Water from Stones: Conflict-Resolution through Gentleness

other people who were given divine scriptures. This history of the Jews provides Muslims the very same lessons as it does for the Jews themselves. At the time of Moses, God began showering His blessings on the Children of Israel—the Jews—and this culminated in His giving them the opportunity of entering Palestine and occupying it. The history of the Jews after this is one of continuous rise and fall—of being rewarded for good deeds and punished for sins. The period of the prophet Samuel inaugurated an independent kingdom of the Jews. In 604 B.C.E., King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (in modern-day Iraq) occupied Syria and marched till the border of Palestine. Out of fear, Jehoiakim, the Israelite king of Judah, was forced to pay him tribute. After a while, Jehoiakim decided it would be more beneficial for him to ally with Egypt. And so, he revolted against the Babylonian ruler and stopped paying him tribute. This angered the latter, who began making preparations to invade Palestine. In the meanwhile, Jehoiakim died, and his son succeeded him to the throne. The Babylonian army attacked Palestine, captured the new Jewish king, and took him back with them to Babylon. The Babylonian king appointed a relative of the former king of Judah in the latter’s place. At this time, the Prophet Jeremiah appeared among the Children of Israel. He advised the Children of Israel not to try to fight against reality and to accept the existing political system. He exhorted them to stop confronting the existing government and, instead, to work in a constructive manner. But then, false leaders emerged among the Children of Israel. They issued fiery, emotionally-driven appeals, trying to stir up the Children of Israel with romantic promises. As a result, the Children of Israel fell prey to false hopes and wishful thinking. Because of this, they could not adopt pragmatic or realistic methods. They rose up in revolt, because of which Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, once again attacked Palestine. After a