Role of family in promoting peace

By: Numra Kamal
The present century is demanding ‘peace’ after seeing a lot of chaos and violence in the chapters of history. Our world is standing at the brink of catastrophe and a sort of negativity is crushing humanity in its claws by promoting violence at individual, national and international level. Analysts are showing concern over the growing conflicts throughout the globe but the question is, how to find a resolution? Amid the chaotic scenario, the only ray of hope can be found in the promotion of peace. Family, being the basic unit of society, can play a vital role in the maintenance of peace in the society which would lead to the social, political and economic development at a bigger level.
At the base of every clash, there exists a mindset, a perception that “whatever I believe, is right”. This proves to be a dangerous belief because if everyone starts thinking that his beliefs are right and he can impose it on others, social instability jumps and endangers the peace of the whole community. Parents play the key role in shaping the mindset and attitudes of their children and if they provide a conductive environment to their children by practicing respect and tolerance, their children would automatically be attracted towards the development of peaceful solutions of every problem and hence, a peaceful society would take its roots.
Conflicts are natural. If differences exist among siblings, how can we expect the members of community to think and feel in the same way as we are doing. We need to understand that, it is a human right to have one’s own view point and it is not justified to impose your ideologies on others. Families must make their members understand that the existence of opposition is something natural. If we can’t agree with someone, it’s just fine, we can respect the opinions that are different from us. We must learn to accept the differences because ‘acceptance’ is not a weakness. It is a virtue that we need to develop in order to construct a peaceful culture. The purpose of all our education is to bring a positive change in our attitudes and the change that we need to adopt on urgent basis is to bring a positive outlook in ourselves and our family members. We require to get ourselves out of the chains of superiority So that we would be able to see our surroundings with an objective lens. We must teach our future generations how to make peace with society.
The true essence and beauty of Islam lies in peace because “thereis no compulsion in religion.” So we must give space to those who are different from us in sect, religion, caste and creed. Our religion is the religion of ‘peace’ and it has never supported fanatic creeds.A true Muslim is one who makes peace not only with himself but also with the people around.Peace has been repeatedly described as a blessing in the Holy Quran and our Holy Prophet strived throughout his life for attaining peace. To spread Islam with peace, he created an atmosphere of brotherhood and cooperation, even with the non-Muslims. A Hadith says, “a true believer is he from whom peoples’ life and wealth are safe”. So, a true Muslism is one who strives to contribute his share in the welfare of mankind. So, any form of religious extremism is not justified in Islam. Being Muslims, we also must present a good example before the rest of the world and this is possible only if families learn that every member of their circle can become the supporter and promoter of peace.
Pakistan has already suffered a lot due to the growing extremist mindsets. The adoption of violence as a solution to every problem is a serious threat to our social cohesion. So, we all need to take part in reforming our own selves and paving ways for our coming generations to accept ‘peace’ as the solution to many existing problems of society.Peace is the call of nature and its enemies lead a society towards destruction. Contrary to the teachings of our Holy Prophet, many violent groups promoted strife within the premises of their own country and gave a negative image of Islam and Muslims before the world. We need to understand the demands of society and develop a sensible stance to stimulate peace in our society by training the upcoming generation to develop positive attributes of patience and acceptance in society.
Bertrand Russell’s famous essay about tolerance provides a suitable solution to deal with the things that we donot like. “Love is wise, hatred is foolish. In this world , which is getting more and more closely interconnected, we have to learn to tolerate eachother. We have to learn to put up with the fact that some people say things that we donot like. We can only live together in that way, and if we are to live together and not die together we must learn a kind of charity and a kind of tolerance which is absolutely vital to the continuation of human life on this planet”
In the global dynamic world of today, societies are adopting the welcoming and integration policies because this century demands peace and states have learnt that they can only develop if they protect human rights. The heaviest cruelty that the world witnessed during the World Wars impacted the minds of many and a need of international integration was realized by most of the sensible nations. For decades, the primary objective of UN and its agencies has been , to protect peace. A commitment to peace and peaceful co-existence emerged in most of the states during the Wars which is still facing the hinderances of negative factors but we can become a source of change, a positive one, by installing a positive outlook towards everone and everything among our new generations. Those nations who are understanding the worth of peace are leaving a legacy for their upcoming members and we also need to become a part of this noble cause.
Peace has always been among the greatest blessings for mankind. To rebuild the torn structures of the world, a sound state of mind is required, that favours peace. To become a part of this global dynamic world, every individual must be educated and trained to respect the differences because ‘peace’ is the only cure to all our social, political and economic issues. We can contribute positivelyto the world around us by learning to respect humanity. We can promise a future of peace to our coming generations by giving our children a mindset of peace. Our individual efforts can bring reforms at international level if families and parents understand the strength of their interaction with their children. By teaching them the lesson of peace, we can initiate a never ending chain of preachers who can transform the world into a paradise for humankind because the attainment of peace in society is a common objective of all the religions.
The salvation of mankind lies in the establishment of a culture of peace and tolerance. The culture of war and intolerance takes humanity to a common grave. Ultimate eradication of injustice and wars.

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