Islam and Unique Global Society

The most critical issue in the social life is that how we can form a great and powerful unit from the small units?
Man\'s society has been in the form of various small and great units from the beginning days.
Following affairs have caused this variety and scattering.
1- Race
First of all, development of family and branching of different families from one family has been the origin of formation of a race, tribe and consequently a social unit, and in fact the first social color of man is the same color of race and tribe, and at present too, in the retarded societies, the issue of tribe and race forms the foundation of society, and in some cases, it is so strict that mixing of bloods of two tribes is strictly forbidden.
2- Geographical area
Different tribes, which were separated by race and blood, were gradually mingled, and formed the greater social units, being separated by various geographical areas.
At the beginning, geographical borders had a natural aspect, for example, a valley or big river and or high mountains were sufficient for separating two nations. However, it found an arbitrary aspect, and the natural borders were somehow invalidated by different contracts. Although, still in most parts of world, natural borders form the geographical borders, for instance, the separation of Britain from France, and China from Japan, and such like are all caused by natural borders, but surely, the border of all countries are not determined by natural borders.
3- Ideology
Finally, formation of social units was based on belief, mentality, and ideology in the more perfect societies. Man understood soon that the issue of race and tribe could not separate the individuals. It is true that consanguine individuals have more common features in the physical and spiritual aspects, but this is never so critical to avoid their coexistence. And it is easily perceived that difference of geographical areas, either natural or arbitrary, can not cause separation, especially when the issue of geographical distance was totally solved through the facility of communication and transportation means, and all parts became close to each other.
So, little by little the social units changed into belief and ideological units, and mental borders replaced previous ones.
Division of world\'s countries into two communist and capitalist blocks is one of the manifest samples of this sort of classification.
Although, at the beginning it was supposed this classification is an eternal and everlasting one, and the non-possibility of reconciliation between these two doctrines was introduced definite and inevitable, but it was gradually found that the artificial aspect of this division and separation is much more than its real aspect, because there are thousands of common aspects among different classes as compared with aspects of mental and belief disagreement, the source of which is man\'s unity and unity of structure of his spirit and body resulting in sharing of different objectives.
So, different regimes and ideologies supported the murmur of coexistence among social units, and step by step, it was changed from speech to action.
Although, the friction between the profits of nations and insufficient intellectual development for coordinating these interests still prevents these scattered units to be mingled and united, and form a great unit based on unity of mankind, however, it is proved that none of the previous disunity and scattering factors is a real and inevitable one. This perception makes the way more clear and paves it for the future.
And thus, it is proved that all of human societies can be combined in one unit.
The most powerful social relation
Formation of a great social unit, particularly in the global and international scale, primarily requires following affairs:
1- Facility of communication means
This issue is considerably solved today, and surely it will become better and superior in the future through development in different equipment.
2- Unity of ideology
Although, as we told, it is possible to create a unique society without mental unity based on the "unity of vital interests" and "human common aspects", but there is no doubt that collaboration among different classes and wings of such society will be weak, cold, and unstable and mixed with fear, terror and hesitance. And in such conditions, naturally cooperation is limited and precautionary, and such collaboration can not create a fully organized, alive and happy society.
However, if a rooted mental unity relates the society\'s individuals to each other, and joins their hearts through strong connections, a very united society along with an extensive and overall cooperation, with full and everlasting understanding and collaboration will be formed.
3- Perfect mental and moral development
For establishment of such society, a sufficient mental development is required for understanding the interests of merger of all human societies in such a great unit in a wide insight, and also sufficient moral development is required for tolerance and digestion of inevitable disagreement points for agreement in common points, and adapting oneself with it.
Of course, the former that, believes that cooperation of all men is profitable for all is not so difficult, but the latter that is digestion of disagreement points is not very easy and facile.
It should be explained that understanding that if all human units are gathered in the society, their problems will be less and their solution are easier, is not difficult.
In case of scattering and dispersion, a major part of their most active human and economical powers is wasted. It often happens that the amount of wasted powers is even more than half of the total of their powers and facilities.
For example, the present world in which there is an intensive competition among the East and the West, perhaps more than half of their active human powers are consumed as follows:
Army members, reserve members, informative and intelligence services and their affiliated systems, margraves, customs, challenge with smuggle, scientists and workers who work in the war industries and their affiliated branches. Evidently, if there is not an exigency, such consumption is vain and has no positive social efficiency.
Nowadays, half of budgets are spent for such defensive, war and intelligence costs and other competitions.
Yet, this is when a war does not occur in the world. Otherwise, the costs spent for compensation of destructive actions in small scales (local wars) and great scales (world wars) are really amazing.
All of these are the human and economical powers, which are completely wasted, and there is no reason save separation of human societies from each other. It is just like two commercial institutions spending fifty percent of their capital and time for retreating and repressing each other. It goes without saying that it will have no result save loss and damage for both of them.
Therefore, if a perfect unity is formed among all human societies, the "efficiency" of their activities in all aspects of life will be increased twice.
Everybody can understand this issue well, and can find the results of unity.
But, in respect to moral issues, there is no doubt that individuals are different with each other: difference in taste, tact, way of thinking, being advocate of calmness or severity or moderateness, difference in being sentimental or conceptional, difference in subjectivism or objectivism, in being affective or non affective, in regarding formalities and appearance or disregarding them, in degree of tendency to different scientific, economical and affairs.
It is true that we can make changes and modifications in the belief, affections, thoughts, and desires of different individuals, but anyway these differences are neither deniable, nor completely removable.
The people, who want to have a life full of peace and close cooperation in a great global society, should reach that level of "moral development" that after understanding the realities in respect to difference in mental, spiritual, and moral structure can tolerate and digest the difference points of others. They should be able to respect desires of others in case of disagreement in marginal issues, as their own desires, and never expect the others to follow them in all cases, and neither imposes their desires on them, nor changes the marginal issues to the basic ones. Pay attention.
Forgiveness and connivance, heart tolerance, broad-mindedness, tolerance, subtlety, and patience are all the affairs necessary for digestion of these differences in moral view.
Even two persons can not cooperate closely with each other, save they have perceived this reality and are ready for welcoming it.
Certainly, this moral readiness for digestion of disagreement points is not attainable through negotiation. Rather, it is the affair, which is only possible through purification and education causing sufficient development in moral aspects.
Islam and unique global society
Islam has paved the way for formation of a global unique society in different aspects, because:
First,–Islam appeared in a racist society, where the issue of tribe and genes constituted its infrastructure and the issue of race dominated all of its aspects. Even its cities were not a city in a real sense, because the tribes and genes were completely separate from each other.
However, Islam excluded totally the issue of race from the social issues, and devaluated it in general.
Sometimes, it fought with them with the same logic that their racial society originated from it (unity in blood, unity of original forebear of tribe), and made them understood that if you think in a higher level, the human society are all created from two spouses.
So, all should form one unit:
O people, We have created you from one male and female.(1)
And thereby "human brotherhood" replaced "tribal brotherhood" and "mankind\'s blood" replaced "tribe\'s blood".
And sometimes Islam represented them that although the issue of preserving parentage, relation and connection of individuals to tribe as well as gens and forefathers is necessary, but it is not for boasting to the descents. Rather it is for knowing each other through this special social classification.
It is certain that preserving rights of individuals in the societies necessitates that individuals shall be distinguished and recognized from each other, and there is no more natural and correct way than relation to the forefathers, ancestors, nations and tribes, but it should be only a means of knowing, not boasting:
(And We appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another.(2)
And once Islam notified that "dignity" and "value" of individuals is for their spiritual virtues and carnal habits (virtue and piety), and this is never attainable through heritage, and in other words, if presumably heretical attributes are "beautiful", they are involuntarily beautiful, and can not be a criterion for personality and dignity.
