The Sorrow of Joyland

The movie Joyland was obviously intended to bring joy to the society. I do not suspect the intentions of its producers but I am certainly amazed at its directors, script writers and acting team. Sometimes it so happens that an idea is floated in a group of people, and the nobility of the idea catches flame immediately. I can imagine a get-together of artists and suddenly someone floated the idea of producing a movie to elevate the status of intersex born in our society. Obviously it’s a fantastic idea ! I would have hailed the idea too.

Wait ! Did I just say, intersex ? Or did I mean to say, transgender ? No, I intentionally said, intersex, because its been just a few months that I have been cyber educated by the blessed speakers of the YouthClub who elaborated that whom we have been naming transgender for so long are actually intersex folks. Intersex, are people who have a default sex by birth, having both sexes together or none. Whereas transgenders are those who are born fine biologically but suffer from some hormonal and/or psychological problems due to which a man wants to become a woman or a woman wants to become a man. Question is, was the introduction of the word ‘transgender’ instead of the word ‘intersex’ in the Eastern society, a linguistic mistake or an intentional pun ?

The intersex folks are the truly marginalized people of our society and their issues need attention on an emergency basis. We, the Eastern society, have been truly criminal for ignoring them for the longest of times. As a child I remember seeing them doing the catwalk at traffic signals, dancing at weddings, clapping their hands horrendously and having laughter and money thrown at them. Disgrace … upon us !

Now just as I was about to appreciate the West for their sensitivity, I suddenly notice that they are no better than us. Rather they are worse for their trickery ! See the acronym LGBTQ+ ? There is no ‘I’ in it ! The L stands for Lesbians … yuck ! The G stands for Gays … yuck ! The B stands for Bisexual … yuck ! The T stands for Transgenders … seriously ? And the Q stands for Queer … indeed ! Understatement ! And the + stands for ? More idiotic ideas ? But where is the ‘I’ ? There is no ‘I’ to stand for the Intersex folks ? In this entire great global LGBTQ+ movement, the intersex folks have once again been ignored !

Was it so then that sympathy was created for the intersex and the benefit transferred to the transgender ?

Really, who are you actually working for ?

“Whom Allah has cursed. For he had said, ‘I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion. And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them sinful desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.’ And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss.  Satan promises them and arouses desires in them, but Satan does not promise them anything except delusion. The refuge of those will be Hell, and they will not find from it any escape.” [The Holy Quran @ 4:119]

And so the transgenders, born well and healthy by the Grace of Allah Almighty, start messing with themselves. Changing their appearance to the opposite sex, changing their behavior to the opposite sex and changing their anatomy to the opposite sex … yes some even go to the extent of getting biologically operated to change into the opposite sex. How sad ! Can you imagine ? If you were actually born with a biological sex disorder and had no choice to play around and fix your anatomy, what would you do then ?

But the good news is that you can. Yes, in some cases, intersex people can be given medical treatment, hormonal and surgical, and they can be fixed back towards the dominant sex in them. Just like if a baby is born without sight, hearing or speech, albeit that such children are now named ‘special’, the medical world does everything in their power to restore the human ‘normality’, because some specialties are only honorary!

For a moment I even thought, when I heard all this hue and cry about the movie ‘Joyland’, that perhaps the religious whistle blowers have taken to the extreme sides once again, which we do at times, and are hollering all for nothing. But then I researched and read. I read all I could possibly find out about the movie. After all, none of us have actually seen the movie so perhaps we are letting our imagination run away with us our premonitions. My good hopes were dashed when I read that the movie Joyland had already been world premiered at 2022 Cannes Film Festival on 23 May 2022, received a standing ovation after its screening and won the Jury Prize by beating other LGBTQ themed films at the movie festival ! Unbelieveable silence …

The Joyland team, you must be truly talented to have achieved such an international acclaim, but couldn’t you have made the movie to highlight the plight of the intersex folks, who truly deserve our attention ? You claim to be showing the reality ? Aren’t the intersex folks the real reality of our society ? You claim to be promoting compassion and love ? Is promoting extra-marital affairs in anyway helping the love-less relationships of the married couples of our society ?

