Message of amnesty

Fourteen hundred years ago, on the 20th of Ramazan, a remarkable event in human history occurred, which is still remembered today and has ever-lasting effects on humankind. The last Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) entered the holy city of Makkah after eight years of exile with such splendour that no power in the world was able to stop. After returning to Makkah in a grand victorious manner, the great Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), selected the best path of general amnesty, which even today every sensible and peace-loving person in the world considers a beacon of light for establishing peace.

I believe that those who adopt an attitude of forgiveness, mercy and tolerance are role models for all of humanity. Ashoka the Great was the great king who united India about two and a half thousand years ago. Although he won the Kalinga War, the brutal act of shedding human blood on the battlefield embarrassed him so much that he made it his religious duty to spread the message of peace and amnesty throughout the world. Ashoka adopted the policy of non-violence (ahimsa), under which the shedding of the blood of any human, animal or bird was prohibited in his empire.

When the defeated ruler of the Persian Empire, King Darius, was presented before Alexander the Great, he showed kindness in forgiving his rival and even adopted Darius' mother as his own. Due to Alexander's positive attitude, the two magnificent superpowers of that era came closer to each other. The famous Greek ruler of ancient times, Julius Caesar, managed to control the Roman civil war by declaring a general amnesty for all rebels.

At the end of the 16th century, King Henry IV of France issued the historical Edict of Nante that concluded the French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants). The general amnesty, offered by the French king, ensured religious harmony and tolerance for both sides. It is considered a vital milestone in the history of the struggle for religious tolerance, protection of human rights, and peaceful coexistence in Europe. Similarly, the general amnesty, announced under the Treaty of Westphalia, ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe.

After World War II, France and Germany decided to forgive each other's past mistakes and initiated bilateral cooperation, which is considered a precursor to the establishment of the European Union.

Sultan Saladin Ayubi, after taking control of Jerusalem from the Crusaders, demonstrated such a great display of forgiveness, leniency, and amnesty that he is still honoured in Western society. Films are made to educate the new generation in Europe, and Saladin Day is celebra-ted every year in many countries, including Norway.

The great leader of modern South Africa, Nelson Mandela, successfully ended his peaceful long struggle against discrimination and racism by adopting the path of general amnesty and forgiveness. He proved that great leaders are never afraid to forgive their opponents for achieving a noble cause.

The only superpower of the 21st century, America, was once an unknown region for the world until just five hundred years ago, and for a long time it faced civil wars and ethnic conflicts. Then the Americans were blessed with a great visionary leader in the form of Abraham Lincoln who promoted social harmony. He joined hands with his opponents and declared that he believed in ending enmity by making enemies friends.

Such historical facts reflect the universal truth that permanent peace can never be established through force only, whereas a lasting solution to all conflicts in the world lies in dialogue and amnesty.

In this holy month of Ramazan, we should promise ourselves that we will adopt tolerance, forgiveness and kindness in our lives and will not choose the path of revenge at any point in life. We should remember that those who adopt a stubborn attitude on the basis of temporary power will one day disappear, while those who love humanity are declared eternal conquerors of the world.

The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts@RVankwani