Wrong Doesn't Cease To Be Wrong....

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 9 September 2025 Leo Tolstoy, one of the greatest novelists of all time, was born on September 9, 1828. A devout and morally upright writer and philosopher, Tolstoy influenced M K Gandhi and Romain Rolland by advocating for non-violent resistance, simplicity and spiritual truth. Gandhi, in particular, was deeply affected by Tolstoy's writings, such as The Kingdom of God is Within You, and considered himself the disciple of the Russian great. Leo Tolstoy's novels, teachings and philosophy are all the more significant in these violent, virulent and turbulent times. A few quotes of Tolstoy never fail to inspire and make you think: ‘Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.’ A Confession And Other Religious Writings , Chapter 9, pages 236-251 This quote serves as a timeless reminder that morality is not dictated by consensus. Tolstoy indicates that the validation of actions through majority opinion does not absolve them of their moral weight. It challenges societal norms and assumptions, encouraging individuals to discern right from wrong through personal conscience rather than collective beliefs. This also underlines the fact that morality is personal and individual. One develops one's morality. Had it been bestowed upon mankind by some imaginary god or religion, we all would have been morally equal. But we don't see that because some of us are immoral, a few are outright despicable and there're many noble souls as well. नीतिस्त्वत्तः प्रवर्तते (Neetis Tvattah Pravartate): Morality arises from you. Vidur said this when Yudhisthir lost everything, including Draupadi. Mind you, Yudhishthira himself was a morally very sound person and was called Dharmraj. Yet, he made a moral blunder. It proves that morality is an individual behaviour. In those times, a game of dice (Sanskrit: Dyuta) was morally acceptable despite being deceitful. Yudhishthira, the eldest of Pandavas, gambled away his kingdom, brothers, and finally Draupadi, to his cousins, the Kauravas, leading to her humiliation and the subsequent exile of the Pandavas. Gambling was morally right during Mahabharat times. Today, it's morally as well as legally not right. Yudhishthira should have listened to the voice of conscience. Instead, he followed the then prevalent morality. What changes with the ethos and ethics of the existing times, cannot be divine. That the thought came from a deeply religious person like Tolstoy, further asserts that morality is the product of its time and an outcome of an individual's conscience. There's no universal morality. And this quote of Tolstoy is relevant to the point of being prophetic: "The paid politicians, the ambitious statesmen, who exploit the evil passions of the populace, and the imbeciles who are deluded by fine-sounding phrases, have so embittered national feuds that the existence of a whole race will be at stake in the war of the morrow." The Kingdom of God Is Within You , Chapter 6, pages 621-672 Here, Tolstoy condemns leaders who manipulate public sentiment for their own gain, creating divisions that lead to conflict. It reflects the theme of social responsibility, where citizens must remain vigilant against deceptive rhetoric that can lead to catastrophic outcomes. This highlights the importance of critical thinking and the collective moral responsibility to prevent the machinations of power-hungry individuals from leading society into war. There's a plethora of such unscrupulous leaders all over the world, be it in neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, America, France, Israel, Palestine, Ukraine or India. They know only one language: the language of violence and vitriol. People must pay heed to their Aql-e-Saleem (prudence) and ignore the war cries of these warmongers because nothing untoward will happen to all the political rogues but the poor masses will be on the receiving end. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/wrong-cease-leo-tolstoy/d/136772 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism