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Framework for an Islamic life in IndiaNazeer AhmedPublished online: 20 Mar 2007.

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Framework for an Islamic Life in IndiaNazeer Ahmed

IntroductionThe fundamental question confronting the Muslims in India is this: How can alarge Muslim minority lead an Islamic life in a predominantly non-Muslimcountry, a country whose constitution is secular and which proclaims socialismas its avowed goal? The question is not theoretical because the life of anindividual as well as that of a society is largely a function of the moral, ethicaland social framework that the individual or society subscribes to. In the caseof Muslims in India various frameworks have been offered to accommodatetheir Islamic involvement. Of these, mention must be made of (1) The Qurbantheory (2) The Muahada theory, and (3) The Withdrawal theory. All of thesetheories suffer from serious deficiencies.

The Qurban theory suggests that the Muslims in India are to be written offso that an 'Islamic State' may flourish across the border. This theory is sooutlandish that it does not merit serious consideration. A body of 75 millionhuman beings cannot and will not be sacrificed at the altar of any cause, anyideology or any state.

The Muahada theory seeks a parallel between the existing situation in Indiaand that which existed when the Prophet Muhammad made a truce with theJews in Medina. This analogy is inaccurate. The Muahada between the Jews inMedina and the Prophet was for the coexistence of two groups each of whichmaintained its political and social independence. The question before theMuslims in India is not merely how to coexist with their fellow citizens but alsohow to participate as equals in the body politic of a society.

The Withdrawal theory suggests that the Muslims withdraw from politicallife and concentrate on social reconstruction. This constitutes a refusal toaccept the rights and responsibilities of full citizenship. Politics is the life-blood of democracy and to shun political involvement is to foregoparticipation in the rhythm of a society. It is a solution not consonant with thedynamics of Islam.

In this paper we will attempt the following:(1) Examine the paradigms that personify Indian social ethos and see how

these paradigms are likely to change in the near future.(2) Examine the assumptions that have been made by Indian Muslims in

their perception of the historical process, and see how these assumptionsare responsible for some of their collective actions.

(3) Present a framework for Islamic life in India.

Indian Social Paradigm: The Spiritual UndercurrentThe social milieu in India is a complex one. It is subject to a multitude of crosscurrents. There is also an apparent diversity in the cultural patterns that are tobe observed in this vast and variegated land. Nonetheless, certain social

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undercurrents provide a commonality to the experiences of the peoples thatinhabit this land.

An insight into the social ethos of a society may be provided by an inquiryinto the personification of achievement and accomplishment cultivated andextolled by the members of that society. Consider, for instance, the case ofJapan. The symbol of achievement there was the samurai, the warrior.Japan's rise to an industrial power in the latter half of the nineteenth centurywas a manifestation of a samurai will to resist the onslaught of- the West andits institutions. This spirit was again manifest in the expansionist attempts ofImperial Japan. Whether the rising sun that is the emblem of the economicmight of present day Japan will again become the brazen sun in the samuraitradition is a question only the future can answer.

Europe is another case in point. For a time, from the sixteenth centuryonward, in Western Europe the symbol of achievement was the empiricist.Galileo, Robert Boyle, Newton all symbolized this tradition. It was thisdedication to empiricism that heralded the Industrial Revolution and the riseto power of Western man. The lone achiever, the predecessor of today'stechnologist, was the emblem of success.

In the Middle East, in the classical Islamic period (from the second to thefifth century A.H.) the embodiment of success was the hakim who combinedin himself a deep knowledge of religion, Islamic empiricism, Greek rationalismand Sufi mysticism. Abu Ali Sina, Al-Beruni, Al-Farabi, Omar Khayam allsymbolized this attribute of classical Islam. But with the works of Al-Ghazzalithe emphasis shifted from the philosophical to the gnostic. The fall ofCordoba in 1236 and the destruction of Baghdad in 1252 marked the end of theclassical Islamic period. Thereafter the sufi and the traditionalist replaced thehakim as the personification of achievement and success. The relative inertiaof that part of the world since the thirteenth century may in part be explainedby this change.

Now, let us look at India. The symbol of achievement there has been thespiritual man. From Gautama Buddha to Mahatma Gandhi, the great men ofthis land fall into this universal image. The veneration that is bestowed uponJaya Prakash Narayan these days is based primarily on the fact that he fallsinto this universal image. To this day the sadhu and the fakir command therespect of the Indian masses to a degree that would be irksome to the Westerneye. Religiosity and spirituality have always been and continue to be adominant part of the Indian social ethos.

