Eeman Bil Ghaib...

In the recent past I had a discussion on couple of occasions regarding "Blind Faith" in religion so thought to put some here. The common concept of Blind Faith is that there is not much 'thinking' aspect involved when it comes to following teachings of Islam. Obey just whatever has been told to you. Do not think becasue it will create doubts in your mind and you'll stray away from the path of Lord!


Blind faith does not mean a mullah telling you that whatever I tell you is correct, whatever has been done previously is for all times to come - so do not think cuz that will lead you to the path of satan! Quran is very different on "blind faith" (eeman bil ghaib).

27:73 - And they who, when reminded of the communications of their Lord, do not fall down thereat deaf and blind.

Clearly in contrast to what maulvis preach right? Quran does not say that blindly follow whatever is told to you... Observe the signs.. then decide for urself e.g. whether there should be an entity like God (or whatever is being told to you).

24:43 - Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail...

36:34 - And We have placed therein gardens of the date-palm and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein.
36:35 - That they may eat of the fruit thereof, and their hands made it not. Will they not, then, give thanks?

3:190 - Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding

You come to the conclusion that there is God by observing signs. You think, ponder and then decide. Not blindly say that there is God.

2:02 - This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah
2:03 - Who believe in the Unseen...

'Punjab ki Gandum'

Country is passing through another wheat crisis. Our brethern Pakistani muslims as usual have indulged in hoarding practices creating a shortage, raising the prices and piling up the misery of their fellow Pakistani muslim brethern. God bless them.

Do you know - I have been a smuggler! literally! It was the reign of Amir ul Momineen Nawaz Sharif (second term) when wheat crisis was at its peak. Inter provincial movement of wheat was banned because it was "punjab ki gandum". I do not know about the other provinces but in NWFP it was a toal crisis. Wheat was expensive than gold. I used to cross Hasan Abdal (in Punjab) while enroute from my either destinations that lay in NWFP. I used to buy a bag of flour, put it in cars trunk and literally keep away from customs checkposts to avoid being caught! That was insane! People were suffering from non-availability of wheat and the idiots had banned the availability of wheat in other provinces.

My friend narrated an incident in which he was coming to a city in NWFP. When they reached the border town of Punjab and Frontier, the cops at check post had gotten hold of 2 teens who were carrying wheat in plastic shopping bags for their family (not more than 5 kg each). The guys at check post thrashed them for being 'smugglers' and threw the wheat on road so they wont be able to take it past the border.

Can you imagine the sickness of such parochial people? I was a smuggler in my own country! I was denied wheat by my own country men! What a country!

I wonder why the electricty produced by NWFP is called by punjab to be pakistan's electricity. Tax revenue generated by Sindh (Karachi) is said to be due the ports in Karachi and they are pakistans ports. But when it comes to wheat... its always 'punjab ki gandum'? (reference to various statements attributed to CM punjab where he mentioned 'punjab ki gandum')

Defensive Day

6th September is celebrated in Pakistan as the Defence Day. The day when 'supposedly' we won a war against Indians. Earlier there used to be a holiday when I was in school so I kind of a.. remembered Defence Day! Today a friend of mine told me its Defence Day today thats why national songs on FM! I did not even remember that it was 6th September!

I know. We should rememeber the sacrifices others made for us. 14th August is just a holiday for me. There was a very nice statement attributed to Fifi Haroon in a newspaper when she organized National Day celebrations in London.. which went something like .. Nationalism is not a pill that you administer to people. It has to be felt. And I truly agree with it. Although I dont know how jumping on songs will make me do this to me :p So whats the solutions for nuts like me?!

Another aspect that needs mentioning. It is agreed that September 65 war was an 'effect' to kashmir 'casue'. It was a brainchild of Army to send mujahideen into Kashmir and put Indian Army on the defensive. Rememebr Kargil? Just like that. I read somewhere that Air Marshal (retd) Noor Khan strongly objected to it. (I wish we have more Noor Khans in this country. God he has so much integrity. I have never heard of anything bad associated with him). Perhaps these 'adventures' of Pakistan army have made me lose appeal for such days. But why should I deny the sacrifices that people made for me and my country men? Why did colonel Sher Khan sacrifice his life for me on Kashmir mountains? He did for some reason.. thats nationalism.

