CHANGE MINDSETS TOWARDS PEACE NONVIOLENCE Antargyan Fest 2013

CHANGE MINDSETS TOWARDS PEACE, NON-VIOLENCE ‘Antargyan’ Fest 2013 ‘Rejuvenating the conscience: Integrating Mind, Body and Heart (IMBH) Centre for Ethics and Values, Ramanujan College, University of Delhi October 7, 2013 By Naghma Siddiqi, Research Scholar, Jamia Hamdard Center For Peace and Spirituality International Re-engineering Minds Towards Peace and Non-Violence “Reconciliation is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence ALL CREATED TO SUCCEED! “The Creator of man has created him with unlimited potential. ” Only those who change their mindsets towards peace and non-violence are able to actualize their potential to succeed! Why? Usually people remain embroiled in unrealistic efforts and are not able to actualize their potential. To succeed in life we should: • understand the realities of life and our own potential • set realistic goals based on these • develop a skill-set in conjunction with our goals • follow the ideology of pragmatism while striving towards them • follow the methodology of peace, non-violence while striving • work hard while remaining patient The Beginning: Changing our mindsets towards peace, non-violence. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

CHANGE YOUR MINDSETS TOWARDS PEACE, NON-VIOLENCE UNESCO proposed at the Yamoussoukro Conference on Peace in the Minds of Men (1989, Cote d’Ivoire): "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed. ” – UNESCOs Preamble Islam gave this formula in the 7 th century AD: “As regards the reformation of human beings, there is only one really important thing and that is, the reformation of the heart. Change people’s hearts (in the sense of the minds) and their whole life will be changed. ” – Sahih Al-Bukhari, No: 50 The Beginning of Transformation: Changing of Mindsets, Shakila of individuals from the culture of violence to the culture of peace. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence TRANSFORM TO THE CULTURE OF PEACE, NON-VIOLENCE UNESCOs Culture of Peace Program. “Because the new millennium must be an opportunity to transform - all together - the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and non-violence. ” – UNESCO Manifesto 2000 for Culture of Peace and Non-Violence In Islam such a positive change is called tazkia-e-nafs or purification of the self. (Quran 70: 26), linking it to success: ‘He, who undertakes tazkia (purifies his thought), shall indeed be successful. ’– QURAN 87: 14 A muzakka personality is able to transform from the culture of violence to the culture of peace. Culture of Violence: Hatred I Ill-will I Aggression I Bullying I Actual Violence Culture of Peace, Non-Violence: Love I Well-wishing I WE-WE Ethics I Peaceful Action “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence UNILATERAL PEACE, NON-VIOLENCE YIELD RESULTS Think: How can the cycle of violence be broken in society? “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128 If people want to succeed in life peace, nonviolence is the best way. ‘God grants to non-violence what He does not to violence’ – Hadith • It is a unilateral method, not a ‘tit for tat’ one. • Mahatma Gandhi used this ideology successfully during India’s Freedom Movement from the British. • Behaving non-violently one takes away justification from others to use violence thus breaking the cycle of violence. Peace, Non-violence makes individuals successful society peaceful. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence TOLERANCE IS THE PRICE OF PEACE, NON-VIOLENCE The Quran states, ‘Surely with every hardship there is ease; surely, with every hardship there is ease. ’ (94: -7) According to this verse there are opportunities with every problem. The only way we can avail the opportunities is by ignoring the problems. This can only be done by remaining tolerant and patience: The Prophet of Islam once observed: “You must know that success comes with patience (and tolerance). ” – HADITH, MUSNAD AHMAD, No. 2804 “Surely God is with those who are patient. ” “Those who are patient will get reward beyond measure, as patience is for Me. ” Tolerance is the price one has to pay for peace, non“Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” –violence. Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence ART OF CONVERSION, UNILATERAL ETHICS ‘Repel Evil With Good’ Violence, though instinctive, leads to failure. Peace, Non-Violence, requiring higher ethics, leads to success. Such a process, called the ‘Art of Conversion’ requires training in unilateral ethics. The principle of such a conversion is given in this verse of the Quran: “Repel evil with good. And you will find that one who was your enemy will become your dearest friend. ” – QURAN 23: 96 A cow is an excellent example in this regard: It takes in non-milk (negativity) and gives milk (positivity) in return. By giving a positive responses in negative situations man develops a positive personality and this also ensures peace in society. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence PRINCIPLE OF NON-CONFRONTATION, AVOIDANCE ‘When an Ego is Touched, It Becomes a Super-Ego’ Nature tells us how to behave in society through the example of planets: each stays in its own orbit without interfering the other. The Quran gives the example of planets: “Each floats in its own orbit. ” 36: 40 If we want to continue to strive for their goals uninterrupted they have to give the same to others through these principles: • Principle of Non-Confrontation • Principle of Non-Interference, Avoidance Using these principles all can continue to strive for their goals peacefully. This principle is equally applicable for individuals, communities, nations and internationally. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence ACCEPT FLOWERS AMIDST THORNS ‘Life Hands You Both Flowers and Thorns’ Life is replete with problems. We have created man into a life of toil and trial. 90: 4 Just as if we want a rose flower we have to tolerate its thorns. In the same way in life if we want the flowers of success we have to tolerate thorns of differences and problems in it. Differences and negative situations are an integral part of life. No one has the power to eliminate them. This is due to the freedom given to all by God Almighty. Be tolerant; enjoin what is right; and avoid the ignorant. 7: 199 The only thing that one can do is learn that ‘Art of Difference Management, Rather than Difference Elimination’. We can manage differences by following the principles of tolerance, patience and avoidance. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence DUTY-CONSCIOUS, NOT RIGHT’S CONSCIOUS ‘Differences are a blessing of life. ’ Differences and negative situations are an integral part of life. No one has the power to eliminate them. This is due to the freedom given to all by God Almighty. Be tolerant; enjoin what is right; and avoid the ignorant. 7: 199 The only thing that one can do is learn that ‘Art of Difference Management, Rather than Difference Elimination’. This can only be achieved by practicing the principles of tolerance and avoidance. By managing differences one can strive towards one’s goals peacefully to succeed and become a contributing member of society. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence JOURNEY OF LIFE LIKE WATER IN A FLOWING RIVER ‘Avoiding the Problems, Strive towards the Opportunities’ Think: How can we continue our life in spite of problems? The ideology of life based on peace is like a flowing river. Water in a flowing river surges forth unless a dam is placed in its path. Similarly man can progress through life if he does not place artificial dams of negativity in his path. Man can do this by focusing on and striving towards the available opportunities and not considering problems as obstacles and confronting with them. • When big or small stones (problems) come in the way of a river it does not confront them, considering them as obstacles, but goes around them and continues on its journey forward. • Similarly when man faces differences and problems in his life he should not confront with them but strive towards his goals towards success by making his way around the problems by avoiding them. Follow the example of a flowing river to succeed in life. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence UNDERSTANDING CHALLENGES LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT ‘All developments in history were due to the Challenge-Response Mechanism’ – Arnold Toynbee Positive aspect of problems: They lead to development. When others misuse their freedom it creates problems for us. Often people take problems as obstacles and try to remove them with the aim of achieving their goals. If problems are not taken as obstacles, but as challenges, it elicits a response from a people that advances their development. ‘With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease. ’ – QURAN 94: 5 -6 We should not consider problems as obstacles, but as challenges and ‘ignore the problems and look for and avail the opportunities’. As a result the problems we face will actually lead to our development. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence IT STARTS WITH GOD-ORIENTED LIVING ‘Success comes to God-Oriented Personalities’ The basis of success is a God-oriented life instead of a selforiented life as mentioned in the Quran in these words: ‘Be devoted servants of God. ’ – Quran 3: 79 Focus of a Self-Oriented Life: Ourselves I Our Rights I Our Success, at the cost of the success of others. This develops WE-THEY ethics in us which: – places obstacles in our path of success and – is the basis of evils in society Focus of a God-Oriented Life: A Higher Reality I Equality of All I Success of All, at the cost of none. This develops WE-WE ethics in us which: – removes all obstacles in our path of success and – is the basis of all good in society Living a God-oriented life, instead of a self-oriented life ensures that we are able to succeed and become a part of a duty-conscious society, based on WE-WE ethics“Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128 -

