Matalibul Furqan 5

Revelation. Inspired by the radiant and fervent faith (conviction)
which the Nabi has kindled in them, they endeavour to make the
world a home for the higher values. They set about building up a
society which gives man full opportunity for self-expression and
self-development, a society worthy of free men who are conscious
of their dignity as human beings. They thus become participants in
carrying out the Divine plan for the universe.
Mystic experience – whatever it may be – is nothing beyond the
development of some of the inner faculties of man, e.g., willpower,
which every human being can develop irrespective of his creed,
belief or even actions. This is why mystics are found in every
religion, cult or group. The claim of a mystic that he is in tune with
the Infinite or has seen Reality as it is, is only the projection of his
own imagination. This is why the description of Reality given by
various mystics differs from one another. At any rate, mysticism has
nothing to do with deen and the Qur'an does not lend support to it.
Even the word "tasawwuf " (mysticism) does not find a place in the
earlier literature of Islam – Qur'an or Hadith. "It is," as stated by
Iqbal, "an alien plant in the soil of Islam". In Islam there is nothing
mystic or mysterious. It is a simple and plain code of life which aims
at establishing a social order in which permanent values manifest
themselves in concrete shape.

V. Conclusion

The conclusions to which the above discussion has led us may
now be briefly stated:

1. Everything, animate or inanimate, is endowed with the
   capacity for development. Its development is guided, at
   every step, by the Supreme Being.


2. It must not be supposed that the guiding power acts upon
   things from outside. It is inherent in their nature and acts
   from within them. It would be more correct to say that it is
   the nature of thing to seek the development of its latent
   capacity and thus to reach its destiny.


3. Man, by virtue of possessing an autonomous self, occupies
   a privileged position in the universe. Divine guidance is
   offered to him in the form which is suited to a free rational

Islam: A Challenge to Religion 103