Page 292 - Quranic Wisdom - New.indd

Violation of Reason

Citing atrocities by the other party does not justify retaliatory
action against ‘enemies’. It is certain that the other party will
react after your action, so you have to keep your patience, instead
of initiating such action, which, rather than solve any problems,
will only create more.
One example of this kind is given in a verse in the chapter
Al-Naml (The Ants) in the Quran. The story is narrated with
silent appreciation. An apparent political injustice was about to
be inflicted upon the nation of Sheba, but the inhabitants of
that nation avoided a confrontational course of action because,
in that situation, confrontation was bound to produce negative
results. Their leader accepted the ‘injustice’ by saying:

‘Surely, when mighty kings invade a country, they
despoil it and humiliate its noblest inhabitants—these
men will do the same.’ (27:34)
This precedent narrated by the Quran gives us a very important
principle. Sometimes you have to adjust to the situation, even if
it seems that it is in violation of human rights.
In social matters, justice and human rights are not the
criteria: in such matters practical wisdom has to be taken into
consideration. Often pragmatism has to be the deciding factor.
If you organize a group protest in the streets and some member
of your group throw stones at the police, it is but natural that if
the police are armed, they will open fire in retaliation. In such a
situation it is not possible for the bullets to hit only those who
had thrown stones, leaving the others unscathed. They will hit all
of your group members, even if they were silent protesters.
In such a situation, it is futile to say that this was a violation
of human rights. It was, in fact, a violation of reason rather than
human rights. You are paying the price of your own unwise
policy. So, blame yourself and not others.

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