NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE
Dear Readers,
Greetings of Peace!
This is the beginning of the ninth year of the publication of Spirit of Islam. We are grateful to God for its continuity in the face of many challenges, the most trying one being the pandemic which made us convert this magazine into an e-magazine.
I feel honoured for the opportunity to share my takeaways from this magazine as a part of the editorial committee.
An aspect of Spirit of Islam that fascinates me is that many of its articles are, as if, a commentary on a powerful verse in the Quran: “Those who believe love God most.” (2: 165) In his book 'The Vision of Islam', Maulana Wahiduddin Khan writes that the purpose of religion, its rituals, moral exhortations and injunctions, is for a person to develop a relationship of strong affection with his Creator who fashioned him, brought him into existence and sustains him throughout life. This personal bond with God is brought to life in the pages of this journal.
There are innumerable journals on science, religion and humanities. Spirit of Islam is very special in that it fills a void, one so prominent these days. This is a void left deep within the soul that hasn’t yet recognized its Creator and has given the special space in its heart meant for the Creator to something other than the Creator, only to be disappointed. Spirit of Islam seeks to redirect the attention of the readers to their Creator. It helps them reflect on the wisdom enshrined in God’s religion and inspires them to have an experience of nearness to Him. The selection of articles evokes love and awe for the Creator. The feelings that overwhelm a person when he remembers his Lord in solitude find expression in the words of the journal. The paramount feature of Spirit of Islam is that it presents the concept of God not as an abstract idea, but as a living force, guiding one through the variety of life’s experiences.
There is a certain scientific spirit that the journal strives to instil in the believers. An article that struck me from the December 2020 issue explains that if a religious community accepts or rejects a person’s opinions depending on his affinity to its group, it signals its close-mindedness and decline. Believers must cultivate the scientific temperament, which is to objectively ascertain the merit of a person’s point of view and accept it even if he doesn’t belong to one’s community. Scientists acknowledge the shortcomings of a theory once another advanced theory is proposed to explain the same set of phenomena, irrespective of the reverence in which the previous theory was held.
Spirit of Islam is infused with practical wisdom for life, drawn from the
Quran and the life of the Prophet. The benefits of virtues such as peace,
patience and tolerance are expounded with such logical reasoning that
one cannot but adhere to them. The November 2020 issue teaches:
“Whenever you start some work, you will have to face complaints from
others. If you give importance to every complaint and hurt caused
to you, you will start fighting with people. You will leave aside your
real task, being so engrossed in opposing them.” In one Q&A section,
Maulana incisively says that tension is a natural occurrence, just as the
rain. When it rains, you don’t demand that
it stop raining, rather you use an umbrella.
When faced with stress, find a solution to it instead of becoming anxious.
There are innumerable journals on science, religion and humanities. Spirit of Islam is very special in that it fills a void, one so prominent these days. This is a void left deep within the soul that hasn’t yet recognized its Creator.
An aspect highlighted in almost every issue is how people from different religious backgrounds are assisting one another. An example cited by the Maulana dismantles the rhetoric on “clash of civilizations” of Islam and the West. The pioneering work of western scientists in uncovering the laws of nature and making astonishing discoveries about the universe offers great support to Islam. They make the majesty and intelligence of the Creator mentioned in the Quran so understandable! If Muslims acknowledge the role of those involved in bringing about this scientific age, they would look upon them as brothers in humanity’s journey towards God.
Dear readers, we wish that this Year 2021 be a year to recover from the losses the world has incurred due to the pandemic. Let us sort out our lives with changes in our attitudes towards the blessings of God and become responsible citizens of this planet Earth.
May we be enlightened with knowledge and wisdom to mould our lives according to the creation plan of God!
Thank you
strong>Dr. Maria Khan
Editorial Committee