Fissures in the middle
The most convenient understanding of the phenomenon of Pakistani extremists that one hears being echoed from TV studios and their favourite ‘guests’ suggests that young Pakistanis turning into religious fanatics has something to do with illiteracy and unemployment.
Though not entirely incorrect, this notion, however, is a lazy explanation.
It fails to explain the emergence of young religious extremists such as Omar Shaikh, Shahzad Tanveer and Hasib Hussain, and Faisal Shahzad. Each one of these young men came from educated, middle-class families.
Saying they were products of the western societies that they were raised in is a weak retort.
This attitude simply refuses to seriously address the issue of educated, young Pakistanis falling for an extremely myopic and nihilistic brand of the faith — something that was once explained as a vocation only of the illiterate and the financially desperate.
Omar Saeed Sheikh, the British Pakistani who studied at prestigious educational institutions like Aitchison in Lahore and than at UK’s London School of Economics was involved in the kidnapping and beheading of US journalist, Daniel Pearl, by radical Islamist organisations in Pakistan.
There has been an alarming rise in the number of young, educated middle-class Pakistanis (here and abroad), embracing the most reactionary and anarchic strains of the faith, believing it to be a justified and logical portrayal of ‘true’ Islam.
During a recent seminar, TV anchor and journalist, Talat Hussain, pointed out a very interesting finding. During his visits to the United Kingdom, Hussain went around talking to various Pakistani families settled in the UK.
He was shocked to find that in spite of these families having access to a wide spectrum of education, employment and health facilities provided by the UK’s welfare system, a majority of young third generation British Pakistanis were drop-outs, involved in gang-related criminal activities, or had allowed themselves to be ghettoised within large pockets of Pakistani communities there.
In the last two decades or so, these communities have come under the influence of various religious outfits who exercise control over how UK citizens of Pakistani origin (especially the young) should think and behave.
Many of the more radical clerics and leaders of these outfits and thinking are UK citizens surviving on hand-outs that UK’s welfare system doles out to its unemployed citizens.
And yet, one of the main planks of these men includes indoctrinating Pakistani-British youth to view the British society as being ‘decadent’, ‘immoral’ and ‘working against the interests of the Muslims.’
This has consequently made a number of British-Pakistanis to limit their interaction with the British society in general in spite of the fact that most of them continue to accept the benefits offered by the British system.
______________________
While actors like the 7/7 bombers in London and Faisal Shahzad are an obvious embarrassment to Pakistan and to the Pakistani communities in the West, so are the growing number of rabid, tech-savvy young people floating around various social media sites mouthing the most reactionary ideas about Islam and politics.
There are websites out there glorifying some rather disturbed men and the most twisted conspiracy theories. And many of these sites are owned, run and frequented by Pakistanis who work and are comfortably settled in western countries.
Just as the sudden rise of certain crackpots (via TV) in Pakistan was keenly followed and supported by a chunk of young, urban middle-class Pakistanis, various cranks are happily catering to the already confused religious and ideological bearings of Muslim Pakistanis living abroad.
British-Pakistanis rallying for Shariah laws in the UK. Many such young men are directly influenced by organisations like the Hizbut Tahrir – an Islamist outfit that was recently involved in trying to inspire an Islamist military coup in Pakistan. It is ironic to note that Tahrir, though banned in Pakistan, continues to function as a legitimate organisation in the UK.
Much has already been written about Islamic evangelists who cleverly represent (and glorify) the increasingly chauvinistic mindset of the current generation of young urbanites.
A recent book on Farhat Hashmi’s organisation, Al-Huda, (written by a Pakistani woman academic), accuses her of spreading hatred against Christians, Hindus and Jews among Pakistani women living in Canada.
In the wake of the Faisal Shahzad episode in New York last year, the Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) – a group of liberal Muslims living in Canada – accused American Islamic organisations of refusing to distance themselves from the doctrine of armed jihad.
The MCC goes on to state that many young Pakistanis living in the United States and Canada regard Pakistan as a safe haven for their preparation and training for waging wars against the West.
Organisations like the MCC have also come down hard on outfits such as Al-Huda, ridiculing their claim that they are on a mission to convert westerners to Islam.
A cleric sits beside Farhat Hashmi (left) lecturing young Pakistani women at one of Al-Huda’s teaching centres in Canada.
Nevertheless, even in liberal countries like the US, UK and Canada, organisations like the MCC are coming under direct attack and threats from their more myopic contemporaries who, it seems, are free to peddle away hatred and confusion to Muslims living abroad.
Not surprisingly, it is now not just right-wing, non-Muslim lobbies in the West who are asking their governments to revisit their policies based on the egalitarian and pluralistic notions of ‘multiculturalism,’ but even organisations like the MCC and others representing liberal Muslim Pakistanis living abroad are demanding the same.
They claim that radical Muslims are misusing these policies and/or only producing intolerant young Muslims thanks to the tolerant attitude of Western governments.
The Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) protesting in Toronto against the growing influence of radical Islamist groups in Muslim schools in Canada.
______________________
But, of course, the situation is more alarming in Pakistan.
Political Islam – a mid-20th century philosophy that advocates the creation of a theocratic government and state through the ‘Islamisation’ of society –was once the vocation of conservative scholars and established political parties such as Abul Ala Mauddudi and Jamat-i-Islami (in Pakistan).
However, ever since the late 1980s it has rapidly disintegrated into becoming a bare but populist entity with two prominent strains.
One strain has striped off this philosophy’s more scholarly aspects and left only its violent jihadist facets intact. This strain can now be found in the barbaric ways of extremist organisations like the Taliban and many of Pakistan’s once state-approved sectarian outfits.
The other strain has been working to turn Political Islam into a populist set of easy-to-digest ideas through which elections can be fought or the military-establishment be infiltrated and used as a patron.
JI tried flaunting the populist aspects of Political Islam during the 1977 and 1993 elections, but failed.
Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N did so throughout the 1990s and somewhat did succeed – but only with the help of the military-establishment and before he was chucked out in a military coup in 1999.
Political Islam’s historical drubbing in elections in Pakistan has increasingly made this philosophy the prerogative of certain powerful sections of Pakistan’s military and its many mouthpieces in the popular Urdu media and in so-called Islamic evangelist movements.
Its most recent advocate is cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.
Though, quite like Imran, most of his followers’ lifestyles too are rather ‘westernised,’ these are no liberals believing in concepts like democratic pluralism or in the importance of tolerating and promoting religious, sectarian and ethnic diversity.
By the looks of it, they see democracy to be a threat to Pakistan’s imagined existence as a monotheistic state and society based on a single (state-sanctioned and clergy-approved) strain of the faith.
Most Imran fans (if not Imran himself), like the pro-Musharraf ‘moderates,’ have, at best, sounded like modern 21st century versions of former right-wing Pakistani military dictator, Ziaul Haq.
Instead of a shervani and a stern frown, they can be seen in modern, western clothing and designer shalwar-kameez, spouting the most worn-out rhetoric and narrative that first started to be built up by the state under Zia and his politico-religious sidekicks.
It’s the usual beat: Pakistan and democracy are not compatible; democratic pluralism promotes ethnocentricity; secularism is akin to atheism; religious extremism and violence is the handiwork of the ‘anti-Pakistan’ and ‘anti-Islam’ elements (mainly foreign) …
Also, to these social media savvy ‘revolutionaries’ there is only one correct version of Islam but most Pakistanis follow a corrupted and adulterated version because they are illiterate and superstitious.
Anyone questioning these assumptions is a traitor, and that we need a strong leader who cannot come through democracy because most Pakistanis are ignorant.
Furthermore, anyone questioning the padded extremism and soft authoritarianism peddled by the bopping Imran fans is a ‘liberal extremist’ who is undermining religion and promoting ‘corrupt politicians’.
______________________
Much is spoken, written and lamented about ‘Islamophobia.’ It’s a propensity found in some people (mostly among the non-Muslim in Western countries), who question and discriminate against the so-called ‘Islamic attire’, look and beliefs.
But those who speak the loudest against ‘Islamophobia’ have little or nothing to say about another social bend that is haunting their own societies: Islamomania.
