Islam – Page 4 – My Bit for Change

To Him we shall return

For the past few weeks, I was planning to jump in the world of blogging. There is certainly no dearth of topics when you come to talk about problems being faced by Muslims and my homeland Pakistan. As nobody can predict death, events in Pakistan may unfold in a similar fashion. Despite finding numerous topics around, I was finding myself in a midst of a situation where I have not been able to decide (although procrastination played and continues to play a significant role) the topic for my first ever blog.

It was just 5 days ago, when I was talking to my younger brother on Skype in Pakistan, when he quickly ended the conversation by saying that our father is not feeling well. He was rushed to the hospital where he walked himself into the emergency department but the moment he was shifted to the bed, he took his last breaths and his soul departed forever. My whole world along with my family’s turned upside down. It was mere half hour which had changed the shape of life forever for us.

I believe many of us must have experienced the same at some point of their lives. I may not be able to depict that emotion in writing as nobody can fully words when you lose a loved one. Initially, it was sense of disbelief, denial, many “ifs” and “buts” many question starting with “why” but eventually it was the verse 156 of Surah Baqarah which at that breaking moment strengthened and deepened my Imaan and it says while describing the one of the important traits of a Muslims who say, when afflicted with calamity,

“To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return” (Al Qur’an 156:2)

In the increasingly materialistic world, even as a Muslim, it has become difficult to ponder and comprehend the meaning and the whole philosophy of Islam and the concept and purpose of life. Although, we often say that “Death is a reality” but ironically our lives and actions do not depict the faith. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) says

“Remember the eliminator of all pleasures i.e, Death”

Umar bin Khattab (RA) used to say “There is no preacher/reminder better than death”.

The reminder in the Qur’an that “every soul shall taste death” is enough to put us on the right track if we have faith in the word of God.

We read newspapers and watch news of many people dying by different reasons but just move on and remain oblivious to the fact as if it will never ever happen to us. I just saw one of the two doors of mercy has been closed on me and before that day I had never envied those who have both of their parents alive around them. It is time that we all should really take care of them and let’s pray for all those who lost their lives by any reason that may Allah rest their souls in peace and grant their families abundance of patience. We must not forget life is very short and our day may be near too. Are we prepared to face the Creator?

The Moral Demise

Daughter killed her father …..

Shocked when I heard the news that a teenage girl killed her father; reason, he was stopping her from having an illegitimate affair. It was a breaking news on electronic media and reported widely, shocking for the entire country that how she confessed her crime and was actually not feeling any guilt about it.

One thought that continuously struck my mind was what made a daughter so angry that she went to the extent of shooting her father. What was the real cause? Was her ‘teenage love’ for a boy so strong that she didn’t care about her blood relations? Perhaps she was thinking that something magical would happen as often witnessed in famous Indian movies and she would succeed in getting rid of all obstacles that hindered her path & she & her lover would live happily ever after.

Similarly, a shocking news came about an elite school managing a debate on gay rights in Islamabad and I was thinking that where are we heading towards? Do these elite schools give a damn about religious and ethical values or they just believe in blindly following the ultra-liberal ideologies. They are having fun with fundamental religious and ethical values while we are sitting as mere spectators.

Few years ago, during my college days, once a friend was sitting on the stairs, deep in thought. I asked what happened and he said, ‘ Looking at the current trends, I am thinking that If after 20 years my daughter is having an affair, how will I stop her’. It sent shockwaves down my spine at that time, but now we are seeing things actually we never thought about. Lifestyle has entirely changed in our country in past ten years. Just look at the language of our kids these days and it will shock you.

Lets play the blame game. Lets blame media for polluting the mind of the girl who killed her father. Lets blame our educational system for these shallow moral values. Lets blame parents for not teaching the kids properly. Lets blame society for promoting unethical values. Lets blame the government … Lets simply blame!!

This blame game won’t result in anything positive. We certainly need to identify the ‘root-cause’ of the problem and take corrective measures. In my opinion, the root cause is that we have not defined our own role models. We need to define the real role models. And for that purpose, we need to put a lot of question marks on our real ideology. Who are our heroes? Who are we aspiring to become?

Kids idealize the heroes, and whoever heroes they think, they would try to follow them. We need our own real life heroes. Or should I say, we need to project our own real life heroes, because we already have them, but our kids don’t know as many of us have also forgotten. Is our hero Hazrat Khalid Bin Walid, Hazrat Mus’ab Bin Umair or any Bollywood/Hollywood hero. Everyone in Pakistan would certainly respond that Companions of Prophet (SAWW) are our heroes. But then how much we and our kids know about them. How much do we talk about them. How much do we try to follow them?

