Pakistan – Page 4 – My Bit for Change

Children – Flowers of Paradise

It was my first week of school as a 2^nd grade teacher, and the day was about to end. Students were packing up their bags. Suddenly, I remembered that I had to distribute notice flyers which were given to me by the administration. I said to the class in my firm bossy voice, “ok, calm down! No one is leaving the room until I say so. I have to distribute these.”

As I finished distributing these flyers, another teacher knocked at my door saying she needed my help with something in her room. Her desk drawer was stuck and by the time I helped her pull the drawer out, the bell had rung. I hurried back to my classroom imagining the worst as I had left 18 seven years olds on their own for 5 whole minutes. And as expected, all hell had broken loose. Chairs were turned upside down, children were throwing pieces of chalk at each other and some were even standing on the tables. But the funny part was that not a single child had left the room even though the afternoon bell had rung. Why, you ask? Because I had told them: ‘No one is going to leave the room until I say so’ and I had not said so.

These children were supposed to be the naughtiest and the snobbiest kids of the school. And yet, they remained in the room just because their teacher had told them to. This made me reflect. My own obedience towards Allah S.W.T was not even a fraction of obedience just displayed by my class. This class was supposed to be the most disobedient and hyperactive class of the school but I had a whole new perspective now. I was judging them in a whole new paradigm. It was all in the eyes of the beholder. This was the first lesson I learnt as I set my foot into the “profession of the prophets.”

Children, according to a Hadith, are flowers of Jannah.

But in schools, and at home, they are treated like anything but flowers. A scholar once said,

“These children do not need loving parents. They need trained parents.”

When getting married, zero attention is given to this matter although upbringing of a new human being is the most important and difficult task to be faced by the newlyweds. Awareness to get trained to raise children as an asset for the Muslim Ummah in this world and as asset for the parents in the hereafter should be our foremost concern.

Although many institutions have taken up this task in our country to train parents and teachers and assist them in the carrying out of this enormous responsibility, a lot more still needs to be done. In all the parenting workshops and seminars I have attended, the percentage of male participants is never more than 10%. It’s as if we have concluded that parent means the mother. Fathers are ATM booths—only needed for money.

The religion which we follow and the Prophet (SAW) for whom we vow to die give us a very different idea of parenting. And who better to train us than the best teacher of the world.

When I look into Muhammad (SAW)’s life and his interactions with the child, I sit in complete awe. A man with a responsibility which has no match to any responsibility in the world and yet I see him racing along with the children, laughing and clapping. His Seerah tells us that the children waited for him outside the Masjid and when he (S.A.W) came out, he used to stretch both his hands and the children would come running to him, falling on him from all sides. And mind you, these children were not his relatives. They were mere acquaintances he would see every day on the streets. For a self analysis, I stood with my arms stretched in a family gathering and asked the group of kids which included my two sons along with their cousins to come running to me. I told them it was a game. I hung my head in shame as even my own sons shied away. It told me a lot about my parenting.

I looked deep into the Seerah of Rasulallah SAW and saw him commencing the Jummah Khutbah with a child on his lap. I saw him kissing and hugging the children of Medina at random. I saw him playing games on the streets of Medina with the children he barely knew. They loved him and he loved them. According to him, “Children are flowers of jannah.” Which brings me back to my first lesson – it’s all in the perspective. We see them as flowers so we treat them as flowers. We see them as valued assets, so we treat them as valued assets.

We have to come to this realization that the responsibility for which we will be held most accountable for is the little creations around us. We are leaving an impact on each and every one of them consciously or unconsciously. We need to educate ourselves to be able to educate little ones. No number of degrees would make us qualified for this job if we ignore the Sunnah of the greatest teacher in the world. And the most important lesson that he SAW gave us is of love and love only.

Parents and to-be parents need to realize that dealing with children is an art; a skill, which needs to be developed and groomed like any other skill. Once this realization hits home, it will be an easier task to make way for the education.

Indeed, Mankind is in Utter Loss

Risk is the greatest source of fear in our lives. Whenever we think about starting a business, we are mostly concerned about the risks of failure involved. A lot of strategies are formulated to mitigate the risks and threats to avoid loss and many a times business is not even started because of the risk of failure. While thinking about our careers and money etc, we calculate all the risks involved. But it’s unfortunate that we are complacent about our real profit and real loss; the sole purpose for which we are sent into this world.

Sura Asr (ch 103 Quran) is a short chapter in Holy Quran which tells us how to avoid the risk of failure in this life and hereafter. It chalks out a strategy for leading a successful life and avoiding what the Almighty calls ‘utter loss of mankind’.

By the time. Lo Mankind is in the state of loss. Except for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and counsel each other to hold on to truth and counsel each other to be steadfast. (Qur’an – 103)

Allah has sworn by time that it has testified that people are heading towards a total loss and chaos. This is the point of great concern, as our creator has certified that we are in loss. The word of Creator is very important because HE knows us (human beings) inside out to the depth of our cells and DNA. If HE has suggested something, it can’t be wrong.

