Which one is a better choice?

Burying daughters alive when they are infant or toddler OR raise them to adulthood and push them into the dungeon of unending trials, frighten them, torture them, listen to their screams and pleadings, throw acid on them, kill them?

Unfortunately, no other options are there for women to decide their fate.

Morally, legally and logically, both these choices are a sin but who cares about it.  Sin is no more a sin in civilized world until it is proven as a crime.

Arab tribes before Islam used to bury little daughters alive.  Now, we bury them after making their long horror movie.  

“And when the girl-child who was buried alive is asked, upon what sin was she killed for?”  Surah At-Takweer/The Rolling Up

“When one of them gets a baby girl, his face becomes darkened with overwhelming grief. Ashamed, he hides from the people, because of the bad news given to him. He even ponders: should he keep the baby grudgingly, or bury her in the dust. Miserable indeed is their judgment.“ Surah An-Nahl/The Bee

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) strictly condemned the act of burying little girls alive.  He strongly urged men to treat women gently and with kindness.  Most Muslims men disobey the Prophet (pbuh), which is a practical blasphemy.  Yet, no religious leaders raise their voice against this disobedience and pass verdict on this blasphemy.

On the contrary, women are forced to shut their mouth and tolerate torture in lieu of Paradise.

“So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), “Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another…” Surah Al-e-Imran/The Family of Imran 195

Okay, both ways God Almighty be happy with women.  What about men, would God be happy the way men control women and spread the carpet full of nails and thorns for them to walk on it in order to please God?

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Raped and slaughtered

Do we care what is good for us?

I want to know if Coca Cola contains alcohol for real.  I hate PEPSI so I don’t care about it.  Oh yeah, and if clear soft drinks contain it too.  Those who are not into alcohol intentionally don’t have to worry about it.  They can drink ginger water instead after a heavy meal, just boil a piece of ginger in water, let it cool down and drink it.  Lemonade with a very little amount of sugar and pinch of black pepper early morning is a healthy substitute too.  Green tea is the best anyway. 

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I want to know if Rose Petal factory has burned down as my shopkeeper informed me a week ago.  It wasn’t on news channels.  First I thought that he is just making it up because he doesn’t have their products.  But I couldn’t find them anywhere.  Rose Petal paper-towel and facial tissues are better in quality.  I wish I had enough money to buy a big forest, have a factory and produce my own Rubik paper-towels and tissues of Bounty quality.  They taste good.  No bhaeee, not the paper roll, the rose petal.  I used eat them when I was little.

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I want to know the reason of keeping dozens of chickens in tiny cages at shops.  No one speaks for them.  I think it hurts their feet to stand in a cage.  Sometimes they sit on top of each other because of insufficient space.  Their cages and the shops are always stinky.  I wish I had a little farm where I can keep my own chickens neat and clean.  The chickens bear too much torture before serving people as a meal.  A man is what he eats and may be that is why people torture each other.

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I want to know if Islam is the part of humanity or humanity is the part of Islam.  People, just like being the key resource, are the key runner of the entire system.  People are not God, they shouldn’t be treated as God, they shouldn’t play God, they shouldn’t try to ignore God and shouldn’t try to replace God with people.  

Sharmeen Ubaid Chinoy after winning the Oscar, said that she will keep working on ‘Saving Face’ and will bring more awards home.  I say God-forbid if this happens. How cruel it is to celebrate a recovery without feeling the pain victims go through. Shouldn’t people like her now make a movie on revealing the culprits and film their punishment to receive more awards.

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Who is the most kind and the wisest?

The purpose is of this writing is not to pass any judgement on anyone.  This is just another tiny effort to look into the mirror of Islamic doctrine and see how many scars are left there on heart and soul.

There are 114 surahs in Qur’an and each except one (Surah At-Taubah/The Repentance) begins with the acknowledgement of God’s attributes “In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent/Compassionate, The Merciful”.  The same statement is mentioned once in Surah An-Namal/The Ants, when Prophet Sulaiman/Solomon uses the same words to begin with in a letter to the Queen of Sheba.

The same Quran mentions Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the mercy for all the worlds Allah (SWT) has created.  Each and every moment of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)’s life is an evidence to prove this claim to be true and certainly it has everything to do with his character.  “We have sent you but as the mercy for all worlds”… Surah Al-Anbiya 107

The words of Qur’an and the life of Prophet (pbuh) are beautiful combination of moral laws and court laws – together they are called ‘shariah’/the Islamic code of law.  Any Muslim having a doubt and then preaching it as a defect of Islam, such as ruling on two women as a witness against one man or four marriages for men and only one for woman, is considered a ‘kafir’, which literally means the one who rejects or denies.  So, the word ‘kafir’ shouldn’t be used to for non-Muslims.

Allah (SWT) says in Qur’an, “ And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the Verses of Allah for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account.  O you who believe! Endure and be more patient (than your enemy), and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, and fear Allah, so that you may be successful.”…. (Surah Aal-e-Imran/The Family of Imran 199/200)

Islam has introduced a very balanced and flexible life-style.  The exceptions and limitations in obligations are already set by the Shariah and they are termed as “hudood or hudood-Allah” in Quran.  Similarly, the Shariah has outlined the emotional expressions prohibiting extremism and exaggeration.

For example, a strong belief in our society about God is that there are no limits for glorifying Allah Almighty.  Yes, there are.  Allah (SWT) has specified how to and when to remember Him formally on daily and yearly basis, i.e. salah/prayer and Hajj/pilgrimage to Makkah.  However, there are no time limit and conditions to communicate with Him for any reason.  He Almighty is awake and present all the time.

Be wild in anger, be crazy in excitement, be pessimist in sadness, be disappointed in trials,  be haughty in richness, be silent for witness, be a support in false accusations, be overjoyed in celebrations, etc. —  this is how life events are dealt in our society, by showing extreme behaviour and this is prohibited in Islam.

Sometimes, people don’t realize that they are acting as they are wiser than Allah (SWT) and prophets.  They do violate the limits of Shariah and then defend themselves and justify their actions by giving lame excuses.  Who do they try to satisfy, God, people around us or themselves?

There are lots of things that we do and we can say that we do them because we like them.  There are many things that we don’t do and we can say that we don’t do them because we don’t like them.  We can simply say that I do this or I don’t do this because this is how understood the religion.  This is better than manipulating religious principles.  This is not wise to corrupt the religion and create complications for others by wrong interpretations of Islamic moral values.

This intentional or unintentional corruption in religion develops a guilt in mind.  This guilt often transforms into an extra-ordinary feeling of kindness and sympathy to others and is exhibited by charity work.  Those who are involved in breaking the system or if not breaking, not building the system usually rejoice themselves by feeding, helping, educating hungry and needy people at large scale.  This is one way to kill that guilt.

In the same manner, people exaggerate while consoling, condoling, grieving, describing, explaining and even guiding.  We mourn for weeks, months and years.  They exaggerate while praising sacred prophets, saints, leaders, heroes, elders, family dynasty, etc.  This exaggeration turns into controversies and contentions and finally leads to physical combats.

Sometimes people unknowingly try to pretend that they are more kind than God Almighty and His prophets.  They have more sympathies with rapists, robbers, adulterers and murderers than with the victims.    Forgiveness has its own conditions.  Forgiveness is when exercised unnecessarily to the wrong people, it benefits the criminal minds only. Only God Almighty has the right to forgive whoever He wills for any or no reason.

Sometimes people behave like they have more ego and temperament than God Almighty and His prophets.  Mostly men try this on women, elders on youngsters, rich on poor, smart on naive.  Raising voice for rights, for choice is also considered a matter of ego.  The Arabic word ‘ana’ meaning ‘I’ with the thought of completeness and absolute powers suits only to God Almighty.

I was just thinking that if Edhi, Ansar Burni Trust and other legitimate charity organizations have established as parallel to the government institutions, why don’t they join together and really make one for the sake of this country.  Edhi’s team works more like a ‘baitul-maal’.  Sarim Burni’s team plays Supreme Court in addition to police and detectives.  Shoukat Khanum Memorial Hospital’s team along with Dr. Adeeb Rizvi and many others can run the best health ministry in the world.  There are many educational institutions like Namal that can replace the board of education in all four provinces and adjacent territories.  Those who are making world records can be the best to deal with foreign affairs.

Who cares who sits in the President House!  People can choose Dr. A. Q. Khan or Justice Wajeehuddin or any other smart, honest and patriot man as a guide and leader.

Unemployed youth can head towards the villages and farms to help farmers to grow more and more food.  You know why, because food is most essential in all necessities.  They can even train themselves as a substitute to law enforcement bodies.  We are missing them any way.

People of Pakistan are a government, then why let the criminals and incompetents draw salaries from assemblies and make others beg for what they deserve?

What can women do? عورتیں کیا کر سکتیں ہیں؟

غرورزہد نے سکھلا دیا ہے واعظ کو

کہ بند گان خدا پر زبان دراز کرے

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اقبال کے اس شعرمیں اگرواعظ کی جگہ لفظ مردوں اور بندگان خدا کی جگہ عورتوں لگا دیا جا ۓ… تو آج کے معاشرے پرسو فیصد پورا اترے گا…

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ہم بھی عجیب لوگ ہیں… پہلے گھسیٹ گھسیٹ کر خواتین کو آزادی، حقوق، انسانیت اور ترقی کے نام پرمعاشرے کے بیچ میں لا کر کھڑا کر دیتے ہیں…… تقریبا ہر دوسری لڑکی یا خاتون کو کوئی تحفظ اور کوئی رہ نمائی حاصل نہیں ہوتی… سب اس کے کردارآزمانے میں لگ جاتے ہیں… جب تک کہ وہ کوئی غلطی یا بھیانک غلطی نہ کر بیٹھے… پھر سب اسے اکیلا چھوڑ دیتے ہیں… ہر قسم کا بواۓ کاٹ سہتی ہیں… پھر قوم سے معافی بھی مانگتی ہیں… اور یہ لمحہ ہوتا ہے تمام مردوں کے لطف اندوز ہونے کا… لعنت، ملامت، گالیاں، الزامات… سب کی زبانیں ایسے کھل جاتی ہیں جیسے خود تو ابھی رسول الله صلی الله علیہ وسلم کی صحبت سے اٹھ کرآۓ ہیں… اور یہ وہ لمحات ہوتے ہیں جب رسول الله صلی الله علیہ وسلم کی کمی محسوس ہوتی ہے… 

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سب کو چھوڑ دیں، مایا خان کا کیس نیا ہے… پہلے یہ اعتراض کہ اس نے کیوں ایسا شو کیا کہ لوگوں کی پرائیوٹ زندگی میں گھس گئیں… اور اب یہ پتہ چلا کہ وہ سب ایک ڈرامہ تھا… کیا ہوا اگر یہ ڈرامہ تھا… سیاست، دین، ذاتی زندگی، سکول، کالج، ٹی وی، فلمز سب ڈرامہ ہی تو ہو رہا ہے… کیا ہوا اگر مایا خان نے ایک ڈرامہ کر لیا… اس ڈرامے سے ڈر کس کو لگا… اگر میں کچھ غلط نہیں کر رہی، اگر میں اپنے گھر والوں کی اجازت سے کسی لڑکے یا لڑکی کے ساتھ ہوں، اگر میں اپنے کلینک، پارلر، سکول یا کسی بھی بزنس میں بے ایمانی نہیں کر رہی تو مجھے کسی بھی مایا خان یا پولیس کا کیا ڈر…… اور چلیں اس نے غلط کیا… اس کو ٹی وی سے نکال دیا گیا… کیا گالیاں، لعنت، طنزیہ جملے… مردوں کا یہ حق تھا کہ اسے کہتے… اور اس کی معافی سے کس کس کے دل میں ٹھنڈک پڑ گئی… 

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مصطفے کمال نے کتنوں کو الو کا پٹھا کہا، کبھی معافی نہیں مانگی… سید بلال قطب نے عائشہ نامی لڑکی کو غلط طریقے سے مسلمان کرکے اسلام کا مذاق اڑایا، اس نے بھی معافی نہیں مانگی اور اب تک جیو پرپروگرام عالم آن لائن کر رہا ہے… الطاف حسین نے قرآن کے سامنے ناچ گانا کیا، کوئی معافی نہیں مانگی… اگر واقعی پاکستانی مرد اپنے ماں باپ کی جائز اولادیں ہیں تو ذرا ان کے بارے میں بھی یہی زبان استعمال کریں… انکو بھی دباؤ دلوا کر فارغ کروائیں ملازمتوں سے… 

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میرا کی انگلش پر اعتراض ہے… ذرا خوشبخت شجاعت اور نسرین جلیل سے ایک تقریر انگلش میں کروالیں… پڑھی لکھی ہیں، ناچ گانا بھی ماشاللہ کر لیتی ہیں… بلکہ مصطفے کمال سے ہی انگلش میں تقریر کروالیں… اور پھر ذرا انکا مذاق بھی اڑا لیں اگر کسی مائی کے لال کی ہمّت ہے… 

