Post by play on Jan 25, 2015 15:17:48 GMT
"There!" Mr. Danladi sighed. He had just concluded his moral instructions lesson on the topic "Tolerance." Checking his time piece, he had just 15 minutes left of his time.
"Since I’ve finished the main lesson, I might as well buttress my point on the necessity of tolerance with a story."
"Yeah!" The whole class roared excitedly. "That's the part we were waiting for!" Usman, the naughtiest pupil in the class put in.
Chairs creaked out loud as pupils adjusted themselves to a most convenient position to hear Mr. Danladi's story. All sitting up, one could definitely see optimistic expectancy written all over their little faces. It was obvious they did not enjoy the main lesson much, and this was the segment of the lesson they were waiting for -" the story part", as they referred to it in Primary SA of Gifted Children School.
Mr. Danladi was unarguably one of the best teachers in Gifted Children School. As a moral instructions teacher, he never failed to end any lesson with the illustration of a story to throw more light on the lesson. Every pupil in primary 5A looked up to his stories at the end of every lesson. Tens of eager pairs of eyes focused on Mr. Danladi, all wanting to hear his story.
"Amos and Mustapha were best of friends." Mr. Danladi began, sitting down on a chair so as to be in the best position to tell his tale.
"They did everything together - they played together, ate together, shared whatever they had with each other, and they even topped their class together as they always studied together. Everyone attested to the fact that they made an indomitable pair.
Things went wonderfully for the two friends, and even all around them. They were always very happy and enjoyed each other's company. However, as time went on, they had cause to break the bond between them - the bond that kept them together by virtue of their friendship.
A play was going to be staged in the town hall at 6pm on a particular day, and both friends had made up their minds they were going to attend it, as they had a passion for drama. They had purchased their tickets earlier than usual all in a bid to get front seats for the drama. That was about a week ago, and they had both waited eagerly for the day of the play. They talked about the play with books in their hands, they talked about the play on phone, they even talked about the play in between mouthfuls in the school cafeteria. It was a much awaited day for the two friends which had finally come.
It was ten minutes past 5 O'clock, and they needed to reach the town hall before 6pm to secure their seats. Amos hurried to his friend's house and waited in eager for Mustapha who had just finished washing the dishes to dress up for the evening.
"Can you just give me ten minutes, Amos I need to say my prayers". Mustapha pleaded.
"Ten minutes! If I wait 10 minutes, when are we going to reach the town hall? Do you have any idea of how long it will take for us to reach the hall on foot?" Amos, who was already impatient, blared.
"I'll hurry, please." Mustapha pleaded as he dragged his praying mat out.
"I have no such time to waste. I am going there right away. I see no reason why your religion should subject you to praying five times a day. After all…"
"But you know I have to meet the demands of my religion. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. If serving Allah is worth doing, I need to serve him to the best of my ability," Mustapha explained.
"It's sheer folly. Taking the pains to kneel on a mat five times all in the name of praying is sheer folly. Only fools would do that."
"I don't get it. Are you calling me a fool because I have to pray to God?" Mustapha was fuming.
"What if I do! Better hurry up."
"I don't understand you. Because of a mere play, you insult me even in my own house. You can go to your play. Don't come here rushing me up. You can get out!" Mustapha blared angrily.
"So, it has come to that, eh? Of course, I will leave your jungle, tool. You can commune with your god even hundred times... ........."
Amos turned and stormed out of the house. He felt he now hated Mustapha passionately. "How dare Mustapha tell me, Amos to get out?" He asked himself. He went to the drama alone and watched the play. Everyone declared it was a wonderful drama, but his mind was not focused on the play.
He recapitulated on the events that took place in his friend's house on his way home after the drama. He hadn't enjoyed the drama much because his friend wasn't with him. It was only normal. Five years of friendship, they had done virtually everything together. As a matter of fact, he was thinking of his friend, Mustapha who did not show up after all because he was annoyed with Amos.