Hello, Hello! Testing Faith!

Yesterday a friend of mine told me that a certain mouse had ruined her suit. She also told me that a cloth cover of Quran was also ruined by the same specie. She asked me "Why did mouse do that?" I told her, acting very logically, that you cant expect mouse to differentiate between sacred and profane! He had to eat something! She asked "Why did not God protect the Quran cover? HE could have given the mouse another cloth to ruin!". And I had that look where... you know.. you dont know what to say :p

Now this may sound trivial or childish point but this is a question that does bother! A very long time ago I had read in an urdu newspaper (you can only find these things in urdu newspapers) that a muslim and a christian were making claims that 'their' lord is the true lord (in fact both have the same lord but its a different issue). Since they both worked in a factory so they decided that will put their (Reader's warning: verbally described scenes that may be disturbing!) hand in machines! and whosoever's lord is true.. he'll be saved! Damn! They both had their hands.... you get the idea I guess.

Another story that I jsut cant erase from my mind is that of a 'hafiza' who was gang raped in a remote village in our motherland. How could God let this happen to a person who had memorized His book?

I don't know. Honestly I do not. Perhaps this is how 'events' are supposed to unfold? I guess its easy to pass comments since it did not happen to me.

Not So Funny

Have you seen the 'laughter challenge' programmes on Indian TVs? its the buzz I guess these days. All sorts of comedians are trying their luck and showing their skills on television. Our Pakistani brethren too are taking their share of limelight on Indian TV.

Is it just me or did anyone else also feel that pakistani comedians are vulgar? In fact I find them horribly vulgar. I do not watch these programs regularly, only when I am channel hopping. Earlier I thought that the Indian TV is so pathetic (and their comedy level so low) that comedians have to resort to innuendos and double entendres. Then I started realizing that its the Pakistani comedians that do this often. I swear... earlier I used to check whether there was a pakistani comedian on stage so that I could enjoy listening to him... now when I see a pakistani comedian.. I just keep my fingers crossed in fear that he'll spit something... if he does then I have switched that channel. I feel so ashamed. Honestly.

Indians have a gem of a comedian in Raju Shrivastav(?). Whenever he comes on stage... it is just a masterful act. Absolute genius. Just like Omar Sharif in our case.

What does this tell us about the level of stand up comedy in our country? Is it jsut the same as I have stated? has it always been like that and we saw only the 'clean' acts? You feel the same too?

Prudent Broadcasters

It is heartening to read the news that Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has agreed to desist from showing scenes of violence and terrorism. It had to be realized sooner that displaying gory images on screen does not help at all. If you want to grab the audiences then there are others ways of telling the story. Not just violence and terrorism, I was horrified when I saw the full footage of a person dying on screen on a private TV channel while covering the 2005 Earthquake. Prudence should have been observed there as well. What the hell was Aaj TV thinking? What was the chief reporter Talat Husain thinking?

I also want the PBA to ban commercials that are racist in nature e.g. all the 'skin fairness' advertisements in which the girl is told that since her skin is dark so she will not be able to get married and by using such and such product she can have a 'white' skin and hook a person (frankly this makes males look even more dumb-ass). How horrible can advertisements get?

Lord of the Medieval

I just cannot understand how can anyone oppose administering polio drops to children in connection with vaccination drive. The religious scholars in NWFP are notorious for such acts. Swat is especially known for this - a certain Mr. Maulana Fazlullah, who ironically uses FM Radio transmissions (an infidel West's made device) to deliver his sermons! How can anyone be so cruel to let children suffer this deadly disease by citing frivolous arguments not to immunize them? Health workers have been attacked who went in these areas to carry out immunization drive.

But I guess these religious scholars (Maulanas) are really... very cruel. Citing the argument that these immunizations are just a conspiracy by the West to control muslim's population - they hit they roof of idiocity. Further, that if a child gets a disease.. this how God intended it to be. This is insane. Why do these religious scholars wear warm clothes in winter to protect them from cold? has not God made cold to be felt as it is? Why wear a helmet on a motorcycle? is it not for protection from serios injury?