Allah has given a four point strategy for everyone to follow for what . First and foremost is Faith which has the prime importance on the way of success. Without faith, a person cannot succeed in the eyes of Allah. Faith ties us in a bond and without such a bond, we are free electrons which can be taken away by anything. Belief in Almighty is not something merely philosophical, it shapes the way of life. It defines the framework for our lives and the dos and don’ts we have to cater for in our personal life choices.

Virtuous deeds are tied up with faith. Mere faith is not enough for success. It shows that merely claiming to be a Muslim is not enough, unless and until a person coin his words into actions, therefore, righteous deeds are very significant. It’s a generic term which contains everything done for the betterment of humanity.

Sura Asar teaches us to develop a society which is based on propagation of virtues. Convincing each other about being righteous actually develops a peer pressure. A society where good deeds are easy and bad deeds are difficult. At the moment, we live in a society which is exactly the opposite of this. So Islam impresses upon an integrated and clean social fabric and believers are told to counsel, advice, support and teach each other about the right path. It also shows that faithful are concerned about each other and help out to raise each other’s levels of Eiman (faith). It generates a society based on co-operation instead of cut-throat competition.

Patience means persistence on virtous deeds.It means continuity of good deeds, patience to avoid bad deeds and steadfastness in the times of troubles that come as a package when following the righteous path. It means believers console each other in testing times. It also means patience and tolerance in general life. When dealing with other communities, Muslims need to show patience and tolerance which will help them to propagate peace.

These four steps are mandatory and requisites for ultimate success.

Also, it determines the misconception that I will preach when I am perfect first. It asks muslims to tell each other about truth. Perfection is neither required nor expected, rather a continuous reminder is required.

These simple words defines the fabric of a Muslim society. In simple words this chapter tells us to give importance to ‘real’ success and failure in our life. No matter how much successful we consider ourselves in terms of money and social status, this chapter warns us that we are at loss if we are not on the pathway set for a believer.

The Murder of Human Empathy

Following the reprehensible attack on Christian homes in Lahore, a spine-chilling, grotesque image of an arsonist cheering over the burning flames went viral. One wonders what sort of man thumps his chest over destroying innocent lives and how human beings can become capable of such naked, audacious sadism that seeks justification in a faith that decrees

‘Whosoever harms a non Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I shall be the complainant against him on the Day of Judgement.’ (Sahih Bukhari)

Throughout history human beings have shown themselves to be capable of wreaking terrible destruction and causing great suffering- from burning ‘witches’ at the stake, crucifying God’s noble messengers, butchering refugees in sacred precincts, gassing Jews at Auschwitz, to the nationalistic wars of the twentieth century, the liquidation of millions in nuclear destruction and poisoning of the biosphere through relentless commercial-industrial activity.

Yet Jeremy Rifkins in his phenomenal book ‘The Empathic Civilization’ insists that human beings are ‘Homo Empathica’, that is, defined and distinguished for the ability to empathize. He writes,

‘Human beings are soft-wired to experience others’ plight as if we were experiencing it ourselves.’

Empathy allows us to stretch our sensibility to another so we can cohere into larger social groups. It is curbed and limited by defining these social groups through narrow, parochial banners of ethnicity, nationalism, race and creed so that the empathic drive does not extend to the out-group. The Prophet (SAW) said:

“He is not one us who calls for `Asabiyah’, (prejudiced, parochial association)” (Abu Daud.)

The out-group is then ‘otherized’, made out of the reach of our empathy. This creates indifference and apathy towards the suffering of people belonging to a different classification. However, a more severe form of limiting and deflecting the empathic impulse is dehumanization of the other ‘as flies to the wanton boys’, often institutionalized by the social superstructure: state and government, media, education, religion. Through stereotyping, essential-ism, ethnocentrism, prejudice and propaganda as well as censorship and selective relaying of information to the public, minority groups and those whose interests clash with or threaten one’s own are systematically dehumanized and even demonized to appear less than human despicable, lower-order bestial ‘others’ whose eradication may not be of any great loss to human civilization. In the process we forget that as members of the human family, we all share a common, precarious existential predicament- our ‘little lives rounded with a sleep’- on a little finite planet in the mystifying universe.

