Lack of tolerance leads to violence in the land: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

While delivering a spiritual training lecture, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said the act of forgiving despite having the power to take revenge is the practice of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said the fire of revenge destroys integrity, honor, and respect of people and the lack of tolerance leads to violence in a land. He said the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would generously forgive even the worst enemies of Islam, stating the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a role model and a beacon of light for all of us. He asked the youth to study the blessed life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) again and again particularly during the holy month of Ramadan and adopt the guiding principles for life.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the prophet of mercy for the whole of mankind. He said infidels of Makkah perpetrated oppression and made life difficult for the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) which made him migrate to the holy city of Medina. Once it so happened that it did not rain in Makkah for a long time and as a result, the people started dying of starvation. The people of Makkah sent Abu Sufyan to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). On reaching Media, he told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that his people (the tribe of Quraish) had been destroyed due to starvation. He requested him (peace and blessings be upon him) to pray for rain. Hearing this, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not think for a moment that these are the very people who made life difficult for him (peace and blessings be upon him) and straightaway prayed to Allah for rain as a Prophet of mercy for all the worlds. He (peace and blessings be upon him) did not disappoint even the worst enemies of Islam and his own self.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri quoted another incident and said that once a Jewish woman presented poisonous meat of the goat to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). A companion, Hazrat Bishr b. al-Baraʾ (R.A), was with him (PBUH) at that time. As soon as the companion ate a morsel of meat, he could not bear the lethality of the poison and got martyred on the spot. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also had a morsel of the food and continued to feel the ill-effect of the poison till his demise. The companions asked for a permission to kill the Jewish woman but he (peace and blessings be upon him) refused and forgave her despite the admission of guilt.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said people are ready to take each other's life on petty and small issues and remain busy in planning as to how to inflict harm on the adversary. He added in the same breath that this attitude and thinking is contrary to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said we should adopt the habit of forgiving others, stating that therein lies the peace of mind and heart.