It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to

Hear, O seekers of truth, the voice of Mahatma Gandhi, who declared: “It is easy enough to be friendly to one’s friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.” In these words lies a truth both piercing and eternal—that kindness toward those who love us costs little, but love toward those who despise us requires the very soul. The former is transaction, the latter is transformation. It is this higher love, born not of convenience but of courage, that Gandhi names the essence of true religion.

The origin of these words is found in Gandhi’s lifelong struggle against oppression. Facing the might of the British Empire, he chose not the sword of violence but the shield of nonviolence. He called his enemies not demons but fellow souls, not to be crushed but to be awakened. To him, religion was not in ritual or sectarian pride, but in the ability to see God even in the face of an adversary. When he counseled his followers to love those who imprisoned them, and to forgive those who struck them down, he embodied the very quintessence of the teaching he here describes.

The ancients, too, bore witness to this wisdom. Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.” The Buddha taught that hatred never ceases by hatred, but only by love. The prophets of Israel called for justice and mercy even toward strangers and foes. Gandhi’s words rise from this same wellspring, declaring that to love one’s enemy is the pinnacle of faith, for it transcends the boundaries of tribe, nation, and creed.

History gives us luminous mirrors of this truth. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who, after the carnage of the American Civil War, counseled “malice toward none, with charity for all,” seeking not revenge upon the defeated South but reconciliation. In that moment, he rose above bitterness, showing that true greatness lies in healing, not in punishing. Or recall Nelson Mandela, who, after twenty-seven years in prison, emerged without hatred, embracing those who had oppressed him in the spirit of unity. His ability to befriend former enemies brought peace to a nation that could have drowned in vengeance.

The meaning of Gandhi’s words is both humbling and heroic: true religion is measured not by how we treat our friends, but by how we treat our enemies. To be kind to those who agree with us is no more than “business,” an exchange of goodwill for goodwill. But to extend compassion to those who despise us is to touch the divine itself, for such love cannot be explained by mere human logic. It is the love that disarms hatred, the love that conquers violence without lifting a sword.

The lesson for us, O listeners, is profound: do not stop at the easy love of friends. Seek also the hard love of enemies. When insulted, respond with patience. When opposed, listen with humility. When hated, refuse to hate in return. This does not mean to submit blindly to injustice, but to resist it with strength tempered by mercy. For in befriending the enemy, we do not only save them—we save ourselves from becoming what we despise.

Practical steps stand before you: Begin with small acts—speak gently to those who speak harshly to you, extend respect where you receive none, pray or hope for the good of those who wrong you. Seek to understand your adversaries, for often hatred is born of fear and ignorance. And when conflict arises, let your resistance to evil be firm but clothed in dignity, never stripped of compassion. In this way, you embody the highest form of faith, one that transforms enemies into neighbors and strangers into brothers.

Thus, remember the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi: “To befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion.” Hold this as your guiding star. For easy love fills the world with small lights, but the love of enemies ignites a fire so radiant that it changes nations, heals wounds, and reflects the very heart of God. And when you walk this path, you will know that your religion is not mere business, but truth itself.