Introduction

What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of Allah-for those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!'? (Surat an-Nisa': 75)

Around the globe, the majority of people are among the oppressed. They are tortured, butchered, and live in abject poverty, are homeless, are forced to live their lives unprotected from the elements and they face disease without adequate medical care. There are those who cannot even afford a loaf of bread. There are the elderly, facing neglect, abandonment and denied medical care. Then there are those who face discrimination, expulsion from their homes and lands, even massacres simply because of their ethnicity, language, race or tribe.  Helpless, malnourished, defenseless innocent children are forced to work for money or beg.

Countless people live in fear for their very lives. Millions are anxious about their daily survival, in a world in the midst of whose poverty and oppression, there is also immense extravagance, privilege and wealth. Those blessed with the "good life" pass by the homeless, see pictures in newspapers and magazines, or watch scenes on television of those less fortunate than they. Sometimes they feel a brief moment of pity, but then change the channel, turn away from the image, and in a short time completely erase that fleeting prick of the conscience.

So many who enjoy the bounties and comforts with which they have been blessed, never think of expending even a minimal effort to save others from the conditions in which they live. They believe it is not up to them to save those people, when so many others are richer and more powerful and in a better position to come to the aid of others.

However, prosperity and power alone are not enough to save those people and to make this world a place of justice in which , peace, confidence and the well-being of all prevail. Despite the existence of developed countries around the world, there are still far too many countries, such as Ethiopia, where people still die daily of starvation. It is apparent that the wealth and power of some nations are not enough in themselves to solve the afflictions of drought, poverty and civil warfare.

Only being conscientious will channel resources and power towards the welfare of the poor and desperate. The sole way of being conscientious is by having faith. It is only the believers who constantly live by their consciences.

Ultimately, there is only one solution to the injustice, disorder, terror, massacres, hunger, poverty, and oppression in the world: the values of the Qur'an.
Those adverse conditions were created in the first place by hatred, malice, self-interest, indifference and cruelty and therefore must be undone by love, compassion, mercy, generosity, unselfishness, sensitivity, tolerance, commonsense and wisdom. These traits of compassion are found only in those who fully live by the values taught in the Noble Qur'an, which is our guidance directly from our Creator. In His verses, Allah (swt) refers to the Qur'an's feature of leading mankind out of darkness into light.

... A light has come to you from Allah and a Clear Book. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat al Ma'ida: 15-16)

In another verse, Allah states that everything would be in a state of corruption and confusion if the truth were only according to human desires:

If the truth were to follow their whims and desires, the heavens and the earth and everything in them would have been brought to ruin. No indeed! We have given their Reminder, but they have turned away from it. (Surat al-Muminun: 71)

As you read this passage, millions of people are suffering, are cold and hungry, or facing expulsion from their homelands. For this reason, people who have consciences need to think about this, and act to solve those troubles as if they themselves, or their loved ones, were facing them. We need to act both spiritually and materially to alleviate the suffering and oppression. In one verse, Allah orders conscientious and faithful people to assume this responsibility:

What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of Allah – for those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!'? (Surat an-Nisa': 75)

When we consider the Qur'anic commands, it becomes obvious what are our obligations. The most important thing for Muslims is first, to struggle in the intellectual domain so that the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah prevail over disbelief. The only salvation for the weak, helpless, homeless and destitute is the practice of the guidance of the Qur'an, which is directed to all humankind. Therefore, it is our duty to spread the word and communicate the message, and that is a vital component of worship for all Muslims.

Those who do not follow their consciences, who are indifferent to the suffering of others, who spend their wealth on frivolous and vain things, who fail to show concern for orphans, who look coldly at oppressed woman, children and the elderly, and who are happy only when there is immorality and ugliness in the world, will certainly have to give an account in the hereafter.

Have you seen him who denies the deen (religion)? He is the one who harshly rebuffs the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the poor. So woe to those who do salat (regular prayers), whose hearts from their salat are remote, those who show off and deny help to others. (Surat al-Ma'un: 1-7)

The Purposelessness of Disbelieving People

Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves. Let false hope divert them. They will soon know. (Surat al-Hijr: 3)

In our day, some people seriously lack a purpose in life. Almost everyone adopts a standard way of living. To feed one's self, to find a house in which to reside, to set up a family, and to have a job are the praised values to which one mostly aspires. In this standard way of living, the most important goal in life is to find ways to make a better living and to raise children.

For a better understanding of the purposelessness and meaninglessness permeating the lives of societies remote from religious morality, it will be useful to look at other areas of interest apart from the aforementioned. Some people have a rather limited outlook. Often, not missing a TV series or watching a popular movie is what gives their daily life a meaning. For such people, a better goal in life, if any, might be to belong to a social club.

Another group of people's minds are totally preoccupied with business. All through their lives, they commute between office and home. A person starting his career in his early 20s does the same job for almost 40 years. Meanwhile, he often finds himself waiting for Fridays. His main ambitions amount to closing the tax month without problems, managing to find the rent every month, and to securing his children's future. Hardly any national or world events excite him. Only that which affects his business makes any sense to him. Never pondering over events, he readily accepts the status quo. He feels concerned only when issues challenge his business. To voice his concerns, he participates in discussion programs on TV or talks until the early hours of the morning, arriving at no substantial solutions or conclusions. The next day, he starts a new day the same as the previous one.

Some young people, too, suffer from the same purposelessness, and lack the essential factors that give life meaning. The vast majority of teenagers do not even know the leaders of their country, the political decisions they make, the impact of these decisions on national defense, the economy, or the educational and judiciary systems. Utterly oblivious to major events and developments in the world, they constantly fret over trivial and futile issues. That leaves them deprived of the skills to comprehend the significance of many events of world history. Their conversations are often limited to computer games, Internet chats, dating, trivial events happening at school, cheating in exams, plans for the weekend, clothes or football games. In magazine surveys which ask teenagers to rank "the greatest goals worth pursuing in life", looking like a famous model or playing the guitar like the guitarist of a famous band come first.

Drifting along, they never think of broadening their horizons. For instance, they do not even think about improving their speaking skills, simply because they have not a single idea of talking to or influencing people. In addition, they do not read. A person having a purpose and a worldview reads to enrich himself as well as to learn about opposing points of view. The purpose in that is to have a better understanding of ideologies likely to challenge one's own ideas and identify their individual weaknesses. Yet, for a person without purpose or an outlook on the world, the existence of certain ideas will surely have no meaning. Moreover, these people are not even aware of current ideas and other people's worldviews. Today in many societies, people have a serious lack of interest in reading books and newspapers while there is a great demand for tabloids, gossip columns in newspapers and magazine programs on TV. Though some people have a lot of spare time, that they tend to spend their days in front of TV sets watching soap operas and programs which add nothing to their intellectual faculties, is an evident result of being bereft of purpose and of degeneration.

Having no purpose in life and being oblivious of other realms of existence is a threat to humanity. However, over and above this, that among people who assume a particular stance in life, the majority advocate views which lack real values and are actually detrimental towards humanity, poses the real threat. That is because the leaders and advocates of these dangerous ideas find masses to hand who are utterly bereft of the intellectual faculties with which to discern danger, and who thus accept any presupposition without subjecting it to independent scrutiny.