Der Spiegel carried a report last year on the psychology of American drone operators whose button-clicking while reclining in plush chairs in air-conditioned offices decrees death to anonymous distant targets. The method of modern technological warfare seems to be designed to keep empathy at bay- the victim is invisible and remote, represented by a red dot on a laser screen, annihilated by a light, single click. Drone pilot Vanessa Meyer said,

“When the decision had been made, and they saw that this was an enemy, a hostile person, a legal target that was worthy of being destroyed, I had no problem with taking the shot.” (Nicola Abe: ‘Dreams in Infrared’)

Gitta Sereny writes of Fratz Stangl, the annihilator of thousands at a Nazi camp:

“Prisoners were simply objects. Goods. “That was my profession,” he said. “I enjoyed it. It fulfilled me. And yes, I was ambitious about that, I won’t deny it.” When Sereny asked Stangl how as a father he could kill children, he answered, “I rarely saw them as individuals. It was always a huge mass. … [T]hey were naked, packed together, running, being driven with whips. …” (Chris Hedges: The Careerist)

Few and far between, there may be those whose empathy grows militant and unkillable. Brandon Bryant was able to humanize his victims in his drone operations_ he noticed the details of their lives and patterns of behaviour akin to his own. “I got to know them. Until someone higher up in the chain of command gave me the order to shoot.” He felt remorse because of the children, whose fathers he was taking away. “They were good daddies,” he says. He felt ‘disconnected from humanity’ while at his job, going through terrible unease and remorse. Having quit his job, he wrote in his diary, “On the battlefield there are no sides, just bloodshed. Total war. Every horror witnessed. I wish my eyes would rot.” (Nicola Abe: ‘Dreams in Infrared’)

Perhaps the most integral parts of this institutionalized dehumanization embedded in the superstructure of modern industrial society are the ‘Careerists’- the good men and women efficient at their jobs that make the system function. Chris Hedges describes them as

‘…armies of bureaucrats serving a corporate system that will quite literally kill us. They are as cold and disconnected… They carry out minute tasks. They are docile. Compliant. They obey. They find their self-worth in the prestige and power of the corporation, in the status of their positions and in their career promotions. It is moral schizophrenia. They erect walls to create an isolated consciousness. They destroy the ecosystem, the economy and the body politic… They feel nothing. And the system rolls forward. The polar ice caps melt. The droughts rage over cropland. The drones deliver death from the sky. The state moves inexorably forward to place us in chains. The sick die. The poor starve. The prisons fill. And the careerist, plodding forward, does his or her job.’

In Pakistan religion is increasingly used as one of the most powerful means of deflecting empathy from those outside the faith and sectarian affiliation. Religious intolerance in a culture of violence and anger is a fatal mix and has gone on a bloody rampage. While the causes, factors and agents responsible for the ongoing madness are complexly intertwined, the resistance, rejection, counter-narrative and healing that ought to have come from the representatives of religion in this part of the world has been inadequate, half-hearted, ambiguous and equivocal. The voice of condemnation from the pulpit is faltering, and this has been extremely damaging in a number of ways. The contemporary discourse of political Islam in Pakistan is heavily lopsided, selectively highlighting the plight of victims of American, Israeli and Indian misdemeanours (which certainly are important human rights issues), while keeping mum or issuing periodic enfeebled and rhetorical statements of condemnation over the plight of minorities and other innocent victims of those committing violence in the name of religion.

For Islamist groups, the cost of this silence has been and will be crushingly enormous. The disappointment felt by members of the civil society and educated youth over a criminal silence and inability of the religious leaders and scholars to rise to the occasion and give clarity to the public with a single voice has been shattering. This has not only alienated scores of good, intelligent people belonging to Pakistan’s educated urban middle and upper classes from Islamic groups and organizations but in many cases from the faith itself. A colleague posted the picture of the gleeful arsonist with the comment, ‘Happy mob rightfully burns down Christian homes. Another great day for Islam. Another victory against the forces of evil.’ While this is an extreme reaction showing inability to draw a line between despicable, crazed fanatical elements and the faith itself, but it increases the onus on spokespeople of religion to address the burning issues that blur the lines.

Going to college in Pakistan shortly after the U.S declared all-out ‘war on terror’ and invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, I witnessed scores of young people around me turning to Islam, primarily out of empathy for the Muslim victim, the underdog. In this country, the Islamist persona has now understandably metamorphosed into a perpetrator devoid of compassion, rationality and empathy, and this has alienated and repelled hundreds of thousands, resulting in a completely opposite trend that I, now an educator, see around me: a clear de-Islamization of Pakistan’s urban educated youth. While there also is a swing in the opposite direction, but the de-Islamization trend is clearly on the rise, understandably fuelled by the aforementioned.

Islamists in Pakistan are not cognizant of this terrible loss as they perceive themselves to be locked up in a crusade against the onslaught of the West, the secularists, the Zionists et al. Any voice calling for the need to provide clarity, answers and solutions is dismissed as ‘Westernized’, ‘secularized’, ‘liberalized,’ hence misguided and insincere, unworthy of serious consideration.

The narrative in Pakistan needs a rethink: the ethos of the Qur’an is the extension of identity to embrace the human race as fellow sojourners held together by a common human nature and destiny:

‘Mankind is but a single nation, yet they disagree.’ (2:213)

Secondarily, we are taught to understand our responsibility towards those outside the faith fraternity not merely through divine directive but lived example and established paradigm.

