Just Another Day

By this time most papers have stated the obvious about what went wrong on Friday (Youm-e-Ishq-e-rasool Day declared by Government against the blasphemous film) along with the perceived causes. Subjects dealt with included freedom of speech vs. hate speech, Terry Jones and background of filmmaker Nakoula Bassey Nakoula, provocation and our response, and to top it all off, shock and disgust at the violent nature of protests.

The analysis of what went down and why, at least in most of the English media, confirmed my long standing suspicion. I live in a different Pakistan.
In the Pakistan that I inhabit, violent protests erupted just a few months ago due to load-shedding and people actively hunted for MNAs. It resulted in many deaths along with damage to property. In recent memory mobs have burned people for blasphemy, while earlier the fate of two brothers in Sialkot was even harsher.

Needless to say, if the people catch you while committing a crime, real or perceived, you will be lucky to make it to the cops. What about the learned people? Those who are above the masses, the ones not only setting standards but also enforcing them? Our police, one of the most brutal and vicious in the world, kill the odd chap via torture in custody, and are generally very macho. Our lawyers beat down anyone they can get their hands on. Our politicians torture kids. Hell, even our doctors don’t mind a scuffle!

That’s the lighter side of my Pakistan. Wasn’t it pleasant?

The rough side is actually a little disturbing. Insurgencies plague Balochistan and KPK-FATA, terrorism at large, sectarian killings in Gilgit and Quetta. Our right wing political parties are the bad guys, while the three supposedly liberal parties slaughter over a thousand people every year.

My Pakistan is one where violence isn’t widespread; it’s a part of daily life, with or without religion.

Now, can you imagine what would happen if these Pakistanis were invited en masse onto the streets by say, the government of the time? Given a full day off to vent their frustration? And what if the government and the many leaders who invited these guys to protest didn’t show up themselves? Piling angry young people onto the streets without anyone to lead them, without any direction, without any indication whatsoever of what exactly are they supposed to do. What would that lead to?

Enough of my Pakistan though.

Let us come back to the media’s and elite’s Pakistan. I have to say I am as appalled as you are over what happened on Friday. How dare those happy, peaceful and content people come out, uninvited, on the streets like headless chicken and cause such unheard of mayhem. Not to mention the harm done to our good reputation in front of the whole world.
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Viewing these events in isolation from the daily life in Pakistan is intellectually dishonest at worst and lazy at best.

Viewing the reaction of the Muslim world to that video as a whole is just wrong. It was violent in some countries, peaceful in others. How they reacted had to do with the makeup of those particular societies and the guidance received from political and religious leaders and of course, media coverage.

In our society violence has pretty much been institutionalized, it is the rule here and not the exception. It is what we do, it is who we are. The less said about the political and religious leaders the better, and the media feeds off sensationalism and Bahria Town adverts.

Therefore, I could find anything shocking about Friday. An angry people, with a nasty bout of anti-Americanism and deadly disdain for blasphemy, let loose on the streets. How many ways could that have turned out? Also, the fact that PPP are an incompetent shameless lot of opportunists who find new ways to hurt the country is the least surprising of all things imaginable. This was not an anomaly. It wasn’t an ugly episode in our otherwise peaceful national life. It was just another day, albeit made worse by a chaotic, utterly useless government.

So the elite should stop reacting with such marvellous shock. And please, please stop mocking the mob. If you are privileged enough to have a voice, use it to address the larger disease, not selective symptoms. The ones responsible for law and order and the ones who claim to be our leaders, they are responsible for not just the violence on Friday, but the daily horrors Pakistanis outside the Red Zone have to deal with.

Ishq e Rasool – Let’s talk about it

That a thirteen-minute long tawdry inanity from a dubious manic character could trigger off an uproar both from the emotionally and psychologically volatile fundamentalist groups as well as from states and governments is something that needs talking about. Complex social trends are taking over, quite beyond taming- a plethora of forces, factors, ideas and ideologies that collide and crack and clash and rebound.

For one, the disproportionately huge impact of something that deserves no more than a contemptuous side-glance points towards the enormous sway of the mass media in determining what ought to garner attention, how much and for how long. It also raises critical questions about the ‘freedom of expression’ that defines the cyber world- a blind and amoral freedom with no parameters and no ethic, that knows neither good nor evil, truth nor falsehood. Before the communication, revolution becomes a hydra on the loose making fools and gasping helpless spectators of us all, we need to engage in a rethink of the entire concept of freedom and liberty as it relates to expression. Where does one draw the line between free expression and hate speech? And who draws those lines? Do we want to live in a world where everyone has complete and unlimited access to misinformation, disinformation, propaganda, pornography, falsehood, hate and prejudice indiscriminately disseminated all in the name of freedom of expression?

