Resistance to Provocation

Resistance to Provocation

1988 4 April 14 Resistance to Provocation (175) The renowned Indian philosopher, Mr. J. Krishnamurti, spent more than fifty years travelling around in the west and in India, never relaxing in his efforts to bring people round to his way of thinking. Although his talks were attended by thousands of people year after year, he always felt unhappy at the failure of his audiences to move along with him. When he was in Madras in February, 1984, he ended one of his discussions by asking the audience: “Will you change, Sirs?” and then declaring, “you’ll all go back and continue doing what you have been doing.” A man in the audience angrily retorted: “Year after year you say we are not going along with you; then why do you keep talking to us?” Mr. Krishnamurti, without losing his composure for so much as a second, replied, “Sir, have you ever asked a rose why it blooms?” remaining unperturbed and speaking with great politeness, he effectively silenced his would-be critics. There are many speakers today who cold very well take a lesson from this.

What really matters is the man within

1988 4 April 14 What really matters is the man within (46) A complaint was made to the Prophet about the behavior of Abdullah ibn Hudhaifah. It was said that he joked and played the fool too much. “Let him be,” said the Prophet, “for, deep down, he has great love for God and His Prophet.”

(Ibn Asakir)