Surely the noblest among you in the sight of God is the most God fearing of you.(3)
And in this manner, Islam has inflicted its final strike on the foundations of racism and the schisms caused by it.
Second, Islam has invalidated the cause of disunion through disregarding geographical borders, either natural or arbitrary, as well as including and expanding its invitation to all countries of world.
We can find this logic of Islam within the numerous phrases in the Holy Quran:
a- Quranic addresses, save what are specialized to believers, are so generalized that include all nations of world, like the addresses of "O people", "O My Servants", "O Children of Adam" and "O man", which are mentioned in different verses of Quran.(4)
In these addresses, all of the world, from any tribe, nation, and country, are included and there is not any trace of different nations in them.
b- Quran assumed all of the earth as God\'s vast territory, as it says:
O My servants who believe, surely My earth is wide; therefore Me do you serve!(5)
and do not surrender to enemies\' pressures.
And somewhere else it instructs to roam all around the earth for observing the remains of annihilated civilizations of the ancestors and taking lesson from their life associated with sin and injustice.
So, journey in the land, and behold how was the end of them that cried lies!(6)
And also it invites people to correction on the earth, and avoiding corruption on it:
Do not corruption in the land, after it has been set right.(7)
And some when else it calls the earth the inheritance of righteous and good doers, who finally will govern on it:
The earth shall be the inheritance of My righteous servants.(8)
c- Holy Quran explicitly instructs Moslems not to bind themselves to staying in a particular point in implementation of their divine obligations, and if they can not implement them in a point, they shall immigrate to the other parts of earth, and it blames and rebukes refraining emigration:
The angels will say, "But was not God\'s earth wide, so that you might have emigrated in it?"(9)
d- Quran has never emphasized on the social units being separated as different territories in such a lot of verses related to the commands, sorts of knowledge and moralities, and this is a clear reason for advocation and defending of Islam from global unique society, and so called "internationalism".
Basically, an ideology based on humanistic principles and human rights should be so.
In other words, there is no geographical classification and border within the Islamic domain, and only outside the domain of Islam too, mental and belief borders separate it from the others.(10)
Third, Islam has made an extensive attempt for establishment of a mental unity point and so called "ideological unity" among mankind through its disciplines and ordinances.
It should be noted the mental and belief unity that Islam is its founder, in contrary with the mental and ideological relations of political parties and such like being formed in recent centuries in the world, is not specialized to a particular class, population and nation. Rather, it is concerned with human society.
And this is assumed as a great privilege for Islamic ideology, which has no regional and classic color.
But most of political parties and groups in the world and their affiliated philosophical doctrines, although have founded the basis of their activity on mental and procedural unity, but all of them are common in this great "defect" that either they have not had a public and global aspect from the beginning or have lost it later.
We are not going to discuss about the correctness or inaccuracy of such doctrines and parties. We only want to explain that all of them have a great common weak point as not being able to create a mental unity among all men from all races and nations.
But the mental and belief unity, which Islam has founded, does not have a private aspect, and even is not restricted to followers of Islam; rather the followers of other religions too can share it.
And so a comprehensive plan is considered in Islam for protecting the rights of religious minorities living in the Islamic territories, as well as defending their interests, which will be clarified through sufficient study in Islamic resources.
How to create a mental unity
Now, we engage in studying a part of Islamic sciences and instructions, which can help us in achieving this great objective (creation of mental unity among men):
The principle of monotheism, which forms the basis of all Islamic sciences: Islam has completely washed out the "scattered lords" as the sign of diversity of thoughts and ideas and also an effective factor for social discords, and even instructs to its followers that there is no disunity and variety in God\'s essence and attributes. His essence is extensive and His attributes are all exactly the same.
We know that one of the factors of disunity among people in old ages has been belief in several lords, and each tribe, nation, race and sometimes city had their own "lord" or "lords", and after their conquest over the other nations, that lord too triumphed and was recognized, and at the time of defeat, it was forgotten!
As Albermaleh writes in the chapter related to religious beliefs of Chaldaeans:
At first, in Chaldea too, like Egypt, each city had its own lord. After formation of great states, worshipping the lords of different territories was generalized, and the lord of capital city became "the Lord of Lords"! And thus, at the time of Hammurabi(11), since Babylon was the capital of Chaldea, the lord of this city which was named "Mardouk", was considered as "the Lord of Lords" through Chaldea, and since at the beginning, capital of Assyria\'s government was Assyria, the lord of this city, which was also called "Assyria" became "the Lord of Lords" of Assyrian people.(12)
And he writes about religion of Egyptians:
"... It was not so that all Egyptians worship several common lords. Rather, each city had a separate lord, but once worship of some lords (of course, only in Egypt) was circulated throughout Egypt.
Whenever a city became more important and creditable, dignity of its lords was increased.(13)
The sample of this dispersion of lords appeared in the origin of Islam, that is Hejaz, and especially Mecca, and it was the source and sign of all types of mental and social dispersion and disunity, and since it is evident, there is no need to any proof.
Islam terminated this situation with its brilliant instructions and sciences, and the motto of all Moslems became monopoly of deity in the unique God, "There is no God, except Allah", and attention to "Allah", the unique God.
Quran says: not only deity on the earth is God; rather He is the only rightful deity throughout the world of creation, where it says:
And it is He who in heaven is God and in earth is God.(14)
And somewhere else it says:
None is there in the heavens and earth but he comes to the All-merciful as a servant.(15)
Islam has also expanded the reality of monotheism to the world of creation in its instructions, and introduces the entire world as a unit, originating from a unique source:
Thou seest not in the creation of the All-merciful any imperfection. Return thy gaze; seest thou any fissure?(16)
And also Quran introduces all living creatures from one single source:
Of water We fashioned every living thing?(17)
And thereby Islam rejects one of the other basic foundations of polytheism and belief in the lords of species. Because this belief mostly originates from the point that they assumed each of the world\'s creatures as an independent and separate unit, and considered an independent creator for each of them.
According to Islamic instructions, the creator and lord of this world is not separate from this world, that is, while it is not the same as them, it is not separate from them too.
And We are nigher him than you, but you do not see Us.(18)
And We are nearer to him than the jugular vein.(19)
He is with everything but not in physical nearness. He is different from everything but not in physical separation.(20)
Spirit of unity in Islamic instructions
The spirit of unity in the Islamic instructions is not restricted to the principle of "Unity of God" as the basis of all Islamic beliefs. Rather, even in the invitation of prophets and messengers and divine books, Islam considers all of them identical in view of principles, which only have some differences in perfection stages.
Of course, this spirit is also visible in the Islamic scientific ordinances, rules and regulations, because the subject of Islamic ordinances and regulations is only man (man on the condition of maturity and intellect), and there is no other condition.
All Islamic sorbs are common in this sense that they are Warner and cause reflection:
And perform the prayer of My remembrance.(21)
And they have a disciplinary effect and lead to simplism and control of rebellious sensual desires, and educating man. This is the unique spirit of all Islamic sorbs.
Islamic sorbs are all performed in one language, and this is the sign of unity, not for being in Arabic language belonging to a particular nation, rather for being the language of inspiration (and in addition to other reasons, the selection of this language may be for its simplicity, extent of words, derivations, compounds and its special tone).
The spirit of unity is apparent in the Islamic sorbs, specially in congregational sorbs, and in particular in pilgrimage which shows the highest manifestation of spirit of unity, and forms a unit in view of mentality, place and slogans which are expressed by different nations far from each other thousands of parasangs in view of body and soul. This situation has a particular splendor like that of unique system of the world of creation. Basically, the color of Islam is the color of creation, and consequently it is in coordination with it.
The arrays of Islamic congregational prayers for a supposed observer, watching the earth from outside, resemble the concentric circles gathering around a center, and this indicates a perfect unity.
Islamic scales have been adopted based on natural scales as far as possible, which are identical for all, and there is no color of a special nationality and for determination of some subjects, for instance, pace, palm and such like are used.
Islamic month and year are focused on the circulation of moon and sun (or more correctly circulation of earth around the sun), and they are identical for everybody, and there is no need to technical specialty for understanding them, and there is no difference in them save in view of difference in horizon, which is the natural property of different parts of the earth.
1- Moral development
The forgotten principles without which the world will not experience peace and tranquility
As we already told, for formation of a real society, especially in a great global scale including all people of world, moral development is required in addition to ideological unity and mental development.