Still more interesting is the predictability of the action-reaction, provocation- backlash sequence that plays itself out every now and then. Whoever posted the filth onto Youtube seems to have done it with calculated deliberation- in his own words, it was a ‘political act’ in order to push the button driving Muslims into a feverish frenzy sending them to a spree of smashing and burning and ripping. It is like a bored passing urchin looking for some fun, who decides to throw a rock at a rival group so that he can stand back to watch the ensuing entertainment for a cheap thrill. A sick-minded desperado throws the bait and it is eagerly picked up by emotionally charged extremists. The theatrical episode gives Islamophobes and extremists from both sides, much to shout out from the rooftops, much to reinforce their simplistic us-and-them narrative of binaries. It is too familiar and too regular a pattern.

And deeply distressing too, one can compare the sudden surge of religious passion over a despicable piece of filth a random maniac posted on Youtube to the lull in the Muslim world, over the state-sponsored carnage in Syria. One can also read into these pathological religious hysterics a tragic disconnect with the spirit and essence of the personage in whose blessed name it is claimed to be.

Umm Jameel bint Harb, the wife of Abu Lahab, made up some verses of poetry to defame the Prophet by changing his name to a word that meant ‘the insulted one’ as opposed to “Muhammad” (i.e. the praised one). This enraged Muslims, especially in the early days of Islam when they were weak. The Prophet (SAW), however, responded thus: “Allah is protecting me from the Quraish’s insults as they are cursing and swearing at “The Insulted One”, whereas I am “Muhammad”, the Praised One! (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

In an Islamic Studies class while explaining Surah Al Kausar I could not help but draw the obvious and vital connection between the ‘Abundance’ (Kausar) granted to Muhammad (SAW) and the contemporary context. Kausar, the Abundance of God’s blessing, of virtue, of God’s Mercy and Love, of felicity, peace, spiritual richness, radiance and beatitude through which any obscenity spewed out by odious villains, matters nothing. Kausar is also interpreted as abundance of following- but a following not as the froth on the beach…

Thauban (R.A) reported that the messenger of Allah said: “It is near that the nations will call one another against you just as the eaters call one another to their dishes.” Somebody asked: “Is this because we will be few in numbers that day?” He said: “Nay, but that day you shall be numerous, but you will be like the foam of the sea, and Allah will take the fear of you away from your enemies and will place weakness into your hearts.” Somebody asked: “What is this weakness?” He said: “The love of the world and the dislike of death.” (Abu Daud)

An important narrative in the Islamic tradition is of the man who refused to make puerile effort to guard and defend the Sacred House in Makkah against an attacking army, realizing the futility of such an attempt, and relying instead, wholly on the help of Allah Himself while displaying great courage and strength of character. Divinely armed hordes of midget birds crushed the army in an awe-inspiring miracle that manifested the Glory of Allah and His transcendence above and beyond human machination. Realizing that the honour of the Prophet of Allah (SAW) does not stand in need of violent protest marches, nor does such expression accentuate his spiritual stature is a fundamental lesson in faith.

In my part of the world the angry mobs in the name of the Prophet (SAW)’s honour betray the spirit of what they seek to defend. It exposes the superficiality of our understanding of the message of Muhammad (SAW). The audacity of the corrupt and inept regime’s decision to celebrate the ‘Youm e Ishq e Rasool’ (Day of the Love of the Prophet SAW) is revolting, and uncontrollable street mobs on the rampage smashing public property make a grotesque mockery of the grandiose motive. Such street sentiment actually expresses the pent up feelings of frustration and grievance, helplessness and anger over drones and poverty and Gitmo and joblessness and the great atrocity of the War on Terror, seeking cathartic relief in burning and boot-kicking effigies of freakish blaspheming idiots which personify the invisible statue of that one hostile monolithic entity called ‘The West.’

I long for a ‘Youm e Ishq e Rasool’ wherein I can relive the message of Muhammad (SAW) in acts of kindness and compassion and spread around me some of the goodness he exuded in abundance. I long for a ‘Youm e Ishq e Rasool’ when I work with greater honesty and integrity, and smile at my colleagues at work more spiritedly than usual, and lend a helping hand more enthusiastically than usual; refuse to throw that plastic wrapper in the street and dispose off the ones I see lying around; send blessings to the Prophet (SAW) and read about the Prophet (SAW) to derive lessons relevant to my personal life and realize my responsibility towards the community I am part of. That would be a ‘Youm e Ishq’ I would love to celebrate. Not one with aggressively externalized displays of religious passion that turn ugly and then dissipate and fade away like froth on the sea, swept away by the incoming tides just as easily as it came.

