The way of violence only increases the enmity of
opponents. On the contrary, the way of peace puts
an end to such enmity. It even converts enmity into
friendship. The study of human nature shows us
that a potential friend could be there inside every
enemy. We have to discover this friend, and accept
as a miracle the fact that one who had at one time
appeared to be our enemy became our closest
friend.
The truth is that enmity is not something natural. It
is an artificial reaction. Whenever for any reason
anyone apparently becomes your enemy, you
should remain mild-mannered in your dealings
with him and try to behave well, even if you have to
do so unilaterally and in the face of provocation.
This peaceful response on your part will result in
the subsiding of negative feelings in your enemy.
Your unilateral good behaviour will serve to
awaken his dormant humanity, thus turning him
into a new and better human being.
The truth is that the same temperament is
common to every n ewborn chi ld, which is
why everyone is fi rst Mr. Nature and only
later on, be comes either Mr. En emy or Mr.
Fr iend. This means that th e nature you
pos ses s is also pos ses sed by your supposed
enemy. Therefore, on e must se ek in an
apparent enemy the common man in him, and
each individu al should expe ct from oth ers
what he expe cts for himself. Th e law of nature
gives a guarante e that his expe ctations wi ll
not go unfulfilled.
Ref -The Ideology of Peace
- by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
