Some Words of Wisdom... and shit like that

Dad had a friend by the name of Mr.M.Ali. The only memories I have of him were about the time I was in High School. He was an intriguing man, and somehow inspiring too, although there was nothing I got inspired for under his influence. He was careful not to do that...

He was old and of an ailing age. One day, I met him at his tailor’s shop and asked about his health. He replied that he was fine, but that sometimes he felt weak. And since I had found him in his shop today, he said, I should know that he was fine. For, he carried on, if he felt weak, he would not come out in public. The people oppress the weak, he said.

He used to say that ever since he was small, he had always wanted not to find an employment, but to become an employer. And Allah had blessed him with his wishes. 

He lived in Haldwani, at the foothills of Nainital. Now in Haldwani, communal living can be seen in one of the clearest ways. There is a separate area where the Sardars live, and another one for the Muslims. Then on one side of the Kaladhungi Chauraha you'll find the Paharis, and so on. And although there is no undercurrent of communalism and the people live harmoniously, and I speak of my own experience, there are still well defined areas for different communities.

Now Mr.M.Ali, although a Muslim, lived in a non-Muslim area. Of his own volition. One day after offering a pan to a visitor, he said to me that the people who lived in the colonies of their own kind and never got out could afford to be communal and point fingers at others’ faith, , but he, who lived amongst people not his own faith, had to learn to get along with everyone. Even if it meant offering a pan, a gesture of your openness and respect for the other individual, to the people to win their favour. Those who lived in their colonies could take mutual cooperation for granted, but he would have to work for it. For if God forbid he died tomorrow, there would be nobody to conduct his janaza (funeral) even! His neighbors would not even know how to bury him like a Muslim!

And although the above lines were said with nonchalance and a humour that suggested he knew it was never going to happen that bad to him, he had two very important points to make.

First, that good behavior mostly stems from a regard to others whom you consider to be of possible help to you, or to prevent possible harm. It is selfish motive. If no one could harm us, only Allah’s fear would keep us from utter disregard for others.

Second, that he was not afraid of living among other communities, and that meant that the people he lived amongst respected his beliefs, even if they were different from their own. To a certain extent, a civilized society, and to a certain more extent, the police and judiciary, prevent the people from openly opposing others not of their beliefs. But both the above cannot force friendship between people. And if there is friendship, it implies they have respect for the other. And vice versa.

On another day Mr.M.Ali said to me, that often his non-Muslim friends would ask him why he prayed 5 times a day, and why not only once a day, or twice, or as per convenience, for God is most forgiving. To this he said that he replied that the God he followed had ordered him to pray 5 times a day. And that was why he had to pray 5 times a day. For, he would say to them, that a Hindu has many Gods, and if one disapproves, you may go to the other. But a Muslim had only one God, Allah, and if he disobeys Him, he has nowhere else to go...