You can view a detailed study, in the previous sections, of the Islamic License of material utility, and Islamic view of this world against the other world, and of the rivalry existing between man's love for God and for this world, and the correlation between the love of this world and infidelity, and the Islamic view of the wealth of the disbelievers, and might by now have made a clear picture of the whole, to realize that Quran is as severe and as austere in its policy about this world and its wealth as is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or any other religion that teaches renunciation of this world, and monasticism and hermitage, which Islam does not. Islam, though it has prescribed individual monasticism, and the renunciation of the world, yet its close study reveals that it has aimed at a universal monasticism, that is to change this entire earth into a monastery, just as it has declared all this earth to be the mosque of Allah, with the difference only that it has a sort of a social monasticism in view, a monasticism in which people live in Society, do, but never entangling their hearts with this world, never considering it as their permanent abode, and looking always at the next world with such anxiety and longing as is to be found enshrined in the mind of a person living in a strange land and yearning always for his homeland. All this may appear strange, but in fact all the pious Muslims in any era have passed their lives on this earth like this. The heart of Hazrat Omar (Razi Allah ho Taala Unho), the second Caliph of Islam during his tenure of caliphate may be seen hardly less detached from this world and its pomp than diagnose the tub-dweller of ancient Greek. The necessities of life, however, are allowed by Islam, without any perceptible severity as has been the custom in certain other religions, though the indulgence is not without conditions and is restricted. The difficulty today is that the mankind of these present times has completely lost any sense of guilt or remorse associated with the love of this world.
The person of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), being the first and foremost model for his followers, and indeed for all the entire mankind, for his mission embraced the entire human race, the question naturally arises, what was his attitude toward the Islamic license, how much did he himself avail of it. Obviously his life appears before the world like a clear book, and he lived a life of self-imposed poverty and self-abnegation throughout the tenure of his prophetic office. His motto was, "Poverty is my pride". His opinion of this world and its seekers was publically given as, that this world was a dead carrion, and its seekers the dogs. He himself preferred to wear coarse apparel. He never once ate a full meal. He and his house-hold frequently suffered starvation. And all these sufferings continued even after he was raised to the status of a head of a state. He distributed thousands among the people, but generally he himself went home empty-handed. And what a home. His family lived in cells whose roofs were touched by the head of a man. He sat on the floor, and he possessed one blanket, which during summer he would spread beneath him, while during winter he would wrap it about his person. Yet he was a paragon of nobility and generosity. No needy person ever went empty-handed from him, if there existed anything to give in his home. Nay, even he borrowed from the Jews to give to those in need.
This was the Prophet (peace be upon him), but he had inspired his disciples with the same views. All of them knew the virtue of poverty and its place in religion. Most of them strove to follow the model. Some have left memorials that whole human history has failed to produce the like of them. Hazrat Abu Bekr Siddique (Razi Allah ho taala unho) was the first caliph. He lived a life of poverty such as could not be the envy of the poorest among the people. Hazrat Omer (Razi Allah ho taa'la unho) was the second caliph. The conqueror of Iran and Rome. Hazrat Omer, Razi Allah ho taal'a unho, the terror of emperors went about wearing a shirt with fourteen patches, dined on the steps of the mosque, inviting the passers-by to his dinner who generally declined the offer, slept under a palm tree at noon with his whip under his head as the pillow, the drops of sweat tickling down his forehead and being absorbed by the sand below. And all this he suffered intentionally.
Hazrat Othman Ghani (Razi Allah ho Taa'la unho), the third caliph, who was famed for his wealth and for his generosity, would put out the lamp of his public office, and light up his own, if the conversation was of private nature. Hazrat Ali, (Razi Allah ho taa'la unho), the fourth caliph was a model of poverty, self- imposed poverty, and was generous beyond imagination. Hazrat Omer Ibn Abdul Aziz, also deserves mention. It is enough to mention about him, that on his demise, the Roman Emperor wept and wailed a loud, saying, "Today a saint has departed from the world. If here was a saint, it was Omer. The world was beneath his feet and he shunned it."
These were the disciples of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), or were the disciples of his disciples. Let us see the state of the Islamic saints thereafter to this present day. Poverty has always been their motto and the basis of their cult. This was the decisive, distinctive, distinguishing feature of their order. This was the criterion of judgment for their merit. The slightest sign of the world's love or worldly temptation was a signal for their fall in the estimates of the people. And it is still like that. But in the cases of this Baconian progress the world has become blind of sight. Even today the first requisite for the saintly life is the poverty and disinterestedness. The peculiar situation of this world today from the viewpoint of this Baconian system of progress, however, warrants a peculiar attitude on the part of this mankind in universal manner. The entire mankind has individually and collectively to adopt the saintly attitude of poverty, if escape from the all-devouring flames of the atomic hell, the logical consequence of this Baconian progress is desired.
This dispute is nothing new. Poverty, humility and charity have been the features of God's religion always. See any religion, and you will find no exception anywhere. Jesus, Mohammad, Budha and indeed every teacher of religion has taught this. Controversy, however, appears to be of little avail in the case of this modern Baconian system of progress. The philosophy of this age is based on rationalism, and it is easiest thing in the world to say, this modern progress stops no one from either adopting the religious attitude or from undertaking religious practice. Though ages of controversy could hardly succeed in furnishing this mankind with a decisive answer, thanks to the agency of time that the real decision has appeared without the least ambiguity in the form of atomic hell, the logical and scientific result of Baconian progress. The wonderful thing in this respect is that the Quran has contained for all these past fourteen centuries, the subject of Baconain philosophy of modern atomism, and a complete characterization therefore, and the resultant atomic hell. The description of the Baconian philosophy of atomism as is given by the Quran is a miracle. And to deduce the appearance of atomic hell that is atomic bombs and radiations from the Baconian atomism as the Quran has done is a miracle. And the scientific characterization of the atomic phenomenon and its manifestations by the Quran is a miracle. And it is a challenge to the scientist as well as the philosopher of this Baconian age. And the atomic weapon is not a weapon of defence, it is the wrath of Allah, it is the divine vengeance. It is the grievous retribution. It deserves eradication, before it has eradicated this life on earth.