Our problem is much deeper. We live in a hypocritical society. We have double or triple standards in everything. We have different standards for ourselves and our future generation. We have confused concepts of right and wrong. We want our kids to be modest, polite, religious, and yet they should be westernized, liberal, and exclusively English-speaking. We are exactly as Ghalib said

رند کے رند رھے ، ھاتھ سے جنت نہ گئ

To sum it up in a sentence, we are confused on our ideology of ‘successes’. We need to define what does success means for us. Is having a successful love affair a success? In movies it might be true, but in real life what is the end result. A girl killed her father to succeed in her love affair. Did she get what she wanted? Can she be called successful?

Let’s turn to Quran to get the meaning of success and Quran says

And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. (Ch 2 :v 185)

Unless we redefine the success in our minds and reteach our kids the problems will only increase. Bollywood style affairs would be more important in the lives of our teenagers and issues like LGBT will be talk of the town in ultramodern Pakistan with no values to uphold and be proud of.

Islam and Rule of the People – I

Is there anything wrong with the idea that people should have the right to rule? Many people argue that there actually is something unacceptable and Islam does not permit such a thing; a blasphemy, maybe. To say that the people have the right to rule, they argue, is to give away a right reserved for God alone as sovereignty belongs to God, no one should be allowed to be partner in it.

Seemingly, this does tend to make sense. More so, in times as ours when people have come to detest democracy in general after witnessing decades of jiyala politics in Pakistan, and hence express their frustration in various forms, including religious ones.

I, for one, cannot comprehend the absolutist condemnation of democracy. One may debate that politics in our country has degenerated to a very humiliating level (to which one can point out many other reasons besides ‘democracy’). But an outright condemnation to the point that one uses religion to oppose it brings many complications as the image of a religion – that is democratic to the core – is put at stake.

I believe that the argument above is based on certain confusions and mishandlings of conceptions in the Islamic tradition.

First of all, it is beyond doubt that God alone is sovereign. This concept emanates from the creed of Tawhid-the oneness of Allah. This is undeniable and incontestable on all levels. But when we are talking about this world we have to be more explicit and clear in what we imply.

While we may recognize God’s supremacy in this world and the next, we never mean that humans don’t have worldly authority. To say that they don’t would be to deny both free will, everything we see all day and common sense, for the sake of it. It is people who already rule themselves; whether in the form of a singular individual, an institution, class, race, parliament and so on. If human rule is to be denied in its worldly sense then the only plausible form of government would be an anarchic one. Sadly maybe, neither God nor His angels come down on earth and take control of governments. It’s a human decision to make; with or without taking God into consideration.

The question that arises then is, in what form does an Islamic state manifest itself?

Islam has provided a socio-political framework and universal principles that guide us in this regard as well. While Islam recognizes the Divine authority, it fails to recognize a divinely class, and hence closes the doors of theocracy. In this sense, the Islamic ideal is not a religious state. Nobody represents God’s will on earth. Instead, God provides the legitimacy to people to rule on his behalf under the framework of His divine guidelines. He did this by making universal man (all humankind) His vicegerent on earth.

The Islamic principle of governance establishes itself on the basis of shoora (consultation) and Khalifat. Derived from these two principles, we can safely say that while western democracy champions popular sovereignty, Islam recognizes popular vicegerency. While there seems to be common ground on the functional level, conceptually both are worlds apart. It’s somewhat like praying in front of a rock; if your idea of the rock is that it is an idol worth worship then the same action – that would otherwise be completely appropriate – becomes a sin.

The Islamic ideal requires that the Muslim community be taken into confidence not only in the selection of the rulers but also in the decisions of the rulers. The welcoming attitude towards criticism by the Khulfa e Rashideen (the Pious Caliphs) is well established. The attitude of Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Usman (RA), for example, towards the rebels is without any precedent in history. At a moment, Hazrat Ali (RA) even refused to take action against a rebel who openly declared that he will murder the respected caliph. In both these cases, the caliphs in question had to bear many troubles to uphold such cherished ideals.

On an occasion, Hazrat Umer (RA) spoke unambiguously about the selection of the Muslim ruler. While explaining to people that the selection of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was not to be taken as a precedent because it was only adopted out of circumstantial necessity, he went on to say that “If someone gives pledge (bay’et) of allegiance to another (to become a Caliph) without consulting the Muslim community, then the one he has selected should not be granted allegiance, lest both of them should be killed.” * Obviously, the strict connotation at the end refers to carrying out a crime against both the state and the community. The same treatment would today be reserved for someone who breaks the constitution to usurp power.

Click here for Part II and Part III

Reference“ *Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 82, Number 817”

Is Islam non-democratic?

It is true that while Islam may not be a proponent of liberal western democracy as we know it, but in its very essence Islam is quite democratic.

“Consultation” is a fundamental concept in Islam. If anything, the Islamic ideal is nearest to a constitutionally restricted democracy whereas democratic principles are ordained under, within and from the principles of the Quran and Sunnah.

The basic flaw is made in understanding as to what democracy essentially means. Contrary to popular belief, democracy is a very fluid concept. For example, if you attempt to understand democracy in its original, and strictly, Greek sense, you’ll be surprised to note that such a concept cannot be applied to ‘modern democracies’. This is because in the Greek city-states, all the citizens would gather in one place to decide their affairs. This is true not only in time but also in space as democracies around the world differ from each other on fundamental grounds. So one must realize that claiming ‘Islam upholds democratic ideals’ doesn’t mean that it also upholds western democratic models; which are based on the premises of secularism and nationalism.

The idea that democracy is the rule of the people while Islam only recognizes the rule of God doesn’t necessarily imply a contradiction. In effect, however, neither God nor His Angels will come down to earth to rule nor has God made anyone His representative (hence closing the doors for theocracy). In fact, it is people who rule and, I argue, by divine decree; as Allah has made man (not a specific man, but meaning all-humanity) His vicegerent (Khalifah) on Earth. Allah says clearly.

“We have honoured the children of Adam” (17: 70); to which the revered Algerian scholar, Malik Bennabi, writes

“The verse was revealed as if to lay the foundations of a democratic model that is above every other model, where the divine element within man is taken into consideration and not just the human and social aspects…”

The following is an excerpt from an English translation of the celebrated ‘Tafheem-ul-Quran’ by Maulana Syed Abul Ala Maududi. It’s the scholar’s commentary on the verse ‘amru-hum shura baina-hum’ (they (believers) conduct their affairs by mutual consultation) (42:38). An understanding of the following will display that while restricting the negative effects of western democratic models, the Islamic model is yet still more democratic.

‘This quality (of consulting one another) has been counted here as the best quality of the believers and has been enjoined in Surah AI-‘Imran Ayat 159 as well.

‘So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].’

On this basis, consultation is an important pillar of the Islamic way of life. And to conduct the affairs of collective life without consultation is not only the way of ignorance but also an express violation of the law prescribed by Allah. When we consider why consultation has been given such importance in Islam, three things become obvious:

Firstly, that it is injustice that matters of the state be decided on the basis of personal opinions. No one has a right to do as he likes, in matters of common interest. Justice demands that all those whose interests are involved in a matter be consulted, and if it concerns a large number of the people, their reliable representatives should be made a party in consultation.

Secondly, a man wants to usurp the rights of others for selfish ends, or because he looks down upon others and regards himself as a superior person. Morally both These qualities are equally detestable, and a believer cannot have even a tinge of either of these in himself. A believer is neither selfish so that he should get undue benefits by usurping the rights of others, nor he is arrogant and self-conceited that he should regard himself as all-wise and all-knowing.

Thirdly, that it is a grave responsibility to give decisions in matters that involve the rights and interests of others. No one who fears God and knows what severe accountability for it he will be subjected to by his Lord, can dare take the heavy burden of it solely on himself. Such boldness is shown only by those who are fearless of God and heedless of the Hereafter. The one who fears God and has the feeling of the accountability of the Hereafter, will certainly try that in a matter of common interest he should consult all the concerned people or their authorized representatives so as to reach, as far as possible, an objective and right and equitable decision, and if there occurs a mistake one man alone should not be held responsible for it.

