The Path of Human Welfare

The future social order will have to be based on Iman (this is an Arabic and as well as a Persian term which has the equivalent of Dharma is Sanskrit). In English this could be loosely translated as ‘one’s inherent nature of righteousness’. Iman or dharma is one’s  psycho-spiritual conviction as a human being.

This iman or dharma elevates a human from the animalistic stage to the level where one is longing for freedom, justice and human welfare in a universal spiritual sense. When one desires sustainable good that embraces all of society from the highest stratum down to a blade of grass, one is inspired by one’s iman or righteousness. One could say that without iman or dharma one is not a human being but something worse than an animal. It is this iman or dharma that makes the human being. After all human beings are more psychic than physical and get their inspiration from the spiritual realm.

According to spiritual philosopher and social thinker PR Sarkar there are four inherent characteristic of iman or dharma. First one  is mental expansion. Human beings are seekers of knowledge that will guide them and manifest more of their potential. Other characteristics of iman or dharma are the natural inclination to help others or to do good and to do this as much as possible as an instrument of the Supreme. This means to be moving harmoniously with the laws of the universe. And finally the fourth one is that Iman or dharma also supplies the final goal of life which is to merge in the absolute Truth.

Without holding strong to one’s iman or dharmic base, morality cannot stand. A strong current of selfishness or a flowing river of sin can easily wash away the sandy walls of morality. But where there is iman or dharma in the person that person’s life is an ideological flow or a principled life above anything else.

Society is still waiting for leaders to emerge who are imbued with the feelings of iman or dharma and who seek it in others to work with. Only with such personalities human welfare can be established for the good and happiness of all. Without this we shall be in the process for some time until the pressure of circumstances crystallizes such personalities who can be ideal leaders of people.