Before we quote the answer of the Quran to Baconian philosophy, that is the prophecy which has been alluded to above, it appears reasonable to pose a question to every well-informed person in the world, namely, that could Islam or any other religion, even if it were completely, perfectly promulgated, save its followers, or the mankind, or even itself from the flames of the atomic hell, if this Baconian progress were allowed to continue as it did? The answer is in negative. The consumption of this world by the atomic hell is inevitable in the presence of this Baconian progress. The stage by now is set and the time is long past for such verbal assertions as:-
(a) Does not Islam allow the necessities of life and the material utility of the resources of nature?
(b) Do we not find in the Quran the emphasis laid on the contemplation of the works of God? And does not Quran allude to the conquest of nature?
(c) Is not Islam a progressive religion?
(d) Is not Islam averse to monasticism and hermitage? And is not Islam a dynamic religion?
Such assertions and others of this kind are now long past their age. They are not worth herein, nor can they give the least protection against the blazing reality now advancing toward a mistaken mankind like an infallible doom. Following is the text of the prophecy of the Quran about the Baconian hell that is atomic hell that is nuclear hell. The worst and most terrible of all the hells. The Quran says:-
"Woe unto every back-biter, defamer who amasseth wealth (of this world) and arrangeth it (against the future). He thinketh that his wealth will render him immortal. Nay, for verily he will be cast into Al-Hotama. And what could teach thee what Al-Hotama is? It is fire of Allah kindled which leapeth up onto the hearts. It is (a fire) closed in on them in outstretched columns." (Quran 104-Al-Homaza)
What does this mean? The Quran which allows the material utility, is here seen uttering Terri blest denunciations against those who in their own opinion, and indeed with a clear conscience, are only utilizing the permissible license of the Quran, keeping within the limits and adhering to the basic policy. This indeed is a postulate that warrants keenest attention of those who have not as yet acquiesced in the preordained doom. A very terrible, most frightful, and besides that exceedingly shameful doom.
You have read the prophecy of the Quran about the atomic hell. Please re-read it, and see the nature of the evils that amazingly implicate such a terrible punishment. Do you find disbelief, the most grievous in included therein? No, none of that. This excludes the differentiation between the Muslim and the non-Muslim. Believer and Non-believer. It embraces everyone. Do you see shirk (giving partners to God), the next grievous sin? No. Not even that. Is it murder or felony? No. Is it theft, man-slaughter or fornication? No. Nothing. What is the crime then? It is merely the slander. It is only the engrossment in wealth-accumulation. It is just a belief in the eternity of riches. If you have any regard for the God's word, or you realize the proper significance of the word of God, then look. This Baconian philosophy of modern atomism is a slander on the doctrines of revealed religion. And this is an age in which the habit of slander moves like the spirit from one corner of the earth to the other. This is the age of criticism and propaganda. And this Baconian progress is no more than a process of systematic, organized, ever-increasing, infinite and eternal wealth-acquirement, wealth-increase and wealth-arrangement. And this is a generation which has implicit and explicit faith in the ever-increasing eternity of this wealth-acquiring progress. The case is clear. And above all else, its result is no more a hidden secret. It is there in the form of atomic hell. Now only its gate has to be thrown open. What remains now is only, that you sit alone and think if you are not involved in it.
The crux of the matter as you have yourself read in the prophecy of the Quran, is that the causes both of the appearance of this temporal atomic hell of this transient world, and those of the punishment in the eternal atomic hell of the next eternal world, wherein there is no notion of death, are the same. They who deserved Hotama, the atomic hell, even if they escaped this transient atomic hell of this world, could not escape the eternal atomic hell of the next eternal world. The Baconian philosophy is a beautiful snake which appears innocent, harmless and lovable. But actually its bite is so deadly, and its breathe is so fiery, that it would not allow its victim to count three or to ask for water, or to explain the trouble.
When we seek the example of this Baconian philosophy of man's dominion over nature for material benefit in the Gospel of Jesus we find the following striking example that may be read with interest, and for instruction equally by the Christian and non-Christian communities:-
(33) "Here another parable: There was a certain house-holder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a vine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
(34) And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
(35) And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one and killed another, and stoned another.
(36) Again he sent other servants more than the first; and they did unto them likewise.
(37) But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son.
(38) But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir; come let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
(39) And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
(40) When the Lord, therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
(41) They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons."
(Gospel St. Matthew XXI- 33-41)
This world is the vineyard of God. He has let it out to mankind. Bacon has sought man's dominion over this vine-yard Poverty, humility, and charity appeared as servants of God to take the fruits. But poverty was beaten, is beaten, humility was killed, is killed, charity was stoned, is stoned. Then the idea of resurrection appeared as the son of the master of the vine-yard, and was killed, is killed. Baconian mankind, wants to seize on the inheritance, the dominion of God. But will it succeed? No, the matter is far beyond human power. It is blasphemous even to think of such a thing. The success of mankind hitherto in the scientific achievements has been only an enticement into the final trouble. Steam bent itself to the service of man. Then electricity followed the suit and bent its back to man. Then atomic phenomenon appeared before man as an adamant adversary. The folly of man now is to think that he will be able to subdue and trap and tame this fierce, fiery giant atumbumb. It is a kind of false optimism and blind confidence of Baconian spirit that will lead this mankind right into the heart of the atomic hell without any hope of redemption. And this will be eternal woe.