PEN OR SWORD

Thousands of years gone by and millions of researches came along, but still this question keeps boggling our minds, what the world needs most, PEN or SWORD? This topic is not only discussed on high tables but in the barbershops and other gatherings too.

Pen is something that portrays intellectualism and wisdom. On the other hand, the sword showcases power and authority with the force. Undoubtedly, words have the power to change the course of history and the world has seen this repeatedly. Human souls have sighted numerous amounts of episodes in its extensive history, in which herculean and powerful minds with greater ability to convey their messages had dominated the era.

In the 1500s when mighty Spain launched an attack on Britain, it was Queen Elizabeth I, who made a powerful speech

             “I myself will take up the arms and I myself be your general”

 which against the odds allowed Britain to seal the victory. When it comes to wise words, who can forget the role of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal in building youngsters’ character and morale. He wrote more than dozens of books on poetry and led the Muslim ummah, he showed juveniles and elders an alleyway towards triumph.

It would be very unfair if we hop over the accomplishments of warriors and jump to the conclusion. Alexander the Great ruled over 2 million square miles that stretched from Greece to the Indian subcontinent through his military force. The world has also witnessed one of the most bold and youngest warriors who responded to a letter, written by a woman from the dungeon. History books remembered him with the name of Muhammad Bin Qasim. He invaded Sindh in 712AD, at the age of 17.  

Some used to fasten peace with the pen and destruction with the sword, which is not just. In true sense, the pen and the sword are complementary to each other. To understand this, we need to apprehend a few important things. Do only warmongers have piled up military assets and vicious missiles or almost every country has them? Surely, these ferocious assets are held by more or less every country on the earth for defense purposes or when needed otherwise. So, to maintain peace, countries need authority and weapons to restrain the elements who want to terminate the peace. Pen can educate people when and how to use weapons and a sword can be the last resort. The pen has the power to hang a wrongdoer and a sword has the power to eliminate thousands of culprits. Pen is brain and the sword is muscle. It is not mandatory to use both things simultaneously but when needed.

Pen and sword are the two elements of a bigger picture and these two elements have their own reach. One thing is for sure, the nation with one element in its arsenal will have less mobility and strength in the future. This discussion is everlasting and evolving. So, which course of action should we choose? The answer is, it depends upon the circumstances and events’ materiality. Choose wisely and choose both because you don’t want to lose the bigger picture.

                                                                                                           (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)