Man and God
2
Man and God All men and women are born with the concept of God. Many different kinds of studies: anthropological, psychological, historical, religious... have shown that, since time immemorial, the concept of God has been deeply interwoven in human nature. Indeed, the concept of God is quite indispensable to man. Consciously or unconsciously, he is compelled to give this concept the central position in his life. Even apparent atheists, when faced with some crisis, spontaneously call out to God. In this matter, there is no known exception. Man requires a proper goal for his activities in order that he may continue his journey through life with satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment. At the same time, being an explanation-seeking animal, he seeks to explain his existence and the world around him. But, owing to his limitations, he feels helpless. Unaided, he can neither set himself the correct goals, nor can he fathom the meaning of human life. It is only by accepting a limitless Being such as God that this feeling of helplessness can be overcome. As experience has shown, most men and women live lives of largely unfulfilled desires. It is God alone who can give any ray of hope for their fulfillment, just as it is God alone who can give man the correct objectives. Perhaps the most important thing that God gives man is conviction. Man, owing to his peculiar nature, wants to lead his life with the courage of conviction and there is no other source of this conviction save God. As studies have shown, all men and women believe in God in one way or the other. Now the question arises as to why these believers in God do not arrive at the result they expect from their ‘belief’. Why even ‘so-called’ believers in God are deprived of divine inspiration? Why are people who put up plaques in their houses saying, “In God we Trust”, deprived of God’s blessings? Why do people who seemingly trust in God not receive His blessings in the real sense? This is because these ‘so-called’ believers in God have not been able to establish a genuine ‘communion’ with Him. Therefore, despite their belief in God, people’s lives are sadly lacking in divine blessings. This is the problem facing all men and women. Every man and woman believes, ideologically, in one god or the other. But so far as the result of such belief is concerned, it is not forthcoming. Every individual, from his own personal experience can understand that this problem is not one of lack of belief but rather of an absence of any outcome of belief in God. This is a universal truth, which anyone can understand just by taking stock of the events of his own life. There could be only one possible reason for this gap between faith and the result of faith. And that is, the so-called believer may be worshipping some non-god in the name of God. In such a case it is but natural that, in spite of believing in some god, he or she will not receive the result of belief. The reason for this is that people usually associate themselves with some non-God or the other. Although they utter such words as, ‘We believe in God”, in practice they have made themselves subservient to some non-deity. There are times, when some living or dead human being is placed upon the pedestal of divinity, while at other times the concepts of a sun-god or a moon-god become prevalent. Some, under the influence of humanism, have accorded the seat of God to man — what is called ‘transfer of the seat from God to man’. Others have placed the ‘law of nature’ as an alternative to God, while yet others believe that God is in everything including man and that we just have to make contact with our inner personality to receive God’s blessings. Still others believe in the monistic concept of God, according to which God is a vague spirit, rather than a Being with whom contact may be established. We can understand this gap between faith and the result of faith through the following example. If you misdial a number that does not exist on your telephone, you will very likely hear this recorded voice from the telephone office: “This number does not exist.” This is exactly what is happening with people as regards to their faith in God. People are calling upon such beings, in the name of God, as have no existence in reality. That is why their call receives the answer: “This god does not exist.” How do We Make Contact with God? The solution to this problem is that everyone should re-examine this entire issue. If he is serious about it, he will certainly reach the conclusion that he has to discover the system of thought in which he may find the concept of God in its pure form — that there is only one God, one Truth and one message of God. A number of scholars, in quest of a solution to this issue, have carried out considerable research on this subject. One of these was a highly educated Bengali doctor, Nishi Kant Chattopadhyaye, who gave the answer at great length in one of his lectures delivered in Hyderabad (Daccan) in 1904. (This lecture has now been published in booklet form: Titled ‘A Case of Discovery’.) He stated that in this matter, the actual problem is that all the religions revealed before the 7th century A.D., enshrined the concept of one God but, as time went on, it was not possible for their original scriptures to be preserved by their followers. In every religion the
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Man and God
Transcript of Man and God
Man and GodAll men and women are born with the concept ofGod.
Many different kinds of studies: anthropological,psychological, historical, religious... have shownthat, since time immemorial, the concept of Godhas been deeply interwoven in human nature.Indeed, the concept of God is quite indispensableto man. Consciously or unconsciously, he iscompelled to give this concept the central positionin his life. Even apparent atheists, when faced withsome crisis, spontaneously call out to God. In thismatter, there is no known exception.
Man requires a proper goal for his activities in orderthat he may continue his journey through life withsatisfaction and a sense of fulfillment. At the sametime, being an explanation-seeking animal, he seeksto explain his existence and the world around him.But, owing to his limitations, he feels helpless.Unaided, he can neither set himself the correctgoals, nor can he fathom the meaning of humanlife. It is only by accepting a limitless Being such asGod that this feeling of helplessness can beovercome. As experience has shown, most men andwomen live lives of largely unfulfilled desires. It isGod alone who can give any ray of hope for theirfulfillment, just as it is God alone who can give manthe correct objectives. Perhaps the most importantthing that God gives man is conviction. Man, owingto his peculiar nature, wants to lead his life withthe courage of conviction and there is no othersource of this conviction save God.