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منیر اس ملک پر آسیب کا سایہ ہے یا کیا ہے
کہ حرکت تیز تر ہے اور سفر آہستہ آہستہ

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ہم ٹی وی کا نیا ڈرامہ “سسرال کے رنگ” کا گانا سنا؟  ”ایسا ٹونہ کردے ماں پیوں پیوں آۓ سیاں، ایسا ٹونہ کر دے ماں جھکی جھکی آۓ ساسو”… 

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ان حالات میں جب کہ پوری قوم جادو ٹونے کے سنجیدہ مسائل کی وجہ سے پریشان ہے… لوگ حقیقت میں اپنی خوشیوں اور زندگیوں سے ہاتھ دھو بیٹھے ہیں…ان کے گھر اجڑ گۓ ہیں، اولادیں بلکہ نسلیں برباد ہوئیں ہیں… ہم یہ دکھا رہے ہیں بلکہ کہنا چاہیے کہ ورغلا رہے ہیں قوم کو… 

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دوسری بات یہ کہ آج کہ دور میں جب لڑکیوں کو انکی پسند کی شادی کا حق دلانے کی اور خود زندگی کا سامنا کرنے کی تربیت کی ضرورت ہے… ان میں اور انکی ماؤں میں پھر خیال جگانا کہ لڑکیوں کو شادی سے پہلے بھی اور بعد میں بھی ماں کی منفی کردار کی کتنی ضرورت پڑتی ہے… لوگوں کو یہ احساس دلانا کہ لڑکی کی ماں فساد کا باعث ہوتی ہے… اور لڑکیاں شوہر اور ساس کو قابو کرنے کے لئے اپنی ماں سے

جادو ٹونہ کی فرمائش کر سکتی ہیں…

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ہم ٹی وی کے لئے تو یہ ہو گیا اینٹرٹینمنٹ کا سامان اور پیسہ بٹورنے کا ایک اور ذریعہ… اداکار اور اداکارائیں تو ہوتے ہی حساس، سادہ دل، اپنے کام سے کام رکھنے والے، بے جان  مٹی کے پتلے، لہٰذا ان سے کیا کہنا… رہ گئی ہماری ٩٥% جاہل عوام جس کی ٥٥% اور بم دھماکوں میں مردوں کے رضاکارانہ طور پر مرنے کے بعد شاید ٧٠% آبادی خواتین ہیں… 

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ایسی خواتین جو لاکھوں کی تعداد میں ایک چھچھورے شخص سے چھچھورا سا گانا اور “آ ئی لو یو” سننے نہ صرف پنہنچ جاتی ہیں… بلکہ اس کی خوشی اور حکم پر سر عام ناچ گا بھی لیتی ہیں… تعلیم یافتہ خواتین انھیں لیڈ کرتی ہیں… 

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ایسی خواتین جنہوں نے پہلے ہی مظلومیت کہ نام پر قیامتیں ڈھائیں ہوئیں ہیں… خاندانی سیاستوں میں انہوں نے زرداری اور نواز کو مات دے دی ہے… علاقائی اور لسانی فرقہ واریت، مذہبی رقابت، خونی رشتوں سے حسد اور سازشوں میں انکا کوئی ثانی نہیں… اس قسم کے گانے سن کر ان کی کتنی حوصلہ افزائی ہوگی… 

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ہم ٹی وی نے ایک اور کمال یہ کیا کہ ہالی ووڈ کی کارٹون فلمز اور دوسری موویز اردو میں ڈبنگ کے ساتھ پیش کی جا رہی ہیں اور وہ بھی کس قسم کی اردو میں… اور ہم چاہتے ہیں کہ انگلش ماحول بن جا ۓ کسی طرح،  بچے انگلش سیکھ لیں… 

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اور دوسری بات یہ نہیں سمجھ آتی کہ جب ہفتہ ہفتہ بھر صبح کے شوز میں شادیاں منائی جائیں… ڈراموں میں سواۓ لڑکی لڑکا کی محبت کے کوئی بات نہ ہو تو کیسے اس قوم کو پتہ چلے گا کہ یہ عشق، محبت، شادی اور بچوں کے علاوہ بھی کوئی اور کام بھی کر سکتے ہیں… ڈرامہ لکھنے والے حسب معمول آرٹس گروپ کے فارغ کیے ہوۓ ہوتے ہیں اور ہمارے ہاں آرٹس گروپ میں جو مضامین ہیں ان میں ایڈوانس اردو بہت کامن ہے… اردو ادب میں ابن انشاء کی تحریروں، کچھ مزاح لکھنے والوں کی تحریروں اور اقبال اور ایک دو اور شاعروں کی شاعری کو نکال دیں تو باقی سب عشق و محبت کی کہانیاں ہی ہیں… نسیم حجازی کی ناولز اردو ادب کا حصہ نہیں شاید، اسی لئے انھیں شامل نہیں کیا گیا سلیبس میں… لہٰذا ڈرامہ لکھنے والوں میں سائنسی خیالات یا تعلیمی خیالات کا پایا جانا بہت مشکل ہے… 

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کافی سالوں سے سن رہے ہیں ملک جنگ کی حالت میں ہے… کون ہماری حرکتیں دیکھ کر کہے گا کہ ہم حالت جنگ میں ہیں… ملک میں دس ہزار مسلے ہیں… کیا ایدھی پر اور انکے مسائل پر کوئی ڈرامہ نہیں لکھا جا سکتا… کیا جانوروں کی حالت زار پر کوئی کچھ لکھنے کے قابل نہیں… کیا بچوں کو صرف گالیاں دینے اور ابے تبے کرنے کے لئے ڈراموں میں لیا جاتا ہے… بچوں کے لئے کوئی اچھا پاکیزہ کردار نہیں ملتا… کیا پودوں پتوں پر کچھ لکھنے کی اہلیت کسی میں نہیں… ایجوکیشن یعنی تعلیم تو آرٹس گروپ کا ہی مضمون ہے… لیکن اس کے باوجود کوئی لکھنے والا اس پر نہیں لکھتا… شرم سے ڈوب مرنے کا مقام ہے آرٹس گروپ کے بڑوں کے لئے… بس یا تو مسخرہ پن کروالو وہ بھی جس پر ہنسی نہ آۓ… یا پھر طوائفوں، وڈیروں اور امیروں کے تعلقات پر ڈرامے لکھوالو… سارے اینٹرٹینمنٹ چینلز کوٹھا بن کر رہ گئے ہیں… 

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اگر اس ملک میں کسی کو تعلیم سے دلچسپی ہوتی تو یہ سوچا جا سکتا تھا کہ چلو ذرا سلیبس بدلیں، پرانے خطرناک تعلیمی نظام کو تبدیل کریں… لیکن ناچنے گانے سے فرصت نہیں… سنیماز، تھیٹراور  شادیوں وغیرہ میں تو خیر ہے… لیکن سکولوں اور کالجوں میں ناچ گانا، قائد اعظم کے مزار کے سامنے ناچ گانا… خواتین کے حقوق کی بات ہو رہی ہو اور سامنے فاطمه جناح اور رعنا لیاقت علی خان کی قبریں ہوں اور یہ سب کیا جاۓ…پاکستان کی گلی گلی کو طوائف کا کوٹھا یا فلم سٹوڈیو بنانے کی کوششیں ہیں… کسی جگہ کا کوئی تقدس نہیں اور پھر بھی یہی تعلیم یافتہ، تہذیب یافتہ اور عزت کے قابل کہلاتے ہیں… کیا جہل ہے…

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ہر چیز کے غلط ہونے کی وجہ تعلیم کا نہ ہونا ہے… کونسی تعلیم کا نہ ہونا… پاکستان میں سکولز اور کالجز کی بھرمارہے… گلی گلی ٹیوشن سینٹرز  کھلے ہیں… ہزاروں لڑکے لڑکیاں تعلیم لے لے کر نکل رہے ہیں… گلی گلی مدرسے کھلے ہیں، حافظ پیدا ہو رہے ہیں… لاکھوں کی تعداد میں دینی دنیاوی کتابیں موجود ہیں… قرآن کی آسانیاں کس کس شکل میں موجود نہیں ہیں….. کونسی تعلیم چاہیے اب؟  کون سے استاد پڑھانے آئیں گے؟  کون سی کتابیں لکھی جائیں گی؟  کیسا ماحول چاہیے اور وہ کون بناۓ گا؟  

 

Walking Bus – پیدل چلیے

Our early school years were in early 70s.  Karachi wasn’t a crowded place like it is now.  Traffic was also less than now and so was the pollution.  There were few private schools around but not all of them had facility of school vans.  Our school was at such a distance that we were unable to go by ourselves.  Being a very busy housewife, ammi had not time so she hired an old lady for pick and drop.  As she was already looking for some work, few more parents from our neighbourhood hired her for the same reason.  Ammi told us not to let her carry our school bags because she was physically weak and used to wear burqa (traditional covering consists of long loose gown to cover the entire body and veiled scarf to cover head, shoulder and chest).  It was a fun walk for us.  We had to walk behind or by her side on the way to school and back home.  It was a ten-minute distance which we used to cover by watching out the riders, stepping up and down on sidewalks, plucking flowers from plants hanging over the boundary walls of houses and seeing people getting ready for the day.

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If this was an equivalent to the concept of Walking Bus, then it had very few advantages.  For parents, it was a cheap pick, drop facility and a safe trip of children to and from school.  For uneducated, poor, old age people, it provided with a good source of income.  It was us who made our short journey fun because at that time there were no public parks around and we were not allowed to play out on the streets.

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In 1992, David Engwicht, a social innovator from Brisbane, Australia, introduced the idea of “Walking Bus” in order to solve traffic related problems.  The concept also served as a physical activity for children, awareness to the surroundings and building good terms among community members.  His idea crossed the borders and reached UK and USA with more objectives pertaining to the problems in their societies.

Many children in most countries do walk to school in groups but it cannot be defined as Walking Bus.  Walking Bus has its own particular initiatives along with the flexibility in size, use of transportation, walking rules or any useful idea related to traffic and children.

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“واکنگ بس یا پیدل بس” کے نام سے ١٩٩٢میں پیش کئے جانے والے اس خیال کو دنیا کے بہت سے ممالک نے اپنایا اوراپنی نئی نسل کو فائدہ پہنچایا… اس کا مقصد بنیادی طورپربچوں میں ٹریفک اور ماحولیات کے متعلق احساس پیدا کرنا تھا… کسی بھی علاقے کے کچھ بچے مل کرایک یا دو بڑے اشخاص کی نگرانی میں گھر سے سکول تک اور سکول ختم ہونے کے بعد واپس گھرتک پیدل راستہ طے کرتے ہیں… اس دوران وہ آس پاس کی چیزوں پر نظر ڈالتے اور اس پر بات چیت بھی کرتے جاتے ہیں… راستے میں کیا چیز صحیح ہے اور کیا غلط، کوئی تبدیلی آنی چاہیے یا نہیں… انہیں اپنےعلاقے کے مسائل سے دلچسپی پیدا ہوتی ہے… دوسرے یہ کہ علاقے کے لوگ ایک دوسرے سے اجنبی نہیں رہتے…

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کیا پاکستان میں ایسے تجربات نہیں کئے جا سکتے؟… ضروری نہیں کہ ہر کام بڑے پیمانے پر ہو … مجھے یاد ہے، آٹھہ نوسال پہلے کی بات ہے… ہم صبح منہ اندھیرے اور اکثرشام کو بھی نزدیک کے پارک جایا کرتے تھے… وہاں ایک شخص اکیلا آیا کرتا تھا، کوئی پچاس پچپن کے درمیاں عمرہوگی … اور بچوں کو جمع کر کے انکے ساٹھ فٹبال کھیلتا اور پھر ایک تھیلی ہاتھ میں پکڑ کر بچوں سے پارک میں بکھرے ہوۓ کاغذ وغیرہ چنواتا… لیکن ایسے لوگ بہت کم ہیں، آٹے میں نمک کے برابر… 

اور کچھ نہیں کر سکتے تو کم از کم چلتے چلتے راستے میں ملنے والے بچوں سے ہیلو ہاۓ ہی کر لیں… ایسے ہی روک کر سلام کرلیں، کوئی اچھا جملہ کہہ دیں… ابھی عادی نہیں ہیں، آھستہ آھستہ ہو جا ئیں گے… میڈیا کے لوگوں کو تو بڑا شوق ہوتا ہے خود کو منوانے کا اور مشہور ہونے کا… وہ یہ کام بہت اچھی طرح کر سکتے ہیں… اس طرح پاکستانی چہروں کو بھی مثبت پہچان ملے گی… ورنہ بھارتی اداکاروں کا جادو توڑنا بہت مشکل ہے…

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پاکستان میں بھی بہت پہلے پیدل سکول جانے کا رواج تھا… اب بھی بچے نزدیک کے سکول پیدل ہی جاتے ہیں… اکثردو یا تین بچے ملکرجاتے اور آتے ہیں… لیکن اسے ”واکنگ بس یا پیدل بس” کا نام نہیں دیاجا سکتا کیوںکہ اس میں ایک تو کسی بڑے کی نگرانی کا اور دوسرے راستہ طے کرنے کا اصل مقصد بھی پورا ہونا ضروری ہے… یعنی بچوں میں ٹریفک اور ماحولیات سے لگاؤ پیدا کرنا…