Without a moral development, the people living in a society can never tolerate each other, and solve the opposite sides of different mentalities and dissidences properly.
Like training of other moral aspects, the need of this part to the instructions of prophets and messengers is clearer than any other part, because as we said before, morality without the executive guarantee of belief and the religion of prophets will not have a strong support, and does not exceed a series of inessential perfections and dispensable advices.
Now, we return to the plans prepared in Islam for training and development of social morality in men and preparing them for a social life. Of course, it should be noted that what we refer to hereunder are a part of these widespread instructions, and stating all of them is beyond the capacity of this concise discussion.
Notifying the variation of people in view of creation of body, soul, mentalities and sentiments as it is narrated in the well known tradition:
If people knew how God has created people, no one blamed the other!(22)
And also a reference is briefly made to the variation in creation as it is narrated from Prophet S.A.:
The people are the mines like the mines of gold and silver.(23)
Taking into account that structure of spirit and sentiments, training and level of knowledge and mental backgrounds of individuals are very different, solves a great deal of association problems, and social conflicts.
For example, we have often seen that parents are very disturbed for an improper deed of a child (such as breaking a vessel or making dirty his cloths), and sometimes they make severe punishments for this little deed and blame the child many times. While if we study the matter correctly, we will see that there is not any reason for angriness, or such blame and reproach.
Surely, neither the knowledge of child about the breakable and non-breakable vessels and the manner of keeping them for minimizing the possibility of falling down and being broken, and decreasing their slip and load on the fingers is sufficient, and nor, even if he knows all of these subjects, he has adequate scientific experience on that matter, and supposing that both his science and experience are sufficient, his physical power is little.
Therefore, if at present we are more skillful in keeping these vessels, it is just for the several experiences and examinations of our childhood, because childhood is the period of trial and acquiring knowledge about the environment with which man has no familiarity.
And if we put ourselves instead of that child, with the same little knowledge and skill, most of his deeds being considered as a great sin and offence by us, are neither a sin, nor an offence!
The same is true about the adults. Some habitudes of my friend may be unfavorable in my view, and I may decide on discontinuing my friendship, but when I consider the educational environment of my friend, and attach his spiritual structure to it, and take into account his mental history, I find that I would do the same if I was instead of him.
My neighbour speaks loudly and disturbs me. When I consider the basis of his sciences and structure of his larynx, nerves, and degree of sensibility of his eardrums, I see that although he is blameful, but his fault is not so great that I felt.
It should not be mistaken. We are not going to introduce people faultless in all of their deeds in this way as the predestinarians believe, and consider spiritual, physical and outward factors as the cause of everything.
On the other hand, hereby we are not going to deny necessity of training, and leave the people as they are so that they do whatsoever they want. Rather, if we take into account these realities, we will have more readiness for solving disputes and removing objections, and will easily tolerate each other. If we excommunicate each other for a little dissidence, it is due to not paying attention to these variations.
2- Forgiveness and pardon
There are a few people being infallible and immune from any mistake and sometimes intentional in violation of others\' rights, and if it is to act according to the principle of "vengeance", social conflicts will proceed in a sequential series, and are increasingly intensified, because vindictive attacks are not controllable in view of quality and quantity, and often become more violent.
And supposing that they are controllable and measurable, determination of the degree of first offence is never similar and equal in view of the "wrongِdoer" and "one who has suffered offence". Thus, even if the other party is going to observe equality in quantity and quality during his vindictive attack, still he feels that justice is not observed, and so decides on a new revenge, and so the quarrel is resumed.
The reason why the fire of sedition, war, and quarrel is never extinguished in a lot of tribes and nations in the past and present is that each of them replies the crime of the other with a more vigorous crime, and the battle is progressively continued.
The only thing, which can disconnect this sequential series and extinguish the fire of sedition, is the spirit of forgiveness, pardon and connivance.
It should be mentioned herein that those who cut the series of struggle and conflict through forgiveness and connivance, do not merely serve the other party, but also relieve themselves from the certain losses which they will suffer in the future for continuation of struggle, in addition to understanding a great moral virtue.
Moreover, if we study and note properly, we will see that vengeance has no rational profit for the revenger, save a transitory relief and sometimes an unreal superiority, and he is always waiting for the vengeance of other party, while the soothing effect of "forgiveness" is much deeper and the spiritual and social excellence caused by it, is a real one.
In the Islamic resources, it is referred to this matter with interesting and delicate phrases, and it is encouraged, and called as one of the most critical Islamic obligations.
Following samples prove this claim:
But let them pardon and forgive. Do you not wish that God should forgive you?(24)
Above verse indicates this reality that anyway each of you has committed a sin, and as you like God to forgive your sin, you too should forbear your rights in encounters with your brothers.
Obviously, one who forbears usual vengeance, but remarks the sin of other party through tongue or sulking, has not actually forgiven him. Rather, complete forgiveness is the same forgetting and ignoring completely.
They will question thee concerning what they should expend. Say: abundance (forgiveness).(25)
There is an interesting point that expending is not merely concerned with wealth as you ask so much about it. Rather, forgiving one\'s own rights is more important than financial expending and granting wealth. Certainly, since this forgiveness is against the spirit of seeking vengeance in most people, it is more difficult, while its effect is much more in view of creating discipline and social justice.
This sort of turning from the reply to a question towards another reply is repeatedly observed in Quran, and this is one of the attractive points in Quran that uncommonly it is not bound to the requested question in its replies. Rather, it considers the real requirement of the other party and answers accordingly.
As when it is questioned about the reason for transformation of falcate, instead of replying to it, Quran mentions its advantages and results:
They will question thee concerning the new moons. Say: They are appointed times for the people, and the Pilgrimage.(26)
Islam\'s Prophet S.A. said: By God, Who my soul is on His hand, there are three things that if I was a swearer, I swore by them: no wealth is decreased for alms, so pay alms, no man forgives an injustice for God\'s satisfaction, unless God increases his dignity at the day of resurrection, and no one opens the door of demand to himself, unless God opens a door of poverty to him.(27)
Do not forget forgiveness, because forgiveness increases man\'s honor. So forgive each other; God shall honor you.(28)
Regretting for forgiveness is better and easier than regretting for punishment.(29)
Imam Reza A.S. said: When two groups confront each other, one who pardons more, will be helped.(30)
As it is observed, victory is introduced as one of the direct effects of forgiveness in these traditions.
Its point may signify that vengeance at the time of having power is usually caused by an animal incentive, and so its exact form is observed in the animals too. But forgiveness and pardon is a sign of personality and a sort of self control, majesty and magnificence of spirit which can outshine the burning flame of anger and vindictive, and therefore the more pardon and forgiveness of individuals indicates their higher value and prestige, and so they will be honored.
Furthermore, vengeance has never succeeded to attract people\'s respect and or affections towards the avengers, while forgiveness and pardon has a deep effect in attraction of public opinions and provoking affections and feelings in the favor of the pardoner, and this is considered as one of the effective factors in victory.
3- Replying vice with goodness
In Islamic resources, including Quran and traditions, it is referred to a more significant and higher stage of pardon and forgiveness, that is, replying vice with goodness!
Undoubtedly, this deed is the highest manifestation of humanistic spirit and requires moral education and special spiritual elegance, and has a miraculous effect in humanizing the hearts filled with enmity.
And also it is the best "lesson" which one can give to the aggressors and wrongdoers. On the other hand, it is the only "punishment" which does not cause any undesirable reaction in the wrong doers, and does not invite them to a new aggression.
All of these aspects have resulted in rendering it as one of the most effective ways in ending the enmities and hostilities.
We read in Quran:
Repel with that which is fairer and behold, he between whom and thee there is enmity shall be as if he was a loyal friend. Yet none shall receive it, except the steadfast; none shall receive it, except a man of mighty fortune.(31)
The first verse points to the miraculous effect of "repel with that which is fairer" (replying vice with goodness), thanks to which one can change the greatest enemies to the intimate friends.
Then, in the next sentence, it is emphasized that only those are worthy for attainment to this rank who have a plenty share of belief, piety, and moral virtues, as well as a great share of patience and resistance against sensual desires, and these two are undeniable realities.
