Alhamdulillah Summa
Alhamdulillah, my Rab again gives me the opportunity to
continue on the same subject-matter of last Friday’s Sermon.
On Social Welfare
Furthermore,
as Islam teaches us, we must stress on the rights of the poor for we must
regard them as our brethrens. Thus, a person should not be deprived of that
which he has acquired by the exercise of his talents. The competition which is
the result of a divergence in talents and capacities is essential for the
progress of the world; but that those who are in possession of the wealth of a
nation are bound to allot a certain portion of it, fixed by Islam, towards the welfare
of the poor, and to employ the balance towards objects of public utility rather
than towards the gratification of personal desires; that is to say, that they
ought to prefer the happiness to be derived from the distribution rather than
that to be derived from the hoarding or squandering of wealth.
The
teachings of Islam stand unique in this respect. Islam recognises and upholds
the principle of private ownership, but it also recognises that no man can be
rich without a contribution of the labour of others, and it therefore
explicitly enjoins that out of the wealth of the rich a portion should be set
apart and spent through the government for the welfare of the poor as
compensation for the contribution made by the poor towards its production. It
also enjoins upon the State the duty of providing for all its people the
necessaries of life and the means of instruction.
Foreign Relations
With
regard to international relations, they can never be put on satisfactory basis
till it is realised that nations and Government are as much subject to the
dominion of morals as individuals. Indeed, most international disputes are the
result of the false doctrine which prevails that Governments are not bound to
conform to the moral standard expected of individuals. For the peace of the
world it is necessary that the subjects of each state should cooperate with
their respective Governments. There can be no objection to their taking
measures to demand and safeguard their rights, but in so doing they must not
adopt a course of conduct which is calculated to disturb the public peace or to
undermine the authority of the Government, or which is objectionable from a
moral viewpoint.
So
long as there are people who believe sincerely in some religion or other, and
the world is not composed entirely of men who use religion as a cloak to be donned
on ceremonial occasions, religions differences are bound to arise. True harmony
would be established only when the world, or the majority of its people, were
united by the restrictions of one common faith.
Inter-Religious Harmony
To
bring peace, therefore, to the universe, I have claimed that God Almighty has
sent me so that, through me, men may be gathered in the fold of one faith and
thus find outward and inner peace. Even though, presently man and man is not yet
united in one religion, the true religion and way of life, viz., Islam, however,
to ensure the improvement of the present conditions of individuals, religions
and society at large, the following suggestions are to be observed: