# Adopt a Muslim orphan

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-gandhi-adopt-muslim-orphan
- Themes: forgiveness, grief, harmony
- Life situations: communal conflict, loss

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

In a Gandhi film clip, a Hindu whose son was murdered by Muslims asks what to do with his grief. Gandhi: adopt an orphan — and bring him up as a Muslim.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

a clip video clip of a movie about Mahatma Gandhi. Don't know whether this was a valid and historically accurate but in this particular part of the movie I think Gandhi was going through a fast or something and one of his supporters uh Indian Hindu came up to him and said just I don't like this being peaceful you don't know what it feels like when your own son is murdered you know by in this case is said by Muslim s and he said, "You talk about peace. Give me some understanding why and what I should do when I still feel this grief so deeply." And what Gandhi said, "You've lost a son. There are many children in this area who got no fathers or mothers. Adopt one. Doesn't matter who you adopt. You're a Hindu. please bringing him up as a Muslim. When I remember hearing that, I thought I'd never forget that. What a beautiful piece of advice that was. Don't just say, "I forgive you. Do something more. Muslims killed your son. Go and find a Muslim orphan and bring him up as a Muslim devout." Oh, that was beautiful

## Teaching point

Forgiveness that does something more than words heals deeper than slogans.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

In a film about Gandhi, a Hindu man whose son was killed by Muslims asks how to bear his grief. Find a Muslim orphan, Gandhi says, and raise him as a devout Muslim. Ajahn Brahm never forgot it. Forgiveness is more than words; it does something. Reach out to 'the other' and distrust begins to dissolve.

## Source

- [Living in Harmony | Ajahn Brahm | 24 November 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y_FbeKnV4U) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 18:10 to 19:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y_FbeKnV4U&t=1090s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Appreciation | Ajahn Brahm | 29 November 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaBYSDBj37E) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:09:55 to 1:10:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaBYSDBj37E&t=4195s