A deep consideration of these three things can enable one to fully understand that consultation is a necessary demand of the morality that Islam has taught to man, and departure from it is a grave immorality which Islam does not permit the Islamic way of life requires that the principle of consultation should be used in every collective affair, big or small. If it is a domestic affair, the husband and the wife should act by mutual consultation, and when the children have grown up, they also should be consulted. If it is a matter concerning the whole family, the opinion of every adult member should be solicited. If it concerns a tribe or a fraternity or the population of a city, and it is not possible to consult all the people, the decision should be taken by a local council or committee, which should comprise the trustworthy representatives of the concerned people according to an agreed method. If the matter concerns a whole nation, the head of government should be appointed by the common consent of the people, and he should conduct the national affairs in consultation with the leaders of opinion, whom the people regard as reliable, and he should remain at the helm of affair only as long as the people themselves want him to remain in that position. No honest man can try to assume the headship of a nation by force, or desire to continue in that position indefinitely, nor can think of corning into power by deception and then seek the people’s consent by coercion, nor can he devise schemes so that the people may elect representatives to act as his advisers not by their own free choice but according to his will. Such a thing can be desired only by the one who cherishes evil intentions, and such a fraud against the Islamic principle of consultation can be practiced only by him who does not feel any hesitation in deceiving both God and the people whereas the fact is that neither can God be deceived nor the people be so blind as to regard the robber, who is committing robbery in the bright day light openly, as their well-wisher and servant.

The principle of consultation as enshrined in ‘amru-hum shura baina-hum’ by itself demands five things:

(1) The people whose rights and interests relate to collective matters, should have full freedom to express their opinion and they should be kept duly informed of how their affairs are being conducted; they should also have the full right that if in the conduct of the affairs they see an error, a weakness or a deficiency, they can check it and voice a protest, and if they do not see any change for the better, they can change their rulers. To conduct the people’s affairs by keeping them silent and un-informed is sheer dishonesty which no one can regard as adherence to the principle of consultation in Islam.

(2) The person who is to be entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the collective affairs, should be appointed by the people’s consent, and this consent should be their free consent, which is not obtained through coercion, temptation, deception, and fraud, because in that case it would be no consent at all. A nation’s true head is not he who becomes its head by trying every possible method, but he whom the people make their head by their own free choice and approval.

(3) The people who are appointed as advisers to the head of the state should be such as enjoy the confidence of the nation, and obviously the people who win representative positions by suppression or by expending wealth, or by practicing falsehood and fraud, or by misleading the people cannot be regarded as enjoying the confidence in the real sense.

(4) The advisers should give opinion according to their knowledge and faith and conscience and they should have full freedom of such expression of opinion. Wherever this is not the case; wherever the advisers give advice against their own knowledge and conscience; under duress or temptation, or under party discipline; it will be treachery and dishonesty and not adherence to the Islamic principle of consultation.

(5) The advice that is given by a consensus of the advisers, or which has the support of the majority of the people, should be accepted, for if a person (or a group of persons) behaves independently and acts on his own whims, even after hearing the advice of others, consultation becomes meaningless. Allah does not say: “They are consulted in their affairs”, but says: “They conduct their affairs by mutual consultations”. This instruction is not implemented by mere consultation, but for its sake it is necessary that the affairs be conducted according to what is settled by consensus or by majority opinion in consultation. Along with this explanation of the Islamic principle of consultation, this basic thing also should be kept in view that this consultation is not independent and autocratic in conducting the affairs of the Muslims, but necessarily subject to the bounds that Allah Himself has set by His legislation, and is subject to the fundamental principle: “It is for Allah to give a decision in whatever you may differ,” and “if there arises any dispute among you about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger. ” According to this general principle, the Muslims can hold consultations in Shari ‘ah matters with a view to determining the correct meaning of a text or verse and find out the ways of implementing it so as to fulfill its requirements rightly but they cannot hold consultations in order to give an independent judgment in a matter which has already been decided and settled by Allah and His Messenger.”

Defending Vulgarity

‘Branding’ as modern and targeting a niche which tags itself with ‘ultra-liberalism’ is certainly a matter of bread and butter for a section of media which is trying to bash every moral value. The target market of some newspapers might be the ultra liberal, highly sophisticated and modern society; where ‘everything’ is allowed as long as its not religious. It’s a source of earning for them to target that niche. But there must be some standard moral values for everyone to follow.

When society raises its voice against immorality, a section of press and media retaliates by raising hue and cry over it. Raising voices against vulgarity is immediately tagged with honour killings, acid attacks and terrorism support. These people simply fail to realize that if someone is against obscenity, it doesn’t mean that he is in favour of acid attacks (its not an with/against situation). It simply means that people are against a set of crimes which are committed in the name of liberating women. Treating woman as an object is the worst form of slavery, because the victims (women) usually don’t even know about it and they don’t realize the repercussions they have to face afterwards. Women objectified as a commodity in the commercial world often lead to their worst slavery. Indeed vulgarity is a great marketing tool for attractiveness. It has its own charm, but its killing the basic moral values of a society. With the current pace, its leading us to collective suicide.

