There's a beautiful story in Sheikh Saadi's 'Gulistan.' There was a small village. The people of that village were peaceful. But once something happened and a large group of people in that village turned violent and nasty. They started behaving in a reckless manner and even harming innocent people. Surprised to see this sudden turn of events, an old man went to a mystic who lived nearby. That old man narrated the whole episode to the mystic. That mystic asked the old man, 'Can you manage to bring a couple of guys from that mob which's creating ruckus?' The old man said that though it was difficult, he'd however try. He somehow managed to convince two guys of that rampaging mob and taking them along, he again met that mystic. Mystic asked the two guys, ' Do you've any reason for making you behave in such a violent manner? The guys were clueless. They actually had no reason but they joined the group and behaved brainlessly with the majority of lumpen elements. 'Go and talk to the people individually. Those vandals will see sense and this mayhem will peter out.' The mystic advised the old man and the two young men. It indeed worked and peace prevailed.
"An individual's sanity is often eclipsed by the collective insanity," wrote Nelson Mandela in his prison diary. Sheikh Saadi's parable and Dr Mandela's sage words assume far greater significance in these times. Nature has bestowed us with sanity and sense. Al-Furqan calls it aql-e-saleem, (prudence). Why doesn't an individual exercise his/her prudence and see the futility of collective insanity?
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