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence FREEDOM OF CHOICE FOR TEST, NOT AS A RIGHT ‘My freedom ends where other’s nose begins’ As life is a test, God Almighty has given freedom of choice to each and every person Himself. ‘This is the truth from your Lord. Let him who will, believe in it, and him who will, deny it. ’ 18: 29 If we want to follow the peaceful, nonviolent method we have to limit our freedom ourselves, without any compulsion. In this way we will be successful in our own efforts and lay the basis of a duty-conscious society based on WE-WE ethics, instead of a rights-conscious one based on WE-THEY ethics. This ensures the formation of positive, peaceful personalities that succeed; and the formation of a dutyconscious society based on WE-WE ethics. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence REALISM, PRAGMATISM IS THE KEY, NOT IDEALISM “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. ” – Abraham Lincoln This world is a limited world. According to a tradition of the Prophet: ‘By God, this world is so insufficient (in comparison) to the Hereafter that if one of you should dip his finger in the ocean and then he should see as to what has stuck to it. ’ MUSLIM: 7376 This is because each and every one of us has freedom. When all are free they are also free to use their freedom properly or misuse it. No one can force others. The misuse by even one person’s freedom results in the pursuance of the ideal being defeated: • One Lee Harvey Oswald’s misuse of freedom can lead to the end of John F. Kennedy’s life. • The misuse of our classmates’, neighbours’ freedom can result in our peace, life getting disrupted. The Ideal Cannot be Achieved, only the Pragmatic Can be Strived For. To succeed in life we have to settle for pragmatism, rather than idealism. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence BECOME A MASTER OF SITUATIONS, NOT A VICTIM ‘Placing pre-conditions is like placing obstacles in your own path’ Think: How to become a master, rather than a victim of situations? • If one wants to continue one’s journey of life uninterrupted one should not place artificial obstacles in one’s path like: • Looking for an ideal environment to strive for one’s goals. • Fighting problems/differences considering them obstacles. • Setting pre-conditions for peace or any other aspect of life. • This is like building a dam in the path of a river. • If people continue their journey of life uninterrupted they become MASTERS OF LIFE’S SITUATIONS and climbs the ladder of success. • On the contrary if they continue to place such artificial barriers they will become VICTIMS OF LIFE’S SITUATIONS. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence BE A PART OF A DUTY-CONSCIOUS, PEACEFUL SOCIETY ‘Individuals are the building-blocks of society’ As individuals are the building blocks of society, it is only when individuals change towards the culture of peace, non-violence - Individuals in such a society: • develop WE-WE ethics based on Unilateral lines • ignoring problems, they focus and strive towards opportunities • to continue to climb the ladder of success They also start the process of developing a duty-conscious society based on WE-WE ethics. Peace, Non-Violence is the method to succeed and form a dutyconscious society. “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Change Mindsets Towards Peace, Non-Violence To Change Your Mindset Towards Peace, Non-Violence Take part in: THE CULTURE OF PEACE, NON-VIOLENCE Personality Development Program Contact: Naghma Siddiqi, Research Scholar, Jamia Hamdard Center for Peace and Spirituality Reengineering Minds Towards Peace, Non-Violence 9810117359 naghma@cpsglobal. org “Reconciliation (Peace) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128