پاکستان میں اگر بڑے ساتھ ہوتے بھی ہیں، چاہے پیدل یا گاڑی میں تو وہ خود قانون توڑ رہے ہوتے ہیں… جگہ جگہ تھوکنا، سگنل توڑنا، غلط گاڑی کھڑی کرنا، کوڑا پھیلانا، سگریٹ پینا… 

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دنیا کے پڑھے لکھے معاشروں میں ہر شخص اک ترقی پسند یا بہتری کی سوچ رکھتا ہے… اس کی سوچ کا تعلق صرف اس کی اپنی ذات اور خاندان کے فائدوں کی حد تک نہیں ہوتا بلکہ وہ اس سے اپنے آس پاس کے لوگوں کو بھی مستفید کرتا ہے… ان ملکوں میں بھی سیاسی جماعتیں ہوتی ہیں، دینی گروہ ہوتے ہیں… لیکن وہ اک دوسرے کے خلاف کھڑے ہو کر عوام کو تقسیم نہیں کرتے… نہ اپنے معاشرے میں نفرت کو

بڑھنے دیتے ہیں اور نہ ہی ایک دوسرے کی راہ میں رکاوٹیں پیدا کرتے ہیں… 

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پاکستان میں تعلیم کا گرتا ہوا معیار اور جہالت کا بڑھتا ہوا تناسب کوئی اختلافی مسلہ نہیں… لیکن حیرت اس وقت ہوتی ہے جب چند بچے کچھے پڑھے لکھے اور تہذیب یافتہ لوگ بھی اپنے تمام اختیارات کے دعوؤں کے باوجود کوئی تعلیمی بہتری لانے کے معاملے  بے بس نظرآتے ہیں… جو خود بے بس ہو وہ کسی دوسرے کو اختیار کیسے دلا سکتا ہے… اور اگرکوئی یہ کہے کہ ووٹ ملے گا تو کام ہوگا اور پارلیمنٹ میں بل پاس ہوگا تو اس سے بڑھ کر دھوکے باز کوئی نہیں… 

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پاکستانی معاشرہ مغربی دنیا کے پڑھے لکھے معاشروں سے بہت مختلف ہے… سماجی قدروں کے اعتبار کے لحاظ سے بھی اور مذہبی عقائد کے لحاظ سے بھی… اور ترقی کے نام پر ان دونوں سے ٹکرانا بیوقوفی نہیں جرم بھی ہے کیوں کہ یہ صرف اور صرف فساد اور نفرت کو جنم  دیتا ہے … اور یہی ہو بھی رہا ہے… آزادی اور حقوق کے مغربی تصور کو پھیلانے کے لئے کسی بھی قسم کے میڈیا کا استعمال سب سے زیادہ خطرناک ہے اگر سوچ سمجھ کر نہ کیا جائے… لیکن وہ ہو چکا ہے… آج ہماری نوجوان نسل پریشان حال کھڑی ہے کہ کدھر جائے…

بقول غالب…

ایمان مجھے روکے ہے جو کھینچے ہے مجھے کفر  

کعبہ میرے پیچھے ہے، کلیسا میرے آگے 

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یہ بات ٹھیک ہے کہ سیاستدانوں نے پاکستان کو پوری دنیا میں نہ صرف بدنام کیا بلکہ اکیلا بھی کردیا… لیکن عوام بھی اس جرم میں برابر کی شریک ہے… خاص کرپاکستانی تارکین وطن… جنہوں نے باہر ملکوں میں رہ کر بھی  کبھی پاکستان کے حق میں کوئی لابی، کوئی فورم نہیں بنایا… یہ سارے کام ہم سیاسی جماعتوں پر چھوڑ دیتے ہیں… گلوبلا ئزیشن کے بعد دنیا تیرا میرا ملک نہیں رہ گئی… ہر ملک کے دوسرے ملک کے ساتھ مفادات ہیں اور کسی ایک ملک کا خطرے میں ہونا اس پورے خطّے کے لئے خطرہ ہوتا ہے…  لہٰذا اگر پاکستانی چاہتے تو بہت سے معاملات میں دلچسپی لے کر حکومت اور سیاسی جماعتوں پر دباؤ ڈال سکتے تھے جیسے کہ تعلیم، صحت، ماحولیات، انصاف… صرف عطیات بھیج دینے سے تو قومی فرض ادا نہیں ہو جاتا… اب بھی کیا بگڑا ہے… 

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Happiness for Elderly People – خوشیاں بزرگوں کے لئے

The sources of happiness are innumerable.  They are spread all around and are present in every colour, even in dark in form of sweet dreams.

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Happiness matters a lot in old age.  Elderly people should know how to make their last years cheerful for themselves and memorable for others.  Humans are not scarce and all mankind is one family.  They can make new ties and build new relationships.  It is a blessing to spend time among a group of your own age.  Oldies can make new friends, listen to their stories, comfort each other, share good memories and enjoy hobbies, such as reading, writing, painting, watching movies.  They are weak physically but still can discuss ideas.

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In Pakistan, retirees, disabled or unwanted parents or grandparents who get to live in shelters or charities should be grateful to God Almighty for handing them over to better care-takers and new companions.  They should also be thankful to the administration, staff and donors to supply them with food, water, clothes and accommodation.

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To make Pakistan a productive society, people must change their mind-set of relying upon their children in old age.  It was a problem long ago, not now.  Kudos to Mr. Abdus-Sattar Edhi and many other charities for their life time services in this regard.  Recalling the apathy and insensitivity of blood relation instead of enjoying the new fortune is ungratefulness and not a healthy exercise.

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Old age is not a curse or a disease.  People just need to remind themselves that they can’t be completely useless after having a life time experience of almost everything.  If nothing they can do, still can use their tongue to express their feelings, say invocations in abundance, speak out the truth, teach the goodness, recite Qur’an, names of Allah, wazaif, pure words and say prayers for everyone.

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However, there are many examples of how some men and women in old age succeeded in sustaining themselves.  There is a lady, illiterate though and underprivileged, at the age of 60, she has found a job to look after disabled old lady in a well-off family.  I have spoken to many rickshaw drivers aged above 70 who are driving rickshaw and making their own money because they don’t want to be a burden on their sons and daughters.  There is a gol-gappay wala, a decent man with a charming smile, age around 65, still working while his sons are earning too.  Many gardeners of age above 70 work at road-side nurseries and provide home services for taking care of plants.

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If elderly people can find working opportunities under these crucial circumstances, why can’t the educated youth of Pakistan?

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شکایت کیوں اسے کہتے ہو یہ فطرت ہے انساں کی

مصیبت میں خیال عیش رفتہ آ ہی جاتا ہے….

جوش ملیح آبادی

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کون کہتا ہے نجومی، ہاتھ دیکھنے والے، زائچہ بنانے والے لوگوں کے مستقبل کے بارے میں پتہ ہوتا ہے کہ کل کیا ہوگا… ہمیں تو یہ بھی نہیں پتہ ہوتا کہ صبح اٹھہ کر کیا دیکھنا نصیب ہوگا یا شام کو اچانک کیا خبر مل جائے گی… ابھی یہی ہوا… اچانک دروازے پر دستک ہوئی، چوکیدار نے کہا باجی نیچے ڈاکٹر ریحانہ آئی ہے آپ کو بلا رہی ہے… میں نے کہا انکو کیسے پتا چلا کہ کہ میں یہاں ہوں اور وہ خود اوپر کیوں نہیں آئیں… کہنے لگا ہمیں نہیں پتہ، آپ نیچے آ کر خود بات کرو… میں گئی تو واقعی وہی تھیں… تین سال بعد دمام سے واپس آئیں ہیں، بتانے لگیں کہ وہاں کینسر ہو گیا تھا، پھر آپریشن ہوا، اب ٹھیک ہیں… شکر خدا کا… حالانکہ نفسیاتی ڈاکٹر نہیں ہیں پھربھی خواتین کو زندہ دلی کے ساتھ زندگی گزارنے کے طریقے بتانے کی ماہر ہیں… ڈاکٹر بھی اپنے علاج کے لئے کبھی کبھی دوسرے ڈاکٹروں کا محتاج ہو جاتا ہے… 

آج کے دور میں سب سے زیادہ کس کی اہمیت ہے؟  بالکل ٹھیک کہا، ٹی وی کی…چلیں ڈراموں کی بات کرتے ہیں… صرف تین ڈرامے…

ڈراموں پر اطہر شاہ خان جيدي کے دو شعر یاد آ گۓ…  

اک اداکار رکا ہے تو ہوا اتنا ہجوم
مڑ کے ديکھا نہ کسي نے جو قلمکار چلا
چھيڑ محبوب سے لے ڈوبے گي کشتي جيدي

آنکھ سے ديکھ اسے ہاتھ سے پتوار چلا

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“ہمسفر” دیکھنے میں اچھا ہے لیکن اس پر بات کرنے کو کچھہ خاص نہیں ہے…

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“میرے قاتل میرے دلدار” اچھا ہے، اس میں ہیروئن کا فیصلہ اچھا لگا کہ اس نے اپنے جیٹھہ سے شادی کرلی جس نے اس کا گھر تباہ کیا تھا… کیوں باقی لاٹھی اسی کے ہاتھہ میں ہے جس سے وہ سب کو ٹھیک رکھتا ہے… 

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“جنت سے نکالی ہوئی عورت”… بڑا اچھا لگا اس میں ثمینہ پیرزادہ کا کردار… گوکہ مجھے یہ خاتون پسند نہیں لیکن ہیں خوبصورت اور بہت اچھی اداکارہ بھی… ایک خاتون کو ساٹھہ سال کی عمرمیں طلاق ہو جائے تواسکی زندگی کیا ہو جاتی ہے… لیکن مجھے بہت ہی پسند آیا کہ ایک تو یہ خاتون جاب کرتی ہیں اور دوسرے کسی کا معاملات میں نہیں بولتی اور تیسرے یہ کہ بیٹے کے گھر میں اپنی وجہ سے مسلے دیکھہ کر وہ اپنے والد کے پرانے گھر میں آ جاتی ہے اور اکیلے رہنے لگتی ہے…

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اسی طرح کرنا چاہیے، غصے میں نہیں، بلکہ اپنی آزادی اور اختیار کے لئے… مرد ہو یا عورت، جوان ہو یا بوڑھا… کیا ضروری کہ کسی پر بھی بلاوجہ بوجھہ بنا جائے اور اولاد یا کسی بھی رشتے پر اخلاقی اور جذباتی دباؤ ڈالا جائے… بلکہ مجھے تو ان بوڑھے لوگوں پرغصہ آتا جو ایدھی اور مختلف اداروں میں زندگی گذار رہے ہیں، کھانا پینا مل رہا ہے، ایک چھت کے نیچے ہیں، بہت سے کمانے والوں کا پیسہ ان پر خرچ ہورہا ہے… اور پھر وہ ان رشتوں کو روتے رہتے ہیں جو انکو چھوڑ کر چلے گئے… کیا پتہ مجبوری ہو… اور نہ بھی ہو تو بھئی نئے رشتے بنالیں… انسانوں کی کمی نہیں… شکرکریں کہ گھر کی چخ چخ سے جان چھوٹی… دعا دیں انکو جنہوں نے اتنا انتظام کیا، آپ کو سڑک پر رلنے سے بچا لیا… اب نئی جگہ پر نئے لوگوں سے لطف لیں… ضروری نہیں کہ پچھلوں کی شکایتیں کریں کہ ہے کیسے نکلے… یہ سوچیں آپ نے کہاں کہاں کس کس کو اپنی اولاد کی خاطر نقصان پہنچایا… اور کیا کبھی اولاد کو الله کے احکامات اور احترام انسانیت سکھایا… جس طرح آپ اپنی زندگی کا کنٹرول چاہتے تھے اسی طرح آپ کی بہو بیٹے بیٹیاں بھی چاہتے ہیں… ان کے سر پر سوار نہ رہیں… خود بھی خوش رہیں اور انھیں بھی خوش رہنے دیں… 

بزرگ بہت خوش رہ سکتے ہیں اگر وہ یہ سوچ لیں کہ وہ بیکار نہیں ہیں… اتنی زندگی کے تجربات کے بعد بیکار ہو بھی نہیں سکتے… اگر کچھ بھی نہیں کر سکتے تو کم از کم زبان سے قرآن، درود، کلمات، دعائیں تو پڑھ سکتے ہیں… 

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اس ڈرامے کی طلاق کا کیس دیکھہ کر باجی کی کالج کی ایک دوست یاد آ گئیں… ان کے والد نے اسی طرح ایک دن غصے میں کھانےکی میز پراپنی خاموش صفت بیوی کو طلاق دے کر بائیس تئیس سال کی شادی ختم کردی… ایک بیٹے کو جو کالج میں ماں کے ساتھ رہنا پڑا اور بیٹی جو کالج میں تھیں اور چھوٹے بیٹے کو باپ کے ساتھہ… پتہ نہیں کیسے سامنا کیا ہوگا ان سب نے باقی سب کا…

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جب سے پاکستان بنا ہے، کراچی کی قوم پاکستان سے پہلے کی خوشیوں کو روۓ جا رہی ہے… اور پاکستان کے ذریعے ملنے والی تمام خوشیوں کے مواقع برباد کئے چلے جا رہی ہے… پرانی رسمیں، پرانی یادیں، حسرتیں، ملامتیں، اپنےعزیز رشتوں سے کبھی انتہا ہمدردی کبھی شدید انتقام کبھی نہ ختم ہونے والی شکایتیں کبھی دھمکیاں… بس ایک چکرہے جوچلے چلے جا رہا ہے، سب اس سے پریشان لیکن کوئی اسے روکنے پرتیارنہیں…

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بھئی الله نے اتنی بڑی دنیا بنائی ہے کچھہ اس پر بھی توجہ دے لو، ہزاروں قسم کے لوگ ہیں، حسین نظارے ہیں… خوشحالی اور خوشی وہ چیزیں ہیں جو ہرجگہ اورہررنگ میں بکھری پڑی ہیں… حتی کہ اندھیرے میں بھی خوابوں کی شکل میں… بس لوگوں کے پہچاننے کی دیر ہوتی ہے…

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Altaf Hussain ki soi hoi “I love you” hasratain – there is an educational crisis in Pakistan

Once upon a time, in a beautiful land called Pakistan, the citizens had a very graceful female role model, Ms. Fatima Jinnah, the educated, civilized, full of wisdom.  People trusted her to be their mother.  As a sister, she didn’t let her brother down in leading the nation after him.  She was a great woman, the pride of Pakistan.

