Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 179
179 on whom pain is inflicted, derives a distinct pleasure from his suffering. The feeling of revenge, unless controlled by law, assumes several forms. Some times the person aggrieved is able, or imagines that he is able, to inflict pain on the aggressor, and he proceeds to inflict, or attempts to inflict, on the latter such pain as the latter had caused to him, his object being that the latter should suffer as he had himself suffered. In other cases, the aggressor or his family or tribe may happen to be more powerful than the aggrieved person, or the latter may imagine that a repayment in kind would not be approved by others, or owing to some other reason he may be unable or unwilling to inflict real pain on the aggressor, so he uses the weapon of invective or back- biting against him. It might happen that the aggressor is so powerful that the aggrieved person cannot even use his tongue against him. In such a case, he may discon- tinue visiting him and put an end to all intercourse with him. In some cases even this may not be possible and then the aggrieved person may merely entertain spite against the aggressor, and take pleasure in the misfor- tunes and sufferings of the latter and be displeased at his success and good fortune. The natural instinct of vengeance thus manifests itself in many forms, and incites a person to a variety of acts. To put a restraint upon the working of this instinct and to place it under the control of reason is called moral, and to permit it to work unrestrained and uncon- trolled by reason would be immoral.