One may ask at this stage if this paradigm will hold for the next twenty-fiveyears. In this age of rapid technological change it is risky to project into thefuture. Nonetheless, one may venture to submit that the spirituality of theIndian people is likely to hold in the years to come. Social paradigms are areflection of the historical experience of a people and of their hope for thefuture. They are not destroyed except through revolutionary upheavals andthat too after great effort.. If there is any lesson in the results of the post-emergency elections it is that the Indian masses overwhelmingly prefergradualism to a dictated and forced revolution.

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The Undercurrent for Economic and Social JusticeHowever in the years to come changes will occur. The condition of a people isnot determined solely by the universal figures they uphold and honour. Theenvironment they sustain and which sustains them has an important influenceon it too. This environment dictates the structure of the institutions thatgovern a people's life. It also acts as a modulator of the changing culturalpattern of a people. There is always a dynamic equilibrium between the socialvalues of a people, the institutions that govern them and their changingculture. Structure, people and their culture are thus three corners of aframework within which any examination of a society must be made.

Looking to the future it is not hard to see a certain directionality to theenvironment that is evolving in India. This directionality is partly a result ofthe stresses that are being applied on the balance between population andresources. In just 23 years from now, in the year 2000, there will be over abillion people sandwiched in the land mass between Kashmir and KanyaKumari. This explosion in population and the tide of rising expectations willplace an enormous burden on available resources. When resources are notsufficient to meet demand the existing social and political institutions comeunder stress. In a condition of scarcity some lose out in the scramble for whatis available. Demands for economic justice will increase from these have-nots.This suggests that the issue of economic justice will be a prime motivator oflife in India in the years to come.

This vision of India is not futuristic. The future is already upon us. Theper capita income in India is only $100 year. 40% of the people — about 250million — exist on less than $50 a year! This is what an average American familyspends for food in a week. Political opinion in India has been sensitive to thissituation for some time. That is why the credo of 'socialism' has been astandard slogan for every politican since independence. Very few of those whoraise such slogans understand the assumptions that are built into a socialistframework. What is certain is that by socialism they mean some kind ofegalitarian society whose members enjoy a fairly uniform income andconsumption pattern. The socialist credo in India is thus a vague analogue foreconomic and social justice. Politicians understand that there exists a strongsentiment for economic and social justice in the land and they pay at least lipservice to this sentiment through slogans for socialism.

In summary, the two strong currents that have existed in the dynamics of theIndian milieu are the religiosity of the people and the longing for economicand social justice. Any framework that does not come to terms with these twodominant currents is not likely to prove workable.

Assumptions about HistoryBefore proceeding to elucidate a model for Islamic life in India, I would like toexamine certain assumptions that Indian Muslims — indeed most Muslims —have made about the historical process. These assumptions have been with us along time and it would therefore be incorrect to ascribe them to the influenceof the West upon India. It is not our intent here to examine the inadequacy ofall such assumptions. That effort properly belongs elsewhere. But we will

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examine one or two assumptions that have a bearing upon what we arediscussing.

Consider the assumption of causality. This same assumption is made by thenatural scientists in constructing a picture of the physical world. The mostdevastating result of this assumption is the deduction that history isevolutionary. Similar assumptions in the physical sciences led to theevolutionary theories of man which have had such a major influence onhuman thought down to our own times. The assumption of causality finds itsapplication in the evolutionary theories of religion, and relegates religion to theposition of a sub-branch of anthropology. How many of us, for instance,accept statements such as: Islam was founded in the seventh century AD byProphet Muhammad? It is as if Islam was a new religion that was promulgatedby the Prophet. Such a view is contrary to the Quranic view of Islam.- TheQuranic view is that man is governed by time-independent, universal lawswhich are always valid, that Islam always is and always will be.

The acceptance of an anthropological view of Islam has led some Muslimsto a myopic and exclusivist view of social justice. It has led to a 'we' and 'thou'attitude in our relationships with fellow men who are non-Muslim. It has led toa hardening of beliefs about Darul Islam and Darul Harb, and to anassociation of these ideas with specific geographical boundaries and specifictime periods. We will show that these views are not in keeping with theQuranic view of man.

