Children of a Lesser God

“Mankind is the family of God, and Allah loves him who treats His family good” [Hadith]

Note, this is a figurative Hadith and thereby I have made a figurative title. It does not mean that God has a spouse, siblings, or children.

She ran out of the house with a beating heart; a heart beating with premonition, beating with fear, beating with denial. Her child’s school had been attacked by terrorists. Was her son safe? She could not put the question to herself in any other way.

As the city of Peshawar witnessed a mad rush of parents, people and police towards the Army Public School, hearts sank, cries arose and the stench of blood and smoke filled the skies. There were wails. There were woes. There were cries. Had the Last Hour arrived?

There are no words to describe the horror of children under attack. There are no words to describe the trauma of the parents whose child has possibly been killed. There are no words to describe the tragedy of carrying out dead bodies of children. Some would have wished … lo the Last Hour had truly arrived, so that they would not have to face the reality of their dead children.

The atmosphere was electrified with shock, grief and a mad quest for revenge. Sadly, the revenge does nothing to avenge the grief but is the only natural way out for piqued anger. And a deterrent message for potential future culprits.

Messages of condolence started to arrive from all over the world to Pakistan, but the public of Pakistan did not want condolences. The public of Pakistan was brimming with an unmasked and unleashed desire for retribution. The attackers were already dead. Who to punish?

The organizations to which these terrorists belonged? Their leaders? Their other members already in the police custody as culprits? This seemed a good starting point. Hence, Pakistan started executing the death penalty on death-warranted criminals three days after the Peshawar School Massacre.

It was the first-aid upon the wounds of wounded parents and a wounded nation. However, suddenly, the international community arose to the defence and rights of terrorists. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, human rights organization Amnesty International and super power America spoke that the death penalty is against human rights!

America? Where itself the death penalty is carried out via gunshot, poisonous injection, electrocution and what not? America? Who hanged the Iraqi President Saddam Hussain on the morning of the Eid Festival of the Muslims? America? Who raced across half of the planet Earth on their jets and carpet bombed civilians, women and children of Afghanistan in their quest for Osama bin Laden after 9/11? America can award the death penalty to the entire nation of Afghanistan but the death penalty against individual terrorists of Pakistan is against human rights? And Israel can award the death penalty to all the Palestinians put together but the death penalty against individual terrorists of Pakistan is against human rights? And the witnessing world can award the death penalty to the helpless Bosnians but the death penalty against individual terrorists of Pakistan is against human rights?  

It is not so, but because of the fact that we are children of a lesser god.

We are the third-world countries. I have read so in academics since childhood. But I always thought it meant in the economic and developmental sense. I did not know that human rights also have categories. It now seems that there are separate human rights for first-world countries and separate human rights for third-world countries.

But! Bangladesh is also a third-world country. They have recently hanged members of Jamat-e-Islami for their loyalty to Pakistan during the separatist war of 1971 between the then West Pakistan and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Why they were not condemned?

Hmmm, it seems that the differentiation factor is else. It is not the economy or the geography or the ethnicity but it is religion. That is why secular Bangladesh was given amnesty for hanging human beings while Pakistan is being condemned.

Ironically, Pakistan itself has doled out the same kind of injustice to its own people. As America went into a mad rage after 9/11, whence five thousand of its citizens were killed and its twin symbols of economy were brought down, it bullyed Pakistan into forming an alliance with America in its war-of-terror. As a result, fifty thousand plus of our people have died and our economy has depleted. Do you get the mathematics? More than ten times of our people have died to avenge the death of five thousand Americans and in response to their symbols of economy, our entire economy has fallen.  

Who agreed to this mathematics? The government and policy-makers of Pakistan.

Sadly, instead of seeing light somewhere along the tunnel, we are adamantly floundering on with the blindfold of dollars on our eyes.

Since 9/11, we have sold our people to America. We started military operation in the North-West of Pakistan on the demand of America. We allowed America to hit drones within Pakistan. This is not the first time school children have been hit within Pakistan. Much before the ‘Taliban’ started hitting schools, the American drone hit a school in the North-West of Pakistan massacring eighty sleepy children at the break of dawn. And we did nothing in self-defence.

As the world bears down on us, pressurizing us not to punish our terrorists, they treat us like children of a lesser god. And as we bear down upon our own people; selling, expelling and killing them at the wand of America, we treat them like children of a lesser god who do not have the right to say ‘Ouch’.

I end by quoting two quotations.

First, for America,

“I tremble for my country when I reflect God is just; His justice cannot sleep forever.”

