If only the people of the Scriptures would believe and be God fearing, We should forgive them their sins, and bring them into gardens of bliss. If they would observe the Torah and the Gospel and what has been reveled to them by their Lord, they would indeed be given abundance from above and from beneath. Some of them do pursue a right course, but many of them are of evil conduct. (The repast, “Maidah: 5:65-66)
Humanity pays a heavy tax as a result of isolating the methods which it follows toward material success in this world from the method which should be followed to ensure success in the life to come. This task takes the form of misery, worry and confusion which is experienced by humanity because it cannot visualize the divine way of life which combines both. We must not be deluded by false appearances which may exist in a certain period of time, when we see that nations which do not believe or implement the divine method in their lives are enjoying abundance and affluence. It is a temporary prosperity which lasts until the natural laws have produced their effects, allowing the consequences of the miserable split between material excellence and the spiritual thirst to appear in full. We see some of the consequences surfacing in a variety of ways. We see first misdistribution within these nations, which allows hatred, grudges, misery and fear of the unexpected to establish their roots. This is indeed an ominous state of affairs, despite prosperity. We also see suppression and fear dominant in those nations which have tried to ensure at least partially fair distribution. To achieve that, they have resorted to destruction, suppression and terror in order to enforce their measures of redistribution. In this terrible state of affairs, man is always in fear, never reassured.
We also see the weakening of moral values which leads, sooner or later to the destruction of material prosperity, work, productivity and fair distribution . Man-made laws cannot on their own, provide such guarantees, as human experience has shown throughout the world. We also see all types of worries spreading through out the world, particularly in the most affluent of societies. This will inevitably make people less intelligent and reduce their tolerance. It will then lead to lowering standards of work and productivity and will eventually help destroy material prosperity. Very clear indications of this impending development can easily be recognized at the present time.
We see the fear which engulfs the whole humanity of the total ruin which threatens the whole world at any moment, as risks of total war continue to be in the air. Such fear places a great strain on peoples’ minds, whether they realize it or not. It leads to a whole range of nervous disorders. Is it not highly significant that death through heart attacks, mental disease and suicide are at their highest rate in affluent societies?
All these effects are seen in their clearest and most advanced form in the tendency of some nations to disappear totally. The clearest example today is that of the French people, but their case is only an example of the ultimate effect of a continuous split between the material and spiritual aspects of human existence, as split between this life and the hereafter, religion and human life, or, to put it in another way following one method given by Allah to ensure success in the hereafter and success in this life. Before we conclude our comment on this very important fact, we would like to emphasize that it is most important to achieve harmony between faith, piety and implementation of the diving method in practical human life on the one hand and work, productivity and fulfillment of Allah’s promise to the people of the Scriptures, and indeed to all communities, that they will have abundance from above and from beneath, and that they will be forgiven their sins and admitted into gardens of bliss in the hereafter. Thus they have paradise on earth and paradise in heaven. We must not forget, however, that the fundamental principle and the main stay of the whole system is faith, piety and implementation of the divine way of life. This indeed implies hard work, better productivity and development. More over, when man maintains a constant link with Allah, all aspects of life will bring better enjoyment to man, enhance his values and correct his standards. This is the starting point from which everything else follows.
We should also mention that faith, piety, worship and the establishment of Allah’s law in human life yield all their fruits in human life and give their benefits to man himself. Allah is in no need of anyone. It is true that Islam lays strong emphasis on these fundamental principles and makes them the basis of all actions and activities. Any action which is not based on them is rejected. The reason for that is not that Allah gains anything from people’s worship and piety; He does not, but He knows that their life and their affairs cannot be established on the right footing unless His method is followed. It is in this light that we should read the sacred hadith in which the Prophet (Pbuh) relates Allah’s own words: “My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another. My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance, of Me and I shall guide you. My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. My servants, all of you are naked, except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me, My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the Jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of anyone man of you, that would not increase My Kingdom in any thing. My servants were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the Jinn of you to be wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My Kingdom in anything. My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to ruse up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give every one what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, anymore than a needle decreases the sea if put into it. My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for. So let him who finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself. (Related by Muslim).
It is on this basis that we should understand the purpose of having a strong faith, being pious and devoted and working for the implementation of the code of living that Allah has revealed. All these qualities work in our favor, in this life and in the life to come. They are essential for the welfare of humanity.
It is needless to say that this condition made by Allah to the people of the Scriptures is not exclusive to them. It is even more applicable to those who have been favored with the revelation of the Quran; those who claim to be Muslims. It is these whose faith requires them and what has been revealed earlier and to implement all that has been sent down to them as well as those parts of the laws of earlier nations which Allah has retained in their faith. After all, theirs is the only religion that is acceptable to Allah. All religions have been incorporated into it. Hence, they are the ones to have Allah’s pledge with all its terms and conditions. It goes without saying that they accept what Allah has given them and to enjoy what He has promised them of forgiveness of their sins and admission into heaven, and having abundance from above and from beneath. That is much more preferable to hunger, disease, fear and poverty which they suffer through out the Muslim world, or more accurately, through out the world which was Islamic. Allah’s pledge with its conditions are still operative. The way to enjoy its benefits is still there, if only we would follow it.