Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | The Sunday Guardian | Sep. 24, 2017
Anger is the killer of peace. Giving vent to anger is a sign of weakness, whereas the mastering of anger is a sign of power. Anger, moreover, confounds one’s thinking capacity.
The angry man can neither understand any issue in a clear-headed way, nor can he give a response which is adequate to the situation. What is worse is that when an individual is angry, he is all too prone to turn to violence, but the truth is that violence is no solution to any problem.
For one who can prevent himself from succumbing to anger, there is no situation which he will not be able to turn to good account. He will seek a peaceful solution—the only sure way to solve any problem.
This world is a world of differences. Nature abhors uniformity. This means that ‘difference’ is a part of nature. Difference is there in every aspect of life. So it is in the case of religion. Who has the power to remove differences? If we in vain try to eliminate differences, we will only end up in frustration.
We have to, therefore, learn the art of difference management rather than the art of difference elimination.
Differences are not a curse, but a blessing. History shows that difference of opinion leads to dialogue, and dialogue results in intellectual development. If there were no differences between people, no constructive or creative development was possible. Difference of opinion promotes positive intellectual activities, which is a boon for everyone concerned.
Above all difference of opinion leads to high thinking. And high thinking is the sole key to all kinds of human progress.
So we have to welcome differences wholeheartedly, without any reservation. It is hatred, which has to be eliminated, and not difference of opinion.