UNILATERAL ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR

One should maintain unilateral ethics, seeking to join hands with those who sever relations with them, even those who behave unjustly towards them.

The Prophet of Islam is reported to have said: “Should I not tell you what the best moral course is in this world as well as in the Hereafter?” Then the Prophet said, “If someone separates from you, join with him; if someone deprives you of something, give it to him; if someone is unjust to you, forgive him.” (Musannaf of Abd al-Razzaq, Hadith No. 21307)

In this world, a person sometimes faces such bitter experiences that he succumbs to anger and seeks revenge. However, this is not high thinking. The superior human being responds rationally rather than reacting emotionally. His attitude is governed by well-considered principles rather than a knee-jerk reaction. The mind of such a person does not get disturbed by another person’s attitude. His mental maturity enables him to rise above reaction and find a level of existence superior to it. As a result, he behaves well towards everyone, even if he receives bad behaviour from others.

This high thinking enables such a person to continue to join hands with those who wish to sever relations with him. He is happy to give, even to those who do not want to give anything to him in return. Even those who are not good or unjust to him are forgiven by him unilaterally.

Maintaining such unilateral ethics is imperative for promoting positive interpersonal relations. The relevance of this for harmonious inter-religious relations, too, is obvious.