- Thomas Jefferson, American Founding Father

Last, for Pakistan,

“In the end, we will remember, not the actions of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Azadi March

August 19, 2014: It was a sensational night. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar gave a press conference on the eve of the grand Azadi March that a march into the Red Zone of Islamabad was a misadventure, was breaking the law and would be blocked by all means possible. While the marchers of the Azadi and Inqilaab March were standing ready in their respective pavilions at the Kashmir Highway and Khayaban-e-Suharwardy to march forth.  

The two crowds of marchers was so charged with energy, excitement and defiance that I could feel the charge all the way from the outskirts of the Red Zone into my TV room many sectors away. Just before the March, as Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri spoke to their respective crowds, the crowds listened in pin drop silence but their bodies were vibrating with the charge of their emotions. They were ready to do or die.

I had really wanted to go to the Azadi March. I had listened to Imran Khan the night before, giving his prep talk ahead of the grand March Day. He had been calling out to all factions of the society to join him the next day for the great Azadi March. He called out to the professionals, the students, the teachers, the doctors, the businessmen, the farmers, the civil servants, the ladies and to celebrities. ‘Where are you Junaid Jamshed?’ ‘Where are you Shahid Afridi?’ ‘Where are you Shahzad Roy…?’

As the speech ended, I rushed downstairs to call my husband in Lahore and beg him to please come and join the Azadi March, only to find my mobile buzzing with my husband’s incoming call. ‘Asalamo Alykum, yes?’ ‘I am on my way to join the Azadi March…’ ‘Yuhuuu!’ I danced around in uncontrolled excitement.

As my husband reached Islamabad by early morning and we followed the news to understand the changing dynamics and risks of the Azadi March, we became a little apprehensive. It seemed that the government would resist the March by brute force as it had now called in Army’s 111 Brigade. A friend whose husband was in the CDA informed that the Islamabad administration was stocking up ammunition. A news strip started running on the television screen that PIMS and Polyclinic, the two government hospitals, had been instructed to standby ready for emergency with two hundred beds ready each. Was the government moving in for the kill?

My husband and I looked at each other. We contemplated. There was no question about not joining the Azadi March, for this was not a political entertainment but our very own fight for our very own future. But, should both of us go or one of us should stay behind for the children? Al’Hamdo lillah, neither my husband nor me is afraid of death, but like all parents, we do not want to leave behind our children as orphans. So we decided that my husband will go and I will stay behind, as is the battalion formation in Islam, that is, men risk their lives before women do for the sake of children.

As things seemed pretty serious, my husband handed me over all his Debit cards, ATM cards, cheque books, car keys and important phone numbers. He set out his Azadi March backpack, complete with a defence scarf, water bottle and a torch. The March was scheduled for 6 pm but my husband and his friends left at 3 pm as the rumor was that the government was closing up roads and there was no way we were going to miss the Azadi March. They left amidst prayers.

I felt great remorse that I could not go, so I kept myself busy by following the news. As the evening set on, the excitement built up and I watched the swarming heads on television with great envy. I also watched Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar’s press conference with great distaste. He narrated unending ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ of the Azadi and Inqilaab March and gave a sermon about ‘respecting law’. Ha ha ha … ya sure sir! It is only unto the public to respect and obey law while the government is free to do as it pleases. The government can kill innocent civilians at Saneha Model Town, Lahore, and not blink an eye. The government ministers can impose inhuman taxes on the public while their sons can enjoy helicopter rides to the weekly Sasta bazaar to keep an eye on the prices of consumer goods?! The government officials are allowed to skip paying taxes but frown with all their wrinkled ferocity when Imran Khan gives the call of Civil Disobedience in protest of an alarming inflation, inhuman human rights and planned rigged elections.

Some people disagree with all these allegations and tut-tut at Imran Khan’s call for Civil Disobedience and consider him just another ‘show-biz’ politician. They laugh at our following of Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri and other such revolutionary leaders and consider us idiots as we risk our lives for their Marches.

Let me tell you one thing. As Muslims, we are only and only focused upon the call of Allah Almighty, His Prophet Pbuh, His religion and any person who calls to the way of Allah Almighty. We are living in times when the coming of Dajjal is just round the corner. Hadith also warns us that before the coming of the actual Dajjal, there would be numerous forerunners to Dajjal, who will appear and set the stage for his arrival and people’s acceptance of him. They will control resources, control people and control minds. They will be small impersonations of the real Dajjal. They will play God and make people their slaves.