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Dua Zahra Duo

Its been two long, draining months but the case of Dua Zahra is still not settling either ways. Is it a case of human trafficking or court marriage ? There is heavy evidence on both scales. And there are heavy emotions on both sides as well, making the case not only difficult to solve but difficult to talk about in itself.

Trailing the version of court marriage, the fact that she stepped out of her home with zero cash, hailed a taxi driver, in Karachi, and asked him to drop her off, in Lahore, the fact that she travelled alone with an unknown driver for a couple of days and no check post in between Karachi and Lahore stopped them and inquired anything at all from them, the fact that she did not have Zaheer’s phone number and that Zaheer had no idea that she was leaving home for him, the fact that she finally surfaced in Lahore and contacted Zaheer through an associate and then ended up in his family home, and the family simply accepted her … add up to a really unbelievable story.

Trailing the version of human trafficking, the fact that soon after Dua records a video message announcing that she left her home by her free will to marry Zaheer, the fact that she assured the world that she was happy with her husband and that nobody should disturb her married life, the fact that she is seen merrily celebrating a birthday party with Zaheer in a video upload, the fact that she gives an interview to a Youtuber and explicitly once again owns her marriage to Zaheer … add up to a doubtful story of abduction and forced marriage or human trafficking. 

I still cannot make up my mind either ways but to be fair, let us first suppose that it is a case of abduction and human trafficking. Why would Dua give false testimonies ? The only reason could be that she is under threat. It is possible that she used to play online games with Zaheer, with or without knowing that it’s a boy, and he may be having some pictures or videos of her by which they are blackmailing her. Or she is under threat of torture and death while in captivity. Honestly speaking, the very first video appearance that Dua made, her eyes looked drugged. If we compare her former pictures to her latter pictures, her eyes now look haunted and drugged. The first speech that she made was so perfectly worded and so technically worded that it seemed wholly scripted.

So what should Dua do now ? She should be as bold as she is beautiful. She should kill her fear of every kind of threat she is facing and make a loud and truthful statement somehow, anyhow. Life and death is in Allah’s Hands. If life is written for her, she will cross this terrible trauma and live through it. A few days ago, someone mentioned an Indian movie which narrates the story of Gangu Bai, a real pre-partition character, a teenage girl, a lawyer’s daughter, who ends up in brothel. I asked, ‘Its one thing to tie up and gag a person, but how can somebody be forced to live a certain life ?’ They replied that, ‘By threatening you with life, hunger and loss of everything dear to you !’ The following holy verse flashed through my mind …

‘ Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and the fruits of your efforts, so give tidings of happiness to those who remain patient !’ [The Holy Quran, Al’Baqarah, V.155]

Allah’o Akbar ! Indeed, the trials are great ! Dua, have faith in Allah Almighty and risk death to return to life !

And now lets look at the other possibility. Did Dua really leave home of her own free will to escape a forced marriage ? The question is, if abduction and forced marriages are a crime, what is our stance on forced marriages by parents and the family ? Is it halal ? Ironically, a majority of our religious and semi-religious people believe it to be halal whereas it is not. It is absolutely haram to marry a boy or a girl against their consent and free will and choice. But this is a norm and common practice in our society which no one thinks about or dares to challenge. A woman came up to Prophet Muhammed SAW and complained that her father had given her in marriage against her will, so Prophet Muhammed SAW cancelled the Nikah. If such a marriage was halal, would Prophet Muhammed SAW have done so ? On the other hand, love marriages are considered a taboo in our so-called Islamic society. Prophet Muhammed SAW’s own marriage to Syedna Khadijah RA was a love marriage and that too initiated by the woman ! And Prophet Muhammed SAW is reported to have said that there is no better thing than a Nikah for a boy and girl in love !!! Does it ring a bell ?

