Pakistan – Page 13 – My Bit for Change

Waheeda Shah offers democracy’s best revenge

In what seems to be a hapless event for the victims is but an outrageous and a preposterous one for the local community and women of Pakistan, who have long striven for their empowerment in the supposed imperious patriarchal society, but it also seems our attention to grotesque events against the self-hood and dignity of women is selective. Had it been in yester night’s live broadcast a man extending such vigorous assault to an unarmed and a defenceless presiding officer (and that too a lady), sans a scintilla of doubt, the public hue and cry along with Media (print and electronic broadcast) coverage would be unparalleled to what we have just witnessed. Certainly this corroborates our retained biases for pivotal social issues, particularly over violence against women.

Waheeda Shah, a PPP-Elect from the constituency PS- 53 Tando Muhammad Khan decided to lay wrath over a couple of female public officers (appointed by the Election Commission to oversee the election proceedings) when she in a fit of rage accused them of rigging the polls despite the fact, that she could have filed a complaint with the law enforcement agencies about the alleged rigging, Waheeda Shah hastened with the display of her reflexes to assume the role of Judge, Jury and the Executioner.

The purge of impulse from the pugnacious candidate (none other than Waheeda Shah) did not just manifest in form of slaps or jabs to the helpless officers (including Shagufta Memon, serving assistant presiding officer and a Teacher at the Government College Primary School Mulakatiyar) but also included the vigour of verbal aggression presenting an immaculate impression, as if these public officials (women) were her inherited slaves from the medieval times. Such is the mental-cultivation or maturity or for least the law abidance of our legislators, who transcend their existence above the Rule of Law or any notions of justice (rather the proverb ‘rule of law’ doesn’t exist in their code book).

So it be, and thus saw today Pakistan, despite the coverage of Waheeda Shah’s Physical assault Live on news channels and hourly news headlines, the power greedy PPP-Elect didn’t waste an opportunity to coerce the assistant presiding officer (Shagufta Memon who is also feared not to be the same person as shown in the assault video, due to concealment of identity through the use of veil) to appear with her before a press-conference and break the ice, before any stumbling blocks could be laid in her way and the formal membership of Sindh Provincial Assembly by the Election Commission, local Police and the Media. The unquestioned servile compliance and conformity of the presiding public officer is a reflection of Pakistan’s middle-class and vulnerable women, that long for empowerment in the empire of fiefs (either feudal Men or the likes of Waheeda Shah), who defy all bounds of law to retain their power over the not-so-privileged masses. Thus, to the imperious elite of remote and urban localities of Pakistan, Laws, Rights and Values are but out-dated and obsolete clichés of past, which holds no relevance to them and doesn’t apply to their existence on any committed deviance. Hence, people like Waheeda Shah are above the Law, and the law is for rest of us.

Further a few surprising and bemusing observations, which remain worth sharing in the outfall of this event, are;

1) Why the Local Police did not file a complaint against Waheeda Shah, who had repeatedly assaulted the various lady public officers (since these women were serving as public officers on behalf of the Election Commission). Hence, even if some adjustment had to take place (without any coercion) should it not have been done before a judge and in a court of law?

2) Why has the Supreme Court not taken any action against the alleged candidate and disqualify (if proven) for the vehement display of physical assault and violence against the respective officers?

3) Famous and renowned voices that take pride in strengthening women empowerment and dissing violence against women through criticism, it seems that they have gone apathetic and indifferent in “debating” over this event of blatant violence against female public officers.

Therefore, it is imperative for the institutions of the state including the Election Commission, Honourable Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan to undertake the required legal action in this concern (especially when helpless and vulnerable public officers are subject of physical assault) and the media to instil awareness among public about the rule of law, so that a withering sanity is rescued to prevail.

Plight of Pakistani students

Being an International student can be very stressful especially if you have to go it alone. Naive Pakistani students leave home in high spirits to acquire the ‘waliyati’ education because it offers bright prospects and opens doors to plenty of dough encompassed with a life changing experience. I do vouch for all that and I cannot deny the fact that the curriculum, instructors and facilities that can be found in most institutions of higher learning in countries like the United States, Canada, UK and Australia are unparallel to the ones found back home but does that imply that the few who do get the opportunity to study in fancy schools are living a life of envy? As much as they would like to say ‘yes’, deep down inside they will only hear a resonating ‘no’.

