The International Day of Nonviolence is observed on Oct 2, MK Gandhi 's birthday. It encourages us to pledge 'the universal relevance of the principle of nonviolence ' and the goal 'to establish a culture of peace , tolerance , understanding, and nonviolence'. In fact, nonviolence is more powerful than the strongest weapon of destruction created by human beings.
Nonviolence is considered a high human value across all castes and religions; for example, the Mahabharat contains multiple references to ahimsa paramo dharm, meaning that nonviolence is the greatest virtue. The Prophet of Islam said, God grants to nonviolence what he does not grant to violence, Sahih Muslim: 2593.
In an era when violence frequently makes headlines, Gandhi's legacy reminds us that lasting revolutions are won not on battlefields but in the realm of ideas. His philosophy not only changed the course of India's independence movement but also provided the world with a model of resistance based on patience, tolerance, and moral courage .
When Gandhi launched his nonviolent struggle, the British found themselves powerless. Accustomed to crushing violent revolts with force, they lost the moral ground. So baffled was one officer that he reportedly wired London: "Kindly advise how to kill a tiger nonviolently." Gandhi had moved the fight from battlefield to the moral realm, where the empire had no weapon.
By 1947, India had gained its independence, but Gandhi's contribution was far greater than just the political freedom of one country. He proved to the world that peace can be a more powerful force than war.
Gandhi believed violence was the lowest use of human potential, while peace was the highest. Peace creates stability, freedom, and growth, whereas violence only breeds fear, suppresses creativity, and closes the door to progress.
Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler once wrote that human beings alone possess the ability to "turn a minus into a plus". Gandhi's life embodied this truth. He showed that setbacks, when met with patience, tolerance and determination, could be turned into opportunities. Nonviolence, therefore, was not a passive retreat but an active use of human potential through discipline and restraint.
"Where there is tolerance, peace prevails; where there is intolerance, war and chaos follow." Gandhi's principles remain just as relevant within families as they are between nations. Without tolerance, peace remains just an imaginable dream.
"Peaceful revolution is the outcome of peaceful thinking," Maulana Wahiduddin Khan wrote. According to him, Gandhi's struggle was rooted in patience and forbearance. He believed that Gandhi had shown the world how truth could triumph without bloodshed.
For Maulana, peace was not just desirable but intrinsic to human nature. "Man was born in peace. Man must die in peace. Peace is man's birthright - God's greatest blessing to humanity," he said. In this sense, Gandhi's legacy extended beyond India's freedom movement. It was a universal call for humanity to rediscover its natural state of harmony.
Gandhi's philosophy has since inspired many movements, from the American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr to Nelson Mandela's fight against apartheid. Gandhi's legacy of nonviolence endures as a reminder that peace, tolerance and moral courage remain the strongest forces for lasting change.
Authored by: Farida Khanam
The write is chairperson, Centre for Peace and Spirituality International
Nonviolence is considered a high human value across all castes and religions; for example, the Mahabharat contains multiple references to ahimsa paramo dharm, meaning that nonviolence is the greatest virtue. The Prophet of Islam said, God grants to nonviolence what he does not grant to violence, Sahih Muslim: 2593.
In an era when violence frequently makes headlines, Gandhi's legacy reminds us that lasting revolutions are won not on battlefields but in the realm of ideas. His philosophy not only changed the course of India's independence movement but also provided the world with a model of resistance based on patience, tolerance, and moral courage .
When Gandhi launched his nonviolent struggle, the British found themselves powerless. Accustomed to crushing violent revolts with force, they lost the moral ground. So baffled was one officer that he reportedly wired London: "Kindly advise how to kill a tiger nonviolently." Gandhi had moved the fight from battlefield to the moral realm, where the empire had no weapon.
By 1947, India had gained its independence, but Gandhi's contribution was far greater than just the political freedom of one country. He proved to the world that peace can be a more powerful force than war.
Gandhi believed violence was the lowest use of human potential, while peace was the highest. Peace creates stability, freedom, and growth, whereas violence only breeds fear, suppresses creativity, and closes the door to progress.
Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler once wrote that human beings alone possess the ability to "turn a minus into a plus". Gandhi's life embodied this truth. He showed that setbacks, when met with patience, tolerance and determination, could be turned into opportunities. Nonviolence, therefore, was not a passive retreat but an active use of human potential through discipline and restraint.
"Where there is tolerance, peace prevails; where there is intolerance, war and chaos follow." Gandhi's principles remain just as relevant within families as they are between nations. Without tolerance, peace remains just an imaginable dream.
"Peaceful revolution is the outcome of peaceful thinking," Maulana Wahiduddin Khan wrote. According to him, Gandhi's struggle was rooted in patience and forbearance. He believed that Gandhi had shown the world how truth could triumph without bloodshed.
For Maulana, peace was not just desirable but intrinsic to human nature. "Man was born in peace. Man must die in peace. Peace is man's birthright - God's greatest blessing to humanity," he said. In this sense, Gandhi's legacy extended beyond India's freedom movement. It was a universal call for humanity to rediscover its natural state of harmony.
Gandhi's philosophy has since inspired many movements, from the American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr to Nelson Mandela's fight against apartheid. Gandhi's legacy of nonviolence endures as a reminder that peace, tolerance and moral courage remain the strongest forces for lasting change.
Authored by: Farida Khanam
The write is chairperson, Centre for Peace and Spirituality International
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