Whenever, wherever, a girl runs away for court marriage, the parents need to question themselves … is it our doing ? Were we forcing our daughter into some other marriage ? Were we disallowing her a marriage of her choice without a good reason ? When I was studying in madrassah, I questioned many girls as to why they chose to study at the madrassah, away from their homes for so many years. The totally unexpected and absolutely shocking reply I got was to escape forced marriages at home ! Can you believe it ? Sadly, some Youtubers are slandering Dua by calling her ‘Na farman beti’ meaning, the disobedient daughter, a great insult by Islam. Excuse Islam, but Islam does not consider choosing your life partner a disobedience. Marital choice is the right of every Muslim boy and girl, endorsed by Islam itself. Next comes the issue of the age, for the eligibility for Nikah. By the Pakistani law, the eligible age for Nikah is eighteen, or sixteen in some areas. What about Islam ? By Islam, the eligibility for Nikah is puberty, not any age figure. Once a boy or a girl reach puberty, they are eligible for Nikah. Why does the Pakistani law abrogate an Islamic law ?

Lastly, and most importantly, should a girl get stuck in a situation where her parents are forcing her into a marriage, what should she do ? Check ! Can you talk to some family member ? Can you talk to your parent’s besties ? Can you talk to the mosque Imam ? Can you post for help on the Citizen’s Portal ? Dua, if you really left home of your own free will, should you not have left at least a letter for your parents to explain the situation, so that they would not have called the police ? Can you imagine the torture your parents went through all the while you were missing till they heard about you in Lahore. Then the second part of the torture starts. You are refusing to meet or talk to your parents. How heart wrenching ! Then the third part of the torture starts. You are publically showing off having a great time with your newly wedded husband. How embarrassing ! Was it necessary to be all so lovey dovey over a birthday cake ? It leaves only a little difference between you and Amir Liaqat. He was filming romance with his latest wife on the social media to tease his former wives. You were being all chummy with your husband to tease who … your parents ? And the worst of all was when you and Zaheer made victory signs in your first interview together. That was heart breaking ! Even if your parents had been forcing you into another forced marriage, and you ran away from that marriage and managed to marry of your own choice, is it necessary to rub it in and humiliate them in public by demonstrating your victory ?

And how does all this relate to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui ? Well, for all those on the roads protesting for the possible abduction of Dua Zahra, this is a reminder that another daughter of Pakistan had been abducted by America and languishes in the American prisons for the past nineteen years. She deserves the attention of entire Pakistan too. Prayers for Dua Zahra !

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Truly Syedah Bushra Iqbal

The earliest memories we have of Amir Liaqat is a candid, smart youthful gentleman who starting airing religious shows in a very interesting manner. He would pick a topic, invite an Islamic scholar and put questions to him which the general public were curious about. He would take live calls too. People liked to listen to them because the show was focused on what people wanted to know rather than imposing facts upon them. The show was called Alim Online.

From there on, he started hosting special Ramadan transmissions to family entertainment shows. He entered politics via MQM and ended up with PTI. He even served as the Minister of Religious Affairs at one time. There have been some controversies regarding his educational degrees because of which people stopped calling him a doc. Some even questioned his moral authority to host religious shows and professional right to be the minister of religious affairs because were his religious degrees authentic ?

However, the first social disillusionment came when after being happily married to Syedah Bushra Iqbal for a good eighteen years, he suddenly married a second woman, Syedah Tuba Anwar, in 2018. The marriage of your husband to another woman is enough of a trial in itself, but the fact that first he kept the marriage a secret, then he divorced Bushra over a phone call upon the demand of Tuba and then started attending morning shows in which he and his newly wed maligned and abused the first wife. Lord Almighty ! This is one of the worst forms of marital persecution. Can you imagine the emotional trauma and mental torture that the first wife and children went through ? A loyal, loving wife and innocent, teenage kids ? A girl and a boy ? How were they going to face the world ? To see their father sitting all dolled up with a young woman and together the two of them foul mouthing their mother ? What were you thinking Tuba ?