I would like to describe Islamomania as a rather unhealthy obsession with religion.
It’s a fixation that is reactively and at times, systematically used to not only inflict bodily harm on those considered to be infidels or ‘bad Muslims,’ but by also those who attempt to maintain a shady moral ground and dominance over those considered to be spiritually flawed and inferior.
This tendency is also flexed to describe ones own professional, social and political shortcomings as being something that is due to the intrigues of those who are against Muslims.
To many Pakistanis, whatever goes wrong in society and politics in Pakistan is usually due to its external enemies ‘nefarious designs against Islam and Pakistan.’
This Islamomania in Pakistan is mostly found and flaunted in the urban middle and lower-middle classes.
It is an outcome of the careless and selfish socio-political experiments that the state and some governments began to conduct using religion as the main component (some 35 years ago).
More squarely put, this obsession with faith is the result of these experiments going horribly wrong.
Though, it emerged from the state’s disastrous experiments conducted to socially engineer a society that would be blindly obedient to a state-sanctioned, individuality-stripping and dystopian version of collective faith, ever since the mid-1990s, it has become a project of the society itself.
Such experiments that first began to take place in the mid-1970s and went on across the 1980s, till about the early-1990s as a state-backed project, finally spawned a social mindset and milieu that did not require policies from above anymore.
From the mid-1990s, the Pakistani society had well understood the economic, political and social benefits that came with things like overt religious exhibitionism.
As mentioned earlier, the classes that were in the forefront of recognising the above were the urban middle and lower-middle-classes. It was among these classes that most of the self-motivated Islamic evangelical movements emerged.
These movements and outfits peddled Islam as a way to bypass and reject an identity based on ethnicity or any secular ideology. It’s main underlining emphasis, however, remains to be about how to use religion as a way to gain economic success and social status.
Consequently, unable to succeed in electoral politics or walk the corridors of the country’s power politics, the Islamised urban, bourgeoisie and the petty-bourgeoisie began to invade, take-over and transform economic, cultural and social spaces that were inherently secular or at least non-religious.
Though it was the secular regime of Z A. Bhutto in the 1970s that is believed to have first sown the seeds of state-sanctioned Islamisation of Pakistan, it was military dictator, Ziaul Haq, in the 1980s, who is considered to be the main architect of state-sponsored and imposed ‘Islamisation’ in Pakistan.
The state in the past (especially in the 1980s) was the one imposing certain ‘Islamic policies’ upon a bewildered society; but from the mid-1990s, it is society (rather the middle and lower-middle class sections of it), that seems to be enforcing religious dictates and behaviorism in public space.
This has seen the proliferation of praying areas in offices, parks and airports, and/or the availability of praying areas outside the traditional praying centres such as the mosque; the overt display of scriptural verses on buildings and billboards; calls to pray (azaan) in shopping malls; the growing number of Arabic/religious expressions in everyday language; the explicit display of what is described and understood as ‘correct Islamic clothing and look’; religious gatherings in posh drawing rooms and in TV studios; sharing of sermons and religious quotes, and images on social media, etc.
It was a conscious and concentrated effort to display religiosity in public.
The ‘Islamic attire and look’ has been increasingly embraced by both the men and women of Pakistan’s
urban petty-bourgeoisie.
This is so because all this and more is treated and celebrated as symbols of the kind of social power that these classes have attained.
There are many among these classes who see these developments as a ‘good sign.’
But, of course, very few of them are willing to ask exactly why things like extremist violence, crimes (especially against women and children), drug addiction, the rise in psychological/psychiatric ailments, and political and social corruption have managed to not only grow but actually thrive at a time of this great Islamisation from below?
True to form the dynamics of Islamomania are such that the blame for all this is conveniently put on politicians, ‘foreign hands’ and the ‘illiterate masses.’
Questioning or even discussing such issues is more likely to get one labeled as an Islamophobe.
A photo of a congested psychiatry ward at a hospital in Lahore. The rate of psychological ailments and disorders has increased dramatically in Pakistan, ironically paralleling the rise of ‘Islamisation’ and the growing social influence of the urban classes. –Photo by Demotix
It is not the doctrines of faith that are put in danger by such discussions and questions.