It is not easy being an international student, living in an alien environment, being a part of a microcosm of multiculturalism and dealing with harrowing situations. Sure, the idea of studying abroad is riveting, until you actually do it. Everything associated with the ‘waliyati’ education comes at a hefty cost and by that I don’t just mean in monetary terms but also in terms of physical and mental wellbeing. More often than not it takes leaving home to realize that we are truly blessed with a lifestyle that is probably out of reach for the average Joe Smith studying at London School of Economics.

Most students belonging to upper middle class families have at their disposition fine dining, housekeeping, clean laundry amidst other things that they take for granted. It is only when they have to do all that on their own do they begin to appreciate things back home. Not that I think that there is anything wrong with doing all those chores, it’s just that no level of mental preparedness helps one to keep up with all these cumbersome duties. Self sufficiency is a hard feat to conquer and only the strong willed can make it. Life as an international student means balancing work, studies and house chores contrary to partying, sightseeing and relaxing. If anything it means your workload is tripled and your nerves are always on edge. Matters are only made worse when the family back home decides to cut down your allowance forcing you to fend for yourself. By the end of the educational sojourn many are exhilarated about going back to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan only to find a dismal and bleak state of affairs.

If only Pakistan had institutes of high caliber devoted to different schools of learning many would comfortably stay home without having to slave all day in an alien country. Of course it’s a different scenario if the entire family is settled but that is just the ideal situation. It is very common for most of the student Diaspora to share small apartments surviving the minimalistic way. Fact of the matter is many individuals sacrifice the good life back home in return for quality acquisition of knowledge. Worse yet, many who come back as graduates from top universities find that there is little opportunity in Pakistan’s job market especially if they want to make it big. As much as they want to stay home they are forced to go back in search for a better living because the government just doesn’t give two tarts about improving the social, economic and educational prospects of the country. Consequently Pakistan has been facing acute brain drain and more so in the recent years but apparently this grave problem has been conveniently sidelined.

If our country continues to spend less than 3% of its GDP on education and instead chooses to consistently increase its defence budget to RS.495 billion for a threat that may just be more perceived than real then one shouldn’t even bother anticipating change.

It is so unfortunate that a country that has a rich endowment of resources and young people brimming with talent is not doing anything to hone it. Pakistani students are blessed with great intellect and they deserve much better than struggling to get the quality of education that is so easily accessible to their white counterparts. If only the leaders of our country had even a foresight to acknowledge the importance of knowledge based society!

Let’s make it possible

In the world of advanced technologies, where inventions get obsolete everyday due to rapid innovations, where the modernization is the change which is constantly revolutionizing our lives, we the Pakistanis still spend only 2.21% of GDP on the education. I feel this is like the condition of a human half paralyzed, despite of knowing the cure he does not struggle to obtain it. It has been 64 years to our independence but still half of the nation is unable to read & write even in their local languages. Whereas the remaining nation categorized as literate is the majority who hardly meet the definition of educated. That implies that they actually can read and write but are not aware of their basic rights, duties & responsibilities towards their families, neighbourhoods & especially towards the nation.

In April 2010, Article 25A, “Right to Education” was inserted into the constitution of Pakistan as a part of 18^thamendment. The article says that the state shall provide free & compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by the law. But if we look at our government funded primary, secondary, and some of the higher educational institutions, we can’t even find “state” & “education” anywhere and if we move towards private education providers, we find it so much expensive that it goes beyond the reach of a common person.

According to a survey, 10 million of children are engaged in child labour. They are not even provided basic education. This is a double figure for the rural areas where children are forced to work in fields. This part of our nation will become a burden for the country in some years causing an increase in the illiteracy rate and also become useless due to a technological change as they would not be competent enough for the future jobs. If we presume that they will adapt the same thinking in future as their fore fathers did in the past then they would most probably do the same with their next generation by constraining them from education. If this happens, then definitely the percentage of illiteracy will be multiplied by two.

Half of our nation is deprived of a very basic need which is the education, solution of the majority of our country’s problem. It looks like now it has become impossible to resolve this issue of illiteracy unless we join our hands and take practical steps for educating the masses.