As is Nature’s Law, every force has an equal and opposite reaction. If there would be forerunners to Dajjal, so would there be forerunners to Imam Mehdi. Who are they? What will they do? What will be their role? They will warn and condition the Muslims of the times to prepare and resist and practice fighting the Dajjalic forces. They will oppose human slavery to other humans and preach,

‘Only Thee we worship and only Thee we ask for help…’ [The Holy Quran, (1) Surah Al-Fateha, Verse 5]

I hear this to be Imran Khan’s motto and line of action. As he inspires us to say no to the dynasty rule, and as he dares to say no to America, so shall we absorb the faith and develop the bravery to say no to Dajjal as God.

I truly believe that bold and brave and pro-Islam leaders like Imran Khan are forerunners to Imam Mehdi, preparing us for the coming of Imam Mehdi and the action to be taken at that time.

It will not happen so that as is the state of Muslims in general today, that we would be living neck deep in fun and frolic and air-conditioned luxury, and suddenly when the appearance of Imam Mehdi is announced, we will develop the stamina to face, fight and march to war against Dajjal all the way from Khurasan to Hijaz to join Imam Mehdi.

So when we join Imran Khan’s blockade protest on the NATO supply-line en route Peshawar and when we join Imran Khan’s anti-Drone March to Waziristan and when we join Imran Khan’s historic Azadi March to Azadi Square, we are not simply being the Captain’s cricket fans but there is a serious ideology behind it.

The Marches are preparing us for the ultimate March to Makkah one day to join Imam Mehdi and fight against Dajjal. The Marches are putting us in practice for the ultimate March to Jerusalem one day to join the reappearance of Prophet Isa AS and fight against Dajjal. This was not just a stand-alone Azadi March for us. The Azadi March is part of the greater Azadi March of the future for the freedom of Muslims from Dajjal and all Dajjalic chains around us today ...

Toy Nukes

The year was 1998. A man was sitting in a restaurant in a city in Saudi Arabia. A bunch of people was crowded around the public television in that restaurant’s lounge. The crowd was watching the television and excitedly talking to each other. The crowd also kept pointing at the man sitting at the restaurant table. Soon, the crowd could no longer hold its excitement and swarmed around the sitting man. The man himself was absolutely clueless as to the reason of him being a near celebrity.

One amongst the crowd spoke out, ‘You are a Pakistani, right?’

‘Yes,’ said the sitting man, baffled, as to why him being a Pakistani would earn him any respect, even in Saudi Arabia. Yet, the crowd burst into a wave of applaud and handshaking with the Pakistani guy.

‘Well done, well done!’ cried the innocent crowd to the Pakistani guy, ‘we are a nuclear power now, and it is Pakistan who has done it!’

This was not just the feeling of this particular bunch of people but the grateful and hopeful feelings across the Muslim world. They thought that finally someone from amongst themselves had made a great achievement and advancement of becoming a nuclear power and this someone will now protect them all from the world political mafia. This was especially the aspirations of the enslaved Muslim states, the foremost amongst them being Palestine.  

“Let not the unbelievers think that they have won the game; surely they can never frustrate the believers. Muster against them all the military strength and cavalry that you can afford so that you may strike terror into the hearts of the enemy of Allah and yourself, and others besides them who are unknown to you but known to Allah. Remember that whatever you will spend in the cause of Allah, shall be paid back to you in full and you shall not be treated unjustly.” [The Holy Quran, (8) Surah Anfal, Verse 59, 60]

“O believers! Be patient, excel in patience during confrontation, hold yourselves ready for battle and have fear of Allah so that you may succeed.” [The Holy Quran, (3) Surah Al-Imran, Verse 200]

This is the prime purpose of acquiring weapon and military expertise in Islam; to form such a formidable defence and offence line that no one dares to attack you or create mischief in the land and thus hence peace is achieved.

Pakistan became a nuclear power working from within its meager resources, thanks to Allah Almighty. It could have multiplied its military strength manifold with economic cooperation and support from the oil-rich Arab states. In return or in brotherhood, Pakistan should have extended its military expertise to the entire Muslim nation, and not just a part of it, called Pakistan.

Alas! Nothing of the sort happened. In the end, it all boiled down to ‘coulds’ and ‘shoulds’.

We claimed, in 1998, after making the nuclear blasts that, ‘Pakistan has now become unbeatable…!’

Like the Battle of Hunain of fourteen hundred years ago, boasting and pride upon material strength came to a fall. Allah Almighty Himself excruciates the Muslims to acquire material and military strength, yet does not teach them to rely upon it, but to recognize at all times that the real source of victory, in fact, is Allah Almighty Himself!

Consequently, our declaration of being unbeatable in 1998 came to a shameful fall only three years later, when Musharraf went down on his knees in front of a bully phone call that came from America in 2001.