It is the urban middle classes’ growing dependence on religious exhibitionism as a way to retain the economic and social benefits that they have enjoyed from the mid-1980s onwards, which comes into focus.
Sometimes the approach of Pakistani middle classes towards faith is like that of a capitalist’s towards consumerism.
This form of obsessive exhibitionism has increasingly been indentified by these classes as an expression of the influence that they are gaining outside the airtight confines of conventional power.
But the most disturbing thing about this obsession (in the context of its middle class social expression) is that, even when its more violent and extremist expression brutalises minority religions, different Muslim sects, law enforcement agencies and the ‘liberals,’ Islamomania forces the Islamised middle classes to either limit their critical response to such madness, or worse, remain quiet.
It is as if they believe that they’re akin to unwittingly let go of the social ground they have gained even if they condemn the bloodiest of acts partaken in the name of faith.
But then, though the main reasons of such a gain are almost entirely economic and to do with carving out a social niche, status and identity for oneself, it too is something partaken in the name of faith.
It’s a thin red line now between what constitutes open terror unleashed in the name of religion, and religiosity imposed with the help of overt religious exhibitionism and symbolism.
Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
As usual NFP is horse whipping Islamists, no doubt they deserve it but equal responsibility lies with Zardari’s government. An abhorable mindset of youths is to be countered with an adorable mindset. Over 4 years in the office, PPP along with its coalition partner MQM. PML(Q) has set an example of the worst governance in the history of the nation..Lack of basic necessities of life such as electricity, gas, worsening law & order situation not only in the country but also in the universities, all have left general population in dilemma.Uninspiring leadership produces wayward minds. That is where our youths are heading to.How long can a nation survive when in the name of sham democracy, there is no accountability ?
PPP, ANP and MQM surely share some of the blame when it comes to extreme violence, but their responsibility is tiny when compared with that of the Islamists, the religious parties and the political parties that support the terrorists.
No argument from me.
There is no such word as “Islamist”. This meme was coined by Western-Israeli Psy-Ops Think Tanks to undermine Muslims. Why do you copy them and use it to ridicule your very own?
But atleast they are building their own foreign bank accounts. And Pakistanis will vote for them again. So they must be doing something right in Pakistani eyes.
Osama bin Ladin was not poor or undeduated.
But he was a Muslim who learned his Quran in Arabic faught for his ummah.
But you obviously are.
He gave it all away to widows, orphans, and freedom fighters.
NFP, i have to contradict you in this article especially branding of the Imran Khan supporters. The problem lies in all the disillusionment revolving around our polarised society. We have the rich and affluent who after living a fun and fulfilling life in their youth, they turn to religion to wipe off their sins , show their wealth and then we have the middle class and poor who have nothing but to turn to religion, hoping the good days to come. Plus wasnt it in your earlier articles that you explained Madudi and the islamic version of why Pakistan was created. If you feed this in the feeble minds in school what do you expect in the end?
I have had people from different religious factions tell me to join their cause for the glory of God, and when i say what about the other sect having said the same agenda, they felt an instant snub, where i try to quote the hadith of the muslim ummah being one. And most of them didnt even know basic conceptual knowledge of islam and were hailing beards, five time prayers and i dismissed them as blind followers and rebels without a cause. A few people tell me im disillusioned when i said the problem of Pakistan is injustice and unequal distribution of resources.
And almost all problems that we face in the entire country, we tend to say God will fix them before we even start discussing the core issue itself. be it education, politics, food, electricity, our soul is cleansed after blaming the foreign elements hindering the success of our nation( rather than pointing at our own home grown failures).
Till the idle youth of this country is not channeled constructively, we will see more end up with extremism and fanaticism and the affluent ones will join them in a sheep flock mentality. and till the leaders be with relgious or political dont get their act right, disillusionment will stay, we will have people argue democracy, khilafat etc etc to cure our ills
At the end of the day, West considers all muslims equal and even have suspicion of those who follow western lifestyle ( with the likes of Imran Khan). Little do the muslims of Pakistan know what muslims in other countries whether our foe India or ally China are like as well. We have turned into a breed of our own.