It is high time we stood for the cause of education. We have to fight the war against the illiteracy before fighting any other war. We have to make it possible, as it is the need of the day. To change the current scenario and to amend the future, we need to give special importance to this task and for that we have to realize that it is our responsibility.

While delivering a speech to the constituent assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947 Mr. Jinnah said,

“I am sure that with your support and co-operation, I can look forward to Pakistan becoming one of the greatest nations of the world”.

Let us own his dream and make it our goal.

The way out

People are in distress across the world. The situations we find ourselves in have solutions; however the process for solving the myriad of problems begins inside of us, as an each unique individual. We must start with ourselves first. The revelation of the Qur’an begin with the word ‘Iqra’, the read /recite/ learn and this is incumbent on any nation that they must develop an educated citizenry. A society steeped in illiteracy must change itself person by person and everyone has a role to play.

We know that a handful of people can change the world, as we learned from the prophet (PBUH) when he talked to people in Mecca under the tree, and one by one people came into Islam. As the strength of each individual contributed to the strength of the deen, the deen changed the world. This lesson must be implemented. How do we work on ourselves first before looking outside and blaming others for the situation our hands have put forth?

Readers may be surprised that when Israel was planning to build an illegitimate state surrounded by all enemies it started with the education sector. The Israel Institute of Technology was first established in 1912 and the “Hebrew University “was established in 1949. The establishment of the university was the very first step taken by Israel after the war of 1948.

The goal of this article is not to ask what they are doing to us, but what we are NOT doing. How does each person live his or her life as a gift from the creator and aspire to the attributes of the divine? If we can agree on an answer to this question the path is clear. Any situation we as humans find ourselves in can be resolved with knowledge, patience and prayer, person by person so that hearts become connected.

The Prophet of Islam SAW has told us,

“Dissension (fitnah) will surely come. A companion asked him what the way out of it is, to which he replied, “Allah’s Book is the way (out), for it contains information of what has happened before you and news of what will happen after you and a decision regarding matters which occur among you. If anyone seeks guidance elsewhere, Allah will lead him astray. It is Allah’s strong Rope, it is the wise reminder, it is the straight path. He who speaks according to it has spoken the truth, he who acts according to it is rewarded, he who pronounces judgment according to it is just.”(Tirmidhi)

Whenever something happens we are told to raise our voices, a journalism expression which is taken in a positive way as giving people “voice.” The people who are creating the dissension want us to cry out loud, and so we do, we write articles, we protest a lot, we discuss the problem on numerous talk shows and we even make videos and pass them along on Facebook and Twitter. But what are we telling the world ‘yes we do have a reaction, please don’t do this to us’. But the point to ponder is, WHOM are we crying but in front of? They are not listening, they just wanted some reaction from us. Again, what are we expecting from them? Are we putting our fate in their hands? Let’s think of a basic principle of mathematics i.e, we can not work on different units of measurement, they have to be the same if we want a result. So, we have to work on a similar medium with similar people to get a result .

The way the Messenger of Allah (SAW) reacted to trying situations was that he kept everyone focused on self development, education and research. So this is my impassioned plea for you to is: ‘Recognize yourself as a pearl is hidden with in you’.

As Iqbal said:

Intellect is your shield, Love is your sword

My dervish ! Your viceregency is world-conquering

Your Takbir like fire for Godlessness is

If you are Muslim your prudence your destiny is

If you are loyal to Muhammad we are yours

This universe is nothing the Tablet and the pen are yours.

(Jawab e Shikwa)

Their Journeys to Islam

The following videos were recorded by one of our team members attending ‘Discovering Islam Week at London School of Economics on the 10th February 2012. These beautiful people have their beautiful stories of their journeys to peace which are fresheners of faith to us and reminders of the forgotten blessing of Islam which remains beautifully wrapped up in our bookshelves waiting to be unfolded and applied to our lives. Please share widely.

These videos remain the property of www.mybitforchange.org. For the purpose of propagation they can be uploaded on any channel and spread on social media as long as the content is not altered and the watermark is not removed.

