T h e V i s i o n o f I s l a m
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It is people who follow the straight path who are promised the
‘greatest reward’ (65:5) and for whom evil will be turned into good
(25:70). The fact is that all believers and non-believers alike—are
liable to err. But the man who has attained real state of obedience
to God, will turn with a redoubled intensity of feeling towards God
if he ever commits a mistake. Thus his misdemeanour becomes the
means of his attaining to a state of greater faith. On the contrary,
the unbelievers remain engulfed in the darkness of their own
misconduct. And, instead, their wrongdoing simply renders them
even more hard-hearted instead of providing them with fresh food
for faith.
“
When any evil suggestion from Satan touches those who
fear God, they are instantly alerted and become watchful; but
the followers of devils are led relentlessly into error by them.
They never desist.
” (7:201-202)
T
he
S
traight
P
ath of
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ociety
Just as the Prophet taught us the way of worship and fasting so also
did he teach us how to launch an Islamic mission, how to face the
challenges, and how to convey the message of Islam to the world.
In other words, just as there is a straight path for the individual, so
also is there a straight path for society. The treaty of Hudaybiyyah
(628
a
.
d
.), t he most impor t ant happening in t he col l ect i ve
Islamic struggle has been referred to in the Quran in these
words: “So that He may make it a sign to true believers and guide
you along a straight path.” (48:20).
The revelation of the above verse in the context of theTreaty of
Hudaybiyyah makes it clear that just as there is a straight path in
worship and ethics, so is there a straight path in matters of peace
and conflict resolution.
One who is on the straight path, who has attained to a state
of humanity in which decisions are made according to the powers
of the ear, the eye and the heart, uninfluenced by obstinacy or
