A case of double standards
It’s not only the West, but also Muslims who have double standards, Pakistanis and Arabs more so than others. While the West keeps mum over Israel’s excesses against Palestinians, its Nato ally Turkey’s suppression of Kurds, India’s policy towards Kashmiris, Bahrain’s and Saudi Arabia’s oppression of their Shia citizens, Western leaders cry from the rooftops for the rights of Syrian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean people living under a tyranny.
The Yemeni president too comes across as an OK guy to Washington regardless of how much blood of his own people he has on his hands, but the Pakistan Army is singled out for assaulting the Baloch. The same army was a special, close ally outside Nato under Gen Musharraf, who had ordered the killing of the octogenarian Baloch leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti, and which in the first place sent Baloch nationalists into an open revolt against Islamabad. The US Congress back then did not give two hoots about the large number of Baloch youth who went ‘missing’— a euphemism for extra-judicial confinement or killing, which goes on in Balochistan. Ditto for the Guantanamo Bay inmates, who still languish in Camp X-Ray without trial.
And now about us and our double standards. We want our madressahs and hijabs and missionaries preaching in the UK, which readily obliges because it respects your right to practise your faith (France and even Turkey will not allow half as much freedom to their Muslim populations), but here in Pakistan we won’t have the Ahmadis call themselves Muslim even though they recite the same kalema and pray the same prayer; we won’t allow Christian missionaries either.
According to a thin but a loud minority in Pakistan, anyone who does not believe in the Taliban or the Saudi-like reading of Islam is a heretic, who must be converted or ‘banished to hell’, as the expression in Urdu goes. Farhat Hashmis of the world also go around preaching that even greeting a non-Muslim is akin to heresy.
The Gulf is another story altogether. Most our of brotherly oil-rich people — read very honourable men, for women hardly count — have their rules of engagement listed according to your nationalities, rather the race. A white man from the US, say a doctor, draws a much higher salary than his plebian Bangladeshi counterpart even if both are graduates of the same American medical school! But neither can go to church in the holy kingdom, for no such place exists there.
A friend narrates that whilst he was in Riyadha, a Hindu chap was picked by the religious police along with him because they were found loitering in the marketplace while a muezzin had already called the faithful to the prayer. The Muslim friend says that he went down on his knees and begged forgiveness for his felony from the officer who hit him on the head and let him go with a warning that next time Allah will not forgive him, while the Hindu fellow found himself in a bigger mess. When he, too, was tauntingly asked if he was Muslim, he replied in the negative and prompt came the next question in all its fury: ‘Why are you not Muslim?’ To which the poor chap had no answer. He too was eventually let go with a long and hard kick in the back, but with the warning that next time if he dared say he was a non-Muslim, he’d have to face a bit more than the wrath of Allah. This, my friend says, is not Islam but is definitely quite the Muslim conduct, for which many will, perhaps very wrongly, cite the backing of their religion.
Double standards abound. In the UAE Muslims can drink alcohol in a bar, but taking liquor is a punishable offence for them; in Qatar, it is your nationality, and not your faith, that decides whether you can legally consume alcohol: a Muslim from UAE, Turkey, Indonesia or India can, but a Muslim from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia or Iran cannot.
Yes, Islam emphasises on equality in social justice, as was enshrined in the de facto constitution which the Prophet of Islam hammered out in consultation with all concerned, and which became the basis of running the first Islamic state at Madina. He declared the neighbouring Jews and Christian tribes with whom he entered into a truce as part of the Ummah, in which each individual was bound by the same set of rules, obligations and privileges regardless of his/her faith. This was a true pluralistic aspect of Islam which its Prophet implemented and enforced by consensus in his own lifetime in the 7th century CE.
Today the word Ummah has been robbed of its original meaning and popularly connotes Muslims only. Muslims who feel free to discriminate against non-Muslims in Muslim-majority countries, whilst demanding and enjoying equal rights in Muslim-minority countries. Thus, the modern pluralistic, secular state is more Islamic in its social justice regime than the few Islamic republics which have their minorities on tenterhooks.
The writer is a member of the staff at Dawn Newspaper.
The learned author Murtaza Razvi says: “Today the word Ummah has been robbed of its original meaning and popularly connotes Muslims only. Muslims who feel free to discriminate against non-Muslims in Muslim-majority countries, whilst demanding and enjoying equal rights in Muslim-minority countries. Thus, the modern pluralistic, secular state is more Islamic in its social justice regime than the few Islamic republics which have their minorities on tenterhooks.”
