Coexistence with India – III
This blog is part 4 of a four-part series that attempts to understand the enemy within; and why and how our establishment has fed this monster for decades.
See Part 1: Coexistence with India – I
See Part 2: Coexistence with the world
See Part 3: Coexistence with India – II
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-Illustration by Abro.
Human identity comes from commitment and conduct. DNA defines one’s genetic stock but not one’s identity. As conscious beings with volition, humans carve their identity from what they think they are. How many Muslims of the subcontinent had Indian ancestors or how they became Muslims is not important. It is their sense of belonging and commitment that decides their relationship with the world. His DNA loses meaning when a white American Christian converts to Islam, takes an Arab name and joins al Qaeda to wage war against his own DNA stock.
Although Islam did not teach so, our ulema teache us that Allah created Adam and his race only to be Muslims. Therefore, those who do not accept Islam, go against their humanity. Over the past 65 years this interpretation of humanity has taken ever deeper root in our thinking. We are made to believe that Muslims are the only proper humans, the righteous and the blessed; that the rest of mankind is on the wrong track and must be brought to the right track or under the rule of the righteous Muslim empire. With this belief as their banner, followers of Sheikh Ibne Wahhab and Syed Qutb aspire to establish their Global Arab Empire; human systems that do not conform to their concept of Islam must be abolished. The monster that our establishment created with a perverse lack of vision sold out to these international recruiters. Over decades all our resources were dumped into the hell pit of a security state. That security state itself is now facing a threat to its life at the hands of these misguided missiles.
But our alienation from the rest of mankind is not the only tragedy. Division within the Muslim camp starts on the issue: who is a “true Muslim”? As believers we have been taught for ages that the scholars of Islam know better, that they are the doctors of our soul. Now there are different sects of Muslims and every sect has its ulema. They define “true Muslims” according to their separate sets of belief. This has been growing into greater bitterness within the Muslim community, each declaring the other as misguided, if not heretical, leading to clashed and bloodshed.
Communal sentiment divides people in communities and alienates one from the other; this almost always pushes them into hostile positions. Hate generates hate and begets hate. People close their eyes and ears under the hypnosis of hate. They act like programmed robots; reason loses all meaning. Time showed this truth in tragic clarity.
Indian leaders chose the path of inclusiveness to combat communal clashes. Without this wise approach, the vengeance of the Hindu who was vanquished for centuries in his own motherland could have caused immense bloodshed. Imagine a Muslim population whose places of worship are attacked and destroyed for centuries, whose holies are repeatedly insulted for generations and then they rise to freedom and power! What massacres of revenge will you expect?
The gradual cooling down of temper and insanity is possible only in a tolerant democracy which permits diversity and discussion. It is this constitutional openness that saved India from falling apart. We, in Pakistan, chose to decide all matters on religious belief; first our ulema rejected people of other religions as “heretics”, then our own religious minorities one by one.
The question lingers on whether India aspires to annex Pakistan. In 1946, the Muslim League leadership had agreed to remain part of the Indian Federation, in accordance with the Cabinet Mission Plan which provided the Muslim majority provinces with constitutional autonomy. Parties agreed to draft that constitution as the Cabinet Mission Plan stipulated. But within days, the congress policy changed. Maulana Azad, obviously in a considered move, handed over the Congress presidency to Jawahar Lal Nehru, who as the new president declared that the parliament will independently decide matters in the session by majority. The Congress Committee did not reject its president’s statement. This meant a clear move to shed us away as a load which they thought would suck more than serve. They could have kept us if they wished. Time could have weakened our resolve for separation, but that could be then. As for now, after what we have made of ourselves, a perfect hornets’ nest, a paranoid crowd of self-righteous militants, it seems highly improbable for any sane planner of India to annex Pakistan.
This strategy of load shedding by Nehru, Patel and their like could at best be called clever. It was not wise as many humanists warned. Division based on hate is not diversity but disorder. Diversity is individuality in harmony with its world, while disorder is a dismissal of harmony. That clever move made the “Two Nations” waste their trillions on weapons of mass destruction, leaving their teeming millions in abject misery. It brought several wars to the subcontinent and pushed our part to the brink of one civil war after another till it reduced us to diverse tribes of a mythical ummah where no national identity exists.
Do we inherit the sins and liabilities of our ancestors? Yes, because we inherit their virtues and their assets. Like other conquerors, our medieval ancestors ruled their subjects against their will. Hindus never went out of the subcontinent to invade or rule others, while invasion and domination were genetic to Muslims. They preferred to dominate rather than befriend. Conquest and killing leaves lasting scars. Those who are disgraced and defeated pass their memories of pain to the posterity, that breeds new conflicts. Only an admission of misdeeds opens the path to redemption. The contemporary descendants of Vikings, Romans and Mongols do not take pride in the violent history of their ancestors. In contrast, the boastful pride of our past makes us crudely unique and alienates us from the world. An honest admission instead can work as the recipe for coexistence. Such civilized attitudes are not humiliating; they can win us respect among nations. But that is not possible without a strong dismissal of the terrorists who represent the darkest aspects of our psyche.
