Inayatullah - Khan QuranEvolution PDF
Inayatullah - Khan QuranEvolution PDF
EL-MASHRIQI FOUNDATION
ISLAMABAD
CONTENTS
Rs: 50.00
PUBlJSHERS' NOTE
]0
INTRODUCTION
CONCEPT OF EVOLUTION
Edited by
I.
30
31
48
76
I.
Pakistan.
II.
77
Pur~ose
92
of Man's. Creation
Printed at S.T.
P~inters,
105
Rawalpindi
THE REVEALED WORD
130
PUBLIS.HERS NOTE
Qoser and closer to makind comes their
Reckoning, yet they heed not'and
They turn away!
21: 1
21:16-17
7: 100
EVER since the retreat of the Muslim world and the advent of
the European imperialism about four centuries ago, man's prog
ress has been single-directionaL Christianity, a distorted form of
what lesusChrist .actually brought as Revealed Religion, did
assert in one form or the other but it could not operate as a
directive force and had little to contribute to the new shape of
things in the world. The emerging forces were wholly generated
by the natural sciences which, ~ough initiated by the Muslims,
assumed bigger dimensions in Europe on account of its new
view of the physical world. This new view equipped the Western
nations with astounding economic and technological power
with Capitalism, Communism and FasCism as different facets of
the same phenomenon and hen/ce possessing identical notions
about the pro-blem of humanity. Thus was born the economic
oriented, sensuously motivated artd self-centred man of the
modern age who, unfortunately, in his scramble for power over
fellow human beings, lost sight of the culture of human mind,
a monster
trying to turn mankind into a freak of Nature
engaged in self-destruction with the very forces created by him
by coming into contact with Nature.
It is in this dreadful situation that the Muslim woi:ld has
opened its eyes after a deep slumber, findingitself far behind
the rest of mankind. It is possessed with a new urge; fresh reali
.lAation of economic backwardness and political incapacitation
has created in it a restless longing to struggle and evolve as a
single entity. The past history of the Muslim' countries has so
interwoven their individual destinies that it is impossible to
extricate one from the other. The march of events or the non
march in one Muslim country is bound to affect the destiny
of others, howsoever far off'they geographically might be. It is.a
unique cultural identity, both of upsurge and downfall, which
has sustained itself through a long period of turmoil and suffo
r.ation. It is under the .stress of this i4entity that the Muslim
r-
MAHMUDALl
Chairman EI-Mashriqi Foundation
Islamabad, June 3, 1987
INTRODUCTION
THE advent of scientific outlook ,in Europe in the sixteenth
cen tury generated a new thought process in tl1e region which
had remained stuck in ignorance for a millennium and a half.
The stranglehold on free thought which was sought to be loose
ned tluough this process had persisted for a very long time
because of the power of the Christian clergy which would not
allow any deviation from its static view of life based wholly on
superstition. Therefore, when the new culture of scrutiny revea
led new realities about Nature, the entire structure of the clergy
began to totter; for obvious reasons, science was described anti
religion. This new approach in Europe was partly the result of
its intellectuals' contact with the Muslim world and partly a re
action to the futile, rigid and unproductive notions nourished
by their priestcraft. The Western writers have themselves des
cribed their history from 400 AD. to 1500 A.D. as the "dark
age", as a, period of complete intellectual barrenness. Even after
1500 A D., the few scientists who appeared here and there were
not allowed (or lacked courage) to express their scientific ideas
openly; they were persecuted by the Church for what was
described as heresy. But the surge caused by the impact of
Muslim science and inner awakening was so strong that it soon
overflo
, the barriers erected by the Church and statecraft,
and endowed Europe with a power fratnework which enabled it
eventually to assume world leadership.
In contrast to what the Christian clergy did with those who
tried to unravel the mystery of Nature, the Muslim rulers and
'ulema' of early period joined hands to nourish the spirit of
inquiry, and much of the scientific development during the
period of Muslim sway over the world was patronised by
the Muslim rulers. During the long period of Islam's in tellectual
supremacy, there was hardly an instance of persecution of a
scientist or throttling of scientific spillthv the(state or religious
leaders as was done in the case, ,of G.all1ec ,anci some other
of
11
l4
ing close relations with Sir Syed and the interests of both in the
educational uplift of the Muslims of South Asia, Mashriqi has
stated that the reason for this primarily was his father's diff
erences over the curricula of instructions at the Anglo Oriental
College founded by Sir Syed at Aligarh; Ata Muhammad wanted
greater emphasis on religion. In this religious and scholarly
atmosphere in the family, Inayat U11ah received his early educa- .
tion at home, And when he joined the school at the age of nine
in 1897, he was straightaway admitted to the sixth class in the
B.N. Public SchooL Soon after, he was adjudged the best stu
dent and awarded a scholarship. He passed the Middle standard
in 1990, standing first in the district.
,From 1900 to 1902, Inayat Ullah studied in the Govern
menf'High School A~ritsar; where besides doIng Matriculation
in 1902, he also won Certificates of Proficiency in Mathematics,
Persian and Arar;c, and special prizes of General Proficiency in
Mathematics and Persian. He passed his Intermediate from the
Church Mission College Amritsar in 1904 standing first in ,the
district and winning Jubilee Scholarship and Proficiency prizes
in Arabic, Mathematics and English. He shifted to Lahore in
1904 and joined the Forman Christian College, graduating two
years later and winning scholarship. And then to the bewilder
ment of many he passed his M.A. in Mathematics in one year
securing first class for the first time in the history of the Univer
sity and earning rare comments from newspapers. In its issue of
Apnl 14, 1907, the daily Tribune lauded his performance say
ing: "It .is but the bare truth to say that the success he has
achieved is a record one in the history of the University. It is no
mean achievement to secure a First Oass in Mathematics at
M.A. examiNation, and well might our countrymen congratulate
themselves at the unique succe?s achieved by Mr. Inayat Ullah".
It was, however, at the Cambridge University that he surpas
sed everybody by creating new records in the academic world.
tering the Christ's College at the age of 19, Inayat Ullah
Khan did four Tripose$ in four different su bjects in a period of
me' years. Mter a year'ntay, he topp~ in a pre,ttminary exami
declared Foundation Schohii
nation in Ma'thematics and
The follo~ng year, he did his Tripos in<Mathematics.in First
Class wining the title of Wrangler .and Bachelor Scholar. Two
years later, he did two more'Triposes: ~tone and the same time,
one in the o.!.iental Langu,ages.. (Arabic and Persian) and the
En
was
\5
~
I
I
Thy Light, on the right path, as Thou didst 'in the past. by
giving a correct direction to their adions bl'C;UlS(~, 0 Cod, tht:y
arc a nation which itself possesses no knowkdge." In Ta:kirah. Mashriqi C]llcstioned at the very outset the
authority on the basis of which followers of cu.:h religion
claimed their Faith as the sole truth and all other Faiths false
and untrue. What this religion was about which no decisive
verdict was possible, and why did not the all-embracing nature
of truth bring various religions on the same plane, and'enfon:e
a reconciliation as happens in the case of physical realities being
uncovered by the scien tists? Wh y was there a can t1ict and if
there was a contlict what this claim of being truth meant'? He
tel111cd these situations bewildering but declared that it was in
the interest of mankind's colk'Ciive survival that these isslles
should be scientitically examined and answered "'because much
of the bloodshed in the world, its most horrifying wars, its great
contlicts and massacres were born out of difference in faitlts.
Often a people has massacred another because it had a difft;'rent
'religion', because it professed a different 'Faith', worsbil'pl'd
another god, had somebody else as its prophet and leader", 19 All
til is. he said, was the result of distortion of the c<)j,cept ,tnd
form of the message on which these relig:iolls took birth: t!I<'Y
were the creation of man's own perverse thinking, und the
stubborn folly of the followers of these religions.
Tazkirah was a new voice, probably the fir~t attempt to
study .and project Religion as a science. The force and rhythm
of its language reflected the power of the mind which conceived
it. Many international scholars described it "as the most success
ful and universal law of nation building", "exposition of the
infallible and divine sociology", "solitary oasis in the barren
literature of religion". Sahibzada AI'tab Ahmed Khan, Vice
Chancellor of the Aligarh University, formally "handed over"
Mashriqi's name to the Nobel Committee \is a claimant of
Noble Prize for literature. Tazkirab, however, according to the
opinion of relevant quarters, could not be considered for sllch
an award unless it was rendered into a European language. That
was beyond anybody.20
Mashriqi seemed to be in a hurry and wanted forthwith to
mobilise support for a world-wide movement, on the one hand
to awaken the Muslims to the true features of the Quranh.:
programme, and on the other to force the Westem scientists
21
20
measure to visit all Islamic countries and meet rulers and great
men the~e in person, as soon as possible ne~_! y~ar, that is, 1926.
24
15
:l,
ior to man,
wide awake, capable of greater comprehension
and better able to understand what this Universe really is and
what it is actually meant for, "2 7
After living a tempestuous life nr 7') years, Mashriqi died of
cancer in Lanon.: 011 August 27, 1963. He lies budcd ill the
courtyard of his house from where he started his Khaksar movL'
ment 32 years before his death, spending all these years in
simple Khaki clothes.
.
TIle present compilation is split into three sections, The first
section deals with the' general concept of Evolution and its
operation in deciding the fate of communities and civilisations
with particular reference to the Muslims, and an exhaustive
study of the Darwinian Theory of Evolution. The second sec- .
tion relates to Mashriqi's view of the ultimate fate of the
Universe, the role which the scientist is required to play in it
along with his own spiritual evolu tion, and the concept of
Man's Face-to-Face Meeting with the Almighty Creator. This
section is sub-divided in to three parts - the barrier of electro
nics, the ultima te shape, and the Quranic verdict. The last sec
tion comprises Mashriqi's impassioned pronouncemen ts on the
Revealed Word with special reference to Quran as the only
secure and Imimpaired Revealed Document available to man,
and the scientist's responsibility to examine it critically to en
force it as the truest enunciation of the Law of Evolution or,
if found 'faulty', to rid mankind of the 'fraud' of Religion.