In fact, wonderful effect of "repel with that which is fairer" in termination of hostilities originates from this point that aggressors are always waiting for vengeance of the other party, and even they may conscientiously deem themselves deserving for such vengeance, but when, in contrary to this "expectation" and "merit", they see their evil deed is replied fairly, the latent power of their conscience is provoked and embattles them inwardly. Their conscience accounts this for innocence and purity of other party and their own sinfulness and impurity, and super induces them for upturning. This pressure is so vigorous that a few people can ignore it, and continue their old hostile manner, and on this account, most enemies change their course in this way and become flexible.
In the attractive and subtle comments narrated in the traditions of Prophet S.A. and Islamic leaders about this prominent attribute, it is introduced as one of the greatest and highest humanitarian attributes:
The Prophet S.A. told in one of his lectures: Would you like I inform you one of the best moralities of the world and hereafter? Forgiving one who has been unjust with you, and relation with those who have broken their relation with you, and goodness with one who has been unjust with you, and bounty to one who has deprived you.(32)
According to this tradition which Prophet S.A. has expressed it as a public lesson in an assembly of some Moslems (the lecture indicates this sense), the best ethic of this and the other world is "forgiveness" and "repelling vice with goodness". Three out of four phrases mentioned above are concerned with repelling vice with goodness and only one phrase is concerned with forgiveness and pardon.
Imam Bagher A.S. told: There are three things which do not result in anything for a Moslem, save honor: forgiving one who has been unjust with him, bounty to one who has deprived him, and relation with one who has broken his relation with him.(33)
In the above tradition too, three deeds are called the means of honor and power, two of which are concerned with repelling vice with goodness, and one is concerned with forgiveness and pardon.
It should not be mistaken; forgiveness and pardon shall never be confused with submission to an unjust enemy. Rather, submission is the sign of disability and lack of personality and humbleness, but forgiveness is the sign of magnanimity and personality. Forgiveness and pardon are always in personal concerns towards one that a man is able to take revenge on him, not in social concerns and rights of the society. Even if forgiveness in personal affairs and individual rights results in daring of the other party, it is not a proper and correct action.
4- Stopping violence
Resorting to violence in solving social problems, particularly global and international problems, is one of the most important causes of conflicts and hard struggles as well as dangerous and unpleasant events.
Resorting to violence excites the sense of malice in the hearts and lightens the fire of vengeance.
Resorting to violence not only does not have any effect in relieving crises and problems, but also it often intensifies the crises and increases the problems and a lot of problems of present world originate from it.
Resorting to violence is never advisable, and man shall always spend a high cost for it, and those who commit it, should pay a heavy indemnity for it.
However, this deed, despite of all of its ominous defects, risks and consequences is the first solution which sounds to everybody for solving the problems, because resorting to peaceful solutions and stopping violence has an intellectual aspect and applying violence has an emotional aspect, and we know that man\'s intellectual growth and development is the latest stage of his growth, while emotion\'s evolution period is earlier. Most people live in emotional stage and are affected by it.
Childhood is the period of training emotions, and it is clarified through a precise study in situation of present men and societies that people mostly live in childhood ages in intellectual and moral aspect, and for this reason, they often advocate violence and exertion.
Anyway, although in view of common studies, this way is the first one, which attracts the attention, but it is in the last stage in view of value, and resorting to it, is only advised when all other ways are closed.
A brave individual or nation less often resorts to this way for solving his social problems, because most of problems could be solved in peaceful ways and through the power of thinking and ethic.
Islam has put a strenuous emphasis on this critical issue and numerous traditions are narrated from Islamic great leaders about the role of "tolerance"(34) in man\'s life. Citing following traditions may be adequate for realizing Islam\'s logic in this respect.
There is bounty and blessing in tolerance and forbearance, and one who is deprived from forbearance and amenity, will be deprived from goodness.(35)
In this tradition it is explicitly said that any goodness and blessing exists in tolerance and stopping violence, and those who resort to violence, are deprived from any goodness and blessing, and this logic clarifies the significance of the matter in men\'s life.
If tolerance was depicted, there was no creature better than it.(36)
In this tradition, stopping violence is called the most beautiful moral visages, and it means that violence is the ugliest visage that human\'s spirit may have.
From two persons, one whose friendship and tolerance is more than the other, will have more reward and is more favorite before God.(37)
In this tradition, the greatest rewards and most favorite ranks before God belong to those who advocate tolerance and peacefulness and flexibility in life.
One who is granted flexibility, belief is granted to him.(38)
The late Faiz Kashani, in "Vafi" book, in one of the traditions of this chapter, interprets the relation of "tolerance" with "belief" as follows:
Resorting to violence makes man\'s authority and nervous system out of control, and such person may perform any mistake and even say blasphemous words.
We can also interpret this relation in another way, that is, violence is often the source of suspicion and mistrust on God\'s people, and thereby the Creator, and none of these are compatible with belief. In other words, harsh individuals will always have fewer friends, and they will be gradually led to social seclusion, and social seclusion is the source of suspicion on the creature and Creator, and this is not compatible with belief.
Tolerance and flexibility embellish whatever they accompany with, and disfigure whatever they separate from.(39)
According to this wise utterance, tolerance and peacefulness adorns
God has tolerance, and likes tolerance, and whatever He bestows for tolerance, does not bestow for violence and harshness.(40)
In this tradition, tolerance and peacefulness are called as divine attributes.
The important point which should be surely remarked herein is that most of Islam\'s enemies try to give a hostile appearance to Islam, and seek Islamic battles as a pretext, while only studying the procedure of Prophet S.A. in the same battles and his behavior with the enemies who were thirsty to his blood, and had established a dangerous barrier to his invitation, as well as his conduct with the prisoners of war and the defeated nations and the people injured in the battle field, are all of the most brilliant chapters in Islam\'s history as well as the most alive proofs for peace favoritism in Islam and stopping resort to violence.
And more important, some try to attribute violence to Islamic clergymen just like the Christian clergymen in the Middle Ages, and haply the immethodical deeds and severity of some of unknowable people whose social wisdom has not developed in parallel with their scientific wisdom have served as many pretexts for them.
These two aspects necessitate that we, in observance of such a lot of instructions about not resorting to violence, should be exactly careful for our actions in the society, and display the real face of Islam in this respect through our peaceful conduct and our flexibility, and wash out the deposits of poisonous propaganda of the enemies from the brains with our action. We shall explain the philosophy of Islamic battles and wars so that their "defensive aspects" and or in some cases "their liberation challenge aspect" are fully clarified.
Again, it should not be mistaken. Flexibility, mildness and not resorting to violence do not mean submission to injustices and violence of evil doers and the stubborn and bloody enemies and the imperialists. Rather, as Quran has explicitly specified in verse 29 of The Victory sura - Hard against the unbelievers, merciful one to another), we shall adopt a severe method against cruel enemies and be mild with the friends. Moreover, there should be mildness before the enemies who after victory over them, new strokes on their side is unlikely.
References:
1- Chambers sura (49), verse 13
2- The same document
3- Chambers sura (49), verse 13
4-
يا اَيُّهَا النّاسُ اِنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ اِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعاً
, "O mankind, I am the Messenger Like, of God to you all", The Heights sura (7), verse 158
يا عِبادِ فَاتَّقُونِ
, "My servants who believe, fear your Lord", The (39), Companies sura verse 16
يا بَنى آدَمَ لا يَفْتِنَنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطانُ
, "Children of Adam! Let not Satan tempt you!", The Heights sura (7), verse 27
يا اَيُّهَا الاِْنْسانُ اِنَّكَ كادِحٌ اِلى رَبِّكَ كَدْحاً
, "O Man! Thou art labouring unto thy Lord laboriously", The Rendering sura (84), verse 6
5- The Spider sura (29), verse 56
6- The Bee sura (16), verse 36
7- The Heights sura (7), verse 56
8- The Prophets sura (21), verse 105
9- Women sura (4), verse 97
10- Refer to the book ``Javaherol Kalam\'\', vol. 21, beginning of ``Warfare\'\' book
11- Hamourabi is a well-known conqueror king who is reputable for the interesting rules, which are left by him as memorial.
12- Albermaleh, History of Eastern Nations, 81/1
13- The same document, page 41
14- Ornaments sura (43), verse 84
15- Mary sura (19), verse 93
16- The Kingdom sura (67), verse 3
17- The Prophets sura (21), verse 30
18- The Terror sura (56), verse 85
19- Qaf sura (50), verse 16
20- Nahjol Balaghe, sermon 1
21- Ta Ha sura (20), verse 14
22- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 164/69, tradition 3
23- Kolini, Kafi, 177/8
24- Light sura (24), verse 22
25- Cow sura (2), verse 219
26- Cow sura (2), verse 189
27- Ghazali, Ehyaol Oloum, 182/3
28- Kolini, Kafi 108/2, some narrators of Six Reliable Tradition Collections have mentioned it.
29- The same document
30- The same document
31- Distinguished sura (41), verses 34 & 35
32- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 399/71
33- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, volume 71, page 403
34- Tolerance is the opposite side of violence and harshness.
35- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar 60/75
36- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar 63/75
37- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 268/76
38- Kolini, Kafi, 118/2, narration 1
39- Kolini, Kafi, 119/2, tradition 6
40- The same document, tradition 5

