Tolerance is the virtue of a civilized age.

It is the virtue that helps us to put up with those, who have

different ways and opinions, and outlook on life. It enables us to see always the other side of things,
to suffer fools with patience, fanatics without losing out temper.
In earlier days difference in religion led to prosecution; difference in politics created bad blood, and
difference in opinions ended in blows. This is intolerance, the refusal to be just and fair-minded.
How many thousands of men and women in Europe were burnt to death for religious differences?
The Crusades of the middle Ages bear out this fact. A whole community might be massacred in the
name of God. Even today, purges for political opinions have not been banished from society. All this
intolerance comes from bigotry, narrowness and blind self-conceit. It is the result of dogmatism, a
belief that there is only one attitude that is right.
But as education has spread, the spirit of reason has tended to prevail and the vice of intolerance has
fairly diminished. It fact, with the passage of years we are becoming more ready to recognize the
possibility of views other than our own. We look upon tolerance as a mark of education and superior
culture of ethics of the polite society.
After all, the world has not been set to one pattern, nor have men been shaped in a single mould.
Difference, in environment or conditions of life, causes difference in temperament and opinion.
Historical evolution has led to diversities in outlook.
Heredity is also a factor not to be over-looked. Each distinctive outlook has its own background. A
cultured person takes these into account, makes allowance for them and is ready to make
concessions and compromise. Without this broad-mindedness, energy will be wasted in futile
arguments. In this long run, mere passion never leads to any good nor solves any problem; passion
has to be controlled and disciplined by reason and tolerance.
Tolerance is not only an abstract virtue; it is of considerable influence in the current affairs of life.
Man is a social being and has to live in a spirit of harmony and co-operation with others. In this
process some amount of give-and-take is necessary, a capacity for compromise.
We cannot persuade others unless we ourselves are at the same time ready to be persuaded by
practicing sweet reasonableness. Thus it will be seen that tolerance as a social virtue, is opposed to
dogmatism or dictatorship. It is impossible for one to be tolerant if one is hide-bound and rigid in
views or full of prejudices.
But tolerance is not meant to encourage a week-kneed attitude to life. It has a limit, and beyond that,
it may become even a social crime. Tolerance is a virtue only in the little things of life.
But there can be no tolerance where we come up against fundamental principles. If we tolerate evil,
our best self goes down and under. Therefore, in matters relating to deeper questions and principles
of life, it is our duty to stand up for them and refuse an easy compromise. We should never tolerate
moral corruption, social wrongs, political and financial dishonesty; we should never be complaisant
towards attacks on our national integrity, on our fundamental rights on the forces of progress in
society.

Unfortunately, anarchism and intolerance seem to be on the upgrade, of late. Extremists with the
help of sophisticated military weapons are seeking to destabilize a country, taking heavy toll of
innocent lives. Angry youngman, challenging all established norms, now parade the walks of life.
Tolerance has been cast to the winds by them. Our aim should be to tackle them with a strong hand
and then, if permissible, bring them to the conference table. But in personal life, in our daily
dealings, we shall have to be long-bearing Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that one should be as
tolerant as the tree that does not withdraw shade even to the wood-cutter.
Tolerance is a sense of willingness to accept behavior and beliefs which are contrary to ones own. While
the disagreement to ones thoughts, beliefs and ideology is considered as intolerance and it leads to
confrontations and rivalry. Intolerance is on the increase in the world today, causing death, genocide,
violence, religious persecution as well as confrontations on different levels. Sometimes it is racial and
ethnic, sometimes it is religious and ideological, other times it is political and social. In every situation it
is evil and painful ultimately paving way of social instability. A person is a unit of society. So, personal
behavior plays a significant part in over all social portfolios. Human behaviors shape a society. The
strength of society lies in cooperation, coordination and toleration. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of
society, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance. All religions of the world
stress upon tolerance and forgiveness. Islam is a religion of affection, fraternity and endurance. According
to Islam, Literally the word "tolerance" means "to bear." As a concept it means "respect, acceptance and
appreciation of the rich diversity of the world's cultures, forms of expression and ways of being human."
Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. It is a religious moral duty. It does not mean "concession,
condescension or indulgence." It does not mean lack of principles, or lack of seriousness about one's
principles. Islam emphasizes the establishment of equality and justice, both of these values cannot be
established without some degree of tolerance. Islam recognized from the very beginning the principle of
freedom of belief or freedom of religion. Respecting ones another belief is the real strength of society.
The UNESCO principles on tolerance say: "Consistent with respect for human rights, the practice of
tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice or the...

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