Crashing down came the dreams of the Muslims worldwide! Had any Palestinian hoped for Pakistan to come forward for its defence against Israel? Had any Kashmiri hoped for Pakistan to come forward for its defence against India? Had any Iraqi hoped for Pakistan to come forward for its defence against America? Had any Afghani…

I cannot write anymore. For my fingers feel ashamed of what it is writing. How could any Afghani hope for Pakistan to come forward for its defence against America? We, the Pakistanis, have our very own selves, given logistic and military support to America to wage war against Afghanistan!

Gone are the golden times when Pak Army lead the Afghan Jihad. Gone are the golden times when the Pak Navy smuggled small arms into Bosnia. Gone are the golden times when Pak Airforce secretly flew fighter-jets against the Israelis in 1967. Our leadership, both civil and military, have as if, totally lost the sense and essence of being a Muslim.

Today, we are mindlessly celebrating Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a totally useless misadventure. I agree that angry Muslim activists from all over the world should not vent out their anger upon the Pakistani leadership by plotting reactionary attacks within Pakistan. It will only weaken the nation further. However, how many years does our leadership need to realize that our participation in the war-of-terror was the triggering point, a fatal mistake and a grotesque sin?

‘He who picks up weapon against us (Muslims) is not from amongst us (any more)’ [Hadith of Bukhari, Muslim]

Or has it become an ego problem now? We will not admit our mistake because how can we admit our mistake?

Pakistan can literally pop out of its terrorism problem if it announces its disassociation with America’s war-of-terror today. There would be no need of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. There would be no need of putting our soldiers’ lives in danger. There would be no need of incurring Divine Wrath by killing Mujahideen. There would be no need of spending millions on internal security. There would be no need of blocking almost every T-junction of Islamabad.

As for the nuclear weapons which Pakistan was so proud of, I am quite sure now that they were actually toy weapons. They are not real. So let the whole world relax. Yes, there is no danger of nuclear weapons getting into the wrong hands via Pakistan at all. For Pakistan does not have any real nuclear weapons. I assure you, they are only toy weapons. The Chaghi blast has simply fireworks for us Pakistani children. No nuclear heat behind it. Surely.

So let us display our toy nukes for the whole world to clap and whistle upon. Let us invite Arabs to put our toy nukes on the tip of their swords and dance with them. They are good at it. In fact, that is all that they are good at. Have no fear. Even if they lose the balance and drop a nuke, it will not blast, for it is only a toy nuke.

We Muslims, because of our miserably weak character, have become a joke in the world today. So let us accept it and try to be of some productivity in that sphere. Let us wear a red and yellow polka dotted outfit and juggle our toy nukes up in the air. Let the whole world clap and cheer and laugh at us.

Can you hear it? They are clapping, cheering and whistling at our mutilated men, raped women and dead children already. Let us juggle our toy nukes for them as well. Let us ‘do more’ for them.

“And for what reason do you not fight in the cause of Allah, to rescue the helpless oppressed old men, women, and children who are crying: ‘Our Rabb! Deliver us from this town whose people are oppressors. Send us a protector by Your Grace and send us a helper from Your Presence?’” [The Holy Quran, (4) Surah An-Nisaa, Verse 75]

Standing at Her Grave

She stood at her grave. Soft, yellow sunrays were shining down upon the graveyard. A light breeze was fluttering the leaves and plantings planted upon the graves. It was picturesque. Who was she? Who was the person laying in the grave? What relation were they to each other? In the worldly terms, none.

Fifteen years ago, this young lady standing at the grave had been a young girl madly in love. She had had the same sweet dreams that most of us have in our teens. She had adored a face she thought was the most handsome face on the face of this Earth. She had to steady her heartbeat if she thought she had heard his footsteps at her doorstep. She loved to see him but could not face him because she felt shy. One beautiful day, he had told her that he loved her too. He also told her that one day soon, they will marry each other. Could life be more beautiful?

She looked forward to the wonderful day that she will get married to him. She stitched dreams. She knitted hopes. She packed aspirations. She looked around at the beautiful world and wondered why people were ever sad. She looked up at the sky so blue and looked around at the trees so green and thanked Allah Almighty for a heart so warm and full of happy feelings.

The phone rang and she rushed to pick it up.

‘Yes, its me here. Umm…er…I wanted to tell you that…umm…er…we will not marry each other. My mother is not allowing me. She wants me to marry someone else…’ Click!

I am sure you have watched enough dramas and films to imagine what the girl went through next. She staggered. She cried. She screamed. She wallowed. She begged. But it was all no use at all. He had now become the ‘good, obedient son’, obedient to his mother only. Upon his mother’s command, he had packed up all his feelings for this girl and gifted them to someone else.

He married that someone else and eventually she also got married to someone else. Time flew by.

