Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday

I was watching television as it documented festivities gaining momentum on the approach of twelfth of Rabi-ul-Awwal. Rabi-ul-Awwal, the twelfth, is said to be Prophet Muhammed Pbuh’s birthday.

The news report narrated that there was a bit boost in sales of framed Quranic Verses, Asma-e-Husna and Asma-e-Nabi as Rabi-ul-Awwal proceeded. People believe that adorning their walls with these wall-hangings is a source of blessings in homes.

There is also the belief among a section of the Muslims that reciting Darood Shareef (Salutations) upon the Holy Prophet Pbuh, inspires the Prophet’s presence amongst us. That is, the Prophet SAW himself arrives at the gathering where the Darood Shareef is being recited, although he cannot be seen, and for this reason people stand up to honor his presence. The belief is so resolute that people even position a special chair for him to sit and attend the gathering.

Generally, all this is done in the drawing-room of the house, where generally there are also pictures hanging on the walls for which the very same Prophet SAW said,

‘The angels do not enter a house where there are pictures.’ [Hadith Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, N. 318]

So does Prophet Muhammed Pbuh enter such a house, which the angels abhor and refuse to enter?

And this is the very same drawing room where our girls and boys dance on the dholki nights of our wedding celebrations…

Consider a wedding set for Rabi-ul-Awwal. In the morning we are going to hold a gathering of Milad and Darood Shareef. And we will set that special chair for our Holy Prophet Pbuh to visit us and honor our gathering in honor of him. The evening is scheduled for a dholki. Now what will we do about that special chair? Are we going to remove that chair? No, but we cannot be so rude! We must keep it there in hope of Prophet Muhammed Pbuh extending his visit and staying on to attend our wedding festivities…

Dare we do that?

Are our dholkis and other celebrations of life kosher enough to be attended by our beloved Prophet Pbuh himself, or do we have some events, dresses and CD’s to hide from him?

Do we please Allah and His Prophet Pbuh by our part-time Islamic and part-time anti-Islamic behavior or do we instigate their anger unknowingly?

As human beings, we hate people who are double-faced, who behave in a certain manner in front of us and in a different manner in our absence, while the irony is that Allah, The Almighty is never absent and Prophet Muhammed Pbuh is also said to be reported about his nations’ actions regularly.

While there is this big debate among Muslims whether it is Islamic and reward-earning to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday in itself or not, however, that is not being discussed here. The point of contemplation is this; assuming that it is downright Islamic and reward-earning to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday, what do you think Allah Almighty and His Messenger Pbuh think about us a nation when our youth celebrates the twelfth of Rabi-ul-Awwal, wearing green bandanas inscribed with Kalimah-e-Shahadah, dancing in the streets to Naats recited upon tunes of Indian songs?

Should we celebrate the coming of the Prophet Muhammed Pbuh into this world by a one-day, at-times-notorious, lip-service, or by living day-in and day-out in obedience to his teachings and model character?

Musharraf and Amazing Trade Avenues

I was completely relaxed about Musharraf’s return to Pakistan and Pakistani politics. I felt sure he did not have a future here anymore. In fact, I even felt cynical at times to his quotes regarding returning.

However, to my great shock, I heard a person speaking of some favorable chances for Musharraf in the Pakistani politics even now. I commented, ‘Well it must be by those wayward seculars who would vote for just about anyone as long as s/he keeps the wine flowing and all that goes along with it…’. To my surprise she said ‘No, but it is because of the economic growth that took place in his regime. People are interested in that’.

Dead silence.

I see. Is that so?

Are there people out there who would like to see Musharraf back despite Musharraf’s great crime of selling Pakistan’s sovereignty, constitution and people for an indefinite period of illegal detention in torture cells? He sanctioned surgical strikes within our North-West border. Does replacing with the word ‘surgical’ make it any different from the November 26, 2011 air strike of Mohmand Agency? He sanctioned ground and air logistic support for war against a neighboring Muslim country, Afghanistan. Ironically, this is the same country for which Jihad was declared by the Pakistani authorities when another superpower had encroached upon it. However, this time, anti-Jihad was in progress. However, the most amazing feat of Musharraf was selling Pakistani citizens along with their children, to American beckoning, and even taking booty upon it! He admitted this, perhaps even proudly, in his book ‘In the Line of Fire’. However, what he did not have the guts to admit was that he truly sold Pakistanis and he lies that they were foreigners. Aafia Siddiqui and many others were Pakistanis whom Musharraf declared otherwise. And I completely fail to understand his jubilance upon taking booty upon this sale. When I try to empathize and wear his boots in an effort to understand why he took the decisions which he did, I still fail to understand why he took money to hand over people for torture, be they Pakistanis or non-Pakistanis. I mean I can understand that I may be a soldier of very weak guts and my knees start to knock when the American foreign minister calls me and says ‘Either you are with us or against us’. And I, in my extreme hurry to ward off any potential danger, I even forget to consult the parliament or senate or even my group of core commanders of the country, and say ‘Yes SIR’, even then why would I take booty upon it? I can imagine myself hiding in a corner and weeping miserably that I did not have the guts to stand up to a foreign, bullish threat and I succumbed to violating the country’s sovereignty, constitution and public security, but, why would I take booty upon it?

One takes booty only upon something one considers absolutely rightful, even dutiful, and one does it with glee. I try to imagine the day Musharraf sanctioned picking up Aafia Siddiqui and her children. Did he manage to sleep that night? Perhaps not, because the payment shipment had not arrived yet…

All those who are pro-Musharraf even now, because of the economic growth during his regime, should immediately make a list of their assets which they can invest in business ventures with Musharraf when he arrives. The list begins; your wife, your children, your brothers and sisters, perhaps even your parents…

All you need is a stone heart and President Musharraf.

In view of your announcement to arrive here in Pakistan to participate back in politics, a most unwelcome to you, Pervaiz Musharraf.