Adil Najam
This picture is carried today by both Dawn and Daily Times. Dawn’s title is “Still Heroes” and the caption reads: “Bronze statues of Quaid-i-Azam, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Allama Iqbal put on display at the Science and Technology Expo-2007 being held at National Memorial Museum in Shakarparian in Islamabad.”
A visit to the Museum is on the top of my ‘To Do’ list when I return to Islamabad end of the month. I hope they are still there.
My first thought on looking at the picture was to note how both Jinnah and Iqbal are wearing suits here (this penchant of ours – me included – to dress up these guys in the garbs of our desires has been has been quite a remarkable historical see-saw!). My second thought was to wonder what the folks at Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa might have to say – or do – about this. I hope there is significant security against vandalism here.
But even more than that, I wonder what these three men are sitting there thinking about what is happening today in the country they helped conceive. Late at night when the museum is closed and the statues come alive and walk about, what is it that they sit together and talk about?
[Quote]Nazir: The law is to prohibit the merging of islam with something thats not islam. The legislation is clearly written against labelling as Islam of a beleif that the Majlis e Shura of Pakistan declared non-islamic. This law does not, prohibit practice of Qadiani faith, it prohibits calling the qadiani faith islam and its followers muslims. The reasoning was not national sovereignty, but religious integrity of islam itself. [/quote]
Sulman: All humans have equal rights! And you can not punish others for *your* beliefs. I am a little intrigued as to what sort of values you personally possess? Any idea what humanity is?
This term you mentioned “religious integrity”, does this have any basis in Islam? I ask this as I know of “No compulsion in religion” but no mention of forcing anyone to believe anything in the name of “religious integrity”. Would you care to explain where you took this term from? As for the majlis e shura that you mentioned, it had a lot of sharabi, zaani and dishonest people in it ie people involved in all sorts of un-Islamic activities. The details are in the white paper (qartas e ubyyas) published during zia ul haques period. So an un-Islamic act perpetrated by people of doubtful moral standing (saying politely) seems quite holy to you? Once again I am intrigued as to your own personal values.
You’re wecome Jabir, no problem!
Nazir: The law is to prohibit the merging of islam with something thats not islam. The legislation is clearly written against labelling as Islam of a beleif that the Majlis e Shura of Pakistan declared non-islamic. This law does not, prohibit practice of Qadiani faith, it prohibits calling the qadiani faith islam and its followers muslims. The reasoning was not national sovereignty, but religious integrity of islam itself.
There is no legislation against practicing one’s religion, not atleast he one that you quoted. If you could not grasp the legal reasoning behind the terminology or are simply fond of twisting words for the heck of it, please do not preah that to others. The legislation was to put a clear definition of a muslim and islam, not to prohibit the practice or preaching of qadiani or ahmadi religion.
Visit Chiniot sometime, you might know what I am talking about.
And to the person who criticized the beauty factor of the statues, comon yar! atleast we have them there, beautiful or not. Besides, they’ve had enough glamor and beautification in all their pics in textbooks etc. :D So, cheer up, and visit the monument!
Where are our Artists? The scultures look horrible. They look like some cheap manicans in some beauty parlor. Especially Jinnah’s sculpture, look how stiff the body is. Is that a natural posture? No flow no movement. Plus the seat is also out of proportion. Pethetic. More disturbing is that people like it. Oh God. We need to expose this nation to arts.
[quote]…in any manner whatsoever outrages the religious feelings of Muslims,…[/quote]
Wow, can the definition go any broader? So at any time a “Muslim” claims that his “religious feelings” are “outraged” the person concerned goes to jail for 3 years. Seems to me an open season on persecution.
Perhaps Indians can put in their constitution…[quote]…in any manner whatsoever outrages the religious feelings of Hindus,…[/quote]
I wonder if Muslims would accept it as wholeheartedly for India as they do it for Pakistan? Hmmm…
When we were young we used to read stories that x thousand years ago if a dalit ever heard a word of Hindu religious book he was treated by pouring molten metal in his ears. Somehow, the above reminds me of that, except it’s not thousands of years ago but in 21st century Pakistan.