Given these circumstances, in their efforts to attract partisans, anarchists and terrorists, harboring deep-seated enmity against their country and nation, they encounter no resistance. For instance, in a college cafeteria, where, to this end, they instill their views subversively, an idle teen watches vaguely while young people right next to him are exposed to indoctrination. Never does he realize that these people will soon start to act under the influence of the anarchists' and terrorists' conditioning, and become merciless criminals who can readily set their hands on weapons to use against the police, soldiers and innocent people of their own country. Even if he realizes this threat, he remains indifferent to the danger. In any case, he hardly has the awareness or a sense of responsibility that would lead him to handle the situation wisely.

In a verse Allah refers to the purposelessness of some people thus:

Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves. Let false hope divert them. They will soon know. (Surat al-Hijr: 3)

An attentive person observes that the reaction shown by particular groups to any new policy adopted in universities, often proves to be more harmful than beneficial. This is a consequence of the group's stance, because the group does not defend what is right and good. Another group, on the other hand, prefers to remain silent and simply ignores these events instead of calling people to the right conduct, and advising them to keep their allegiance to their state and stay away from rebelliousness. Meanwhile, some others appear with malice and hostility, and, marching with slogans, stones and sticks, demonstrate another sort of oppression and horror. However, their efforts are to no avail; they do not advocate the values Allah has communicated, but demonstrate all kinds of behavior not complying with the Qur'an. In one of His verses, Allah describes that unbelievers' efforts in this world are wasted:

The metaphor of those who reject their Lord is that their actions are like ashes scattered by strong winds on a stormy day. They have no power at all over anything they have earned. That is extreme misguidance. (Surah Ibrahim: 18)

There are surely ways for mankind to avoid such a situation: ensuring that they do not become persons who are only interested in leading their own lives and living to meet their needs. To this end, these people should be encouraged to become individuals whose target is to serve other people and deal, not merely with their own problems or of their individual countries but also, with the problems of the world. The religion Allah has chosen for people and revealed in the Qur'an shows this ultimate aim:

So, set your face firmly towards the religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made mankind. There is no changing Allah's creation. That is the true religion– but most people do not know it. (Surat ar-Rum: 30)

Allah, the Creator of man, also created religion, the religion that most suits him and ensures the utmost peace and security for man. Thus, no philosophy or ideology of any kind except  religion can provide the perfection and bliss people seek. For this reason, the advocates of erroneous ideas should be told why they are wrong, and they should be provided with the relevant evidence and guidance in replacing these erroneous ideas with the true ones.

It is essential we tell aimless idle people, and those blindly attached to erroneous ideas, about the Qur'an. Only then, can they see and comprehend that this world is created for a significant purpose. In the Qur'an, Allah informs us of His purpose in creating man: "I only created jinn and man to worship Me." (Surat adh-Dhariyat: 56)

Everyone will die one day. Then his real and eternal life will begin. The purpose of this life is to strive to be a person of whom Allah approves and whom He will host in His Garden. The conduct, ideals, and beliefs of every man will determine whether he will spend his eternal life in the hereafter in the Fire or in the Garden. For this reason, that these people mindlessly spend time on idle and worthless jobs, devoting their lives to them, and behaving as if their existence on earth has no purpose, shows that these people must urgently be warned and awakened from the heedlessness in which they live.

Being aware that our purpose in the world is to earn Allah's approval, favor and the Garden, we cannot remain indifferent or insensitive to any event taking place around us. We know that every event is an opportunity to earn Allah's approval, and thus we will always act accordingly. We feel pangs of conscience whenever we witness injustice or oppression taking place in our vicinity or in the world. For instance, we feel the responsibility of each homeless boy, who lives in difficulty, and has to spend his life on the streets in the cold winter. Complying with the command of Allah in His verses, "So, as for orphans, do not oppress them, and as for beggars, do not berate them." (Surat ad-Duha: 9-10), we will treat them kindly. We will strive to find a way to save them from the unfavorable circumstances in which they live. Yet, we are aware that these children cannot be saved by our efforts or those of a few people behaving in compliance with the Qur'an. For this reason, we will strive for the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah to be spread among people.

Selfishness is Caused by Purposelessness

Purposelessness makes people, and societies alike, selfish and indifferent. They tend to mind only their own interests and show no response or pay interest to events happening around them. A person whose singular  aim is to live his life, among all the events taking place around him, only notices those events that relate to his own life and cares for nothing else. For instance, in case of a civil war breaking out in a country with which he trades, he feels concerned only for the money he would lose. He never thinks of the people massacred, the babies violently murdered and the fearful and grievous life in that country. Never do these painful pictures occur to his mind. Only chasing after his money, he never thinks of helping those people in one way or another. This is, however, only one of the examples of the indifference that some people consider reasonable, and take for granted.

Almost everyday, newspapers and television give extensive coverage to stories of people in every corner of the world who are exposed to unbearable hardship and violence. Disorder, whose source is non-adherence to the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and disbelief account for the majority of these ordeals. Be it in Palestine, Indonesia, Kosovo, Chechnya, or any other place in the world, you see the images of people dragged along the ground because of a handful of land, or kicked, shouted at, or humiliated before the eyes of their children. Similarly, everyone is familiar with seeing little kids desperately hurling stones to defend themselves. Having seen all these horrible scenes, however, some people can still go to sleep and go on with their usual lives since they personally come to no harm. Not being in the habit of thinking "big" and lacking superior values and a conscience, such cruelty simply does not move these people.

Except for those who do prayer and are constant in it; those in whose wealth there is a known share for beggars and the destitute; those who affirm the Day of Judgment, those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord. (Surat al-Ma'arij: 22-27)

Imagining oneself in the shoes of the oppressed will surely show us how these people have no conscience at all about such saddening events. If one of these people were in an environment where innocent people are killed, their wives, children, brothers, and parents starved and exposed to cruelty… What if he was exposed to severe poverty?… What if he had no money and no means of getting medical treatment for his sick child?… What if he was expelled from his homeland for no obvious reason?… Alternatively, what would he think if he encountered someone who did not suffer all this distress and merely worried over the money he could make and who simply thought,  "Am I the one who should save these people?" Would he not think that person has no conscience, and that he is indifferent and inhumane?

Remember that today, the oppressions, injustices, tyrannies, and torments prevalent all over the world are issues for which every conscientious person has to seek a solution. However, most likely, a person who approves of oppression will ignore all these cries.