Fifteen years later, the girl’s mother died. She had gone to pray at her mother’s grave when someone told her that his mother had also died and she laid there just a few rows away from her mother’s grave. After praying at her own mother’s grave, she turned gracefully and walked to his mother’s grave. The would-have-been mother-in-law…

She raised her hands and prayed for her. What was she praying for her today? What feelings did she have for her today? It is true that a long time had passed but some wounds never stop hurting, no matter how old they are. I sincerely hope that this lady’s wound is not one of them.

Alas! Mothers…

Life is short. It was only a matter of fifteen years. You satisfied your soul by hurting another soul. I hope your soul is at peace now ...

Political Stars

I am a great fan of Imran Khan, not because of his cricket but because of his strength of character, bravery and ideology of Islam. After Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, he has shown the greatest guts so far in the political scenario of Pakistan. I salute him for just being there for us.

I voted for PTI in the elections of 2013. My vote happened to be registered in Lahore, and I actually made the effort of travelling from Islamabad to Lahore to cast my vote, without any persuasion from any political agent and at my own expense. I was not the only one to do so. When I reached Lahore, I met other relatives who had also travelled to Lahore, just to cast their vote. Again, it was without any persuasion from any political agent and at their own expense. We just so much wanted PTI to win.

When I reached my polling station, I looked around at the party camps and their banners. I saw the name of Shafqat Mahmood of PTI and I saw the name of Liaqat Baloch of JI. And I fell in a dilemma. Who should I vote for? They are both good persons…My dilemma lasted me a good two hours, till the very last second that I finally put my vote into the ballot box and the choice closed.

Then, I liked the way Nawaz Shareef, at the eve of his election victory, spoke words of forbearance and forgiveness for Imran Khan and his political slandering aimed at Nawaz Shareef himself. I really respect Nawaz Shareef for his high morality in this regard and do not like the way Imran Khan engaged in a political defaming bickering against Nawaz Shareef. Whosoever suggested it to Imran Khan gave a disgusting suggestion and I am surprised at Imran Khan for getting involved in it given his tall moral stature.

Nawaz Shareef also suspended his election campaign for the day when Imran Khan fell from the makeshift elevator during his election campaign, three days before the big day of election. This is not the first time Nawaz Shareef has shown such morals and compassion. At the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Shareef announced to boycott the elections as a protest, but Asif Ali Zardari convinced him to go ahead since PPP was not backing down from elections despite the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

But the best of Nawaz Shareef has come just now. He has been doing his best to avoid a military operation against the Taliban in North-West Waziristan. When matters were not progressing forward, he suddenly reached Bani Gala, the home of Imran Khan, without any political protocol, to consult and discuss with Imran Khan as to how to move forward towards peace with Taliban. Well done, Nawaz Shareef!

And a question comes to my mind…why do we need to have political ‘parties’? Why cannot we simply have political personnel? As the personnel win one-by-one during elections, they form the ruling formation without any association with any political party. With political parties, we get stuck voting for the whole mixed lot within a party. Who to vote for? The leader at the top or choose between the candidates of the constituency? And we are bound to reject good candidates sitting in other political parties while voting for our favorite leader. In the current democratic system, we cannot pick and choose the best of the political lot.

Well, what do I do if I want to see Imran Khan as the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Nawaz Shareef as the President and Munawwar Hassan as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and so on?

Perhaps this is one more reason that Khilafah is better than Democracy, for Khilafah is person-oriented, rather than party-oriented. I wish that PTI, JI and PML-N collaborate with each other to come as close to the Khilafah model of political ruling as possible, at this point in time, in order to bring the political stars of Pakistan as close as possible and working together on the ruling political horizon of Pakistan.

Twin Education

Much as I honor and revere the sacrifices that an Arab prince, Osama bin Laden, made for the defence of Muslims worldwide, a question rises to my mind. This Arab prince was not a prince by legacy but by the riches of his father and magnificent were the riches. Osama bin Ladin was born with a golden spoon and he could have continued to eat scrumptious dinners, play water sports and recline on silk sheets. Instead, he felt the pain of the Muslim nation as his own pain and chose to wage a holy war against the oppression of Muslims. To achieve this, he lived in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, in the harsh cold and with scarce food on the table. He sacrificed his personal life, an easy life and even compromised the education of his own children. Osama bin Laden is accused of being the mastermind behind the 9/11 attack at the Twin Towers of America. I do not know if it is true or not, but for the sake of argument, let us assume that it is true. Then, what happened?

