Page 81 - Non-violence and peace-building

Non-violence and Peace-building in Islam

are willing to cheerfully accept logical arguments. There
is no difference in this regard between Muslims and
others, and between supposedly religious and irreligious
people. Everyone knows this to be the case as far as
their own personal matters are concerned. That is why
when it is a question of someone’s personal interests—
in other words, when, as in the story recounted earlier,
‘water starts dripping from the floor above yours into
your home’—you at once realize that citing evidence,
offering logical arguments and engaging in debate with
your opponent are all useless. Instead, you accept the
responsibility and at once take steps to try to rectify
the situation. Strangely, however, no one is willing
to adopt this very same basic principle of life when it
comes to the problems of the community as a whole.
On this issue, almost every Muslim reacts in the same
way—by accusing other communities for their woes. The
obvious and clearly undeniable fact that such a response,
tirelessly repeated over a period of several decades, has
produced no practical benefit whatsoever has failed to
make any dent in the Muslims’ zeal in reacting in this
useless fashion.
This situation has not come by chance, though.
Rather, it has deep roots. The easiest thing to do is to
blame others for one’s miseries. In contrast, accepting
the responsibility for one’s conditions is enormously
difficult. To accuse others for your problems, all you
need to do is to open your mouth and scream out
loud and make a great ruckus. But if someone accepts
responsibilities for his problems, he is confronted with
the need to exert himself, to act and strive and make

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