A concept and the form of its expression are inexorably
linked together, therefore translation seldom succeeds in
conveying the fullness of the author's conception and his teal
purpose in its enunciation to mankind. It was precisely for this
reason that Mashriqi did not accept translation as an effective
device to convey the force and content of an idea. In fact. he
went further and declared more than once in his writings that a
sublime thought was adequately expressed only when it was
acted upon, when it was enforced as a visible, operative reality,
, when proper atmosphere was created through proper actions.
Otherwise, too, the rhythm of the language in which the
thought is originally expressed serves as a robe of that thought.
the robe having been tailored to the inner harmony of the
writer. The force of expression nows from the vigour of the
author's ideas and experience; the selection of words, their
.arrangement, even punctuation marks are not mere grammatical
26
27
28
NOTES
J.
Professor Ahdus Salam. The 'vI/deliS. Vol. -I. No. I. .lanu;lryMarch. I\)() 7.
Islamabad.
2.
Rohert Briffault. Makill/r of fllImanifl'. p. 190. as quoted by Dr. Muhammad
Iqbal ill ReCOIIS[l'l/ctiulI o(RdiKiul/s Thollghl in Islam. p. /30.
3.
Professor Hamid Askari. Prominent Muslim SdelJlisls. p. -188.
-I.
D" Mollll1l1l11od Iqbal. Re,:oIlSlI'll('liolT u.(Religiolis 771(11):111 i}} Islam. p. 129.
5.
Obilullry by Professor Thomas Huxley quoted by .lames BUnting in Cildll<,s
Darll'il/'s Biograplil' pUblished by Bailey Brolhers and Swinfcnt ltd .. FolhlOlIC
\U.K.) Pp. 78 79.
11.
ibid. p. 85.
7.
Inayat Ullah Khan AIMashriqi. Daha/Bah. ulhorc (1953). pp 255-511.
S.
TIle Cam/)ridKl' Daily ;\'('\\'s. ) 2 June. 1912.
9.
111C daily (Jlronicle. london 13 June. 1912.
10. 11le l1iesle1lliliSlel' (;a:l'lIl', london. 12 Ju ne. ) 912.
II. ThcSrar. London 12 June. 1912.
12. )'orksiJirc.J'oSI. York. 13 June. 1912.
13. Thl' Times. London. 17 June. I') II.
1+. 111e d'lily Mirrur. London. 17 Ju Ill'. 1911.
15. 111 e Tdt'KJ'opil. london. 17 Junt!. 191 I.
16. 00U: :'vIan and ['nilcn,'. Akhu\\wal I'llblil:aliuns. Rawalpindi. 1980. p. 25.
17. l'riv~le ('orresl,onclem'c (unpu btished).
18. Donald P. Li Illc. f:asa)'s ill Islamic ('iI'ili,I',) liolT. Leiden. 1976 p. 212.
19. Inayal Ulluh Khan AIMashriqi. Ta;kil'ail, VOl. I, Amrilsar 1924. reprinled
Allama Trusl. Lahore. Dcebacha p.3.
20. From unl,ublished record wilh Allama Trusl.
21. ibid.
22. ibid.
23. Inayar Ullah Khan AI Mashriqi. Khita/)i.Misr. Lahore. 1931. pp. 5.6.
2-1. From unpublished record wilh Allama Trust.
25. SirarII!.Mtlslaqueelll, Idara.iA1liya. Lahore, Oct. 1937~
16. Man's Destin Iy. Mujahid Pu blica lions. Rawalpindi. p.65.
27. Inuyat Ullah Khan AIMashriqi, fledirl1ulQurall. Lahore, p. 7.
or
d(:~!h 0/
or
CONCEPT OF EUOLU'110N
30
.\
FOR the past two centuries, Muslims all over the world have
been caught in a vortex of continuing decline, As is dreadful
the speed of this decline and the swiftness of degeneration, so
is a'wnising the unconcern and lack of realisation with which
they are dra(~ging themselves to utter annihilation and certain
death in a state of complete complacency, Tn each member of
the commllnity have become ex tinct visible capabilities and
latent forces which constitute the cultural essence and life
blood of a civilization. The invigorating passions which activate
evelY section of community have died down, Each and every
member of the nation has become utterly useless, singly as well
as collectively, The vitalising and creative view of what religion
really is has been lost; with that has also bc.come proverbial
the failure of the Muslims in the field of wordly distinctions,
Will power and courage for initiative, organisational capacity
and work distribution, unity and centralism of creative
faculties, culture of steadfastness and mutual assistance the
pervasive sense of discipline and obedienace, and the le'ader
ship's far-sightednC'ss and ability to guide without which not
only nations but even individuals cannot perform the humblest
31
In
Turn over the pages of history, and you will come across the
same spectacle. Mehdi's awesome emergence in the Sudan,
Mohammad Abdohu's semi political preachings in Egypt, the
mutinous upheaval in India, the painful end of the Balkan war,
and the induction of Majlis-i-Shura in Iran. were important and
all-embraching revolutions. However. if the real causes of their
failure are carefully examined. there will be found underneath
32
QURANANDEVOLUTION
o thou,
'"
..,
'"
....
.,..
"'"
";",,,
\r":r") 0
33
~,"
JI""
,,;
.,1.,
u~))U;l:.i\.;:.s.l
PIIS
I~y.
h"
r'f'J 0 -,."
~
"I"/~l
u.;
..w\~,.. v....Z..;;:...>;
-,,..
No change \vi!t thou .finel ill tile Law of God (33'62)
On the basis of this irrefutable explanation, I arrive at a
firm conclusion that no injurious reality of the Law of Nature
can destroy Islam; the survival of the Muslims as a dominan t
factor in the world is inevitable. and as long as are in existence
the heavens, the earth, and the entire Universe, this situation is
bound to emerge. If the onrush of vicissitudes and the onslau
gh t of adverse develop men ts have caused an apparen t depa~ture
from this general principle, it is an exception, and a temporary
one; it is nothing save that the pressure of hostile influences has
produced an unlikely situation which is bound to end. It is this
foundation stone of Islam's universally creative philosophy
which has, from the earliest, taken upon itself the responsibili
ty for its survival and stability, and which, in spite of the 1300
years of dreadful happenings, makes its existence certain and its
law .et~rnally applicable. The Creator of the Universe has
demonstrated this in every pnnClple and behaviour of Nature.
As long as truth remains truth, its domination is inevitable
wherever and in whatever form it appears. If, in spite of coun
tless disruptive influences of falsehood and fraudulence, pervers
ion and pretension, and tyranny and deceipt, Nature's principles
are in operation in the world and God's Law remains supreme,
itis precisely for this reason; if in spite of the temporary sway
of lust and rapacity, and the transitory grip of animality, th.e
world has not as a whole deviated from the balanced course, It
is only because of this. The effect of an encounter of a false
and disruptive element with a permanent reality isjust like that
of a pebble which when thrown into a de~p sea generates a few
momentary ripples but itself disappears for ever.
\.
;1
I'
The glow that the flame ofa straw produdes lives only for
one moment,
What concern has lust for he honour offidelity!
ii>,1
tI
iI
I
'.
!,
:1
Ii.'
l'
34
11
If, after this short span of time, Islam's inl1uence has now
really disappeared, then there are two conclusions; the life of
the Universe, too, is coming to an end: the order of Nature's
-immense edifice has also moved away from its foundation; the
process of advent and end of various phenomena too is being
rolled up; attraction and integration of particles, combination
and cohesion of elements, interaction of situations, intermingl
ing of consequences, constitution and behaviour of structures,
are all departing at the conclusion of their life span, and after
this awful destructive effects of the course of Nature the end of
the Universe is at hand. If this is not the case, then in Islam
itself, in fact in the Quranic purposes, is absolutely unavailabl~
the essence of truth; Islam's power to influence and operate has
left its abode and shifted to another body; its area of knowledge
and action has shrunk, and the visional power of its mind has
disappeared. After having been disgusted with the company of
ill-mannered and unworthy Muslim, the meek bride of meaning
has been the victim of such an indifference, neglect and callous
ness in the dark recesses of form and suffocating cells of words,
that none today even admits its existence. Today's truth-honour
ing world is at war with the decomposed and useless bones of
this very victim of neglect whose agonising story for centuries
remained hidden under the veil of Mohlat (Respite from
Nature). Time's revealing but unforgiving hand is today con
signing to dust this shamefully mlltilated .corpse whose ~ge of
glory had once been more dazzling a reahty than the mId-day
rays of the sun. Ah! Although the mind's resident has departed,
and the restless soul of truth has moved to better and heal
thier bodies, the strange ways of time, rather the Divine sense
of self-respect, has at least preserved this much honour of the
body that even today, many con turies after its death, the form
of its original features cannot remain hidden from men of
understanding. In the pitch darkness of ignorance and oblivion,
the Quran is still such a manifest and self-evident wisdom
in the eyes of men of understanding that its brightness and
lustre have become more heightened in the presence of black
ness. As is becoming to the common people meaningless and
unworthy of attention all that it contains because of the far
fetched interpretaion and misrepresentation' of its c~ntents,
in the same way is becoming its loftiness more. m~ruf:st to
the understanding heart.The revival of Islam wIll mevltably
35
36
; reached, over 1300 years ago, the natural conclusion about the
37
(I>" \II)
~" '" -.J; . . " . . IIIW , : . '" / . ( ... It I II., ". '"
~<..S"" Z'~ lJ.,iI" ~p\..!:.?cI..:.""..,;:..A...)l"
A t this said Moses. '.0. people, time is now near tha t )'ow'
Lord destroys your enemy, and in his place makes
rhe
inheritors in the earth and then see what efJorts VOL; make'
rm;
(7:129)
The third occasion is in Sura Hud.
