Islamic Contribution

Islam, though not a new phenomenon, remains a dynamic religion for the simple reason that none of its human interpretations of the law are written in stone, nor does it claim to have a non-erring priesthood whose pronouncements may never be questioned by anyone without being branded a heretic. Its revelation, the Qur'an, is preserved in its original authenticity, but demands constant effort (known as  Ijtihad ) to find ways and means to apply its everlasting universal principles to the detailed situations unique to each time and place.

The Qur'an and the prophetic traditions (known as Hadith) are to serve as a guidance, not a straight jacket. In addition, they contain prophecies, or projections of the future, which provide an early warning system designed to enable believers to react appropriately and adequately to the trends of any particular time without falling into the trap of despondent submission to the forces of nature or the train of time which demands that we should passively acquiescence into what is perceived as inevitable.

A key concept of Islam is that of the balance of creation which demands from every individual to attempt his or her utmost best to restore the equilibrium which may have been lost through past mistakes. Let us, therefore, look at some of the predictions of the Islamic body of knowledge with a view to enable us to make a value judgment about what we observe around us and then respond adequately.

Image 1: The Ka'ba, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Image 2: The Prophets Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

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