and natural mutual assistance. It reached such a pitch that if a per- son was to give up his bigotry and false stand, as though affirming the people's consensus and unanimity he would have to change his school and outlook altogether. Whereas if he was to take truth instead of bigotry, and proof instead of sophistry, and adaptability, conformability, and mutual consultation instead of accusing others of error, the whole world even could not make him change his true school and way, even if it were to unite against him. Similarly to the time of the Prophet (UWBP) and righteous first generations of Islam, doubt and scepticism were of little consequence since truth, proof, reason, and consultation prevailed.

Similarly, we see that thanks to science, at the present time for the most part truth governs in place of force, proof instead of sophistry, reason instead of instinct, guidance instead of caprice, stead- fastness in place of bigotry, zeal instead of malice, the propensities of the intellect rather than the desires of the soul, and thought rather than emotion. In the future this will be the case completely, God willing, as it was in the first, second, and third centuries of Islam, and was mostly so until the fifth. From the fifth centuries down to the present force overcame right.

It is one of the beneficial works of the rule of ideas that the sun of Islam has been saved from the clouds of misapprehensions and imaginings, and has started to illuminate everywhere. Even those rotting in the bog of irreligion have begun to profit from its light. Moreover, it is one of the advantages of the consultation of ideas that aims and outlooks are being founded on certain proofs and are being bound to fixed truths and right, which extend to every attainment. In consequence, falsehood will be unable to deceive minds by assuming the garb of truth.

Brother Muslims! With the tongue of disposition the present hails us with good news: in meaning, the verse, "Truth has now come and falsehood has withered away"(17:81) has raised its head, and pointing to the future, proclaims in ringing tones: the reality of Islam alone, the manifestation and exemplification in this world of pre-eternal justice, will rule time and the natural dispositions of