In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad (s) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai:

“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”

Empathy humanizes and civilizes. Its suppression intensifies secondary drives like narcissism, materialism, violence and aggression. The task of religion, education and the media must be to bring out the empathic sociability stretching out to all of humanity and prepare the groundwork for what Rifkins has called an ‘ empathic civilization.’

Mercy and gentleness, said the Prophet (SAW), are defining traits of believers:

‘Allah is gentle, and He loves those who are gentle.’ (Sahih Muslim)

Mercy and gentleness beautify the spirit:

“Whenever kindness is in a thing, it adorns it, and whenever it is removed from anything, it disfigures it.” [Muslim]

Empathy is engraved into the core of our consciousness as human beings- that softest part inspired from the Divine Ruh (Spirit). Those who confine or deflect it are on the wrong side of humanity and history. In the long run, their narrative will lose out and history’s merciless verdict against them shall be ineradicable.

He Needs Me Like I Needed Him

It was my nephew’s Annual Result Day at school. While parents lined up awaiting results, children were busy playing around. Suddenly, a very beautiful child while running to her sister, tripped over something and fell. Her dress went all muddy and she started crying with tears. In a flicker of second, while I was just thinking to step forward to comfort her, her father appeared out of nowhere, picked and hugged her while she was crying. He kissed her on her forehead and consoled her, “kuch nahi hua baita!” He didn’t care for his white starched ‘shalwaar kameez‘ which went dirty in no time. In next few seconds, the little angel was smiling again and running around.

I stood there smiling as I recalled this beautiful verse from the Holy Qur’an.

‘Lord be merciful to them as they have brought me up in my childhood’. 17:24

Bringing up children is not just taking care when the child is young. It’s about being there all the time for your child. It’s about giving all attention to your child despite your commitments. It’s about listening to your child’s stories when they comes back from school no matter how silly they sound. Parenting is all about sacrificing. But our parents do get weak and the cycle of attention and care does reverse when they grow old and when we are able to stand on our feet tall and confident.

I thought in the next second, how would my father have felt when on a weekend, I heard him coughing badly and with his back bent and asked, “what’s wrong? You never go to doctor in time and and take care of yourself?” – and he remained silent. Suddenly I realize, I have not been home for quite a few weeks due to my “job, commitments, meetings, dinners, hangouts, shopping” etc. How would I know how my father has been all this time? I tried to imagine what would have happened to me if he weren’t there to support me during my years of weakness and childhood due to his commitments; what if he had left me ‘unattended’ just a single day when I “sagheer” (young)?

He needs me more than he needs a doctor. Ageing is a natural phenomenon and it brings some inevitable things that he can’t help. He needs someone to listen to his heart. He still wishes to guide me by telling me his experiences but I am too busy to learn, what a shame!

We must realise that we have a very important commitment at home. There is a very important meeting waiting for us, we have VIPs (parents) at home counting on us, and moreover we have a golden opportunity to make our future here and the hereafter. Ask those who have lost parents or one of them. Ask those who never got any chance to ‘serve’ their parents. Love them, atleast, a bit of that what they gave to you as you can’t ever pay back their love and care.

Reminds me of Hadith here,

“ Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: Allah’s Messenger, who is he? He said: He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise” (Sahih Muslim)

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.

Tug Of War – Lord Of The Rings

Ah, why

Should life all labor be?

Let us alone. Time driveth onward fast,

And in a little while our lips are dumb.

Let us alone. What is it that will last?

All things are taken from us, and become

Portions and parcels of the dreadful past.

Let us alone. What pleasure can we have

To war with evil?

The Lotos-Eaters, Alfred Tennyson

I find “A Game of Thrones” to be such an interesting phrase. A good friend (a hard-core loyalist) really insisted that I read the book as it would really make me renew or rather, review my reverential love for “Lord of the Rings.” I dismissed the claim before even touching the former, saying that just the author’s name (R.R. Martin) is a pathetic rip-off of R.R. Tolkien. Both, however, have other similarities I’ve been told. The biggest similarity – as I understand through my extremely biased point of view – is that they both tell a story that we find ourselves plotted in: the story of power. We read this story every day. We see ourselves, and other characters like us caught in a relentless tug of war. We yearn to have ourselves heard. And we feel so good when we are heard. We feel proud. We feel empowered.

Sauron had the same problem. He wanted to feel empowered. So did Shaytan. The former came up with a brilliant idea to fool everyone, all races, to feel empowered. With their own token rings to cherish, they felt secure. But Sauron was deceptively clever. “One ring to rule them all.” And they became pawns. The latter wanted to feel empowered too. And he made such a compelling case. “I am better than him.” And although his statement was perfectly logical, he failed the test. Because he was too sure, too secure about his worth. And to this day he tries and sometimes tries very hard to feel empowered. And every time we become his pawns, this sense of empowerment is given to him. And like the nine ring-wraiths, who were once men, we fall into the trap.