Political AssumptionsMore serious than the anthropological assumptions are political assumptionsabout nations and national sovereignty. The ideas of national sovereignty are adirect outgrowth of the assumption that man is autonomous and that he as anautonomous agent can shape an objectively existing world. Again, such ideashave been with us at least since the time of the Greeks but it was not until thenineteenth century that these assumptions found widespread acceptance andresulted in the unchecked growth of European nationalism. Nationalist ideashave also filtered into Muslim thought. There has been an acceptance of theview that the Muslims constitute a nation, that it is the manifest destiny ofsuch a 'nation' to seek its fulfillment in the confines of a geographical entity.According to this view, Islam started with Prophet Muhammed and all thosewho subscribe to this new religion constitute a nation. Such nationalist viewsare a distant echo of nineteenth century European nationalism. They imply apretension of human sovereignty. Again, such views are not in consonancewith the teachings of the Quran. The Quranic view is that sovereignty belongsto Allah, that there is a one-to-one relationship between man and God, that allmen are created in justice and equity, that man can live in an 'Islamic State' nomatter where or when he lives.

Framework for an Islamic Life in IndiaA fundamental pre-requisite for such a framework is that it must reflectgenuine Islamic values and not be based on expediency.

The second pre-requisite for such a framework is that it must consider,

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respect, augment and utilize the social and cultural paradigms that exist inIndia.

Some Fundamentals From the Quran(1) The light of Allah illuminates the consciouness of all mankind:

Allah is the illumination of the heavens and the earth. (xxiv,35)(2) Justice is indivisible. It is available to all men:

We created not the heavens and the earthAnd all between them, but for just ends (xv, 85)

(3) All men are created and sustained by God:All Prayer is due God Almighty Who is the Creator and Sustainer of allworlds (i,i).

(4) No man is barred from the favours of Allah:Of the bounties of thy LordWe freely bestow on all —These as well as thoseTheboun ties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone) (x vii, 20)

(5) No group has exclusive privilege for the favours of God:Say: 'O ye that stand on Judaism !If you think that you are friends to God to the

exclusion of (other) men, then express yourdesire for death if you are truthful (lxii, 6).

(6) Differences exist between people so that through them men mayrecognize and sustain each other:O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male and female,and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other(not that you may despise each other), (xlix, 13)

These ayats clearly demonstrate that the favours of Allah are not exclusive.They are not available to one individual or one group any more than they areavailable to another individual or group.

One may ask here: If the favours of Allah are available to all men, whyshould one be a believer and submit his self to Him? The answer to thisquestion is this: The favours of God are available to all. It is through his ownactions that man denies himself these favours. Man was created in the best ofmolds. He was promised a noble destiny. It is his transgression that denies himthis nobility and drags him to the lowest of the low:

We create man in the best of moldsThen do we cause him to be abased to the lowest of the low. (xcv, 4-5)

That is because God never changes theGrace He has besto wed on all peopleuntil they first change that which is intheir hearts, and God hears and knows all. (viii, 53)

Every man 'sfate we have fastened on his own neck, (xvii, 13)

One who submits his self to God lives in consonance with himself, and his

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actions bring harmony and felicity to all around him. One who transgressesand believes himself self-sufficient, hides the truth and his actions inevitablyfold upon themselves and come to naught:

Their deeds are like a mirage insandy deserts which the man parched withthirst mistakes for water, until when hecomes up to it, he finds it to be nothing, (xxiv, 39)

Islamic View of HistoryAs opposed to the accepted view of history where situations evolve from one tothe other towards an undetermined and purposeless future, the Quranic view isthat history is governed by certain eternal, unchanging, timeless, universalcharacteristics. God is the First Cause of all there is:

A nd verily unto Us (belong)The End and the Beginning, (xcii, 13)

All decisions submit to God in the end:

To Allah belongs all that is in theHeavens and on earth: to Him do allquestions go back (for decision) (iii, 109)

History is the struggle of man to aspire to God:O thou man!Verily thou art ever toiling onTowards thy Lord —Painfully toiling — but thou shallmeet Him. (lxxxiv, 6)

Man must meet God:

Lost indeed are those who treat it as a falsehoodthat they must meet God. (vi, 31)

History will be consummated when man returns to God:

In the end unto Him will be your return (vi, 60)

History has a purpose. And that purpose is to test man with the trust that hechose to accept:

And know ye that your possessions and your progenyAre but a trial and that it is God with whom lies your highest reward.

