in a deity other than the One God, or even declared yourself to be divine, this would not
change reality. God would still be the Lord and Master of the Universe, and His vast realms, of
which you occupy the smallest part where you live as His subject, would still remain under His
control. Only you would have to pay the consequences for the unsound way of life which you
adopt because of your delusion, even if you continue to regard it as correct and proper.
It should be clear that God has not been made the Lord and Master of the Universe by any
external force. He is the Sovereign of the Universe in His own right, and His Sovereignty does
not depend upon your recognition. His Sovereignty depends upon His own strength. He has
created you as well as the Universe. The earth, the sun, the moon and the rest of creation, and
all the forces in it, are subject to His command. All the things that help to keep you alive are
under His control. Your very existence depends entirely on His will. These are hard facts, which
you cannot change by any means. You may refuse to recognise them, you may close your eyes
to them, you may explain them away in any manner you like, but they will still remain as they
are. Your refusal to accept these realities will make no difference to them whatsoever, but it will
have an effect on you.
If you accept these realities, and recognize your own position in the scheme of things, you will
be able to order your life accordingly, and live in peace and contentment. If, however, you
reject these realities and try to assume a position which you are not really entitled to, you will
meet a fate not very different from that of the person who mistakes the door of a railway
carriage for his own front door. You will inevitably hurt yourself, you may even lose your life,
but the reality will remain unchanged.
What, then, is our proper position in the light of these realities? What is the position of the
servant vis-a-vis the master? Is he not duty bound to obey the master’s commands, to carry out
his wishes, and not to overstep the bounds of his position as a servant? The servant’s job is to
serve. The subordinate officer’s job is to carry out the order of his superiors and not try to
assume the position of a general himself. If you own a piece of land or property, you will want
to see that it is managed precisely according to your wishes - this is your right. If you lived in a
country where all power is concentrated in the hands of a monarch or ruler, what would your
position be in relation to his? Surely you would be expected to live peacefully as a law-abiding
citizen. If you decided to assume power yourself, would you not be regarded as a rebel and a
traitor?
These examples make it clear to us what our position is in the realms of the Universe, where the
Sovereign is Almighty God. It is He Who has created us, and our only duty is to live and act in
accordance with the will of our Creator. It is He Who sustains and feeds us from His treasury.
Our position is that of a servant, and we have no rights beyond that. He is the supreme
Sovereign of the whole world, including our own selves, and we can have no other status
except that of the subjects of the Sovereign. The heavens and the earth are all His property, and
should be administered and managed according to His will. We have no business to try and run
the world according to our own wishes and desires, independent of Him; if we try to do so,
we are bound to suffer grievously.
God’s sovereignty over the Universe exists by virtue of His own power and authority. The
heavens and the earth are all within His power. No human being can claim any other status
except that of His subject. His law is the law of the Universe and His command alone is worthy
of obedience. None of His subjects has the right to assume for himself the position of a
sovereign ruler. No individual or legislative body has the right to make laws according to their
whims or desires, and call upon the subjects of God to follow that law rather than the Divine
law. No government has the right to enforce its own authority and require people to obey its
own commands rather than the Divine injunctions. No individual or group has the right to
recognize the rule of any of the pretenders to power in preference to the rule of the True
Sovereign, to reject the laws of God and accept those made by human law-makers, to
reject the commands of a legitimate ruler, or to obey an illegitimate, self-appointed ruler. False
claims of sovereignty and recognition of these claims all amount to acts of manifest rebellion, and
guilty parties are bound to be punished sooner or later.
Each and every one of us is under God’s control, and He can call any of us back to Him
whenever He wills. No-one has the power to escape the reach of His Law. After death, our
bodies may be buried, or burnt, or otherwise reduced to “dust” and “ashes”, yet we will never
escape the long arm of the Divine Law. The entire Universe is under His control, and even if the
particles of our bodies are scattered throughout the world, as soon as He wills it, we will be
brought before Him and asked: By what right did you claim sovereignty when you were
nothing but My subjects and slaves? Who empowered you to enforce your laws in My realms?