The greater evil is actually defending the evil. Why do certain people think that they look cool when they play devils advocate? As described by Peter Robbins, everyone wants to get attention but some want it by hook or by crook. Even if it means becoming a terrorist or taking your clothes off, both have the same purpose of seeking attention. A lot of poor girls are promised of a bright future and high levels of fortune in the fashion world by encouraging them to loose their moral and ethical values.

Those who defend vulgarity, also use the argument that it’s a non-issue and we are facing issues like poverty and lack of education. Indeed poverty is a greater cause to be addressed but moral values are also equally important. With no morality, we can not call ourselves human. Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) said that ‘Haya (modesty) is an ingredient of faith’ (Sahi Muslim). Alot of ahadith (sayings) of Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) indicate the importance of modesty. All religions give value to modesty, as its the one of the main things which mainly differentiates the humans and animals.

The problem with the liberal fascists is their confused ideology. They are westernized products in desi packaging. They can’t get rid of their packaging and that’s their dilemma throughout their life. They even go to the extent of ridiculing Islamic values, just to ‘qualify’ being a liberal. They try to promote things which are forbidden in Islam (and other religions) just to look modern. Under the label of ‘personal choice’ they want to legalize homosexuality, yet they claim to be praying five times a day. Deep inside their hearts, somewhere they know that they are going against the human nature (Islam), but still they continue on the path of glitters, leaving gold aside.

Islam categorically is against promotion of vulgarity in masses. Even the purpose of offering daily prayers is defined in ch 29, v 45 as

‘ Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahshâ’ (shameful, vulgar deeds) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, every kind of evil wicked deed)’;

which simply means that if you are offering daily prayers, it should result in modesty. If its not, then there is some shortcoming somewhere. Quran has given very strict remarks about those who propagate nudity and vulgarity in the society, in Ch 24 v 19 it says:

‘Surely, those who like that lewdness spreads among the believers, for them there is painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter’.

But here comes again the same problem. Pseudo liberals always ridicule the solution of ’repentance’ and returning to Almighty. For them creating a bond with the Creator is not a solution, but then they can’t provide any substantial solution either. In their own minds they are confused-but rather than trying to find answers, they continue to follow the blind path of ignorance. In the end, its for us (the masses) to decide what path we choose. Media depict of such issues brings vulgarity to the forefront & when viewed or read about over long periods of time, it will have a sadly numbing affect on our society (especially the future generations to come). Hence, whatever path we choose to follow must be clear & transparent. Right and wrong are clearly identified, choice is ours.

Ethical Marketing …..

Today while driving from my home to office in Karachi, I managed to take the route of NIPA to Hassan Square. On that track, there was a billboard to which my sight came across. I stopped my car on the side of the road and stood still in front of the billboard & kept looking at it for 5 minutes. The only thing my brain anticipated during these 5 minutes was “A BIT FOR CHANGE . . . “.

That billboard was delivering a very important message relating to a forgotten lesson which the religion Islam taught to the “MUSLIM” nation of the “ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN”, a lesson relating to the respect of women. That billboard was saying “Stop Promoting Nudity for Selling Your Fabric”. Then I managed to take a picture of that billboard.

As the summer season has just arrived, the female lawn designers have placed the advertisement on the billboards promoting their products through female and that too without considering the Islamic limits of ethics. The question arises that why does the marketing is portraying a woman as an object? Is there no other way of promoting the fabric without a female model? Will their sales revenue decrease if they only promote the designs without a woman on the billboards?

Most of the people would appreciate this piece of work but some will be labeling it with the conservative mindset. It seems that we have not only snatched the HIJAB of the Muslim female of our society but has also placed them on the enormous billboards. I would like to mention the Quran versus, in which the Almighty Allah, the Creator of mankind and the universe says in Surah Al-Ahzaab, Verse #59:

‘O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (“Jalabib”) veils all over their bodies (screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way that is most convenient that they should be known (as such) and not molested: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.”:

It is the time that we must do the assessment of our society that are we following the orders Allah Almighty. This is the time to examine that are we in the limits of the ethics assigned to us by Allah Almighty or we have crossed them all. Islam is the only religion which talks about the female respect and honor They are like the clove of the unopened flowers as they are not pricked by anyone unless they blossom there hidden beauty our of them. In Abu Dawood, Book 32, Hadith # 4091 Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrated

“May Allah have mercy on the early immigrant women. When the verse “That they should draw their veils over their bosoms” was revealed, they tore their thick outer garments and made veils from them.