We have a remarkable capability to transform into celebrities and global figures of great importance petty deranged slime-balls with our mislaid enthusiasm and fervour. Terry Jones and Nakoula Basseley ought not to matter, as they do not.

What matters, uplifts and heartens is that glow on the horizons still young and rosy but promising- of a rising, rejuvenating contemporary Islam personified by a new generation of young Muslims in the West and also emerging in the Muslim world who have risen to the occasion and responded with composure and wisdom, creativity and intelligence. Lesley Hazelton describes these Muslims as ‘writers, filmmakers, political activists, comedians, academics who wear their Muslim and hyphenated Muslim identity with a casual confidence, are activists but not of a defensive nature, armed with wry humour and a sharp sense of irony. They laugh at simplistic slogans like ‘Islam versus the West’ and the infamous ‘Clash of Civilizations’ as they represent the blending of civilizations. These are the polar opposites of Islamist extremism and confound the stereotypes and the more visible they become, the less the smallest and most extreme minority can claim that it represents the whole.’

During a particularly long day at work and longing for a respite, my senior batch of students walked in, telling me they wanted to work on a documentary film on the personality and legacy of the Prophet (SAW). It was heartening, a breath of fresh air to see the enthusiasm, positivity and activism of these young girls. They wanted to record my views on the film by Nakoula. “That doesn’t matter,” I answered. “Like froth on the sea. But this work matters. It is not the froth on the sea, but the glow in the eastern sky. And that is something to talk about.”

Freedom of Speech, really?

Solid argument in Huffpost from Geoffery R Stone (A distinguished professor of Law at University of Chicago) that even if what you say in public is inflammatory and incite violent reaction, you cannot be blamed for it because of this idea called ‘freedom of expression’ (according to the first amendment of the US Constitution).

I wouldn’t go into much detail describing the hypocrisy reflected by such laws and other statements made by Sec. Clinton and government officials especially when you compare it with the all the fuss same media pundits created over nude photos of a princess of Royal family. But it’s just that when you seriously threaten, prosecute and force to shut down some publisher for pushing what you consider indecent, why so dud and lifeless on what 1.6 Billion people and one of the largest religious communities on globe considers, not only indecent but also severely punishable. What I want to discuss is the hypocritical posture of EU & the West on such issues, sensitive to Muslims; Blasphemy being on the top.

Freedom of Expression you say? Let’s be objective now!

1.   In the Parliament of EU a resolution was adopted in last decade which enforces punishment by Law, against anyone propagating racist and/or prejudiced speech. The target of the Resolution was holocaust denial. As a pretext (and in some countries the aftermath) of this resolution was the adoption of holocaust denial laws. Such Laws are present in Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, and many more European countries. So today, in majority of eastern European countries and some West European countries too, you can be sentenced to prison for up to 15 years or fined a hefty amount or both on merely your words denying or diminishing the severity of Holocaust in your speech or writings. From 1999 to present, dozens of people have been sentenced prison or fined. Dr. Robert Faurisson PhD. a professor of French Literature at University of Lyons France was dismissed from his post, fined 7500 Euros criticized & discredited worldwide by mainstream media for his articles published in Journal of Historical Review. In these articles he denied (with evidence) the existence of Hitler’s famous “Gas chambers” and some other facts related to holocaust. This was one of the most important cases of Holocaust denial. Apart from this, there were dozens of cases where such ‘blasphemous’ people were thrown in to jail for up to 5 years.

2.  Acknowledging the fact that US and UK do not have Holocaust denial laws because of same Freedom of speech, this entity is still not absolute. The prominent exception where such freedom is exempted is SLANDER. So it’s ridiculous that a community which protects its politicians and celebrities from slandering cannot comprehend the same idea for a personality Muslims hold more beloved than their life by faith. It’s still a big question mark on the standards of the so called developed world the majority of which has laws protecting citizens and inhabitants from hateful speech to stop them from developing inflammatory reaction and keeping peace. Nevertheless, it is the same west, which allows mudslinging on the most-beloved and most-respected personality in the history of the world realizing all these facts and labels the agitated as Intolerant, Retrogressive, Dark Age-ions. I don’t want to impose labels but such an absurd mentality can only be expected from an extremely bigoted state of mind. But again, maybe it is a matter of hidden prejudice especially if history (of dark ages) is accounted for.

I have an impression which is based on reality that probably, world peace is no longer important for the West.

Lifeline for Muslims

(O Prophet), We have surely bestowed upon you good in abundance.So offer Prayer and sacrifice to your Lord alone.Verily your enemy alone has been cut off from the roots. (Sura Al-Kosar: ch:108, v-1-3)

Love of Prophet  is indeed a matter of life and death for Muslims. Love of Prophet is something for which each and every Muslim is very emotional. Pseudo-liberals can never understand this because it’s about  love of Prophet. Not something to be measured with intellect but something to be felt with heart.