All of us think that we are better than someone else. Smarter, prettier, richer. In one way or the other, we feel that because we are better than someone else out there, we have more power. And because we truly believe that we have that power, we translate that into control, and that makes us feel that we are right, above all and everyone else. I am better than you. Therefore, you are nothing. This was Shaytan’s logic. This was Sauron’s rationale. And this is the game-plan that runs our show, all our affairs: from belittling our helping hands (whom we call ‘naukars’), to bossing our children around, to killing people because they believe different to what we do, to calling others terrorists or infidels, to making fun of people who mispronounce McDonald’s, to raping women, to mauling boys to death. We all follow that game-plan. Because we all want to feel empowered. We feel smug. In control. So sure. But it’s pathetic really. Why feel so good about yourself when you know that the match is unfair? A man with a gun in his hand is no match for a child with tears of fear in his eyes. The rules are lopsided. And the rules are always with the rulers. The rest must simply obey. Or no dice.

But here’s where this power-play gets painfully intriguing. “Security,” Hecate, the Queen crone in Macbeth says to her prentices, “is mortals’ chiefest enemy.” So the more power we begin to wield, the more desperate and greedy we get for it, the more we feel the compelling need to have ourselves asserted, affirmed and that furthers our pride which we mistake as faith in ourselves. But what is really happening behind the walls of this fanciful fortress is that we are becoming more and more insecure. Hence the need to have ourselves asserted. And proven right. The fortress is nothing but a house of cards. Why is democracy the way to go? Because those on the top assert it to be so. Why is that man with a beard a terrorist? Because those on the top claim it to be so.

And the rest must follow. And we do because it’s the easier thing to do. Why should we go through the toil and trouble of challenging status quo? It wasn’t my father that was shot? It wasn’t my sister who was raped? Why should I care? I am still alive, and I have my iPhone 5, and I’ll make it to my friend’s wedding after-party on time despite being late for my blow-dry appointment. It is but convenient to not be bothered. The problem is not with the Saurons that we are surrounded by. Nor with Shaytan who plays the Pied Piper. We want others to feel empowered at our expense. We let them feel empowered. We prefer to remain silent and let things be because we cannot be bothered, enough.

“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?” – Friedrich Nietzsche.

It all boils down to this. Many proponents of Friedrich Nietzsche attribute these memorable words from “The Madman” to the idea of the utter rejection of God and – taking that to its logical and dangerous conclusion – to negate any agent of authority premising order. And it has all come down to ‘invention’. Power has now been relocated.

We are too comfortably dumb and preferably numb about the world around us. And we have made it this way as Nietzsche is rightfully claiming. Outsourcing responsibility and sensitivity is the new fad. We don’t want to be disturbed. We continue to take orders because we feel securely empowered in our own limited loci of control. We want to, and continue to feel good about ourselves and that gives us a false, almost petty sense of power. And the tragically ironic part of this whole story is that we are indifferent. We are letting the plot of this power-play sway us from one narrative to the other. We all are playing this tug of war. We all trying to prove that we are better than the rest.

Sauron and Shaytan are perhaps merely characters on yellowed paper for most people nowadays. And who cares about boring stories anyway as they lack spice. Stories are just stories. And all that happens around us: the boy who is bullied in school just because he is short, the girl who just turned 35 and is still not married just because she’s not “gori” enough, the nameless child who died in a drone attack, the fruit vendor who was hanged some time back, the maid who got abused because she put less salt in the haandi…are simply stories for us, interesting to talk about over our evening tea. But as the conversation ends these stories are stacked away. And as rats, or pawns – whatever we may prefer to be – we enjoy our own private games of thrones in which we are kings and queens. The rest – like us – are simply ruled upon. And the pull of power reigns us all.

PFLC 2013 – A Long Way To ‘Unity In Diversity’

And yet again, this year I was in Oxford to take part in the Pakistan Future Leaders’ Conference (PFLC 2013) organized by Oxford University Pakistan Society. It was my third trip to my favourite city in England for the same purpose. Just as in the past, this year’s trip was full of heated debates, networking with some new and some old friends, exchanges of ideas, and inhaling the chilled air of Oxford decorated with snowflakes. The Friday afternoon started with the guided tour of the Oxford city and the tour ended at the Oxford Town Hall where the opening ceremony took place. Presence of Malala Yusufzai’s father was another feature of the ceremony and it was somehow better than the eighteen and a half pages long speech by the Deputy High Commissioner.

Attaullah Esakhelvi added music to the evening with his famous tunes, and I thanked God he left after his performance as the substance rolled out after him in the name of music was insolence to the word music itself. And an artist like Mr Esakhelvi could not assimilate that.

On the Saturday morning, the official committee sessions began in the different colleges and halls spread in the city. There were various committees to discuss issue like, education, health, finance, environment, legal affair, interior affairs, and foreign affairs. I was part of Interior Affairs Committee and when I reached St. Peters College where our committee was sitting I was an hour late but we Pakistanis kept our USP alive, as the session was not started by then. So many participants were interested in the committee that we had to borrow chairs from the other room to facilitate all the participants.