It is not essential, however, to suffer oppression in order to become a considerate and conscientious person. Seeing the plight of people and considering their situation in terms of the morality of the Qur'an is enough. Yet, the more people become distant from the Qur'an, the more they show insensitivity of conscience. Allah relates the selfish, insensitive and brutal conduct of people who lack religion in His verses as follows;

Truly man was created headstrong – desperate when bad things happen, begrudging when good things come. (Surat al-Ma'arij: 19-21)

In the verse that follows, Allah mentions the existence of people who are not "selfish" and who are concerned about the needy:

Except for those who do prayer and are constant in it; those in whose wealth there is a known share for beggars and the destitute; those who affirm the Day of Judgment, those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord. (Surat al-Ma'arij: 22-27)

As Allah states in the verses, people who fear Allah assume responsibility for destitute people. Allah shows that there are two ways for people in the life of this world, one of which is right and the other wrong. Allah reveals this truth in the Qur’an as follows:

(Have We not) shown him the two highways? But he has not braved the steep ascent. What will convey to you what the steep ascent is? It is freeing a slave or feeding on a day of hunger an orphaned relative or a poor man in the dust; then to be one of those who have iman (faith) and urge each other to steadfastness and urge each other to compassion. Those are the Companions of the Right. Those who reject Our signs, they are the Companions of the Left. Above them is a sealed vault of Fire. (Surat al-Balad: 10-20)

The right way shown in the verses above is quite clear. Therefore, it is unlikely that a conscientious person, who aims to gain the approval and mercy of Allah and the Garden, will remain inconsiderate towards oppressive practices in the world, or towards destitute and needy people, and not think of their future.

Every conscientious person has to remember that today, anarchy, oppression and tyranny, prevalent in different corners of the world, are causing millions of people to drift into misery and terror. Some say, "Particular people are responsible for this misery, can I be held responsible for that?" However, these are not the words a conscientious person would say. Ultimately in the hereafter, Allah will take all men endowed with sound health and understanding to account for these poor people. Those who promote ideologies that lay the proper ground for violence and cruelty towards humanity to flourish, remain – whether they accept it or not – in the same class with the oppressors. The same also holds true for those avoiding confronting these ideologies. Not adhering to the principles of the true religion will inevitably lead to the type of society created by irresponsible and heedless people who assume they will be released from it without giving account to anyone. These are actually the sort of people who, more than anyone else, consider their own interests first and make plans for their own survival.

… Freeing a slave or feeding on a day of hunger an orphaned relative or a poor man in the dust; then to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to steadfastness and urge each other to compassion…(Surat al-Balad: 13-17)

Indeed, at the basis of the theory of evolution that "supposedly" provides scientific support for the materialist philosophy, and materialism which is the basis of disbelief, lies the aspiration to form an irresponsible and heedless model of humanity deprived of all spiritual values. This man feels he is not obliged to give account to anyone. According to the theory of evolution, man is an advanced animal evolved from the ape and formed by coincidence. A view that regards man as such a primitive creature by no means leads one to sacrifice for other people, or saving a suffering human being and feeling mercy and compassion for him. Moreover, according to the theory of evolution, life is a place of struggle where only the strong have the right to live. The poor and the weak, on the other hand, are destined to perish. People all over the world have been receiving this indoctrination for decades from schools, television, newspapers and the people around them. The only way to eliminate this indoctrination and to establish affection, mercy, co-operation and solidarity among people is to communicate to people the values in the Qur'an and the Sunnah and tell them of the losses disbelief will bring both in this world and the hereafter. This is an important duty for all believers. Allah promises a good end to those who assume such an important and honorable responsibility.

Allah has promised those of you who have faith and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security. 'They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.' Any who disbelieve after that, such people are deviators. (Surat an-Nur: 55)

What Happens If Fear of Allah Does Not Exist?

No indeed! You do not honour orphans nor do you urge the feeding of the poor; you devour inheritance with voracious appetites and you have an insatiable love of wealth. (Surat al-Fajr: 17-20)

Think of two men. One of them is aware that every act of his has a recompense and that he will meet Allah. The other, on the contrary, supposes that he will not have to give account to anyone. Surely, there is a great difference between how these two men conduct themselves. Someone bereft of the fear of Allah is likely to commit any evil and ignore all kinds of immorality when he feels his interests are at stake. Someone, who readily kills a human being, for instance, for no apparent reason or for a worldly interest, does this because he does not fear Allah. If he had steadfast faith in Allah and the hereafter, he would never dare to do anything of which he could not give account in the hereafter.

In the Qur'an, the story of the sons of the Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, are given as examples to call our attention to the sharp difference between a person who fears Allah and one who does not:

Recite to them the true report of Adam's two sons when they offered a sacrifice and it was accepted from one of them but not accepted from the other. The one said, 'I shall kill you.' The other said, 'Allah only accepts from people who have fear of Allah. Even if you do raise your hand against me to kill me, I am not going to raise my hand against you to kill you. Truly, I fear Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 27-28)

Being conscienceless is among the gravest detriments for which the lack of fear of Allah accounts. Conscienceless people do not even attempt to help people in distress.

The one who has no fear of Allah dares to kill his brother without batting an eyelid although his brother has no guilt, whereas the victim, despite being threatened with death, says that he would not even attempt to kill his brother. This is the consequence of this person's fear of Allah. Thus, once the individuals of a society have fear of Allah, then murder, oppression, injustice and inequity, of which Allah does not approve, will end.

Covetousness for the world also accounts for people's cruelties and immoralities. The main worry of many people is about becoming poor, or having no guarantee of their future. These concerns essentially explain why bribery, corruption, theft, false witnessing and prostitution become ways of life for many people. For someone who has faith in Allah, however, the approval of Allah is over and above everything else. Such a person avoids anything that will cause him to lose the approval of Allah. In his heart, he only harbors fear of Allah; neither death, nor hunger, nor any other hardship can divert him from the right path.

Consequently, no matter what the circumstances, a person having fear of Allah, never deviates from the Qur'an. Equally, he is trustworthy. He always acts conscientiously. Having a profound sense that Allah sees and hears everything, he does not attempt to act against his conscience even when alone.

Lack of religion instigates the loss of conscience. To make this point clear, think of somebody who has no hesitation in running away after hitting a man on the street with his car. This is an indication of his being distant from religion. This man, who without conscience, leaves a human being all alone in agony in the middle of the street, who would, otherwise, have an opportunity to survive, thinks that he can avoid people by running away from them. Never does he think, however, that Allah surrounds him, seeing and hearing him every second. One can never run away from Allah's reckoning and the Day of Judgment. Allah will pay everyone back for all injustices, cruelties, and conscienceless acts on the Day of Account. Allah reveals in the Qur’an as follows:

… Those who misappropriate will arrive on the Day of Rising with what they have misappropriated. Then every self will be paid in full for what it earned. They will not be wronged. Is someone who pursues the pleasure of Allah the same as someone who incurs displeasure from Allah and whose refuge is Hell? What an evil destination! (Surah Ali 'Imran: 161-162)

When people are reminded of Allah's verses, and instructed in this important truth, such unscrupulous acts will be prevented.

