Islam The Voice of Human Nature
2. THE CONCEPT OF MONOTHEISM
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dealings. He should be like the tree which
breathes out oxygen in return for the carbon
dioxide which it breathes in: that is, he should
return good for evil; he should be kind to those
who wrong him. He should learn too, from the
fact that nothing in the cosmos ever encroaches
upon anything else. Each physical entity
concentrates solely upon playing its own part in
the order of the universe. Man must also engage
in the same positive struggle, avoiding all
negative activities. He should consider the
principle of decomposition and recycling which
is at work in the universe – refuse being
converted into gas, and leaves falling from trees
and turning into humus which will enrich the
soil – to name but a few examples – and he
should pattern his behaviour on this, so that
whatever his activities, and whatever he
expends should ultimately benefit mankind.
Innumerable activities are going on throughout
the cosmos on the grandest of scales, but
without any recompense. In like manner, man
should keep on discharging his responsibilities
without any hope of reward. He should reflect