Many will not read beyond this line and will tag it as another piece preaching love of Prophet. I feel pity for those who are silent to keep their liberal attire intact, or are asking other Muslims not to show their sentiments. They have not only lost their own identity, they are pretty much confused about their very purpose of existence in this world. I don’t want to generalize but certainly those who have taken oath for defense of United States and other western countries will definitely have an inclination to keep their nationalities secured and hence keeping mum over the blasphemy.

Hazrat Omar Bin Khattab once said to the Prophet SAWW, O Prophet of Allah, I love you more than anything except my life, and the Prophet SAWW said, No one can be a true believer unless he loves me more than his life.

True, we should propagate love because our Prophet was Rahmatul lil alameen. It is also correct that we need to be peaceful in our reactions. But we need to ponder upon this question that why does this so called ‘freedom of speech’ always target Prophet Muhammad SAWW. The fact is that there are laws for statements against Jews, racism etc but when it comes to Prophet, every Tom, dick or Harry has freedom of speech. This is what is irritating Muslims.

The movie in question is not worth watching. It may be an utter failure in technical filmmaking terms. But I simply cannot buy the idea that the movie was made because of ‘lack of knowledge’ of the filmmaker. No, it was a planned effort to check whether Muslims will react or not. A cheap tactic to gain popularity may be, but a litmus test to check the commitment of Muslims.

For those who say that Prophet forgave a lot of blasphemers; I would like to quote the incident of Ka’ab Bin Ashraf, a Jew who was a blasphemous poet. He used to ridicule the Prophet of peace SAWW in his poetry and Prophet ordered his murder. This is reported in Sahi Bukhari by Hazrat Jabir Bin Abdullah (RA).

Prophet SAWW asked that who will tackle Ka’ab bin Ashraf? He is desecrating Allah and Prophet, so Muhammad Bin Muslimah (RA) stood up and asked, ‘O Prophet of Allah, May I kill him if you like’ and Prophet SAWW said, ‘Yes’… (Bukhari)

So it is evident that blasphemer shouldn’t be roaming around freely. All Muslims should unite to protect the sanctity of Prophet SAWW. In current scenario, the issue is USA is protecting the blasphemer as a state by calling his action as ‘freedom of speech’. This is a very grave situation. That’s why all the protests are logical and legitimate. Ambassadors and diplomats have immunity all around the world, but protesting in front of the diplomatic missions to record protest against a country is a democratic right. The solution is only one. Proper legislation against blasphemy of all Prophets. Thats how mobs and people can be contained. In the absence of laws and without their proper implementation, people will take laws into their hands; this is mob-mentality. We need to act sensibly to come out of this situation.

I am not in favour of burning public and private properties in protests, but I am certainly in favour of peaceful protests and proper legislation for blasphemy. These protests should be aimed to show our love for Prophet and not to destroy the property of innocent people. It is also a great chance for us to tell the world about teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAWW).

Much can be written on this topic. Iqbal summarized it beautifully in his poem ‘Ibless ki Majlis-e-Shoora’ in which Satan tells his executive council

وہ فاقہ کش کے موت سےڈرتا نہیں زرا

روح محمدؐ اس کے بدن سے نکال دو

The target of satanic forces is very clear. They know that  it’s the love of Prophet Muhammad, which has kept Muslims bonded till now. If this bond is broken, Muslims will be no more different than others. Therefore, they attack this bond clearly. This is a lifeline for Muslims. It is a driving force which is keeping all of us in one direction. That’s why when anyone challenges this bond, entire Muslim community rise for the defense of this lifeline. And this is very evident in current protests. But the liberals and American slaves cannot understand.

And last but not least, true love of Prophet (SAWW) will be evident only when we follow his Sunnah in true letter and spirit in every walk of life. Allah says in Quran,

‘’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]

Responding to Profanity

It was indeed shocking news of what happened as the aftermath of a released preview of a profane film which has left the Muslims in a state of sadness and shock across the world. As horrific and offensive as the video might be, nothing justifies the sort of violent acts we have seen in Egypt, Libya and Yemen. Nothing is worth the cost of a human life and as a Muslim, I firmly believe that there is no honour or faith in committing such violence, and we all unequivocally oppose the senseless violence in different parts of Muslim world.

This video also gives a glimpse of the fragile relationship and misunderstandings between the Muslim world and West/United States. It is evident from this film that to create further rifts and misunderstandings between different cultures, it is not necessary to commit an act of violence. Films like these, unfortunately, may have a much more negative effect in bringing any positive change in common understanding and further deepen the gulf.