Naturally we had no sympathy for you when Amir Liaqat made his third marital misadventure in 2021. Or was it the fourth, if we consider the claims and statements of one Ms. Hania Khan to be true ? Syedah Tuba Anwar, why did you think that you were the one which Syedah Bushra Iqbal could not be ? What was so special about you? It is ironic that every second wife comes with a smug smile, as if she is the second one and will be the last one, and then rants and raves when the predator husband claims his next prey … Syedah Tuba Anwar, you very well deserved what you got !

Now comes the case of Syedah Dania Shah. It is interesting how all of Amir Liaqat’s wives are Syedahs … are they really ? For if we can walk around here with fake degrees, how difficult can it be to add the title of Syedah to your name at the time of registering a birth certificate or school certificate or marriage certificate ?

When Amir Liaqat divorced Syedah Bushra Iqbal mercilessly and she rested her case with Allah Almighty, he actually signed his own death certificate. You remember the grievance of Syedna Khawlah RA which she put up to Prophet Muhammed SAW that is narrated in the beginning of Surah Al-Mujadilah ? I don’t know who has given this understanding to men that Allah Almighty is God of men only and not the God of women as well ...

Unfortunately, a majority of Muslim men blatantly abuse the authority that Allah Almighty has given them, which was actually intended for the benevolence of the family, the society and mankind, but it has been maliciously twisted and is being misused only for self appeasement. Just like the politicians of Pakistan, albeit PM Imran Khan of course !

Dania is simply a female version of the deceased and she spit all the venom back on the deceased that the deceased had been spitting on his ex-wives. How these men play God ! When Tuba, suffering from her well deserved torture, asked for a divorce so that she can exit the torture of her marriage, the deceased announced that his lordship had decided to keep her in marriage, because he wished it that way. So a greater Lord, Allah Almighty, devised another way for both the former wives to exit the torture of their former husband exhibiting his latest marital life on the social media.

People are condemning Dania for leaking his personal videos on social media ? Well she never started it. The deceased leaked hers first because she had decided to dump him. She only continued it. I am no relation to the deceased, but as a woman, I was horrified to see the deceased romancing with his latest wife and posting videos of it on the social media. In an instance, it was as if I am the Ghost of 1990 and my spirit has fused with the spirit of Syedah Bushra Iqbal. What pain we felt to see the deceased lying on the bed with Dania, pretending to be asleep and then suddenly opening his eyes and smiling right into the camera ... I cannot forget the posture and those eyes and that smile. They were purposely and defiantly and cruel fully aimed at teasing his former wives. Allah’o Akbar ! From Alim Online to Teasing Online …

I know very well that as a Muslim, we are supposed to stop all talk about the deceased except praise. That is why I have started this article with praise and have refrained from taking the deceased’s name where the mention is not praiseworthy. As Muslims, we are not supposed to denounce the deceased but this also does not mean turning him/her into a hero. Prophet Muhammed SAW has clearly given the guidelines for choosing a wife, and that is soundness in religion, but our men lustfully choose beauty over character and then sob when they turn out to be gold diggers. Well, what else do you expect when young, beautiful girls choose to marry old, sagging skin? People are posting about the qualities that a good wife should have. What about the qualities a good husband should have ? The tragedy that we have witnessed is not actually the tragedy of Amir Liaqat but that of Syedah Bushra Iqbal … praise be to the lady … who honorably faced the torture of her marital affliction, took the responsibility of raising his children and has now gracefully received the dead body of her ex-husband. Is that what first wife is for ?

And of course, Qandeel Baloch continues to be a slut because she was a female and Amir Liaqat becomes a hero because he was a male although some Dania Shah out smarted him !