by Grand Ayatollah Nasir Makarem Shirazi
Source: Imam reza network

Family In the Society

The family represents the model relationship in society between men and women and between parents and children:
“and (those true servants of the Most Gracious) who pray:
O, Our Lord!
Grant that our spouses and our offspring to be a joy to our eyes, and cause us to be foremost among (model for) those who are conscious of You.” (25:74)

The precedence of a man’s responsibility cannot give him any justification for a general claim of social prominence and leadership everywhere, and does not establish a rule for every social institution:

“Men shall take care of (and full responsibility for) women with what God has bestowed on the former, and with what they spend out of their possessions (on women whom they are responsible for). (4:34)

There are people who try to find a support for restricting woman’s activities to only the family in Qur’anic Verse that addresses the Prophet’s wives, “And abide quietly in your home” (33:33).
But those should not ignore that it was a special rule for the Prophet’s wives because of their special situation, as suggested clearly in the previous verse: “ O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any of the (other) women.” (33:32).
Accordingly, the prophet’s wives could not marry after the Prophet, and they had to observe special restrictions that are not applied to others (e.g. 33:28-30, 50-53).

Ref: "MUSLIM WOMEN THE FAMILY AND THE SOCIETY", By Dr Mohamed Fathi Osman

Source: ahl-ul-bayt.org

Diversity of Functions

The divine scheme furnishes evidence of divine wisdom in all its aspects.
Men and women are spiritually akin one to another and are equally the recipients of God’s favours and bounties, but their functions are not identical.
In view of this diversity there is a corresponding diversity between their respective faculties and capacities.