Religion is an opium and the human race should get rid off it.
You are right. You would have been equally right if you compared it with alcohol.
The comment was quoting someone else…someone rather famous compared religion with opium…research as to who it was, chances are you do not know and btw, please remove the Manto from your handle…that name sake would be happier.
“Religion is the opium of the people” is one of the most frequently paraphrased statements of Karl Marx.
It is all about Power. Power in modern times comes from technology. the West and far East ( Japan, South Korea and also China to some extent) have educated their masses and allowed the entrepreneurs to make money off of their innovations. The money they earn gives them power. this is also happening in India. But in Pakistan education is a mess, high technology firms are non-existent, jobs are few and only religions such as Islam with their loud proclamations of dominance by islam and Muslims gives these frustrated young men a sense of power which they frequently exercise by attacking minorities such as Christians and Hindus and even fellow Muslims such as the Ahmadiyyas. It is much easier to indulge in these attacks and feel powerful then by spending endless hours writing code for computers, carrying out research in science, developing new products. It is like a depressed person who every now and then drinks a few beers feels good for a few minutes but when the alcohol wears off he feels even more depressed and drinks more alcohol. Religion is alcohol of these violent jihadists.
Again an excellent article by Mr. Paracha.
I doubt that my statement would be published but I will say it never-the-less…….
ISLAM AS PRACTICED IN PAKISTAN IS NOT THE SOLUTION. IT IS THE PROBLEM.
MIND YOU I AM NOT CONDEMING ISLAM ITSELF.
Its damn crazy ! What is it about Islam which drives people to this ? I partly agree with the observation about third generation Pakistanis in UK dropping out of school and turning into criminals etc..I realised the same during my stay in England ..the big difference between british born Indian and Pakistanis. Most Indian parents have worked hard to bring up Children who are one step better than them. Where as a large number of Pakistani youth are lost cases and totally failed to take advantage of life in UK.
They are cry babies who grow up to be professional victims without even one bomb dropped on them.
Their parents told them as children they were very special little Muslims and that is their disconnect with the society. Western Society needs to know you are who you say you are not who you dream you are. So they retreat to groups who understand their pain.
You speak from your own personal experience. Americans are like that. Way blow in health and intelligence and moral fiber. Now they are debt to the tune of trillions of dollars.
Oh please! stop blaming a man who died 24 years ago. the identity crisis of the youth is the fault of your generation who failed to do what was to be done to groom them into gentlemen! most of the youth never experienced the Zia era and the radicalization is mostly a reaction to the flood of cultural trends flowing from all over the world into Pakistan. your generation romanticized and approved of such things allowing the majority religious right to get cautious of this invasion and shift more to the right and some even to extremes. dont blame the youth. blame yourself and the people above the age of 40. blame 9/11!
Mr Z.A. Bhutto introduced those “Islamization measures” when he was cornered by the right-wing parties. Instead of resigning, he thought it expedient to bring in those “reforms”. So essentially it was a political move. Mr Ziaul Haq had a grand plan of remaining in power for ever and his version of Islamization supported him to do so. Again this was a guise to perpetuate his rule.
Not every Muslim parent in the North America or Europe is of that radical brand mentioned. So responsibility lies on the shoulders of the parent to ensure that they train their kids well. So as young men and women they can avoids interaction with and exposure to such radical elements.
There is need to monitor education being given at religious schools and seminaries. All out efforts are needed to weed out what is not wanted by the mainstream Muslims everywhere.
Agreed the root of this problem is ZAB. He first lost hlf the country because he wanted power and later tried to out-Islamize the Islamists to keep power.
Thank you, Muhammad. I’ve learned something from you about Bhutto. Your good written description makes the political methods clear.
Politicians do exist to protect and preserve themselves above all things.
Islamophobia – Islamomania NFP dig a bit deeper and you will find we are beyond it , now its ISLAMOPHRANIA
Is it bad to turn to Religion to solve nation’s social, political, and economic problems? Remember this is the only country whose base of independance was Religion. For the most part, Western constitutions are based on Islam and they are very much prosperous. Unlike Pakistan with Muslims everywhere but no Islam.
