Adil Najam
We have used the ‘Jahalat‘ caption before in headlines (here, here and here). It is time to do so again.
This picture is from PPI and the caption reads:
“A physically paralyzed girl lies half-buried in sand at the banks of river Indus. Local mythology suggests burying paralyzed children in sand and exposing them to solar eclipse helps overcome paralysis.”
Need one say more!
I guess even a solar eclipse is no cure for jahalat.
Dear Readers,
While All Things Pakistan has remained alive and online, it has been dormant since June 11, 2011 - when, on the blog's 5th anniversary, we decided that it was time to move on. We have been heartened by your messages and the fact that a steady traffic has continued to enjoy the archived content on ATP. While the blog itself will remain dormant, we are now beginning to add occasional (but infrequent) new material by the original authors of the blog, mostly to archive what they may now publish elsewhere. We will also be updating older posts to make sure that new readers who stumble onto this site still find it useful.
We hope you will continue to find ATP a useful venue to reflect upon and express your Pakistaniat. - Editors
reposting the second link
http://www.andhranews.net/India/2009 /July/23-Disabled-kids-given-18758.asp
Some more reading and articles on the subject in articles below. Interesting to note that in Pakistan they recite Holy Quran and in India they give a holy dip and bury the paralyzed body part in manure.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Eclips e-Paralysed-Kids-Buried-Up-To-Their-Necks-For-Sola r-Event-In-Pakistan/Article/200907415344134?f=rss
3fd0ae9_1.htmlhttp://www.andhranews.net/India/2009 /July/23-Disabled-kids-given-18758.asp
http://persecution.in/node/4088
Islam has no place for superstitions. Praying or dua at certain moments are supposed to be more likely to be accepted. Usually it is at those times when one happens to be emotionally closer to his creator. Certain days like Friday are also supposed to be more auspicious for good deeds. However, things like cat crossing the path or travelling in certain directions only on certain days, or bad omen for looking a one eyed person in early morning or healing during solar eclipse is unknown in Islam.
During the time of the Prophet (saw) there was a solar eclipse on the day that his son Ibrahim died. The superstitious people thought that the sun eclipsed because of the young child’s death and the Prophet’s mourning. It is narrated by Al-Mughira bin Shu’ba that The prophet- in an effort to correct their wayward thinking stated this: “The sun and the moon are two signs amongst the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of someone’s death or life. So when you see them, invoke Allah and pray till the eclipse is clear.” (extracted from http://striving-muslimah.blogspot.com/2009/07/sola r-eclipses-in-islam.html)
I would also like answer to the question that was asked. How is the girl doing now? Is she all healed by this Alim sahib!
I had followed discussion quietly thinking like most that maybe we should think of parents feelings and this is OK even if we know it is not working. But now after reading Dr. Qaiser’s post I am very moved. I now realize at least one death in my family where it was same case of friends and family members trying to help by suggesting totkas and spiritual things which led the patient to stop taking the medical treatment seriously and then it was too late to do anything. I think the point made is right, we should really think before supporting such acts even if we support them of of kindness.
I am very glad this topic is being discussed but sad at the comments. I saw the same when I practiced as physiciam in Faisalabad and then Karachi for 15 years. It was not the patients but their friends and relatives who madethem seek silly solutions. Very often this would mean they will have severe side effects or would stop the real treatment. In at least two cases I know the patient eventually died. In one of those cases her family convinced her that ‘parha hua pani’ was more effective than the medicines she was taking. I remember being depressed for days because I tried to convince her that at least keep taking the medicines with the paani. But their Alim had told them that the medicines had to be stopped. Eventually I remember meeting the Khalla who had insisted on the paani because the medicines were not working fast enough. She told me “ji, Allah ki marzi thi” I felt so very angry at her. This was not Allah ki marzi, this was their jahalat. They may have been trying to help but the girl is dead because of jahalat.
So please, think of what is good for the girl and not just you sympathy.