According to a story, in a village in Russia, a villager who had been caught removing the screws from railway tracks was being interrogated in a questioning room.
The Inspector asked, “Are you aware that you are putting the lives of thousands of people at risk? Why are you removing those screws?”
The villager replied, “It’s only one screw, sir. I need it to use as a weight for my fishing line. I’m not harming anyone. Besides, everyone in the village does the same thing: we remove one screw and leave the next one. We learned in physics class that the load is distributed, so the train won’t derail.”
The Inspector said, “That’s madness! Doesn’t the village head see what you are doing?”
“Of course he does,” the villager replied. “He even had the locks of the police station and his own house made from these screws. They’re free, after all.”
The Inspector asked, “What if we increased your wages? Would you give up this theft?”
The villager answered: “It’s not about money, sir; it’s about habit. If you don’t teach justice and morality to people when they are children, then even when we grow up and have money in our pockets, we will continue removing those screws.”
Horrified by such ignorance, the Inspector boarded a train to the capital to write his report. As he watched the scenery through the window, he murmured to himself, “This misery will one day lead to disaster.”
Just then, he saw a little boy standing beside the railway tracks, holding two screws in his hands. The boy was smiling and waving at him.
The Inspector shouted in horror, “Stop the train!”
But it was too late. The deafening sound of metal crashing together was heard.
This is a story. We do not know whether it actually happened or not. The stories and parables we tell are often written to teach a lesson or emphasize the importance of an issue, even when the events themselves are not directly related to the subject at hand. That is why the saying “What matters is not so much whether the story is historically true, but the lesson it conveys” is used. In other words, rather than focusing on whether this particular incident really happened, the important point is the lesson it is intended to teach.
In some similar and very famous parables, the story itself is no longer told. Instead, a single word from the story is used as a metaphor, and because of its association with the original story, it immediately brings the main subject to mind.
When we say “the story of two screws,” the similar importance of the issue in everyday life comes to mind.
At almost every stage of life and at all times, situations similar to the “two screws” issue occur. In the story, the little boy does not know the villager’s supposed rule of physics—that one screw should be removed and the next one left in place—and therefore removes two screws next to each other, causing the railway tracks to separate. In the same way, the situation of people who do not know, understand, or appreciate the importance and characteristics of the work they are doing—or who deliberately wish to cause harm—can also be described through this “two-screw metaphor.”
There is a similar proverb:
“One horseshoe nail saves a horseshoe; one horseshoe saves a horse; one horse saves a brave man; and one brave man saves a country.”
A small deficiency or seemingly insignificant neglect, if not corrected in time, can lead to much greater consequences in a chain reaction. Conversely, a small precaution or a small act of kindness can also become the means of producing a much greater and more beautiful result.
In various areas of society, when harmful or potentially dangerous matters are neglected, when necessary tasks are not carried out properly, or when appropriate precautions are not taken, then, metaphorically speaking, “the train of that particular matter” derails.
Almost every day, we read or learn about accidents in different areas of society—matters involving municipalities, drivers, administrators, and many others—caused by people who either deliberately fail to do what is necessary or lack even the level of knowledge they should possess concerning the subject for which they are responsible.
We also know that there have been many similar major accidents throughout history. If serious solutions and preventive measures are not taken, we can reasonably expect that many more major disasters may occur in the future.
For all these reasons, whatever the task may be, it should be carried out completely and without omission and then carefully checked by qualified experts who understand the subject. We must never allow gaps or weaknesses to remain.
The same principle applies not only to social matters and the processes that make life easier, but also to the roads, public spaces, facilities, infrastructure, and systems used by every segment of society.
It is therefore extremely important that these significant issues be taken seriously and carefully monitored—first within the family, then through education, and finally by the relevant authorities.
Just as in the two-screw metaphor, delaying an intervention, carrying it out incorrectly, or neglecting it is like removing two screws from the same railway track.
Creating a sense of responsibility at every level of society is of great importance, followed by serious supervision and control. Almost every matter needs to be addressed with the utmost seriousness, and some of these matters are of vital importance and must undergo careful inspection.
An entire society or country—or even several countries—can suffer serious harm because of such negligence, and history has shown us many examples of this.
Today, everyone must understand that their work, whether large or small, whether it concerns only the individuals involved or the entire society, should never be left to chance or allowed to develop carelessly. It must be seriously monitored, those responsible must be warned when necessary, and, where appropriate, they must be held accountable and punished. These are among the measures that must be taken for the sake of social order and public well-being.
Let us, first and foremost, as servants of Allah, strive to perform every responsibility entrusted to us in the best possible way. If we fail to show this sensitivity, we must remember, with full awareness of its seriousness, that we will first be accountable before Allah. We should also have no doubt that we may later be questioned by the relevant institutions of the state.
For all these reasons, in the limited span of this worldly life, let us strive to use every moment of our lives as productively as possible—to benefit ourselves, our families, the people around us, and ultimately all of humanity.
Let us raise our young people with this awareness as well. Then we can help build a world not dominated by conflict and war, but by peace—a world in which people can live together in harmony regardless of religion, color, or race, united by the common denominator of being human.
Let us await the fruits of these efforts with faith, hope, determination, perseverance, and active patience, conscious that their ultimate rewards will be granted by Allah in the Hereafter.
What do you think?
