Reflections on Communal Riots

It was now the turn of Mr. Hans Raj Chopra and his men. They went around Moradabad and nearby places delivering fiery speeches and creating a climate of great tension in the area. Some days later, it was the day of the Eid festival. On that day, some people threw bits of pig flesh into an eidgah, a place where Muslims offer Eid prayers. This greatly angered the Muslims, who began hurling stones at the police. And then a full-scale riot broke out, with Moradabad’s Muslim localities going up in flames and being drenched in blood. Consider, now, what guidance the Quran and Hadith provide in this regard. The Quran says that God was displeased with the Jews and sent them punishments because they did not stop their own people from committing evil deeds. Thus, the Quran (5:79) relates: Those of the Children of Israel who were bent on denying the truth were cursed by David and Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and were given to transgression; they would not prevent one another from doing the wrong things they did. Evil indeed were their deeds. You see many among them allying themselves with those who deny the truth. Evil is that which their souls have sent on ahead for them. They have incurred the wrath of God and shall suffer eternal punishment. This principle is elaborated upon in the Hadith. A hadith in this regard relates that the Prophet said that when people see an oppressor and do not restrain his hand, God would punish them as a whole. From this we learn that ‘social turmoil’ is always caused by ‘individual misdeed’. That is why the only way to prevent turmoil and disturbance in society is to restrain individuals from wrongdoing. Accordingly, Muslim communities should remain so alert that if one person does some mischief, people around him from within the community must immediately stand up and stop him. If someone treats somebody else wrongly, other members of