Kristiane Backer is a TV presenter and journalist based in London with a pan-European career. At the age of 24 Kristiane became one of the leading presenters on MTV Europe where she interviewed many major artists and musicians of her time. In 2009 Kristiane published her acclaimed autobiography “From MTV to Mecca” in Germany. The book is currently being translated into Dutch, Turkish, Arabic and English. Kristiane is engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue and is a Global Ambassador for the Exploring Islam Foundation. She was introduced to Islam by sports star turned politician Imran Khan.

Sarah Joseph is CEO and Editor of Muslim lifestyle magazine emel (http://www.emel.com) and commentator on British Muslims. She is a writer and a broadcaster and lectures on Islam both within the UK and internationally (USA, Europe, Middle and Far East). Sarah converted to Islam at the age of 16 in 1988 after being brought up as a Catholic.

Yusuf Chambers has been involved with a number of leading Muslim organizations; both in the UK and abroad. His work has often focused around community projects and positive civic engagement.He is a prominent da’ee who delivers lectures around the country. Brother Yusuf has also traveled extensively to give dawah including Mexico, India and Kuwait. He is also a regular on many television channels including Peace TV and Islam Channel. He is one of the Founding members of iERA and Peace Giving Foundation.

Listen and share their stories and freshen up your Eiman.

Divided we fall

We have learnt and read through fascinating stories and examples of history that believing in unity as strength is the key to success and division is the route to downfall. Regardless of the number of population sect-wise in Pakistan, it is observed that implanting hatred and creating distances have always existed in one way or the other. Where our nation stands as one force when a calamity afflicts us or we win a cricket match, hatred and division is seen on the rise and it is surely one of the reasons why we are heading towards becoming a failed state.

Different sects, their own ideas of dominance, ‘holier than thou’ attitude and declaring each other as ‘non-believers (Kafir) are some serious problems. This attitude has given rise to violence in the society. It’s a fact that issues related to sectarian identities are not new. Mosques and madrasas, or seminaries of traditional Islamic education, play a role in this regard. Where they have a responsibility to bring closer the Muslims and make the ties stronger among the Muslim community, some of them may actually take dividing the nation as their ‘noble’ duty. They may feel their sectarian affiliation dearer to heart and cause, than their affiliation to the beautiful religion of peace itself. The leadership of such madrassas comes from people who began their careers as preachers and ‘imams’ in their neighbourhood mosques. They do not necessarily represent the most learned and wise men, as in the days of the Prophet (SAW).

A fear factor has emerged among the new generation which deserves to be loved, groomed, cherished and respected. The generation which should hold a pen and book in their hands, holds guns either to give protection to their families, or to do their so called “Jihad” getting paid or aid through different extremist organizations.

Given the brutal violence against the Shias in Pakistan over the past three decades, Shias have started to wonder if there is a future for them in Pakistan. While hundreds of thousands of Shias had migrated to Pakistan in 1947 in the hope of building a new life for themselves and their future generations, many are now contemplating emigrating from Pakistan to save their lives and property. Hundreds of Shias have been murdered in their Imam Bargah’s by the different sectarian militants in the past. They have been taken off buses, lined up and shot dead. Their places of worship, religious processions, and civilian and religious leadership has come under relentless attacks while the state’s machinery has either refused or failed to protect shias and other religious minorities in Pakistan.

But the question also exists that who in Pakistan is safe. There are attacks on mosques and shrines too, even on people attending the funeral prayers. Blasts kill many people who do not get sectarian or religious tags. They are just numbered. Some are not even numbered or mentioned. They are declared as collateral damage. We might never know exact figures of civilian casualties of war on terror. Drone attacks are a routine. Bomb blasts all over the country and especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are a norm. Balochistan’s situation is worsening. ‘Missing persons’ is another shameful reality. Every person puts his life at risk when he leaves for work every morning. School going children are not safe either. Who is destroying our land? Do we have enemies within us? My Sunni friends and I sit together and discuss. We have never hated each other. We have enjoyed the most beautiful school and college days together and helped each other in difficult times. We have dined out, hiked in mountains and spent the most exciting time of our lives together. Our bond has only grown stronger. But we look around the country and see terrorism, calamaties, blasts, killings either by our very own terror groups or in line of ‘war on terror’. There is only one common finding, ‘we are the ones who are suffering as a nation.’ We are going weak emotionally due to these divisions being implanted, and the tags given to the dead. The people killing us know how to divide us. It’s we as a nation who have to keep our eyes open and send a message of unity and love. For the sake of Muslim unity all sects should be acceptable and equal and we should learn to tolerate each other. I strongly believe that different sects are just different flavours of the same principle. If Christians can protect Muslims while they offer Namaz at Tahrir square, why can’t Sunnis protect Shias and Shias protect Sunnis?

