It was one of Dr. Khalid Sohail's books that paved the way for our first meeting and my subsequent entry into the Family of the Heart, the creative and intellectually vibrant group that provides time and space for a wide range of people to share their ideas and expressions.
Dr. Khalid Sohail's Prophets of Violence—Prophets of Peace is a timely entrant as the issue of war and peace occupies a central place on the present global stage. The range of leaders that he has presented have not only shaped the history of their own countries, but have transcended their limited geographical boundaries to influence the global political course of the 20th century As we have crossed the threshold of the new millennium, there is no doubt that their political thoughts, strategies and general philosophy will continue to influence us.
What makes this book great is that it showcases a wide spectrum of leaders actively using conflicting ideologies but united under a common understanding—the uplifting of humankind. It is in a sense, a one-stop book for those interested in a glimpse of the 20th-century leaders who shaped the future of the world community of nations, politically, philosophically and in some cases, spiritually Spanning a period from dawn to dusk of the 20th century it moves us through the lives of political leaders, poets, revolutionaries and spiritual leaders.
Dr. Sohail's book provides something for everyone interested in world polity in general or in any particular continent of our global village. It features Martin Luther King, Jr. for those interested in the civil rights movement in America, Nelson Mandela for those wanting to know more of South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath
Tagore, Iqbal and Mohammad Ah Jinnah for the Indian subcontinent, Che Guevara and Ho Chi Minh for the leftist movements, and the history of tiny Tibet through the personality of the Dalai Lama.
Apart from examining leaders like Gandhi, Tagore and Jinnah who occupied the same political and geographical space as isolated entities. Dr. Sohail subjects their relationships to scrutiny, exposing readers to the various facets of each of their personalities. This exercise is particularly useful for all those interested in the Indian subcontinent, as inhabitants of a particular nation are usually acquainted only with leaders of their country. This book, for instance, presents Gandhi and Tagore to Pakistanis while acquainting Indians better with Jinnah and Iqbal.
Further, it shows the influence these personalities have had on each other. The inspiration Martin Luther King draws from Gandhi and how he adapts Gandhi's philosophy to his struggle in the United States is but one example. What is important here is also that the book is
written in simple language and with lucidity, thereby enabling a layman to access this 20th century human treasure. And last but not least, Dr. Sohail's insights as a psychotherapist enable him to present these historymakers not as mere distant political figures but as human beings with all of their strengths and weaknesses.
 

V Radhika
Pune, India