3~
('! &>L) 0
vou inheritors aftt'/' ({lilli/Ii/a ring orhers. For those of YOli who
obl!yed the CUI//l1/llll(lmcl1rs, alld \1'110 spent (in charity), jor
them is a great Reward, ( 57. 7)
(TIle explanation of this meaning of aminu will corne later;
~..{
)J
,..I.;,
'
'
>
'
,;
"'''~''
.D
'-.~" "f'-""'-J .""w',f 'II'"
~., \' "-"1
~ %I"'~"'''f'"';'r'''':.-' ~I>~ '-:\ ....... ,---.~~~.P"
39
II.
.... ,:.
is,
,..#
.. -: .. ;~ ..Jl'// / ....
~ .,'1., . .
"
,,,
':W;II"'
,,'
("''':1''6)''t~,)I":,,,!,.,.J~.ll?!,",,~L.~J:?J '!.~:;:':"j:;
lj you fllmed back and disobeyed rhe Commandmell ts He
will substitute ill your stead another people; And then ~hey
would 'not be evil-doers, disobedient and selj:seekers like
you(47:38)
,It is .o~vious from, these verses that 'Isfukhlaf of various
nations IS In fact theIr replacement by each other. A nation
which loses the copabiltity to have authority over the earth,
and undermines its potential by deviating from the Law of
Nature, is bound to be wiped out from the face of the earth.
Whichever people is the inheritor of the earth that alone is
'mustakhlaf'. that alone is superior and more'fit; that alone
remains unharmed and powerful, and the survival of such a
people alone is a foregone conclusion.
'KhalaF has been used at various places in the sense of
inheritance and survival; three occasions are worth mentioning,
here.
.. .....U . ,,:
'
,
,,:,,"~\
. ...-& r. . . A/) ~,. . """,..9,..,.,,,J.~#
,
.. ,. ~.A:!~.".l,
. . . ~::t.'t.!r~~~t-!~'~
.I';; ~,;/.
....'
.-5. -.
1I\,,:\.'1>':'
0e.!)I<J...!a~I';'''~~:',:,:;
.I' .......
.Ii
......
(.I ':' ..... .P": ~,(, ... .>' ,,,,t . . ,,, '"
(!"4:!"("),~~,,r~~11....,
40
41
Ii
42
J"'-~
,
,;,"",'; - I ' " :"l:""-:''' ~,.""
""l~
'.;'L':.I'I' ':1 ""....
;..... 0'1 u::,.'~
J~I;J-l'V~\.H.:~.~.ltlr"
A.:> c.. ~I\.:'..:.o':;'" ~J
.,.It
"' ....
.,..
""
,
~ . ,~
(,(Y:I"I"'J
'*-'
(1""1', ... ,
. . ',,.1 . .
"' ..
~ll~ (;.';lJ:>. iJ~..u~lt~W?I~"~
43
QURANANDEVOLUTIO~
(Ir"!")"
. "'"- ~)
'"
~
.:a.lI"~ ...
-:'.J
_"
~ _ ... '....
...
v .
~.)~'
.,V'}
44
""
45
h~~
:;
1>,.,.,,, ;'"
',J
I"
"'"
"'-
'ill'
.,
0,
"J
,.. . . . . .,.-:,
('r".l"'q) o~.
\J7
.......\ ........
~.1... \..!.:.~
......
_,,,
~
r~7---;r
46
I
'II
(1("'- 1"":110 0
.J
~,.,.
-:,.,
"'s 1..
}~.:o~~'J ~~~~~~.:o
47
II
TIleory of Evolution
48
......"
~ .I,J~;; 0 ~ ,"
,'"
~),..-{ ,,~
.I
.,
-:>.\'.1'
4'..#
\,
"" ,I
;, ,
...'
'""__ .. :/'.
'"
II '" r
.. '.
:'t """">,v.........
.. ~ ... w~o'
. - - " ) 'uW"\\1.;,;i:;: '.-.1
t=~.:z::.t
oJ-L'
r<:>-("'''.9~) O~.'-V--
50
51
QURANANDEVOLUTION
(Y"I'II)
O'.)p~.'
"~
0,)..11
:..
. . lr..I\;\
,:,,~.J":'"
..,.....\.:l
"And
Muslims! Call to mind when you were small iff
number in this land, and were despised and considered helpless,
and were in a state of fright, every moment fearing that the
enemy might despoil and kidnap you. Then God Almighty
appreciated your efforts and took you in His safe custody,
strengthened you with His aid, and by making you victorious
over the enemy provided you good things of the world. And
all this that you value these things from the core of your heart.
(l'aallakum tashkarun}", (8:26). (The proof of this meaning of
shukr will be provided in the subsequent pages; it is not under
discussion here.)
4. "The emergence and survival of various species and their
varieties occured through the combined effects of ex ternal and
local conditions and the inherent potential of these species for
evolution. The species which could not cope with the external
pressures of natural conditions became extinct; those which
proved to be energetic by their full participation, continued to
evolve. The entire process of existence and extinction of life is
taking place on the basis of this overriding principle; self
preservation is the primary motive behind this struggle. Which
ever plant or animal species has inheritance fistakhlaO over
any part of the earth, that species is 'fit'; whichever is losing
this inheritance, that certainly is 'untIe. A species which is most
in authority, which is most 'valiant and most energetic', and
has the largest population and evolutionary potential, that alone
is 'aslah' in its own sphere, that alone is assured survival. Nature
renders it completely free from fear by itself selecting it."
The Quran has enunciated exactly the same unfaltering prin
ciples about the death and life of human communit(es which
today_ constitute the nucleus of West's entire scientific
investigation and material progress. It is said in Sura A'raf:
not an hour can they cause delay, nor an hour can they advance
it. If then anybody offered a plea, We would say, 0, Ye Chil
dren of Adam, We had already told you whenever there came
to you Our Messengers from amongst you, and rehearsed Our
Commandments to you, then whichever people, by acting upon
these Commandments, followed the cOUorse of survival (ittaqa),
whichever avoided the path of destruction (ittaqa) and became
righteous (aslah), on them shall be no fear in the world, nor
shall they grieve." (7:34-35)
We will subsequently show in this very volume what the
main features of ittaqa are; its full explanation will be given
under the title "Action" (in the fourth volume). There is still
time to define what 'slah' means. The glorious a}'aat which
show that the law governing the destruction and survival of
animal species is in accord with the law relating to human soc.ie
ties will be adduced much later. Here we have quoted a few
supporting verses of the Quran; the purpose is not, as yet, to
evolve from them any verdict But an effectual and worthwhile
conclusion which can be drawn from these verses at this initial
stage of the book is how carefully the Divine Book has, at every
step, declared struggle, trial and effort as pre-requisites of in
heritance of the earth (isfakhlaj jil-ardh), which constitutes
tll main plank of the Theory of Evolution. In this context, the
Last verse ot Sura Ana'm is very significant.
J
"\,;,,,,,,\,_\,,,,,
... ~.1
'''''''~'''
,;
"':>.;,... ..
.r~uf'.r/..
~~~.J.)~o..Y~t!':."-;',,,,,,
.. --..,.....
.,."
,...
""' ..
_...... ;u!.".AI)'"
~I.-
(1'"\;
.... ~
.J
"/1 \ ~ ~ ..
52
..'.f->""tt'r
. . tS";:"-'P
\'"
"-';..
~~, ~ ~ . . '13..
~.<:\ \~_
,.,~.:.
,.(:...;~,\."
........
I'",
\1"'"
.. , ....
,"
.J\'
_. L.-'U<>II")lI","?~I~<S~I.,u.1
54
reach<:!s the climax. (In other words. His immense plans ar!" com
. pleted In thousands of years; the enforcement ot His universal
law is felt after centuries; His will is fulfilled even after the lapse
of generations). Such is He the Knower of thousands of years
hence (A 'limul ghaib), an d the true Ascertainer of the presen t
(Washshahadat), the Exalted in Power (AI-A z iz), the Merciful
(AI-Rahim) God on Whose Beneficence, Forbearance and
Supreme Knowledge and Action is functioning this immense
universe.
"He is that Great Architect Who has made everything creat
ed by Him most good, and initiated rbada') the noblest crea
tion of man from as insignificant and inferior a thing as clay, .
then slowly and slowly He sustained the progeny of this first
initiation, this lesser creature, this ancient creation, after thou
sands of years of planning and formation, from the sperm (of
higher animals) of a nature of a fluid despised; then after
crossing this immense stage of sperm seeding, He created, after
further planning and execution for thousands of years, the best
proportion (summa sawwahu) in the organs of this new crea
tion. Then in that noblest of creations, He breathed small bits
of His own incomparable qualities; by giving him from His side
a little knowledge, a little authority, a little understanding He in
a way breathed His spirit into him (wa nafakha fihi minrruhehO
And today, ye human beings, after passing you through all these
stages He blessed you with those Supreme Divine favours, and
endued you with those unique exhibits of God's qualities which'
are called the Ears. the Eyes and the Brain with which (not
withstanding the fake ears, eyes and minds of all the lesser
creatures) you can truly lislen, see and understand. AJ;tfi/)$-:JU
value them very little and put them to very little use (qaleelum
ma tashkarunJ. "(32:4-9).
55
.>.
"
;;
,/
>.....
.,
~-
. \"
"'"....
"1'.,;
;....
1\
56
:'\)"(.)~
57
Some of the branches and leaves were shed off which could be
likened to 'unfit' species. Man is the highest branch which itself
has a number of offshoots; these offshoots are stronger and
fitter than, and variant from, each other in respect of colour,
race and level of intelligence. Whichever people or race today
holds sway over the earth apparently as well as in actuality ~s
saleh; and it is her right to remain entrenched on the top of thIS
gigantic tree,"
,
.
.
'(a) The Quran has stated this symbo~lsm of tree. m very,
profound and meaningful words, but then truth has smce long
been distorted by the unworthy Muslims. It is stated in Sura
Nuh "And 0 ye dwellers of the earth, God produced ye human
beings from the earth like a tree" (71: 17). Si~ce there is n?
visible form of man growing from the earth lIke a tree, thIS
Revelation must have some other mean!ng for which God,
took the care of sending a complete verse, Bu t what concern
have the Muslims of today with what the Quran means, engaged
as they are in procuring blessings for their dead ?y ~eciting the
Quran several times in one night! When at the reCItatIOn of each
word are automatically added to their ~redit hundreds of
thousands ot vrrtues, why should they botner what the real
meanings are. In til is Sura is also contained another great
theme which' has been enunciated in two ,complete verses.
