The Power of Conscience

The Power of Conscience This world is a world of challenges. Only those who confront them with courage succeed. The more deeply this quality is rooted in a person, the greater the success they are destined to achieve. THE POWER OF CONSCIENCE Abul Barakat Alvi, a resident of Nizampur in Azamgarh district (U.P.), recounted an incident from his area during a meeting on August 29, 1989—an event that carries a deep lesson. To the northwest of Azamgarh lies the village of Raida, situated on the banks of the Mujhoi River near the border of Faizabad. In this village, there are only four Muslim households compared to two hundred Hindu households. In November 1987, a nilgai (blue bull) wandered into a sugarcane field. A local Muslim named Jhannu, a tailor by profession, wanted it hunted. He told a man from the nearby village of Makhdoompur, who owned a gun. The man came, fired, and wounded the animal. Had the nilgai died instantly, no problem would have arisen. But since it fled, leaving a trail of blood, the Hindus became upset. When they learned that Jhannu had encouraged the shooting, they called a village council (panchayat). Jhannu was summoned, and the decision was made: he must pay a fine of one thousand rupees.