Ten years after 9/11, America reconstructed more towers next to the fallen twin towers of America. Also, ten years after 9/11, Osama bin Laden was supposedly killed by the Americans. And during these ten years, three Muslim countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, have been ravaged by the so-called war-on-terror and literally thousands of Muslims have been persecuted, tortured, gone missing and are either dead or are languishing in notorious secret prisons, simply based on suspicion. 

The question that rises to my mind is this; what did the Muslims achieve by attacking the twin towers of America then? America has the power and resources to construct more towers. And America also had the power to hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden. So what was the use of all those sacrifices and struggles made by Osama bin Laden, his family and comrades? Where is the victory?

Some say that the victory lies in the political and spiritual awakening of the Muslims worldwide by a blast as loud as that of the fall of the twin towers. Yes, it is true that many mentally sleeping Muslims woke up shaken-up by the loud protest. However, living in the material world, where success or failure is judged in the material terms, where is the material victory?

On the other side, we see America. America is all powerful in resources and technology. America is the sole super power of the 21^st century, so far. When 9/11 occurred, America came fast racing to Afghanistan fully equipped with troops, tanks, jets and what not, within a month of the attack. They faced an enemy that was so low in resources and capability that they said, ‘We are happy to have Americans on our soil, because it is an enemy we have to fight. Since we do not have the means to reach their soil, the alternative is that they should come to our soil so that we can fight them…’ How is that?!

America fought vigorously for ten years. America did not fight alone but with a coalition of twenty-seven countries of the world under the flagship of NATO. America also cajoled Pakistan, former comrade of Taliban, to fight against its own friend, the Taliban, across the border. Yet, ten years down the line, America lost the war against Taliban. Then, the super power America sought negotiations with the handful Taliban. Tired of war and exhausted in economy, America has also announced a retreat from Afghanistan. At the same time, realizing the evergreen existence of Taliban in the region, America seeks a security pact with the Afghan government which would allow them to keep reinstated about ten thousand American troops in Afghanistan even after America leaves Afghanistan. So where is the victory? What has all the power, resources and technology boiled down to? A lasting defeat?

Who has won this war? In my opinion, no one.

As I step back and take a panoramic view of the two groups, I see each group hanging on to one of the two vital ingredients of life. America and its likeminded people believe in worldly education, material strength and manmade technology. They believe in these ingredients to be the recipe of sure success in life. While the Taliban? I do not know any Taliban family personally but I can judge the orientation of the Taliban families from the orientation of the conventional religious families in Pakistan, especially those studying in the religious seminaries, the madrassahs. They do not have much regard for worldly education, material strength or manmade technology. They are more inclined towards believing in the power of religion, fighting on the right side and supplications to Allah Almighty.

With much respect, I would like to bring to their attention the virtues of worldly education, material resources and manmade technology as stated by Allah Almighty Himself. Firstly, the very first holy verses of Islam were about learning. Secondly, Islam has made the seat of knowledge compulsory for every Muslim man and woman. Where does Islam differentiate between religious knowledge and worldly knowledge? Thirdly, the angels bowed down to Prophet Adam AS for his ability to learn and reproduce. Did Prophet Adam AS recite a religious sermon at that time or identify worldly objects? Hmm? Read out the episode in Surah Al-Baqarah once again with translation and answer yourself. Fourthly, this world has been created by Allah Almighty and learning about His world is neither unIslamic, nor unnecessary. Fifthly, we staunchly believe in the recitation of Surah Al-Kahf, as having the power to protect us against the evil spread of Dajjal. Many of us also believe that America and its allies are forerunners of Dajjal. So will we keep reciting Surah Al-Kahf like a jantar mantar (muttering of a wizard) or would we care to understand its meaning and work on that?

“They requested: ‘O Zul-Qarnain! People of Gog and Magog ravage this land; should we pay you tribute in order for you to build a wall-barrier between us and them?’ Zul-Qarnain said: ‘That which my Rabb has granted me is more than enough, just help me with worker-force and I will erect a fortified barrier between you and them. Bring me panels of iron.’ Finally when he had dammed up the space between the two mountains, he said: ‘Ply your bellows.’ They did so until the iron wall became red hot, then he said: ‘Bring me some molten brass to pour over it.’ This became such a barrier that Gog and Magog could not scale it or dig through it. He said: ‘This is a blessing from my Rabb. But you should know that when the promise of my Rabb shall come to pass, He will level it to the ground, for the promise of my Rabb is ever true.’” [The Holy Quran, Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 94-98]

Indeed America ravages our lands. Indeed we need a worldly defence against it. And indeed worldly defence begins with worldly education, makes use of material resources, and finally comes forth as ‘manmade’ technology.