Why did you recognize the authority of imposters and\pretenders when you were My
subjects? Why did you obey illegitimate masters when you were My servants? Why did you
give credit to others for providing your livelihood when in fact it was I Who sustained you and
you drew your living from My treasury?
Would you be able to answer these charges? Is there any lawyer, no matter how skilled and
persuasive, who could defend you? Could he offer any recommendation to save you from the
severe penalty prescribed for such rebellion?
It is not merely a matter of rights; it is also a question of ability. Is any human individual or group
really capable of being a ruler or law-maker? Even ordinary machinery will be thrown out of
gear if it is operated by someone who does not know how to operate it. If you entrust a car to
someone who does not know how to drive, you will soon come to grief. If a machine made of
cold and lifeless steel and plastic cannot be used without full knowledge of its nature and
workings, how can the world of men - this most complicated machine with a myriad of
psychological and other facets, each of which may exhibit innumerable difficulties - be
controlled and ruled by men, who far from knowing others, do not even know themselves well
enough? When such novices assume the role of law-makers and try to run human life, their
fate will most likely resemble that of the car entrusted to the non-driver. It is easy to see that
wherever man-made laws have been followed, rather than the laws of God, and wherever the
affairs of man have been run by men with disregard for Divine commands, things have not been
properly managed and there has been no peace or tranquillity. On the contrary, there is only
violence and bloodshed, oppression and injustice, exploitation and degradation. It has become a
dog-eat-dog world, where public morality has been shattered and social well-being destroyed.
All the powers and faculties with which God created man have been used for destruction rather
than welfare and progress. The reason why man has turned this world into a veritable hell is
that, like a curious child, he has tried to run a machine about whose mechanism and working he
knows next to nothing. Only the Maker of this machine knows its secrets and the precise
manner in which it can be run efficiently. If mankind can persuade itself even now to retrace the
steps it has taken on the path to perdition, and start following the laws laid down by the Maker
of the human machine, the damage that we have so far done to ourselves can yet be repaired,
and our life redeemed. There is no other way out of the troubles and tribulations which we have
created for ourselves.
Chapter 4
WHY IS THERE SO MUCH INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD?
If you look at this problem a little more deeply, you will find another reason, beside his own
ignorance, for mankind’s undoing.
The word “man” or “mankind” does not refer to any particular individual or tribe or nation.
Moreover, these words, in their traditional usage, are taken to refer to women as well as men.
All men and women are human beings and have the right to live and obtain the necessities of life;
all are entitled to justice, honour and dignity. Human welfare does not entail merely the
welfare of any particular individual, tribe, class or nation, but the welfare of all people. When
wealth and comfort are enjoyed by the few while the majority languishes amidst hardship and
adversity, it cannot be said that mankind is happy and prosperous.
Having accepted this self-evident truth, how may the welfare and prosperity of the whole of
mankind be achieved? This goal can only be reached if laws are made for mankind by One
Who does not discriminate amongst men. It can be achieved only if the rights of men are
justly determined by One Who has no personal stake in the matter, and Who is not associated
with the interests of any tribe, family, class, country or nation. It can be achieved only if all are
subject to the commands of One Who can neither err in His judgement because of
ignorance or inadequate knowledge, nor abuse authority for personal gain, nor take the side of
one against another.
This is the only way to establish justice and ensure that all individuals, nations, classes and
groups will have equal rights. This is the only way to end oppression, injustice and tyranny.
Is there any man on earth who could be so fair, just and selfless? Is there anyone who is so free
from human weaknesses? Surely this question cannot be answered in the affirmative. Such
perfect fairness and justice are attributes which belong to God alone. Any human being, no
matter how fair and big-hearted he may be, will have some personal interests; he is bound to
feel closer to some people than others, to be very fond of some and take a dislike to others.
Moreover, no human being can claim to be free from weaknesses and shortcomings. This is the
reason why we find oppression and injustice, in one form or another, wherever man-made laws
are in force instead of the law of God, and where human authority is obeyed instead of the
Divine commands.