The topic of discussion for Interior Affairs committee was election 2013, sectarian violence, issue of Baluchistan, FATA, and PATA. Interestingly, the session started with none of these as a certain section of the committee was interested to discuss the ‘system’ first; a debate kept going round and round without reaching any solution or conclusion.

During the conference, I was away from the TV and Pakistani political talk shows but I did not miss its flavour considering the art of discussion we have developed. We discuss issues by thumping others’ opinion and by making sure that debate is nothing less than verbal combat. I experienced some live examples of such debates where a minute aspect would become the reason of long endless and aimless ‘debate’.

This year Imran Khan and Aitzaz Ahsan were the keynote speakers. On Saturday evening the Oxford Union Debate Chamber was completely packed to listen to Imran Khan’s Speech on “Leadership”. The speech carried many points that he has used many times in the past and so was the case with the questions asked in the Q&A session. However, the presence of his two sons in the hall was a surprise.

The same event was used for the launch of PKI (Pakistan Knowledge initiative) a brain child of Oxford based PhD candidate Adnan Rafiq to have a practical role in the progress of Pakistan other than the debates and organizing the PFLC every year (I will write about PKI in detail later).

The Sunday afternoon chamber hall was giving a completely different picture; half of the hall was empty during Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan’s keynote speech. While the audience was more welcoming towards Mr Khan while asking questions, the attitude towards Mr Aitzaz Ahsan was rather harsh and cold. His credentials and contributions were judged on the scale of his political affiliation.

This was my third year to this conference but this year Oxford University Pakistan Society successfully arranged a platform of debate and they did a good job from their end. However, I wasn’t entirely impressed this time considering the element of quality in debate and argument was missing. It was more of a showdown of different agendas of different participants. Like our television talk shows and daily life, the aspect of tolerance and ‘agreement to disagree’ was missing. The motto of the conference was “Unity in Diversity”, yet we are so much obsessed with our distinct and sacred diversities that we like to remain ‘individuals’. In times when the hope in future is getting slimmer with every passing day, this experience was another push towards hurling me to cynicism. The illusionistic self-esteem, shallow pride, and state of denial are the few hurdles that we collectively have to cross. Alternatively, the concept of unity will limit its presence in the form of words only.

If I have to summarize my well spent weekend in a few words I will say that our sense of preferences is going through a very sorry state. We need to fix it before it is too late, difference of opinion is a good thing but the motive should be constructive and in line to seek unity. We are keen towards putting forward our views without listening to others with the aim of making opponent bite the dust.

Democracy or Feudal Dynasty

What comes to your mind when you think of the word Democracy? Rule of the people, Equal rights of all citizens, Freedom, but if you’re a Pakistani, this may not be the case. I, for some reason, fail to understand or connect to the present form of democracy in Pakistan. When I, as a Pakistani, think of democracy, equal rights and freedom does not come to mind but political dynasties, monarchy nepotism and the rule of the elite is the picture that I see.

Democracy in Pakistan is not the power of the people, it’s actually their weakness. It’s being used by the rich to exploit the poor. Yes, it is freedom but freedom of corruption, freedom of looting, freedom of fooling and freedom of exploiting; the irony of extremely rich ruling the extremely poor. How do you suppose a man who spends millions on shopping, lives in mansions, wears nothing less than the most expensive brands, travels in posh cars, can feel the pain of a poor masses living below the poverty line? People are being killed everyday.. Quetta, Karachi,Peshawar, you name it. And what is our democratic government doing about it? Don’t worry; they’re using our money wisely on foreign trips. The representatives of people disappear the moment the people who elected them actually need them.

Aslam Raisani, Baluchistan’s former CM is the biggest example. Just when the Hazara Shias of Quetta needed him the most, he decided to fly out of the country. And how can one forget President Zardari? Who decided to go for the overseas tour during Pakistan’s worst floods in 80 years. The most this “democracy” can do is form committees and more committees. Never ending heart rending tragedies, constant vocal meaningless condemnations and hollow sympathies is all what they have given to us.

The democracy is Pakistan is all about manipulating and deceiving. The nastier, the better. The naïve masses are being emotionally exploited in the name of democracy to gain votes. There are no political parties but political dynasties and ongoing slavery. The constant juggling of power between the big feudal families of Punjab and Sind has left the country abortive, dysfunctional and helpless as the power keeps running in the family, passed down to generations as they further suck on to the blood of the poverty struck masses.

No, the point I’m trying to make here is not that Pakistan does not need democracy or it will do better without it. Democracy is what Pakistan needs but..

the kind of democracy that gives us the liberty and equality and where the rulers fear the power of people and not vice versa.
the kind of democracy with people’s representatives not the representatives of the 0.0001% of the population
the kind of democracy where the leader is chosen by the people is from the people for the people, the one who understand the day to day problems of his people and is capable and eligible to lead the nation of 180 million
the democracy which does not deprive us of our basic rights and
the democracy which will lead this country into progressive times where each and every individual will count.