(\~.
>,
II':
"
"
1,\.,.1
"',''''''
".,.1'\'1.:;
~
) "
-))~ <::""'IL..
"'\.l'O\~\~\~~-'
0.)
~. ~W-'7"..r-'
r--"
"0 ye people, what is the matter with you that you have
no hope of mercy and exaltalion from God; you do not expect,
by acting upon His Law, to assume the best position, although' .
it is He, the Real Benefactor, Who has created you in diverse
ways and after passing you through many stages of creation. By
evolving you from the lower to the higher species, and changing
you from one nature to another, He bestowed on you the
honour of being the Noblest Creation, "( 17: 1314) .
'
Can the connection between the verses of waqaar and
atwaar be understood in any other manner? And was that
unfaltering Prophet, Noah, addressing his people' without
knowing wh"J.waqaar signified? .
(b) Man's
elioritv over other species on the earth is manifest
to evel:ybody; so is obvious the supremacy of a people which
has mastered the land, the sea, and the means of livelihood.
But th~ Word of God does not accept man's superiority over
58
59
", . _,
,-v
.,
.; ~
(.\\L'
:I"::
o~~:o'.)\.;.;b.~ 8
;:t"""
:.
..
'
..
1/ '
60
"" ' t .
,.,
J1"'"';
~.J!
\ ""J....,,~"..!.J; "
\~
.,;~',;
..
,~,
,"
""
''''
....
..
;,"'~~j
~1:
r....... "'.
,
""':,. (\'
O~;;'l!>'"
t~-<):I'M OU,,)~\.."''6
\.;i
........
~::.~
..\ .,,~""'"t0
r..>-="::.r-.. . <.S;-!~~ ~ .. ~ ~,,!>~
,.....
'"
;~~
""',,
!'
A"
."">.1,
:r .
., ""
"'-'''',t'';>'''',;
)o6""::'~J""'~L.,;."c::t!~;I:.).r...J;?~
.,
r , '" "",
'"
, . , . , .... : ..... , -I
' "',I"#'
f ..
'
"
.; ..,..1..- ,
63
~~,'"() <.S~r>
. .P-~~#t:.-~ ~(s~\;. ;.~'~
~'i.::,~p<s~ ~\, ~, ;~ \~
~ ~
.~.,
.P
".
",~"
:"
~~,.:.t\:.
~J.:\~"6 ""....(.;.Jl,.,J-Jls ~ ~.;\ ~ u:..:-::>
~~~.z; ~J~~;
.
,.....
\
'"'
65
...."
"2~
,.
.I ~.,,,
'"
!I
~ .)
~'
,J
.",
.I
;#'"
""'"
,,~J'''''
;,; ..
,""
..
"",,,,,,,
....
_;-::;t~;:;Q""""'''~
,! . I;":"
r:;~l~! 'u'cS;\}"'U:<r)~~.:>"
6-,,",;,,"'>:)1.; \ loti"' IS"'<.P,;W' ~
,.
,..
~.1
"':'
Ji!r\~""':'
~ ... ,
,....... '
~';;","
;'.J~;~~i-:..'})\/~\~ \;';.\...~':0~;;:. . .
!:)-'v...;...e:r--_ '+~~; .-'
"'"
","
'"
(1"'1"'-
'" . . .
'; ,_ -!.J
r. :rl)ou~~ ~(}s;'
67
'*"...
...
"'''
(r''':l''OOI'':'";;-''''~:.:,..J\\.r.:~c.a,,;
.. I::';~-:-> '1,'>" ,~ ~:.~\\
"
, "
....
...
~~~-;-:;J
....... \\
<""')~"~f'J)~~'"
II ':)
';'
,'"
.,.
... ':.
",
"
'" .J
..,
-.:::1\:-....
L:::.J'\ , i 1<, . . ~ ;\, -;, >.~ ~ ....
~ ..... -,
d.JJ"'-'<...d
the sun is cons tan tly moving tow'ards a station-ot its
own. 0 ye pe~p\e, ,this is the course determined for it by Him,
the Exalted In MIght, the Almighty (from which it has no
"And
.II'"
.....
'''' ''''
A '
(,
.'-'I:!-'-'v-;
68
'"
-,~.oW I~
l>'t\
.":\-,)
AI
a . ; l . l l o ;:.,
~,
1"'("'\-
"".....J".
...
r->
69
t',
;4-*,--:w~1;
{I"-\'l~rq )O..r:::'....;;~(.p~
"
"Have not the unbelievers seen how God creates fro'm
nothing and then keeps on repeating it? There is no doubt that
all this (initiation and recreation). is most easy for God. Tell
then~ to travel through the earth and see how did God oriRinate
creatIOn; then the same God will annihilate them and
ini.tiate a new creation. Undoubtedly, God has power over all
thmgs." (29: 19-20). (Verse 19:29 relates to the creation in this
world, and verse 20 to the Hereafter).
In Sura Rum, creation h~s been further generalised by
men tioning 'samawat' and the earth along wi th the repeti tive
process of creation.
~
.;I
I ~
.. \\~_':> ,,,
'Ill....
.,.,,"
.. J
,,,,
'"
",
u~I~tr'))IJ!~\4J;"~~:,A.\;::';~~ ~~~\\ .. ~ . "'.,h
,"
'..
.."\"",,,".J .,"'~l"""'"
~
(t'c.
":"
'f'.) 0
r;.,j'\.P' .. -:.,
J'; , .........
which shows that the task, too, should be.gre.at. There is also
an indication in Sura Qaf about God not bemg Idle, from which
it is not difficult. to conclude that GOdi.s eve:y ~on~ent ~)Usy
bringing forth new creations, and the claIm ot HIs bemg mac
th e is utterly false.
",J
"'~"';::>";'"
/:t~ (;:'.'l)'''~ ,:',-:: ~;.v... ,.>"~"c,;.:.';'); - ~H:.Al.:i..~-'
.;I.,.
"
(l"'~I()')"~YU~I,;..oAI..O-'''I';.~ ~~~"
.... ' . ,
72
Y:~") 0.),.,..- ~
.:t'I>-' I>)I..:.S..:,...-:>-\
73
QURANANDEVOLUTION
the Westem world to reject it. The pertect arrangement and
organisation of animals, plants and dead mattt!r on the earth
have made this reality still more manifest. The entire story of
the earth's strata is totally in its support: continuous observa
tion of the heavenly bodies also provide the same indication;
all physical changes on the earth reveal the same story;' the
life history of animal species also has this message to give;
same is the account provided by the ruins of cities and the
same complexion has the tale of what has been happening on
the earth. The process of the child's creation in the mother's
womb proves the same thing; most of the sciences like physics,
mathematics, chemistry, biology, physiology etc. fully back it.
Man's own animality-oriented nature testities that he is an
extraction of an inferior creation, that he has been derived from
lower animals. The general view that the ape gradually evolved
to become man is an unjust explanation of the Theory given by
ingorant people, and has as little a connection with it as
apparently has the ape with man. There is, however, no doubt
that the substance of the Theory, too, has been undergoing
evolution. Man was probably conscious of stage by stage change
on the earth (first clause) since a time which cannot be
specifically stated. The ancient Hindu philosophy makes some
queer assertions about the creation of the Universe which have
only a vt!ry slight resemblance to the present Theory. 1l1e
Greeks evolved the view about the agedness of matter but did
not formulate any specific conclusions. The Islamic thinkers
framed permanent views on the first, third and eighth clauses.
But the fomulation and establishment of all other clauses (in
enunciated in 1228 H., 1813 A.D. and later in 1246 H., 1831
of modem science. The word 'theory' has been used in the main
74
i.
75
rr
76
77
78
gO
~~Gnce
:~11~
:~h~~,o~:~:~s~::~~:~:~;11;!th0~'uany
tan y tram I1;C~:r I:~%:r
and aUrlbut .
kmd, whose power
they are als~s ;~: ~10t o~lr .beYOl:d human comprehension, but
the deO"
f h eyon us conJec~ure and imagination. Even
.:>ree 0 t e transcendence of such Sll )rc
P
.
~~o~,~,~ha~l;~;~~t wereachcanofconceive
hun~an that
intellige11C~
iS~~CO~~~~:~I~
the or t 1"
U'
b l' Here one is faced with a plausi ble question: "Why should I
Cleve as real what I do not and cannot kno ?" M y
by the
th:
a1l1ndthe
Istence of what one perceives is easy
reqUires
. t h e routine
. course
f 1'1',
" no explanatl'on . D 0 we, 111
~er~e~~e~v~' bcheve I~ the exis~ence of what we do not actually
tr
,.or examp e. a man IS travelling in an unknown coun- .
1 y. Somewhere on the road a person meets him and says 'look
'er~, ~ey~~~ the next turning of the road there is a lion l~ing in
~m t~S 1. d1md some bushes by the roadside' please do not go
lur er an turn back if you value your life', The warner is
~:l~~
e~
ap~arent plausibilityW~f
81
Je~~i~e
io unde~~
82
83
Him,
h' k'
ll1Us, it is eviden t that there is no alternative. for a t ill I~g.
man but to believe that there must, and, therefore does eXIst
'tIle Living Supreme Au thor and Creator of the Universe, and
the Creator of Mankind.
"''''''''''** .1Ic**.
The weaker nations, if they wake up, shake off their lethar
gy, gird up their loins to surpass the advancing nations, and
mould and conduct their lives according to God's law, fearing
none but .God, are sure to succeed and overtake, or even sur
pass, those who are in advance of them During all their strug
gle they must, however, keep in view that they are fulfilling the
will of their Lord, and carry out in their lives His orders in letter
as well as in spirit. If such nations do not wake up, and neglect
God's commands, they are destined to die and disappear from
the earth.