One example of the unscrupulous attitudes of people distant from the true religion is the people in some societies who provide medical care as if they were doctors despite having no medical background. Being  totally ignorant of any field of medicine, such people readily deceive patients, and dare to treat them without concern  about the serious threats they pose to their health. Such unscrupulous acts can even end with the death of the patient. Totally ignoring these drawbacks, they only think of acquiring some benefits and making money. However, in one of His verses, Allah commands believers to "to render back trusts to those to whom they are due". (Surat an-Nisa': 58) The health of a person, too, is a precious trust. Hence, in compliance with the aforementioned verse, people should avoid practicing a profession to which they are not entitled and becoming involved in situations that will harm other people.

In all walks of life, one is likely to encounter the unscrupulous acts committed by people who do not fear Allah. Failing to see the closeness of Allah's reckoning and failing to ponder over it, one readily slanders an innocent person. Meanwhile, he merely thinks of convincing people about his innocence and making them believe in his words. Such a person is utterly devoid of understanding that Allah is witness over all things and, without exception, everything will be reckoned in the hereafter. In this sense, that the innocent undergoes an ordeal, feels distress or is sent to prison does not disturb his conscience. Allah, in the Qur'an, declares the punishment a slanderer will receive as follows:

Anyone who commits an error or an evil action, and then ascribes it to someone innocent, bears the weight of slander and clear wrongdoing. (Surat an-Nisa': 112)

There is a group of you who propagated the lie. Do not suppose it to be bad for you; rather it is good for you. Every one of them will incur the evil he has earned and the one who took it on himself to amplify it will receive a terrible punishment. (Surat an-Nur: 11)

A person who does not fear Allah does not respect and value other people. This lack of fear explains why many restaurant owners do not run their business hygienically, or why the majority of people no longer respect elderly people. Similarly, having no fear of Allah accounts for patients dying in emergency rooms due to lack of care, and despised and poor people and millions of innocent people being massacred for a handful of land, etc.

Sabah Gazetesi, 23/3/99

Sabah Gazetesi, 11/1/98

Sabah Gazetesi, 11/5/99

Blindly deluded by their ambition for material gains, there are some people, who exercise power over people's health and thus risk human lives. These are exactly the people who do not have fear of Allah and hence do not consider human life precious.

In societies with members having fear of Allah, nobody engages in any of these, being aware that any misdeed a person commits in this life will meet him in the hereafter. With individuals having a sound conscience, this society is entitled to enjoy peace and a sense of trust. Strict avoidance of debauchery, prostitution and any other form of immorality, together with the sensitivity shown to values such as respect, compassion and mercy ensure unbreakable family ties, which are undeniably essential for a strong society. The society enjoys such reliable bases mainly because people show allegiance to one another.

Doing Good without Expecting a Recompense

A person who has fear of Allah is also someone who listens to his conscience and always acts according to the Qur'an. In the Qur'an, Allah commands people to engage in good deeds without expecting any worldly reward, to provide people help and strive to present them a good life. In the verse "Do not give out of a desire for gain" (Surat al-Muddaththir: 6), the prohibition stresses that people should not seek worldly gain for services they render intending the good pleasure of Allah. A person who observes Allah's commands and does not expect any worldly gain does all these for a single purpose; to earn the approval of Allah so that He will accept him as a slave worthy of the Garden.

However, a great number of the favors done in our day are based on seeking a reward to be received in this world. A businessman, for instance, who undertakes to establish a house for the poor with so-called charitable purpose, seemingly derives no material gain from such an undertaking. Yet, the truth is otherwise, mainly because thereby he promotes his name, appearing on the front pages of newspapers and TV news programs, which turns this charity into a form of showing off. Meanwhile, his company saves money since the costs of this charitable work are deducted from his taxes. Besides, often charity work engaged in for similar benefits is far removed from being pertinent to the actual needs of the recipients. A truckload of food sent to an earthquake-stricken province, for instance, fails to meet the needs, either because it is already rotten, or because it is something which is highly inconsistent with the actual needs of the victims.

Politicians' attitudes often serve well to make this issue clear. Throughout their lengthy campaigns, politicians rhetorically repeat slogans expressing that their commitment is to serve. Once these people are not appointed as minister, however, pushing aside all their associations with their party and the purported "goals" set out in their agenda, they can disclose their underlying motives for getting involved in politics and show that they ran for "office" and status. It is incredible how few benefits such a mentality brings to the community.

Briefly, deeds void of sincerity render service fruitless in the next life. Allah reveals this in the following verse:

You who have faith! Do not nullify your charity by demands for gratitude or insulting words, like him who spends his wealth, showing off to people and not having faith in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is that of a smooth rock coated with soil, which, when heavy rain falls on it, is left stripped bare. They have no power over anything they have earned. Allah does not guide disbelieving people. (Surat al-Baqara: 264)

Favors done with sincerity to help people and to earn the approval of Allah, on the other hand, prove to be profitable and beneficial, as stated in many of Allah's verses. In return for the sincere intentions, Allah leads people to success in all the deeds they become involved in and ensures fertile outcomes for their undertakings. In a verse this is indicated:

The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of Allah and firmness for themselves, is that of a garden on a hillside. When heavy rain falls on it, it doubles its produce; and if heavy rain does not fall, there is dew. Allah sees what you do. (Surat al-Baqara: 265)

Someone who seeks only the pleasure of Allah does not restrict himself to certain areas in engaging in good deeds and making sacrifices. In a society distant from religion, people often tend to believe in the existence of a hidden motive in any sacrifice, which is purely a rationale that disbelief instills in people. In a society where the pleasure of Allah is not pursued, people put their self-interests over everything else. Believers, on the other hand, seek the pleasure of Allah and nothing else:

They fulfill their vows and fear a day whose evil will spread far and wide. They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives: 'We feed you only out of desire for the Face of Allah. We do not want any repayment from you or any thanks. Truly We fear from our Lord a glowering, calamitous day.' So Allah has safeguarded them from the evil of that day and has made them meet with radiance and pure joy. (Surat al-Insan: 7-11)

The subsequent chapters of this book give extensive coverage of the solutions provided by Allah's verses for the problems that demand immediate solutions. In reading these solutions, remember that just living by the Qur'an will create everlasting solutions to all problems. In our day, addressing the needs of the poor, providing quality care for the elderly, instilling good values in children, disabusing teenagers of degenerate attitudes, providing urgent aid to disaster-afflicted countries, overthrowing the inherently cruel ideologies responsible for causing countries to drift into war and murdering thousands of innocent people, confronting those who rebel against their state and many other issues often sour into stalemate. In this sense, only compliance with the Qur'an, the sole illuminating guide Allah provided to mankind in our age, would secure the unique solution to the various problems encountered in life. Living by the principles of Allah would remove all kinds of evil from the earth. In case the situation turns out to be otherwise, people deliberately commit themselves to a cruel system. In the Qur'an, Allah attracts attention to the harm people give to themselves:

Corruption has appeared in both land and sea because of what people's own hands have brought about so that they may taste something of what they have done so that hopefully they will turn back. (Surat ar-Rum: 41)

Solutions that Appear with Wisdom

Having the traits of wisdom, insight (the power to grasp the essence of things), and sagacity are essential in bringing solutions to the problems polluting the earth and, in all domains of life, bringing good to the humanity. The acquisition of these traits can only be possible by following the Qur'an. In a verse, Allah stresses the wisdom the faith grants man:

You who have faith! If you fear Allah, He will give you a discrimination and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah's favor is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal: 29)

Occasionally, people may feel like launching a quest for solutions to problems they encounter. However, they fail to reach desirable conclusions because they are not solution-providers and are bereft of intuition, sagacity and insight, qualities which are all consequences of faith. Void of faith-inspired zeal, their decisions often end up in delays when it comes down to the stage of implementation. Alternatively, failing to see, or skipping significant details, they face deadlocks at various stages.

