Essay about A PROPHET IS NOT HONOURED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY

A PROPHET IS NOT HONOURED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY

Introduction: Prophet has many connotations as per the dictionary. Yet, they all say one meaning: prophet means, a clairvoyant. But how the prophet goes unrecognized in his own land?

This word is mostly associated with Islamic religion. A prophet is a human (or God Almighty in human form) with a mission to teach the society the high moral values in the life. It can be referred to as a divine messenger. A master, who teaches all noble things, can be called a prophet.

Explanation: On the face of it, it says that a prophet does not get even scant honour from his own country. This is almost true when we take inventory of those great men who were slain, or tortured, or humiliated in their own country.

Prince Siddhartha, better known later as Gowtama Buddha, was born in India. He was humiliated in his own Indian soil. But as the proverb says, there are many Buddhist temples and lakhs of devotees in South Eastern Asian countries like, Japan, China, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and so on.

Similarly, Jesus Christ and Christianity. Jesus, a messiah, was born to reform the society. But, again, as the proverb points out, he (Jesus) was crucified by the merciless outlaws who hated him.

Mahatma’s life also ended in the same manner. Despite his chain of various agitations and struggles against the British Imperialism for over 30 years, the British government protected him all along, although they had tossed him in jail on several occasions.

But when the British gave India the much demanded Independence and the government changed hands to Indian ruling, we Indians could not save Mahatma for more than 3 months. He was slain by an Indian. What a disgrace it was to all of us.

There are many great leaders worldwide who had laid down their lives just because they preached what was good for their countrymen. Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. of USA were assassinated for the simple reason that they supported for a good cause.

Similarly, Anwar Sadat, the former President of Egypt who offered a friendly handshake with their rival country, Israel, was gunned down by his own army soldier. This way, the list of persons and prophets who were not honoured in their own country, could go on interminably.

Now, it became necessary to read between the lines of this proverb. It is not only in the case of prophets, but more true in the case of very well qualified and skillful young men and women who feel rejected and dejected with the rotten policy of the government’s (Red tape) excessive bureaucratic rules, political interference, recommendations, and nepotism – all such social ills hinder their life and career. These prompt them migrate to foreign countries. This is the main reason for the much talked about, “Brain Drain.”

This way, we are losing thousands of talented persons who can shape up India as a real super power country in the world.

Doesn’t it remind us of a great saying that, “God hides many things by putting them near us.”