In a conservative and narrow-minded society like Pakistan, saying I Love You to thousands of women at a time, entertain them with romantic Indian song and asking them what are they wearing is really courageous…..and very cheap too.

I have never seen a leader so disgraceful like Altaf Hussain.  He has never been worth-listening to and worth-watching but his last two speeches are enough proof to discredit him as a sane leader.  Even stupid comedians would show some grace in their performance.

Seeing women supporting him for an absurd slogan, I must say there is an educational crisis in Pakistan and Pakistani identity is in danger.  Altaf Hussain has appeared as the proof of negative impacts of our collapsed and corrupt educational system.

Do women of Karachi have any standard or any ideal for leadership?  Making a political party in the name of ‘injustice on muhajireen’, reviving pre-partition culture and identity in Karachiites, gathering people to divert their attention from national issues (all done at foreign signals) …. is not a talent but a crime, a disgusting game to divide people of Pakistan.  These women have proved the old saying to be true that women attract towards evil more fervently than man.

Altaf Hussain knows women psychology very well.  A typical mentality, all they want to hear ‘I love you’, romantic songs and someone focusing on their appearance.  He lost control on his feelings and emotions over a mass gathering of girls and women.  Even Nasreen Jaleel and Khushbakht Shuja’at  were obsessed with his cheap melody and started dancing along with Haider Abbas Rizvi and other liberals.  Who can call this a political jalsa?  Does politics include music and dancing in the syllabus of political science?

For their kind information, singing and dancing on street doesn’t need any college degree or political planning.  Any illiterate or slave woman and even monkeys can dance on streets.  Women should have a better purpose to be on the streets, the one which can stand them as dignified human against men.

Altaf is not a stupid man.  He chose the lyrics very wisely.  He is a sorcerer.  But as pious people have said, sorcery only works on those who have lost guidance.

God knows if Altaf Hussain would say this in front of me, I would give him hard slap saying, ‘siyasat ker, dhanda na ker, apni soi hoi hastratain na jaga’.

God forbid if Khushbakht Shuja’at is chosen as the educational minister, what would she do to us?  She is already expert in playing with words.  What does she exactly mean by women empowerment – singing and dancing on the streets?  Is she aware of the educational crisis in Pakistan?  What has her so-called educated party done in this regard?  According to her, she has already failed in controlling her school kids and their parents.

Nasreen Jaleel has already won the positions by taking innocent children to Nishat Cinema to watch an Indian movie.

Javeria Saud with her husband has earned millions I hope by producing a drama based on obscene language.

Whatever happened in that jalsa shows any seriousness to the crisis we are going through, any hope to the rest of Pakistan, any respect to the place they were standing in front of, any positive message to the women of the world?

The representation of girls and women regardless of all the disadvantages in their areas – Arfa Karim, Sitara Burooj Akbar, Malala Yusuf Zai, Naima Gul…… and from Karachi – attitude and Indian obsession.

Wonders of Parenting

Once a parent, a parent forever.  This phrase is usually said to be true for mothers, “Once a mother is a mother forever” or if it is not then I just said it so.  I actually learned it from a famous Pakistan playwright Bano Qudsiyah’s play “Sanwal Mor Moharan”.  It is true for fathers in some cases too.

Carrying an organism for nine months in their wombs, suffering from the biological changes it goes through, is a reason enough to respect women as sacred human beings.  This whole process is a wonder that most women produce many times so happily.  Mothers are used as a bearer and courier for delivering humans into this world but that does not allow them to play God for their children.

Fathers initiate the process and do not stop struggling for their existence till the last moment.

In general, raising children is called parenting.  How parents raise their children defines them as a good or bad parent.  It is a process of taking care of children, educate them, train them to be a good human being and guide them how they can live a happy life.

In Islam, parenting is not only a big responsibility but a way of worshiping God.  Muslim parents unlike other parents are obliged to educate their children with the fundamentals of Islam too.  They cannot avoid it.  How do they manage to do that is a challenge for them and this is what they will be inquired about on the Day of Judgement.

Parenting is like growing up with your child again and with two or more children, again and again.   You experience your childhood in a different way, perhaps the way you think you should have been brought up by your parents.

If we really believe in ‘once a parent a parent forever’, then parenting should be done in two ways; directly and indirectly.

Direct way is to raise them, take care of them, educate them, prepare them to face challenges and leave them on their own.  The best way parents can help in building a society is by keeping their own children save from its negative impacts.

Indirect way can be the next step after direct parenting.  After raising their own children, parents just can’t sit home satisfied that their job is done, while their children are out there facing trials.  Parents can take part in building society for the ease of their own children.  If they don’t get involve in indirect parenting, their efforts for direct parenting may result in low, zero or negative.  They need to understand that when their children are out there, parents just can’t sit home and assume that their children out there will be fine.

What is the best part of parenting?  The best part of parenting is to make children understand that one day, they will become parents and then grandparents.  Whatever the circumstances they are born under, they have to think about their comfortable future and untroubled old age.

Is parenting supposed to be for life time?  Direct parenting, I don’t think so.  The purpose of parenting is to prepare children to live an independent life and be able to make wise decisions.  Parenting stops when children become adult enough to understand their responsibilities and are ready to live on their own.  Aren’t 20 or 25 years a good enough time to transform an infant into a qualified and capable asset of society.

Is parenting fun?  Parenting is fun when parents spend time with their children.  Joining children in their activities, showing them colours in nature, reading stories to them, singing them rhymes, sharing pleasant memories with them is all fun.  Parents rejoice the moments when they witness a rightful personality development in their children.

In Pakistan, parenting is either fun or a burden.  Fun for elite as they produce heirs.  Burden for the rest as they HAVE TO take care of them.  Normally, children just grow because parents refused to take responsibility of reproductive sentiments.

Parents in Pakistan devote themselves to their children for life time.  They think this is necessary for family bonding.

Pakistan is basically a family oriented society.  People are more devoted to their families than to community and country.  While earning for their families, they totally ignore their duties as a citizens of a country or as a member of community.  This attitude is totally against Islamic teachings.  Such a society falls more rapidly into crimes and provides culprits with all the moral facilities to produce more evil.  Parents don’t realize that their children will bring that evil home one day and that will be too late for parents to do anything about it.  Unless they go outside and start correcting the society.

One problem of parenting in Pakistan is that parents desire their children to grow in a new environment but they always let them down by mentioning their own childhood as a better time.  While comparing the two time periods, parents should remember their children are missing that fun because of them.  So, either parents should be grateful to their parents and condemn themselves for being bad parents or they should appreciate what their children are going through.

Another negative aspect of our society is that, that the family members become rapacious.  ”Whatever I am earning is for my wife and my children or my husband’s income is all mine and nobody else has a right on it or my wife should spend every single penny at home or I should decide where to spend my son’s salary.”  This is just the opposite of Qur’anic teachings.

“And those in whose wealth there is a known right, for the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth..” Surah Al-Ma’arij

“They ask you, (O Muhammad), what they shall spend.  Say, that which you spend for good (must go) to parents and near kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer…”  Surah Al-Baqarah/The Cow 215

Pakistan is naturally an emotional society.  A majority of them don’t believe in reasoning and deal with matters emotionally.  Parents can’t take ‘no’ from their children and get emotional – tears, threats, thunder, termination – all the temperamental tools are being tested to change ‘no’ into ‘yes’.

Children who are brought up emotionally usually don’t behave rational and so, they lose many chances to grow and glow.

Pakistan, habitually is an extremist society.  Parents think, act and react at extremes.  They would sacrifice anything when they are in love with their children and then expect the return at same intensity.  Then they would take away anything from their children when they are angry with them.

Religiously, parents don’t follow Islam as a way of life but as an issue of who is right and who is wrong.  They eiter  Children grow hyper and with short-temperament in this suffocated environment.  They let out this frustration on society, without figuring out that their own family is the part of it.

Pakistani parents have their own reasons for being social.  According to them, children learn to live in family through wedding, aqiqah, roza kushai and birthday ceremonies.  They learn the importance of religion through milad, Qur’an khwani and dars.  They learn about their culture from basant and movies.

In last few decades, parenting has lost its essence in Pakistan.  Parents don’t set any guideline for themselves and for their children.

Life for children can be a lot easier if parents in Pakistan just remember one thing.  No era in any region was ever perfect, except that which was ruled by prudent majority and that rarely happened.  So, no matter what circumstances they are dealing with, if they have children, good parenting should be their first priority.

Answers to Students’ Queries

Students are humans too.  They have brains to think and mind to judge.  They want to know about many things.  They want to discuss issues and express their opinions.

Q1) What is the link between social development and economic development?

Q2) Why do we have to learn all this?  What are we gonna do with it?

Ans) Let second go first.

Education is not just to finish syllabus, give exams and get a degree.

The reason you have to learn all this is that you have to learn how to live in this world.  Because if you don’t, people will live your life and you will have to be dependent upon people to live.

Right now you are relying upon your parents.  They are feeding you, they are buying you clothes, you live in their house.  They cannot do that forever.  After 10 or 15 years, you will have to take care of yourself.  You will have a family of your own.  How will you do that?

Now come to the first question.

Before understanding the terms and the link between them, just remember two things; first, you need money to buy necessities of life.  With more money, you can get luxuries you want.  Second, economic development does not prosper in a society which is not socially prepared for it.

Economic development is a process of gathering resources in order to generate more revenue, people of which are the key resource.

Economic development is not a convenience to work 9 to 5 and get salary at the end of the month.  It is to create a convenient environment for such conveniences.  People work 9 to 5 or flexible hours in offices, factories, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, airports, seaports, schools, colleges, malls and shops, etc.  These places provide employment.  If they run properly, expand and make good profit, they can produce more job vacancies.

There are many people who do not want to work just 8 hours a day.  They want to earn more money than monthly salary.  They have saved some money and are capable of running a business.  If they own a shop or a factory or a clinic, they would need helpers.  That would create more jobs for people.

Television channels, radio stations, newspaper and magazines also contribute in job activities.

People also work at places owned by the government, such as electric and gas corporations, police department, public schools and colleges, government hospitals, national T.V. channel, national airline, etc.

Foreigners, the citizens of other countries, can also be good source of income.  They visit our country, pay for accommodation, do shopping and buy souvenirs.

It is people earn from people.  People employee people.  People are the part of any economic cycle.  People should know that they need each other, so they should try to be as helpful as they can in financial matters.

Social development is a process of organizing and utilizing human energies in a way that can satisfy their needs and desires.  It is a process of thinking and struggling for betterment in all aspects.

The true link between the two terms is that when you think about ‘better life’ (which is social development), you think of having money at the same time and how to avail it.  You look out for possibilities in your very surroundings or in a far place.  You find out that money making requires things that you must to consider; appearance, objectives, degree, skills, experience, job hours, working environment, nature of job/job description, attitude, moral values, job-manners, chances of learning more and earning more, etc.

People cannot be selected for jobs with inappropriate appearance.  They cannot keep a job or run a business if they are short-tempered, dishonest, disloyal, crooked and fraud and untrustworthy.

Just think about it.

Would your parents hire a tutor if he/she appears lousy, does not come on time and is not qualified for teaching?

