his own soul, these shall prosper (59:9).
The tendency directly, opposed to generosity that we have been
considering is covetousness, termed shuh-un-nafs in the Qur'an
(59:9). It is acquisitive, possessive and egoistic. The covetous man
wants to appropriate all the good things within his reach and is
callously indifferent to the needs of others. Suppose a number of
men are gathered at a water tap. They know that the flow of water
will cease in an hour or so. Each is eager to fill his pitcher. The
covetous man elbows his way through the crowd, rudely pushes the
pitcher of another from underneath the tap and places his own in its
place. He does not care if others have to go without water. All he
cares for is to have a plentiful supply of water for himself.
Covetousness deadens the human self and the Qur'an admonishes
us to be on our guard against this insidious disease of the self. It
exhorts us to help all men, and not only our kith and kin. The Qur'an
is objective and universal in its outlook. It seeks the welfare of all
humanity and not only of a particular sect or community. According
to the Qur'an, only that endures which benefits "man" whoever he
may be and to whatever country, nation or group he may belong. We
would do well to reflect on the verse quoted below:
He sends down water from heaven, and the brooks flow according to
their (respective) measure, and the flood bears along a swelling foam.
And from the metals which they smelt in fire seeking to cast ornaments
and necessaries, arises a scum like it. Thus Allah coineth the similitude
of the true and the false. As to the foam, it goes off as refuse, and as to
what is profitable to mankind, it remains on the earth. Thus God
strikes out parables (13:17).
The proposition, "Only that survives which is for the benefit of
all mankind," together with its corollary, "only those survive who
benefit all mankind" are the fundamental principles of self-
development. The law is not "the survival of the fittest" but "the
survival of the most munificent" In other words, according to the
standard laid down by the Qur'an, only the most munificent is the
fittest to survive. Those who have imbibed the true spirit of the
Qur'an, will eschew selfishness and will dedicate themselves to the
service of humanity. They are the real Muslims.
Nationalism and colonialism have been dominant forces in the
West during the last two or three centuries. Both generate narrow-
mindedness and a parochial attitude. The European thought only of
Islam: A Challenge to Religion 180