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QURAN & VEDAS
"The Quran requires you to say to people of scripture: We believe in that which
has been revealed into us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is one and unto him
we surrender. We hold this God-given law dear to our heart, based as it is on human
dignity; reason and brotherhood of man. With reverence we have also read the Vedas of the
Hindus. They proclaim their faith in universal unity and express the belief that God is
one although He bears many names."
-- Tipu Sultan.
"....Religious tolerance is the fundamental tenet of the Holy
Quran".
The Quran calls upon you not to revile the idols of another religion for it says: revile
not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest they wrongfully revile Allah through
ignorance.
The Quran expects you to vie with each other in good works and saus for each we have
appointed a divine law and a traced out way. Had Allah willed he could have made you one
community...so vie one with another in good works".
--Tipu Sultan's Declaration, 1787
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LIFE OF A TIGER BETTER THAN THAT OF A JACKAL
"By what right do I commend my men to die for my cause if I should be afraid to
lay down my own life ? In the face of a common calamity, is the King to escape sacrifice
and suffering ? And why should I prolong the hours then there is no more profit in them ?
I should only make myself ridiculous in the eyes of others and of my own - if I cling to
life needlessly. Would you advice a Tiger to follow the life-style of a jackal; Would you
?"
-- Tipu Sultan
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IMPORTANCE OF LAW
From Tipu Sultan's proclamation in 1786.
"No man shall be punished save in accordance with law.
The law of immemorial custom and as enshrined in our traditions shall be honoured by us.
So that people may know the extent and the rigour of the law, as also their rights,
duties, obligations and responsibilities. We have decided that codification of law be
undertaken... Accordingly, we have established a committee of
Ministers.........."
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LOOTING FORBIDEN
From Tipu Sultan's decree in 17 83, repeated in 1785, 1787 and possibly more often.
".....Looting a conquered enemy enriches a few; impoverishes the nations and
dishonours the entire army. War must be linked to battlefields. Do
not carry it to innocent civilians. Honour their children and the infirm."
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