And we have to acknowledge the irreversibility of history. The two people have to remain two or more as they are already three with Bangladesh. They have to learn the essence of diversity before they sit together like Europeans. Intellectuals and statesmen who wish reason and peace to prevail have to accept with patience the indispensability of popular will, if not consensus, on such future reconciliation. We have to create the consciousness that changes human destiny and changes the world. Yes, we have no option now except to mend our ways and learn to modestly coexist with the world, which starts with the neighbor’s door.
The author is a renowned Pakistani intellectual. His Urdu books Tehzeebi Nargisyat and Mubaalghe, Mughaalte are widely regarded as the revival of critical thinking and free inquiry in Urdu non-fiction.
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.
Excellent article.
My advice forget the past, concentrate on our future, for the whole subcontinent.
It is not worth avenging past atrocities. What did demolition of Babri Masjid achieve? Only blood shed and more hatred.
With all jugglery of words and intellectualism. My humble request to the author and the reader will be to watch out for those who stab in the back. And you wont need to go far.
My salam to Mobarakbhai. I think you put it right, we have to go on. Be a best neighbor as you can be and boast yourself as united to do good for people of motherland. It start with removing hate from heart. There are people want you stay agitated in name religion. I hope your message spread in both of the countries and more
people with thinking similar to your, come in power to do good for sake of coming generation.
I do not want anyone including myself dwell on past but I thought Mr. Jinha, who wanted separate country. I am pretty sure Nehru may have facilitated as he did not wantt to share the power with anybody.
We want Dawn in india.
Mr Mobarak Haider,
Please write in Indian media too. They won’t publish what you wrote if written by an Indian. May be they will publish it given you are a Pakistani Muslim.
Very well written. Indians/Hindus would accept Pakistanis/Muslims as their brothers the day Pakistanis acknowledge the truth that there ancestors were mostly Hindus and at minimum all religions are equal. Without that acceptance and acknowledgement there shall be no peace.
So far I was very pessimistic about Pak. But after reading this, I believe there is always hope as long as people like you exist and more importantly decide to speak out.
No words to praise you sir.
The truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth…. You said something that whole world knows, except the fanatics in Pakistan…
Can we have at least one Pakistani commentator who can rebut this article with truth and logic?
A very good article examining the human psyche but albeit it stinks of generalising the masses involved. And the comments it has sparked were expected. Pakistant has a population of 100+ million of which a huge majority are trying to make ends meet and not think ill of India or its Hindu population. The minority who rule Pak are corrupt and intent on ensuring the status-quo remain ie India is the enemy etc.
The conquest of India did not occur in vaccum but there were many such occurences the world over .g. Rome American subcontinent, Africa and Middle East. Over time theses people have started to live together peacefully. But its when a minority in power are intent on not moving on that issues have and will continue occuring.
Dear Mobarak,
Please let me know if you are ever in London or India. I, a Hindu Brahmin, would like to touch your feet as a mark of my respect.
This is simply an acknowledgement of your deep knowledge and understanding.
Mr. Ratnakar, attitude like yours had laid Indians ruled by many in the history.. there is nothing great touch that requires you to touch feet of Mr. Mobarak…
This is a very honest and rational article about the current state of Pakistan, and i am glad also sure there are lots of people with clear mind and going forward (not reactionary) persective like the author in Pakistan… however, i would like to one thing to the author:
The author, like most in Pakistan, have breathed some conspiracy theory (Arab Empire, etc) against Pakistan.. it is very typical and escapist thought to blame the current condition on foreigner, be it Arabs, American, Indian, or Afghani.. what happen in Pakistan is mostly the responsibility of Pakistani, not the americans, arabs, or indians. If Pakistan is ever want to move forward, i honestlly think that it should first introspect herself inward rather than do easy fingerpointing to outside, any outsider. in this point, i disagree with the author’s mind. if i can draw a common line, those with conservatist/islamist strike will squarely blame America or Israel on whatever wrong thing happen to Pakistan, those with liberalist/secularist strike will squarely blame the islamist and the Arabs, and those with nationalist/secularist will undoubtly blame Indians. have they ever think that actually with these broad spectrum of thoughts, their reaction is the same, to blame outsider for things that happen currently in Pakistan.
i am not pro Arab, or pro american… i am not even Pakistani since i’m Indonesian with particular interest to Pakistan and India. as we were on the same condition decades ago with the fresh independence from the former colonial master , but took, somehow relatively different path lately
I hope more Muslims in India read this article. It will show them way to live peacefully in co-existence with majority Hindus. Very good article.
A thought provoking article indeed ! It takes real courage to speak the truth even it is bitter. I truly believe that salvation of pakistan remains in people like Mubarak Haider. May your tribe grow, sir .
Unlike Part I and Part II, Part III seems to be more realistic but it also ignores to mention that sectarian attacks are funded and supported by whom? Obviously by the enemies of Pakistan. The Ulema referred in the article should have been called the so-called Ulema because of their ignorance, misunderstanding and misrepresentation of their own religion Islam.