Adil Najam
This picture is interesting at so many levels.
The official caption reads: “Pakistanplayers pray after winning the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 round two group stage match between Sri Lanka and Pakistanat Manuka Oval on March 9, 2009 in Canberra, Australia.”
What should one comment on? The achievement of the Pakistan women’s cricket (we have written earlier about Urooj Mumtaz Khan, who was again instrumental in this victory). The significance of the women’s team’s achievement when the men’s team is in doldrums. The fact that this was against Sri Lanka, given the horrible incidents of last week. Or just the gesture of gratitude and prayer (and whether this was synchronized for the cameras or spontaneous!).
I will leave the commenting to our readers.
I put this up, because seeing the picture I felt good at the news. Felt good for our womens’ team. And felt good that at least there is some hope for Pakistan cricket. Most of all, because I think its a great picture.
“You are using your own intellect to say what is modest and what is immodest”. Hmmm. What are you using? Your elbow? How do you decide to have blind faith in God and accept the Quran as His word? It’s a decision of your brain. Not your stomach. Not your heart. Not your knee.
Unless you call yourself a Muslim as a matter of identity only… i.e. to say that your parents had the same identity. But how do you have and accept a belief system without using your brain to arrive at that acceptance? There is no other organ in the human body capable of making a decision. And since it is your brain, your decision, it is also your interpretation. Whether you are reading the Quran, Sunnah, Abu Hanifa.. you are using your brain. That is your filter. You cannot escape your interpretation. You can change your own interpretation of something, and make another interpretation your own, depending on what your mind finds satisfactory and convincing.
We can debate it. Of course.For you must have reasons for your decision. I must have others for mine. But two paragraphs to debate a whole ‘code of life’!! Come on, who are you kidding! Again, write a book or two, have it published, and then.. I might reply in kind. I am not interested in a childish tit-for-tat of statements made while talking past each other.
As an aside, albeit an interesting one, your conclusion as to me being secular, whatever interpretation you apply to that word, and your view of my ‘methodology’… are all products of your mind not mine. Your decisions not mine. As they should be. Reached using your mind, not mine. Anything else would have been dishonest, if not biologically impossible.
Uthman, what do you use to believe in the ‘methodology’ that you believe in? You use your mind. You come to the belief through your intellect. Not through your elbow. How do you end up having blind faith in the Quran? Again, through your intellect. Not through your stomach. Or your heart. Or your knee. You are muslim either because you were born to muslim parents, or you used your mind and Islam is what convinced you. Most probably, both.
I am not discussing the merits or otherwise of a decision any one makes. To be a muslim, or to have a belief, to arrive at an interpretation of any part of Islam.. or the whole… they are all decisions. To follow the Quran, Sunnah, Abu Hanifa… they are all decisions. Your decisions, therefore, by definition, your interpretation. Biologically, the brain is the only place where we make decisions. All decisions. Thanks for the offer of your email address… but write a book or two.. have them published.. then I shall reply in kind. Two prargraphs to argue a whole ‘code of life’… Come on. Who are you kidding.
As an aside, albeit an interesting one, your quick conclusion that I am secular (whatever interpretation you have for that word) and your view of my ‘methodology’… are also decisions of your mind… not mine. You use your mind I use mine. Anything else would be dishonest, if not impossible.
These women give one hope. They are the real Muslims, and not the murderers and thug mullahs of the Taliban. They stand tall and bring victory to Pakistan and to Islam…. Bravo, Ladies, you make us proud. Of course, the Taliban types will try to discredit them but they are discredited themselves. I suggest that these mullahs should themselves start wearing burqas if they are so offended by the female form!
Doesn’t Islam tell us how to dress? What to eat? Islam tells us how to live our life because it is a complete code of life. Then there is truly no room for debate and no criticism to what I just said. Criticizing for the sake of criticizing will not get us anywhere. We need to do whats right. Criticizing for the sake of guidance is what I am looking for.
From your response it is apparent that you are supporting a secularist way instead of a muslim one. Shouldn’t women cover up in front of strange men? Is this not what Allah says in Surah An Noor V31 and Surah Al Ahzab V 59? I am not quoting out of context or quoting in isolation. This is Allah’s Command. So what are we going to debate about?
You are using your own intellect to say what is modest and what is immodest. If that is the case then your methodology to start with is flawed. Because we have to put the Quran and Sunnah first. Judge your response in the light of the Quran and Sunnah and maybe things will be clearer. Wallah u alam
My email is available if you have questions/concerns.
What some women want to do, they are abslolutely free to do, and if an American gym wants to offer them a women-only time slot for it, great.
You have the same right to ‘think’ what is God’s command and to your interpretation of religion, as any body and every body else’s. Your interpretation is as open to criticism as is mine.
The moment you encroach on my right in this or any other regard, in matters of religion, choosing or not choosing religion, interpreting religion, what to wear, or eat etc. I’ll let you know, in unambiguous terms., like I just did. I am sure so would these girls if they were part of the discussion here… but they are not. Without them being able to speak for themselves all I can say is what I can see, which is that they are amply modestly dressed (only relevant since there may be a fair assumption of them being muslim…. though not of a right for others to pass judgement) and are performing the muslim sajjida. I see nothing to debate here, and everything to celebrate.
If you wish to debate interpretation of religion here, write a couple of volumes, at least, and I, if so inclined, might respond with a couple of my own. Anything less will be so inadequate as to be completely pointless. Interpretation of isloated parts is also pointless, if the interpretation of the whole is not discussed (requiring a few volumes, if done to a scholarly standard. Is there any other?).