This is indicated in the Holy Quran as is said:

“Our Lord is He Who has endowed everything with itsappropriate faculties and then guided it to their proper use.” (20:51)
“God has fashioned mankind according to the nature designed by Him, there is no altering the creation of Allah.” (30:31)

Vain and ruinous are all attempts to convert men into women and to convert women into men. Each has his or her appropriate function, the due discharge of which constitutes the dignity, enjoyment, fulfilment and beauty of life.
A contemplation of the diversity of the faculties of males and females reveals the diversity of their functions as designed by nature.
For instance, woman is well equipped for child bearing, while man is incapable of it.
On the other hand, man is well fitted to command in the field; to appoint a woman to military command in the field would be an invitation to disaster.
This is not a question of superiority or inferiority; it is a question of natural capacity and proper functioning.
The proper discharge of the function of child-bearing imposes certain handicaps upon women, from which man is free; but the glorious honour of the crown of motherhood is reserved for woman, man cannot aspire to it.
The upbringing of children during their early years is primarily the responsibility of the mother; the father’s role at that stage is supplementary to that of the mother.
At that stage the child turns instinctively to the mother rather than to the father for nurture, comfort or security.
When a child is rebuked or disciplined by the mother, it feels no resentment towards her; while it resents being punished by the father.
The bond that nature forges between
mother and child is characterized by far greater tenderness than that which is developed between father and child.
Woman is vulnerable and is in need of man’s strength for support and protection.
A woman may be forced against her will; a man cannot be forced against his inclination.

As wife and mother the primary and normal sphere of woman’s activities is the home; as breadwinner the normal sphere of man’s activities and operations is the outdoors.
A social system, which is based on wisdom and beneficence, brings about and helps to maintain an accord and balance between the two.
Islam claims to do that.

by Muhammad Zafrulla Khan
Source: ahl-ul-bayt.org

The Perseverance of Society

Taking sexual desires from the bounds of the family environment to society has weakened society's capacity for work and activity.
Contrary to the opinion that 'the modest dress results in paralyzing half of the energy potential of the individuals of society', the lack of the modest dress and the gradual development of free relationships has caused the social force to fail.

That which has caused the paralysis of women's power and that which has imprisoned her talents is the lack of the modest dress.
In Islam, there is no question of the modest dress prohibiting a woman from participating in cultural, social or economic activities. Islam neither says that a woman cannot leave her home nor does it say that she cannot seek knowledge and learning.
Rather, men and women must both learn and seek knowledge.
There is no objection to women's economic activities in Islam.
Islam has never wanted women to be useless and unoccupied.
It has never desired that women bring up useless and indifferent children.
The covering of the body, except for the face and hands, is not to prevent any kind of cultural or social or economic activity.
That which paralyses the working force is the corruption of the work environment by the element of seeking the satisfaction of sexual pleasures.

If a boy and a girl study in a separate environment or in one environment where the girl covers her body and wears no makeup, do they not study better?
Do they not think better and listen to the words of the teacher better?
Or is it better when a boy sits beside a girl who has on make-up and is wearing a short skirt which barely reaches her knees?
Will men work better in an environment where the streets, offices, factories, etc., are continuously filled with women who are all wearing heavy make-up and are not covered or in an environment where these scenes do not exist?
Any company or office that is serious about its work and endeavors to produce good products or services, prevents these kinds of inter-mixings.
If you do not believe this, check it out yourself.

The truth is that the disgraceful lack of the modest dress in Iran (he is speaking before the victory of the Islamic Revolution) whereby we were even moving ahead of America, is a product of the corrupt Western capitalist societies.
It is one of the results of the worship of money and the pursuance of sexual fulfillment that is prevalent in Western capitalism.
It is one of the means they use to manipulate human society and stimulate them by this force to become consumers of their products.
If an Iranian woman only wants to put on make-up for her legal husband or only wants to get dressed up for gatherings with women, she will not be a consumer of Western products.
She will not be obliged to unconsciously corrupt the morals of young boys and girls, to weaken them so that they are no longer active members of society which is to the benefit of the exploiters.
by Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari, The Islamic Modest Dress
Source: ahl-ul-bayt.org

Man and Evolution

Out of all the natural phenomena with which we are a conversant, the living beings have a comparatively more complex and marvelous mechanism. It may be said that life is the apex of perfection on the scale of natural motion.

Life
No thinker belonging to any school of thought has any doubt about the fact that‑ living beings have characteristics which are not found in the non‑living beings.

The main\' characteristics of a living being are self‑defense, adaptation to the environment, growth and pro­creation. The living beings of higher categories move from one place to another and those of still higher category are gifted with feeling and consciousness. That is why the laws of organic chemistry are different from those of inorganic chemistry, or for that matter of geology.

So far as observation and scientific experiments show, a living being is born only by another living being and not by lifeless matter. Similarly no living being is born suddenly and automatically. At the same time it also cannot be doubted that a living being appeared only at a special stage of the evolution of nature, which was naturally that of the beginning of life. Hence a question arises as to what is the origin of life?

In this respect various theories have been put forward. Some of them are as follows:

a. At first, life came to the earth from some other planet in the form of living cells.

b. The material necessary to form a living cell conse­quent on receiving the required energy under certain conditions, was accidentally transformed into a living being and from that life spread to the whole earth.

c. The first living being appeared suddenly by the will of God. Now all the developed living beings are His progeny.

d. Every species of the living beings appeared on the earth independently. Life to each one of them was granted by God. There are some other theories also.

We do not want to involve ourselves into the discussion as to which of these theories is correct, for a very extensive scientific investigation is necessary to come to a definite conclusion in this respect.

What we would like to point out is that the life of every living being, whether it is the result of any evolutionary process or not, is a sign of Allah. That is what has been emphasized by the Qur\'an.

"There are significant signs in your own selves. Can you not see?"(Surah al‑Zariyat, 51:21).

"Allah sends down water from the sky and it brings the dead earth to life. Indeed in this there is a sign for those who pay attention" . (Surahal‑Nahl 16:65).

Manufacture of living cell
if one day the scientists succeed in manufacturing a living cell, the doctrine of those who believe in Allah will not be affected, just as the flight of man to other planets, the making of artificial rain, the grafting of one man\'s limbs to another, the manufacture of an electronic brain and so many other small and big inventions do not mean a clash or a rivalry with Allah. Such things only mean fructifying the human creative power and exploitation of natural material and its hidden forces. The Qur\'an itself urges to make use of ideas and skills and to utilize the gifts of nature.

As we have repeatedly said, scientific progress is a move­ment in the direction of divine guidance and is not in conflict with it.

Anyhow, it should not be forgotten that human creativity does not mean the invention of a totally new phenomenon or a norm. It only means the exploitation of the material and energy available in nature and the bringing about of the conditions necessary for the utilization of the laws and norms relating to them.

