The Culture of Peace

house and requested him to be seated. He asked the leader why the crowd had gathered outside. The leader angrily replied, ‘You have grabbed a Hindu brother’s property, and that’s why we have come here!’ The Muslim man gently said, ‘You are aware that the name of the rightful owner of any property is mentioned in the official documents. These documents decide who the rightful owner of a plot is. So, what you should do is to take my documents and those of my contractor neighbour and then go to your home and examine them. You be the judge in this matter. After studying both our documents, whatever decision you come to I will unconditionally accept.’ At this, the leader suddenly turned friendly. He had entered the Muslim’s house in a rage, but he now stepped out all smiles. Then, he addressed the crowd outside, saying, ‘You all go back to your homes. Miyan-ji [a term of respect for a Muslim man] has himself made me the judge in this affair. I will see his and the contractor’s documents and come to a decision.’ Accordingly, the leader went home and studied both sets of documents. And in a few days’ time he gave a decision that was wholly in favour of the Muslim man. If the Muslim man had reacted to the crowd by grabbing his gun and firing, it would certainly have provoked the angry demonstrators’ egotism, or nafs-e ammara. And then things would have gone totally against him. But by using wisdom and reasonableness instead of a gun, he awakened their conscience, or nafs-e-lawwama. And when the conscience awakens, its decision is always in favour of justice. It never decides in favour of oppression and injustice. Victory Can Also Be Defeat Pyrrhus was a Greek king who lived in the third century BCE. He fought the Romans and was victorious over them. But