Adil Najam
I must confess that after our recent posts on the vigilantism by folks at Jamia Hafsa and the Lal Masjid I had hoped not to write about this issue yet again so soon.
This is not because I shun controversy or duck issues. It is merely because discussions on this issue tend to be prone to slogan-mongering from those holding extreme positions on all sides, they tend to drown out the more serious and more thoughtful deliberations that are so needed, and they quickly turn into mud-slinging matches which take up too much of our time in cleaning up the mess made by those who routinely ignore or are incapable of understanding and following our comment policy. Having said all that, let me also say that it is intellectually dishonest to simply ignore events and trends that are tearing apart the fabric of society.
With that rather long preamble, what has really prompted this post are two things I saw in today’s Dawn. The first is a set of two ads on behalf of ‘The Citizens of Karachi’ (clicking on the images will take you to larger and more readable versions). The first starts off with:
“Are You Ready? Do you want danda bardar and klashnikov shariat?
IF NOT THEN… come to attend the rally in lage number and show your solidarity against the danda bardar and klashnikov shariat.”
I found these ads to be yet more evidence of a polarized society. More than that, I wonder who put these ads? Any clues, readers? I also wonder how many - and who - will show up on the 15th at this rally (starting 2:00PM near the Mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam)?
The second item appears on the back page of Dawn (and most other papers) and is much more disturbing. Here is the story in full:
Militants Beat up Dancers
LAKKI MARWAT, April 12: Clashes between militants and villagers in the Dhoda-Shah Hasankhel area on Thursday morning left two people injured. About a dozen people were taken hostage by the militants.
Sources said a group of Taliban militants had beaten up some transvestite dancers, shaved their heads and broken their musical instruments near Abdulkhel as they were going to the Dhoda village to perform at a wedding on Wednesday night.
Villagers decided to take revenge by raising a Lashkar against the Taliban, the sources said. Light and heavy weapons were used and the Taliban also fired rockets during the clash which lasted for several hours. The Taliban took 12 villagers hostage. Five of them were later freed while the others were in the custody of the Taliban till late evening, according to the administrator of a seminary, Hafiz Amanullah Khan.
A heavy contingent of police and Frontier Constabulary personnel reached the area. A ceasefire was brokered by some local ulema who held talks with village elders and the Taliban. The sources said the situation was tense and additional contingents of the FC had been summoned.
What is common between both stories is that the battle lines in a divided society are being drawn. The only possible good that could come out of this is for the mainstream of the country to recognize the difference between being ‘religious’ and ‘religious extremism.’ Maybe it will take such actions to remind people that we can be religious without being religious extremists; that faith should help flourish a culture of caring, not of violence.
Ayesha, After thinking for a while over your argument, I have come to a realization and that every, muslim prays to the Allah to show them the right path and for centuries they have been praying that same old prayer. When will Allah hear that pray? Do you think that this prayer will ever be heard?
Your solution is to convert to Buddhism and or Hinduism in order to weaken the hold of mullah’s on your children is not logical and is weak. You don’t have to go that route. The answer has always been there and there is only one who says come follow me all that are heavily laden and I will give you rest. Have you ever heard this call and He also says, I am the way, the truth and I am the Life. Because without Him you can’t do anything. Just search Him who is Jesus and learn His way and He will teach you meekness. And once you learn to love Him you will be meek like Him and His peace will abide in your soul. Salvation of Pakistan is coming and one day because of these mullah’s many will say good bye to Islam(the religion which professes peace and the peace does not exist in it) and join the ranks of those who love this Jesus you not only saves give peace and life in this world and the world to come. Just imagine life everlasting which has no end.
Think?
Just think, all those who read this. Come follow Him for He is calling all of you.
If Kalashnikof Shariat is condemned, then we should all condemn :
Communist shariat Kalashnikov
Secular shariat ” ” ” ”
Sectarian shariat Kalashnikov
PPP, MQM, Jatta ” ” ”
and Maula Jatt ” ” ” “
Both CJ and Ayesha are correct in their own rights,,,,the former is right in that whatever is stated in the Quran is not acceptable to him and yet he wants to stay a Muslim ! The lady, in her frustration, has spoken about ‘conversion’ which is not possible under the prevailing circumstances in the country. This idea is now too late: someone like Maulana Azad was right when he opposed the great divide and is said to have remarked that ‘The hindu majority in India wont gulp away the Muslims” How true he was! Muslims seem to work better in a mixed culture like India where people practice many religions. Among themselves they are : AIK HAMMAM MIEN SUB NANGAY !
Let’s not be AADHA TEETAR AADHA BATAIR. Let’s refuse to follow Mullah’s creed but why shy away from the teachings of Islam as they appear in the holy Quran?