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The Hussaini Long March

It was 11 o’clock at night on the 9th of April 2022. PM Imran Khan was playing his last round of political cricket by outsmarting a very dumb opposition who could not figure out how to bat the bouncers and spinners that PM Imran Khan was throwing at them one after the other. The No Confidence Motion had been bold out by Khan’s master stroke of Article 5 which was unfortunately stubbed by two umpires who were supposed to be neutral but were not. Nonetheless, he had bowled out another spinner and was drumming his fingers for the clock to strike twelve midnight for the date to change and the No Confidence Motion session to expire for a good six months. Suddenly, someone told him that the 111 Brigade had arrived at the parliament complete with the prisoner van and two judges from the Supreme Court shuffling along just behind the convoy. It was then that the PM understood the whole game and who had been hoodwinking him all along and who had played the role of Meer Jaffar and Meer Sadiq once again in history.

He stood up. Picked up his diary. And left. No one understood at that time why he left the parliament with the victory sign. Our hearts were bleeding at the saddest words possible of that time as he asked out aloud, ‘Anyone left who has not turned against me ?’ No doubt he is the smartest of brains of the 21st century with a far-sighted vision and an amazing resilience. In a flash of a moment he had understood that he and his team and his champions were about go into another intense training session that had been decided and designed by Allah Almighty Himself. 

The nation replied to his question the very next night by pouring out onto the roads, not just in Islamabad, not just in Pakistan but all over the world. It was Ramadan, but that did not deter people. Because this is a nation who understands that worship is not just on the prayer mat with a rosary but to be effective on ground as well. Was not the Battle of Badr fought in Ramadan ? Was not Makkah conquered during Ramadan ? Was not Spain conquered on Eid-ul Fitr ? Yes, few of us know this and few us want to know this. We are happier to digest a religion which is in the comfort of our homes and within our comfort zone. To stay hungry and thirsty and pray on a prayer mat is so easy. And it is so difficult to stand your ground for Haq, because it involves danger. That is why Allah Almighty has said that the highest degree of Jihad is to speak Haq in front of the Pharaohs of the times. So the people did, all through Ramadan and afterwards, they spoke Kalma’e Haq by their presence in Imran Khan’s Jalsa tour across Pakistan. The gusto did not fade away. 

The Long March to Islamabad was to take place at the end of May. I wonder what Imran Khan had in mind for the end of May but it so happens that many important dates were conglomerating at the end of May. The imported government was supposed to meet IMF on 25th of May to collect money to squander. Out of the blue, the Kashmiri freedom-fighter Yasin Malik’s court date became scheduled for 25th May at which his daughter Raziyah called upon Imran Khan to address the date with his Long March. Yom’e Takbeer is today, 28th of May and tomorrow is 29th of May whence daughter of the nation Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is exhausting seven thousand days of her life in an illegal imprisonment.

With all these issues in mind we set out on the night of the 25th of May to meet and greet PM Imran Khan on Srinagar Highway to head towards D-Chowk which is in front of the parliament, the very place PM Imran Khan had been betrayed at only forty-five days ago. Of course we had to stand our ground at D-Chowk at least, which in any case is the standard demonstration ground for any protestors. As there seemed to be a delay in the procession of PM Imran Khan to reach the Srinagar Highway, many people decided to reach the D-Chowk on their own. People had picked multiple locations all over Islamabad all along his procession route, including bridges, to welcome PM Imran Khan.

As we reached D-Chowk on the sidelines from the Marriott side, carrying flags, placards and backpacks, children and all, we were welcomed with the stench of tear gas. Someone asked us to stay back for a while until the smoke had subsided. We wondered why the police would gas unarmed civilians … I was still wondering while texting casually on my mobile … when my husband suddenly shouted, ‘Go! Go!’ I thought he was saying that the entrance had cleared of the rush and we could enter now … only to raise my head to clouding smoke and total chaos. I was carrying Aafia placards which I did not want to leave behind and in great panic I held on to my children and my placards and started to move. But the tear gas smoke was burning and watering my eyes and we were all going blind. The ground was uneven and the rushing crowd was turning into a stampede. My heart was thumbing lest we lose any child. We finally clustered to a stop a few yards away. We had parked our car in one of the side streets and stumbled towards it. It was then decided that the girls would be dropped off home and the boys will come back to fight … and fight back we shall now !

