Intolerance - eating away our sanity

 

Intolerance

The ailments which are eating away our society are innumerable but the one which has destroyed our social religious, cultural and moral fabric is intolerance. 

Before going further let’s see what tolerance is?  “The ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behavior that one dislikes or disagrees with. Our society – although a Muslim Society – can not be declared a tolerant society; neither religiously, nor socially, morally or politically. The incident of Sialkot can be quoted as an example of how intolerant we are. 

Morally we think ourselves so upright that we never like to listen or heed to the opinion which we have set in our minds. Socially we are so right that if anyone happens to oppose our opinion or present before us the flip side of the coin, we become angry and start thinking him/her our worst enemy. Morals are what we understand not what are present before us by others.

 Political polarization is deep rooted in our psyche; we like to defend our leader

 whatsoever he does or says; we will definitely be there to support and defend the wrongs of our dear leaders and will be there to strike hard, hurl abuses and incriminate the ones who are not in our liking – list. 

We can make our society like the society of Madina- where a real tolerance existed between Jews, Christian and Muslims despite the political, religious, and cultural differences. They dare not touch, abuse. insult, or harm anyone without the lawful authority or through the justice system. No one can take the law in his own hands. In our Muslim dominated society, everyone takes the law and becomes the lawful authority to avenge and revenge on the excuses which sometimes are concocted and fabricated. 

When judiciary and executive will be weak, and rule of law does not exist, mob justice will prevail. The only cure to such ailments is teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him. Unless and until we follow the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him, and leave the teachings of the persons and cults, we cannot get rid of intolerance. Personalities and cults provoke difference and intolerance while The Holy Quran and Our beloved Prophet peace be upon him teach us the tolerance.