united platform. Due emphasis must be accorded to the Tabligh work and the important part played by it in reviving the essence of religion. This is my view as regards the main mission of Tabligh, but not as regards the particular method of working that they have adopted, since the method of functioning of any movement or party is purely relative.
While the importance of the Tabligh mission must be accepted, the need to work in different arenas is also acute. Capable people from the Ummah should come forward to share in this gigantic task of Islamic revival. If they are sincere in its pursuit, the Tabligh people must give them due recognition and encouragement. They should even help them at an individual level.
In the latter half of the 20th century some of the issues facing us are: the restoration of the honour and dominance of the Muslims in the modern world, the compilation of Islamic law according to the needs of modern times, the preparation of a new system of education for Muslims which caters to present needs and situations, the preparation of missionary literature, keeping in view the requirements of the modern mind and challenges from modern ideologies. All these objectives call for a defence of religion on an academic level. It is beyond a single person or a group to perform all these tasks. What is desirable is that the importance of one another’s work be recognized. There should be mutual consultation and assistance. The coordi- nation that is required can be illustrated by the example of the electricity which is generated in the powerhouse and the machines which are produced in factories. Their utility would be zero if they did not meet at some point. It is by their relating to one another that they acquire meaning and efficacy. If such unity is achieved on an intellectual level by the Ummah, it will eventually bring immense benefits. The revival of Islam which, for centuries had been an empty dream, will become a reality in a matter of years or even just months.