From the foregoing account it is evident that the life of
mankind is subject to the eternal process of evolution. and tha.
the general conditions resulting from the interaction of the
different operations involved in this process must be improve
ment. The present man evolved out of the primitive man is
decidedly an improved specimen. Wha t is to be the ultimate
stage of this improvement, to which the terms of ultimate
goodness and perfections are applied? The ideal condition seems
to be the total absence of evil, suffering, pain, selfishness and
cruelty in all exertions. These terms we need not define; we use
them in their commonly accepted and generally understood
sense. The ideal condition would thus be utopia, an Eldorado.
This is theoretic consideration. While considering the real
conditions of human life we have again to survey the various
stages which mark the results of evolution. For our present
purpose it is not necessary to go into the details of every age
and every stage. It is suffici~nt to note that the intellectual and
scientific progress of man is remarkable. What has this progress
84
conn~ction
85
perhaps~
\
QURAN AND EVOLUTION
Apparentllarshness and cruelty of measures can be openly set
apart only as merited punishment for wicked acts and evil
deeds, and their exercise thus sanctioned by common social
sense of fairnl!ss and justice would become quite innocent and
u nobjection able.
Su ch would be the righ t process of human evolu tion. Under
the existing conditions we see that the nature of man cannot be
changed. If the conditions were chahged for the ideal utopia,
mankind would become some other kind, say angelkind, which
would be an altogether different world. The object of man's
life, therefore, seems to be the achievement of a condition
where good prevails and evil exists in its least possible expres
sion compatible with human nature. What would be the state of
mankind after the achievement of that state, we are not at
present in a position to say. We cannot say whether he will
continue to live on in that condition for ever, which the ever
changing expression of man's nature does not con film, or man
kind will be still further elevated in status, and be transfelTed
to some angel land, or will be annihilated altogether.
***********
What is the line of expenments suggested by belief in
God-theory,? When I say that the honest scientific thinker
should give up his deductive methods of experiment and re
search for research necessitated by God-theory, I mean only
research in spiritual domain. Nor do I mean that man should
give up altogether research in the domain of rna tter. I consider
the latter as essential for man's evolutionary progress as spiri
tual research: both should be simultaneollsly carried on wi th
equal zeal and earnestness, one for man's advancement. in
material life and the improvement of its conditions, and the
other for developing and perfecting the spiritual side of his life.
We have already seen that for the real progress of man as a
whole the proper developmen t of both the aspects of his life,
physical as well as spiritual, is absolutely necessary. If he con
fines his activities only to his material advancement, whatever
degree of progress he may accomplish, he is no more than a
mere animal endowed with reason and certain special qualities
which are the apparent human equipment as distinguished from
other living beings. The real exaltation of man and his superio
rity to other living species, however, is established by the spiri
86
R8
8.
"
90
,T
QURANANDEVOLunON
rituality of Islam, and concluded that Islam with its 'mysticism'
failed in its mission of elevating humanity and was, therefore,
not worthy of consideration. From that time till now they
have hardly paid any attention to Islam as an important dispen
sation, and have, on the other hand, looked upon it as a hin
drance in the way of the general progress of mankind. 'Mysti
cism' is said to lead away the mind from practical life. The
spiritualism of Islam, with the exception of a few moments
,)f self-exclusion, leaves the Muslim entirely free to use his time
and energies for struggle in life. It does not forbid any profes
"ion or occupation unless it be clearly against the commonly
Jc~'epted moral conceptions. For these reasons no western thin
ker, s.cientific or otherwise, has ever undertaken to test Islam
practically as suggested above. The idea of Islamic spiritualism
i"i, therefore, based on what they learnt through the literature of
Ille time on 'mysticism', and consequently not correct. Islam
tkl'initely and forcibly invited human mind to profess the Unity
of the Divine unitedly with common aim and interest. Islam
t'l1collragcs the general struggle for advanCing and expediting the
human evolution so that mankind may soon rise to the God
in tended standard of ex cellence.
QURANANDEVOLunON
() r life
94
***********
A deep renection on FACTS will reveal the hitherto un
noticed Virgin Truth that Capital has inherently no value unless
the invention of the Scientist is there to be put into use by the
Capital. Another deep thought brings us to the equally startling
conclusion that "labour" comes to a complete standstill if the
Scientist withholds .his invention and refuses to teach the
labourer how to produce it. Brain is, thus, in practice the only
thing which moves Men and Money. The Scientist has realised
9S
96
97
a!
lands beyond the Earth; Le., make human body more fit for
habitation in celestial bodies.
Until the whole human sre..::i..:s is made to prepare itself for
such an Earth-wide struggle there is little possibility of an urge
exhihiting itself on such an intensive scale as would make
human brain and his physical organs evolvc il1tO hie-her forcL's.
***********
1t is problems like these which shall have to~ome. before
Man during the rule of the Scien tist over Earth, when the whole
of Mankind, through dire necessity, shall have become exclu
sively engaged' in the problem of the Conquest or Nature and
when instruments for .me acquisition of the knowl~ge or
Nature shall have to be changed at every stage of the develop
ment of it to better ones through the necessities of the struggle
. for existence. It may be that the collective effort~ of Man
towards probing into higher regions of Nature bring him to the
conclusion that the present physical organs of Man arc a red
undance and "hurdle" in his way, that intelligence, if it is
'to p~rvade and capture the whole Universe, must be devoid of
most of the present limbs - like hands and feet,which were ori
ginally meant by Nature to work in most limited spheres, or
legs which have no purpose left now, or sexual organs which
Man inherited from lower animals for the purpose of dissemi
nation in limited areas and at leisure, or even the aesthetic
nose, tongue or heart which were meant for the satisfaction of
baser desires of Man and so on. Only tl higher collective aim of
the caputure of the whole Universe, of making the whole
Human race pulsate with new life and energy through the
world-wide rule of the Scientist, can bring about these organic
changes on a general scale'and it is only a universal human urge
for evolution which can divest Man of baser incentives and
desires of today. Psychological preparation of Mankind for this
colossal task will itself constitute an effort of a very high order.
Foran intelligence to be competent enough to capture the
whole Universe, it is imperative that it should be Omniscient
and Omnipresent; in fact the very structure of the Universe in
genelal points out that these qualities cannot be attained by a
life of t1esh and blood. If intelligences exist in other parts of
the Universe they must possess organs consistent wi th the
livirlg circumstances of only that heavenly body in which they
99
\ '
'I
lOG
"
HH
"QURANANDEVOLUTION
QURAN AND EVOLUTION
lINIT OF ELEMENTARY LIFE shall have to be completely
understood in its working which produced the first motion
from dead matter and thereafter scanning will have to be done
as to how many Units there are in a particular case of life. This
cannot be the work of the scientist who deals with dead matter
but of the brain who has been successful in creating life. Man
so far has avoided the subject of study of life, as life (unlike the
lifeless matter) refuses to subject itself to his geometry and
mathematics. He must, therefore, start a new line of thought.
3. Investigations in to the Mystery of Life alone can chalk
out a new channel of knowledge of Man, which must be more
"NATURAL", more informative, also more powerful and more
evolutional for the Conquest of Nature than the present mecha
nical knowledge. Such a course will take Man to the "realm of
the spirit." away from the present mechanical "formulae"
and "equations", and must, in the course of time, open up new
ways of obtaining transporting power of an astronomical order
from the LIVING Nature. Circumstances obtaining in the celes
tial bodies being such as to preclude the possibility of making
a conquest of them with his present physical organs, Man shall
have to go deeper into the Problem of Life to discover how such
a life can transport itself to astronomical distances in the twink
ling of an eye. If knowledge of dead ma tter has given Man such
powerful transporting machines as run hundreds of miles an
hour against his legs, there is no reason why knowledge of Life
should not equip him with incredibly more powerful instru
ments of transportion for the purpose of the Conquest of
Nature.
4. Knowledge of Life alone can show Man the way to
evolve himself to higher "spiritual" forms of life akin to that
of the Supreme Intelligence that pervades the Universe. Man
unacquainted with the Mystery of Life and unable to create it
cannot hope to claim any power of su bstan tial and extraordi
nary nature in this Universe. The Conquest of Nature presumes
that Man should possess the attribute of OMNISCIENCE, par
excellence. Ignorance about life would create a lacuna in human
brain unworthy of his lofty position. Nature itself would refuse
to be conquered by an agency having this shameful desidera
tum.
Omniscience and Omnipresence having become more or
less the attributes of the evolving Man after a time, it is evident
102
III
The Quranic Verdict
All that Mashriqi stated in his essay 'Man's Role in Life'and
h IS later communication to tlie scien nsts unde!' the title
'HU1nall Problem' was based 011 his evaluation of the Ouranic
programme. This concept of his about the last of the rel'ealed
books was detailed in Hedit f1-ul-Quran where he described it as
"God's First and the Last ScientifiC Word with Mall ". This
treatise and his letter to the scientists were conceived almost
simultaneously in jail, a man'clous exercise: wllil(i the
allthorities were persecuting him for alleged conspiracy to
overthrow the government by force. lie himself was immersed in
the most herOic exposition of the ultimate form in which this
Universe would be disposed of Here are reproduced certain
portions of his analysis of the Quranic programme as done in
the .Hedith-ul-Quran--trallsla ted from Urdu--which are relevant'
to the theme of the present comnilation, that is, Qurim and
Evolu non .......... Ed.
AFTER all the eXf)lanation and elucidation Drovidcd :bv the
Ouran with <mch amazing authority, consistency and cop:erence:
the shape of a nation's highest stage of progress is abUndantly
clear: it tnf'<l"'S the attainment of knowledge, authority and then
revelational power (nabuwwat). The only way to achieve such a
position is first of all to have extreme awareness about the
. Being of God, and then,' after reaching the highest pinnacle of
this awareness, ~t( (lave face to face meting with God. It is so
evident in the -Quran that no further elucidation is called for. In
SuraAnaam is ";lld :
4\~~~-:~;J..7~\:..::..~r~1:~:"U
.:..:;;~ & :J;'<l\;,J:;.::~~;\
_..
