Adil Najam
This is a VERY DISTURBING video. Please view at your own discretion.
It is important, however, that we speak about and shout out about this video.
It shows a 17-year old girl being flogged by a Taliban leader of some sort in a perverted form of justice. Reportedly the incident happened in Kalakalay, Swat around 3 months ago (before the supposed peace deal with the government). The girl is being ‘punished’ for going somewhere without a male relative. Supposedly, the male companion was also flogged.
This video is also be discussed vigorously at Pakistaniat’s new Facebook page. Some of that disussion does not carry over here, although we hope it ultimately will.
In more recent developments, supposedly Sufi Mohammad in Swat has condemned the act and said this was not Baitullah’s Taliban. More importantly, the recent reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has taken su moto notice of this incident. According to The News
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Friday took a suo motu notice of the media footage in which a 17 year old girl is being whipped out in the broad daylight in Swat. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhdy ordered the matter to be presented before a larger bench on April 6. He also summoned Secretary Interior, IG and Chief Secretary on April 6. He ordered formation of 8-member larger bench to be headed by himself.
This is a story that all Pakistanis and all Muslims must speak about and speak against. There are those who will try to make this a story about what Pakistan or Islam is. Such bigoted approaches are to be resisted. This is not a story about what Pakistan is. This is clearly not about what Islam is. This is a story about what the enemies of Islam and enemies of Pakistan are doing. This is a story about what Pakistan must not allowed to become. The bad news is obvious in the video itself. The bad news is about the criminality being conducted in the name of religion. The good news is that the media, the judiciary and ordinary Pakistanis ARE speaking up and speaking out. We must do more so. For if we do not speak out against this criminality, who will?
I’m responding to this part separately:
> “Never forget that Jammatis like you opposed the creation of Pakistan on religious grounds, then happily moved to Pakistan and now want Pakistanis to leave the country on religious grounds.”
This is a very good point. Yes, the JUH of India opposed the creation of Pakistan. They felt they could have dominated a united India (like the Mughals of old). Considering the JUH preceded the Congress Party on almost every original call for independence, I think they earned the right to express their opinions. It was the molvis who were slaughtered by the thousands during the 1857 mutiny. You can even read the opinions of the Brits in the memoirs of their military officers regarding the event, where they all figured the “molvis” would be held as patriots and heroes for generations to come for defending their homeland. The JUH, the entire Deobandi movement, arose out of that. They called for independence before even the Hindus.
By the way, when I say “Deobandi movement” here, I’m referring to the movement of Islamic education, the Darul Uloom-style Islamic seminary network with its origin in Deoband, not the later definition of Deobandi as a system of belief (to contrast to Barelwi, etc).
Shah Waliullah Dehlavi laid down the principles of self-governance in his works. That “labour is the real source of wealth and only those who put in the physical and mental labour for the sake of betterment of the society, deserve to possess wealth. People, he believed, are equal and the position of the ruler of a State is no more than that of a common citizen in matter of justice and freedom. Things like right to freedom, security and property, are essential for all, irrespective of religion, race, or colour.”
And this was all before either the American or French revolutions. His son issued the first major fatwa against British rule in 1803.
And when the 20th century rolled around, the JUH not only cooperated with the Hindus, they were practically embodying the definition of the term “secular”. They declared non-violent protest as a jihad. The same Ulema whom even the Taliban to this day revere. They tried to set up independent Indian governments in absentia which included Sikhs and Hindus in positions of power. These weren’t theocracies either, they were based on the basic Western model of having a President, Prime Minister, etc but abandoned most of the rest of the British code in favor of homegrown traditional laws (Muslims to be ruled by Islamic law, Hindus by their own, etc). These were in fact, modelled on the constitution of Medina set up by our beloved Prophet (saw).
Considering they led the charge for Indian independence, why blame them for initially balking at the idea of splitting up India? India was the Muslims’ prize to them. The Indian government to this day, the worst enemy of Pakistan, still gives the original JUH and Deobandis respect for this, including Darul Uloom Deoband. The same ideology which fights them in Kashmir and which they blame for terrorism and extremism now.
It’s mostly a non-issue. There weren’t any hard feelings. There are enough Ulema to go around. Jinnah had Maulana Shabbir Usmani raise Pakistan’s flag and read his own janazah, remember? Allama Iqbal’s spiritual mentor was Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri, remember? You’re certainly aware of this being that “Jamaatis” always bring it up.
Logically speaking, the “Jamaatis” had the right idea. Splitting up the subcontinent was a disaster of epic humanitarian proportions. Millions have died. But Allah knows better and knows what we do not.
I repeat my original assertion. The only way to stop the use of Shariah as a vehicle for abuse and oppression is for the Pakistani government to take responsibility for its implementation. In fact, according to the constitution of Pakistan, it IS Pakistan’s responsibility.
According to all reports, it IS working, slowly. Wherever the government is in charge of Shariah, this kind of thing hasn’t happened.
Nothing else has so far worked, might as well let it play out. The alternative is war, and that is much worse than flogging.
@Amir: Wallaho Alam..He is not around so can’t ask him.. most probably He was rather going to find out the truth behind it rather babbling about it and becoming a part of propaganda machine by taking funds from Western
By the way, The Imam was abused and accused by people of his time just like today Molvis and Alims are accused by so called “Parha Likha Tabqa”. The Imam is still respected by thousands and those who abuse Him and others like Hanifa and Imam Malik are not even remembered anymore.
Aamir: Thank you for your civil response.
> “Shariat to the Pakhtuns is merely an emotional slogan, and is exploited as such by maulvis and the Taliban. Nobody knows what it actually means, and if Shariat means interference in people
@D_A_N
@Adnan Siddiqi
I doubt Imam Shafai would approve of a bunch of thugs accusing, then beating a helpless young girl in the name of Shariat.