Page 97 - Non-violence and peace-building

Non-violence and Peace-building in Islam

were lost in the riots, and property worth millions went
up in flames. The riots stopped only when the Army was
called in. Needless to say, most of those who suffered in
the riots were from one particular community.
In this case, Muslims acted in a very foolish way—
like a watermelon in the face of a knife. Muslims who
behave in this way may think that they are acting in
accordance with Islam, but they are terribly mistaken.

According to a hadith, the Prophet said, “It does
not behove a Muslim to humiliate himself.” Someone
asked, “How can one humiliate oneself?” The Prophet
replied, “When one engages in a task that is beyond
one’s capacity.” (At-Tirmidhi)
In the light of this hadith, one can say that in this
case, as in many others, Muslims acted in a very foolish
way—like a watermelon in the face of a knife. Muslims
who behave in this way may think that they are acting in
accordance with Islam, but they are terribly mistaken.

Analysis of the Riot
One can analyze this riot in two ways. One way is to see
it from the Muslim communal perspective. The other
way is to see it from the Islamic perspective.

The Muslim communal perspective is the perspective
that all Muslim leaders, big and small, always employ on
such occasions—and they did this on this occasion, too.
In the wake of this riot, every Muslim began speaking
the same language, saying exactly the same things. They
one-sidedly placed the entire blame for the riots on the
Shiv Sena or the administration.

96