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History will culminate in Judgement:

Then, on that Day, not a soul will be wronged in the least,A ndye shall but be repaid the meeds of your past deeds (xxxvi, 54)

Islam is the religion of judgement. The Quran points out in truth that allthat man possesses, his life, his faculties, his nafs, and his creativity are giftsfrom Allah so that man may use them to attain the highest destiny that isavailable to any creation. But man is susceptible to a tension from forces otherthan those of truth. He can abuse these same gift and fall to the lowest of thelow. History is this struggle of man to attain the Truth and to eschew thedistracting tensions. This struggle is eternal, time independent and will exist tillthe Day of Judgement.

Observe that the Islamic view of history is universal. It embraces the totalityof man's experiences. Every achievement of man and each failure is like asingle stroke of a chisel on the edifice of human history. The character of thisedifice is known only to Allah but man is bound in struggle to create thisedifice. In this sense history is the struggle of man. For emphasis, I might addthat it is the struggle of all men, not just of one race, one religion or of onereligious group. All history is 'Islamic' in that it is a manifestation of God'sWill and of man's struggle. The entire earth is Darul Islam in that it is theabode of man.

A State of IslamThe question now arises: How can the guidance provided by the Quran beapplied to the Indian scene? Can a citizen of a democratic republic also be agood Muslim? How does the concept of an Islamic state apply to such asituation? Do we have to discard the old ideas of Darul Harab and Darul Islamto arrive at a satisfactory answer to the questions posed here?

Having shown that the modern concept of a state is an anachronism that hasno Quranic validity, and having shown that the Quranic justification fordifferences between peoples is for recognition, cultivation of friendship andamity, we are compelled to fall back on the concept of Ummah. In Quranicusage the word Ummah is a comprehensive word. Thus in Surat alBaqra: 213,all mankind is referred to as one Ummah:

All mankind were one Ummah.Again, in Surat al Yunus, 19:

Mankind was but one Ummah but differed later.

The word Ummah is also used for the community of those who submit theirselves to God:

Thus have we made of you an Ummah justly balancedThat you may be witness over mankind (ii, 143)

And finally, Prophet Ibrahim is referred to as an Ummah of one:

Lo! Ibrahim was an Ummah obedient to Allah (xvi, 120).

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The word Ummah thus connotes a high level of attainment. Man is blessedwith a degree of nobility over and above what is available to other creation.And amongst men some attain a higher degree of nobility than others. And theprophets attain a level of nobility that is the highest of them all:

And verily this Ummah of yours is a single UmmahAnd I am your Lord and Cher'isher, therefore fear me(and no one else) (xxii ,52)

Prophet Ibrahim lived in a state of Islam even though he was surrounded byan environment of denial and disbelief. His exalted position demonstrates thatliving in an Islamic state in the modern sense of the word is by no means aprerequisite for living in a state of Islam.

What is then a state of Islam? The Quran provides an answer to thisquestion:

Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is)the most righteous of you (x 1 ix, 13).

Following the guidance of the Quran we will define a state of Islam as a stateof righteous action. Righteousness springs from submission to the Will of Godand includes prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage. Even the act of believingis a concrete noble act which evaluates a man and increases his propensity forfurther noble acts. Concrete acts are the basis of which righteousness isjudged.

How does this concept of a state of Islam fit in with current ideas ofpolitics? Notice that honour depends on righteousness and righteousness in thelight of the Quran is submission to the Will of God. Living in a state of Islam isthus living in a state of righteousness. Submission to the will of Allah impliesliving in a natural state where man accepts only the ultimate sovereignty ofAllah over him. Such a state of Islam is available to man anywhere, any placeand any time as long as he can freely practice righteousness. When we speak ofthe ultimate sovereignty of Allah we speak of those gifts that separate manfrom other creation. Included in such gifts are the senses, reason and thenafs. These capabilities are not bestowed by any agent or institution besidesAllah. Only Allah is the ultimate sovereign.

Is it possible to live in such a state in a secular, democratic republic? Isubmit that it is, provided two conditions are satisfied: (1) There should befreedom of religion (2) There should be a large enough concentration of thosewho submit their selves to God. The importance of the first is rather obvious.The importance of the second lies in the relationship of a group to theindividual. An individual is nothing if not the relationships that sustain him.The existence of a cohesive, large group is essential for mutual reinforcementand for mutual teaching of the truth. These two conditions are satisfied inIndia. The answer to the question that we have raised is affirmative.