Think of the various royal families who have secured for themselves by force positions of
honour and distinction, fabulous wealth, and a life of pomp and privileges that are denied to
others. They are above the law and cannot be sued in court, no matter what they do. They
commit manifest errors and yet the fiction is maintained - and believed by many - that the
monarch can do no wrong. It is patently obvious that they are mere mortals like all others, yet
they pose as demi-gods and are placed on a high pedestal, and ordinary folks, if they approach
them at all, appear before them with folded hands and on bended knee, as if they depended on
the royalty for their livelihood, and even for their very life. The kings and their kinsmen collect
money from the people by fair means or foul, and squander it on palaces and carriages, on
luxury and sport. The rich people’s dogs often eat better food than many human beings, the very
people who toil to fill the coffers of the wealthy. Is this justice? Could this scheme of things
possibly be the invention of a just sovereign who has equal regard for the rights and interests of
all?
Or think of the Brahmins in India, or priests and wealthy princes and nobles in other lands, or of
the business magnates and tycoons throughout the world. All of them consider themselves to be
above the “common people”. They have been able to put many laws on the statute books, in
many countries, which grant them rights not available to ordinary people. They are considered
to be clean and respectable, while common folk are viewed as dirty and despicable. They are
regarded as noble and the others as mean. It is as if their role is to rob and the common people
are there just to be robbed. The life, honour and property of the common people are often
sacrificed to keep the privileged classes happy. Could such rules and regulations possibly be the
handiwork of a just being? Do they not reflect glaring selfishness and partiality?
Or think of history, when powerful states enslaved weaker states by force. Is there any
law enacted or resolution passed by them which does not betray selfishness? Everywhere
certain nations are claiming that they are superior races; indeed they regard themselves alone as
human beings, and regard the members of weaker nations to be inferior races, or even subhuman.
They believe themselves to be perfectly justified in sacrificing the interests of others for
the sake of their own. All the laws passed by them, or under their influence or pressure, clearly
betray this attitude.
These examples are merely hints and brief illustrations. The matter could be dwelt upon at
length, but there is no need. It is obvious that man-made laws reflect injustice of one kind or
another. On the one hand, they give a few people more than is their right; on the other, they
deny millions not only their rights, but even their human dignity. The reason for these injustices is
not too hard to find: when a man sits down to decide a matter, his mind and heart will be
dominated by his own interests and inclinations, or by those of his family, race, class, tribe or
nation. He cannot look at others with the same understanding and sympathy as he shows
towards those who are closest to him.
There is no remedy for this prevalent injustice except to scrap man-made laws and accept,
unconditionally and without reservation, the law of God in Whose eyes all human beings are
equal and Who distinguishes between them on the basis of their piety, virtue, character, conduct
and merits, rather than their race, colour, class or nationality.
Chapter 5
HOW CAN WE ESTABLISH PEACE?
There is a further aspect of the problem that cannot be ignored. It is evident that, in the ultimate
analysis, the sense of responsibility is the only force that can keep a person under restraint. If a
person is convinced that there is nobody to call him to account, and that there is no power that
can punish him, then he will naturally tend to lose all sense of discipline and lead a life of license
and irresponsibility, with no respect or concern for others.
This is as true of families, nations and mankind at large, as it is for individuals. A family will lose
control and exceed the limits of responsibility and authority when it finds that there is
nobody to question it and bring it to book. A socio-economic class will not hesitate to oppress
other classes when it finds that it is not answerable to anybody. When a nation finds that it is
strong enough to assert itself with impunity, it sets out to overrun and destroy weaker nations,
just as the wolf will attack the sheep.
Much of the disorder that plagues the world today is due primarily to the fact that most people
do not recognize the sovereignty of a Being superior to all of them, and that there is a Being to
Whom they will all have to answer for their deeds one day, Who has the power to punish
them. Unless they come to recognize and believe in such a Being, oppression and injustice will
continue, and true peace cannot be established.
