Page 88 - Non-violence and peace-building

Nipping Inter-Community Conflict in the Bud

world of God. God wants us to be active in the event
of ‘individual wrongdoing’, too, although Muslim
leaders get into action only at the time of ‘social strife’.
This is tantamount to walking on a path that one has
devised by oneself, rather than walking on God’s path.
And this, in turn, is inviting God’s wrath, rather than
leading oneself towards divine assistance.
There are several Muslim movements and
organizations in India. All of them claim that their
aim is to stop inter-communal riots, protect Muslims,
establish a healthy social order, convey God’s message
to humankind, and so on. These movements and
institutions routinely hold massive conventions, where
their leaders deliver lofty speeches, stirring veritable
verbal typhoons. They regularly issue memorandums,
statements and proposals, notwithstanding the fact that
mere rhetoric of this sort cannot lead to any practical
action.

All this happens in the aftermath of riots. None of
these leaders bothers to snuff out the initial sparks
that later turn into leaping flames of inter-communal
conflict, although the actual work to be done is for
Muslim organizations, movements and right-minded
individuals to keep a continuous watch on their fellow
Muslims in their vicinity. As soon as they hear of a
Muslim troubling someone else, irrespective of religion,
they, along with some respected Muslims of the locality,
should meet with him and nip his mischief in the bud.
If Muslims display the same energy, enthusiasm and
sensitivity at this early stage that they generally do after

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