Page 246 - Islam and Far Eastern Religions
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                   for you to be arrogant in it. So get out! You are one of the abased.”
                   (Surat al-A‘raf: 11-13)

                   As revealed in these verses, Allah created mankind in the best
               way, designating them to be the beneficiaries of the world and provid-
               ing them with all they ever need. In Surat al-Bayyina our Lord de-
               scribes those who believe and perform good deed as “the best of crea-
               tures”. (Surat al-Bayyina: 7)



                   CONCLUSION
                   The Jain community has preserved its pagan beliefs for 2500 years
               but was reformed to a great extent with the arrival of Islam on Indian
               soil.
                   Whereas Jains were oppressed by Hindu rule, they attained great
               freedoms during the reign of the Mogul emperor Ekber Shah. They
               were at liberty to practice their religion freely and to live as they
               wished by virtue of the environment of justice, compassion and peace

               delivered by the morality of Islam. 110  Living side by side with Muslims
               also gave them the opportunity to acquaint themselves with Islam
               which caused some fundamental changes to their beliefs. Many new
               Jain sects were formed influenced by the monotheistic beliefs central to
               Islam. They left idolatry for such beliefs. This influence is described in
               a book titled Jainism and Other Religions as follows:

                   “But the most prominent and lasting impact of Islam on the Jainas was in
                   the field of their practice of idol-worship. Considering the strict opposition of
                   the Muslims to idol-worship and their policy of destruction of idols, some
                   Jaina thinkers like Lonka Shah began to show their inclination towards non-
                   idolatry in Islam and ultimately it gave rise to the establishment of non-idol-
                   atrous sub-sects of Sthanakvasis among the Svetambara sect and of





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