I was born in Saudi Arabia but I soon found out that I am a Pakistani. What does that mean ? It means that my parents belong to Pakistan and hence I am a Pakistani. Later on, when I heard stories about the creation of Pakistan and how people migrated from one place to another, I found out that my mother had belonged to the now Pakistan but my father had belonged to the now India. Means my father had to migrate from India to Pakistan to be a Pakistani. So what does it mean ? Anyone who migrates to Pakistan or is born in Pakistan is a Pakistani ? But I was born in Saudi Arabia, so how come I am not an Arab ? Then I found out something very funny. Some ‘wanna be’s’ rushed to the United Kingdom then and rush to the United States now, with their pregnant wife to give birth there, because being born in the UK or the USA gives you a British or American nationality, automatically. I again, repeat my question. I was born in Saudi Arabia, so how come I am not an Arab ? Eventually I found out that every country has its own rules about nationality, man-made rules. So Saudi Arabia decided that being born in Saudi Arabia is not a good enough reason to be given the Arabian nationality. Hmmm, I somewhat agree. There has to be a stronger reason than a mere coincidence of being born on a piece of land, or in the case of UK and USA, rushing to that piece of land, with the intent … !
Later, studying the world history, I learnt about the breakup of the Ottoman Empire. How the huge piece of land, belonging to the Muslims, was split up into different countries. After World War I, and the defeat of Germany, the Ottoman Empire was punished for fighting on the ‘wrong’ side, along with Germany. So boundaries were drawn, man-made boundaries, and the Muslim empire was split into about a fifty countries. Henceforth, each child born in one of these countries was given a different nationality. Afore, each child born under the Ottoman Empire, the Muslim caliphate, was born with the Muslim nationality. Yes, it was an simple as that. If you are a Muslim, born under the Muslim caliphate, then you have the Muslim nationality. In fact, by Islam, if you are a Muslim, born anywhere in the world, you have the Muslim nationality, automatically. Even if a country, like the UK or the USA, claims to give you a foreign nationality, it may get you a dual nationality, but it can never change the fact that, you have the Muslim nationality.
Is this some weird concept of Islam ? Well, the Jews have always had this ideology. After the great diaspora by the Romans in 70 AD, the Jews were scattered all over the world, but they never let go of their identity, their national identity. They always identified themselves as Jews first and then as residents of a country abc. That is why the kings of that times of those countries, were always suspicious of the loyalty of the Jewish people, because they never identified themselves as their nationals. And it makes sense alright. Something as glorious as nationality cannot be defined by a some mere piece of land. Nations and nationality evolve from ideology. And Islam is not just a religion but an ideology. So all Muslims, born and living anywhere in the world, are connected by faith and ideology, and are Muslim nationals, even if they have been duped by the super powers of the time, to think otherwise. Honestly, some Muslims are so proud of their British or American nationality rather than their Muslim nationality. But reason being that, firstly, actually they are ignorant of their true nationality, and secondly, actually there should be no blame upon them. For the Muslims of these times are of such a low quality, that their brand is no longer a brand to be proud of.
So as the Palestine-Israel war has erupted once again in 2023, the Muslims all over the world are in fact very happy that someone has finally retaliated to the decades long occupation, terrorism and war crimes of Israel upon Palestine. Palestine, is one of the two greatest open air prisons of the world, the other being Kashmir. This fact has been acknowledged only too many times, by the media worldwide, but to no effect. Everybody is mum about it, even the Muslim leaders. Even if they speak a few words, there is no further action. Only some worthless declarations in the parliament and some pitiful charity by the people happen. Pakistan, the only nuclear power of the Muslim world, has been called upon many times by the people of Palestine for help, but Pakistan stays ashore. We have been told, its not our problem. You know why ? Countryism.
After World War I, the victorious powers of the times successfully managed to rob the Muslims, not only of their land but also of their ideology and nationality and unity. Yes, united we stand, divided we fall. And that is exactly what happened with the Muslim nation in the 20th century. The Muslim land was cut up and distributed and the juiciest part was given to the Jews to reestablish their homeland which was destructed not by the Muslims, but the Romans, but the Muslims had to pay the price some two thousand years later for no good reason. Why do I say the juiciest ? Is there a river there which used to become a reason for civilizations to emerge and land to fight over in ancient times ? No, neither is Palestine a fertile land nor Arabia. The Muslims have always revered these two places for their spiritual substance and we lament today the destruction of the Muslim caliphate and the following creation of Israel.
One not so fine day, a few days ago, I was just sitting and scrolling through the videos of the current Palestine Flood Operation, when I came upon a documentary of the Creation of Israel. I think I will always remember it as one of the most shocking days of my life. Yes, I already knew that the British had initiated the creation of Israel. But what I never knew was that they had cashed upon the then rise of Arab ‘nationalism’, whence the people of Palestine had wanted ‘freedom’ from the ‘Turkish’ Ottoman Empire. People of Palestine, fought on the side of the British, against the Ottoman Empire, in return of the promise of a free ‘Arab’ Palestinian state. So slyly, the British lead them on, won the war and split Palestine into two states: Palestine and Israel. The Palestinians were shocked at the betrayal but it was too late. The whim of ‘countryism’ had lead the way to the creation of Israel. Can you imagine ? I am not saying that had the Palestinians not supported the British, Israel would not have been created. It would have anyways because they had set their mind upon it. But oh the irony of the situation, when the residents of the city, open the gates of the city, from the inside, for the enemy outside. Alas, countryism !