For instance, today, all around the world homeless children and orphans left to live on the streets are a major problem lacking a definite solution. Aid-missions and measures addressing the many problems associated with homelessness, especially those designed to prevent homeless children becoming crime-prone individuals or drug-addicts, often prove feeble, thereby pushing these children into a downward spiral of homelessness, onto the streets and into reformatories, or making the conditions ripe for their suicide or death from inadequate care. The situation would definitely be otherwise, however, if these children received training based on the Qur'an coupled with appropriate services. Having fear of Allah, they would not be prone to criminal activity. On the contrary, they would grow into adults striving to render the best services to their country and people.

Today, thousands of homeless children are on drugs and prone to crimes, a simple consequence of the polluted environments in which they are left. Most probably, these children will grow into socially handicapped individuals unable to render any beneficial services to the society in which they live.

Those with diseases needing costly treatment also make this point clear. The rich, having no problems in paying their bills, usually have the means to survive them. The poor, on the other hand, with no health coverage, are left to die. Rarely does this situation move anybody, which is confirmed by the fact that nobody thinks of initiating any measures.

Again, lack of fear of Allah and its consequence, having no wisdom, account for this indifference. Those failing to discriminate between right and wrong fail to work out a solution to the problems they encounter. Lack of discrimination is an attribute peculiar to disbelievers. Allah defines how these people behave:

The likeness of those who disbelieve is that of someone who yells out to something which cannot hear – it is nothing but a cry and a call. Deaf – dumb – blind. They do not use their intellect. (Surat al-Baqara: 171)

However, people who live by the Qur'an and the Sunnah, have, by merit of the wisdom they possess, well-developed faculties for finding solutions, developing resources, and organization. Organizations led by these people and contributions of well-to-do people may help a lot to build better lives for these unfortunates. First, people can be alerted about the existing problems and accordingly advised about the solutions. A few businessmen, for instance, may undertake to build or renovate shelters for homeless children and to educate them;. this indeed requires a relatively simple organization. In a society living by the Qur'an and the Sunnah, this problem would cease to exist forever because of these practical solutions. Every family that has adequate means, for instance, may undertake the care of a single child and his or her education. People endowed with the values of the Qur'an and wisdom can handle all sorts of problems with such workable solutions. Similarly, those patients without health coverage can be identified and their treatment costs covered from an allocated fund. In such matters, what is essential is to divert the world's resources to the right areas in the most productive way, without allowing even the slightest extravagance. Allah demands this type of behavior from man in the Qur'an.

Today, thousands of homeless children are on drugs and prone to crimes, a simple consequence of the polluted environments in which they are left. Most probably, these children will grow into socially handicapped individuals unable to render any beneficial services to the society in which they live.

Newsweek Temmuz/99 Sabah Gazetesi, 6/9/95 Türkiye Gazetesi, 2/7/95

Hürriyet Gazetesi, 14/5/94

Yeni Yüzyıl Gazetesi, 18/12/96

Yeni Yüzyıl Gazetesi, 18/7/95

Despite all the necessary resources are at hand, failure to organize well and to allocate resources rationally account for the poor-quality care many people receive in hospitals. Some receive no medical treatment at all because of poverty. The caption "No Money, No Meds" ironically serves as the catchphrase about the situation.

People who take control of events by following their consciences and using their intellects can rapidly identify deadlocks and needs, and accordingly produce solutions. Often people fail to spot where the systems fail or simply pretend not to see. Even if circumstances evoke pangs of conscience in them, they fail to know what to do or feel too lazy to start a mission. Reluctant to disturb their peace, they avoid spending  time and energy on such matters. However, the efforts of conscientious people and people of wisdom in organizing people according to their power and capabilities will result in rapid solutions to many enduring problems.

Encouraging people for a good cause is an attribute highly praised in the Qur'an:

Those who join forces for good will receive a reward for it. Those who join forces for evil will be answerable for it. Allah gives all things what they deserve. (Surat an-Nisa': 85)

A contrary behavior is mentioned as an attribute of disbelievers and defined as wicked:

No indeed! You do not honor orphans nor do you urge the feeding of the poor; you devour inheritance with voracious appetites and you have an insatiable love of wealth. (Surat al-Fajr: 17-20)

Living by the Qur'an Brings About Real Justice

Allah commands justice and doing good and giving to relatives. And He forbids indecency and doing wrong and tyranny. He warns you so that hopefully you will pay heed. (Surat an-Nahl: 90)

J

ustice is one of the essentials maintaining social order. Every country employs its individual judicial system. However, owing to the persistent difficulties experienced in the contemporary judicial systems, the quest for an ideal model has never ended.

There is one essence of the ideal judicial system aspired to across the world; the establishment of a judicial mechanism in which each and every person is fully repaid for his acts without being subject to any form of prejudicial discrimination. Despite new methods, different approaches, and projects and solutions devised to attain this ideal model, however, exercising justice remains a steep road yet to be taken.

The moral deterioration of society accounts for these unfavorable situations. Deterioration, a simple consequence of non-adherence to the values Allah has commanded, brings harm to societies in all domains of life.

Again, this deterioration accounts for swindling, bribery, cheating, injustice and many social evils. Daily life abounds with examples of this sort. A frequently encountered situation in business life, for instance, is businessmen who cheat on their partners and deceive them by embezzling their money, houses or cars. Meanwhile, a longstanding friendship, and the material and spiritual losses the other party suffers, do not mean anything to the swindler. Primarily concerned about his self-interests, values such as friendship, family ties, spirituality, social cohesion and good morals have no meaning whatsoever to the swindler.

All relations this person establishes with anyone else will be under the influence of such a rationale, since he fails to reflect that Allah is aware of all that he does, and that he will account for every act he commits. Never remembering that swindling is an unfair gain and unjust behavior contributes to this crooked rationale.

The following example will contribute to a better understanding: a person who believes that swindling is a horrible crime, will strictly avoid it throughout his life. Once, however, someone thinks he can derive personal benefit, the same person may bear false witness against another, or slander him for something of which he is completely innocent. Meanwhile, he may find refuge in some excuse; that unfavorable conditions compelled him, or his responsibilities to his family laid the ground for such a crime. No matter what these excuses are, the fact remains that slander is wicked under all circumstances.

This aforementioned pattern appears particularly at times when people feel their interests are at stake. This rationale also holds true for thieves, swindlers and oppressors. In a society riddled with such people of vested interests, the existence of injustice, conflicts of interest and disorder is unavoidable.

