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Religion, Practice and Science of Non-Violence
dependence for all, and where each one who submits to the divine sovereignty feels respect for every other as his equal. In Islam equality is not only preached but practised as well. Islam rejects special privileges of race or caste. This is clearly in evidence when Moslem pilgrims flock to Mecca from all over the world. They lay aside their special garb and don the seamless white robe which makes one indistinguishable from any other pilgrim and proclaims to all the world that he is just a devout worshipper of Allah and nothing more. The same is also witnessed every Friday in mosques all over the world. It is this equality which attracted many low-caste Hindus to Islam in India.
The realistic principle, repeated in several passages of the Koran, is: “We will not task a soul beyond its ability.” A Moslem is expected to live up to the standard that lies within his ability. Detailed rules are laid down, guided by the concepts of justice, mercy, and humane consideration which the loyal Moslem is expected to practice in daily life. They lift his conduct above the impulsive, biased, and self-centered behaviour of the mass of men, while not insisting, as a matter of law, that he conform to the ideal which only the most spiritually alert can glimpse. Thus he is asked to go as far as the average man can go in meeting the concrete situations and obligations of social life in an attitude of equality and the spirit of brotherhood, wbile growing towards a fuller example of the perfect love and tenderness that the saintly character embodies.
Thus we see that the Moslem social ethic combines a high ultimate standard with a set of rules which recognize human weakness. Love is the supreme ideal and yet the average man is not really expected to love his enemy, only to treat him with respect, chivalry, and fairness. Justice and compassion are to be practised toward all, and love and tenderness toward those who are close to one by ties of family or friendship. Equality and brotherhood are to be exemplified toward other Moslems, of whatever race, rank, or calling and toward non-Moslems too, so far as the attitude of the latter does not prevent their realization. None is to kill anybody and the rule of God in this matter is:
“We have ordained that he who slayeth any one,
unless it be a person guilty of man-slaughter
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