Adil Najam
Back in July, ATP had posted a picture of former world squash champion Jansher Khan being hauled away in a police van on charges of trespass and violent attack on a woman. Now, Moin Khan, former cricket captain and wicketkeeper, has joined Jansher in the Hall of Disgrace for beating his wife.
Shame on you, both of you. You may once have been stars. You are stars no more. And, Moin, even if you have been freed on bail, that does not absolve you in our eyes for maltreating your wife. No Sir. This is not a private matter between man and wife. This is a matter of national disgrace. But my anger at this incident is making me run ahead of the story.
So, first the news as reported in the Daily Times (17 January, 2006):
KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan was arrested by the Darakhshan police late Monday night after his wife Tasleem alias Shama Seher made a phone call to Madadgar 15, complaining that he had beaten her.
According to Town Police Officer (TPO) ASP Azad Khan, the police received a phone call from Seher after midnight. A police team visiting the house found Seher standing outside and Moin Khan screaming at her from within. After a struggle, Moin Khan was taken in preventive detention under Section 151 of the CrPC, the TPO said. The couple was taken to the Darakhshan police station from where Moin was taken to JPMC for a medical examination. Seher was also taken to JPMC for a medical examination later on.
“If injuries are reported by the doctors examining her or a blood test confirms that he was intoxicated, the law will take its course,” said the TPO. Darakhshan SHO Inspector Zia Rizvi told Daily Times that this was a domestic matter, “but we brought it on to the court record”. Moin was produced in a local court and was granted bail. Seher told Daily Times that Moin had been disturbed for three days. “This isn’t something new, its been like this for a while,” she added. “He accused me of being involved with his friends. I asked why he was beating me and he told me that he hated the look of my face. He said, “Tum apnay gireban me jhanko, apni shakal dekho, apna character dekho” … There’s no special reason. Things were normal but I don’t know what had happened as recently he started to get harsh after drinking. I think that Moin still thinks of himself as a young star, Seher, a showbiz person herself, said. “Cricketers have the same life … (Another Karachi cricketers) wife recently separated and got custody of the children. Complaints remain as (many) cricketers treat their wives like this. Woh apnay beewiyon ke sath is tarha ka rawaiya rakhtay hain … Is tarha kay rawaiye mein kon sath reh sakta he? The problem with (some) cricketers is that they are getting better options outside the house. Unhain ghar ki murghi daal barabar lagti he.”
Both Moin Khan and the police seem to say that this is a ‘personal’ or ‘domestic’ matter. No, it really is not. It is a social matter. A national matter.
This case catches our attention because the man is a former cricket star and the wife a former TV personality. But the story here is repeated every day and goes unnoticed and unreported. His intoxication obviously made matters worse, but the malady here is deeper than alcoholism. It is the way women are treated. The Jansher case was one example, but there have been many others that we have raised here on ATP. Wife-beating is a serious social sin and the sinners here are not only those who do so, it is also those who condone it in the name of tradition or because it is a ‘personal matter’, and it is also those of see it happening and choose to remain quiet.
sharmeen — its actually a public matter because moin khan is very much a public figure
adil — good to see you take note of our editorial on this issue
Adnan — sorry but the ONLY troll here is you — and you know that –
MQ - I know Qalandars dont take in Mureeds but please accept me as one.
its really sad that humans insult/hurt/kill other humans on name of god or religion - i find it really funny that you know something is wrong but you still defend it because somehow you are convinced god wanted this…beat your wife…Koran allows that…and shame on defenders…all they can say is that its wrong interpretation…oh come on, it is clear and straight, can’t you say it is wrong…but what else we can expect when husband/wife relationship is treated as owner/cow, i am still not sure if some one actually wrote those lines…
and Adil i hope you understand the difference between ‘Mulzim’ and ‘Mujrim’, its really bad jurnalism
Salamalikum,
[quote post=”529″]What’s wrong in that? and what’s the relation of his dynamic professional career with his personal life?[/quote]
True, his professional career is not related to his personal life. But, the point here is admiring someone. Yes, he was a good bastman-wicket keeper, and I’ll still say that, but I don’t admire him. It could be how you and I define admiration. To me, admiring someone is liking that person, and I don’t like him after this incident, no matter how great a player he was and how he helped Pakistan win in ‘92.