If really there is a possibility of the production of life by combining natural material under certain conditions still not known to man, then he may in future discover the law of the origination of life and the conditions and norms pertaining to it. If that happens, this discovery will‑ not be different from the discovery and utilization of so many other laws already made in the fields other than that of life.

Obviously the discovery of a law and its utilization does not in any way lower the position of the law‑maker.

At a lower level we see that the pair of a male and a female pave the way for the birth of a child. But do they affect Allah as the creator? A farmer cultivates his land. But does he replace Allah as the real creator of the crop?

If it is discovered that life can be produced from matter under certain conditions, that will only mean that matter in its evolutionary motion can go to the extent where it receives life and then can go further to a higher stage.

It is interesting to note that the Qur\'an, describing the birth of man, expressly says:

"One of His signs is that He created you o f clay" . (Surah al‑Rum, 30:20).

In fact clay becomes man, the highest living being, after passing through so many developments.

The Qur\'an also talks of the birth of man from `black clay\' and Mastic clay\'. (Surah al‑Hijr, 15:28 and Surah al-­Saffat, 37:11).

It also says:

" We made every living thing o f water". (Surah al‑Anbiya, 21:30).

When the Qur\'an has such a wide horizon, there is no reason why a Muslim who follows it, should be narrow-­minded.

Life, a Divine phenomenon
It may be pointed out that the Qur\'an expressly ascribes life to Allah.
"It is He who created death and life" . (Surah al‑Mulk, 67:2). "It is He who created you to die". (Surah al‑Hajj, 22:66).

Do such verses mean that no one else can make a living being? In reply it may be said:
Firstly, the Qur\'an ascribes to Allah all natural changes, from coming down of rain and taming rivers and mountains to the birth of a man.

On some other ‑occasions it ascribes these very changes to natural factors also. These two groups of verses are not contradictory, but corroborate each other, because the scientific laws which govern natural changes are simply the norms prescribed by Allah. His will does not mean that He directly brings about all changes and natural events. In fact he has created a system of natural changes. That is His will.

Secondly, if in the case of life we find that the Qur\'an has given special attention to it, that is only a sign of its importance and high value. Allah describes it as the infusion of divine spirit. While discussing man, we will explain what is meant by that.

Thirdly, every evolutionary movement is a manifestation of Allah\'s will and His creative design, especially if the change is such that a material organism reaches a stage where it may receive life, become a living being and may at last attain human life.

Man and Evolution
The theory of evolution on the whole has a long history. Lamarck enunciated certain principles in this connection. But it was Charles Darwin, who carried out extensive studies of the living organisms and the way of their birth, and gathered enough scientific evidence to show that evolution has taken place actually. He held that:

(a) Every living being, wherever it may be, gradually adapts itself to its environment, and meets its natural needs, such as obtaining food and defending itself in accordance with the conditions prevailing in that environ­ment. This effort sometimes causes changes in its body, like the appearance of the web uniting the toes of the duck when it was forced by its environment to swim in order to look for its food in the lakes, or the lengthening of the neck of the giraffe when it was forced to make use of the branches of lofty trees.

(b) Though these organic changes take place gradually over many generations, they later pass from parents to offspring.

(c) Among the living beings there is a severe struggle for the continuation of their life, for procuring food and for selecting a suitable mate. This struggle for existence, that is a clash with the factors of the environment of life and rivalry with other living beings, is a firm principle in the life of the animals and the plants and is one of the factors which lead to the change of their form.

(d) As the result of this struggle only those organisms survive which can adapt themselves better to their environ­ment and can obtain the conditions necessary for their life in their natural abode. The weaker and the less suitable organisms gradually die out.

This way gradually the various species are transformed, and only the fittest ones among them survive. That is how the evolution of the species takes place.

The dissemination of the theory of the development of the living organisms, including man, on the basis of these principles, roused a great deal of controversy during the time of Darwin and afterwards, and views in support of it and against it were openly expressed. At some times the tone of the debate in this connection was scientific but on other occasions it was rooted in religious or anti‑religious prejudices, for it was said that what Darwin had asserted was in conflict with the Biblical account of the beginning of the world and the birth of man as given in the book of Genesis.

Anyhow, with new discoveries in archaeology and the expansion in the field of experiments, the theory of evolution has been considerably modified since the time of Darwin, especially in regard to the questions relating to anthropology.

Many new questions in regard to almost every principle mentioned by Darwin have arisen. For example, it is asked whether the appearance of a new organ or for that matter any other organic change, always results from the use of that organ and the attempt to adapt it to one\'s environment or it may be due to mutation or any other cause?

The acquired qualities are hereditable as a principle or genetic investigations have rejected this theory?

The organic changes, whatever may be their cause, are always aimed at survival and evolution or sometimes they may be due to the inconsistency with the environmental conditions and may culminate in death and extinction?

Natural selection is or is not like artificial selection which leads the existing generation to evolution? We find that the wild animals and plants are alike and of average type, whereas the artificial selection gives the animals and plants more variety and leads them to better evolution.

There are many other questions of this sort.

Anyhow, in spite of all the objections raised to discredit it, the theory of evolution has been accepted by the scientists as an objective principle of natural sciences. At the same time it is also certain that prominent and unbiased naturalists do not consider this theory to be final and incontrovertible. The way to further scientific investi­gation is not closed. All that they say is that the scientific inquiry has not so far discovered any new principles which may take the place of the principle of evolution.

Now it may be said that if an unbiased investigator care­fully examines the results of the observations in regard to the genesis of the living organisms, he will come to the following conclusions:

Principles which may be discovered
(1) The living organisms in accordance with their degree of evolution have a historical succession. In other words, the more developed species have usually appeared over history after the less developed ones.

(2) This historical succession is similar to that found in all other things of the world. The entire cosmos has evolved from a simple state and gradually galaxies. and solar systems have been formed in the environment devoid of all traces of life. Conditions conducive to the appearance of life have developed gradually. Similarly development has taken place successively from the plants to the developed animals. On the whole, the more complex organism have followed the simple ones.

(3) There exists complete organic similarity between the first living organism and the most developed living organism known to us.

(4) The stages through which a human embryo passes during its embryonic development are fully akin to the stages through which living organisms have passed over history.

When we put all this evidence together, we can scientifi­cally presume that the various species of the living organisms are the progeny of one another (transformism) and have not come into existence independently (fixism).

Scientific presumption, not incontrovertible principle
Anyhow, it would be fair to say that the conclusions at which we have arrived are no more than a scientific guess corroborated by some evidence. They cannot be regarded as decisive and final, for if an unbiased investigator looks carefully at the history of the origin of machinery, he will find that the development of various machines is not incongruous with the four conclusions mentioned above, though the origin of the machines was not on the basis of transformism in its modern sense, and the various kinds of machines have not been born of one another.

In fact the scientific study of the origin of machinery also leads to the following conclusions:

(1) The machines in accordance with their evolution have historical succession, for the more developed ones appeared after the less developed.

(2) This historical succession is akin to the origination of all other things of the cosmos.

(3) There is complete organic resemblance between the first machine and the most developed machine.