The time has arrived that we should move towards a complete Islam rather then following the only versus which are favorable to us. We have to stop this evil or else may be our own next coming generation will be on these billboards. According to the book “Kenz Al-Omal, v. 13, p. 91 & 93” The Prophet (s) said,

“A caller will call out on the Day of Judgment, ‘lower your gaze until Fatima (Radhiallaahu Anhu) has passed.”

Keeping in mind the Islamic teaching & taking the Prophet Muhammad Sallalahu Alaih Wasalam, his Ahl e Bayt & Sahabah Ikraam Rizwaanullahe Ajmaeen, we have to explore marketing techniques free from unethical means. Let us secure our Muslim society so that our females may breath again free from embarrassments. The time has come to represent the true image of Muslim not only by words but by conduct. Let us all join our hands to promote this Nobel cause and take another step to free our society from evil.

I’m A Liberal Fun-damentalist!

Extremism in any shape or form is wrong, be it religious or secular. Unfortunately, most of the critics tend to focus only on the extreme part of Islam and the people exploiting it for their own interest. They either do not know or deliberately hide the fact that Islam as a liberating religion; something that it actually is! Islam doesn’t stop us from living or enjoying ourselves. It only stresses on acknowledging the fact that I’ve been created by the one and only God-Allah and I am only His slave and answerable to Him only and should try my best to avoid His disobedience. People have rights over me and serving humanity should always be my first priority. Is that too much to ask for?

Our beloved Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is a great example who made smiling a Sunnah! It’s a virtue in itself. He has asked us to gather as much knowledge as possible. What could be more beautiful than that? I’m thankful to Allah that I was born a Muslim and follow a religion that gave women their rights 1400 years ago and made me a princess where a man is responsible to earn for me. Yes, I am free to work too and wow, my man has no right over my money. Doesn’t that sound great?

Yes, I’m free to be educated, free to choose my own groom and no, I cannot be forced to marry someone I dislike. No, my religion does not oppress me. I like hanging out with my friends, dining outside, attending family events/weddings and love sports and gym. I like following latest trends and like every other girl I love cosmetics! And someday I would love to go scuba diving too! Did I mention swimming? I love adventures, hiking and travelling! My all time dream is to travel the entire world before dying!

I’m liberal but thankfully not like the ones you see these days who believe in mocking others religion and beliefs. No, I don’t believe in bigotry and I don’t abuse people or call them “fundo” when they don’t agree with me. No, I don’t make cartoons of other’s religion’s holy personalities and call it “freedom of expression”. There’s something so wicked about freedom of expression, it’s barely used where it should be and actually used and abused, where it’s not really required. If you ask me, it’s a way of creating rifts between people. And no, I don’t blast out whatever comes into my mind without thinking about its repercussions and cover it up with my “right to speak up”. I believe if I’ve got the power to express myself I would rather do it in a more educated manner and when someone tries to defend their opinion, I don’t call them intolerant or fanatic.

I’m liberal but it doesn’t mean I look at everything as a rebel. What is wrong remains wrong and I have no authority to change the rules of the Creator. I’ve seen Pakistan’s English press lately trying to promote things forbidden in Islam by somehow turning it all into legal and permitted. Oh no, don’t mistake me as a liberal who prays five times a day but believes that homosexuality should be legalized. Nor do I stop praying when a brainless person does something dumb in the name of religion. Yes you’ll find 200 blogs for gay and lesbian rights but when it comes to burning the Quran they would rather call it “freedom of expression”. They are willing to write a thousand blogs on Veena Malik’s “boldness” and praise her guts for standing up to a mullah but will not speak a word when it comes to Aafia Siddqui. They are for women rights but Aafia siddiqui deserves no rights. Let her be raped every day, let her be sexually harassed and it is none of our concerns. Sadly, you would be considered a hate monger or a bigot if your opinions are different from theirs and more towards religion. Funnily, you’re likely to be called a modern version of Taliban if you say you’re liberal but want Islam at the same time.

Why isn’t it possible? Why is the world bent upon portraying that we can’t afford to take religion and this world together? Religion is not how some people have defined it to be, it’s actually a way of living. I am not a scholar, but what I have learnt till today is that Islam is the most beautiful change you can bring into your lives if you decide to follow it properly. I’ll try my best to stick to my religion and call a spade a spade and ready to be called a fun-damentalist!

