TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour. Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible.


THE MODERN AGE AND
NON-VIOLENCE

THE greatest problem facing Islam today is, that Muslims have almost totally forgotten the Prophet’s way of non-violence. In latter times when the Ottoman and Mughal empires disintegrated and problems like that of Palestine have had to be confronted, Muslims all over the world have fallen a prey to negative reaction on a colossal scale; they have failed to remember that the policy of Islam is not that of violence but of non-violence. It is the result of this deviation, that despite almost a 100-years of wars, Muslims have achieved no positive gain. Rather whatever they already had, has been lost by them.

According to Imam Malik, later generations of Muslim community settled matters at issue in the same way that earlier generations had done, i.e. non-violent methods. Similarly, Muslims of modern times must likewise resort only to non-violent methods. Just as no gain could accrue from violent methods earlier, no gain can accrue from violent methods today.


Muslims of modern times must likewise resort only to nonviolent methods. Just as no gain could accrue from violent methods earlier, no gain can accrue from violent methods today.

At the time of the Hudaybiya peace treaty, the Quraysh, who had secured the leadership of Arabia, were bent on waging war. The Kabah was in their possession. They had expelled the Prophet and his Companions from their home town. They had taken possession of Muslims’ homes and other properties, and spared no effort in disseminating negative propaganda against Islam. Given this state of affairs, there were only two options before the believers. One was to attempt to put an end to tyranny and launch an outright war on the other party in the name of securing their rights. The result of such a move would certainly have been further loss in terms of lives and property.

The second option was to remain patient in the face of immediate loss, be it political or material, and, in spite of the losses avail of the opportunities that were already available. The Prophet of Islam and his Companions chose this second course. The result was that in just a few years, the entire history of Arabia was altered for the better by an Islamic revolution.

The present age however is an age of religious freedom; the world has become a global village. There is openness amongst people about learning from each other. The development of science and technology has made the canvas needed for God realization bigger.

Today there exists a great number of opportunities for self-betterment and for working on a much larger scale. If availed of wisely, we can rewrite the history of Islam in magnificent terms.

Towards a Non-Violent World
Though the history of the non-violent movement is a very long one, historians concede that “the most massive and historically effective example of non-violent activism was that of the movement organized by Mahatma Gandhi”.

India can be justly proud that it was in this country, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, where for the first time in human history a non-violent movement culminated in such resounding success.

The first target for Mahatma Gandhi was to usher in peaceful political change throughout the country. This ambition was fulfilled in 1947. Mahatma Gandhi’s second target was to bring about social change on the basis of non-violence. But before he could achieve his second target, he was tragically removed from the scene of action.


Today there exists a great number of opportunities for self-betterment and for working on a much larger scale. If availed of wisely, we can rewrite the history of Islam in magnificent terms.

Now our greatest need is to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi’s mission. After political change we have to bring about social change in our country through Gandhi Andolan, that is, a non-violent movement. If India could be successful on this front, it would undoubtedly find itself in a position to give the lead to the entire world.

There is only one way of exploiting the non-violent method for the reform of a society – and that is, to bring about a change in the thinking of the individual, the basic unit of society.

Violence is born in the mind and it can be ended in the mind itself. For instance, during the Second World War, Japan was burning to avenge itself against America. They said that America had devastated their city of Hiroshima, so they would destroy America. Although Japan’s Air Force had been badly hit, its army was still intact, and its officers were bent on vengeance. At that juncture certain intellectuals in Japan pointed out that if America had destroyed Hiroshima, they had already destroyed America’s Pearl Harbour. In this way they were at par. The score was even.

Due to this timely guidance, the Japanese came to rethink their position, and, abandoning the path of confrontation with America, opted instead for the path of adjustment; in so doing, they were tremendously successful.


There is only one way of exploiting the non-violent method for the reform of a society–and that is, to bring about a change in the thinking of the individual, the basic unit of society.

The truth is that intellectual awakening is the only way to produce a non-violent world. This is, without doubt, a long and laborious struggle. But we have no other alternative. Most instances of violence are the results of misguided thinking. The day one succeeds in putting an end to such thought, violence will disappear on its own.

Take the case, for example, of communal riots in India. It has been found that in most of the cases communal riots result from an erroneous way of thinking. For example when a procession of people of one community passes by the place of worship of another community, the choice for the people in the place of worship is not between tolerating the procession or disrupting it. The right choice is between being patiently waiting for the procession to pass which is a temporary disturbance or to witness riots resulting in loss of precious lives and property.


There is only one way of exploiting the non-violent method for the reform of a society–and that is, to bring about a change in the thinking of the individual, the basic unit of society.

An individual is always governed by his thinking. That is why, if we have to make a non-violent world for a peaceful society, there is only one way, and that is by using educative methods to convert people’s thinking from violence to non-violence, and to enable them to seek the solution to matters of controversy through peaceful means. They must learn to understand the value of tolerance and avoidance as opposed to intolerance and confrontation. It is from such intellectual awareness alone that a non-violent world and a peaceful society can be constructed.

Higher Purpose
It is in terms of the unique conceptual
quality of man that we can conceive of
what his higher purpose in life should be.
It can only be one which does not result
from the pressures of desire or of
immediate exigencies. It must emanate
from his own urge to worship God.