Nevertheless, no matter what compelling forces there are, a person living by the Qur'an would never stoop to these wicked deeds and never display attitudes inconsistent with its values. Someone having a strong fear of Allah never forgets the fact that one day he will meet each and every deed in which he engages and each and every word he utters. Injustice, which is an outcome of moral deterioration such as only pursuing one's own interests, hoarding possessions, ignoring the needy and those in trouble, has a unique solution; the dissemination of the values of the Qur'an among people. That is because in the Qur'an, Allah commands His servants who believe and live by these superior values to be just:

You who have faith! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives whether they are rich or poor, Allah is well able to look after them. Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth. If you twist or turn away, Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat an-Nisa': 135) 

Allah commands justice and doing good and giving to relatives. And He forbids indecency and doing wrong and tyranny. He warns you so that hopefully you will pay heed. (Surat an-Nahl: 90)

In a society where people have an understanding of justice as described in the aforementioned verse, injustice does not prevail. That is because in an environment where the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah are observed, the strict exercise of justice is essential. In the practice of this justice, one's kinship, wealth, status or other factors allow for no exceptions. Nevertheless, current implementations of systems of justice around the globe are rather varied. In some cases, in consideration of someone's wealth, status and social environment, his crimes are simply ignored or his punishment is alleviated or minimized. This is unlikely to happen in a society where real justice prevails. Factors such as kinship, wealth or status never become reasons to deviate from justice.

Sabah Gazetesi, 9/5/99 - Hürriyet Gazetesi, 10/6/99

Sabah Gazetesi, 19/8/98

Sabah Gazetesi, 26/1/99

Swindling, corruption and theft may become a way of life for a person who does not live by the Qur'an and he may feel no pangs of conscience while engaging in wicked deeds.

What kind of Problems Emerge in Societies Where Real Justice is not Exercised?

1. Perjury Increases

In finding out the truth and in the establishment of the justice, witnesses have a major role. On the basis of eyewitness testimony, many cases can be quickly illuminated, and thus truth and falsehood is distinguished. In societies in which the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah are not observed, however, finding the truth through witness testimony is far from reliable. This is simply because, people who do not adhere to the Qur'an and the Sunnah can lie as easily as most people breathe in return for benefit or money. While doing this, they turn their backs on all virtuous conduct such as telling the truth or standing up for the innocent.

Even, in some cases, people refrain from testifying on behalf of a particular case, no matter how crucial it might be to render justice. Some unrealistic thoughts, such as fear of getting into trouble or into an unfavorable situation, usually account for such attitudes. In a verse, Allah stresses the importance of disclosing the truth:

…Do not conceal testimony. If someone does conceal it, his heart commits a crime. Allah knows what you do. (Surat al-Baqara: 283)

Malice and hatred felt towards someone may be the reasons that tempt people to fabricate testimonies. By means of false testimony and distorting the facts, they hinder justice. The importance of truthfulness is also explained in a hadith by Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (saas):

Adhere to truth, for truth leads to good deeds and good deeds lead him who does them to the Garden. If a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his objective, he will be recorded in Allah's Presence as eminently truthful. Avoid falsehood, for falsehood leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Fire. If a man continues to speak falsehood and makes falsehood his objective, he will be recorded in Allah's Presence as a great liar. 1

People who do not live by the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah do not observe justice, particularly when they give their interests and personal wishes precedence. Never do they consider the consequences of their false testimony. It never occurs to them what a wrongfully convicted innocent person goes through during lengthy imprisonment, nor what his family suffers. They do not put themselves in the shoes of another and imagine how life would be then…

In the Qur'an, Allah gives special consideration to this situation people experience, and He commands us to be just no matter what the circumstances are:

You who have faith! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to taqwa (piety). Fear Allah. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 8)

To avoid injustice, Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) also said: "None of you should judge between two persons when he is angry."2

Driven by fear, money, or greed, some people deviate from what is right and fair. Only acquiring the values of the Qur'an will set them free. Under any circumstances, be it under threat or duress, or in the presence of anything of benefit to them, they never tend toward mischief, being aware that Allah surrounds them at every moment. Believers are aware that, in the hereafter, they will have to give account of any wrong actions they do or evil things they say. In one verse, Allah proclaims that the servants of the All-Merciful do not bear false witness:

Those who do not bear false witness, and who, when they pass by worthless talk, pass by with dignity. (Surat al-Furqan: 72)

One more point concerning those who pursue their own interests rather than observing justice deserves attention; one day the same mischief may befall them. If this happens, injustices will certainly disturb them greatly, and they will go in quest for a reliable witness who will not fabricate testimony. Those who would not like to experience this should then strive to spread the values Allah commanded and strictly adhere to the praised moral principles of the Qur'an.

2. The Criteria for Judging People Becomes Money and Rank

Money and status serve as the main criteria to assess people in societies where the values of the Qur'an and the Sunnah are not adhered to. In these societies, all strata are saturated with this mentality, giving us an abundance of examples to analyze.

The attitudes assumed by a storekeeper towards two different customers provide striking clues about this issue. The storekeeper assumes a polite and attentive attitude towards the one whom, from his appearance, he assumes to be well-off. The other customer, on the other hand, who looks rather poor, is not treated so well by the storekeeper. This attitude does not change although both customers visit the store to buy the same things, and spend the same amount of money. Appearance or status determines the way the storekeeper treats his customers.

These criteria do not hold true for someone who lives by the Qur'an. A believer is well mannered towards another human being simply because he is a "human being". He does not subject people around him to prejudicial discrimination of any kind. To appreciate someone, he does not need "labels". Whether a person is wealthy or poor, whether he lives in a hut or a mansion does not matter to him. One's costly clothes, pretty face, graduate degree from a prestigious university, social standing, or similar status symbols have no meaning whatsoever to him. Allah, in the Qur'an, mentions one's faith in Allah and closeness to Him as the sole criteria to apply in loving people.

3. Troubles in Education

Every individual is entitled to have access to education. Regardless of religion, language, race or status, every individual has the right to strive for knowledge. Social injustice, however, renders this virtually impossible, introducing many problems demanding immediate solution, the foremost being unavailability of free education for every member of a community. In many countries, due to poverty, huge numbers of children and teenagers are deprived of quality education. Access to a handful of quality schools is reserved for a privileged minority. The ordinary people hardly receive schooling addressing their actual educational needs. In this context, the richer receive better education, while the poorer simply get what the system provides.

The development of children can be fostered by laboratories and many other means provided by schools receiving adequate material support. The limited resources of some schools, on the other hand, hinder young individuals in many ways.

People ought to be allowed to receive education in any field they wish. Indeed, an educational system in which people are given the chance to receive schooling on the basis of their interests, tendencies and skills proves to be more beneficial to the society and more productive. However, in our day, economic and social conditions force many people to terminate their schooling prematurely or continue it in a field in which they are not interested.

Education is a major issue around the globe.

