„I understand the desire of the Islamists to re-establish a truly Islamic order in their House. I believe that they are on the wrong track and, in pursuing it blindly, have overstepped the mark set by the Quran and by the example of the Prophet. Even if they remained within the bounds established by the Faith, they would still be the victims of a typically western illusion; the illusion that to change the “system” is to change human nature and that virtue can be imposed by edict. History, particularly the history of puritan regimes, proves them wrong. Where, now, is the “new Soviet man”? The future of the Muslims does not lie in that direction. So much, at least, can be said with some assurance. Public achievements do not long endure. They are carried away by the tide, like sandcastles built too close to the water’s edge. Even the most excellent political order, once it has been established, has already begun to decay. But the achievement of individual excellence belongs to a different order. It reverberates in the community and provides an example which is loved and imitated by others.” (Charles Le Gai (Hassan Abdul Hakeem) Eaton: Remembering God. Reflections on Islam. Chicago (Kazi Publications) 2000, S. 134)