By
Mahatma Gandhi
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
A friend desires that the verses from the Koran we recite here should be explained. These verses are ancient. The Koran was composed by Mohammed Saheb—it was spoken by him, thirteen centuries ago. The extracts from it that we recite are considered sublime like our mantras. The very reading of it bestows merit on the reader. It is good to know the meaning, of course, but even without knowing it a correct recitation itself is of great value. I can now explain the substance of it. I do not know Arabic or Persian. I do possess a translation, but it is not here now. Tomorrow I can provide a literal translation. In substance, it is a prayer to God. God is one and the same, by whatever name we may call Him. Allah is one of His names. Then His attributes are described. He is called Rahim and Rehman but He is one God. It is then said that God alone can save us from Satan. Satan drags us down and makes us do evil deeds. Only God can save us from that fate. Man admits that he on his own does not do noble deeds but God prompts him to do so. Man is like a drop of water in a sea. If God does not save man Satan will devour him. God is great. God is All there is. His mercy alone can save us. I should say that however much we may recite this prayer, ponder over it and follow its import it is not enough. You may ask why in that case Muslims indulge in such barbarous behaviour. But then do Christians who have made so much progress, who are learned, follow the teachings of the Bible? Where are the Christians that live according to the Bible? Where are the Hindus who conduct themselves according to the Gayatri? We recite from Ishopanishad, “All things are pervaded by the Lord”, meaning that God is in everything. He gives us everything. Whatever a man possesses has been given to him by God. We should renounce all and enjoy what we must. Nothing is ours. House, property and everything is surrendered to God. It is a great thing. Then it is said that we should not be envious of others’ riches. We should not covet another’s wealth. Let the Hindus but conduct themselves according to this one single mantra. Let the whole world thus conduct itself. It is not for the Hindus alone. It does not even mention Hindus. Let the Sikhs conduct themselves according to the mantra. It is not as if they did not believe in it. If everyone conducted himself accordingly the tragedy we have been witnessing all around us could not have come to pass. Everyone is not wicked, nor is everyone an angel. We cannot say that all Sikhs are wicked while all Hindus are angels or that all Muslims are angels.
Another verse is from the Parsi scripture. The first mantra in the prayer proclaims obeisance to the Guru.¹ It is followed by other verses in Sanskrit. Then there are bhajans. And yet we do not keep our hearts clean. It is a painful thing.
I had said I would explain to you what was being done in the Harijan Colony. But I have to leave it for the present, for there are other things to speak of and I have only fifteen minutes. Some Muslim friends from the U. P. came to see me today for a second time. They told me that they had been to the Punjab in Pakistan. They found other Indian Muslims there. They had planned to work out with the Muslims there some kind of a compromise which would make things easier here in India. They had obtained my permission for the visit. They returned today. They said they wanted one thing from me. I should ask the Hindus and the Sikhs to return to Lahore. These Muslim friends will accompany them. Should it become necessary they will be the first to lay down their lives. But that will not be necessary. They have talked to the authorities there. They are willing to rehabilitate the non-Muslims there. I asked them to give it to me in writing. It is not something that can be done right away. It is a big thing. If this can be done a great part of my work will have been accomplished. They said, I should at least test their word. They have given to me their views in writing. Their report says:
The Peace Mission from the U. P. visited West Punjab twice. The first visit lasted a month and the second a week. The conditions there are much improved. The Government as well as the public are trying to re-establish order. It is the desire of the West Punjab Government that the non-Muslims residing there at present should continue to live there and those who have migrated from there should go back to their homes. The Government has issued the directive that the non-Muslims returning to their homes in West Punjab should be given back their rights over their houses and properties and given full protection and provided with all the facilities they may need. If, notwithstanding all the pleading, some non-Muslims do not wish to go back, they will have full rights to exchange or sell their properties in any way they like. The Government is being very severe with those provoking riots and are taking all measures to ensure protection to those who may return. The Peace Mission has been able to persuade the people and the Government of Pakistan to accept the responsibility to protect the honour and dignity of non-Muslims. We, the members of the U. P. Peace Mission request the non-Muslim brethren from Pakistan to go back to West Punjab and settle there. We are willing to accompany them on their journey back and will protect them at the cost of our own lives. We will return only after these non-Muslims are fully assured of their safety. This is signed by four persons. It is a very promising development. The newspapers have put out something quite different but we should not worry about that. There are many refugees concentrated in Model Town. In Lahore Hindus and Sikhs have large properties. There is also a Gurdwara there. I asked the Mission from U. P. if the Sikhs could go back there. They gave the assurance that Sikhs could go there. They said it was not that people in general had become friends; there was still some poison in the air; it could not be removed all at once. But the Government had made sure that there would be no more killings.
It would be a great thing. I had not thought things could improve so quickly. I do not know how far this is the case, but let us in our hearts grant the possibility that there are people among Muslims who can do this. It would be inhuman to think that all Muslims are wicked. There are very good men among them. A Hindu friend had accompanied the Muslim friends. He brought me a letter. I have not the time to read it out but its substance is the same. He runs a large hotel visited daily by about a thousand persons. A majority of them are perhaps Muslims but certainly Hindus also go to the hotel. They find no difficulties in their way. He says there is nothing to prevent the Hindu refugees from going back there. I will not say that they must go back right away. Nor would I say that they should not go. But it would be good if they did go back.
[From Hindi]
Courtesy: All India Radio. Also Prarthana Pravachan—II, pp. 192-6
Notes
- 1. Vide Vol. XLIV, p. 388, verse 7.
Notes
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