You know I feel really, really, really ashamed when our fighters say Allah’o Akbar and brandish a Russian-made Kalashnikov in the air! And our pilots say Allah’o Akbar and fly F-16s humiliatingly bought secondhand from America! And our militant speakers say Allah’o Akbar and videotape and broadcast a feat while condemning the invention of videos otherwise…

While worldly strength, without the consent of Allah Almighty, is sure to crumble, as spoken by Zul-Qarnain in the Holy Quran, as happened to the Muslims in the Battle of Hunain and as has happened with America in Afghanistan today.

To achieve a lasting success, yes we must begin with Allah Almighty’s name and we must end with Allah Almighty’s name, but we have to fill in the blanks with acquiring worldly education, digging out material resources and producing technology. Faith, without the support of worldly strength, will remain just wishes and woes and the continued onslaught of the one who has the bigger gun. We want the Battle of Badr every time. Excuse me, but even in the Battle of Badr, Prophet Muhammed Pbuh mustered all the worldly strength that he could. He did not come to the battleground looking towards the skies for angels.

I am certainly not negating the importance of Jihad here. It is a must, for national security. Even the non-Muslims believe in it, else why would they keep police, security personnel and armed forces for their countries? They do, but they have kept different names for it.

However, Jihad is not much effective when pursued with outdated technology, lack of resources and an empty economy.

Whosoever hit the Twin Towers, if it were the Muslims, I feel that they should aim for, not the Twin Towers, but for Twin Education for the Muslims.

Us Pure Muslims

You should see the reprimand, or anger, or horror on our faces if somebody touches the Holy Quran without Wuzu (Ablution). The reason is simple.

“That this is indeed a Glorious Qur'an, inscribed in a well-guarded Book, which none can touch except the purified…”

[The Holy Quran, (56) Surah Al-Waqiah, Verses 77-79]

Although there are two interpretations as to the meaning of this particular Holy verse, nonetheless it is a widely accepted endorsement of religion by Fiqh (interpretation of religion) that the Holy Quran shall not be touched without Wuzu, that is, in a complete state of purity of hands and body of a person.

So do many other rituals of our religion make cleanliness a pre-requisite for their performance, including Salah (Prayers), Fasting and Hajj (Pilgrimage). Not only do these things inculcate in us the concept of cleanliness, but also punctuality and discipline. However, rest assured that just like the fact that today Muslims are Muslims only by names and not by character, similarly, and widely speaking, you will not find cleanliness in our persons or homes or cities, but only in our scriptures and words.

You must have heard this widely quoted quote about Islam, ‘Islam is not just a religion, that is, a set of rituals, but it is a complete way and code of life’. Very true! This can be intricately judged from the fact that our Holy Prophet Pbuh even taught us how to use the washroom. It was ridiculed by a Jew in those times and then vehemently defended by Syedna Saman Farsi RA in response.

Surely the qualities of cleanliness, punctuality, discipline and so on, were supposed to flow out from the rituals of religion into our natural disposition and daily lives. Yet, it has not happened so. I do not know what the problem is. Do we Muslims have a very low IQ? Are we slow learners? Are we dumb wits? Cannot we connect theory to practical situations? What is the problem with us? I shall narrate to you a few episodes that I have witnessed in my life and perhaps then you shall understand my antagonism.

I went to a friend’s place. Her two-year-old was sleeping. She had to make him ready to go to a party. She checked him at his private parts. Oops, he had done the pee. That’s okay. But what happened further was certainly not okay. She had checked him at his private parts with her hands. He had been wet. Yet, without washing her hands first, she opened the wardrobe and took out fresh clothes and a diaper. With the same hands she woke her toddler, undressed him, changed his diaper without washing him, dressed him up, applied lotion and powder to him, brushed his hair, dumped the soiled clothes, and then washed her hands…?! I was totally taken aback. Like a fish, I opened my mouth and closed my mouth and opened my mouth and closed my mouth. What should I say to her? What was the point of washing urine-soiled hands afterwards? What about the wardrobe she had touched, and the fresh clothes, and the hairbrush, and just about everything else? She was a university graduate. What could I say to an educated person about the very basic cleaning and hygiene?

