Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 137
Lecture Ludhiana 137 practicable. The Christian governments have demonstrated in practice that this teaching is defective. Is there a Christian so bold to offer his other cheek to a scoundrel who has knocked out his tooth with a blow and say, ‘All right, go ahead, knock out the other tooth as well!’? This will further embolden the scoundrel. It would undoubt- edly result in the breakdown of law and order. So how can we acknowledge that such teaching is excellent or consistent with the Will of God Almighty? If this teaching were acted upon, no country could be appro- priately governed. If an enemy snatches one part of the land, another would have to be handed over to him. If one officer is arrested, ten more would have to be handed over. These are the defects in these teachings. And they are not correct. Their only vindication could be that they were meant for a particular period and became inapplicable when the situation changed. The Jews were enslaved for as long as four hundred years. The life of bondage made them callous and vindictive. It is but natural for the morals of a people to assume the complexion of the ethos of the reigning monarch. For instance, during the Sikh rule, most people took to banditry, while under British rule, education and civic sense are gaining ground with every- one striving towards this same direction. In short, the Israelites lived under the Pharaoh, so tyr- anny increased among them. So in the days of the Torah, jus- tice became the priority because they were unaware of justice and cruel by habit. They had come to believe that knocking out a tooth for a tooth was not only essential but obligatory. Hence, Allah the Exalted taught them that justice alone was not enough; compassion was also necessary. That is why when slapped on one cheek, they were instructed through Jesus to offer the other. But when too much