ATP Editor’s Comment: It turns out that, in fact, the said line (husool-e-rizq-e-halal ibaadat hai) does still exist on the new note. Our thanks to the readers who were able to catch the oversight that we failed to. However, we have kept the post live partly because the discussion is itself interesting and partly because the issue of whether having such a line on the note makes any difference on people’s behavior on ‘rizq-e-halal’, is itself an interesting topic.
Original Post: For many years every banknote in Pakistan reminded its owners that to make an honest living was a form of piety in itself.
No one really paid heed. And those who did probably laughed it away as a joke. The State Bank of Pakistan has therefore decided to stop that nonsense once and for all. If you don’t believe what I am saying then believe your own eyes here:
The old currency notes at the back were all inscribed in Urdu:
husool-e-rizq-e-halal ibaadat hai
making an honest income is prayer
Here is the face and back images of the old currency note of Rupee 10 denomination, prominently displaying that powerful statement:
And abracadabra: That wording has vanished from the all of the new currency denominations issued in 2006 onwards.
Witness for yourself this image of the new currency notes of Rupee 10 denomination below. Same is true for all other denominations too.
This could not have been decided by some graphic designer. No could it be attributed to some artist playing a practical joke on the Government, the State Bank or the Nation itself. It must be a conscious decision.
Has the government accepted its defeat in fighting corruption and removed whatever little symbolic semblance of ‘conscience-pricking’ these words might have generated? The guilt-trip imbeded into this little statement on the banknotes never did really work. Now we can accept something less that “rizq-e-halal” without even that reminder of guilt!
“Zinda Baad Rishwatâ€
Reference: World Paper Money Image Gallery.
See ATP Post on Coins of Pakistan.
even in these horrible times when Muslims are accused of so many crimes World wide, is basically due to the propagation of the meaning of Qur’an and the Hadith through internet, speeches in schools, colleges , universities, even churches and synagogs.
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thomasjimmy
It is not altogether disappeared, but has been relegated to small circle to the left of the back side.
Really, after reading your post, i checked the notes and new notes doesn’t carry this slogan, which was a token of good olden days, when honesty was respected in our society.
Even if one person would be corrected by a note which depicts the saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) then you have gained some thing. There is a saying of the Propeht “Convey even if it is one ayat from Qur’an”.
Here in America, the large conversion to Islam, even in these horrible times when Muslims are accused of so many crimes World wide, is basically due to the propagation of the meaning of Qur’an and the Hadith through internet, speeches in schools, colleges , universities, even churches and synagogs. You never know who and when will be effected by the meaning and the beauty of even one scentence or one ayat or one Hadith.
I have met several new reverts to Islam in USA who had heard something about Islam many years ago and it remained in their minds and hearts for a long time and then gradually they understood the beuty of Islam and Allah (SWT) changed their heart. Keep working, at least on the Day of Judgment, we will be able to tell Allah (SWT) we did our job.
THE WORDING IS IN THE CIRCLE ON THE TOP LEFT OF THE NOTE. IF YOU OPEN YOUR EYES U WILL SEE IT.