INTRODUCTION

The only source from which we can discover the purpose of creation, distinguish right from wrong, and learn the true meaning of life, is the Qur'an. Because, the Qur'an was revealed by Allah, Who created human beings, and Who is their only judge and master. Therefore, it is only by way of the religion Allah has revealed in the Qur'an that people may improve on their lack of knowledge, and become cognizant enough to save themselves from the ignorance they are surrounded by.

The collective of those who are far removed from the religion, ignoring its important reality, compose the nations of ignorance. But the ignorance we mean here has a far different meaning than the one in every day use. These peoples may be sophisticated, cultured and educated; they may be experts in many branches of science; they may have read hundreds of books, succeeded in numerous discoveries, and may even be famous for their accomplishments. But, neither the status they have attained, nor their accomplishments, nor the formulas they have discovered, nor the books they have read are enough to counter the ignorance that surrounds them. The ignorance we mean here is the fact that these nations do not know our Creator, or recognize His power as they should; they do not know what He expects of them, and do not know the kind of moral quality they should aspire to. This pervasive type of ignorance adversely effects them in every aspect of their lives.

The only sure way to escape this ignorance is for them to consider the Qur'an; it will remedy their lack of knowledge, and teach them the hidden realities of this life and the next. Otherwise, there is no other source of truth. But, because they fail to refer to it, they have concocted numerous variant ideologies and belief systems. All have different conception of the purpose of life; different ideals and different concepts of what is moral. Each is so in conflict with the other that it is often impossible for them to exist together in harmony. Each defends his own particular interpretation while criticizing the others. Because they suspect one another, and are often at odds with one another, they are fraught with many difficulties.

As stated earlier, the only solution is for them to conform to the kind of life prescribed by the true religion. And Allah, Who created human beings, has revealed for them in the Qur'an the ideal life, which will allow them to derive the greatest amount of benefit from all things.

The purpose of this book is to explore several examples of the kind of life and the type of character that the nations of ignorance have produced, and to show that every approach it has formulated has come to an impasse. Moreover, it will attempt to show that the typical character produced by the nations of ignorance can never attain the contentment and peace of mind they seek.

In addition, this book will demonstrate that the character of a believer, as described in the Qur'an, is superior to any other of the thousands of character types that emerge among ignorant nations, and show how excellent the life lived by a believer compared to the life of ignorance.