You are what you SPEAK

“I sent my brother a text message asking if he has a particular novel I was after and he replied in affirmation. I texted back with a wink and the words ‘I’ll be highly obliged if you could bring it”. He later smiled meaningfully and commented that my “highly obliged” reflected the mentality of a slave. I shrugged my shoulders and remarked, “As if taking a degree in English literature was not a reflection enough !”

A few weeks ago, a cousin of mine was asking about some symbol on orkut and her brother pretended as if he doesn’t know. And as I was standing nearby I shouted out ‘that word’ loud and clear. And her brother looked at me, shocked. The word is commonly used amongst youth these days without shame and has vulgar connotations. And with this, the realisation dawned upon me that I’m getting accustomed to all those words which are not a part of my culture, slowly and unknowingly.

In the book ‘Doing English’, the author has clearly stated that with every word of a foreign language comes the whole cultural package. And this the fear took over me. Am I falling through the bottomless pit of a foreign culture?! From then onwards I became conscious of every word that I use and am trying still to shun every word that does not reflect decency.

But how many of us actually realise that? Last year while attending one of the presentations of the research group in our department, the professor said that not every word can be translated. In Arabic we use words which have no direct one word in English or any other language. It’s true for Urdu, English and other languages as well. The words become terminologies! Once attending the lecture of philosophy, a professor said that we should avoid using words like “enlightenment” and “modern” because these are not words with simple meanings, for Occidentals these are terminologies that have derived from their history and culture. These words date back from the 16th and 17th Centuries, the age that Europe called The Age of Enlightenment; the shift from homo-centric to the ego-centric culture, when man became more important. And these all are not part of our culture.

In ‘Notes Towards the definition of Culture’, T.S. Eliot says that Europe’s culture is deeply seated in the religious history of Europe. Muhammad Asad in his book The Road to Makkah says that he has come to the theory that the European prejudice and hatred towards Islam and Muslims is dated as back as the first Crusades. It has become part of the culture. And it was T.S.Eliot who said that culture is derived from religion and faith (with it or the lack of it). And as writers cannot write in a vacuum, and they incorporate their mind-set into the whole experience of writing, we see the reflection of their beliefs, culture and thoughts. So, when I am reading Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Dickens, Bronte or James, I am actually exposing myself to their culture and beliefs. I remember a fellow student saying that it seems as if we know more than the average European about their sects and religion and history. It’s incorporated in their literature.

The first ever department of English was established in the colony of Subcontinent. The English believed that literature would incorporate certain values in the Indians without them realising it. And this would help them make better slaves. And they would not realise the religious moulding through literature. So, literature became a tool of making us more “civilized” in the eyes of West to serve their own purposes. Literature, if read passively, works subtly yet moves your insides violently. Your mind would accept things subconsciously or unconsciously and may affect your whole way of thinking. And I realised that you need to be active when reading literature, alert all the time, in order to keep different beliefs and metaphysics at bay.

The recent writers of Pakistan, who chose English to be their medium of communicating their ideas, do not reflect the embedded culture of the East. And when I’m talking about Muslim writers, I’m talking about the culture of Islam. The writers have not only chosen English but they have incorporated the ideas of Europe, their culture in those writings reflecting their own “slave-ish mentality”. The embedded idea in our minds that ‘doing English’, eating with forks and spoons and sitting on a dining table reflects the marks of civilization, without realising that in our culture, eating with your hands and sitting on the floor are the marks of being “civilized”.

It’s high time for us to realise that our culture, literature and everything else have a centre, and that centre is Islam. And the unification in things comes from that one centre. We may be able to institutionalise every “branch” of knowledge, but the centre would allow a Muslim to see things in totality and not in fractions. And we see all that in the works of Muslim poets from Rumi to Iqbal. So, even if we are to read the Western authors, we need to counter the effect by reading our own literature in the languages of the East, mainly Urdu, Arabic or Persian. It’s high time to stand facing the current and yet not lose our grounds. And we can only do that by standing in our own cultural grounds and not borrowed ones. We have far more better examples than those of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.”

The greatness of purpose, Malcolm X

Some men are great, some are remembered and some go on to live forever in the minds of millions.

Alexander was great but what did he do but conquer lands? Einstein was a genius but what did he do but lead humanity to its worst nightmare, i.e. the nuclear bomb? Many philosophers are believed to be great but what did they do but solve some abstract riddles? A man in love with wisdom was Socrates. His death which was otherwise so meaningless and ordinary, was never truly his death and he lived on in the hearts and minds of people to this day.