So before voting, and deciding your fate and the fate of 180 million people, think wisely. Are these really the leaders we need in these trying times? Is this the kind of democratic system we want?

Think!

Spitting Against The Winds

Much ire has been unleashed against an awareness drive in Karachi that highlighted the concept of modesty in Islam using Quranic and Prophetic references on billboards and handbills, in the context of the February 14 celebrations. The rejection of the idea of singling out a day for the expression of amorous sentiment as odious to the spirit of true love is a common theme in various sources. Mark Vernon writing for BBC laments the romantic onslaught of another Valentine’s Day: “Romantic love is… marketed as the peak experience… the signs of its allure are everywhere on Valentine’s Day… as if couples make a direct link between romantic value and cash value. We are being blinded by a hyper version of romantic love… I think that the romantic myth is one of the most pernicious of our times.”

A headstrong dogmatic ‘liberal’ writing passionately advocated the celebration of Valentines Day in order to stand against the ‘anti-Valentines Day lobby’- ironically, however, in the same article he conceded to the fact that the event is highly commercialized and the celebration devoid of meaning. Call it double standards, shall we?

The fabric of society is woven on the basis of a consensus of values. Since the majority in this society subscribes to the Muslim faith, this social consensus is on the values that derive themselves from Islamic tradition. The concept of Haya (modesty) is central, essential and pivotal to Islam. The Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Every religion has a distinguishing quality, and the distinguishing quality of Islam is modesty.’ The campaign in Karachi by Tanzeem e Islami (TI) highlighted this fundamental aspect of the Muslim lifestyle through ways that neither involved coercion nor vigilantism.

However, this was targeted by a well-thought-out slander campaign sneering at the message in uncouth ways. This only signifies intolerance of free speech and incapacity to stomach the exercise of freedom of expression by another who differs in opinion from the self-appointed gallant crusaders of liberalism.

The liberal fanatics went overboard, flying off the handle with a vicious attack on the vision and mission of TI and its leadership, including the late Dr. Israr Ahmad. The allegations levelled at the deceased scholar often veer into the personal domain. Given the fact that the target of this slander is no more there to respond to these, makes the attempt foul and malevolent.

Noticeably, the real issues at hand were dexterously skirted, instead veering off into a paroxysm digging up dead ghosts to somehow prove that the TI and its work is discredited for its misogynistic, imperious, regressive tendencies. This was ‘proven’ by some isolated, obscure incidents from the early eighties that involve Dr. Israr Ahmad. Not only was this an attempt to trivialize and slight the vital message of the campaign, but in fact the entire vision, mission and work of TI and Dr Israr Ahmad.

The TI is not a political organization, but believes that the social mission of Islam seeks culmination through the use of political power with responsibility for the service and welfare of human beings. Like any organization working for reform, the TI also believes in the ideal of a globally ascendant paradigm of justice and peace overstepping schisms and boundaries. The universal maxim of ‘think globally, act locally’ that the Tanzeem seems to have adopted, does not imply imperious, expansionist or violent political agendas. Instead, the TI is committed to work at the grassroots through spiritual and moral rejuvenation which alone can be the basis for any larger social reform programme.

The issue of Dr. Israr Ahmad’s views on televising cricket matches seems to have been brutally manipulated and greatly exaggerated. Interestingly, the misrepresentation of Dr. Israr’s suggestion to not show cricket matches on T.V was addressed by the late scholar in 1983 in a widely published public statement. On page 85 of the monthly ‘Meesaq’ of March 1983, Dr. Israr Ahmad explains his stance. He clarifies that his objection was based on the fact that these sporting events are spread over five days and often viewers abandon more important duties and become negligent towards religious observations. It interferes with the daily routine taking away precious time. He moves on to suggest that such long sporting events should not be televised and that those interested should visit the venue to watch it live. However, if cricket matches could be of a short duration comprising a few hours in a day, it could provide healthy entertainment on T.V. This public statement does not mention the issue of women watching males on T.V even implicitly, because that had never been Dr. Israr Ahmad’s grounds for objection.

The writer exaggerates this episode and Israr Ahmad’s insistence on promulgating the Islamic dresscode for women to the extent that it comes across as the primary reason why he eventually lost favour with General Zia ul Haq and fell out with him. This claim is absolutely ludicrous. While it is true that the scholar held high the sanctity of the modest Islamic dresscode and propagated the idea, it is false that his stubborn and relentless insistence made him impossible to deal with, leading to differences with the President and exit from PTV. In the Meesaq issue of February 1983, Dr. Israr Ahmad’s address to the president on this issue has been transcribed. The tone in which he suggests the observance of the Islamic dresscode on TV is merely advisory, humble and at best persuasive but never dictatorial, stubborn or threatening. Sincerity and hope rings clear out of it, which commands deep reverence for him- even if one does not agree with the import of it.

