THE POWER OF CONSCIENCE
Abul Barakat Alvi, a resident of Nizampur in Azamgarh district (U.P.), recounted an incident from his area during a meeting on August 29, 1989—an event that carries a deep lesson.
To the northwest of Azamgarh lies the village of Raida, situated on the banks of the Mujhoi River near the border of Faizabad. In this village, there are only four Muslim households compared to two hundred Hindu households.
In November 1987, a nilgai (blue bull) wandered into a sugarcane field. A local Muslim named Jhannu, a tailor by profession, wanted it hunted. He told a man from the nearby village of Makhdoompur, who owned a gun. The man came, fired, and wounded the animal.
Had the nilgai died instantly, no problem would have arisen. But since it fled, leaving a trail of blood, the Hindus became upset. When they learned that Jhannu had encouraged the shooting, they called a village council (panchayat). Jhannu was summoned, and the decision was made: he must pay a fine of one thousand rupees.
In that village, there was no shallow leader to mislead Jhunnu the tailor, nor was there any Muslim influence strong enough to deceive him in the name of communal pride. So, nature itself guided Jhunnu the tailor. He stood before the people and said: “I accept the decision of the panchayat. I am a poor man; I do not have ready cash. But I will sell the belongings of my house and pay it.”
Three days later, the Hindus’ conscience was stirred. They called another panchayat and said among themselves: “Here Muslims are very few and weak. If outsiders hear that we collected a fine from them, they will look down on us. People will say we oppressed them simply because they were weak. This will bring us dishonour.” By unanimous agreement, they decided that Jhannu’s fine should be canceled. And so it was.
Every person has a conscience inside. That conscience is essentially your representative within others. Use this natural representative, and you’ll have no reason to complain about anyone.
C.F. Dole (Charles Fletcher Dole, 1845–1927) once said:
“Goodwill is the mightiest force in the universe.”
This is not just the saying of one person—it is a fundamental truth about human nature. The Creator has made people in such a way that if they are treated badly, they flare up in anger; but if treated kindly, they are moved to gratitude and become more gentle toward the one who showed kindness.
This universal natural principle makes no exceptions for anyone—not even for friends or enemies. Speak harshly to a friend, insult him, or hurt him, and you’ll see how quickly he forgets the friendship. A spirit of retaliation will arise within him. The same person who once praised you will now be ready to attack you with thorns and fire.
On the other hand, speak softly to someone you see as an enemy. Address one of their needs, help them during a tough time—even something as simple as offering a glass of cold water when they’re thirsty—and their attitude will shift. The person who seemed your enemy can become your friend and supporter.
By placing this trait in human nature, God has given us a powerful support. This quality has equipped even the weakest person with the strongest weapon of influence. Lions and wolves may be defeated with bullets—but human beings can be won over with nothing more than a shower of kindness.
It’s so easy to win hearts. Yet, the foolish turn this simplest task into the hardest.