When Pakistan needs some ‘life saving’ measures to restore peace and prosperity, let’s think about the country, rising above sectarian divisions. We are all different children of the same mother, our homeland. Whoever is killed is a human first without any tag and every human is precious and every killing is condemnable and shameful.

Now it’s time to either build or destroy the future of Pakistan. The time has come to unite as a force and tell the rest of the world that Islam is the religion of love, faith, tolerance and freedom and not hate, distrust and division.

Excerpt from the last sermon of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH):

‘O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds.’

My message to the whole Pakistani nation:

“Love one another and you will be happy; it is as simple as that”

Of cycles of hate and feet on the pedals..

A life packed away in a few cardboard boxes. The bare room started back coldly. It looked alien already.

“Mom”

A small voice called. She turned to the silhouette in the doorway and wiped the tears, trying to make the motion as inconspicuous as possible but it was too late. The tender 6 year old frame ran in to her arms.

“It’s going to be alright mom”

Her comment lingered on, magnified as the conviction behind them filled the emptiness of the room. Rebecca responded by tightening her arms around the small frame that didn’t seem as dainty as she did a while ago.

“Yes Honey. It will be. Sure it will be”

She stood up and wiped the tears. This time there was no effort to hide them. A car honked outside and she stooped down to pick up Angela, who clasped her hands behind her neck almost as a reflex. Over the next few hours they loaded the cardboards that their worldly possessions seem to have disappeared in to in an old Hyundai that had obviously seen better days. Its owner wrestled one last box in to the trunk and managed to wrestle it closed.

“There now. I’m not that old after all … am I?”

She said trying to stoop down as much as her octogenarian frame would allow as Angela smiled back. For a moment Rebecca focused on Becky’s radiant smile and wondered about its genuineness. She had lost her only son in Afghanistan 3 months ago. The funeral had been a fortnight later. The IED had exploded right under the armoured vehicle almost ripping it in to two. The military repatriated whatever remains they could find. The entire town seemed to have shown at the funeral. Becky had cried in private but refused to mourn her son in public. He had died bringing freedom, democracy and liberation. She had recorded the speech delivered by President Bush on September 20th 2001 and played it many a times:

“Americans are asking “Why do they hate us? ….

They hate what they see right here in this chamber: a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.

They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. They want to drive Israel out of the Middle East. They want to drive Christians and Jews out of vast regions of Asia and Africa.”

She had outgrown the fondness of it over the last few years. She also could not reconcile Bush’s words about Egypt with the Arab spring. The people of Egypt had thrown out their government. The week Hosni Mubarak’s government finally caved in, Beck drove down to the nearest Walmart to finally get a world map. She remembered being struck by how far Egypt and Afghanistan had seemed. She wondered: “How many mad men are running out there to leave the world so vulnerable? Why didn’t the Iraqis do the same with Saddam?

The following week she wrote the last letter to Andy telling him how proud she was of him. He never got to read it. For now the three occupants in the old Hyundai pulled up in front of a small house. The need for repairs was obvious.

“Sorry about the mess. I was hoping Andy would …..”

She stopped midsentence. Rebecca rubbed her hands on her back as she recomposed herself. Over the next hours the three generation of ladies moved pulled, dragged and carried things of immediate need. There used to be an abundance of well natured young men willing to help out in this town of 2000 or so. 90% had signed up for the military in recent years and many were deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many had been motivated by patriotism and the willingness to spread the good that they enjoyed within the borders of this great country of theirs. Yet more saw it as a means of a better future. The promise of a college education eclipsed the danger in the odds.

Meanwhile in Karachi,

Zaman woke up with a start. It took him a while to figure out that he was no longer in North Waziristan. The rain pouring fast and heavy on the tin roof of the cramped one bedroom home sounded like the explosion that awful day. He shuffled through the thin sheet in a frenzy to reassure himself. 6 year old Amina was still there, curled up in a ball. The rain had left the floor colder. He lent her his bedsheet and doubled it on her. He was shivering but not all from the cold. His heart was beating so fast, he worried about waking her up. He tried to block it out but couldn’t.