The actual reason why Dr. Israr Ahmad eventually parted ways and refused to appear on the state-owned media was because the President-General had hoped Dr. Israr’s political rhetoric would justify and lend strength to his authoritative rule. He hoped for his dictatorship to somehow fit into and be sanctified by the ‘Khilafah’ ideal of Dr. Israr Ahmad. The late scholar however eventually saw through this and realized that religion was just being used to prolong the autocratic regime. There was little sincerity in actually making the values and principles of Islam prevail. Not only did his TV appearances finish, he also resigned from the ulema council, refusing to be part of an autocratic regime using religious rhetoric to maintain its hold.

While it is true that Dr. Israr Ahmad stressed on gender segregation and the need to abide by hijab regulations, but the writer has used his views on the subject and attached them to his advice against televising cricket matches to suggest a retrograde sexism and misogyny which is absolutely uncalled-for. What is created in the process is a skewed-up, distorted account that is far from the truth. I am compelled here to quote from Dr. Israr Ahmad’s book ‘Islam mein Aurat ka maqam’:

‘Men and women are the two wheels of the vehicle of society and culture. Their physical and psychological make-up is different; however, this is due to the needs and requirements of human society and civilization. As human beings, both are from each other sharing their common humanity. However, religiously and morally they have distinct identities and roles and are responsible for carrying these out within their spheres…’ (translated)

At the end the writer refers to an incident in which Dr. Israr Ahmad was witnessed to have hurled an abuse at a woman who was not covered in the way he would have wanted her to be. While I am not in a position to categorically refute this, whatever little I know about the late scholar and his impeccable personal morals, belies the likelihood of this. However, having said that, bringing up an issue that challenges the personal dignity and integrity of a deceased scholar who can no longer explain, clarify or refute it, and then using the dubious episode to discredit the overall message of the campaign promoting a basic Islamic value is a filthy tactic. It is hitting below the belt. I wouldn’t bother digging into this one.

The malafide intent behind this self-defeating endeavour lies bare. While the audacious claims against Dr. Israr are highly dubious and quite dispensable, this much emerges clear: the writer’s own moral condition is pathetically abysmal. A sage warned that when you spit against the wind, it comes back into your own face.

Quetta Bleeds – Pakistan Weeps

Entire country is in a state of shock. Repeated attacks on Shia Hazara community in Quetta Balochistan has killed hundreds and brought entire country to a standstill. It is indeed a matter of grave concern that lawlessness has taken over entire country. People are no more safe and living under serious threats. Shia community protested across the country and people from all sects and walks of life stood shoulder to shoulder with them. Government has made some promises, which are yet to be fulfilled. But would they provide the ultimate solution? Where are we heading as a nation in current chaotic situation?

Killings in the name of religion have dented the religion. Terrorism has no religion, whether its state sponsored terrorism of US and her allies, or killings of innocent Hazara Shias. We should condemn terrorism committed by all. Drone strikes on innocent families cannot be termed as collateral damage. This has turned into a revenge war and a breeding ground of terrorism. This terrorism will spread more across the country if we don’t cry halt. The killings of Hazra community is barbaric and brutal and the culprits should be punished in public. It is worth mentioning that the protests of Hazara community have remained peaceful and vast majority supported them and condemned violence in the name of religion.

It is evident that foreign funds are involved in this chaos. But locals are being used as operatives. It’s the prime duty of our law enforcing agencies to target the culprits, and government is totally incompetent. Military action has not born any fruits so far in FATA, rather it has created more lawlessness, revenge and terrorism. Now army would be doing targeted operation, with hopes of better results. But wait a minute! Army is already in control of Balochistan, so will it make a significant difference?

Media, whether conventional or social, pick and choose their ‘favourite’ topics to protest about. Do we know about the 18 people who were gunned down in Khyber agency ; very few voices were raised in their favour. Their family members were not allowed to protest infront of governor house of KPK. Target killing has become a norm in Karachi but media rarely talks about it. The economic hub of Pakistan has been devastated but govt and the ruling parties are conveniently silent and not taking any significant action. Blood of Karachites is cheap and therefore not raising many eye brows. Some friends from Karachi told us that its virtually impossible for Karachites to roam freely in the markets and eat and dine out without fear.

Its time for unity, to identify our real enemies. Ordinary civilians have nothing to do with shia sunni conflict and they want to live with harmony. Military action might be a short term solution, but in the longer run, we need to stop being puppets of foreign forces. Its time that we push our respected leaders to join hands for unity and carve a strategy out of this chaotic situation. I believe we can deal with economic mess and corruption, but security and law and order conditions require national unity. Its utter failure of government and security agencies that they failed to defend the citizens of the country. Life of each and every citizen is important, whether he is killed in target killing, bomb blast or drone strike. We must act on humanitarian grounds. All lives are precious and we must take action to save them.