As a Muslim, I would like to remind Muslims of the character of Prophet Muhammad. He was a man of peace and mercy, and thus engaging in such violence and senseless killing is truly mismatched with his legacy and teachings.  It is high time that Muslim should not only remember his teachings, but also follow them in the face of hostility. It is imperative for Muslims to ignore cheap attempts for publicity by hateful bigots. While they have every right to protest this profanity by resorting to violent reactions Muslims are not only harming innocent lives but also falling in the traps set by bigots.  It must be crystal clear that in order to defend and promote the personality of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), one should not resort to those means which the Prophet himself never approved of or allowed.

To move in a positive direction and avoid further backlash, it is necessary that the West and U.S should take some concrete steps in terms of introducing certain regulations. There are already laws in place in many western countries, which legally punish Holocaust denial, anti-Semitic expressions, hate speeches, homophobic statements, racial slurs and even blasphemy against Christianity. Looking at the negative potential of such acts, is it not time to come up with such legislation? Beyond legislation or regulations, such unfortunate events really bring forth the need for constructive dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations.

The movie is very offensive, but Muslims should be offended in a positive way. We should speak up against this evil in a rational way. We should always keep in mind the right way of dealing with evil in all situations:

“Good and evil cannot be equal. Repel evil with what is better and your enemy will become as close as an old and valued friend, but only those who are steadfast in patience, only those who are blessed with great righteousness, will attain to such goodness.” (Quran 41:34-35)

The Sling that brought down Goliath

After the World War II, while the US celebrated its emergence as a superpower in world politics and the American youth got busy in their Hollywood fantasies, Pizza huts, Mac Donald’s, Adidas, the Japanese youth went back quietly into their redevelopment. Canon, Casio, Citizen, Fujifilm, Fujitsu, Hitachi, JVC Kenwood, Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, Nikon, Nintendo, Olympus, Panasonic, Pioneer, Ricoh, Seiko Group, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Toshiba… These are the names of the giants in the industry world and most of them came up in past 60 years i.e. after Hiroshima- Nagasaki were atom-bombed; And mind well, Hiroshima- Nagasaki’s destruction was worse than Kabul and Baghdad’s devastation.

Japan is a small nation like Prophet David, peace be upon him, of Bani Israel. US is a giant like Goliath. Japan did not give up after the tragedy. In a span of twenty years Japan conquered the US. The entire American roads were run over by Suzuki, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Honda. The ears and the attention of millions of young Americans were puffed by Sony, Panasonic giving them Jazz and Pop. Americans saw their own country through the eyes of Nikon and other cameras made in Japan. Every shop, every mall, every technology read “Made In Japan“. Except that you were born American, the rest of your life was structured and governed by Japan. From washing machine to cars and mobiles, the Americans got addicted and obsessed by “Made in Japan“

This is making an entire nation submit to your “Technological Culture”. This is called an Economical Victory, a Cultural Victory, without any weapons. Like David throwing his sling and bringing down the Giant Goliath, Japan hurled many slings in the form of technology. The most wonderful part of this war is that Japan won America without defeating it.

Something similar also had happened to the ancient Baghdad after it was invaded and devastated by the Mongols. Ibn Kathir says in one day 60 thousands Muslims were butchered at the hands of Mongols. But in 1295 a Buddhist named Maḥmūd Ghāzān declared himself Muslim, compelling other Mongol notables to follow suit. His patronage of Islamic learning fostered such brilliant writers as Rashīd al-Dīn, the physician and scholar who authored one of the most famous Persian universal histories of all time. Even Genghis Khan’s grandson Berke converted to Islam. Don’t forget that Genghis Khan was the one who destroyed Baghdad.

In the history of mankind this is a unique landmark. An entire army including its kings, princes, nobles and warriors, after defeating, destroying and looting a nation, themselves adopted the faith, culture, festivals and the life style of the defeated army.

Baghdad and Kabul are once again invaded and devastated. But the sling that the Muslims possess is of better quality and promised to give better results during crises. It is more guaranteed than all the “Made in Japan” products put together. That sling is ISLAM. If the Baghdadis of 1220s can do it why can’t the Baghdadi’s of 2012? If the entire Mongols can convert to Islam, why can’t the entire American army? The Americans need Islam more than they need the Japanese cars and mobiles. Look at their lives. See their crime statistics; study their divorce rates and reasons, broken families, violence in the streets and campus. Jimmy Swaggert, the noted evangelist says that America has 25 Millions of drunkards and 25 millions of heavy drinkers and for me both are same. The issue of drugs is a real one too. Americans need Islam. This sling is more effective than any violent processions. The Qur’an itself suggests:

“Repel evil with that which is better and you will see the person with whom you had enmity will be your fast friend” (Surah Fussilat).

