CORRECTING PEOPLE’S MISTAKES

Events took a similar turn in 1857 when it was rumoured that the British rulers had supplied Muslim soldiers with cartridges greased with pig fat (lard), and that English soldiers had desecrated a mosque by entering it on horseback. The immediate outcome was a mutiny, but the ultimate result of the Muslims’ reaction to this provocation was that they were massacred in tens of thousands in clashes with the army. And even after the blood of such huge numbers of Muslims had been spilled, the situation, far from improving, went from bad to worse. This process of clash and confrontation, which began in those early days, has continued to this day. Muslim blood has been shed everywhere. If a non-Muslim throws colour on the wall of a mosque on the festival of Holi; if slogans are raised in front of a mosque; if a procession passes in front of a mosque with a band playing music at high volume; or if there is any other such incident which appears to show disrespect to Islam, Muslims are provoked into fighting. This fighting then develops into riots, and the police resort to firing. Large numbers of people are killed. According to the account of such incidents written by Muslims, Muslim blood could be seen flowing in the streets. Now let us reflect upon this state of affairs. What is the use of this hot-headedness? Does it induce people to discover their Creator and His creation plan for them? Does it turn the opponents of Islam into friends? Does it bring other communities to respect the Islamic faith? Obviously, this is not the case. For more than two hundred years, Muslim blood has been flowing in torrents, but no positive outcome of this can be witnessed. Why has the outcome been so far short of Muslims’ expectations? How is it that the blood of latter-day generations has not been able to achieve as much as a bucket of water dispensed in the time of the Prophet? It is because the water poured by the Prophet was the water of love, whereas the blood of present-day Muslims has been shed in hatred. While the Prophet showered on people the water of forgiveness, good wishes, sympathy, love and kindness, the Muslims of today are pouring upon people the blood of hatred, anger, reaction and provocation. This is the difference which accounts for the greater success of the first phase of Islam during which community after community and tribe For more than two hundred years, Muslim blood has been flowing in torrents but no positive outcome of this can be witnessed.