..., ,
~"",,.",
105
'"
." J
,-}~\~(S~)~,.,~I~~,
":;"~1:;i";'~01~\1--:
L..;;;.tl
..
'"
~"
."..
J..~
IJJ- c$~1 )~t.e.:-;..;. .......:...~u~\~;;.~:ul~1
'"
~, ..
",,,
c.;;;:
,
,JI
.,_~_,
. . ,,,..,..JI',
~""",,""_""
~.,,,
"' . . "', . .
,.I,"''''!I#~'''
~.r)l1{...A....:> .. r...s--<-:t="'"~c.S~~~.,....a.ll,~I""':""'-'
....
l':
~J_)!.1,.tIV"'.,.
:I"~".'
;\"
1';1 . '" ., .
,...
'J
"",
t'
:.' "'; I
"' ......
Y::' ~~I~u~00~~,~9l:)J\~t~'tY\_~1~..1.)~C.
,
,....
".
. . . . , , : : ; , . , , ....
\ I .,
....
.# \
.. "" ,
..
... ~
...
"
11
"""'"
~\~~0::.;,J'':'4--~L;..b.\;C,:;:
. .H~L~';;~:;.G.J~~.:::.51
,
.)-...,/
."" .....
... .. .,.
...
...
,)
...""
,." >.t
".,1...
.....J ~
..p.I
\.,....
""
"r"
.I
.... ~' .. -:
"'1",\, o~~'';''\S~..J\.::..)'~-'\.:.~''lou~\.s.
106
107
mad~ abundantly clear that the nations which have lost hope or
meetIng God are such as have become iflle and neglectful as
see no Signs (guidelines) in this Book of Nature. 'fhey 'are
aver~e to e~fo~t and action and dislike hardships because they
a~e ,Immersed In, personal lus,ts and pleasure hunting; they are
afratd of hardshIps and conSIder it a torture to act upon the
Com.mandments of God Almighty, and for this very reason
can, In no sense be described as servants (abid) of God, Such
nat,lOns must have hell as their abode. This world is an arena of
actIOn; here ~ood reward is available only to a nation which
does well; LO Idler or heedless nation has any place here.
, The Quran has referred to this final stage, that of meeting
WIth God. at another place in the follOwing few words,
...... L; ,...... p, ~ '>"
.u . 0-", c~\ ~I;A:; ~",::::,)l ~l~ \~,G ~r:"l~~ 5~';;';'
".,,#
1 ""
"'''"
...
..
),~,,-;-
' ; u ,.,.
:: . . ,
., \ '
1,."
,J
'"
~'\':~' -~Yl'::'~I~;""'"
.-.l~I"u-- d....;J,~~~ ~ ~,
L?
' .. _
0;-- ....
",
..,I
11; - . , . ;
':..
j,
1oI[",,,!" ,("'I
-e.,,, -:
"'
"';~.
....
(!
c~~<;!""::.....:....~
'Time will soon come when We will show Our Signs in tile
furthest regions of earth and (not only across the world bu r )
also in their own souls (to those who consider this world to be
futile and idle away their tillle what trcmcndous a\hievemcnts
have been made in culture mld dvili/~lli()1l on :lccmint of them)
till it becomes to them clear that tllis (N;ltlIre lIndol\bt~dly) i.;
reality. Is it not enough that tlly Lord Llorh \.itness everything
(even the smallest part of man's effort an d aeh icvemen tS):
Beware that these Unbelievers (who have taken this Universe as
false and futile) entertain (strong) douhts ~\.'nceming thi.
Meeting with their Lord, and lake caution that God Almighty
doth encompass everything.' (41 : 5 ~-:'-+)
f ..
,,,,,
,.;
",.
-"""(;1':'" ~,J.,I<'.'~d
....1..:4J!YlJ...:...' J~).I.j,~tl,$'"";""!:;~j.\_::;'.b
J:.J.,....I
..u~-' ""-',...
,v-: + ..;-;: ,
' ....
"/ .. ",."
;.;
~,~-,,:_\\
'!'t"~,..r:!"ro':"~r.I~":'I"'\)'t,,~
,;
~
....
.,...,
lY>\
~~" ~ \;=: ~),.,;... ~~IJ
I
!.
,.-"'......"
'Those who reject the Signs of God (deduced from Natu r "\
and the Meeting with Him-it is they who have despaired of My
(boundless) mercies and rewards, and it is they who will
suffer a most grievious penalty.'(29:23)
.
\'f.\"""'''
"
1""'1
..
r:":
""AT"",
,,'
,,,"'~J/,,.,::,-;.,, ...
o.. .r
:J:'~' \..... t::...JI,.l.l.J,'-';
..... \\csQ,l;:...\..~:...l'-t..:,,-m.'Oll
"",,~..r~.
~,
,,~.J,J ""
"""':,..0
,
'And those who denied falsely Our Signs (in the Book of
Nature) and did not act upon them and (consequently) took as
false Hereafter's Meeting (with God, that is they did not take it
seriously that man's continuing struggle in this world w,ouJd
result in their Meeting with God)--such shall be brought forth
to (grievous) punishm~nt.' C~O: 16)
,) ,."...
, ':a.l " ... " ". ,J"' .."
",.,
1J':/~'I"..~''''''' .. ~ , .,. \" . . :}".. '(;
~~:;5 ~I Y\-'~~I'lo~ ~~ 11").1\ ~ ",,~ v:. ~\~\ I.:r u~
II<
.,
...
.# .., : " . ;
".
"....
1"
., ::: ..'
,.
.J,,~
. : ' ' ' .::t~\~,~ ..J~%.'~'6-'~ ll~~\~".HU;'
O~~~ _....
-;I
i.
..'\.: ~.,
.......
. . . ,
.
view
.. ;'/'\ -:-'
~\:>"
ft
"tI"
........... '"
1', ~
'u
III
,..
"t"
~ \ '1 ~
,"',:"
o~~\~~"~~~~~.,
'"
~.
'
'
-"."..
..I
~,.~,
QURANANDEVOLUTI0N
",;~, J ~1~t-i1\"'!"':':' ~
U'~c....Jo-fII'
"Ah!
112
""'.,
,."
!.Io.l
!." ~"'!.
."!:
;III~';'
."
....
.,.
....
...._
~t:>: 1- 0 ~~q,"\(~.)~I!~\~""'-'':'':~I~..u
'And the day when we wlil gather them (to account for
their negligence, and this respite during which they strut
about comes to a sudden end) as if they had tarried but an
hour of a day; (then) they will recognise each other (that they
all were treading the same path. ::md will be convinced that)
undoubtedly whichever people denied the meeting with God
remained in loss; and they
were not prone to come to
right course.'( 10:45)
The Quran went so far as to declare that nations which
did not long' for meeting with God and id1e~ aw~y th~ir time
would advance an argument that if this meetingWlth God was
so essential as to make the fulfilment of the purpose of the
Universe dependent on it, then why, instead of human prophets
(who move about in bazars like cornman human bemgs, and
eat and dring like them), were not sent to them angels so that
they could instantly understand the signit1cance of the. message;
if this could not happen, at least they could ?ave a v~ew of the
Guardian Lord from a distance and Fhs
majesty ~nd
awesomeness could have inspired them to long for the meeting,
The Quran repudiates this type of es~pi~m with ~e argument
that. heedless idler communities whIch Indulge In such lame
'excuses are extremely vain about themselves. They refuse to
make effort and expect everything to come to
them
automatically because of what they consider their greatness'.
They do not realise what immense stages are to ?e pas~ed an~
what strenuous efforts are required before meetmg WIth Go.
Almighty becomes possible, and this is the reason of therr
t 13
QURA~
to etton an<.iactJOn.
'An~
r\\rll
A.\O I'.\'()LL'TIO~
arrogance. and
e'X treme
aversion
--'~"~:;"'(~'I"~'
.)~I~P\
_'~".:\<III'"
~!
,..~,":''''.I1:'~-:'~l'''
,~,.,~,;,"S.J''''
.).J
",',,1 ' \
....
9 ....
\~,
.. ,.;.
~,
'7 ~ \ ) J
~",'.":J;
"1f"'-7;n"
', ...
,:,
."
n-I
:"'1'
w'
\\t~i.)~.J~~ . . ~~"
~ ~
U~"",,~vL1.r-';---;;~"~~'
"
I: 'This Quran is me revealed form (sent down to man) of alKi tab (, that is the Science of the Book of Nature) about which
there is no doubt (and which is a permanent [ruth) from the
Lord of the Worlds (and the Nourisher of whatever is in them I,
o Prophet~ do these people say (to thee in view of its extremely
difficult programme) that he has forged it from his own side'?
Tell them that it is a truth irom thy Lord that thou may est
admonish a people (against the penalty of annihilation) to
whom no warner has come before thee: in order that they may
receive guidance (and tread on the right course I. ( Then to
comprehend this right ..:ourse, consider that) God is He Who
created the 'heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six
Days (of long durations extending over millions of years).
Then He established Himself tinnly on the Throne (of
auth~rity).' (..\nd when authority is with Him, then realise that)
there can be none besides Him to protect or intercede ( for
you). Will ye not then receive admonition? He (the Supreme
Ruler ) t1oat~ a law from the heavens t.,9 the earth. Then that
!law) evolves toward (Gou) (s'lowlv ~T'ld ...Iowlv, that. IS, is
finalised) in a uay (that is, duratIOn) the space whereot is a
thousand years of your reckoning. Such is He, the Knower of
the Fu turc and the Ascertainer of the Present God Who bestows
extreme exalfation (on nationsl and showers countless mercies
(on them for their prosperity and well-being). He is the same
God Who has made everything which He has created most good.
'and Who initiated man's creation with clay, then made (and
maintained) its progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a
fluid despised. Then, He fashioned him in due proportion and
. i.lreathed in to him something of His. Own Spirit (of Divin~
tJ,ualities). and gave youears, eyes and brain. (But how sad that)
115
fI4
;'.I.1/1~\:"]".1~)
~\.::'..!~~V":~)\(J~1~1':,.lG"
00""""",:,,;,1...1> \
;
":."1-:'
QURANANDEVOLUTION
.,,;
'"
- , ..