Would you eat from a restaurant that is unhygienic and serves cheap quality food to customers?

Would people go to a doctor who’s clinic is dirty and he/she is not kind and expert in his profession?

Which shopkeeper would get more business, the one who does not weigh or measure accurately or the one who is honest?

How long can a crooked and fraud real estate agent, a sales person, a motor mechanic, a pharmacist or anyone run their business?  How will they end up finally?

Would foreigners visit your country if your streets and roads are full of dirt and garbage, there are no pleasing sights, historical landmarks are not maintained, or people are living a miserable life?

So, what is the conclusion?  You want business from world, you want world to respect you, you world to trust you – you will have to provide reasons for that or nothing will happen.

Social and Economic Development in Pakistan

Let’s start from where we are standing right now.  How optimistic are you, the students, about the working opportunities when you will complete your suggested course of study?  You are not living 50 or 60 years ago when families were fed on the earning of one person.  The unemployment rate was high at that time too but they survived because they were contented with whatever they had.  Their purpose of life was to give families “roti, kapra and makan”.  You are living at the same place but in a different era.  You are growing up in a competitive environment, domestically and internationally.  Your working field is not limited to your national boundaries.  It encompasses the entire globe and thus, you need to prepare yourself for global challenges to achieve your goals.

Before comparing yourself to the students of advanced countries and your life-style to their life-style, just do compare the opportunities too.  Students in foreign countries start working part-time at the age of 14 or 15.  By the age of 16, 17, 18, they have to live on their own, unless they agree to pay their share in rent, food and utilities.  They don’t bother their parents to have enough money for their wedding shopping, dowry and other events.  They celebrate what they can afford.  They don’t mourn and blame their parents if they can’t.  They are not after luxuries but what gives them pleasure and keeps them independent.  They take responsibility of their actions and behaviour.

In contrast, you take for granted all the favours done to you by your parents.  Remember, your parents are not your servants.  They have a right to live their lives too.  Having children and raising them up is not a life time confinement.  You have a right to stand for your rights but not at the cost of your parent’s earnings.  Your abilities to support yourself financially following all moral values would be the best proof to support your demand for freedom.

 

 

 

 

Haya – Life and Modesty

Once Arabs were a society that was indulged in adultery, vulgarity and great sins.  Pagans of Makkah were rude, uncivilized, barbaric, cheaters, liars, abusive and obscene.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a person from the same society, diverted them towards piety, purity, modesty, simplicity and goodness.  He did not curse pagan’s faith, did not criticize their rituals, never raised his eye-brows and changed his voice harsh against their immodest activities, never confined himself to his beloveds, never refuses to help those who hated him.  He never stampeded on streets to terrorize Makkans with the power of his anger, except at the time of victory of Makkah, such a unique incident when he invaded the city with peace and forgiveness.

He was a socially developed person by nature; full of wisdom, admirer of beauty and pleasure, a symbol of grace and modesty/haya, confident in himself and smiling to people.  He knew how to and when to communicate with people.  He openly declared that he loves three things the most and those were perfume, salah and women (he did not use the name of any relationship).  And what he said, he always meant.

Haya/modesty is an inevitable part of Muslims’ faith, both men and women.  It is also categorized as one of the prophetic attributes.  With the root letters ‘ha and ya’, it literally means ‘life’ in Arabic.  In religious terms, it has been described as covering body (practice the ruling of sitr/body parts that should be covered), shyness (lower gaze/extreme softness), chastity (staying away from sex related activities), timidity (lack of confidence/not so sure), modesty (a moderate behaviour/simplicity/humbleness).  Haya is not a culture or tradition.  Haya is not a gender-based characteristic.  Haya requires not to shut women inside their houses and their disconnection to God’s world.

Beside its literal meanings, the most suitable word for ‘haya’ in English is ‘modesty’.  Allah (SWT) created the world with balance.  “He has set up the Balance (of Justice),  In order that ye may not transgress (due) balance.  So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance.” Surah Ar-Rahman/The Most Compassionate.  God brought universe into existence with balance (equilibrium, harmony, limits, due proportion, moderation).  The balance, with above synonyms, ensures life, not in span but in quality.  This entire surah describes the diversity of things working in their own limitations, which Allah (SWT) mentions as “the blessings from your Lord” and He orders us not to destroy it.

“And a sign for them is the night, We withdraw therefrom the day, and behold, they are in darkness.  And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.  And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old dried curved date stalk.  It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.”  Surah Yaseen.

Prophet Muhammad (pubh) said, “Haya/modesty does not bring but goodness.”  He is right.  A humble, moderate, pure and simple behaviour causes nothing but beauty, pleasure and relaxation.  The way he ate, drank, walked, talked, greeted people, welcomed his opponents, treated animals, cheered children, respected women, helped the needy, behaved at home, led campaigns (both preaching and political), fought battles, treated prisoners, imposed laws, told stories, tolerated enmity, settled disputes, explained Qur’an, delivered sermons, ruled Madinah, ran the government – all reveal the secrets of his extraordinary, unique, short-time success in driving people towards piety, purity, modesty, simplicity and goodness.

So in general, haya is a process of knowing your own limitations and letting others (diversities) live and work in their specified boundaries/hudood.  Qur’an has warned us at many places not to break the limits that Allah (SWT) has ordained on every Muslim.  Haya is used in Urdu in the meanings of limitations too, such as, ‘haya karo, masjid main kharay ho ker jhoot boltay ho…. kuch to haya kur, maan baap se is tarah baat kertay hain…. oye haya kur, is ne teray liye bohat qurbaniyyan di hain….. koi haya nahi, jo munh main ataa hay buk deta/deti hay…. oye haya ker, Allah ka khata hay aur Allah ki na farmani kerta hay…. etc.

The world right now is under the process of globalization, all countries under one flag, the whole world population under unified system – many evil powers have imposed wars in order to control the entire globe.  It is only Islam which is worthy of being the ruling power of the world because it is based on characteristics and merit.  People of the world are looking for solutions to their problems and what Muslims are showing them is anger, fire, hatred to their beloved days.

George Bernard Shaw said, “If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam.  I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him – the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of Humanity.  I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.”

http://www.emro.who.int/publications/healthedreligion/IslamicPerspective/Chapter3.htm  The site mentions how considerate was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) regarding carefulness and precautions.

Jamat-e-Islami announced to observe ‘Yom-e-Haya’ meaning ‘the modesty day’ on 14th February.

Christians have their reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day on 14th February.  Just like Muslims celebrate their own occasions with their own understanding.  For Muslims, if everyday is a mother’s day, father’s day, sister and brother’s day, teacher’s day, when what could be the reason for observing ‘haya’ on one day.  Haya should also be practiced everyday.  It is not just Valentine’s Day which non-Islamic.  Jahez, rape, infanticide, birthdays, Happy New Year parties, mayon and mehndi, prostitution in every neigbourhood, drug, illiteracy (inability to read and write), beggary, standing and cheering on the body of dead animals, cows and goats eating from garbage, cats and dogs wandering in search of food,  also fall into this category.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said,  ”Cursed be everyone who causes harm to a believer or schemes against him.”

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “No believer may humiliate himself”. When he was asked how any person would humiliate himself, he said: “By exposing himself to risks with which he cannot cope.” (it doesn’t mean that one should not experiment or try but with preparations and precautions.)

He (pbuh) said, “Shall I tell you the definition of a believer? He is one with whom people feel themselves and their property to be safe. A Muslim is the one who does not abuse people by word or deed.”

See the following photo in the light of above hadith, what are we showing to the world, our ability to burn things out, is it according to what Prophet (pbuh) said?  Why do veiling women only show up with danda/sticks and fire?  Does Islam stop women to step out for positive reasons, such as planting flowers and trees, volunteering at Edhi centers in taking care of orphans and traveling within the allowed distance to educate children?

Islam strictly forbids cursing or insulting other’s faith and festivals.  According to Qur’anic logic, if you do that, you will get the same reaction from the other side.  Muslims should are not advised to instigate a situation against anyone but to settle down matters wisely.

Many people suggest that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) should be kept out of discussions.  Why?  Allah (SWT) says in Surah Al-Ahzab, “in Prophet’s seerah/character, there is the best example for you”.  Discussions based on what is haram and what is halal are incomplete without including Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  We cannot treat him like a maulvi or a scholar that we drag him in at nikah/wedding sermon, divorce, aqiqah, for reading Qur’an or do milad otherwise we just keep him out of our lives.  He is guidance for us in every aspect of our lives.  He is nothing to be afraid of.

Many say, the anger is not against Christians or their festivals but Muslims who follow non-Islamic traditions.  This is just like cursing and burning kids in neighbourhood to show anger against your own child because he/she is following them.  It is your failure, you should curse yourself, burn banners with your name on them, you stand in front of the mirror and say to yourself ‘get lost’ and ‘my foot’.

Islam did not come to exterminate other’s religion, culture and traditions.  It came to introduce people the best way to a quality life.  It came to show how beautifully, peacefully and prosperously the whole mankind live under the flag of Islam.

حیا نہیں لاتی مگر خیر۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ 

شکر ہے ویلنٹانئز شہداء کا کہ جماعت اسلامی کو یوم حیا منانے کا اعزاز دے گئے۔۔۔ حالانکہ حیا کا پیغام اتنا ہی پرانا ہے جتنی انسانی تایخ۔۔۔ رسول الله صلی الله علیہ وسلم کو بھی حیا کا پیغام لائے چودہ سو سال گذر گئے۔۔۔ اور یوم حیا کا آج خیال آیا۔۔۔ عیسائیوں اور امریکنوں کے مقابلے پر۔۔۔

یوم حیا تو وہ دن تھا جس دن حضرت عائشہ رضی الله عنہا کی عزت اور عصمت پر لگائے گئے الزام کا داغ خود الله سبحانہ وتعالی نے قرآن کی آیات سے دھویا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ یوم حیا وہ دن تھا جب حضرت مریم علیہ السلام کی عزت اور عصمت پر لگائے گئے الزام کا دفاع ان کے معصوم بیٹے نے کیا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ یوم حیا وہ دن تھا جب حضرت یوسف علیہ السلام عزت اور عصمت پر لگائے گئے الزام کا جواب ان کے اپنے جسم پر موجود لباس نے دیا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ یوم حیا وہ دن تھا جب الله سبحانہ وتعالی نے قرآن کے ذریعے حضرت زینب بنت جحش کا آپ صلی الله علیہ وسلم کے ساتھہ نکاح کا اعلان کیا اور منافقوں کی زبانیں بند کیں۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔

لیکن جماعت اسلامی یا آج کل کے دینی لوگ کیا جانیں۔۔۔ کیا جانیں یہ کسی کی عزتیں بچانا, خوبصورتی اور احسان کے ساتھہ۔۔۔۔ یہ مقابلے کرسکتے ہیں, شک کرسکتے ہیں, تجسس کرسکتے ہیں, الزامات لگا سکتے ہیں, سزا سنا سکتے ہیں۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ 

سمجھہ نہیں آیا کہ اگر مسلمانوں کے لئے ہر دن ماں کادن, ہر دن باپ کا دن, ہر دن محبت کا دن۔۔۔ تو پھر حیا کے لئے ایک خاص دن کیوں۔۔۔ حیا بھی ہر دن ہونی چاہئے۔۔۔۔

ہمارے دینی لوگوں کی ذہنیت ملاحظہ ہو۔۔۔۔ لال مسجد کی خواتین ڈنڈے لے کر نکل آئیں سڑکوں پر۔۔۔ جماعت اسلامی کی خواتین نے سڑکوں پر آکر دنیا کو دکھایا کہ ہم جلانے کی طاقت بھی رکھتے ہیں۔۔۔

بس۔۔۔ یہی سیکھا سکھایا قرآن سے۔۔۔ مارنا, جلانا۔۔۔ 

اسلام سے محبت کا اظہار بھی بے چارے دوسروں سے نفرت کا اظہار کرکے کرتے ہیں۔۔۔ اور کوئی طریقہ نہیں سیکھا شاید۔۔۔  چلو سستی شہرت ہی سہی, دنیا میں مشہور تو ہوئے۔۔۔

وہ جو کسی نے کہا ہے کہ ۔۔۔۔ بد نام اگر ہوں گے تو کیا نام نہ ہوگا۔۔۔

حیا کا کلچر عام کرو, یہ کام صبح سے شام کرو

مارو تھپڑ بیٹوں کو گر وہ آنکھہ لگا ئیں عورت پر

قیمہ کردو شوہروں کا گر وہ ہاتھہ اٹھائیں بیوی پر

شرم دلاؤ بھائیوں کو گر وہ تاک میں جائیں لڑکی کے

نظرمیں رکھو باپوں کو جب پاس کھڑے ہوں کھڑکی کے

 مردوں کی مصروفیت کا چوبیس گھنٹے انتظام کرو

حیا کا کلچر عام کرو, یہ کام صبح سے شام کرو

Love, Pakistan and Valentine’s Day

 What’s love got to do with Saint Valentines?