The First Principle: Taqwa:O mankind! Revere your Creator and SustainerWho created you from a single Nafs

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Created, of like nature, his mateand from them twain scattered (like seeds)countless men and women;Revere God, through whom you demand your mutual rights,And revere the wombs that bore you;For God ever watches you. (iv, i)

In the Indian situation, the religious undercurrent that pervades social lifeadds to the ease and facility with which an individual or group may live in astate of righteous action. To a Muslim a state of righteousness means a state oftaqwa. Thus, the first requirment for the construction of a state of Islam is tolive in a state of taqwa. And what is taqwai It is belief in God (shahada), it isreverence to God Almighty and to all mankind, especially to all women, it isprayer, fasting, charity in its widest sense, and pilrimage. That each of these isan act of taqwa may be shown from the following ayats:

This is a bookIt is guidance sure without doubtFor those who inculcate Taqwa (ii,2)

Oye who submit your selves to God!Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribedto those before you, that you may learn Taqwa (ii, 184)

Your riches and your children are but a trialBut in the presence of God is the highest rewardSo inculcate Taqwa with respect of GodAndspend in charity for the benefit ofyour own souls (lxiv, 15-16)

For Hajj are the months well knownIf anyone undertakes that duty thereinLet there be no obscenity nor wickedness nor wranglingin the Hajj. And God knows whatever good you do.So make provision for yourselvesBut the best provision is the practice of TaqwaSo do your duty unto Me, O men of understanding (ii, 197)

Living in a state of taqwa — meaning fear of God, piety, self-restraint,right conduct, reverence for all men and women, is the core of Islam. Someelements of taqwa are to be found in all religions. What we call the naturalreligiosity of people is a reference to the inclination towards taqwa. Thisreligiosity is embedded in the social ethos of the Indian people. A frameworkfor Islamic life in India must recognize the existence of this religiosity andmust build around it.

The realization that there exists a coincidence between the religiosity of theIndian peoples and the Islamic ethos of taqwa is not new. The spread ofIslam in the subcontinent was due to the work of Sufis who appreciated this

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natural coincidence arid utilized it to make the common people accept theuniversal creed of Islam. The need of the hour is to recall once again thisnatural coincidence and utilize it to make the common people accept theuniversal creed- of Islam. The need of the hour is to recall once again thisnatural coincidence and to build a thriving Islamic life in India based ontaqwa.

Second Principle: Justice:O ye who believe!Stand out firmly for justice,As witnesses to God, even as against yourselves,Or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against)rich or poor: for God can best protect both.Follow not the lusts (ofyour hearts) lest ye swerve,A nd if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice,Verily God is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (iv, 135)

We have pointed out that the immediate future will see increasing demandsin India for economic and social justice. Some Indian leaders, notable amongthem Nehru, realized this. Many of them were influenced by socialist thoughtas it existed in Europe at the turn of the century. They believed that these sameideas were applicable to the Indian scene. With this belief they made theattainment of socialism a national goal. However, there are problems with theapplication of socialist ideas in India. Socialism takes a purely materialist viewof man. According to socialist doctrine, the condition of man is defined by hisstruggle with nature to eke out a living from it. In the process, economicclasses emerge with each class subscribing to common cultural, ethical andeconomic values. History is created through a resolution of the conflictbetween these various classes.

Observe that this materialist view of man conflicts with the religiosity of theIndian people. That the people want economic justice is true. But they do notwant it at the sacrifice of their time honoured spiritual ideals. What they desireis social and economic justice, not an Indianized version of Europeansocialism.

In constructing a framework for an Islamic life in India one observes againthat there is a natural coincidence between a dominant social undercurrent andthe Islamic ethos. Equity and justice are fundamental to Islam. The emphasison justice in Islam is not confined to any single aspect of personal or grouplife. It embraces the totality of man's existence. It springs from itsfundamental teachings about the Unity of God and the brotherhood of man:

O mankind! Revere your Guardian-LordWho created you from a single NafsCreated, of like nature, his mate,A ndfrom them twain scattered (like seeds)Countless men and women;Revere God, through Whom ye demand your mutual rights,A nd (revere) the wombs (that bore you):For God ever watches over you. (iv, 1)

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The principles are there. What remains is their application. The Muslims inIndia must be in the vanguard of those who strive and struggle to bringeconomic and social justice to the masses.