He was shaking uncontrollably now. He slipped outside the room where a clay pot lay in the corner and poured him a glass of water, struggling to keep his hands steady. The drone attack that day had wiped out his son and wife along with 45 other people from the village. Their remains were never found. A few hours later 20 more people perished in an attack on those trying to rescue any survivors, Zaman had spent the next four months recovering in a hospital in Peshawar. He lost his left eye, walked with a limp and had irretrievable shrapnel to blame for constant agonizing pain that he had no money to buy pain medications for. His doctors had told him he was lucky.

Amina on the other hand had not been that lucky. She had lost both her legs in below the knee amputations. A local NGO had found some ill-fitting prosthesis for her.

Zaman remembered as his wife had proudly beckoned him in to the house to show how Amina had started walking at only 8 months of age. It would take her exactly 8 months since the drone attack to take her first strides with crutches. Zaman was grateful to have her. He went back to the door and peaked inside. She seemed more comfortable now. It had stopped raining.

“Alhamdulillah …”

She was his strength. His uncle, Waleed Khan, who had been by his side in Peshawar throughout their recovery, was an old man now. A labourer in Karachi, he was by no means a man with many resources. Mostly, he would spend the day on a footpath near a busy shopping centre in Karachi, praying that one of the many millions of rupee worth cars would stop and ask him to come by for repairs in their house or a contractor would offer a project. He frequented the nearby mosque and prayed for Amina often. He did not quite understand why his once peaceful village had seen so much bloodshed recently or what technology was pitted against those very modest homes of his loved ones. He just knew that his dreams and the lives of his loved ones were bartered away by a handful of people so shameless and greedy that he paused recently when Amina asked him if we can see Satan. He could have sworn he had. Later, that night he watched in disbelief as former President Musharraf between some nervous laughs admitted that he had written in his book that he handed over a 6 month old baby as a terrorist.

He fought back tears and just looked upwards towards the sky. Later that night he made Wudu (Ablution) and began to read:

“And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein” Sura #50, Verse 16

Around the same alignment of the stars, moons, planets and everything else in this universe Becky found herself getting sad watching Angela run around the house. It reminded her of the time Andy had been young. He had practically spent all his childhood in the same house. She opened the bible and began to read:

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” – Psalms 34:18

In the background she could vaguely make out someone on TV talking about a clash of civilizations..

Love Him, Follow Him

Love is a beautiful emotion. It encompasses all the most beautiful things in the world. Every relation and connection gets stronger and durable when there is an element of affiliation and love added to it. Beginning from our first love as a child for our mother to choosing someone to spend our entire life with, love is what makes life worth living. And, like all precious things in the world, this priceless treasure demands guarantees to keep it flourishing.

When you love someone, they are always on your mind and become the driving force of your direction in life. You love to follow them, obey them, do whatever you can to please them and try your best to avoid whatever displeases them. You share with them your problems and consult them for their best advice. Their name soothes you and their company is the most precious time of your day. Never do their messages and mails go unread or ignored. The world sees you change when this beautiful feeling overpowers you, may this love be for a human, a mission, a career or simply a car or a gadget. Love changes your priorities and the colour of this feeling is evident on your face, feelings, words and actions.

We all love the Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the personality whose greatness is acknowledged by Muslim and Non-Muslim thinkers and scholars. A warm friend and a guide for his companions, a devoted and loving husband for his wives, a shady tree for his daughters, a leader of the Ummah, an exemplary politician and a reformist who transformed the most uncultured Bedouin into the most disciplined force of people known to history.

His message which begins with the oneness of Allah and accountability of our deeds in front of Him, gives answers for all the problems we face today. But how many of us have actually explored the message he brought. Do we really know the message? The Quranic code of life sent to us though our beloved messenger of Allah still remains untouched only to be ‘recited’ when we are in trouble or a calamity afflicts us or becomes a part of the deluxe package that goes with the bride. How many of us consult his way in our practical lives when it’s a matter of celebration or woe.