Well-said, very true. There is no Muslim Ummah anymore. The Muslim Ummah in Pakistan is divided into Sunni, Shia, Deobandi, Brelvi, Sindhi, Baloch, Punjabee, Pashtoon, Mohajir, followers of Nawaz Sharif, followers of Fazlul Rahman, followers of Zardari and many more, each group plotting to stab other groups. In America a person is American first before he/she is a Californian or Minnisotan or Irish or Black or Latino or Christian or Muslim or Jew or Atheist. They are all united as American and make America a strong country. In Pakistan the leaders of Pakistan spend 75% of their time fighting and bashing each other.
We need more writers and journalists like Murtaza Razvi to enlighten Pakistanis. May Allah reward him.
Som ture, if we can only learn from our mistakes….or rather accept our mistake/s….
great article,we have hope in socity if like mr murtaza the writers are in pakistan.
Thanks much for your honesty even though admitting one's own double standard and hypocricy is not the natural thing to do.
We Muslims always want special treatment from others wherever we go — but in our own backward we never give the minorities their due.
Very true
"…. but here in Pakistan we won’t have the Ahmadis call themselves Muslim even though they recite the same kalema and pray the same prayer …. " Not agreed . He is lack of his knowledge …. They recite different kalima they use "Ahmed" instead of Muhammad. Also offering prayer is also different. You can confirm any authentic web site or any scholar. Thnks
I am an Ahmadi and I dont use Ahmed in my Kalima instead of Muhammad and I dont mean Ahmad instead of Muhammad in my Kalima. and I dont pray salat any different from how Imam Abu Hanifa did. And I have never been told by anyone to pray or say anything differently. Obviously, you will not beleive me, but you will believe any mullah or website.
OK. here I finally found the pic …… http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/853/25891954…
Exactly my point….
Saad many of us believe you. You are as a true muslim as Ali or others. The issue is political not religious. It will take time to mend the gap.
Ali do you or people like you have a power to look into ones heart? Let me tell you, only allah has, Kalma and salat belong to Al-mighty, no one has power to judge who is muslim or not, plz grown up.
Bold and accurate, as always !!!
Can an analysis be made, please, about WHY human beings have DOUBLE STANDARDS and how to negate this tendency .
I know many Indian and Filipino Christian in west who have made a ton of money from Muslim middle east (UAE )and because of that money they have a good life in west.
Excellent Article!!!
This article should be published in every newspaper,not just in Pakistan..but in all islamic countries and countries where muslims are in minority too…
Muslims should stop this idea of preaching secularism and autonomy when in minority and sharia when in majority
One of my cousins had to wear Burkha when she was in Riyadh and she had to follow all the customs(curfew,not going out alone etc),even though she was not a muslim at all…
A non-muslim is not allowed to freely practice their faith in islamic countries,but when France banned burkha(remember they ddnt ban hijab) on security reasons(for CCTV to identify criminals who could use burkha to hide themselves)..all hell went loose and secularism was reminded to French people..
Also the concept of brotherhood "ummah" is only used by the radical elements and terrorists to amass more donation and manpower for their dirty deeds…An indonesian muslim is convinced to fight for the rights of Palestinian muslim…
But when USA attacked two of your muslim countries,the entire muslim world were watching as spectators..Why didnt the OPEC countries warn US to stop oil export to US if they attacked Afghanistan and Iraq???
When US and UK attacks,its the problem of the country..But when USSR or Israel attacks,the entire Islamic world is threatened to extinction and they retaliate…
One of best articles that i have ever read …. every fact of the article is true.
I really cannt belive its published in dawn. Hats off to author for writing a big truth. I am an Indian Hindu with loads of Muslim friends, I have seen educated Muslims are much more honest and good human being. I think its education which plays a big role. when you are taught properly that everybody is equal.. you will follow it your whoel life. But if you havve been taught that you are the best.. then you will always live in that assumption.. all human beings are same… religion is personal. you are answerable to God.. that supreme power not to other human being.
Excellent article, needless to say that the way Islamic Governments are handling the matter of minorities rights must come under the measurement of United Nations in order to pave the way towards the reforms, betterment and welfare of minorities.
There is absolutely no doubt that at present, phenomenon of terrorism in all around the world, has caused a great level of increase of hate and anger among both Muslims and non-Muslims for each other and level of tolerance, patience is fast running out from US, Europe societies to Arab and Asian societies.
I think current circumstances are demanding for some fundamental changing in the secular and religious curriculum of Islamic countries which need to be developed keeping in view the present days requirements of Muslims and non-Muslims stand off and primary purpose of curriculum should be to promote the culture of tolerance and conciliation and various kind of educational and sports based programs should be promote among them in order to rebuild them as one society with one goal in one world.
Humans are born free and they have a choice in regards to religion. In fact, the Quran clearly states that there is no compulsion in matters of faith. In light of this, who gave this Saudi religious police the right to act as enforcers of religion or to physically harm people? By the way, I am glad the writer mentioned a different concept of 'Ummah'.
