traditional order of history was overthrown.”
1
(Henri Pirenne,
History of Western Europe
, p. 46)
Two aspects of Western Civilisation
F
ROM
ONE
POINT
of view the west’s revelation of the secrets of
nature gave expression to the signs of God’s creation. From
another, more material point of view, the west’s discoveries
enabled human beings to acquire almost unlimited material
power. They were able to convert water into steam by which to
power locomotives and to invent automobiles and the aeroplane
which were fuelled by petrol, and more recently, television and
the internet, thus bringing into existence global means of modern
communication.
Owing to this access to the natural sciences which the
western countries had, they were able to gain material dominance
in the world. One relevant excerpt from the Quran, a verse in
chapter no 21 of the Quran, tells of what will happen when Gog
and Magog are let loose: They will “swarm down from every
hillside, and they spread out, (leaping across every barrier of land
and sea).” (21:96) This clearly points to the phenomenon known
as modern communications. By their discoveries in Nature the
West produced highly improved means of communication which
speeded up the sending of messages, human journeys, and the
transportation of goods. The discovery of the secrets of nature
is something which is difficult for religious people because of
their holding everything sacred. That is why Gog and Magog
were selected for this purpose. They were secular in the full
sense. That is why they had the ability to freely undertake
research into nature and unearth its secrets without having any
inhibitions about doing so.
12
The alarm of Doomsday