All early 14 Saint Valentines were the martyrs of Christianity and had nothing to do with love and romance.  The name “Valentine” is derived from valens meaning worthy, strong and powerful.   It is celebrated in churches in religious terms.

The modern Valentine’s Day has gradually been developed to express love and affection through cordate objects, doves, Cupid and red colour.  Cupid, a character in Latin literature by Apuleius had an ability to make people fall in love.  It is derived from Latin cupido meaning ‘desire’ and Amor meaning ‘love’, is the god of desire and erotic love with his Greek counterpart Eros.

The Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world including few Islamic countries on different dates with different names in relation to their own  ’mythical love stories’.

However, the religious sector in some Islamic countries condemn it for many reasons, such as, it is a Christian day or is being celebrated by Christian or non-Muslims, promotes immodesty and is against their definition of chastity in Islam.  The word ‘chastity’ anyhow is derived from Latin castus meaning ‘pure’.

Pakistani literature, just like other literature around the world, is full of enchanting love stories.  The characters have been depicted romantically in both prose and poetry.  Heer Ranjah, Sussi Punnoon, Sohni Mahivaal, Omar Marvi, Mirza Sahiban, Yusuf Khan and Sherbano, Adam Khan and Durkhanai, Noori Jam Tamachi are some of the most famous one.  Not only that but Pakistanis are also impressed with the tale of Laila Majnoon and Romeo Juliet and Cleopatra and Mark Antony.

Then there are some  said to be true love stories of Emperor Jahagir (real name Nuruddin Salim) with the maid/kaneez Anarkali and with his wife Mehr-un-Nisa famous as Noor-e-Jahan meaning ‘light of the world’  and Noor-Mahal meaning ‘light of the palace’ – and of Emperor Shah Jahan (real name Shahabu-ud-din Muhammad Khurram) with Arjumand Bano, the 14 year old niece of Empress Noor Jahan, got fame as Mumtaz Mahal meaning ‘the jewel of the palace’.  He built Taj Mahal, one of the wonder of the world, in remembrance of her beloved love.

Avoiding the failed love-affairs, there are few successful real life love stories, topping both Quaid-e-Azam and Madam Noor Jahan with Pakistan, Muhammad Ali and his wife Zeba, Santosh Kumar (Moosa Raza) and his wife Sabiha Khanum, Darpan (Ishrat Raza) and his wife Nayyar Sultana.  Beside that, in my family, out of many love-marriages, I would proudly mention my cousin with her husband, both hearing impaired, enjoying their life romantically with triplets, great couple.

Religiously, the story of Prophet Yusuf/Joseph (peace be upon him) and Zulaikha (Potphar’s wife) was popular among Persian poets.

Out of all, I must say that Emperor Shah Jahan stands out for holding 1st position among all successful lovers and as he waited five years to marry her love, they had 14 children and he built Taj Mahal to express the intensity of his love for her.

Religious parties in Pakistan have been protesting against Valentine’s Day celebrations.  Many moderates also condemn it as the way it is celebrated is against their culture and moral values.

Recently, Jamat-e-Islami (the religious-political party) announced February 14 as Yom-e-Haya meaning the ‘day of modesty’ to defy the effects of Valentine’s Day on our youth.

What has modesty to do with love-affairs, marriage-proposals and exchanging gifts for love?

Modesty/Haya is the part of faith since 1433 years and it should be the part of a Muslim’s personality every second of his/her life.  Hazrat Usman among all companions is considered the most modest man, was married to Hazrat Ruqayyah, Hazrat Umm-e-Kulsoom and Hazrat Naila.

Among prophets, Prophet Yahya ibn Prophet Zakariyyah/Jhon the Baptist is famous for being the most modest.

For Muslims, great example comes from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who’s character is most appreciated in Qur’an.  He said, “Beloved to me are three things, fragrance, women and salah/namaz/prayer is the coolness of my eyes” – he didn’t use the word ‘my wife’ but women in general.  He married 11 honourable ladies.  Hazrat Kadijah bint Khawailud, the modest lady, proposed him out of love and respect.  Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was shown Hazrat Ayesha and he fell into love with her.  He (pbuh) has mentioned many times his love for Hazrat Khadijah and Hazrat Ayesha.

Although there is a concept of part-time love according to some religious sects, Islam encourages adulation, loyalty and tenderness for better relationship between spouses.  As I have heard a hadith that the worst among transgressors are those who cause fitnah/evil/trial between husband and wife and try to destroy their relationship.

So, in Islamic history, modesty never stopped any man or woman from sending proposals and marriages of their own choice.

Love is the feeling which is appreciated and celebrated in every religion, in every culture, in every era, at every time, by everyone except Pakistan.

Romance is excitement, sentiment and attachment.  It is not just a childish love-affair between a girl and a boy.  Romance is the beauty and attraction found anywhere and everywhere, it could be in food, in clothes, in books, in pets, in flowers, in forests, in caves, in moon and stars, in work, in passion, in money, in people.  For a lot of people it is in Qur’an, in Muhammad (pbuh), in Salah, in Makkah and Madinah.  It is not flirt or scandal all the times.

The coordination, harmony, melody and engineering in nature is romance.  Isn’t it?

What is the value of love and romance in Pakistan?

In Pakistan, love is related to power and authority; love of Allah, love of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), love of parents and husband’s power of sexual intercourse.

The society, as a whole, demands and admires the expression of love in form of unilateral devotion, forbearance, sacrifice and tolerance.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Exchange gifts, it increases love”.  While in Pakistan, exchanging gifts is either a trade done on ceremonies and festivals or a romance.  Romance is entitled as ‘vulgarity, sin and kufr/disbelief’ as it is thought to be happened between a male and a female in seclusion.

Is Valentine’s Day celebration non-Islamic?

Heart-shape objects, notes of love, gifts, doves (excluding Cupid for being a Latin fictional character) are the symbols of love and peace.  Whether they are used at Valentines, Eids, birthdays, weddings or other events, they are meant to express same feelings.

The truth is that Pakistanis in particular have forgotten to celebrate anything at all, especially if it has to do something with love.  They find it more convenient to observe SOG days, protest days, strikes, days long mourning and all occasions that are related to death.

Why Pakistani youth seems more interested in celebrating Valentine’s Day and in a Western style?  These youngster live in a society where they don’t see their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties, couples in neighbourhood in romance, not even to the limit that is allowed in Islam.  All they observe is frustration and resentment in relations.  All they get to see is dust and barrenness and pollution in the environment.  All they have to hear are arguments, justifications and directions.  Beside that, they are always occupied with celebrations and the related controversies.  Isn’t it all very suffocating?

They know that their parents will decide for their fate.  They can’t look out for a life-partner as Islam has allowed them and even after that they are not free to live as they want.  The life they fantasize through movies, love-tales and western culture.

Are the stories of Cinderella or Phoolmadrani (the Urdu version of Cinderella) and of princes and princesses that nani and dadi once used to tell non-Islamic too?

Islam is the religion of beauty, love and relaxation.  It does not leads anyone to dark ages.

شکر ہے ویلنٹانئز شہداء کا کہ جماعت اسلامی کو یوم حیا منانے کا اعزاز دے گئے۔۔۔ حالانکہ حیا کا پیغام اتنا ہی پرانا ہے جتنی انسانی تایخ۔۔۔ رسول الله صلی الله علیہ وسلم کو بھی حیا کا پیغام لائے چودہ سو سال گذر گئے۔۔۔ اور یوم حیا کا آج خیال آیا۔۔۔ عیسائیوں اور امریکنوں کے مقابلے پر۔۔۔

یوم حیا تو وہ دن تھا جس دن حضرت عائشہ رضی الله عنہا کی عزت اور عصمت پر لگائے گئے الزام کا داغ خود الله سبحانہ وتعالی نے قرآن کی آیا سے دھویا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ یوم حیا وہ دن تھا جب حضرت مریم علیہ السلام  کی عزت اور عصمت پر لگائے گئے الزام کا دفاع ان کے معصوم بیٹے نے کیا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ یوم حیا وہ دن تھا جب حضرت یوسف علیہ السلام عزت اور عصمت پر لگائے گئے الزام کا جواب ان کے اپنے جسم پر موجود لباس نے دیا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ یوم حیا وہ دن تھا جب الله سبحانہ وتعالی نے قرآن کے ذریعے حضرت زینب بنت جحش کا آپ صلی الله علیہ وسلم کے ساتھہ نکاح کا اعلان کیا اور منافقوں کی زبانیں بند کیں۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔

لیکن جماعت اسلامی یا آج کل کے دینی لوگ کیا جانیں۔۔۔ کیا جانیں یہ کسی کی عزتیں بچانا, خوبصورتی اور احسان کے ساتھہ۔۔۔۔ یہ مقابلے کرسکتے ہیں, شک کرسکتے ہیں, تجسس کرسکتے ہیں, الزامات لگا سکتے ہیں, سزا سنا سکتے ہیں۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ 

SCANDALOUS AFFAIRS

Meera’s English, Veena Malik and Mathira’s salacious photographs, Saima Khan and Nargis’s x-rated stage dance, Maya Khan’s super domineering hosting, Nadia Khan’s interference in people’s personal life and many other women with immodest scandals – all bashed up by men of great virtue and character.  Yeah, the common men of Pakistan.   Musarrat Shaheen is said to be the only surviving ‘screen prostitute’ who is eligible for elections in her area.  Men, bearded or clean shaved,  highly relish these situations, surpassing their limits in condemning, cursing and criticizing women for being ‘morally and sexually adulterated’.

These kind of women are commonly titled as ‘bitches’ and men demand their expulsion from society and severe punishment by the government and law even if it be stoning her to death.

Somehow, grieving, howling, moaning, mourning, wailing, weeping, bleeding and wounded, naked and exposed, women have remained the only source of amusement and entertainment for Pakistani men.

While in this very same ,yet, undefined society, many male politicians, celebrities and even common men have been found engaged in lewdness, lechery and sexploitation and have been caught red handed – shockingly all were/are deliberately disregarded and voluntarily exonerated from all sins and crimes.  They should have been called ‘dogs’ and ‘pigs’ too.

Tell me honestly, who do Mrs. Reema Khan, soon to be Mrs. Meera, Mrs. Sana, Mrs. Saima Noor, Mrs. Noor, Ms. Resham, Ms. Nirma, Mrs. Musarrat Shaheen and other female actresses and stage dancers please and upset by oscillating their bodies and shaking their breasts and buttocks so frequently and constantly in the name of fun, art and freedom?  Who do they discompose their physical formation for?  They say their purpose is not to seduce anyone but then why do men feel like that?  Why don’t those men present there stop them – I mean the producer, the director, the actors, the hero?

Why was MAYA KHAN fired immediately while Syed BILAL QUTUB from Alim Online is still there after that controversial program – no public pressure and no condemnation from religious side?

Why was Nadia Khan terminated while Syed Mustafa Kamal was justified after calling public “Ulloo ka Patha” – no conviction by law, no public stricture?

Why are Veena Malik and Mathira called ‘BITCHES’ while Moammar Rana is not called a ‘DOG’ after posing nude in a photo session?

One thing I still haven’t understood is what evil is Veena Malik or Mathira or any other female producing that Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Vidia Balen and other Bollywood actresses have not done?  Lollywood actresses only compete with them in getting naked to buy men’s attention and money.  The google searches have decided who can do it better.  Pakistani men are the most fervent viewers of Bollywood nudity and find it more safe for their faith and purity.

Why don’t men (actors) step forward to defend their co-female colleagues when they are scurrilously attacked by the society and judged by muftis and scholars – I mean Nadeem Baig, Shan, Moammar Rana, Babar Ali, Afzal Khan Rambo, Umar Sharif and those who support art and have been through that medium, like Talat Hussain, Shakeel, Rahat Kazmi, Usman Pirzada, etc.?

It is quite possible that the celebrities purposely propagate these kind of scandals to entertain themselves and to satisfy the lust of popularity.  They would commit suicide if they come to know how their ‘freedom of expression’ sometimes effects and spoils people’s life.

The biggest injustice that we have done to ourselves and our country is that we have handed over the domination and superiority to men who are coward, unjust and unfortunate literates.

Who should a man favour – mother or wife?

Am I a woman, or am I a woman?

So what if I am a woman.

Since I am a woman, I am very powerful.  Sooooo powerful that my counter part specie fears me.  Yeah, that is ‘mmmennn’.  Their belief is weaker than my action.  My one bodily move can shake the building of their faith.  They lose their mind.  They take no time to decide between God and me.  Poor men!

They say I’m no wise, not trustworthy, not worth listening to.  I say, “O you who are weak and embarrased! bring evidence of what you belief or just shut up”.  They utter from their mouths which they have no solid proof of.  They flow with liquidity of their immature thoughts and fall into the drowning mud of embarrassment.

Annnnnnd, because I am a woman, I am very greedy and wicked too.  I realized the strong hold of men on all resources.   They do not educate me.  I know no nimble access to my necessities.  I be their slave either this way or that way, to get my provisions.  Legally, there is no way I can get my bread and butter respectfully.  My simplicity is not enough to convince them.  So, I trick men with my adornment and eloquence.  They say I trick them.  That is because they give by tricking.  Yet, they claim that women are born twisted as they were created with the twisted rib of Adam.  Foolish men!

