HINDU-MUSLIM AMITY

Every man is a human being. He temporarily becomes an enemy when provoked. Responding with positive behaviour makes him return to his nature. One who earlier appeared as an enemy now becomes a friend.

At a seminar on ‘Religion and Humanitarianism’ held under the auspices of the Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies, at the Jamia Millia Islamia, in New Delhi in 1993, one of the speakers, Dr. Bishambhar Nath Pandey, recalled how a Hindu procession, led by Swami Satya Dev through Bala Ghat in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in 1926, had been planned. A ten thousand-strong procession with beating drums and slogans arrived in front of a mosque, exactly at prayer time.

Mr. Karamat Husain, a reputed political activist in the city, had gained prior knowledge of this plan. Before the arrival of the procession, he reached the mosque along with one hundred of his colleagues, each was provided with a garland. When the procession came to a halt in front of the mosque, he asked the other Muslims who had come there to pray to remain silent. Then, initiating a pre-planned move, he came out of the mosque with his colleagues and walked towards the procession. He neither told the procession to go by another route nor demanded that they stop shouting slogans. Instead, he said: “We welcome you!” And then he and his colleagues began garlanding the Hindus one by one. Now the entire atmosphere underwent a sea change. The processionists stopped forthwith. A charged atmosphere changed into one of amity.

Every man is a human being. He becomes an enemy—only temporarily—when he is provoked. However, with wise handling, his temper cools, and he returns to the real nature he was born with. That same person, who had appeared in the guise of an enemy, can become your friend.