We never see the Prophet (SAW) telling a lie, deceiving a human or even an animal, breaking a pact or a promise. He forgives and prays for the humiliating tribal chiefs of Taif and the people who throw stones at him. He rejects social inequality and all sorts of racial supremacy and lays down in his final sermon, the basic charter of human rights,

‘An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. ’

He sets best examples of justice and warns that the previous nations were destroyed because they only punished their weak and poor for crimes. He teaches us to have best of our behaviours and ‘akhlaque’ with our neighbours (Muslim or Non-Muslims) so much so that he once thinks that they might get a share in inheritance (because of the stress Allah has put on their rights). He cries for Allah’s forgiveness for us and stresses us to remain united and not be divided due to language, castes or sects.

‘‘Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.”

Non- Muslim minorities are at peace under his rule. Justice is served irrespective of faith, status or personal affiliation. He lifts the status of a woman from the one who was buried alive at birth to as high as a guarantee to get best rewards, may it be through serving and obeying one’s mother, taking care of a wife or raising a daughter with love. He brings a message that puts rewards in charity and spending from what we love most, giving an orphan a home and helping a widow to survive.

No one has the right to question anybody’s sincerity of the claim of ‘love for the Prophet’ but we all need some serious self-evaluation. When we claim to be his followers, it automatically makes us his ambassadors and representatives in whatever role and responsibilities we take. Do we consult the Prophet (SAW) in different matters of our lives?

Let’s follow the Prophet (SAW) to prove that we love him. Let’s celebrate him every day. Let’s light up our hearts with the beacon of his message like we light up the streets on his birthday. Let’s engrave those beautiful stories of his life, which we memorize and narrate, on our actions. Let’s check if our deeds are compatible with our claims of love towards him. In following him, lies the secret of Allah’s love, mercy and forgiveness for us.

‘’Say, [O Muhammad], “If you love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Al-Qur’an 3:31]

‘Domesticated’ scholars

During our undergraduate years, we often used to ask our foreign qualified professors in Pakistan about life away from the country. Most of the time, we heard the stories of their cooking ventures. One of our teachers was well known in this regard, and whenever we asked him about his experience during his Masters, we ended up listening to something like recipe of ‘making biryani using a rice-cooker’. It was a source of fun and humour for us, while being in Pakistan. Things got changed and I realized the importance of cooking when I landed in Korea to pursue my Masters.

Korean food was shockingly ‘different’ in taste. I had no experience of cooking whatsoever and had to live on biscuits, chocolates, bread and milk for a couple of weeks before I met few Pakistani fellows to learn the cooking skills. For the first time I ate tuna-palak (Tuna and Spinach) and the ‘chef’ told me that there was no special recipe he followed. He literally ‘threw’ into the cooking pan whatever he got in his kitchen cupboard. It was his way of consoling me as to not to worry too much about the recipes. His quotable quote for me was, ‘Don’t be afraid of experimenting’.

I watched my friends cooking chicken-aalu, chicken palak, tuna kebabs and a lot of other ‘emergency’ dishes. A friend told me that I need to be domesticated and if don’t start cooking, I won’t survive. The idea of cooking once in a week and eating the same dish for rest of the week was terrifying. Also, cleaning and dishwashing after cooking was even tougher. It was an immensely time consuming activity definitely had an impact on the studies too. A friend, who happened to be a ‘pakora expert’ once said out of frustration, ‘banda ya tu bawarchi ban sakta hey ya phir parhai kar sakta hey’ (A person can either cook or study). I experimented with daal for the first time, and honestly, I ruined it.

It wasn’t a gender related issue. A lot of female students, who go for higher studies, face a lot of problems in cooking. A fellow Pakistani girl student was telling me about her ventures with dough and chapaati. It is very difficult for females even to start cooking if they have no experience beforehand.

The problems aren’t limited to cooking and dishwashing either. Laundry is another issue. Typically, the laundry of socks is a highly technical matter and ‘scholars’ have sometimes been seen wearing different socks, but who cares as long as they aren’t visible. Keeping wardrobes tidy and cleaning the rooms are also gigantic tasks. They consume time and time is money.

As the time goes on, these Pakistani scholars get domesticated; mastering the art of cooking, cleaning, laundry and other chores. Those who are living outside dormitory in private accommodations especially get trained in all domestic affairs. When asked whether these eminent scholars will continue doing house chores after returning home or getting married, the response is mixed.