A couple of girls from the FB Dekhlo Page were also getting into their cars when one of them asked the kids to give a short interview. There were small fires burning here and there but we all relaxed thinking the attack is over now. Suddenly another tear gas shell zoomed out. There was a hue and cry and everybody scrambled into their cars. We turned on the news on our mobiles to find out what’s going on. We then found out that the Islamabad administration was using drones to locate where groups of people were hiding out and targeting them.

Allaho Akbar ! As if we are living in Kashmir, as if we are living in Palestine, as if we are living in Syria !!!

I heard someone saying later on as to why people took their women and children to D-Chowk ? Right. I suppose you guys will ask the same question to Imam Hussain, why he went to Karbala with the women and children of his family ? Rest assured absolutely no ways are we or our children going to sit home and watch helplessly this dacoit, treacherous, imported government take over our country. And I want to thank Rana Sanaullah here for two things. His stupid adventure has clarified who is Hussaini and who is Yazidi in Pakistan today. Plus, while Imran Khan turned the people of Pakistan into a nation, Rana Sanaullah has turned us into warriors. We were not prepared afore but rest assured we will now equip ourselves and train ourselves and you will soon meet the army of PM Imran Khan in some battle ground !

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Feminism Wave Zero

The word Feminism is quite a taboo in the Eastern world and the Muslim world. It is understandable for it to be a taboo in the Eastern world because the East is quite backwards in many social sciences. But for it to be a taboo in the Muslim world is a bit of a surprise. Well, if we have a look at the contents of Feminism Wave One, Two and Three, coming from the West, it is not so much of a surprise, but if we look at the original, basic definition of Feminism and the contents of Islam itself, we would realize that Islam was actually the Wave Zero of Feminism.

Was it not ?

Were not the pagan Arabs shocked and offended at the numerous injunctions of Islam which supported and promoted and defended women ?

Did not the Holy Quran condemn the Arabs for their unbelievable foul of burying the baby girls alive and give the stoke of punishment in the girl’s authority on the Day of Judgment ?

Did not the Holy Quran prohibit the chauvinistic men to not inherit women in inheritance as if they are a piece of property ?

Did not the Holy Quran, in fact, assign detailed and fixed inheritance for women which the Western women, in fact, fought for centuries later ?

Did not Islam give women the right to have an independent opinion and have the right to express it, in private and in public and a gathering full of men ?   

Did not Islam given women the right to marry by her choice rather than by the men’s choice ?

Did not Islam give women the right to education and in fact made it compulsory for her ?

Did not Islam given women financial security and financial freedom and rather make the men responsible for her ?

Did not Islam give women all the basic human rights plus much more ?

Of course the Arabs of those times did not like the new social order that Islam was introducing … but this dislike has not stayed limited to the 7th century but in fact has travelled all the way to the 21st century today.

Just as people were once again smirking at the Aurat March of 2022 and asking its participants cynically … ‘What rights women still do not have in Pakistan in the 21st century ?’ … a blessed dork from Mianwali shot his seven day-old baby girl in his outrage of having a daughter instead of a son and I think gave quite a loud answer and satisfactory answer to the entire Muslim society of Pakistan … ‘We are marching for the right to live, to begin with …’

The Muslims of Pakistan live in the fake belief that we are a very religion adherent society and the women of our society are much blessed by Islamic values. Sorry. Nothing of the sort. We need to come out of this delusion fast or else we not only continue to bury our girls alive, but we also severely tarnish the impression of Islam worldwide, both of which are unforgiveable sins.

You think burial is only in the sand ? What about burying the play of a seven year old girl when we force her off the street because we cannot control the pedophiles in the streets ? What about burying the talents of an eighteen year old girl because she is career counseled that whatever choices she makes in her studies are supposed to be inline with what her future husband might expect of her. What about burying the marital life of a twenty-five year old because in order to enjoy her husband’s love, she is given the target to please her in-laws, mother-in-law to be very specific, and that is never to happen ! You have just given her the mission impossible !

