Chapter Sixteen

Peace in Kashmir fort of Islam stands on firm ground. No fort can be built on the foundations of wishful thinking. Avoid Political Confrontation ‘A wise man is one who knows the relative value of things.’ Judging by this saying, it appears that among the Kashmiri leaders there is perhaps no one at all who could be called wise. They may know something about their people, but not a whit about the dire consequences of their actions. They would do well to take a lesson from the decision made by the Queen of Sheba when the Prophet Solomon wrote to her asking her to submit to him. Despite her courtiers’ advice to her that she need not do Solomon’s bidding, the Queen replied: ‘Surely, when mighty kings invade a country, they despoil it and humiliate its noblest inhabitants—these men will do the same […]’ (27:34) A very important fact is brought out by the Quran. And that is that in confronting a powerful ruler one must think carefully of the consequences of doing so. If the consequences will prove negative, confrontation must be avoided. Experience proves that confronting a powerful ruler is generally counter-productive, for it leads to destruction on a massive scale. This devastating consequence of political confrontation is inevitable, no matter who the ruler one confronts. Confronting a powerful ruler and fighting against him must be avoided at all costs and under all circumstances. If some people ignore this and directly confront such a ruler, it is pointless for them to later complain about loss of life and property. They ought to know that the destruction that they suffer is the price they pay for their having chosen a wrong course of action. Those