A ’roti-expert’ friend who has returned to homeland told me that he does not help his wife even with simple cooking because he is tired of kitchen jobs. One commented that he can now criticise his wife in the kitchen, while another one was happy that his wife cannot threaten him with ‘no dinner would be served tonight’. Very few were willing to actually help their better-halves in the house chores.

Life teaches us a lot. All we have to do is to implement it at the right time and place. Why do we associate social taboos with men doing house chores? Does our religion stop us? Or is it our culture, which is different from our religious teachings? We have learnt in our schools that Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) and his companions used to help their wives in the domestic stuff, but we are not ready to implement it in our society. And, why do our mums tell the potential in-laws with pride, ‘hamari beti ney tu kabhi kitchen mein qadam hi nahi rakha’ and your son would have to arrange a cook or a maid. We have learnt very well that Hazrat Fatima (RA) did all the household chores herself.

Through my experience abroad, I have loved and missed my mother more every day. Women should be respected and loved for the marvellous full-time jobs they do which we only come to know when they are not around. Our men should be thankful and more helpful to them following the ways of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWW).

Failed government and derailing democracy

I completely disagree and dispute the contention held by some upholders of democracy, politicians and law makers, that the process of removing a serving government before it’s mandated time period through democratic or by means of constitutional law and people’s pressure, would derail the democratic system.

I believe we need to view Democracy and Government separately through a different perspective. In Italy and Japan, government changes after a year or so, but still there democracy is strengthening day by day. The truth is that there may be the best system established, but if those who are supposed to run it are inept, it is bound to fail.

Democracy is a system, through which governments are formed. If a government is not delivering in accordance to the aspiration and welfare of the people, then it can safely be implied that it has failed and should go! This cannot in any terms be considered as democracy as a system, is being derailed, as we are being made to believe in Pakistan.

If an elected government is delivering, then it has all the right to complete its mandated tenure, but if it proves to be inept and a failure and has lost the people’s confidence in them, then there is no compulsion that they should continue to misrule and destroy the country!

In the latter situation the best moral and democratic practice to be followed could be that they should themselves accept their failure, offer to dissolve and call for a fresh election. Unfortunately there appears to be lack or rather total absence of such moral courage in politicians. In other words, when an elected government loses the popularity and confidence of the majority of the people, then it is wise not to stick around and wait to be booted. Best way around would be to go back to the same people and seek their fresh vote of confidence. My contention is that politicians should, by themselves evolve such moral courage that they should accept failure and desist from retaining power by hook or crook. Their stubborn attitude is what compels the third force to overthrow them and take over the reins. What should be most important above all considerations is the national interest and not self-interest.

I am not implying that any undemocratic or extra-constitutional methods of removal of an elected government should be deployed. But I see nothing fruitful in the argument that failed governance should be allowed to continue and endanger the very existence of the country.

It is due to the greed of retaining power by our politicians in spite of their failure, that the ground gets paved for dictators to move in and grab power! Their own selfish interests are usually the cause for their downfall. The truth is that the current government has been successful to survive all this time, only by appeasing oppositions and cuddling them, not by working for the welfare of the people at the grass root. The frustration within the masses has boiled to a point where they cannot wait any more.

Honestly speaking, practically all the civilian governments which came into power were supported by the same establishment with ‘external’ blessing, of course! It is a case similar to the pot calling the kettle, black. In all earnestness , if the politician’s wish for the establishment to become subservient to civilian rule, they themselves have to resist the temptations of coming in to power from the back door.

Popular and peaceful people pressures are part of the democratic norm. That was how the Judges got restored and a dictator made to resign. This is a recent precedent for our country. It is fine, when a dictator has to be pushed to pack up bags, then why not a failed government which could be leading the country to certain doom. The objection to people pressure being accounted as undemocratic would appear to be maintaining dual standards.

The present government has completed 80 % of their tenure and the number of crisis confronting the nation compound day by day. How do you propose to convince anyone, that what hasn’t been achieved in this time would be eventually be fixed in this 20% of the stipulated period?

Thus in all fairness and in the best interest of the country, I believe it’s not a governments 100% right to govern till the end of a mandated period of time. Rather, if they want to strengthen democracy, they should gracefully step down and revert to the masses to seek a fresh vote of confidence.