Page 89 - Non-violence and peace-building
P. 89
Non-violence and Peace-building in Islam
a deadly riot breaks out, inter-communal violence can
be effectively ended.
Some people claim that communal riots are always
a result of conspiracies, and that these conspiracies are
the handiwork of certain non-Muslim groups. They
claim this to be these groups’ principal mission. It is
argued that these groups have specially trained their
people for this.
Now, in response to this I will say that this world is an
arena of competition. Here, it is bound to happen that
people will act against one another. That is why the real
task to be done is not to raise a big hue and cry against
these groups, but, rather, to prepare oneself to render
them ineffectual through silent efforts. Experience
proves that while a group’s opponents adopt measures
that are directed against it, such efforts can be rendered
ineffectual through wisdom. Those who want that they
should face no such challenge whatsoever and that no
one should ‘conspire’ against them can leave this world
of God’s and invent an imaginary world for themselves
elsewhere, because, according to the law on the basis
of which God has made this world, such things are
bound to happen. Even for the prophets God made no
exception in this regard. So, how can an exception be
made for us?
Everywhere, and across the world, Muslims are
divided into rival camps, allied with different powers
and fighting against each other. In our country, Muslims
are allied with rival political parties and they fight with
each other, especially during the elections. In this way,
they weaken and help destroy themselves at the same
88