Muslims and the Mainstream of Indian LifeFrom time to time one hears a comment to the effect that the Muslims arerecalcitrant, that they are not in the mainstream of Indian body polity. Thesecomments are without foundation. The two main streams of social thought inIndia have been religion and justice. We have shown here that the precepts ofIslam put primary emphasis on precisely these aspects of social life. It may betrue that some Muslims do not practice tagwa and do.not struggle for justice asthey should according to Quranic injunctions. They may be guilty of notpractising that which they are enjoined to practice. But the ethos that theysubscribe to and the values that they aspire to put them squarely in themainstream of Indian life, namely, in the stream of religiosity and social andeconomic justice.

Third Principle: ExcellenceThen strive together (as in a race)Towards all that is good (ii, 148)They shall reap the fruit of what they did,Andye ofwhat ye do (ii, 134)

While the cry for economic and social justice gets a sympathetic responsefrom everyone, its complementary demand, namely, that there be acorrespondening increase in the performance of individuals and society fallson deaf ears. We have pointed out that the demand for economic justice willincrease as the pressure on resources increases. The same pressure will operateat the production end of the economic spectrum. Everyone agrees that the piebe distributed equitably but very few work to increase the size of the pie. Thecry for justice in the absence of equal emphasis on performance has littlemeaning. Such one-sided emphasis leads to uniform poverty and misery foreveryone. There must be a balance between the demand for justice and equityand the demand for excellence in performance.

Such a balance is provided in Islam. As the above quoted ayats show, the•Quran enjoins man not only to stand firmly for equity but also to strive forexcellence. Such striving is not to be at the expense of fellow men but is to bedirected at improving the general condition of all. Thus the emphasis ontogetherness.

In the Indian context what does striving for excellence mean? It means that astudent should strive not just to be a good student, he must strive to be themost outstanding student. It is not enough that a teacher be a good teacher, hemust strive to be an outstanding teacher. It is not enough that a farmer get agood yield. He must strive to optimize his yield. It is not sufficient that aworker be a good, punctual worker. He must strive to be the most productiveworker/ It is not sufficient that an entrepreneur be a good entrepreneur. Hemust ̂ trive to be the most socially conscious, industrious manager of his ownresources as well as of those he holds in trust. Similarly, a clerk must aspire to be

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an excellent clerk, an engineer an outstanding engineer, a doctor acompassionate and effective physician, a lawyer a firm pillar of justice. This isthe vision that the Quran offers man. When all men work together towardsexcellence, justice takes on meaning. Otherwise it remains the empty credo ofhungry stomachs. The Muslims in India must inculcate this Quranic vision ofexcellence and struggle individually and collectively to contribute to their ownlot as well as of all those around them.

In summary, the framework for an Islamic life in India must have at leastthree elements — Taqwa, Justice and Excellence. This framework embodies init the Indian mainstream ethos of religiosity and economic and social justiceand also embraces the changing relationship between fhe people and theirenvironment. We started out by saying that the eternal, time independentprinciples of Islam are applicable for all times and all conditions. We haveshown that this is so in the context of modern India.

ImplementationIn seeking an implementation for such a framework one must remember thediversity of the land. The social relationships between individuals and groupsare not the same in Kerala as they are in Kashmir. In pockets of Northern Indiathere is considerable animosity between various religious groups. In the Southsuch animosity does not exist. The diversity of the land and its variegatedcultural patterns preclude the possibility of constructing a uniformcountrywide organizational approach to the implementation of anyframework.

Such implementation must therefore begin with the individual. The selfmust become the epicenter of a series of concentric circles within which Islamicinvolvement takes place. The practice of taqwa and construction of a lifewithin its boundaries must become the primary concern of each individual.The struggle for justice and excellence must remain the daily concern of everyman. This circle must then extend to one's family, thence to friends, village,town, province and country. The cultural constraints may be different in theNorth and South, East and West but the principles of piety, social andeconomic justice and excellence are uniformly applicable everywhere.

Taqwa

Self

FamilyVillage, town

Province, CountryJustice Excellence

As one looks to the future, one cannot but hope that this great body ofMuslims in a vital part of the world will continue to find inspiration in theirIslamic heritage to creatively confront the unfolding future. Difficulties there

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are, but with the blessings of Allah and with the creativity that He hasbestowed on man, these difficulties can be surmounted.

So, verily, with every difficulty there is reliefverily, with every difficulty there is relief, (xciv, 5-6)

NotePaper presented in the Tenth Annual Conference of the Consultative Committee of IndianMuslims in the United States and Canada, held in Chicago in July 1977.

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