Where did you learn that western constitutions are based on Islam!!!! Pakistani schools?????
‘Okaz: “Some Western thinkers wrote that Western civilization is an extension of previous civilizations. How can you, a Muslim Arab, deny this?”
Buleihi: “When we review the names of Muslim philosophers and scholars whose contribution to the West is pointed out by Western writers, such as Ibn Rushd, Ibn Al-Haitham, Ibn Sina, Al-Farbi, Al-Razi, Al-Khwarizmi, and their likes, we find that all of them were disciples of the Greek culture and they were individuals who were outside the [Islamic] mainstream. They were and continue to be unrecognized in our culture. We even burned their books, harassed them, [and] warned against them, and we continue to look at them with suspicion and aversion. How can we then take pride in people from whom we kept our distance and whose thought we rejected?…
Actually Muslims gathered all the knowledge of the world, translated it,and kept it in librarys and madarassas and invited scholars froall over the world to come share and contribute to it. The Mongols and the Christian Popes burnt these libraries and madarssas. Some, few were saved. It is said humanity and world accumulation of knowledge was set back a thousand years or more.
The article fails to point out that liberal and/or non-religious leaders and parties have failed even more miserably at steering the nation or its thinking and economy in a positive direction. The fanaticism is not good but a vaccum on the other side is even worse – it addresses nothing.
No system, whether it is democracy, kingship, communism or so called Islamic governance can’t work unless established under justice (with ethical boundaries). Pakistan is facing threats on two equal fronts and not just one. Internal and External and we have to eradicate both and not just only one of them. Of course the cleaning starts from home.
External? And what exactly is that?
Excellent analysis of the society’s behavioral and fundamental change in the basic mindset and shift in the thinking of a mesmerized section of people because of wrong teachings of religion …
Education system, curriculum, extra curricular activities, sports, parenting, community involvement, balance, love for people and religion together can create healthy society. Visit SMB fatima jinnah school at nishter park to see the master piece of shehzad roy and sami mustafa.
Great analysis by NFP.
NFP does not analyse. He ponificates and demogogues.
I think Imran Khan has the right ideas for the country and he is sincere. My fear is that his allies, the bearded hordes lurking in the shadows, will hijack his victory.
Imran Khan does not have the right ideas overall. He is aware of love of Pakistani nation with money and he promises to bring back looted money. So, people waiting for a miracle tend to like him. Imran Khan is also aware that in current day Pakistan, he would badly fail if he does take a rightist approach.
Down with IK. Vote Zardari, PPP, MQM. They the best for the Pakistani people as you well know from past four yearsexperience.
Imran Khan is trying to be all things to all people, much like Jinnah did.
Follower be aware.
Islamomania: A state of getting intoxicated by using religion instead of alcohol or drugs. Where religion becomes the opium.
Really appreciated the drawing of the school photograph and “that’s me” comment.What can one say for those who drape it’s women folk in a black sack with just the eyes showing.I am at loss for words.
You’re probably a fat aunty who doesn’t look good either, so stop snickering
Actually, I too cracked up at the hilarity of that cartoon…and I go to the gym regularly even though I am not Hritwick Roshan either.
The women do it on their own. As do nuns. It is simple modesty. The west bares all. I mean all. It does not mean that Christianity is like that. The Bible tells women to stay at home, comfort their husbands, cover their heads or they will be shaved off.
A thorough Marxist analysis of the religious question in Pakistan. It’s amazing how a former Marxist like Paracha is able to do so with great affect whereas the current breed of so-called Marxists and the left in Pakistan are still stuck with old leftist cliches and Cold War rhetoric.
Why people are in a hurry to brand NFP (and others) a certain way? Don’t such peoplr believe there are also independent, original thinkers?
Marxism is a governing ideology not a religious one. Study your politics and economics before you start throwing labels around. The article is about the pitfalls of extreme Islam, btw have you looked at the state of Pakistan recently?. Its a third world country that becomes more isolated every day. Its a country where girls are shot, or drowsed in acid for trying to get an education. I guess if it were up to idiots like you, we would become Afghanistan. So please get an education and a better world view. It would make our country stronger.
