ISLAM IN AMERICA
Islamic Center, Washington, D.C.
GOOD comes out of evil. The threat of communism with its challenge to all the age-long values which mankind has cherished as most abiding and precious has stimulated interest in the West (including America) in the Faith and culture of Islam. There is a growing realisation of the fact that Islam and Christianity which stem from the same cultural roots should explore and seek a common destiny in the new age that is in the making. Indeed, so far as Christian intellectuals are concerned, even within the Church circles, it is openly regretted as the greatest historical folly that the two Faiths should have drifted asunder and even been at loggerheads with each other during their first impact. It is deplored that in the name of religion, Christian warriors should have flocked from all corners of Europe to fight the Muslims in the Middle East, forgetting that in order to regain possession of the birthplace of Jesus they were entailing the loss of the Master himself to the Muslims.
The fact is that Jesus belongs as much to Muslims as to Christians. It was only the bigotry born of the fanaticism of the medieval church which made the people of the West turn a blind eye to the attitude of the Quran towards the Founder of Christianity whom it holds up as an ideal of Godliness and high moral and spiritual virtues. Even a compliment was paid to Christian people as being nearer to Muslims because of the presence, in their midst priests and monks who walked in the fear of God.
Historically too it was a Christian King, the Negus who gave asylum to the Muslim fugitives from the persecutions of their Meccan opponents. It was a tragedy that this good wave was not allowed to have its way. Had the hand of friendship extended by Islam at its very inception towards Christianity been reciprocated, the history of the world might have taken a different course altogether.
Today, however, Islam and Christendom have outgrown that medieval folly. The new impact brought about in modern scientific context is marked by greater sanity and objectivity, and if there is any real interest in getting at the core of the Quranic teachings it is found more in the Western scholarship than among the theologians in the world of Islam itself. Yes, this is one of the most unique phenomena of the modern times. With Western scholarship fast shedding inherited prejudices and seized with a zest to probe into the deep moral and spiritual truths in the Quran, the time is approaching when Muslim people will go to the West to learn the profound wisdom of their own religion.
It was an American scholar, the great historian Hitti who described the Quranic verse La ikraha fiddin – (There is no compulsion in the matter of religion) as the greatest-ever proclamation in the history of religion. It is significant that whereas this most shining teaching of the Quran has so enthralled a great Western scholar, it has been utterly lost on the Muslim Ulema who, by and large, advocate the use of force in the matter of religion. Penalisation of change of faith with capital punishment has become a regular creed with the Ulema which is a clear violation of this great Quranic declaration, described as the greatest of all history by an eminent Western thinker.
This new wave of interest in Islam, both in Europe and America is very real and, to our mind, this development is big with possibilities which may be far beyond what we are able to visualise at the present time. Reports from Woking showing a steady incoming of voluntary converts should be some index as to the trend of the Western mind. It is not so much the conversion, however, that really matters. What is really of moment is the change of Western attitude towards Islam. Reports from America show that perhaps a more promising field awaits the workers in the cause of Islam in that part of the world. The recent International Conference of World Religions at Boston to which the Imam of the Mosque, Woking was also invited should underline that fact. The Imam tells us he found a great upsurge and enthusiasm among the people of America to recapture the teachings of the religious Founders of the world, and a great interest in Islam. There are quite substantial little communities and bodies of Muslims sprinkled all over the U.S. Even Universities have Muslim Students Associations of their own, zealously functioning, promoting better understanding of Islam. The activities of one such Association were reported in our last issue – Muslim students and scholars praying together and holding social gatherings and discussions. The fact that President Eisenhower in person went to perform the Opening ceremony of the magnificent mosque at Washington is a pointer towards the new spirit that is abroad.This devolves a duty on Muslims who care to put any value on the behests of their religion. The Quran emphatically makes it incumbent on all Muslims to make the Divine light known to mankind, at large. The Lahore Ahmadiya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam has been carrying on some activities in that country, with headquarters at San Francisco, besides its work at Woking and West Berlin Mosques and missions. But that has been a drop in the ocean.
We would, therefore, urge upon all Muslims who do not consider themselves wiser than God and the Prophet ﷺ who enjoined the propagation of Islam on all Muslims, to come forward and strengthen the hands of this Anjuman to undertake and implement plans for a large-scale missionary work in America. The U.S. is a vast country, and the occasion calls for efforts on a big scale so that Islamic cultural centres may be opened in at least a few more important towns. One veteran worker of this Anjuman, Maulana Abdul Haq has already landed there to explore possibilities of expanding missionary work there. We hope and pray the undertaking may lead to some tangible results and, as Muslims, it may be given us, to be instrumental in some way, in carrying the torch of light Divine to that great country for which there is such a great demand.
M.Y.K.
The light , October 24, 1958
