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LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 10/16/2021 2:25:38 PM

T K NANDANAN It is truly an act of good gesture from the part of Muslim clerics in Kashmir Valley to issue exhortations to the Valley’s majority Muslim community to help and do their bit towards protecting the lives and properties of minorities. Large gatherings were held in mosques and hospices across the Valley on Thursday as part of 12-day celebrations to mark Id Milad-un-Nabi, the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, which is commemorated in Rabi al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. The Imam of a Srinagar Mosque asked the Muslims to be friendly and compassionate with their non- Muslim neighbours, be it Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs or others. He said, “The holy Quran tells us our beloved Prophet Muhammad was sent as mercy to the worlds not just Muslims.” He further said, “Therefore, killing an innocent person be it a Muslim or non- Muslim is a heinous crime.” In light of such exhortation from several Muslim clerics, it is the turn of Muslims to be friendly and compassionate towards non- Muslims. Muslims were living in an isolation besides being totally indifferent and impassioned without getting a zealous encouragement from their religious leaders to make positive interactions with non-Muslims till the eventful day. Perhaps, such an apathetic and indifferent attitude towards non- Muslims from Muslims could not break the ice and hence could not foster good relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. And now this aloofness must go henceforth and warm interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims must develop to dispel the divisive attitude. Whereas, true Christians are the real trailblazers in cementing strong relations even between strangers, for all humans are equal and precious before God. The Bible says in John 1:12 & 13- “But as many as received him (Jesus Christ), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” The Gospel of Matthew records Jesus’ answer to a lawyer’s question regarding the greatest commandment in the law-Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. And the second great commandment is ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Mathew 22:37 & 39). So, the second greatest commandment to all people of the world is to love our neighbour as ourselves. Just pond over the import of this commandment and how sublime it is! When you love yourself, you will be hundred percent truthful, faithful, honest, sincere and how earnest you would be to take care of yourself! The same amount of love you would be giving to your neighbour- i.e., a perfect love- no an iota of distrust, treachery, hatred, violence, etc. So, I would say Muslims should start really loving their non- Muslim neighbours rather than be friendly or compassionate towards non-Muslims. Wonders will happen in such real love interactions, for in real love there is the power of transformation.