When you refer to NFP as former Marxist, it negates Marxism – he is a diehard jayala of dynastic leadership of Bhutto- Zardari clans. Ever seen any piece by NFP criticizing, satirising AAZ ?
G. Nabi, Go and teach in some medrassah. You are the right mental level for there. Have you seen a piece criticizing AAZ by Edgar Allan Poe? Does that make Poe a die hard ‘jiyala’?
why is pakistan so involved in religion? every second article, or programe on pakistn tv has to mention islam,
it is a classic case of being so unsure of oneself and ones religion,
it looks like islam is the only religion whch need the protection from mere mortal, unlike the other way around, where people need religion
they other thing is even the arab to whom this religion belong are not so engrossed in it, i do not know about the saudi, but having met them in other countries, they would be killed in pakistn
grow up, pakistn islam does not need u, u need islam so stop acting so pious, and try to actually be good
nstead of creating enemies all over the wotld know ur real enemies, the people whp shot malala, or the poor lady whose only fault was she was trying to vaccinate the poor children
I endorse your views. I follow Pakistan’s programmes closely. I just do not understand, they eat religion, drink religion and sleep religion. Take a break guys! There is more to world than Islam.
Stop this non sense. How dare you belittle Islam the religion of peace? There is Islam first and there is Islam last, nothing in between.
Not even the creator-blessed faculty called COMMON SENSE?
And perhaps the CIA contractor who shot dead two pakistanis in cold blood..
Dying in on the street is pretty routine for Pakistan. Davis bought his way out just as Pakistani drug dealers, criminals and big shot politicians do.
Over 15000 people die on the streets in the US, every year by gun shots. 125000 by alcohol, 400000 by tobacco…what is your point.
religions should enhance our life, not take away all free will and individual freedoms, not restrict us in everything and impose rules for everything… what to eat, how to dress, what to feel, so many superficial rules… god/Al-Lah must be a very practical fellow to think of all these rules! doctrines that want to control all aspects of life are the basis of totalitarian regimes, sorry…
You are almost at par with the Turkish reformer The great Kamal Ataturk.
And this what he said,
“For nearly five hundred years, these rules and theories of an Arab Shaikh and the interpretations of generations of lazy and good-for-nothing priests have decided the civil and criminal law of Turkey. They have decided the form of the Constitution, the details of the lives of each Turk, his food, his hours of rising and sleeping the shape of his clothes, the routine of the midwife who produced his children, what he learned in his schools, his customs, his thoughts-even his most intimate habits. Islam – this theology of an immoral Arab – is a dead thing. Possibly it might have suited tribes in the desert. It is no good for modern, progressive state. God’s revelation! There is no God! These are only the chains by which the priests and bad rulers bound the people down. A ruler who needs religion is a weakling. No weaklings should rule!
How can one seventh the population of the world claim that they are right and everyone else is wrong?
“How can one seventh the population of the world claim that they are right and everyone else is wrong?” – By believing that God is racist who chose to enlighten them leaving 6/7th of the humanity specially those in the far flung areas, such as, South America, Japan, China, etc, to figure it out themselves and robbed their chances of going to heaven.
The great reformer was Kemel’s wife. She freed the women. The greatest fools were those Arabs in the Middle East who believed the Ottomans were Muslims.
Good point. Now tell me how come one person: Einstein was right and the rest of the world wrong? your straw man has no substance, your facts are baseless, your reasoning is faulty. Truth does not rely on democracy, popularity, votes, or compromise. Truth stands alone.
I am really surprise to read his article, the writer seems to me lives in box of lock mind. please stop firing at Islam and blaming others and in fact when the real problem is with in your won society. A good sizeable young Muslim in the west are better educated and have better jobs and in fact playing good part in the community at large, rather then living in with hands out. Muslims are progressive and better
understood in Islamic values rather then Pakistani. The photograph printed here from UK, most of them
are qualified solicitors and Barristers. Stop this nonsense of yours in-apt views and third rated writing.
There is NO criticism of Dr Farahat Hashmi in Canada and Imran Khan has better agenda then rest of you corrupt Pakistani so called Politicians.