You feel very angry at the Aurat March ? You think the slogans are vulgar ? You think the women of the Aurat March are outrageous ? Well same to you. Its just a reflection of the very society we live in and are so proud of. Aren’t the men vulgar who leave alone no place, no motorway, no age-group safe from sexual harassment ?  

The Islamic mafia says that Islam has given women all rights and perks that any woman can ask for, so there is no need for an Aurat March. I say, you are right, there would have been no need for an Aurat March had you handed over the rights that Islam has given us to us.

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Muskan's Takbeer

Have you seen the complete video ? Awesome !

From the moment Muskan rides in on her scooter and gets off in her Burqa Avenger attire, the hooligans of RSS are already chanting the slogans Jae Shri Raam, Jae Sena and Burqa Ukhero in the background. Muskan calmly ignores them and starts walking the small but challenging distance to her college. As the chants get louder and ruder, Muskan glares at them with full force instead of cowering. And then in a strange moment of courage, she steps ahead and shouts four reverberating Takbeers …

‘ Allaho Akbar … Allaho Akbar … Allaho Akbar … Allaho Akbar … ’

Making a smart turn, she starts walking towards her college entrance once again, with the hooligans racing at her back now and cameras racing ahead to capture her proud, Muslim poise.

As if in a trance, she once again shouts …

‘ Allaho Akbar … Allaho Akbar … ’

And then she finally breaks down to tell the media persons that she is being harassed for wearing the Muslim veil, called the Burqa. College authorities are seen sweating to take Muskan to safety as the RSS hooligans prance around waving crimson cravats. Finally and gladly, Muskan is escorted to her college entrance.

Dejected and defeated, the RSS hooligans pick up the chant again, and start chanting like a bunch of madmen for the purpose of what ? The Takbeer had reverberated and the Burqa had persevered !

And the world went crazy in awe of her outrageous bravery …

From the East to the West, from the North to the South, from the Muslim world to the non-Muslim world, form the religious world to the secular world, everyone is all praise for her. Scholars, politicians and even movie stars have stepped out to show support for her. She has become an icon of Hijab, an icon of Defiance and an icon of Bravery.

And why not ? What she did was incredibly daring … anything could have happened. It was a ratio of a single female to a male crowd. She could have been beaten, trampled, raped and thrown out like Jyoti Singh. And guess what ? She did say in her interviews later that she felt scared by the approaching mafia. And that is why she cried out the Takbeer ! Because whenever she used to feel scared, she would inspire strength by proclaiming Allah’s Greatness …

As I watched Muskan’s pictures and videos flashing and playing across screens and social media, another girl flashed across my mind. A girl who had been young just like Muskan, a girl who had lived in a non-Muslim country just like Muskan, a girl who had proudly worn the Muslim veil just like Muskan, a girl who had been revolutionary just like Muskan and a girl who had glorified Allah Almighty just like Muskan, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui !

And I am surprised.

Rather I am disgusted.

A twenty-year-old, Indian Muslim girl alone can have so much courage in the face of the Hindutva aggression, so what’s wrong with our Muslim men ? What’s wrong with our Muslim scholars ? What’s wrong with our Muslim politicians ? What’s wrong with our Muslim leaders ?

Why don’t they speak up for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui ? Why have they not spoken for Dr. Aafia Siddique yet in the last 19 years ?

Are we afraid ? Are we more afraid than Muskan ? Are we more vulnerable than Muskan ?

And as Muskan said, it was not as if she was not afraid … she did feel afraid … but she gathered her courage and did what had to be done !

What about us ?

How long will we keep clapping on the achievements of others ?

How long will we feel brave upon the bravery of others ?

How long will we wait for a messiah to arrive while the messiah lies within ?

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