Since the beginning of life of humans on earth,human beings have survived harsh circumstances with the help of their ability to think.Cognitive revolution was a great development by humans which made them superior from other species.And after cognitive revolution, humans developed thought processes and as a result of it, languages also emerged.
Humans developed social structures and tribal confiderations because humans can think and by using this trait they developed social structures mainly based on illusions and derived mythologies which helped them in survival against other species.Great civilizations were a result of human intelligence and the ability to come up with new ideas.
Although the successful survival of humans on earth is a result of developing thought processes and the ability to develop new ideas but humans through out the annals of the history, dealt with some new ideas and conflicting opinions with iron hand.But after realizing the effacaciousness of some ideas, accepted them with open arms.
Mostly, we do not tolerate others opinions when their opinions are in conflict with ours.We want to deal with those people with a strong hand who express different views.That obviously does not apply to every new idea;but the ones that challenge accepted theories and thoughts.Social Societies are built on certain levels of dogmatism,to become sacred over time.If you challenge the status qou you are threatening a stern root long engraved onto passive minds.Let's have a look to some historical examples where people were confronted because they thought differently from others.
Socrates, a Greek philosopher, was sentenced to death due to being different from the people of his age.He was accussed of corrupting the minds of youth.His ideas were beyond the level of understanding of ordinary people.People did not tolerate him and started campaigning against him.But today, we consider him as one of the wisest men ever and he has a great place in Philosophy.
Not only great thinkers but many scientists and sufi mystics were defied for having ideas and theories that were at variance with the beliefs of general public.
Necaulos Copernicus developed the theory in which he stated that sun is the centre of solar system.Galileo Galilei backed his theory and he was imprisoned and then sent to house arrest due to his support for Copernicus Theory .The religious elements confronted Galileo Galilei for supporting a theory which they thought refuted their beliefs.Because there was a belief in general public that earth was the centre of solar system.
Today, it is a scientifically proven fact that sun is the centre of solar sytem and Galileo was sentenced for supporting a fact.
When Isaac Newton discovered gravitaional force in earth, people strongly oppossed him.They used to laugh on him and ask him that if earth has gravitational force that attracts everything then how come birds fly.Why dont they fall?
Besides ideas and theories,sometimes people even opposs new inventions.When printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg,the European countries took great advantage from it.But, clerics from Ottomon Empire defied it and asked people not to use it specially when it comes to religious books.
The famous poets and sufis of Sub-Continent also faced great confrontation for their works.Sufi poets like Baba Bullay Shah and Shah Abdul Latif Bittai, in their arduous journey, faced reactionary thoughts in terms of people .
When the "Poet of East" Allama Iqbal wrote his famous poem "Shikwa",he was alleged indifferent Until he came up with "Jawabe Shikwa".
New ideas when contradict the beliefs of general public, face confrontations.The people expressing their ideas are often threatened.And in some cases they even lose thier lives
It is said when Temarlane A.K.A Ameer Taimoor invaded Persia, he asked to bring the intellectuals and scholars of Persia infront of him.The scholars and intellectuals of Persia were famous in the Muslim world that's why he wanted to have an interaction with them.Some people were brought infront of him.After interacting with them, Temarlane got offended.According to him, they had a poor intellect and they were lacking wisdom as well.
Then someone told him that the great scholars of Persia are shrouded as they had been declared infidels.Temarlane asked to search them.The great scholars were brought infront of Him including Hafiz Shirazi.After having an interaction with them,Temarlane admired their knowledge and wisdom and inquired them that why they had been declared infidels.Hafiz Shirazi told him that when they talk about religion, universe and life in their own mystical ways, they are declared as infidels because people do not understand the Message they try to convey.
Molana Rumi, one of the greatest Sufis, whose works are part of syllabus in more than 100 countries was also confronted when he started his mystical journey with his master Shams Tabriz. Rumi,the symbol of love had to face the hatred of people in order to reach the highest peaks of enlightenment.
We glorify the works of these great people after realizing the significance of their work but why they had to face hardships when they were alive?Why their views were not tolerated?Still we find such people in our society who want to deal with the people with strong hand whose opinions controvert their beliefs.
But if we talk about revolutions and socio-poltical advancements by humans , these were brought forth by people with something new and creative in them.
We need to create a world where new ideas should be welcomed and discussed rather than oppossed.The grounds for creativity is the need of time.
"I may disapprove of what you say,but i will defend till death your right to say it."
Voltaire
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Asif Muhammad Hasni
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