I was once attending the graduating ceremony at a Madrassah. It was an open air ceremony. The graduating girls were floor-seated in a spacious marble lounge. The guests were sitting on three sides of the lounge on chairs lined-up. The stage was on the fourth and front side. Lunchtime came and the crowd dispersed from their seating arrangement for Wuzu, Salah and lunch. Sometime later, I happened to be standing at the stage. I happened to notice a woman, with an infant in her arms, stand up in a flurry. She had been sitting having lunch in the middle of the lounge where the graduating girls had been sitting earlier and were to return after lunch break. And her child had done the poo! She quickly pulled off his pajamas and swooped the poo with it. She tried to clean it with two-three twists of the pajamas, while her child was hanging off her arm, dripping. With that messy effort, she made a hurried retreat to God knows where. Obviously the spot had to be cleaned off the traces of poo properly. And it had to be cleaned with soap and water as well. But before I could inform anyone from the administration, the announcement for ‘Lunchtime Over’ was made on the loudspeaker and in seconds the place was swarming with people. With helplessness and disgust I watched as the white-uniform clad graduating girls filed into the lounge, with Hadith Books in their hands, and sat on the lounge floor once again, including the spot messed up with poo. Ugh! So much for the sanctity of Hadith Books! Do you know that in Madrassah, they practice honoring Holy Books to the extent that they do not make their backs towards them, and the classroom seating arrangement is also made accordingly. Students do not sit in simple rows but each row sits in alternate directions, so that the students sit front to front and back to back and nobody’s back is towards the Holy Quran or Holy Hadith. I presume that cleanliness and tidiness is also part of respect? That woman was a villager, but even villagers claim respect and sanctity for Holy Scriptures. In some regions, they consider themselves more puritans than the city folks in this regard. So what about cleanliness for Holy Scriptures and their surroundings? I wonder why that woman had not bothered to put a diaper on her child, in a public gathering at least. Maybe she could not afford it or maybe she thought that it is the invention of the Kafir (non-Muslim) and hence not to used, especially within the sanctity of the Madrassah and the Holy Scriptures.

A nurse was taking care of an elderly patient. The patient was bedridden and on adult diapers. The patient’s attendant suddenly noticed that the patient’s clothing was wet. She informed the nurse that the diaper had leaked and they had to wash her. The nurse came up huffing, checked the clothing for wetness to make sure and then sturdily opened the door with the same hands. Since she was a nurse, the attendant dared to ask, ‘Why have you touched the door-handle with urine-soiled hands?’ She got a reply that I will never forget for the rest of my life. She said, ‘What’s the big deal? Is the door supposed to say Salah?’

Can you imagine our lack of understanding? Can you imagine our mindset? Can you imagine our…no words…

I have an idea. Let’s pee and poo all over the place, except for the mosque, jae-namaz (prayer mat) and the Holy Scriptures, because that is the sum total of what I have understood from people’s comments and practices. You think I am being disgustingly funny and superfluously exaggerating? Well what do you think about the normalcy of men peeing on the roadsides of Islamabad, when they have homes, restaurants and public washrooms in easy access? How is a person supposed to walk down a roadside without being sure that our clothing will not be brushing against plantings sprayed with urine?

Oh but I forgot, we are supposed to be clean and pure, only and solely and specifically only when saying Salah or reciting the Holy Quran. Other than those times, we may as well be dancing in filth.

Okay, then imagine two children running along to their Quran class in the neighborhood. Children run and play and frolic as they go along. Children sometimes bump or fall and sometimes their books and bags fall too. How will you make sure that the bushy sides of the street are clean for the children to walk along their way to the Quran class? How will you make sure that their clothing is free of any filth while they recite the Quran? How will you make sure that filthy hands are not touching the Holy Quran?

For the living style of us Muslims that I have observed is such that, when we are to recite the Holy Quran, we will ceremoniously do Wuzu, making our hands and person pure of any dirt and filth. Then we will open doors which perhaps have been touched by urine-soiled hands. Then we will adorn a topee (cap) or dupatta (veil) which has perhaps been touched by urine-soiled hands. Then we will sit on a carpet spot which has perhaps directly been soiled by urine itself. Because I have even seen that if a child wets a carpet spot, some people do not clean it and simply let it dry in the sun or otherwise, and they religiously quote, ‘Floors become clean upon drying’. Little do they understand that a carpet is not a floor and little do they know that this Fiqh statement is specifically for unmade, mud floors, which have not been bricked, cemented or marbled, because in mud floors, the water-content seeps into the land and the germs on top eventually get killed by sunshine and the germicides in the land itself.

What I am trying to say is that our thoughtlessness, lack of religious-civil education, half-information, irresponsible living style and handling of cleaning situations is so messed up that it makes it almost impossible for one to be sure of purity at any given time and place, for any person…even those who are conscious…because humans do not live in isolation but collectively.

Halo! I am a Muslim and I have just done Wuzu. Can you see the halo around my head and the halo around my hands and the halo around my feet and the halo around my whole person? Forget the trash that you see in my surroundings. Forget the not-visible filth that I have been spreading around in the narrations above. Just focus on my Wuzu and congratulate me for being a ‘pure’ Muslim and let me touch my Holy Quran free of any guilt, but in factuality with impure hands.