~ ~
~ (,''''
."
1.11
.,JO,."
\\..:;
~..,
;,.1(":",)'
:,,-".1 ,"
''''''
~ .....,Q,.I...
I CJ~..,l-,
r :::-;. H.~~",
\ . ';.-..... ... ) \~,., \... uy4~\"')
....
...iII'
",
, ...
".JJ .,.
Ji./ \ ,. ,.
".;..,
~."
"
..
.,
~'4-~~;:SS\.;;.:i'!l\"
~."_\"
. "'-.:-.... G\~l::..
.. ,:--'. ','
."
..
_
,'-..:r''''' ~ u~~
,. ., ...~~...J'-:It
~
~ t,:;, .::u 0 ~ ~ -'. '!", u:\!J I, ; ':'. >oJ I ~ ;;..:,; ~~j) ~ ~t,ij I:;;'
..
II '"
.,
.,....
",,,..,
"" ,;'"
"fJ..P,,,
#'
".
. ," . .
"'" ."
..,1_
.,.1,.
.
J1
r.
6'
~,
,.11>...
,
"",., J
./
*till;
..t.
"
)1" -,,.
~"'r "U~
. '(An~ alas!) If only thou couldst see the truilty ones who.
With theIr heads bent low before their Lord ,will be crying):
"Our Lord! We have seen (the truth) and understand (the
reality). Now then send us back (to the world) so that we
perform the (same) best actions (which Thou hadst commanded
us to do). Now. we indeed are convinced (and hence believe)".
If We had so willed. W.e would have certainly brought every soul
its true guidance. But the Word from Me will come true that HI
will fill Hell with jinns and men all togetller" (because I am
convinced that man is not prepared to understand the reality
and ultimate purpose of the creation of the Universe on account
of his self-will, conceipt and pride). Then (We will tell those
~eople to ) taste (this Hell) for committing the (sin) that ye
forgot the meeting of this day. Verily, We, too. forgot you, and
taste this perpetuating punishment for your (evil) of which
you were aware!
Ii 6
.: "" "'.. ., . . !
"", "..
',;~
.1.1
I .....
~ "',.,.
r'~I':)
..I :'
: ....1"
'i..!
:.I
:>", . .
wo'
oW~~f-lP($~'
"
"
,I ....... ,
0 U~.. ; 4 - '
...
1 IR
110.
~..I'"
,/
,~'"
' ~-""I..0!.~""""'''':'''~IU''''-"",,~,~-,
\ ~ ~,/ , ~
J'" , -:,.. .<.,.... , J ~ .,. '" , , , , ,
..._
,;#
'.2..-~~\,;rl:"l,,)-,........r..,c...;.....,+~.>',)w.:...:i;'\',:'
;I
~\"'''
"
..t'
t\-l'r'-I"r
I,,..."
_,.~.... ~.....",~
-:
.# 1',-
"L
~I, 'l"
Ol..)~~~ 0,1;'5-,
Revelation j'.
..I
,/
..
..,.
...,...
,,-o~l"
. ? ; ; J ;.\-:: ....
=-=-~~~V'""uJ
~
>
(.",;)!'" J '''' , , "
,~". "'"
.
\)~Jol' 'O'71...,(Ju~uJ~I~~~~"j !"(~.\!~
... "
,/
- "
"r--::,~;~
r- r----~...
<II'" ., vi
",.;;
'l":""
1"-"~ ~ r-y t.'lo~~\.b\..::...Il1'*1.
..
~ -
l"
-il)
~.)'-=';,
~!.
l
'.
0__._
IRa Mim,'
-,
"""
",:,J>
11",
~I';'::~\~l(rl
,,::-,Cfi'J.:;.~
, ,
()
Ponder~
Sma lathiya
The revelation in the Hedith-ul-Qu/'Gn of this amazing
intlucement to man by the Quran might not be convincing
for those who view the Divine Documen t in a superficial
manner; the present day West-oriented and 'enlightened' Muslim
does not consider worth attention any disclosure made by the
East. Such a Muslim might think that the research undertaken
in this book (the Hedith-ul-Quran) is a far-fetched attempt to
establish the superiority of the Quran, otherwise a continuous
reading of the Quran does not take.a common man to these
conclusions. and he does not feel obliged ttl accept what has
been arrived at in the Hedith-ul-Quran. On the other hand, the
J.20
."
,,~ ..~
{
:I".
-"'''''';'
.......'"
..P
I'; ;
~ ...... \ ...
14
r='" u
""'"
,/
'
..
:J ....
o f::-:I U"~.) ~
.:,
'.'
r~ '..;:J.I
. . '" \
",,/""".
.'
'-'I..u:,
r"-li-'..J
~ 1..1;;"" ..:e.:.........M..s ~
'"
"'......
.... :.. "- ..,,
. F. ::llt!mber, that whatever' We have explained :.lbOvel
that alone is true' Guidance: And those who rejected the
( Re'/ealed) rlyaat (and refused to act upon their directives l.
for them is a Grievous Penalty of abomination.'
-,,;
I :....:..
""
,
~ tl.P ........ ' '" ~ .;~;' i ,. 1~1 -= ;:/.1 ~ t~:;:t.;~
.I, '~"'>
~"'~"""'.""""';
... ~ ."
.":;..
/
..
.,. ~
..
o~1.J~\~~~'
''6-~
~'"
.....
."
.....
;
W~""
~ "'" '-,
,., ..I'~
,\~!.:.. ~ ;t.,t,.'"
\ "",.N .. ' \-_:~':i ),~"\\?L,.X..:':.-! ~;....>~ t..r ,9J-l\"""~\~
o ,-.,\~.'6~~-:~"""
,.,
~\"
-'
,
. 'Woe to each sinful dealer in Falsehood (who is
committing the grievous crime of not looking at the Reality of
Nature, ( 'And considering it futile, is arrogant towards it. Alas,
that) he hears the Signs of God rehearsed to him, yet Ion
account of his ignorance) is he obstinate and haughty as if he
had not heard them. Then (0 Prophet!) announce to (such)
a (stupido) fellow a Penalty Grievous. (The arrogant indifference
of such persons to Nature wiII eventually destroy their
community). '
."
" '"
.~~
.#!I .. *
.I"" "" ~ ~;I "" ..... . "
'~,.L
.. ""
,"
":1;',",
c~'"..:'\..:..... ~..!W,\lo'~,.;.fI~~I.......;;a;';':I~!"';"" :>.:
'"
.,.
.....
.,tII
....
A.nd (not only this.) He has subjected to you lfor your use)
:is from Him aU that is in the heavens and the earth. Verilv.
in this (new disclosure which has just been made) a,;,e
\ thousands ot) Guidelines (Signs) for a people which renects.'
lr'o'u';;;:jlt"';JI~;\';:~~[~\
(.;.; ... ~~l:.
~~
~,,_
~
?.,;. 1.::
!J
'Z:' ",
, ,,,' ..,
....
"
'"
c r-~ yl.A.J.,:..:"J)~.;
W,IcUlt
,
, '"
..
"
'"
.,til
, . . . , - "....
.,.,.&.,.. . 1 / #
>~~\
,...;,,#
"'"
l-ll-'~I"
<III'
It
!"',/ _; '"
,.~
-t""
~ ..
"'."
.....
'""-;.\..::...~
....
.J""
.,..."..,; ",.
".
, ;:.\ \;~;
,.
:>:~ ~"./
oU~,).l
-: ;:t:,:,:.,.-'
"(. , ,!,~/
... ) ,Gi",.. ~I
..
....... -' r-. . .,.-., ,
0...>
"'::
--""
~..:,
"*,,
125
'Tb!!n seest thou not such a one as takes his gods his own
vain uesires. and in spite of knowing that none except God
is the .\u thority in, the worlu'? God left him astray and
sealed his ears and the heart and put a cover on his sight. Who.
then. can guide such a ant! after Gou (has withdrawn His
Guidance)'! Will ye not then receive :.ldmonition from this'!"
(~arth, and when the Day the Hour ;.mived, all the falsHiers
('~;.....;.s>-!'J//~, .....
ou
? ..
.;-,~.Jt,,~,
.;
,.J""JO/
... \ - '
.r/."..
.>: ,
~..
.J
;.,;
,;.,......
~
I"'-"" ~....,
'=::t
).-
!:.J-"'.1
>..
~ ~:
\ 2I~
C> ~.):.~-iJ'
/.., \
"
j - ., I..>""::::::::'..J.S.
':t- \
__..._
.,. '_ . - .",Jr.,."A
" ...., ....
I
'
"-t
.... ! ;
, ",,, ~!.." ~
:1..
1:. :;;/.
~~..J~~"':;"--..;"'.I~.:J ~\U-::'~-'-'
"
.' ~
~ '"
.P....
~~IJ- .,;,AJ1'-,...s=,J
;.
wi'
..,
'Tell them. "God will give you life. then will give you death,
and then He will gather you together on the Day of Judgement
{~nd obtain account of what ye did)". But most people do not'
know (that on that Day everybody will be individually asked
to give account of his actions).'
j"
~v-
......
""
r'
u~s'..1 ;;~U"ltr.(
'/I~ ~
~~.c...\J ...._,
~
..J"'-.l
,.,--:..
;>Uy~
""
,.1
~t.:..u,~
...
