consequences of such actions are inevitably incorporated in the
personality of man, adding to or detracting from its power.
II. Man and the Law of RequitalGradually man realised that he lived in a world which was not at
the mercy of capricious spirits, but a world displaying a definite
orderliness. He could adjust himself to the world only by
discovering the laws which governed the events and processes
therein. He addressed himself to this task and slowly and patiently
acquired the knowledge which enabled him to exercise effective
control over the world. Next he turned his attention to himself and
to his own conduct. Here too, he discovered the rule of law. He
found that he was free to act and choose but that rule of law
required him to pay a price for the freedom he enjoyed. He had to
bear the consequences of his actions. He could not disown the
results of his own actions. He might yield to a sudden impulse and
gain momentary satisfaction, but later regret and remorse were sure
to prey on his mind and make him unhappy. He could not flout the
Law of Requital with impunity. This law is as fixed and inexorable as
any natural law. However, unlike the natural law which is confined to
the physical sphere. The Law of Requital operates in three different
spheres. We will now consider its mode of operation in each of
these spheres
- Of the relations existing between events in the world, the
causal relation is the most important. Where two events are related
to each other, the antecedent event or cause is invariably followed by
the consequent event or effect. Cause and effect are relative terms.
Each can be defined only in terms of the other. We are not
concerned with cases where both the events are physical. These fall
within the purview of physical sciences. But we have seen that man
too acts as a causal agent in the world and his actions also produce
effects. From the point of view of deen, man's actions and their
effects are seen as exemplifying the Law of Requital, The effect is
what man earns by his action, whether he welcomes it as a reward or
dislikes it as a punishment. If a man puts his hand in fire it gets
burnt; if he plunges it in water, it gets wet. If he acts wrongly, the
consequences are harmful to him. He has to suffer because he has
Islam: A Challenge to Religion 150