So this is what I am, a woman.

Just kidding!  :) It doesn’t happen like this, not always, right?

Men are not that cruel.  Not to their wives in particular.  It is only that they don’t greet women as practiced by the Prophet (pbuh), don’t smile to them in the day time, quite a few times insult them in front of others, keep their womb occupied with their heirs on annual basis.  It is not their fault though.

They are born innocent bhaeee.  Don’t you see how they get confused between mother, sisters and wife, whom to favour?  And look at women how they enjoy the whole situation, fighting over their beloved ‘money laying rooster’, ha ha ha, a stimuli for their satisfaction.

But really, who should men favour – mother or wife?

Why women even create this situation and make it difficult for men to be just and fair?  How can they deny each other’s right. Both have rights and so do men….. as a father and as a husband.

And men are foolish and weak, I have  just proved it.  The time and energy left after job hours does not allow them to make any wise decisions.  Leaving either one is not a wise decision any way unless otherwise demanded by either side.

One thing that mothers should remember it is that, it is children who have to remember that their Paradise lies under the feet of mothers.  It means that mothers should be provided with all the facilities and should be respected as it is due to them.  Mothers cannot use this honour as a weapon to threaten their children and force them to leave their rights that God has granted them.  This is injustice.  Mothers should be wise enough to understand this.

They should also remember that the Paradise under their feet is not liable for daughter-in-law or son-in-law.

Wives should not forget that they do not own every single paisa their husband earn.  Their husband’s mother do have a share in it.  They should remember that if God has given them sons, as they desire, then one day, they will also become mother-in-law and will suffer the same.  Because God is the Most Just.

Mothers and wives! Let your men curb at home, I mean keep them happy at home, so they do not bother to bother other women on streets or anywhere.

So I also be a good woman.  Otherwise you know me….

 

 

Matrimonial-cycle in Pakistan

What was the world’s first human relation, husband and wife or mother and father?

Adam and Eve (may peace and blessings be upon both of them) started the human race as husband and wife.  The matrimonial laws they followed for their children were different from their own.  They never experienced a childhood, no parents for guidance, no friends for fun, no laws to obey.  They were being created.  They reproduced the way they had never seen or heard of.  And so the tribes and nations came into existence.

Adam and Eve (peace be upon both of them) knew the best the difference between Earth and Paradise.  They had come from the world of true luxuries.  They had a valid reason to believe that the world is just a temporary place to reside.  It is a place to do what you are being asked to do and leave.  So they did not introduce to their children the idea of a ‘matrimonial-cycle’ – get born –> get married –> give birth –> raise children –> marry them –> force them to give birth in abundance –> advise them to continue the cycle as a religious obligation –> die.

Paradise and Hell are the property we get or lose at the cost of how we live in this world – we only choose which one, God chooses the ways.

Humans are not considered the key resource just because they are human.  It is because of the powers they are granted with to control the other creatures and the  role they play in the development of their surroundings.  They have rights upon each other and the duties to be fulfilled.  Thus, laws in different eras were either ordained by God or were constituted by people to keep the balance between rights and obligations.  That is how much have I taken from, can expect from and owe to others.  Things go on peacefully and respectfully until we succeed in keeping this balance.  Same is the case with human activities – jobs, social gatherings, rituals and traditions.

دنیا کا پہلا انسانی رشتہ کون سا تھا بھلا۔۔۔ میاں بیوی یا ماں باپ۔۔۔

حضرت آدم علیہ السلام اور حضرت حوا علیھا السلام۔۔۔ یہ بھی جنسی مساوات کی نشانی ہےکہ مرد اورعورت دونوں کے لئے لفظ ۔۔ حضرت۔۔ استعمال کیا جاتا ہے اور سلامتی بھی ایک ہی الفاظ سے بھیجی جاتی ہے۔۔۔ عجیب انسان تھے۔۔۔ خوش نصیب بھی۔۔۔ نہ بچپن دیکھا, نہ ماں باپ۔۔۔ نہ دوست نہ رشتہ دار۔۔۔ نہ قانون۔۔۔ نہ کوئی حضرت حوا علیھا السلام کو یہ طعنہ دینے والا کہ پسلی سے پیدا ہوئی اس لئے ٹیڑھی ہیں۔۔۔ بس ایک نارمل لڑکا اور ایک نارمل لڑکی۔۔۔  اسی لئے دنیا میں سکون تھا اس وقت۔۔۔

انسان کی اہمیت صرف انسان ہونے کی وجہ سے نہیں۔۔۔ بلکہ اسکے مختلف رشتوں میں بندھے ہونے کی وجہ سے ہے۔۔۔ بہت سے اخلاقی اور سماجی قانون بھی ان رشتوں میں حقوق کا توازن برقراررکھنے اور امن, احترام اور سکون قائم رکھنے کے لئے بنائے گئے ہیں۔۔۔ ہر انسان ایک ہی وقت میں مختلف کردار کرتا ہے اور ہر معاشرے نے ہر کردار کی حدود متعین کی ہیں۔۔۔ یہی بات انسانی معاشروں سے متعلق رسومات اور روایات کے لئے بھی ہے۔۔۔ حتی کہ پیشے اور ملازمت  کے لئے بھی۔۔۔ کوئی رشتہ اپنے حق, عزت, احترام اور محبت میں حد سے بڑھ جائے۔۔۔  یا رسومات اور روایات کا حدود سے بڑھہ کر اظہار کیا جائے۔۔۔ وہیں سے نا انصافی, ظلم اور بے سکونی کا سلسلہ شروع ہو جاتا ہے۔۔۔ 

لیکن ہم شاید اتنے سمجھہ دار نہیں ہوئے کہ حدود وقیود کے مقاصد سمجھہ سکیں۔۔۔ اسی لئے ہر کردار میں ایک دوسرے پر چیل کوؤں کی طرح جھپٹتے رہتے ہیں۔۔۔ قانون جنگل کا, اخلاق جانوروں کا۔۔۔

Why are people in our society so dependent upon each other for their happiness and pleasure?  Why is people’s happiness linked to materialistic approach?  Why do people threat to ruin other’s life in order to fulfill their own desires?

ہمارے معاشرے کے لوگ اپنی خوشیوں کے لئےدوسروں کے محتاج کیوں ہیں۔۔۔ اتنے محتاج کہ چھیننا جھپٹنا شروع کردیتے ہیں۔۔۔ ان کی ساری خوشیاں دوسروں سے ملنے والی مادی چیزوں سے منسوب کیوں ہوتی  ہیں۔۔۔ اور اس کے لئے شادی سے بہترین موقع کون سا ہوسکتا ہے۔۔۔   

Is marriage supposed to be an event for ‘bride and groom’ or for others to disable them and carry on with their own wishes?

Why do elders decide for ‘mehr and jahez/dowry’, wedding menu, the guests to be invited, the venue – why don’t ‘bride and groom’ decide it all for themselves?  If they can’t then how can they be trusted to lead a ‘life happily ever after’?

 پاکستان میں شادی کو زندگی کا سب سے بڑا مقصد سمجھا جاتاہے۔۔۔ آج بھی۔۔۔ اسوقت تک, جب تک شادی نہیں ہوجاتی۔۔۔ لالچ, حسد, بغض, سازش, دکھاوا۔۔۔ سب کی فطرتیں کھل کر سامنے آجاتی ہیں۔۔۔

Why do we even have a concept of exchanging children – my daughter is going to get to live somewhere else or we are bringing someone’s daughter as an additional member so she should try to adjust with us?  Why don’t both sides encourage their children to make decisions and find ways to understand each other?  Why they want to control girl and boy after their marriage?

Why do elders even think of proposing a girl or a boy if they don’t trust them to be a good life partner?  Or may be it is not their purpose.

سمجھہ نہیں آتا کہ ہمارے معاشرے میں یہ تصور کیوں ہے کہ ہماری بیٹی کسی کے گھر جارہی ہے اور ہمارے گھر ایک بہو آرہی ہے۔۔۔ بیٹوں اور بیٹیوں کے والدین یہ کیوں نہیں سوچتے کہ دو انسان اپنی زندگی شروع کرنے جارہے ہیں۔۔۔ کیوں نہ انکی مدد کریں۔۔۔ ان کو خود نئے تجربات کرنے دیں, ایک بہتر زندگی کے لئے۔۔۔ کیوں انھیں اپنی تربیت پر بھروسہ نہیں ہوتا۔۔۔

ازدواجی رشتے میں بگاڑ سب سے زیادہ لڑکی اور لڑکے کی مائیں, بہنیں پیدا کرتی ہیں۔۔۔ شادی کے دوسرے دن سے ہی لڑکی کی ماں کو اپنی بیٹی اور لڑکے کی ماں کو اپنا بیٹا عزیز ہو جاتاہے۔۔۔ سوچنے کی بات ہے کہ اگر ماؤں میں اپنی اولادوں سے اتنی ہی محبت ہوتی ہے تو وہ ان کی شادیاں ہی کیوں کرتی ہیں۔۔۔ ساری زندگی بھر بٹھا کر رکھیں۔۔۔

بیٹیوں کی مائیں اپنی بیٹیوں کا ایسی جگہ رشتہ ہی کیوں کرتی ہیں کہ جہاں کے لوگوں اور ماحول سے پہلے ہی دن سے بیٹی کو ڈرانا شروع کردیتی ہیں۔۔۔ کیوں کسی کا بیٹا, کسی کا بھائی چھڑانے کے طریقے سکھاتی ہیں اپنی بیٹی کو۔۔۔ اپنا حق دوسروں کو ان کے حق سے محروم کرکے نہیں لیا جاتا۔۔۔ 

اور بیٹوں کی مائیں اپنے بیٹوں کا ایسی جگہ رشتہ ہی کیوں کرتی ہیں کہ جہاں کے لوگوں اور ماحول پر بعد میں تنقید کرنی ہو۔۔۔ اگر بہو افورڈ نہیں کرسکتیں تو بیٹوں کی شادیاں کیوں کرتی ہیں۔۔۔ پہلے اپنے بیٹوں کو اخلاقی, ذہنی اور معاشی طور پر اس قابل بنادیں کہ وہ ماں, بہنوں, بیوی اور بچوں کے اخراجات اٹھا سکیں۔۔۔

دوسری بات جو بیٹوں کی ماؤں کویاد رکھنی چاہیے کہ بیٹے کو شادی کے بعد بھی بیٹا ہی رہنے دیا کریں۔۔۔ بہو کے مقابلے پر اسکی بیوی بننے کی کوشش نہ کیا کریں۔۔۔ بیٹا بیٹا ہوتا ہے, شوہر کی طرح ماں کا خیال نہیں رکھہ سکتا۔۔۔ بیٹوں کو جائیداد یا اے ٹی ایم مشین سمجھہ کرشیئر کرنے کا حوصلہ نہ ہو تو انکی شادیاں نہ کریں۔۔۔  

جس لڑکے اور لڑکی کی شادی ہوتی ہے ان کی پسند اور ناپسند دور دور تک کسی معاملے میں شامل نہیں ہوتی۔۔۔ کس سے ہونی ہے شادی, کیا لینا دینا ہے, کیا پہننا ہے, کیا کھانا کھلانا ہے, کن مہمانوں کو آنا ہے, کس کو نہیں بلانا, سسرال جاکر کیا کرنا ہے, میکے کب جانا ہے, خرچہ بیوی نے چلاناہے یا ساس نے,  بچے کب پیدا کرنے ہیں, کتنے پیدا کرنے ہیں, کیسے پلنے ہیں۔۔۔ 

ایک مکمل معذور اور اندھی شادی۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔

سب اپنی شادی میں گونگے, بہرے۔۔۔ چاہتے ہیں دوسروں کی شادی کا ہر فیصلہ ان کی مرضی سے ہو۔۔۔ شاید اپنی اپنی شادیاں اپنی مرضی سے نہ ہونے کی بھڑاس نکالتے ہیں۔۔۔ محبت اور خونی رشتوں کی آڑ میں۔۔۔ میاں بیوی کے رشتے کو دوسرے چلاتے ہیں۔۔۔ یہ رشتہ یا تو آس پاس کے رشتہ داروں کی خواہشات کی نذر ہو جاتا ہے یا پھر سازشی حالات کی۔۔۔ جو میاں بیوی شروع دن سے ہی دوسروں کے فیصلوں کے محتاج ہوں وہ بھلا خوش ہونا کیاجانیں۔۔۔ اور اگر کوئی اپنی مرضی سے خدا نہ کرے شادی کر بھی لے تو سب جس بری طرح ان دونوں کو ناکام ثابت کرنے کی کوشش کرتے ہیں, الله کی پناہ۔۔۔ شیطان بھی شرمندہ ہوجائے۔۔۔

Parents who think that love marriage is a sin and would bring them disgrace among relatives and society usually disregard the words of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), “Don’t marry a girl without her consultation.”  Sahih Bukhari and Muslim.