.e. l
to',~
'. And the nation which rejected God, (to them will be saLi;
(as has been stated at the beginning of the Sura), "Were not
Our Si~ns rehearsed to YOll, but YOll were disdainful' and
arrogan t. and tInts became a people given to sin. ,J,
'And when it was said (to you) that the Promise of God ,!-nd
Hour of destruction were both true and there was 'no doubt
about their happening. you woulrl say. "We know not what this
125
1"-'.,
.~.
stated that their conquest and the study of the Book of Nature
can alone lead to man's meeting with the Creator of t.;e
h~avens and the earth, and this alone is aimed at in the Divine
W~ll. 1?en ~s stated how Bani Israel perished by misreading the
Directives In the Book of Nature, and how it was now the
responsibil~ty of the followers of Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) to adopt these Signs of Nature as their course
of action, and to ensure that they do not get annihilated by
following desires of ignorant people. The third stage of this
knowledge comes in the beginning of the third Section when
God Almighty makes the momentous disclosure' that the
heavens and the earth were created by Him on Truth and that
the only purpose Of this creation is to reward each individual
for his actions, and to punish those who do not take: Nature as
their sole guide: those who, by indulging in pleasuretul pursuits,
lose sight of the real purpose of life, and take death and
life as a mere routine without any significance; such are ,the
people as will receive Grievous Penalty. TI1ey will be confronted
...with the Book that was given to them, and Questioned what
their fate was after what they did in taking ail this in Jest'
"Today We forget thee as ye forgot Us, and We meet those wh~
had faith in Our Nature."
In ,short, every word of this Sura .is in support of the claim
made In the Hedith-ul-Quran about the Quranic programme
and about the entire meaning of Islam as explained in Tazkirah
and
Da_h-al-Bab. __The expressions Ayyam Allah and
Uqa-i-yayl1Ul kum haza confirm in entirety my-~fore mentioned
;hemes--the Status of God, the position' ot man and man's
retum'--that eventual Meeting with God constitutes the
u:tirr:at~ objective of man's creation, and the only course to
thIS IS Intensive and unceasing investigation of the Book' of
.,.1.1'
""
......
"
.J).
,p ... "'.;
'"
~ \.Jj"'~"'!
J -
r ~:..
"...
-",'"
C1
"
,,,, ..
."."
;;'
\,""
"",';":,;.jl..:u~
:.... ~ \ ~.,.
" .,...
;II
0'
I
the same words occur in thalast verse. In the begmnm" ot tae
Sura are mentioned Ayaat of al-Samawa t ancral-Ardh a~d ::>f
the terrible punishment for peoples who considered ~em futile
and foolish: the same picture is drawn at the end ot the Sura.
'tn the second section comes a new disclosure--that all that
exists in the heavens and the earth is meant for man: it has been
128
Nature.
130
pone the scrutiny of the Work of Goa and undenake the study
of the Word of God. On that day will change into belief their
entire perplexity and state of indecision; their doubts about the
'straight pa,th' wil~ t~tally disappear; the predominantly wrong
concept of fitness WIll undergo repeated corrections and evolve
in fullness; most of the social and cultural principles formulated
in the light of their knowledge of Nature will receive surprising
corroborati~n from the words uttered several thousand years
ago; they WIll be able to form correct idea of the knowledge of
the Prophets; they will obtain precise and correct information
about their own misguidedness and the divine and authoritative
testimony of their rightmindedness. Then will also be rendered
impossible their present pretended ignorance about the Creator
of the earth and the heavens; no longer will tlley be able to reject
the wine while moving about with the intoxicated. An unhesitat
ing belief in the Wisdom of the Supreme Knower, a scientific
view of His Blessings, and a compelling desire to push ahead will
fertilise this vast field of action. Then human beings, too, will dis
play affection for each other; frequent massacres will no longer
pollute the 'paradise' of their social happiness. If the West and
the East truely viewed Religion from this level of knowledge,
and if Science, too, by receiving it with kindness and affection,
proved anew the Words of{;od as the common path of man, his
sole course, one more Unchanageable Message of the Sustainer
of the Universe, one more Infallible Law of His, rather man's
sole refu~e and unique abode of his safety; and if the dwellers
of the earth showed wisdom and prudence, instead of debating
the persons of the Prophets attended to the Fundamental
Directive of God Almighty revealed through them, and adopted
as their course of action the real Law by ignoring offshoots and
symbols then Hell will be totally closed to them, the busy Devil
will have nothing to do in this world, and instead of the
unfortunate earth being its abode, it will have to flee to some
other planet.
It is only today that the immense reality of Revelation can
become manifest to man when his know/edge is rising to the
higllest plane, when he longs for a contact W~tl1 the Mercury,
wher thl! sway of his ears and eyes has extended to the edge of
the sky, when his penetrating intelligence is having a total.view
of the bewildering Universe, when he has before hint full picture
of the fall and rise of nations. What understanding the
134
135
QURANANDEVOLUTION
II
';
136
1~7
!L~is
of which I am obliged
,I
dilemma, it may, in the quest of the true path, call one thing
Tom and then from Dick may rush to Harry, but the Quranic
verdi'cts are Immutable for the reason that human nature will
be
139
pronouncemen~
tha~
f:Jl~
141
140
.1
145
revealed that nothing that exists within the four walls of the
heavens and the earth is without purpose, nothing is super
fluous, nothing is false and futile. There is harmony between
the fly and the flower, water and fire, sun and sugar, sound and.
light. Coal and the harmonium possess the same tune and
rhythm; the electric current and the candle liaht
are the same'
o
nay, We thunder of lightning and its light constitute one and
the same thing, Through all of them is running the current of
kinship; same is the Planner and Administrator of all, same is
the scheme and same is the solution, Water and fire are
bewild~ri~g t?an by their friendliness inside the steam engine;
the , mSlgmficant mosquito is tumin 0a out to be man's
excu~oner; worthless and infinitesimal germs are proving
deadher than the gun and the sling. Apparently very insginifi
cant creatures are enga~ed in mighty works: each one of them
has its own assignment; each is inalienably linked in some chain'
e~ch is removino, some defect, is brid.'5ing some gap, curing som;
?Isorder, some fault somewhere. From the day this amazing
~us~~ss and balance, this revealing cooperation, this awe
mspmng harmony and unity in this bewilderin a Universe are
bei?g uncovered, from the same day is really being proved the
~m~y and .oneness of God; from the same day has become the
diSSident mute, spell-bound, and utterly dazed. 'If there were, in
the heavens and the earth, other gods beSides God, there would
have been confusion in both! But glory to God, the Lord of the
Throne:' (Wgh is He) above what they attribute to Him'
(21:22),
The harmony of the Quran is identical to this harmony of
Nature. The narrow-visioned and the unknowing cannot see
this . harmony; by merely looking 'at it, they feel crestfallen
a~d disgu~ted. The ignorant has split the Quran into separate
pieces; the short-sighted considers that many of its words are
unnecessary and superfluous; the maul})i is engaged in its fluent
non-stop reading; the hafiz mutters it in his own way' the
nar:ow-visioned ~ling to different parts and thus have ~t up
is indulging in extreme
their se~arate Idols; the sufi
exag~eration. over a part of it; the seclutionist, by tearing a
porfl~n of It from the text, is creating an atmosphere of la
taqraDus~alaat (do not go near the salaat), Like the famous story
of the nme blind, one is calling it a pillar, another likening it to
a fan, and still another believing it to be a wall. In short the
J4fi
147
.-.
1 __ ...
,.,.JI . . .
i"
..I
~\,.;?r,('.::,...r.
.~\~~\~u:.;.I($~\.,..
..... "",.;
... !I , . . ~
JJ '"
.... .....
~ ~ I"",
......
...... :::, . . ,'J"oo~ .......
.\':.~7 _~"t\r ... l~
_1:._
\.:&:..1
~ L.::,\... . ~ .... V~.:rv;.....,
.. '" ~~..
u -:. _ ",...
.. ~
, ..... ~ "''-''',."" . ..
""J
J,
.. .,
,..
.....!""( '"
."""'/
,,,
D'
.~I~~t;.Il>"~lji~.u.;.::,C.~\'o~l'f#~I:.. u..;.tI",~;
151
QURANANDEVOLUTION
OU~AN
AND EVOLUTION
154
155
i:s wisdo:n. The hidden truth, whose con cealm e'nt and attrac
tIveness Itself were enough- to invoke till eternity a whole
world to e~bark on its continuous research, has today become
stale .and . m~ffe:tual. ,!,he Divine verses, the quest for whose
meanmgs 111 ItseIt constItuted a continuing inducement for the
organ of peace and pleasure of this world of action to play
~ouder, ha~e ~oday become a nucleus of stagnation and obliv
~on, sectan~msm a~d im becility through man's arrogance and
Igno~an.ce, matten tIOn and indifference. The
rust of false
c~nvlctIOns and distor~ions is eating in to whatever power is left
wIth the Ummah. The commentators and religious scholars have
bequeathed. t? posterity structures of their own separate and
pe~ty conVIctIOns; everybody is clinging to his own 'idol' and
Idhng. away his time, and quivering like the dying flame of the
monllng candle is providing superficial evidence of his existence
In my view the c~mmentator of a law is duty-bound t~
de~lO~strate that all Its clauses collectively converge to one
obJe~t~ve, ~ne s~preme purpose; he should, with the system of
admullstra~l~n In view, explain the real motives of the clauses;
by de te~mmmg correc~ meaning of each clause, he should try
to explam the system Itself. The purpose Of each directive and
e~ch prohibitive order should be shown as aiming at the coHec
tI~e and individual security of the people; the consequences of
dlsr~gard should be cl~ar; the reward of obedience should be
obv~ous: the administration's power should be fully evident;
~etnbuti.on a~d punishment should be seen as actually happen
mg, ]n fact, It should be -demonstr~ ted bv the commen tator of
~~ la~ th,at unaerneath me basic pOlIcy or do's and don'ts lie a
hvmg Justlce and equity, a faith inspiring logic, an irrefutable
:eas~ll. a dominant cause and an ivigorating kno~""ledge which
m,evItably cause among its followers the birth of a world-wide
sttr and a longing for action. They should witness in that logical
and stable, powerful and just administration an abiding link
between reason and retribution, cause and effect basis and
outcome, and adopt willingly or unwillingly thi~ cause and
effect relationship as their course of conduct. I believe that the
~rop~ets manifest~d ~he Law of Nature to their people exactly
In tIllS. manner; thIS IS why their performance was unparalleled
and thIS ,really .is the first and the last stage of Faith. A commen
ta.IY whIch falls to proje~t the Quran in this form is a body
WIthout soul whose eXIstence or non-ex istence makes no
156
QURANANDEVOLUTI6~
158
159