[quote post=”529″]Relating professional skills with personal life is as lame as associating moin’s invidual act with a religion[/quote]
I don’t think it’s lame to associate Moin’s act with his religion, since he’s a Muslim and the religion we’re talking about is Islam, and his actions took place in a Muslim society. Since his story has been made public, I think it is absolutely correct to discuss how wrong his actions are and convey to people how they aren’t becoming of a Muslim—that’s BEATING his wife while DRUNK.
[quote post=”529″]Some people still want to admire Moin Khan for his cricket days even after this incident[/quote]
What’s wrong in that? and what’s the relation of his dynamic professional career with his personal life? Relating professional skills with personal life is as lame as associating moin’s invidual act with a religion.
Salamalikum,
I read through most of the comments and not until Moiz did someone really mention alcohol consumption. Yes, wife beating happens without alcohol and it happens with it. But, doesn’t it make sense to restrict as many paths to tribulations/fataain as possible. This is what you get in a society where people drink. So, before wife beating, alcohol consumption should be the first issue. And, as most people here ask for, if religion plays little role in a society and not dictate anything to anyone, then you’ll see more and more cases of drunks doing even more damage. I’m writing all this with the assumption that the story reported is true. It’s possible that he wasn’t drunk, didn’t beat his wife, etc, etc. Also, I’m surprised why the post didn’t make an issue of his drinking as well!
Some people still want to admire Moin Khan for his cricket days even after this incident. To me, a drunk and a wife-abuser is a filthy person.
[quote post=”529″]Any kind of abuse is wrong and i dont buy into this crap about men having the right to beat women because its sanctioned by Islam[/quote]
Yes, men don’t have the “right” to beat their wives but they are allowed to do so. There is a difference, at least to me, between a “right” and allowing something. What “crap” are you talking about? People here are saying Islam doesn’t allow wife beating at all and it has always been wrong, etc. Well while nobody in my family beat anyone and I don’t do so or plan to do so with my wife, the fact of the matter is that beating is allowed as THE LAST RESORT and here is the verse:
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband’s) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).” {Surah an-Nisaa, Ayah 34, Yusuf Ali translation}
Now, I’m sure people will put their own unwarranted and “jahili” interpretations to say that this verse doesn’t allow anything!! What people should understand is that beating should be the last resort and should be very light beating and in a manner that doesn’t leave a single bruise and not on the face or head and this is proven in Islam. In fact, Rasoolullah (saw) disallowed beating anyone on face/head, even a child. Rasoolullah (saw) said to a person who slapped a boy on the face: “Do you not know that the face is inviolate?” (Reported in Saheeh Muslim). So, people who slap their young ones on the face shouldn’t do it. Rasoolullah (saw) said in a authentic/saheeh hadeeth narrated in Saheeh Muslim that:
“Fear Allah concerning women! Verily you have taken them on the security of Allah, and intercourse with them has been made lawful unto you by words of Allah. You too have rights over them, and that they should not allow anyone to sit on your bed [i.e., not let them into the house] whom you do not like. But if they do that, you can chastise them but not SEVERELY (my emphasis added). Their rights upon you are that you should provide them with food and clothing in a fitting manner”
So, yes when most people today beat their wives and use Islam, they are wrong because they are not properly following Shariah. For example, I don’t think Moin Khan must have followed the guidelines outlined in Surah an-Nisaa. You think he feared Allah and then went out and got drunk and beat his wife? Of course, not! On the flip side, people who say no way, wife beating is not allowed, then they are very wrong as well.
No one can blame the religion, only lack of education, awareness and cultural traditions (taboos) are to be blamed… very dissappointed…
What is up with the alcohol consumption by people when they know its nothing but trouble!?
Ok since trolls are live again in this thread so it’s better to enjoy as a silent spectator rather participating.
Akif,it is because your learning process was stopped after eight, this is why you didn’t learn many things in life. Were you homeschooled after eight or what?
[quote post=”529″]LOLzzz… my thoughts exactly[/quote]
Drpak,my friend how are feeling today? I thought you would be producing some documentary proof that i was backing moin khan but i didn’t know that you were in mood of trolling. I’m sorry that i considered you a reasonable person.
P.S: To religion haters aka Secularists, pls stop polluting this thread by vomiting out haterd against a religion and associate it with any crap happens in our society.