What is greater is the immensity of purpose. I believe in categorical moral reasoning, and so I do not care what influence that man has had on society. What he did and why he did it is supreme for me rather than how successful that certain person ever was. Power, influence and acknowledgment mean nothing in the minds of the crazy ones.

Isn’t it madness that describes change in its complete form? How can we talk of change without talking of madness? Change is not the property of the same, or sane. It’s the belonging of those who resist, who can’t stand sameness, or sanity, or the status quo, or the world order as we know it.

When there is something unjust in the world it is these mad men that find it in themselves the power, the Khudi (In Iqbalian terms), to say it in the face of injustice without any sign of weakness, and without compromise or any sugarcoating of reality.

‎And here are the words of a madman

“… you’re living at a time of extremism, a time of revolution, a time when there’s got to be a change. People in power have misused it and now there has to be a change and a better world has to be built and the only way it’s going to be built is with extreme methods. And I, for one, will join in with anyone, I don’t care what color you are, as long as you want to change this miserable condition that exists on this earth.”

When he championed extremism I believe he intended to describe the position of truthfulness met by extreme and extra-ordinary opposition.

This is Malcolm X, great in a many ways but what I value most is his greatness in purpose and will. He had given his life a purpose which was to fight a war against injustice.

Born to a poor black family in a racially charged American society, he can be assumed to be quite accustomed to the realities of discrimination. But as obvious as this sentence may seem, it is not.

In relation to his own people, he had always been very bright skinned. This had added to his social status and he always saw it as benefit and a good thing. But after some time he did realize that this was nothing to be proud of. To be brighter, to be nearer to white was not anything that he had accomplished. He realized that this belief was imposed on his people by the white man who enslaved his people ages ago. This white man taught his people that they are inferior and it is the white man that is superior. With time, an inferiority complex was ingrained in the minds of the blacks, which he believed was not only misleading and false, but also disastrous in its implication for the community.

The realization that his big lips, curly hair, black complexion and all that follow to be part of his African being are not to be ashamed of, didn’t come that easy. It came as a lightning bolt saying “the White Man is the Devil”. He started to hate white people from then on.

Not only did he witness the outright hypocrisy of this certain ‘white race’ that played lip service to democracy, freedom for all, equality and the likes, while indulging in the worst crimes of humanity, he also read how in history this race has taken with itself a ‘white man’s burden’ and a ‘civilization mission’ under the banner of which whole nations have been whipped out, mistreated as animals, colonized, raped and plundered.

When asked why he hated ‘the white man’, he bluntly replied “For the White man to ask the black man if he hates him is just like rapist asking the raped, or the wolf asking the sheep ‘do you hate me?’. The White Man is in no moral position to accuse anyone else of hate”

In any case, he understood that the decolonization of the Afro-American mind was the greatest need of the hour. He would say “A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.”

He joined the ‘Nation of Islam’ a distorted movement initiated by Elijah Muhammad, who claimed to be a prophet of the black people. This movement taught him ‘the white man’s the devil’ doctrine. Interestingly all of his education took place in the jail’s library for which he would famously say that

“My Alma mater was books, a good library. I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity.’’

Being a self-learned and self-skilled person as he was, Malcolm X remained always critical and open to new thoughts and considerations. After taking part in a formal Muslim pilgrimage, he converted to mainstream Islam. Religion was not the only thing that changed, it was his whole world view. Upon seeing the sight of Hajj where people of all races, nationalities, colors and complexions where walking together in harmony and love for the Almighty and His creations, all in the same cloth regardless of socio-economic backgrounds, he was simply amazed and astonished. It was here that he realized that some of his previous convictions were wrong. It’s not the white man who is to be condemned; it is the deeds he has carried out.

His letter following the pilgrimage says that

“America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered ‘white’–but the ‘white’ attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.”

This great man was martyred. According to the autopsy report, Malcolm X’s body had 21 gunshot wounds. He lived and died a brave and proud man.

I see him as a person who truly liberated himself. The greatest freedom is the freedom of the mind. This he accomplished by first decolonizing his mind from all the silly beliefs of inferiority imposed by the European race. He later freed his mind from the prejudices he had established regarding the white man.

In these tough and rough times, the need of the nation today is to have its very own Malik El-Hajj Al-Shahbaz, A.K.A Malcolm X

Their Journeys to Islam

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

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

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

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

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

Listen and share their stories and freshen up your Eiman.