The Worthless Human Life and Our Role

It was my first day at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge as a trainee doctor, ‘the Induction day. Being a medical graduate from Pakistan, it was a very important day for me to get acquainted with the system. As expected I went through Basic Life Support training, precautions before transfusing a patient, infection control, hand washing techniques and basics of prescribing. All was well until we came to the last training module of fire training. Fire training, for a doctor? Why oh why? Let us go home now, my stomach was rumbling with hunger and my head was aching. But I had to sit for this mandatory module as I wouldn’t be allowed to work unless all boxes were checked and this would be repeated every year.

My Asian colleagues and I were in agreement “these ‘goras’ are too sensitive to trivial things”. We laughed. “No one cares about those petty infections and issues in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh which they fuss about” we chuckled. “We are strong, immune and hardy to most of the infections and why this fire training? We are not training to be firemen.” … Only a few years of living here proved it was nothing to be proud of.

The module began. The fireman training us, taught about 6 types of fire, their chemistry and physics including how fire spreads (i.e. Conduction, Convection and Radiation), different kinds of fire fighting equipment, fire exits (not to lock them or obstruct them or park in front of them), assembly points, weekly fire test alarms, electromagnetic fire doors which would close automatically in case of fire alarm going off (to contain the fire) etc. Too much, too boring, we all agreed and yawned as “passionate doctors”.

Photo by AFP

The Karachi fire tragedy has taken the peace away. More than 300 precious human lives lost including women and children, 300 families mourning their loved ones, charred bodies, the worst fire tragedy in history of Pakistan, what a horrible day it was! Lack of implementation of basic laws, low cost of human lives, selfish money-making employers, lack of governance and professionalism on their part and lack of training and awareness of basic rights on employee’s part; my mind is all entangled, trying to find the root cause.

It’s true that the government is non-functional, the laws and legislature are left to dust in libraries and offices, and the nation is running most of the things on its own without any support from the leaders. But it’s a fact as well, that, we as a nation are too casual and complacent in our daily routines. You wear a seat belt – you are too sensitive a kid, or you are a showing-off-elite child. Wearing a helmet while biking makes you less of a ‘hero’.  Overtaking a car by revving your engine is a ‘wow’ factor and sticking to the rules and observing laws make you a timid teddy or less manly. And when someone asks you to be cautious and stick to the rules, they are just a nervous ‘newbie London-palat’. The casual attitude of complacence must change.

The Karachi factory had all exit doors locked except one, and people kept pleading for the keys. The only working ‘fire exits’ were some windows through which some workers managed to fling themselves to save their lives. Yes! I am talking about humans locked in an ‘inferno’ and killed because no one saw it coming. This horrible incident could repeat itself if we don’t stand up.

But what can we do?

Every one of us can pressurize our employers, self-train and then train others, run a movement not only in factories, but all places even homes. Imagine the horrific consequences in schools, colleges, offices and hospitals.

There’s a lot to learn from the developed world but unfortunately our society only takes copying their accent and outfit as ‘development’ and for our leaders, knowing the West only means luxurious holidays and wagging tails on their commands. All the leaders who have ruled us so far know how things work in developed countries but what they don’t know is that their prime responsibility is learn from them, change and implement laws and protect the citizens. That’s what these leaders are answerable for, in the court of God.

Casualties from plane crashes, overloaded vans falling from heights, fire tragedies are all preventable with just little precaution. I wouldn’t stop blaming government for anything tragic we encounter, but that’s not it! Think what we can do as responsible people. Our responsibility increases due to them being dysfunctional.  Impress upon annual vehicle checks, start from your car, team up with other parents and refuse to send your children in a van that has no check, team up with colleagues and pressurise your employer for fire training. Arrange fire trainings in hospitals, schools and colleges. Play your role wherever you are. This is the least we can do when we know we are forgotten and abandoned by the lot we call government. Let the change begin.

Tolerating Intolerance

Pakistan is witnessing an unprecedented rise in everyday intolerance. Every now and then we hear stories of torture and killings in the most brutal ways by ordinary public, ranging from strangers on the road to one’s own family members.

If one doesn’t comply with your commands, we burn; we rape; we plunder. Have you found a thief? Beat him to death. Is someone involved in an illicit relationship? Parade them naked on the streets. And don’t forget to catch their videos on your cell phones. Found people who belong to a minority sect? Make them stand in a line and open fire. Did you hear about a 15 year old illiterate girl with mental disabilities, who burnt a noraniqaida? What are you waiting for? We all know what to do with her.

“But hey, don’t generalize us man. All Pakistanis aren’t like that. Don’t spread negativity. Here, have a gum”, is what I usually get to hear when I try to raise such concerns, in (ahem) ‘my’ circle.

Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, i don’t know and i don’t care – Jimmy Buffet

So, what about us? The so-called ‘educated’ lot of Pakistan.How nice and tolerant are we? Why do our minds not explode and our hearts not sink when we see or hearof such horrific acts of violence?

Let me tell you why: we are too tolerant! It is as if when God created us, he poured the remaining 80% of tolerance on our ‘elite’, after giving a drop to each country. We are very patient, our hearts are made of Tungsten, as they don’t even heat up (let alone melt) when we watch ‘real’ humans being butchered like goats. To sum up: We have tolerance for intolerance.

And the irony doesn’t end here. Because when it comes to questioning our beliefs, (and by beliefs I don’t mean religious; there is hardly any of the religion left in us) we become wolf packs, who aggressively defend their territories from all non-pack members (in our case, anyone who dares to oppose our views on anything and everything). And then we give lectures of tolerance to those who cannot tolerate our intolerance! ha-ha! And the most common targets of our ‘lectures’ are, well, people like me! Who are constantly reminded of how they “think too much”, and they should “give us a break” and that they seriously need a vacation.

Sorry for bursting the bubble of those who like to be called (pseudo) liberals. They are anything but liberal. While fancy English language phrases such as ‘social justice’, ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘individuality’ are embedded in their dictionaries, you will not find them advocating these principles when there is truly a need to do so. And how can they possibly take out time for all of this from their exhausting routines.  After all, they have a ‘life’ you know? A life that revolves around ‘status’ updating and attempts at becoming the western definition of ‘modern’. Why should anyone pay a heed to whether the nation deteriorates or loses even the little bit of integrity left of it.

So where does it take this nation? I was told by a ‘well-wisher’ not to waste my energy on something that is not going to happen: change. But for once i have decided that I am not going to give up. I am not going to turn my back on those who have turned their backs on the rest of the nation. Because I believe they are the ones who need my help the most at the moment. I am going to fight (and no not the physical one, please. There is plenty of it that if we could export it we’d be debt-free). I am going to raise my voice, against the tolerance of intolerance. Because I also believe that if we are able to revive the conscience of this not-so-common class of Pakistan, it will eventually lead to an outcry for tolerance by them. A much needed outcry that will remind the masses of peace and love, for the sake of the long forgotten humanity.

I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate – it’s apathy. It’s not giving a damn.

-Leo Buscaglia

Why is My Hijab, Your Problem?

I am a woman, not a sexualized commodity; I am a human being just like you are.

I am a Hijabi and Hijab is my identity and my ideology.

I wasn’t a Hijabi by birth, nor did it come from an oppressing ‘Mullah’ father or brother. Oh no! No one can force me to do something which I do not want to do. It only came when I came to explore the message of God which I had been reading since childhood in Arabic and never knew what it meant as it’s not my first language. It started to make sense when I decoded it into a language which I could understand; Thanks to those scholars who made it a mission of their lives to transliterate the word of God for our convenience.

The importance of observing hijab for me gradually became connected to my belief in God and the question I asked myself often.

“I believe in God and His word, I love the Prophet (SAW) and for me the characters and dress code of Aisha and Fatima (Peace be upon them) are role models, then how come whenever I see a Hijabi,  I relate it to backwardness.”

All these claims don’t fit into one frame and there began the war of ideas in me:

“You tell me Hijab is backward and you still are a proud non-apologetic Muslim, it can’t be true!”

It’s a part of my personality just like a Jewish kippah and Christian and jewish ‘hijabs’, my message of peace that I wear with pride. It’s about letting the world know, not to mess around with me as I (try to) keep my chastity and obey my Lord.

I am no slave of the corporate capitalistic industry which is bent upon publishing a naked woman to sell everything from a cigarette to a racing car.

It gives me liberation; freedom from being judged on a scale of inches, skin colour and figure details. I am free from the shackles of man, eyes of the evil world who evaluate women according to the length of her skirt and depth of her neckline; intelligence and character being secondary. (Ask a competent man who was rejected by a multimedia company in an interview and his beautiful and sexy but dumb competitor got the job).

With this piece of cloth on my head, I feel empowered as a woman. But a section of our society seems to have a problem with it. Some self-proclaimed Pakistani liberals labelled Hijab as a “dinner table napkin “or “solution of a bad hair day”.What is the world scared of, I wonder?

Think!

If you think my hijab tapered my IQ and threw me into the desert of Arabia some 1400 years behind, I seriously doubt yours. Remember how the prehistoric man lived?

What was the killer of Marwah Al Sherbini scared of? Was this 32-year old, three month pregnant pharmacist, a loving wife and a mother of a two year old, a threat to the world? Oh, mind you she was called a whore, a terrorist and stabbed 18 times in the German court and killed.