As studies have shown, all men and women believein God in one way or the other. Now the questionarises as to why these believers in God do not arriveat the result they expect from their ‘belief’. Whyeven ‘so-called’ believers in God are deprived of
divine inspiration? Why are people who put upplaques in their houses saying, “In God we Trust”,deprived of God’s blessings? Why do people whoseemingly trust in God not receive His blessings inthe real sense? This is because these ‘so-called’believers in God have not been able to establish agenuine ‘communion’ with Him. Therefore, despitetheir belief in God, people’s lives are sadly lackingin divine blessings.
This is the problem facing all men and women.Every man and woman believes, ideologically, inone god or the other. But so far as the result ofsuch belief is concerned, it is not forthcoming.Every individual, from his own personal experiencecan understand that this problem is not one of lackof belief but rather of an absence of any outcomeof belief in God. This is a universal truth, whichanyone can understand just by taking stock of theevents of his own life.
There could be only one possible reason for thisgap between faith and the result of faith. And thatis, the so-called believer may be worshipping somenon-god in the name of God. In such a case it is butnatural that, in spite of believing in some god, heor she will not receive the result of belief.
The reason for this is that people usually associatethemselves with some non-God or the other.Although they utter such words as, ‘We believe inGod”, in practice they have made themselvessubservient to some non-deity. There are times,when some living or dead human being is placedupon the pedestal of divinity, while at other timesthe concepts of a sun-god or a moon-god becomeprevalent. Some, under the influence of humanism,have accorded the seat of God to man — what iscalled ‘transfer of the seat from God to man’. Othershave placed the ‘law of nature’ as an alternative toGod, while yet others believe that God is in
everything including man and that we just have tomake contact with our inner personality to receiveGod’s blessings. Still others believe in the monisticconcept of God, according to which God is a vaguespirit, rather than a Being with whom contact maybe established.
We can understand this gap between faith and theresult of faith through the following example. Ifyou misdial a number that does not exist on yourtelephone, you will very likely hear this recordedvoice from the telephone office: “This number doesnot exist.” This is exactly what is happening withpeople as regards to their faith in God. People arecalling upon such beings, in the name of God, ashave no existence in reality. That is why their callreceives the answer: “This god does not exist.”
How do We Make Contact with God?The solution to this problem is that everyoneshould re-examine this entire issue. If he is seriousabout it, he will certainly reach the conclusion thathe has to discover the system of thought in whichhe may find the concept of God in its pure form —that there is only one God, one Truth and onemessage of God.
A number of scholars, in quest of a solution to thisissue, have carried out considerable research on thissubject. One of these was a highly educated Bengalidoctor, Nishi Kant Chattopadhyaye, who gave theanswer at great length in one of his lecturesdelivered in Hyderabad (Daccan) in 1904. (Thislecture has now been published in booklet form:Titled ‘A Case of Discovery’.) He stated that in thismatter, the actual problem is that all the religionsrevealed before the 7th century A.D., enshrinedthe concept of one God but, as time went on, itwas not possible for their original scriptures to bepreserved by their followers. In every religion the
religions in every age have furnished man withknowledge of God, but because in ancient timesthe method of writing and copying manuscripts wasfar from flawless, religious books could not bepreserved in their original, pristine form. Finally,thanks to the meticulous arrangements made forits preservation, the Quran, which was revealed atthe beginning of the 7th century, remained fullypreserved in its original form throughout thesucceeding centuries – right up to the present day.The Quran thus gives the only authenticintroduction to God. It is the only trustworthysource of information about Him. (For details, readQuran: An Abiding Wonder).
Millions and millions of human beings havetestified to the fact that it was only when theystudied the Quran that they received thatintroduction to God, which their nature had beenseeking all along. They have freely admitted thatother concepts of God did not respond to thecravings of their inner nature. It was only whenthey were introduced to the concept of God in theQuran that their hearts cried out in acceptance. Thiswas the God who could give them total fulfillment.
Now anybody who is desirous of building his lifealong the right lines can discover God by studyingthe Quran. Without this, no one can build hisfuture, neither in this world nor in the next eternalworld.
concept of God became subject to humaninterpolations. Hence the original teaching on theconcept of God was no longer to be found in itspristine form.
It was in the seventh century AD that Islam cameto the world. Although Islam is a religion like otherreligions, its distinctive quality is that its originaltext has been fully preserved due to the availabilityof paper (papyrus) in its crude form at the timeand with the invention of the printing press in timesto come. That is why, now, for later generations(after the emergence of Islam) the greatest and theonly source of knowledge of the right concept ofGod, in its pristine form, is Islam. Anyone whoseriously wants to grasp the true concept of Godhas no choice but to turn to the Quran.According to the Quran, the Sacred Book of God,God is One. He alone is the Creator and Lord ofman and the universe: He is, moreover, theSustainer of the entire universe. God is a livingbeing. He sees and hears. At all times and in everyplace, it is possible for man to contact God directly,without any intermediary. God Almighty cancompensate for all shortcomings in man. God willcome to man’s rescue in both the pre-death andpost-death period. God is a limitless source of solaceand peace. God in all matters provides guidance toman through His prophets.God, being the Creator and Sustainer of man, isthoroughly familiar with his constitution. He islikewise aware to the fullest possible extent ofhuman aspirations. That is why God alone canunderstand and provide for all the needs of humanbeings. Only such a God as this One God can bethe God of man. No other ‘supposed’ divine beinghas the ability to fulfill human requirements.Man in every age has been desirous of a concept ofGod, which would be in tune with the urges of thenature he was born with. In response to these urges,
Man andGod
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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