Love marriages in Pakistan can be titled as ‘fear-marriages’ as they have to fear each and every person around them.  Their own blood relations spy on them, read their SMS and e-mails, check their belongings and pockets.  That’s very cheap of them they should know.   Qur’an says, “spy not on others…”.  This society has no respect for others’ privacy.

 

رومانس, منگنی, شادی… ان میں خوشی سے زیادہ خوف ہوتا ہے۔۔۔ کوئی دیکھہ نہ لے, کوئی سن نہ لے,  چھپ کر روٹھتے ہیں, چھپ کر مناتےہیں۔۔۔ جب چاہے کوئی  بھی گھر والوں میں سے اٹھ کر خط پڑھ لے, ای میلز, موبائلز چیک کرلے۔۔۔ جن خونی رشتوں کو حقوق کا محافظ بنایا گیا ہو, انھیں سے اپنے حق کے لئے لڑتے ہیں۔۔۔  

اور آخر ساری شادیوں کا ایک جیسے طریقے سے ہونا کیوں ضروری ہے۔۔۔ اتنا جہیز, ایسا ہال, یہ یہ کھانا, اتنے مہمان۔۔۔ جہیز میں بیڈروم سیٹ, ٹی وی, فرج, پچاس جوڑے, چار سونے کے سیٹ, موٹر سائیکل, گاڑی۔۔۔ ان سب چیزوں سے کس کی عزت بڑھتی ہے۔۔۔ میکے کی یا سسرال کی۔۔۔۔ یہ سارے معاملات لڑکی اور لڑکے پر کیوں نہیں چھوڑ دیے جاتے۔۔۔

Why don’t boys take a stand against dowry/jahez?  They should restrict their parents from asking anything in the name of Jahez.  Boys need television, refrigerator, furniture, bedroom set, diner set, they should buy themselves.

لڑکے خود جہیز لئے جانے کے خلاف آواز کیوں نہیں اٹھاتے۔۔۔ خود کیوں نہیں فیصلہ کرتے کہ ماں, بہنوں اور بیوی کو کس حد تک انکے حقوق کے دائرے میں رکھنا ہے۔۔۔ 

خود اپنی زندگی کا فیصلہ کرنے کا حیا, بے حیائی, خاندان کی عزت, رشتہ داروں میں ذلت, دنیا کے خوف سے کیا تعلق۔۔۔ یہ توفخر کرنے کی بات ہے کہ ہماری اولاد نکمی اور محتاج نہیں۔۔۔ بلکہ اپنی زندگی کے اچھے برے فیصلے خود کرنے کی نہ صرف صلاحیت رکھتی ہے بلکہ انکے اچھے برے نتائج سے نمٹنے کی اہل بھی ہے۔۔۔ اگر اولاد اس قابل نہیں کہ معاملات سمجھہ کر خود فیصلہ کرسکے اور دوسروں کی عقل سے سوچے تو ایسی اولاد تو خود ماں باپ کے بے صلاحیت اور ناکام ہونے کا ثبوت ہوتی ہے۔۔۔ 

اور شادی کے بعد کیا ہوتا ہے۔۔۔ کچھہ بلکہ کافی گھرانوں میں تو شادی کے بعد لڑکی کو سسرال کے رحم وکرم پر چھوڑ دیتے ہیں۔۔۔ جہاں شوہر سمیت ہر شخص اس لڑکی کو اپنے مقصد کے لئے استعمال کرتا ہے۔۔۔ جب تک معاملات کسی انتہا پر نہ پہنچ جائیں, لڑکی کے گھر والے مداخلت نہیں کرتے۔۔۔ بہت سے گھرانوں میں اتنی مداخلت کرتے ہیں کہ اپنی ہی بیٹی کا گھر تباہ کر دیتے ہیں۔۔۔ 

نئے شادی شدہ جوڑے کو سب اپنے اپنے طریقوں سے چلانے کی کوشش کرتے ہیں۔۔۔ پھر بچے ہو جاتے ہیں۔۔۔ ان کی تعلیم, شادیاں۔۔۔ اور اتنے سالوں میں میاں بیوی کوعادت ہوجاتی ہے بہن بھائیوں کی طرح رہنے کی۔۔۔ پھر اپنی قسمت کو پیٹتے, اولاد کی بے حسی کا رونا روتے دنیا سے چلے جاتے ہیں۔۔۔ 

آخر یہ چکر ہر گھر میں دہرایا ہی کیوں جاتا ہے۔۔۔ کیوں کوئی مختلف ازدوجی زندگی کی داغ بیل نہیں ڈالی جاتی۔۔۔ کیوں ایک بہتر شادی شدہ زندگی کی تاریخ رقم نہیں کی جاتی۔۔۔  کس نے مجبور کیا ہے کہ الٹی سیدھی رسم و روایات کے ذریعے دنیا پر رعب ڈالیں۔۔۔ کیوں ضروری ہے کہ ساری کمائی بچوں   پرخرچ کریں اور بڑھاپے میں خود کو ان کے رحم و کرم پر چھوڑ دیں۔۔۔ کیوں اپنے بڑھاپے کا خود انتظام نہیں کرتے۔۔۔ یہ کس قسم کی محبتیں ہیں کہ پہلے ایک دوسرے پر لٹاتے ہیں, پھر جتاتے ہیں, پھر حساب کتاب مانگتے ہیں, پھر دنیا بھر میں بھٹکتے پھرتے ہیں۔۔۔ 

اور اس پرمعصومیت کا یہ عالم کہ حیران ہوتے ہیں کہ ہمارے ہاں ریپ کیوں ہورہےہیں۔۔۔ خاندانی مرد اپنے ہی محترم خواتین کے ساتھہ زیادتیاں کیوں کرتے ہیں۔۔۔ 

How many people in Pakistan are aware of the true purpose of marriage and the meaning of family life?  How many do participate in keeping marriages as happy as they can?  How many be happy seeing others living happily ever after?

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MUSICAL CONCERTS

فطرت کے تقاضوں کی کرتا ہے نگہبانی

یا بندہ صحرائی, یا مرد کوہستانی

The precious words of great man (mard-e-momin) of our history, Hazrat Jaffar Tayyar ibn Abu Talib (brother of Hazrat Ali) in Najashi’s court,

“O king, our people were ignorant and wild. We worshipped idols. We ate the flesh of the dead. We committed evil. We teased our neighbours. The strong tormented the weak. We usurped the rights of our relations. Oppression and evil was our daily routine of life, when Allah, with all his kindness sent towards us a man from amongst us as His Prophet. We knew him well and found him most honest and trust worthy, pious and virtuous, who commanded great respect and confidence in Mecca. He forbade us to worship idols and associate other deities with Allah. He convinced us of the Oneness of Allah, and truth and honesty. He taught us how to love the neighbours and relations and avoid telling to lie. He told us not to murder any one without reason. He prohibited deception, wrangling and evil and warned to keep our hands off the orphan’s property. He forbade us to make false accusation against anybody. He called the people to abandon idolatory, believe in one God, offer prayers, observe fasts and pay zakat. We have full faith in him and follow the way of life practiced by him. We abandoned idolatory and submit to One God. We came to know of lawful and unlawful. Consequently our own community and our friends turned into foes because of the change in our life and our views. They were determined to bring us back to idolatry and other evil practices by tormenting us and even take our lives if necessary. When their brutalities became unbearable  we migrated to your country under orders of our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).”

These men from desert changed their lives from similar to what we are living now in Pakistan, to a civilized one.  Hazrat Jaffar Tayyar mentioned the reasons to King Najashi.  They introduced a new system to the world that was, for centuries, indulged in wine, singing, dancing, gambling, partying, festivals, celebrations, abusing women and children, oppressing weak – nothing civilized and productive.  Their scholars, thinkers and wise men were mostly found living in solitude because they knew that these worldly attractions can be categorized as ‘entertainment’ but not as the goals/career (as the word goal has now been replaced by ‘career).

Punjab government, many times, for many reasons has banned musical concerts in educational institutions.  Mostly recently, this government ruling half population of Pakistan has been harshly criticized by literates, illiterates and celebrities alike.

I usually don’t count Pakistani celebrities (the current lot excluding the legends, the honourable Madam Noor Jahan and Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and his son Asad Amanat Ali Khan – Madam was even distinguished among them) as the part of our society because of their own claim, “we are artists and so are sensitive and fair, we are not hypocrites, we observe people and imitate them, we are a mean that let the world know what is going on in Pakistani society, for us art has no limits and no boundaries, an artist belong to the world and is not bound to a specific territory, bla bla bla…”…….. these are enough reasons to classify them as “different people”.  I personally think that anyone with these wording cannot be trusted to build a system.  They live for money, they die begging for money for their treatment.  They are wise enough to adjust famous western philosophies regarding art, ignoring the values and right traditions of our society.  While ‘building system’ is a process that requires a lot of sacrifices, even popularity, applaud and chikni chapri haan main haan milanay wali batain.

محکوم کے حق میں ہے یہی تربیت اچھی

موسیقی و صورت گری وعلم نباتات

As Iqbal has defined it, this slavery is their life-cycle that they are trapped in.  I think that even animals do consider time, venue and situation to do dancing, singing, applaud and celebrations.  So I totally ignore the celebrities for condemning these kind of bans.  They know Pakistan consists of 65% energetic youth who could be their great source of income if gone astray at young age.  They don’t mind criminals.  See, actors and actresses feel proud getting awards from Zardari.

“When crops are ready, farmers do bhangra – peacocks dance – people dance in festivals in different cultures…..”……. Farmers have right to do bhangra because they suffer for whole Pakistan, they so, they harvest, cultivate, they work for months and wait for months –  peacocks, they are animals and even then they have timings for dancing – festival/ folk dances are usually related to their beliefs and centuries old traditions and they follow limits.  Do musical concerts have any of these reasons?

For the sake of further arguments or any arguments at all, I have a suggestion for Pakistani youth.  Since they are not interested in getting education at all, their parents either don’t care about it, politicians especially MQM, PPP and many religious groups have to make up excuses to destroy the remaining educational process and the American lords are not happy with us for being literates and the way our schools and colleges are run……… they shouldn’t exist there anyway.

Why don’t our youth run a campaign to close down all schools and colleges in Pakistan?  Homeschooling then would be a better or the best choice for that tiny fragment of population who wants to be recognized as ‘civilized people’.

Let’s sing…..Rock a Bye Baby on the Treetop…. when the wind blows the cradle will rock…

when the bough breaks the cradle will fall…  and down will come baby, cradle and all

 Just imagine you, young people, you won’t have to carry heavy bags, you won’t have to wake up early morning just to learn how to read and write (who cares about it when money is there), you won’t have to sit like slaves for six hours, you won’t get to see unqualified, impolite, rude and unprofessional teachers, no more punishments, no more yelling by parents, no more curses, no more threats.  You will earn money from young age and will independently, you can even kick your parents out before their old age or they will have to live according to you.  You can buy anything you want, you will be praised by the world.  No one would mind your appearance, your complexion, your hair-style, your apparel, even your strange accent.  Everybody with worship you.  Believe me, until you are able to make money and dump on yourselves, no one would dare to stand against you.

You can even shut people’s mouth by saying that we are a democratic nation and in democracy, education should be limited to fun and fine arts.  Medicine, engineering, environment, libraries are not the concerns of underdeveloped countries like us.  We are poor, frustrated nation and we can’t afford to study serious matters.

Just one precaution, must save enough money for your old age.  You know why because, you won’t be the one-man show in this field.  You will have to face millions of competitors, both inside and outside the country.  So as you will start fading away, millions will replace you with better performance.  That might be the time that you regret not going to school, not being sincere to yourself and for not knowing that this will happen to you.  You may feel lonely that no one is there to throw food into your mouth or check your pulses if you are dead or alive.  And then people close to you, putting their hands under your nose and feeling no hot air exhaled, may announce you dead.  The channels will only wait for doctor’s confirmation.  No one would understand that you were dead long time and regretting the choices you made in the past.  But hey, that’s not a problem, you can try to avail citizenship in other countries.  They do have a system of respectful farewell for old people.

So,

CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry, are a you relevant person to talk about education, youth and the sacredness of educational institutions?

Can you please take a suo motto action and pass these laws so students, principals, teachers, parents and educationists can find time to get rid of hopelessness and idleness?

Please change school and college timings to 3 hours and children get to study only four basic subjects; Urdu, English, Math and Science – rest of the subjects can be merged in English and Science.

All children know how to operate computers.  For programming and other advance features, they can join computer learning centers.  For Islamiyaat, they can consult Madrassah or maulvi on weekend or after school.  For physical activities, gym, sports, swimming and martial arts, they can join sports clubs and centers.

Youth will have rest of 21 hours to enjoy music, dance, comedy and other tamashay and they can go to theaters and cinemas and can watch cable channels and CDs all the time.  They already sing and dance for days during weddings and other ceremonies and festivals.

Just change timings to only 3 hours aur phir parents janay, unkay bachay janay aur celebrities janay.