What is with these people? Why cant this segment of our society think straight? Why our people and 'religion' is hostage to them? What on earth has religion got to do with it anyways? Poor poor us...

Lal Masjid

Pardon my ignorance but I fail to understand the point in raising questions like "how could Lal masjid administration amass so much weapons?" It is clear that the Government wanted to exploit the situation to its maximum favour. If they were "oh so worried" about the situation which resulted in so many unwanted deaths then they would not have let Lal Masjid imbroglio come to its final situation. If the Government wants then the incidents like of May 12th of Karachi cant even be probed.

Implementation of Sharia is a very nice statement. Our people are so sincere and honest when it comes to religion that Maulana Ghazis of every kind take them for a ride. Youth get misguided and critics get silenced because who can dare talk against Islamic values not being implemented in society? If Mr. Ghazi was so good then at least he could have heeded the advice of Imam e Ka'aba; Which he did not becasue obviously he had no such intention. Do not tell me that agencies were involved in him not heeding the advice.

Vested interests got mixed with misguided religious ambitions and the result is the mess that we Pakistanis find ourselves in. Stupid is as stupid does. Unfortunately in this case it cost innocent lives.

Suicide Bombings

The country is passing through its worst phase perhaps regarding law and order when every other day a suicide bombing takes scores of innocent lives. There is a version of political Islam which no matter how much we deny - exists and which is extremely militant.

Yes.. Islam is very peaceful and killing of an innocent is like killing the whole humanity (Quran 5:32) but there are some very sick people around. And a lot of innocent people to trap and exploit. And No! they wont get any paradise or virgins for that...

The outcome of the judicial crisis or Musharraf as president or not has no bearing on the course which it will follow. Anyone who is perceived to be an agent/puppet/'dog' of America or Israel is their enemy. This section of 'our' society knows no alternative to further their cause but militantly. This ideology has to be dealt with in earnest because innocence is a non issue if you are perceived to be on the other side of the divide. People, intelligensia and most importantly ulema have to play a major role. Identify and tackle this ideology or face the worst.

Couvade

Its a syndrome by the way...

Couvade comes from the french word couvee meaning "to hatch". It has come to mean a man having a "sympathetic pregnancy." Yes, ..., this means that your partner could start to vomit, gain weight, and have many of the "joys" associated with pregnancy.

Generally, couvade syndrome begins in the end of the first trimester and increases in severity until the third trimester. The only known cure for couvade is -- birth.

-About.Com

Yeah. It is what it says. Pregnant Fathers! Now. Frankly I did not get affected by this syndrome. I never experienced such things... But the website also states..

Some men are more susceptible to couvade than others. For instance if you and your partner have experienced infertility or if you were adopted, you could be more likely to experience couvade syndrome.

hmm.. now that sounds more in line with what I can expect. But the reason that a father gets affected by this syndrome because of "future responsibilities"?! Hell No!

To quote my example.. I perfectly knew what was going to happen, I knew there would be responsibilities, I knew I would have sleepless nights! in fact these things did not go through my mind as they were taken as default! perhaps I am abnormal! :p there is a friend of mine who does not even get married saying its a responsibility! Damn!

I think the "responsibility" fear is taken care off by the typical family system our society has to offer. It is not "only you" that has to look after the baby.. in my case I had my mum, her mum, my sis when the birth took place.. so a lot of things were taken care of automatically. The elders in our society are respected alot for a very definitive reason.. wisdom. Today's generation may be very well informed but they cant match the wisdom and experience that elders have. And that is visible when my kids mum is going nuts trying to handle the baby and then comes her mum and everything calms down! excellent :)

I Do Not Remember

yeah I do not.. do you remember what went on with you when you were born and then when you started growing up? All those kisses and hugs and care takings of you when you could not even see straight! the love filled talks that your parents, your siblings, the people around you did with you while you were busy dirtying your pampers! I cant remember anything!

I know.. just having a baby born to me - my thoughts are usually centered on her. Also my posts will be more on her!

But this is strange... one cant remember anything that happened when one is in a 'Child state'. I keep kissing my daughter and I know that she wont remember any of it! still I do it! still I hug her and talk to her... hmm... is this what we call life?