Was Shaima Alawadi a hazard? The loving mother killed and turned into a pool of blood in her house in America with a note next to her saying: “Go back to your country, you terrorist.”, was she a terrorist? No; her killers were! Racists and myopic terrorists scared of a defenceless woman with a piece of cloth on her head.

Are Hijabis the biggest threat in the French and other European societies that are banning hijab? Think!

Oh you thought I don’t have a choice? No! I have one and hijab is my choice just as obeying Allah and disobeying Him in rebellion is my birth right due to being a human being and I choose the former.

And in case you didn’t notice, some very successful women in the West are turning to Islam and opting for covering their bodies with modesty and have found peace.

I quote Yvonne Ridley, a journalist who reverted to Islam after she explored the Quran as a promise she made to Taliban, her captors in Afghanistan.

‘My dress tells you that I am a Muslim and that I expect to be treated respectfully, much as a Wall Street banker would say that a business suit defines him as an executive to be taken seriously. And, especially among converts to the faith like me, the attention of men who confront women with inappropriate, leering behaviour is not tolerable.’

Think rationally and decide! Why is my Hijab, a problem for the world?

Hijab – A Responsibility

A man’s perspective on Hijab usually raises eyebrows from the leftist elite. It might be termed as male chauvinism immediately. A lot of women will say that it is our business so men should stay away from it. Is it really so that men aren’t affected with what women wear? Some self proclaimed Islamic scholars will immediately say that men should lower  their gaze before they talk about women’s clothing and they do not need see a woman if they cannot control their urge. Well if lowering the gaze was the ultimate solution, why the Quran made hijab mandatory for Muslim women at all? The source of attraction is there after all, so Quran ordered both men and women to be modest.

Much has been written about the fundamental rights of Muslim women observing hijab. Salutes to sister Marwah Sherbini who embraced martyrdom for hijab. She was the victim of racist attitude just because she was a Muslim obeying the orders of Allah. Many more sisters have faced similar issues especially after 9/11, making the debate of hijab a political one as well. It is ironic that no one has objection over Christian nuns who cover themselves in a certain way dawn to dusk, even when they are amongst fellow nuns but a covered Muslimah attracts all criticism.

There is another dimension to it. Hijab is not merely a piece of cloth. It’s a way of life. It is an entire package which revolves around the character which is required to observe it. Expectations immediately arise from all those who are practicing hijab. Wearing a hijab or growing a beard, for that matter, shouldn’t automatically mean that you are safe  or cleansed from sins. But people around you are more judgmental and keenly observing your attitude. Most people won’t bother if a non-hijabi ‘muslim’ woman is drinking alcohol, but will definitely question the morals of a hijabi girl who is drinking alcohol. The attitude and behaviour of those observing hijab becomes very important. Some women, who observe hijab and clearly preach religion to others fail to practice it in their personal lives and as a result, repel people away from religion. We have hypocrites among us, having double standards for themselves and for others which are creating more problems. I have come across women wearing headscarf but having worst morals. A friend of mine usually say ‘yeh pardah kabhi kabhi apno’n se kia jata hey k koi pehchan na le’, pointing towards the dating couples in which females use veils to hide their identity.

Does it mean that hijab or religion is to blame? Certainly not! Hijab (and beard) should not be taken as a synonym for religiousity. A change in mindset is a prerequisite for hijab. If anyone observes it without realizing the real meaning, she is not doing justice with it. Hijab is never meant for oppression, it is meant for protection. The concept of hijab, pardah, abaya should be well understood and followed in letter n spirit.

Women are being objectified in multi billion dollar fashion industry and advertisement world. Call it liberty, but it is worst form of slavery and no doubt even hijabis are falling for this fashion buzz.  Hijab is becoming a fashion statement.  No, Hijab is not a fashion. It’s purpose is to protect a woman and not to make her more attractive.

Those who object the hijab also have some weird reasons. Some say that they don’t want to wear their religion on their sleeve, therefore, they are not observing hijab. Others are frightened of being judged as backward. Well, a Muslim should look like a Muslim from his or her turnout. That’s what he or she is; a Muslim. Religion is not something to hide or being shy about. So if a Muslimah is practicing hijab, it is not something very unique; she is supposed to do that. Hijab doesn’t mean she is very virtuous and pious. Intentions do matter a lot in these cases. The point I want to make is that don’t make it something too big or too extraordinary, observing hijab should be a normal practice for all Muslim women. But there should be an understanding that it is a complete lifestyle which brings a lot of responsibilities and obligations as Muslims.

The good thing is that hijab is growing and more and more women are opting for it. But my request would be don’t judge anyone on the basis of hijab. Its an obligation for Muslim women, don’t politicize it. And if someone is misusing these symbols, don’t generalize.