Tag: Killings

There Is None To Blame But Ourselves

We, as a nation, need to realise this:

“… Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Surah Raad, Verse 11)

Such a clear principle has been established by the Lord of the worlds and has been relayed to us. We have no right to complain if we do not follow it. We are responsible for the miserable condition of our country and its people, for the ruthless murders and undying havoc. WE , yes we need to change. We need to stop hesitating and procrastinating and start becoming a nation of sincere and steadfast Muslims. What exactly are we aiming for by having minimal knowledge of our deen and wasting our days pointlessly? Why have we forgotten our own graves and the unquestionable meeting with our Creator?

The ignorant people who think they know Islam are going around spreading chaos in the country, while the educated youth are becoming further and further negligent of their religion. We, the literate people of our nation, should lay ourselves out to become the most learned in matters of our faith. The reason Pakistan is bleeding continuously is the lack of practicing Muslims in this ‘Islamic Republic’. When will we realize that all our strength and our honour lies in our collective obedience to our Lord?

We are a people who have been blessed with Islam; a religion that holds the status of being the final mandate of God, a faith that encompasses every aspect of human interaction, that calls upon its adherents to strive to become the best of mankind, that enjoins unity, tolerance, compassion and integrity. If every believer were to make an effort to abide by the principles of this perfect way of life, our nation would flourish infallibly. But how can we expect Pakistan to prosper, let alone justice to prevail, when we have done no justice to our identity as Muslims? Would our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) even acknowledge us as a part of his Ummat on The Day of Judgment? Would we rightfully be able to say that our lives were spent in trying to follow every aspect of his Sunnah? Are we even aware of every aspect of his Sunnah?

Inna lilaahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. This verse is uttered so often these days. It is meant to serve as a reminder for us,

“… Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” (Surah Baqrah, Verse 156)

Take heed before it’s too late. The only certainty in life is death. If we don’t mend our ways, if we keep ignoring every azaan, if we keep letting the Quran simply catch dust in our homes, then we will suffer tremendously, just like we are; in this world and the Hereafter, as individuals and as a nation.

Make a choice. Stop letting your own soul and your country suffer. Start turning back to your Lord in repentance and with sincerity! That is the ONLY path to a better Pakistan. The verdict has been given by Allah. Nothing will change until you decide to change. Please, do yourself and your country a favour and at least start fulfilling your obligatory prayers. Because right now, we’re exactly like these people who Allah mentions in the Quran;

“… But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil.” (Surah Maryam, Verse 59)

If these brutal and senseless murders become the stimulus for this nation to awaken, then our brothers and sisters would not have died in vain. Otherwise this madness will only worsen. And there is none to blame but we. No leader, no political party, no army men can aid our country. Only the peoples’ own conduct decides the fate of Pakistan. Do your bit sincerely, and watch Pakistan rise from the ashes to the height of glory. Or don’t, and know that you are destroying your nation with your own hands.

Burma is Burning

Burma is burning and most of us are conveniently silent ….

Some believe that death toll is not high enough to condemn the killings because  few dozens have been murdered and few women have been raped; not a big deal because they were muslims. Some others say that we are far away from Burma, so leave them alone and try to solve our own problems first while some are confused to believe the atrocities did actually happen or not.

Media (international and local)  is silent because it has not received the dictation from its real masters to show ethnic cleansing of Muslims as a breaking news. Media didn’t even recognize the problem unless Amnesty International reported it. And all of those who want to keep mum are blaming social media for raising voice for the oppressed. Those who are against any check and balance on their own ‘freedom of expression’ want to have checks on social media, so that the issues like Burma are never highlighted anywhere. They are blaming the social media networks like facebook and twitter for propagating fake pictures, while forgetting their own fake stories and fake programs. The problem with electronic media is their capital influx, which they get from multinationals and governments and due to which they cannot go beyond a certain limit set by their sponsors.

Social media on the other hand has given voice to general public.  Common people can use  twitter, facebook and youtube to express their views and get their views across. Although in countries like Pakistan, internet access and social media usage is still limited, it is good enough to send a few shockwaves across the country. True that social media doesn’t have the access to reliable information some times and anything can get viral without authentication; the problem is not as severe as traditional media which feeds in sponsored news and deliberately corrupt the mindsets. Anything wrong if gets viral on social media, immediately a rebuttal is launched and most of the time people correct themselves.

But why do we need to speak against Muslim genocide in Mayanmar (Burma). The reason is simple, we need to speak up against all oppression, or we can be the next target. If I don’t speak against drones today, a drone can bomb my house tomorrow. Its not a matter of choice now, its an obligation.

Will merely highlighting the issue stop these atrocities? Of course not!  But raising our voice is the first and least we can do, so let’s do it. It may not be enough to stop the genocide, but surely its enough to gain the momentum, pile up the courage and cry halt. It will give us strength to do more and definitely will weaken the oppressor.

It is a legitimate question that we should not be silent over the problems prevailing in our own country. We have lawlessness, bombings and target-killings coupled with economic crisis in our country. Therefore when people say that lets sort out our own mess first, it sounds logical. But my take on this is that we need to have a collective approach. We cannot address issues one by one because a long list of issues will pop up when one is resolved. This is a continuous battle, between the oppressed and the oppressor. We have to choose on which side we are standing and then continuously play our role in a collective manner. Cherry picking selective items won’t serve the purpose.

Another question which is asked by our liberal elite in same context is ‘what’s this fuss called Muslim Ummah’ ? Well Muslim Ummah doesn’t mean a bunch of rulers or a few traitors. It’s about the masses of Muslims whose hearts beat together. If any Muslim anywhere in the world is suffering, all Muslims feel the pain and if someone claims to be Muslim but not feeling the pain he should recheck his belief.

So, if Bangladeshi government led by Haseena Wajid is not feeling the pain of displaced muslims of Burma, it doesn’t mean that Muslims of Bangladesh or the world are not concerned. If OIC is silent, it is because most of the people sitting in OIC are not true representatives of Muslim Ummah. The role of UNO is also shameful. It has multiple standards for different religions and regions.  Muslims being killed never get their attraction unless ‘oil’ is involved.

So in short, Buddhists, who are known to be peaceful so much so that they won’t crush an ant, are killing muslims, raping women burning villages. Thousands have been displaced so far and forced to live in concentration camps.  The military of Burma is fully involved in ethnic cleansing of Muslims. The numbers are not important, what’s important is that Muslims are being oppressed and we should raise our voice at least; therefore, raise it now as its already too late.