I have noticed this in every article written from dawn…they either begin the article criticizing the west or insert it somewhere to make it less obvious….before they cricize themselves. No one has the guts to criticize or say things as they are. What a cowardice!
Mr. Razvi sitting safe and commenting a lot on unseen things come to ground reality and visit India to know the plight of Muslims. But you will never dare to do it because you care less of Muslims and care a lot of Humanity.
It's funny to see people comment on plight of Muslims in India without having actually seen them in person. Don't believe what is being said by a few biased people who have their axes to grind. If what we read about Pakistan was true, it would not have been possible for anybody to be alive there, what with every person being made to look like a suicide bomber.
Excellent article by Murtaza Razvi.
If we have more bold Muslim journalists and writers like Murtaza Razvi, at least it will help some Muslims to become true Muslims, Insha Allah. Honestly speaking, many Muslims of this day are the worst enemies of Islam because they do not follow true teachings of Islam and have invented their own teachings.
double standards or blatant hypocrisy is what we as societies have evolved to. The state of virtue has been diminished to just a convenience and diminished the state of truth to stupidity..
we are the ultimate conformists after putting our moral and collective conscience to sleep in islamic countries we dont mind being treated like second or third class citizens because there isnt an alternative of our liking…while most western countries that offer us less discrimination why because their freedom has given us alternatives..
we are simply creatures of comfort and convenience there is no right or wrong it is all relative to comforts
.here iam not being pro or against any country/culture
but my point is simple we should have our morals and values be confident of holding on to them because in the end its these values that that ultimately define us as persons. good is good anywhere and bad is bad anywhere ,why should we use our religion to legitimise bad
Sikhs are the most liberal and non prostelyzing religion known .
Any one can join it and leave it at free will.
It is true that the West has double standards. But I disagree that Muslims of today have double standards. Generally we Muslims have NO standards. At least you can praise the West that it has generally a good set of values enforced within its own people (shame not extended to whole humanity). In the Muslim world, there is gross injustice, widespread poverty, illeteracy, and no rule of law. We act as if speaking of Islam and good deeds will take us to heaven and that our acts will not take us to hell. Well, Allah is punishing us with hell here and shall punish with hell in the hereafdter – if we don't amend our ways.
Islam is a beautiful religion of compassion, peace and love. It respects all other faiths as practiced by our Prophet Mohammad (Pbuh) and enshrined in the Holy Quran. How many people know if a muslim man marries a christian woman, he has to respect her faith and not force her to convert. Instead the religion
is being used to kill muslims and non-muslims alike, Taliban are not muslims, they are not even human beings.
Besides Christianity and Judaism, what other faiths are included? Please enlighten a non-believer.
In case you dont know – there is a Fatwa against Shahrukh Khan for not converting her wife Gauri to Islam.
It was indeed a very candid observation…….. Author certainly understands the concept of mutual respect and practice of social harmony.
The legal rights non-Muslims enjoy in Pakistan are the same if not much greater than Europe or America. Its just that Pakistan has a very crude way of dealing with what it perceives as a problem whilst the UK and USA for instance, do the same in judicial ways.
What I am referring to is that in the UK. large numbers of Muslims including citizens are incarcerated on charges which wouldn't stand a chance in a professional court. I have seen cases in the UK, where judges instead of establishing facts, distorts it and draw very selective inferences from those twisted facts. One solicitor, who dared to criticise one such judgement (Imran) got threatened by the judge handing down the biased judgement, on contempt and permanent disqualification to practice etc.
Just the mere fact of subjecting people through a legal process does not neccessarily make the outcome any fairer. This is how the UK and US establishment deal with its Muslim population. Take the case of Babur in the UK awaiting extradition to the US for instance. It is these judges 'patriotism' that clouds their objectivity. If they were not judges, they probably might not have enjoyed so much respect for their bigotry and instead may be classified as some thing else.
I think this writer is very naive. I advice him to follow decision when Muslins are on trial and compare both case and penal outcome with other cases where Muslims are not involved but with similar material facts. The result would be obvious for all to see. In the case of US, it is too much glamour and very little substance when it comes to their treatment of Muslims, especially, at the hands of FBI and its covert entrapment policies.
Both the press and silent majority are indifferent at best or are generally supportive of such outcomes, which is why there isn't much national introspection in these countries on judicial injustices to the Muslim minorities.
You cannot try a race or religious group and expect the outcome to be fair when the prosecutor, judge and majority jury are all from the other side??????? This fact was recognised for Catholics in Northern Ireland but the UK wouldn't extend the same to Muslim.