Page 47 - Non-violence and peace-building

Non-violence and Peace-building in Islam

they will start quarrelling with their opponents about
unnecessary issues. By turning intolerant, they disobey
God; and people who disobey God can never receive
God’s help.
There are many different ways in which one can lose
one’s patience and become intolerant. For instance, by
not being willing to tolerate even a minor damage or
inconvenience for the sake of a higher purpose or goal
and to start fighting about this. Or, for instance, by not
ignoring issues that might hurt one’s sentiments and
by getting worked up because of them. Another way in
which people might express this lack of tolerance is if,
instead of working for their own social and economic
development, they start making demands on others and
take to protesting, demonstrating and engaging in other
such forms of negative political action. Or, they may
zealously rush ahead and take seemingly very daring
steps without having developed their own character. Or,
they may give inordinate importance to the challenges
that they will necessarily have to face in society and then
get provoked and start fighting with others. They may
develop unrealistic expectations of others, and when
these expectations are not met, they may get angry and
start quarrelling with them. They may not take into
account human weaknesses, and so when they see a
weakness in someone, they may create a big hue and cry
about it. They may refuse to negotiate with the political
authorities, and, instead, start fighting with them. And
so on.

The principle of not allowing yourself to lose your
patience and tolerance is based on great wisdom. If you

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