Who could this supreme Being be, but God Almighty, the Lord and Master of the Universe. He
could not be any human being, for any individual or group invested with supreme power would
become irresponsible and capricious, like a Pharaoh, acting selfishly and partially, unfairly
favouring some over others. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Earlier this century, the
League of Nations was set up by the European powers to solve the problem of international
disorder, but it soon degenerated into an association of White Nations and was used as a tool in
the hands of a few Great Powers who began to treat smaller and weaker nations unjustly.*
These and other lessons of history should have taught us that we cannot expect man to provide
an ideal power the fear of which can keep all individuals, groups, nations and empires under
restraint, and ensure proper conduct at all levels from the individual to the international. Such a
power has to be outside, and above, the human world. It can only be the power of God. If we
are concerned about our own welfare and progress, there is no alternative for us but to believe
in God, submit to His sovereignty, obey His law, and realise that He sees and knows all that we
do and think, and that we will one day have to appear before Him to render a full account of
our lives on this earth. This is the only way in which we can hope to become good, peaceful and
law-abiding men and women. This is the only way in which we can attain peace in this world
and salvation in the Hereafter.
There remains one more doubt to be dispelled. If God’s sovereignty over the Universe is so
absolute, if everything from the sub-atomic particles to the mighty heavenly bodies is under His
control, and if man is merely a humble subject of the realms of the Almighty, how then is man
able to rebel against the Divine sovereign and set up his own dominions in which he rides roughshod
over others through man-made laws? Why does the Almighty not put a stop to it
immediately and punish them?
Let us take the example of a country where the ruler posts one of his subjects as the governor
of a particular province. The whole country is under the control of the ruler; the citizens are his
subjects, the roads, railways, telecommunications, armed forces and all other means of control
are at his disposal; and the province in question is surrounded on all sides by the dominions of
the ruler. If he so wished, the ruler could compel the governor by force into complete loyalty
and unquestioning obedience, but he wants to test the man’s intelligence, loyalty, sense of duty
and ability. So he gives the governor free rein in the province - to such an extent that the
governor ceases to feel the controlling authority and power of the supreme sovereign.
If the governor is wise, loyal and dutiful, he will never lose sight of his position as a subject and
subordinate of the ruler, and will run his province within the limits of his jurisdiction in
accordance with the authority of the sovereign. He will exercise his authority within the
framework of the sovereign’s commission and according to the latter’s wishes. This loyal and
dutiful conduct will prove his ability and competence, and he will be in line for promotion to
higher positions.
On the other hand, imagine that the governor is foolish, disloyal and wicked, and that the people
of the province are ignorant and naive. Taking advantage of the free rein given to him by the
sovereign, the governor decides on rebellion. He takes it into his head to rule independently as
the lord and master of the province, and the people begin to obey him, because they see that he
pays them, he controls the local police and courts, and he has the power to punish and
execute, and to make or break the lives of people in the province.
The sovereign is aware of the treason committed by the rebellious governor, and of its
acceptance by the short-sighted local populace. He is surely powerful enough to put an end to
the rebellion and inflict a severe punishment on the guilty parties, but he does not do so. He
wants to put the governor and people to a thorough test. He continues to give them free rein,
and looks on as they pursue their disastrous course. He wants all their evil to be fully expressed.
He enjoys absolute power, and has no fear that the rebellious governor may eventually march
on the capital and overthrow him. He is certain that the rebels would never be able to leave their
province, which is surrounded by loyal territory. He is, therefore, in no hurry to force the
issue. He can continue to tolerate the situation for years on end. But ultimately, when all the
evil latent in the offending governor and people has fully manifested itself, he swoops on them
and his punishment is so severe that no stratagem on their part can avert it.
Each and every one of us, from the rulers and men in authority to the humblest peasants and
slum-dwellers, is on trial. Our intelligence and wisdom, our sense of duty, our integrity and
loyalty, are being put to a severe test. Each of us has to decide whether he wants to be loyal or
disloyal to the real Lord. This is the most vital question, the most important issue in life. Success
or failure depends on this alone. Let each of us engage in some deep and sincere soul-searching.
Have we really chosen to be loyal to our Lord, or are we following the road that leads to
disloyalty, betrayal, and ultimate disaster...?



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