Stop shooting from others shoulders.
Let us examine the reality in Pakistan. The politicians are corrupt and society is just as corrupt. Corrupt politics is a product of corrupt politics.
Have ever heard the interview of the so called solicitor / barristers on BBC ???
You would have been shell shocked with the misinterpretation of Islam.
Do you homework before you comment here …
Have been in n out of England for the last 40 years n have seen lately that British Pakistanis or else r the most hated lot.N have seen women dressed like Ninjas n long bearded goons living on social security .Last but not the least enjoying the freedom of a free n secular society.
There is no surprise in that. Muslims all over the world enjoy the hospitality of secular societies and abuse the right of free speech to promote sectarian ideas.
From their reaction, I am sure m h kayani is not an experienced reader of newspapers.
You my friend are wrong. The article does not say the Islamomania comes from illiterates, but the writer is correct in pointing out that extremism comes from the lower middle and middle classes. These so called individuals are the ones who promote violence and extremism. Look at organizations like the Jamaat-e-Islami or MQM who’s stronghold is the city of Karachi which arguably has a higher literacy rate than the rest of the country. These are examples of extremist organizations. The poor are worried about their next meal while the rich have more important things to worry about, it is the middle class that is the problem.
“Stop this nonsense of yours in-apt views and third rated writing”
Though your post has received few likes but many dislikes, I support your view. If people in the West has no problem with people like Dr.Farhat Hashmi and organizations like Hizbul Tahrir then WHY are we yelling against them?
It is not that simple. Imran Khan is popular because he is not corrupt. May he win more than a dozen seats in the National Assembly!
Of course it will take some time. Let all the parties including “religious” fight the elections. Long live Pakistan and democracy!
How long we will be hiding under our so-called self-esteemed shadow of illusions, come on, writting is trying to explain things which most of us do not express or dont want to, we all know how many qualified solicitors and scholors are UK who attends this kind of meetings.
Very well said, You have facts while others just words.
Its good effort to understand Pakistani-Muslim and socio-political issue, however problem here has further complex dimensions and requires some more critical examination – reaction among religious and moderate groups is promoted for certain reasons during Zia regime. We need to understand reaction is a negative emotion and true humans never accept it. Hate is a self defeating thought and always people who are weak in their personalities get infected with it. Educate your people especially about love and all religions are love not hate.
Insightful and thought provoking article. I think as we practice our faiths, it is also important to be peaceful, tolerant and wise. Religions flourish not by force but by progress in the education, thinking and living conditions of adherents. Spirituality is one aspect of human need but other needs need our serious attention too. Rational faith and civility are the answer.
Current violence in the Islamic countries may have some political overtones but the underlying reasons are human quest for individual freedom, improvement of living conditions, education and jobs for the youth.
Rights of others can not be ignored because of the die hard beliefs of a minority. Levels of understanding of our existence and the universe around must add to our understanding and perspectives. In my humble opinion, Pakistan can only flourish when there is peace amongst te natives, indiduals work hard and honestly to improve their lot.
There you go hating on Imran Khan again with baseless accusations. PTI is truly democratic as compared to your beloved elitist, feudal PPP. Wohabbisim is not a bigger issue than corruption, feudalism, inequality and injustice. All other political parties, when in power have mostly, only helped themselves, rarely the people and thats why Imran is popular, not for the Islamic reasons you give. Imran may be a bit of mullah but his academic qualifications and dedicated work in health, education and for the eradication of poverty for this godforsaken nation (without any official support) are miles ahead of his opponent’s contributions and his sincerity is without a doubt. Stop spreading lies.
Excellent -excellent-YOU ADRESS ALL PROBLEMS OF THE PAKISTANI PEOPLE
PTI and Imran Khan are a failure. The lack popular support and are not clear about the direction that they want to take. Think about it, a former westernized elitist playboy aligning himself with right wing fundamentalists and claiming to represent the Pakistani masses. How far is he likely to go?
As far as right wing fundamentalists will allow.
He is trying more of the same good goverment and justice and prosperity that the present government has given Pakistan.