Living by the Qur'an addresses such social problems and brings solutions, since the environment these values ensure does not allow for inadequate educational services. Endowed with the wisdom and the faculty of comprehension that adhering to the Qur'an brings, people act as solution-providers in education, as they do in all other spheres of life. Furthermore, in such a society, no prejudicial distinction between poor and wealthy exists. As mentioned earlier, those who love Allah spend what they do not need for the benefit of others. Once these accumulations are channeled into the many fields demanding immediate solution such as public education and health, it takes only a moment for these problems to be solved. If this were adopted around the globe, the distinction between poor and wealthy countries would fade. Rich countries would transfer their excess resources to underdeveloped countries without expecting anything in return.

Providing solutions is surely a major task for which Muslims are responsible since they are held responsible for providing young people the sort of education that will guide them in living according to the Qur'an. This is the type of education that illuminates a person about his or her actual purpose in life, and shows them the signs of Allah on the earth and in the universe. If this does not happen, new generations, who become the subjects of the indoctrination of irrelevant disbelieving ideologies, will grow into non-productive adults of little use to their country, nation and religion. Improper education provided for young people accounts for their adopting undesirable lifestyles and consequently being devoid of the blessings the true religion presents and going astray. Surely, a man with fear of Allah and conscience would not risk this responsibility.

4. Inequality of Men and Women

In societies devoid of real justice, the inequality of women and men is a serious social issue posing major problems. In many countries around the world, women are often treated as second-class citizens and even outcasts. Perceived as weak and protection-seeking beings, they are often abused. For the same reason, they do not hold a role in society that commands respect or authority.

In societies where such prejudices prevail, a woman with a remarkable career in business life hardly finds acceptance. Generally, women are regarded as people who lack self-confidence and determination, and who have poor intellectual faculties. This rationalization of a "typical woman”stereotype in society wrongly serves as an explanation for every mistake a woman makes. In reality, such mistakes are not peculiar to women but are universal among human beings.

Among candidates applying for job vacancies, men are usually favored over women, even if they possess exactly the same backgrounds, intelligence and skills. This tendency explains why there are such limited opportunities available to women in business life.

On the other hand, the majority of women identify with this image attributed to them. This identification makes them readily assume the inferior roles assigned to them in many societies.

Sabah Gazetesi, 26/4/99 - Sabah Gazetesi, 3/10/98 - Hürriyet Gazetesi, 9/3/98 Gender inequality in social life still has striking consequences in many countries today. These are among the ordinary incidents appearing every day in the press.

Prejudices in social life towards gender differences have striking consequences in underdeveloped countries. Let alone their entitlement to education and work, they are even deprived of making their own decisions about marriage. All sorts of women's personal decisions rest either with their fathers or husbands.

There is an on-going effort to provide solutions to these flawed implementations, only a few of which have been included here. Associations founded to protect women's rights, concepts such as freedom and equality, or the feminist movement or seminars, panels and discussions have not contributed much towards a workable solution. All these efforts prove that these solutions inherently breed more complications. This is a natural consequence since the real solution, as in all other domains, is unique: adherence to the Qur'an.

The men and women of the believers are friends of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and pay alms, and obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat at-Tawba: 71)

In a society adhering to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, no prejudicial distinction is made between the individuals of a society whether women, men, wealthy, poor, young or old. Social standing, profession, wealth, or gender do not make people enjoy particular privileges. The good deeds one engages in and one's fear of Allah distinguish one, as is commanded in the verse "Take provision, but the best provision is fear of Allah." (Surat al-Baqara: 197) In the Qur'an, people are not classified prejudicially as men or women. Allah addresses both men and women having faith in Him and engaging in good deeds. Allah stresses the importance of living by the values He commands. In that respect, being male or female has no significance. Some of the verses stressing this are as follows:

The men and women of the believers are friends of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish salat and pay zakat (regular charity), and obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. Allah has promised the men and women of the believers. Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah's good pleasure is even greater. That is the great victory. (Surat at-Tawba: 71-72)

Men and women who are Muslims, men and women who are believers, men and women who are obedient, men and women who are truthful, men and women who are steadfast, men and women who are humble, men and women who give in charity, men and women who fast, men and women who guard their private parts, men and women who remember Allah much: Allah has prepared forgiveness for them and an immense reward. (Surat al-Ahzab: 35)

Anyone, male or female, who does right actions and is a believer, will enter the Garden. They will not be wronged by so much as the tiniest speck. (Surat an-Nisa': 124)

The Trouble Women Suffer in Social Life

In societies distant from religion, women encounter many difficulties, and, in particular, those experienced after a divorce deserve special mention. A divorce creates many problems for a woman who has been prevented from working by her husband, and hence has come to depend economically upon him.

That the majority of women do not have a profession, that they are not young enough to go to work, or that they are not entitled to any social rights make conditions hard for divorced women. The additional benefits divorcing parties demand from each other and their insistence on pursuing their own interests contribute to conflicts between the parties and make the situation even worse.

In a society of believers, however, people do not go through such trouble when they adhere to the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The respect and love felt at the beginning of a marriage is not lost when the parties decide to terminate their marriage since it is done by mutual consent. This attitude is consequent upon the rationale that parties do not perceive each another merely as a man or a woman, but as human beings having faith in Allah, and thus Allah's most elevated creation. This attitude maintains courtesy after a divorce. 

There are many measures taken in the Qur'an securing a woman's rights after divorce. The ones pertaining to her economic situation maintain the welfare of a divorced woman. The following verses inform us about the benefits and monetary assistance specified by the mutual consent of both parties as well as the treatment due a woman after separation:

Divorced women should receive maintenance given with correctness and courtesy: a duty for all who are righteous. (Surat al-Baqara: 241)

… Give them a gift – he who is wealthy according to his means and he who is less well off according to his means – a gift to be given with correctness and courtesy: a duty for all good-doers. If you divorce them before you have touched them but have already allotted them a dowry, they should have half the amount which you allotted, unless they forgo it or the one in charge of the marriage contract forgoes it. To forgo it is closer to fear of Allah. Do not forget to show generosity to one another. Allah sees what you do. (Surat al-Baqara: 236-237)

He who has plenty should spend out from his plenty, but he whose provision is restricted should spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not demand from any self more than He has given it. Allah will appoint after difficulty, ease. (Surat at-Talaq: 7)

Again from the verses, we know that, after the divorce, it is not lawful for a man to keep anything he had given to his wife during the marriage. All needs of a divorced woman related to housing are also guaranteed during the waiting period after the divorce. According to the Qur'an, it is also unlawful to inherit women by force.

What has been related so far reveals that adhering to the Qur'an brings solutions. In a society where people live by the Qur'an, women are not subjected to maltreatment and dishonored as in other societies.