The next day, the two friends did not greet each other as they did daily. They did not eat in the school's cafeteria together; they did not play as they always did. They did not say a word to each other. Their classmates knew at once that the friends were not on speaking terms and all attempts, to bring the two friends together proved fruitless.
The two friends missed each other's company, even though they pretended they didn't. Amos was losing on his part because he was not good in Mathematics which Mustapha was terrific in. Mustapha on the other hand needed Amos who was terrific in science class to explain some problems which he couldn't bring to the teacher for explanations. Their academic records suffered as they did not read together anymore and encourage each other the way they did in the past.
The end of term came, and the two friends academic work came down woefully. It was a terrible experience for both friends. In bed that night, while recapitulating on the events that domino effected his come down academically on his bed that night, Amos reasoned that his come down found its root in his intolerance of Mustapha’s religious values. He wanted his friend to neglect his god because of a mere play." How could I have called Mustapha's religion folly”, he asked himself. He reasoned that Mustapha's religious values should be appreciated by him in order to avoid quarrels of this sort. Mustapha was only being devoted when he had to pray on that fateful day he had quarrelled with his friend. He made up his mind; he was going to apologize to Mustapha the following day.
The next day, he was only on his way to his friend's house when he met Mustapha on the road, approaching his house.
"Hello Amos", Mustapha greeted.
"Hello Mustapha", Amos responded with a smile.
Mustapha explained that he was on his way to apologize to Amos as he had told him to get out of his house some time ago which had resulted in their strained relationship
Amos on the other hand also told Mustapha that he was genuinely sorry for not tolerating his religious values in the first place. He told Mustapha of how much he missed him and needed him. He also promised him he was always going to appreciate the demands of Mustapha’s religion.
"There's another play at the town hall tomorrow. Shall we go and purchase tickets?... They are very cheap. I did not enjoy the last one because you weren’t around”, Amos confessed.
"Why not!" Mustapha smiled to his friend very tenderly. And so on the road were two friends hand in hand once again, enjoying the bliss of a new found friendship. Amos thanked God in his heart, and Mustapha whispered a “thank you Allah" for restoring his long lost happiness. They were happy once again."
Mr. Danladi checked his time piece. "Now, my period is over. See how time flies…Hope you now see the importance of tolerance. You need to tolerate even one's religious values, and ...” He noticed his pupils were not focused on him any longer, but on two little pupils who were hugging themselves. Who were they? He had been explaining a point to them, and two children were doing..."What nonsense!” He exclaimed.
"May I know what's going on”? Mr. Danladi demanded, seizing the cane he seldom used.
"Sir, Effiong, the class captain volunteered. "Salami and Tunde had been quarreling for the past week as they had a minor misunderstanding. They had been arguing on the need of praying five times a day as Salami's religion demands, and the need of the holy communion as is the demand of Tunde's religion. They had been arguing on these and as such, a strained relationship ensued which ...
Mr. Danladi was listening no more to Effiong. "At least I have put an end to a misunderstanding in my own little way ... with my little story." He smiled thoughtfully to himself and walked out of the class. This lesson was over.
Check Out What Each Religion Contributes To the Discussion
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith: "Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth, give birth to spirituality, and bring life and light to each heart. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division, it were better to be without it, and to withdraw from such a religion would be a truly religious act. For it is clear that the purpose of a remedy is to cure; but if the remedy should only aggravate the complaint it had better be left alone. Any religion which is not a cause of love and unity is no religion."
Mahatma Gandhi:
"The pursuit of truth does not permit violence being inflicted on one's opponent."
"Be the peace you wish for the world."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama:
"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."
"All religion teaches the virtues of love, altruism and patience, while showing us how to discipline and transform ourselves to achieve inner peace and a kind heart. Therefore, they are worthy of our respect."
Verses of Tolerance and Patience
2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
“In order to have faith in his own path, he does not need to prove that someone else's path is wrong.”
― Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light
CC: Goodreads.com
CC: folk.uio.no/leirvik/OsloCoalition/storiesontolerance.htm
CC: Holagist.com
