Topics
Friends,
Finally,
fourteen centuries have come to an end. Just as no one has ever returned after
death, the 511,000 days and nights of the fourteen centuries are also gone,
never to return. It is incumbent upon us to call to account what we have
gained, and what we have lost, in these 1400 years.
The
ever-increasing scientific progress has given new heights to the pursuit of
knowledge. Now, it is conceivable that man is about to enter that sphere of
control over the universe where matter attains a negative value. It has become
an observed fact that man is an embodiment of countless lights which adorn him,
and it is this adornment of light on which material existence is based. From a
superficial perspective, it would seem that man today is much more advanced
than the man of 1400 years ago—so advanced that not only has he discovered the
wavelengths of sound, but has also mastered the techniques of decreasing or
increasing those wavelengths. He has command of sounds with wavelengths above
1600 cycles/second. He has the ability to transmit as waves, that aura of
lights which represents the real person, and show it on screen, thousands of
miles away, with every feature of that person intact. Space has condensed so
much that within a one inch space (of a microfilm) an entire hook consisting of
hundreds of pages can be saved. As far as progress in relation to time is concerned,
distances of thousands of miles can be travelled within hours.
But when
we consider the outcome of all this amazing research and progress, how heart
wrenching it actually is!
Friends,
what progress! Every face of today is an image of sorrow and despair. Despite
all the provisions of comfort and luxury, man is troubled. This progress has
disturbed the peace of mankind. Humanity searching for peace is inflicted with
so many new diseases. Everywhere one hears the same cry, that man is busy
poisoning his fellow man's life. When we compare the undeveloped past of our
ancestors with the present time, we experience a deep sense of loss, knowing
that they lived with patience and forbearance, and did not fall victim to
extremes, as is common today. Granted, they did not enjoy amenities like
television sets, VCRs, refrigerators, and other such modern day advances; they
did not have clothes as comfortable as we wear today; nor did they have such
grand houses as we live in today; but they lived in peace, and were healthy and
happy, and were able to sleep peacefully. Each man is his own mirror. The other
side of the mirror shows how a few men of "genius" gave so much
importance to a tiny atom that it gained more significance than hundreds of
thousands of human lives. Horrific cylinders have been invented by man which
can, at the push of a button, deprive an entire city of oxygen, condemning its
population to death. While searching for peace, as sleep deprivation took over,
the invention of sleep-inducing drugs caused such a state of self-deception
that, instead of bringing restful sleep, these drugs drove people out of their
senses. The utilization of atomic power gave rise to such diseases as are
untreatable, and that are so horrific that their name alone is enough to bring
a terrifying death.
Allah the Exalted had said:
0, Adam, dwell you and your wife in heaven, and
eat therein plentifully, wherever you will." (Holy Quran chapter 2: verse
35]
'Wherever
you will" is indicative of the fact that heaven is free from the confines
of time and space. In heaven, Adam has the same ability to free himself of time
and space, which science has employed to break free of the confines of space.
This is the same ability which has enabled man to venture into the vastness of
outer space. This is the same ability which has removed distances.
Since
this ability was employed to show one's superiority over others, it has become
the cause of worry, inconvenience and hardship for the entire world. If this
progress comes with only enough change that it advances purely for the sake of
Allah, to serve Allah's creatures, then according to Allah Almighty's
statement, the following will come to pass:.
"Eat therein plentifully wherever you
will."
Within
these fourteen centuries, we have come closer to the heavenly ability which
frees us from the confines of time and space, but we have gone farther away
from that heavenly ability which gives peace of mind and contentment. May God
enable the growth of this ability in the fifteenth century—the ability which
brings happiness and joy to us at each and every moment —and may we become the
living commentary of this verse of the
Holy Quran:
O dear
ones,
Whatever
is present in the world is for your sake. All these Images, adorned with light
and colour, are made for us. God has no need for food or drink, clothing or
shelter, or provisions of any kind. All these things have been placed at our
command so we may enjoy them and prosper from them. But our state is such that
we have, instead a servant to this wealth and its benefits. This is the way of
thinking we have adopted in these fourteen hundred years.
Come let
us promise that in the fifteenth century we will not worship wealth. Instead,
we will employ wealth as our servant and slave- a servant known to be
unfaithful to all and one that, if it becomes the centre of attention, causes
painful torment trails and affections.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
Science has made immense progress, yet many believe that, even with all of the modern tools at our disposal, human beings function at no more than 10% of their mental capacity. This leads to the question of what exactly it is that comprises the remaining 90%. Yet another question that arises is this: If it has taken man four and a half billion years to be able to apply only 10% of his ability, how long will it take for him to make use of the remaining 90%?