5. Equal Allocation of Resources

Today, all individuals around the world do not have equal access to resources. An adult male's basic energy need is around 2,800 calories a day. The nutritional resources available on the planet are adequate to meet every individual's needs. Still, however, much of the world is excluded from these benefits and more than 800 million people on earth suffer from extreme malnourishment. The daily calorie intake of 75% of the world population (estimated at 6.85 billion people as of 2010) is much below the minimum calorie-intake level. The number of malnourished people changes from one country to another, owing to the uneven distribution of food around the world. Another statistic indicates that meeting the basic needs of the populations of developing countries (food, drinking, water, sanitation, health care and education) would cost roughly 40 million Dollars a year. This figure equals a mere 4% of the combined wealth of the 225 richest people in the world.3

As these statistics also indicate, excess resources in some countries are unavailable in others, although of vital importance. In rich countries, some resources no longer in use remain idle even though they could be transferred to poor countries. The misery of some African countries is an example with which everyone is familiar.

Global inequities are not restricted to food and water. The same inequity is also true for health services, and that creates serious problems around the world. Through research and breakthroughs in the domain of medicine, many illnesses can easily be cured and prevented today. This is possible through the medical technology employed by rich countries coupled with their financial means. Hardly the same can be said of underdeveloped and developing countries, however. Minor health problems, with which the wealthy countries easily cope, pose serious threats in poor countries.

For instance, leprosy, also known as Hanson's Disease,  is an insidious bacterial disease that flourishes mainly in the 'poverty belt' of the globe. This disease, which has afflicted humanity since time immemorial, can be treated relatively easily in our day. Leprosy poses a major threat in poverty-stricken countries, yet there are only sporadic, or even no, cases reported in the developed world. That the treatment is long and costly is the major reason it has not been eliminated in poor countries. Yet, the fact remains that medical aid provided by rich countries could contribute to the elimination of the problem.

Cüzzam hastalağına yakalanmış 14 yaşında bir Endonezyalı.

When all health problems are considered in general, leprosy is but the tip of the iceberg. In underdeveloped countries, technology is impotent in the face of many other epidemics. In addition, with the lack of financial means, it is unlikely to treat, let alone be able to eradicate these diseases. However, the solution to all health problems is simple: through rational organization, many methods can be put into practice, such as the transfer of idle medical equipment stored in the warehouses of developed countries to the poor countries.

Global inequities are also apparent in the availability of agricultural and information technology around the globe. To expand agricultural areas, developed countries invest heavily in research on agricultural and irrigation technology, rendering agricultural activities possible in unproductive lands, even in deserts. Today, irrigation systems are being transformed by the power of information technology. Computer-supported irrigation systems, aimed to keep water loss to a minimum, channel water directly into the roots of the plants beneath the soil, saving every single drop for the benefit of agriculture. Projects have been introduced to refine all water resources, such as sea and flood water for use in watering deserts.

These modern agricultural methods render productivity possible even in the deserts. This is all good news. Yet, that these innovations are not accessible to poverty-stricken countries, remains a problem to which one seriously needs to give thought. The poor technology employed by these countries does not yield high productivity even in fertile soils, making hunger a serious threat for their people.

Today in some countries, truckloads of vegetables and fruits are discharged on to wastelands. Yet, the fact remains that, around the planet, there are millions living on the bread-line. The rational allocation of world resources could prevent extravagance while saving starving people in different areas of the world. … Eat of their fruits when they bear fruit and pay their due on the day of their harvest, and do not be profligate. He (Allah) does not love the profligate. (Surat al-An'am: 141)

In some cases, the whole population of a country lives under the threat of hunger. The press devotes many pages and television broadcasts to such human misery, making everyone aware of the situation, yet failing to create insight in people to bring solutions. Solutions are sought in temporary measures and short-term projects, yet such feeble measures lacking insight produce no results.

At this point, people really require rapid and workable solutions that address actual needs. Today, poverty-stricken countries receive large amounts of food aid. Yet, most of these serve no good as they are simply made for show-purposes and are inconsistent with the needs of famine sufferers. Alternatively, being delayed, or due to interruptions within the organization, the food rots before reaching its destination. Associations are set up to organize this aid. However, these associations lack credibility, since they are often full of corruption.

The fact that millions of people still suffer from hunger in the world, is a token of the inefficient use of world resources.

Cumhuriyet Gazetesi, 16/10/99

Milliyet Gazetesi, 6/1/99

Behind the failure to reach concrete solutions lie egoism, vested interests, ambition, heedlessness and other similar moral weaknesses. The only way to end these moral imperfections is to communicate the Qur'an to people and remind them that we will give an account of all our acts in the hereafter.

As in the previous examples of the issues regarding health and education, justice will end many problems around the world. However, one point deserves special mention here: when we say fair distribution, one should not understand that everything will be available to everyone everywhere in the same amounts. What is actually meant is meeting people's needs completely. Surely, a special irrigation system employed in the deserts will not be of use elsewhere. Similarly, one would not expect a nation to send medicine to another country while there is a need for it within that country itself. Furthermore, it is not essential that every citizen should possess exactly the same amount of possessions. What really matters is that there should not be some people indulging in extravagance while, next to them, there are people suffering from poverty. The avoidance of an unbridgeable gap between poor and rich is essential.

Once the command of Allah, "They will ask you what they should give away. Say whatever is surplus to your needs." (Surat al-Baqara: 219) is adhered to, the fair distribution which will lead societies to peace will spontaneously appear.

	In our day, dry arid land can be transformed into productive fields, through agricultural technology employed by some countries like the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The same technology should immediately be transferred to drought-stricken countries.

They will ask you what they should give away. Say, 'Any wealth you give away should go to your parents and relatives and to orphans and the very poor and travelers.' Whatever good you do, Allah knows it. (Surat al-Baqara: 215)

Peace: The Natural Consequence of Securing Real Justice

Once all these facts are considered, we arrive at the conclusion that only living by the Qur'an will ensure a completely fair social structure. That is because only the morality of the Qur'an brings moral conduct and wisdom. Selfish, egotistical, heedless people will change into merciful, just people who think for the good of others and thus provide solutions. This simply means the end of many problems.

Then when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We rescued those who had forbidden the evil and seized those who did wrong with a harsh punishment because they were deviators. (Surat al-A'raf: 165)

In societies enjoying real justice, people do not stoop to moral weaknesses such as pursuing vested interests, fraud or violating another's rights. The basic Qur'anic teachings command matters such as co-operation and mercy, which are the essence of a just society. In such a society, everyone safeguards each other's interests, and thus the rights and interests of all are secured. This is what brings overall peace and security to society. In this sense, the responsibility of all believers is to communicate the values Allah praised and the just religion to the whole world. This is one of the most important attributes of the believers. Allah reveals in the verses as such:

Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success. (Surah Ali 'Imran: 104)

Those who make tawba (repentance), those who worship, those who praise, those who fast, those who bow, those who prostrate, those who command the right, those who forbid the wrong, those who preserve the limits of Allah: give good news to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba: 112)

Allah mentions the existence of people who live by these values and accordingly summon people to them. Only those making people avoid wicked deeds will attain salvation:

Then when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We rescued those who had forbidden the evil and seized those who did wrong with a harsh punishment because they were deviators. (Surat al-A'raf: 165)

DİPNOTLAR

1. Muslim Vol. 4 Hadith 6309

2. Muslim Vol. 3 Hadith 4264

3. UNESCO the COURIER, March 1999, p.22