(4) The stages of the manufacture of the latest developed machine on the whole resemble those of the development of other machines, though in a compressed form.

In spite of all these four points, everybody knows that the origination of the more developed machines in the wake of the simple ones has not come about on the basis of transformism. In other words the more developed machines are not the progeny of the more simple ones.

The evolution of the machines is the result of man\'s initiative, his efficiency and the evolution of his thinking. It is the outcome of the experience he has gained. But the machines of superior kind are not born of those that existed before them.

It is true that in the case of machines basically it is not possible that a more developed one is born of a simpler one, but in the case of living beings such a possibility does exist. But this possibility can only support a scientific guess. It is no proof that such a thing has actually happened, for mere possibility of a thing is not a proof of its actual occurrence.

We come across some other cases of evolution, in which the historical succession of their stages is related to the evolution of the thinking of the maker, and is the result of the gradual increase in an already existing ability.

An example of such an evolution is the gradual attainment of knowledge from childhood to later years.

In contrast, the evolution of the power of learning a foreign language is connected with the development of the capability of him who learns it, and not with that of the person who teaches him.

Conclusion
An unbiased investigator, whether he supports the theory of evolution or opposes it, has to admit that:
(1) As far as we know, all the existing things of the world, including the living organisms, have a historical succession in accordance with the degree of their evolution.

(2) We are aware of many cases in which a more developed organism is the progeny of a less developed one.

(3) There are indications on the basis of which it may be presumed that this is a general rule applicable to all existing things.

(4) But still this is no more than a mere scientific guess, and the way to further investigation on the basis of contrary evidence, as mentioned above, is still open.

(5) On the basis of the doctrine, that the world has an Almighty Creator, who has brought the universe into existence and who manages it, there is a complete possibility that certain developed species might have come into existence independently in the same way as we have described the case of the machines. Of course, in this case the creation of the developed species is not to be the outcome of any mental development of the Creator or His gaining any experience. It is to be only on the basis that evolutionary motion exists in the creative design of the world. In other words, it is the will of Allah that gradually more and more developed species should come into being, in the same way as there exists an evolutionary motion in the development of an embryo.

Emergence of man
According to their general line of thinking, the scientists hold that man has evolved from the primates, which existed before him. We leave the study and evaluation of this evidence and other indications to the anthropologists, and confine ourselves to making a few general remarks in regard to the origin of man.

(1) What we have said about the theory of evolution is also applicable to what has been or is being said on the basis of this theory about the ancestors of the first man, but as we have already pointed out, this theory is no more than a scientific guess. It is still subject to further investi­gation and should not be considered to be one hundred per cent final.

(2) Anyhow, it is important to note that the emergence of man on the basis of evolution from other primates is not in conflict with the teachings of the revealed religions, especially with the belief of an Almighty Creator of the world. We have repeatedly mentioned in Islamic Teachings that Allah, as described by the Qur\'an, is the Creator and Disposer of nature. Therefore the perfect system of nature is one of His signs and not an arrangement parallel to Him or negating Him. All the scientific discussions and efforts are aimed at only finding out this system of nature as it actually exists.

(3) The only point which has given rise to the conception that there is a contradiction between religion and the general principles of evolution is that the book of Genesis of Old Testament and certain verses of the Qur\'an apparently indicate that all men existing on the earth are the progeny of Adam, who was created independently and not evolved from any previous living beings.

In this connection the following points are worth con­sideration:

(a) What, in this respect, is mentioned in the book of Genesis cannot be taken seriously from religious point of view, because the genuineness of many parts of Old Testament is historically doubtful.

(b) The Qur\'anic verses connected with the birth of Adam generally emphasize the point that his birth was an important event and that Divine spirit was infused in his material body made of clay. This kind of birth may only be described as mutation.

Thus a being made of clay came into existence. He was destined to be the master of the earth and no other visible or invisible being could place a total restriction on his leaning towards Allah or towards his base desires.

(c) There is only one verse in the whole Qur\'an which describes the birth of Adam as somewhat miraculous. This verse says:
"Surely Isa is like Adam in the sight of Allah. He created him of clay, then said to hire: `Be! and he was". (Surah Ale Imran, 3: 59)

This verse has come in the wake of other verses relating to the Prophet Isa. The Qur\'an invariably stresses that Isa was created by Allah and that he was not His son. The fact that he was born of Virgin Maryam and had no father is no proof of his being the son of Allah. His birth was a super­natural event, which took place by Allah\'s will, in the same way as another supernatural event, that is the birth of Adam, the living being having Divine spirit, occurred earlier.

It may be observed that this very verse shows that the birth of Adam and that of Isa are alike.

Can anybody claim that what the Qur\'an has said concerning the birth of Isa repudiates the general procedure of the birth of men all over history? Does it deny that they are normally born of father and mother. Not at all.

In dozens of verses the Qur\'an declares the system of reproduction and procreation to be a sign of the power and the wisdom of the Creator of the cosmos.

Hence from the Qur\'anic point of view the miraculous birth of Adam, the first living being gifted with Divine spirit, should not be construed to mean that the Qur\'an is opposed to the theory of the emergence of the existing things of the world or the birth of living organisms on the basis of evolution. All that it means is that the emergence of man in an extraordinary way was a special favor of Allah.

Exceptional Organisms
Irrespective of all that relates to the birth of Isa or Adam, a naturalist may be asked whether it is possible or not that in the course of the emergence of usual organisms, some exceptional ones also come into existence?

We all know that as a rule every hand and foot of a man has five fingers; but we also know that some children are born with six.

Similarly we know that every human child is born with one head, but you must have read in newspapers that there have been some exceptional cases in which children were born with two heads.

When you put up such exceptional cases to the naturalists, they do not deny their existence, but explain them away simply as freaks of nature.

The credulous people easily accept this explanation, but those who have a critical mind ask: If it is true that the evolutionary emergence of the world and man is the result of the domination of the laws of nature over all the particles of this world and if these laws hold good everywhere, what is that factor which disturbs them?

Does an outside factor disturb the working of nature and the system of its laws, or the laws of nature themselves disturb their own working? In the first case, we must acknowledge that there exists some superpower trans­cending nature. In the case of the second alternative, a question arises as to why the possibility of the occurrence of some exceptional events, sometimes called miracles, should be so vehemently denied and considered to be contrary to the system of nature?

The above discussion shows that there is not the least contradiction between the general principle of evolution in respect of the world and man, and the teachings of the revealed religions, and what the Qur\'an says concerning the birth of Adam and man. Incidentally the principles of evolution are still subject to further scientific investigation, for they are faced with much criticism especially as they were enunciated by Darwin.

As we have now finished the discussion of the origin of man, we take up a more basic question. The most impor­tant question, which is being overlooked in our times is: What is the true nature of man, what is his value and what way he should go?

First we refer briefly to the position of man in the West and then we propose to study the man of the Qur\'an, so that keeping in mind the views of the contemporary schools, we may know the approach of Islam in this respect.

Author: Sayyid Muhammad Husayni Beheshti
Source: al-islam.org