ISLAM AND WORLD PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22052, 7 September 1933, Page 11

ISLAM AND WORLD PROBLEMS

A GREAT TRADE ERA IMMENSE OPPORTUNITIES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July 7. The contribution Islam may make to the solution of world problems was the subject of addresses at a meeting held at the House of Commons. It was arranged by the National League, and was attended by many members of both Houses. Lord Derby was in the chair, and paid a warm tribhte to the Aga Khan for his efforts to strengthen the economic links between India and this country. The Aga Khan pointed out that in the golden age of Islamic civilisation, reaching down to the sixteenth century, the Moslem countries were in the van of the world’s economic life; but with the discovery of America and of the Cape route to the East, seaborne trade to the Far East and India took the place of trade through the Moslem countries. What could be conveniently called the big Moslem square from Samarkand to Sind and from Egypt to Constantinople diminished in economic importance for the world in general and for Europe in particular. In the end it Was almost ignored by the general trend of British and other European commercial enterprise. In the postwar world the old and familiar sources of trade and commerce were proving insufficient. New sources-must be found; new economic worlds must be conquered. Fortunately now that the opening up of the economically backward Moslem countries was most needed, science had placed at our disposal means and methods by which that end could be achieved. Motor traffic —for which vast quantities of petrol could be found in the very heart of Islamic lands —had made it possible with the development of roads once more to bring commercial prosperity to the farthest interior of these countries. Every part of them would be easy of access by means of the aeroplane, which was taking the place of the camel as “ the ship of the desert.” The immense importance of this transformation to all concentrated and quick forms of trade was obvious. The world depression, which had shown the insufficiency of markets for West and East alike, would lead every manufacturing country to turn its eyes to this revived field of commercial enterprise. COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS NEEDED. The Aga Khan went on to show that the political and territorial adjustments following the war have placed Great Britain and her Empire in a peculiarly advantageous position to benefit to, the full from these developments. The Moslems of India were happily placed in being the link alike in friendship and in trade between the people of Great Britain on one side and those of Islamic lands on the other, and also between the vast Hindu population of India and the Moslem countries to their west. He desired to place some practical suggestions before his British fellow-subjects for expediting the process of the economic regeneration of Moslem countries and the improvement of British export trade. Might it not be possible for at least some of the younger English people to learn Persian or Arabic or Urdu? In addition to the stimulus knowledge of these languages would give to the mental and spiritual understanding between East and West, the practical and commercial advantage would be great. Anyone with a knowledge of one of these languages could easily familiarise himself with the other two, since they were closely related linguistically. Another need was a supply of commercial travellers suited to the conditions now obtaining. Speaking as one who knew the sentiments ot Moslems generally, he could say that they showed not only willingness but anxiety for political, cultural, and, above all, financial, economic, and commercial cooperation with the people of this land. Mr A. H. Ghuznayi, in supnortmg these views, said that it could not be doubted that the characteristic doctrine of Islam which prohibited the practice of usury by pious Moslems had acted as a brake on the economic progress of Moslem countries. Finance, with its necessary feature of an economic rate of interest, was the life-blood of all economic activities, and the flow of this vital stream had been blocked as far as Moslems themselves were concerned by their religion. But he might be permitted to observe that an approximation on the part of certain Western countries to the Islamic view or interest would greatly facilitate the settlemen of the vexed question of war debts. Dr Shafa’at Ahmsd Khan and Mr ■ Zatrullah Khan also spoka.