And then you see people really turning into something else when they grow up... misbehaving with the same people that took so much care of him/ her when he/ she was a child... making sure not even a single instance of harm occurs... but the tables turn for the bad. (I am only highlighting the negative side because that is what hurts the most).

Ok enough of this crazy world... starting once again.. I remember the sights and sounds of places when I guess I was ..umm.. 4? not that much of it mind you... How much do you remember?

Lord of the (my own) World!

On May 29th I was blessed with an angel.. my daughter. Well if one asks me how am I feeling, am I a changed person now.. NO! yeah strange.. but I feel normal! Yes I love my daughter! she is so cute... but I am still the same! there is one more person that requires my attention and love! and I have plenty of that to give to her :)

I do not know whether its becasue of 'men' or 'women' thinking or feeling differently.. but somebody (a father) told me that you start to 'really' associate with the little one when they start giving response to your actions... my janu daughter keeps blank when I kiss her :)

One thing is strange.. she does not focus on the person holding her or is trying to get her attention.. she watches on or side of shoulders! I do not know whether other people having little ones have noticed this as well(?) As if she is watching someone else.. and who really gets her attention! and she even passes smiles while looking their! she even smiles while sleeping! she does not smile for me! damn! angels there too?

Train Wreck

Well fortunately this title is not related to some train accident rather what goes on in my mind after a certain incident. This time it involved a train being stuck on railway crossing and hundreds of cars being jammed as a result of it.

Its Karachi. The busiest of areas - I.I. Chundrigar Road and Jinnah Bridge. I.I. Chundrigar is closed because of maintenance. That leaves a road parallel and to the back of Chundrigar Road to commute and it also crosses a railway track. The Train got stuck and that ruined everything.

When I reached my office (after an hour stuck at bridge), I got to hear all the stories of what happened to different people, how awful it was, how people went 'under' the stuck train to the other side etc etc. I also got to hear a 'foreigner' complaining "Look at me, my shoes are dirty and I am sweating"... meaning that he had to 'go through' all this which he should not have in the first place had he not visited this place. Well excuse me...

'We' (the locals) too had to face this problem, we too were stuck in traffic jam, we too had to walk to our offices, our boots became dirty and we sweat as well.. just who the hell you think you are telling us that you had to go through all of this just because you were here?

Yes the train should not have stuck there but it did. Yes it should have been removed earlier but it was not. Yes people had to face problems but everyone managed it. Yes it should not have happened but it did.

Just do not come here if you can't handle situations. Moron.

And my thoughts are a train wreck because instead of complaining about the situation - I am focusing on that foreigner moron who is telling me he had to face problems! Whoa!

I Killed a Pigeon

Weird right? well not exactly. I was parking my car in a parking lot. As I drove, a couple of pigeons came moving in front of my car. I drove with the usual 'they'll fly by' attitude... and one of the pigeons did not. I drove over that pigeon.

I cant explain how awful I felt. To make it doubly awaful was the fact that the partner pigeon was standing right beside that dead pigeon while crows were trying to their job. Man I felt sick.

In this world of mayhem, people are killing other people and I am talking of killing of a pigeon. Sissy?

Rape and Adultery Differentiated

Strange as the title may sound, this is actually true. In Pakistan, there was no distinction between rape and adultery (or so the Islamic experts would have us believe) because in Quran there is no distinction! (Read my post Quran & Laws Related to Rape in Pakistan)

Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a constitutional body, which deals with legal Islamic issues has ruled that both these situations are different and so the requirement imposed upon Pakistani women by the military dictatorship of General Ziaul Haq that they should bring four witnesses in case they get raped! and if if they do not bring forth witnesses then charges of adultery will filed against them! is not valid.

Read my previous posts Womens Protection Bill and Islam and Womens Protection Bill on these issues.

Sanity has prevailed and now Rape and Adultery will be treated differently. A woman will not be required to bring in four witnesses in case she files a case for rape and she can not be prosecuted for charges of adultery if she cannot manage 4 witnesses as the previous clause required.

Thank God for that!

Bloody Basant

Innocent lives were lost again this basant. Yes, the administration was responsible for this but the blame is shared equally by another party as well - the Lahorites. I find the policing of 'kite-flyers' by police as a ridiculous approach to solving the issue which is unmanageable to say the least. It is a social responsibility of people residing in a particular area that dangers of kite-flying, especially the use of metal wire, be told. It was the people that were using metal wires not police, it was they who were doing the aerial firing not the administration. How many people told their friends, their neighbours, family members and kids that they should not do such acts because it can kill someone? perhaps they were all busy in merrymaking and basant. Innocent blood is at their hands too. My sympathies with all those who have lost their loved ones.

A highrise Building Fire

Karachi saw one of its 16 storey building burning like hell. And the City government had no clue (rather equipment) to extinguish the fire. The 10th biggest city in the world has no fire fighting equipment to deal with fires higher than 13th storey buildings. One can just not believe it. And they are planning to build a 36 storey building! hurray to that! and would you believe it.. this building has no 13th Floor as it is a sign of bad luck! hurray to that as well!

'Veil'

Islam does not enjoin any particular dress for men and women as according to Quran the best dress is that of Taqwa (7:26) i.e. of righteoussness/ modesty. Only one verse talks of specifics and that is (24:31) which states what areas should be covered whereas (33:59) does not talk of 'veil' as specific dress rather a garment that would cover a woman's body.

Whenever it is said that 'veil' is not mentioned in Islam, it is assumed that one is proposing that veil/ covering or protection of any sort should be abandoned. A sort of clash between secular and islamists camps. This is not the case at all as no one is suggesting that they be done away with. Clothing and subsequently 'veil' are all cultural issues. Muslims in Indonesia, Pakistan , Saudi Arabia and North Africa dress differently and accordingly to their culture. The Tuareg of West Africa, mainly muslims, have the most distinct symbol of veil called Tagelmust. Its a blue indigo coloured veil and interestingly 'men' use veil and women do not! this does not make them 'non-muslims'.

Quran does not go into specifics of dress because this would be illogical in the diverse multi-cultured world. So if anyone wants to use burqa/ veil they are more than welcome but it should not be imposed upon people as specifics of God which obviously it is not. A dress should conform to norms of decency (as stated in Quran) irrespective of 'what' it actually is.

'Boycott Nirala Sweets'

"Oh No! Not again!" was my first reaction when I received this forwarding in mail. As I was clicking that mail to read I was thinking that somehow an American or Israeli connection would be established (perhaps the ingredients from israel sort of thing) and then we "muslims" will be told to boycott the manufactured sweets.

Well this was not the case. As I read the story my anger and disgust at the quoted incident grew more and more. A son of very famous and rich sweet merchant of this country while racing his Porsche slammed into another vehicle killing a 2 month baby of a couple and seriously injuring them. Police did not register the case against him because he used his connections and then he threatened the family of that couple that they'll be straightened out if they registered a case against him. How awful can it get.

I totally agree with the statement in that mail that "I am ashamed to be a Pakistani.." and that "I will not buy merchandise from Nirala". Yes this should be done. It speaks of total lawlessness. Downright ugly. The rich can get away with anything that they do and ordinary people have to bear the brunt.

Well if the police and other "mighty" parties act like this.. I as part of society can do this... I will boycott Nirala till the day justice has been done.

Islam & Women Protection Bill

Couple of issues that need to be addressed becasue they are being used to make a lot of fuss by the religious parties.

1. "Rape and Adultery are the same in Quran"

As ridiculous that might seem, this actually is the point of view of these people who are opposed to Women Protection Bill. The condition for adultery is that 4 witnesses be brought forth who can testify that a certain person has performed adultery. If No - then the charges cannot be brought forward.

The opposite camp says that since Rape and Adultery are the same in Quran(no proof offered for that), so one needs to bring 4 witnesses to prove Rape charges as well!

2. "Quran states that Rapist to be stoned to Death"

Another preposterous claim. No where the Quran states that Rapist be stoned to death. In fact none of the Quranic verses talk of stoning to death. Rape is not discussed at all in Quran - adultery is. Quran does mention oppression and creating tumult in earth as worst offences and humans were left to devise on their own what punishment they come up with - and rape is oppression of worst kind.

So the first thing one should ask these guardians-of-Islam is - where is rape mentioned in Quran? where is stoning to death mentioned in Quran? I am yet to hear any argument. Tell me if you hear any.