Epigraph: “There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Al Quran 2:257)
Source: Redeeming Pakistan
Here is the good news from the Pew worldwide survey released yesterday, 96% of Pakistanis prefer freedom of religion, and they have no problem with what others practice.
This is one of the most valuable facts of the world wide Pew survey released on April 30, 2013. Muslims are sick of living under monarchies, dictators and under the thumbs of Mullahs and Fatwa bombs, but when they have the freedom they do the right thing: to be fair and just, a basic human trait.
More than 80 percent of the Muslim respondents prefer freedom of faith across the world. The dissonance is particularly strong in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where democracy is yet to realize its fruits, while one nation is laden with senseless, imperialistic, unjust Hudood laws, which the dictator of Pakistan, Zia ul-Haq, imposed and carried through with no one having the guts to repeal. But Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have spoken strongly against it with 96 percent and 97 percent of them supporting freedom to practice religion. It shows their disgust for the current practices which are not their choosing.
Imran Khan seems to be the least bad candidate among the runners, is he gutless?
Leaders take the nation forward and represent the genuine feelings of the people. Imran Khan seems to be disconnected with the public. He is still afraid of taking a stand worrying what the Mullah’s will do? The video tape expresses appeasement.
Imran said he follows Prophet Muhammad, since he said that, he needs to demonstrate it. When Prophet agreed to sign the peace treaty with Meccans, most of the Suhabas were not happy with the terms – he dared them and took the risk to go forward. They were not even willing to change his title to the signature from Muhammad ur Rasool Allah to Muhammad bin Abdullah, he dared them, because he respected the otherness of others.
If you have seen the movie Lincoln, he struggles with having continued support by not pushing for abolishment of slavery, or doing away with slavery and risk losing the presidency, he makes the right choice, the moral choice; standing up for what is right.
It is easy to appease every one and do the chamchagiri, but difficult to speak up when you are gripped with the fear of getting chewed out.
Now turning to you, the Pakistani Americans, how many of you would accept a 2nd class citizen’s role in America? How many of you would remain silent if your rights are stripped? How many of you would stand up for fellow Pakistanis whose right to vote is stripped?
I expected Imran Khan to be the man of integrity. Is he not begging people to believe him that he is not going to stand up for Ahmadiyya Muslims? They cannot vote in Pakistan.
So he wants to be Romney and not represent the Ahmadiyya Muslims. Shame on him. He is indeed a doogla insaan who is depriving the rights of fellow Pakistanis. Aaj wo, kal tum hoge.
And he says, “”I have never asked Qadianis to vote for me. Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) endorses the status of Qadianis as non-Muslims in the Constitution of Pakistan. PTI shall not change or amend this status in the Constitution.” – Imran Khan”
What is he afraid of? 96% of Pakistanis prefer freedom of faith, who is he representing?
90 percent of Americans and 80 percent of the Republicans in our successful democracy want background checks on purchase of guns, but what do the Senators and Congressmen do? Go against the will of the people like those damned dictators and Mullahs. Their days are numbered. Who wants these men and women?
Isn’t Imran Khan going against the will of the people for fear from a handful of Mullahs? Are you accepting him because he is the least worst among the pack?
There goes Tahreek-e-Insaaf, it sounds more like Tareeki-e-Insaaf.
Imran Khan needs to show he is a man of principles. A majority of the Pakistanis will stand up with him if he uplifts Ahmadiyya Muslims from 2nd class Citizens to equal citizens. He just has to follow the example of Prophet.
About the author
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India,interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.
The test of a person is when he/she is under pressure. Imran Khan should have followed the example of the prophet s.a.w.s. or the example of the Quaid e Azam.
The problem in pakistan and else where is that Muslims have stopped reciting the Quran. Thereby they have become ignorant about Islam, about salaat and other activities. Then the field was left open for the maulvis to jump in. There was no special class of such maulvi people in Islam as there are Pundits and Padres and lavites (Bani Lavi).
Muslims will not be able to get rid of these maulvis unless they return to daily reciting of a portion of the Quran. Whether they understand it or not, to begin with, every one must recite a portion of the Quran daily in order to benefit.
Imran or no Imran, it is necessary to become independent and conversant about the Quran.
King of Saudi Arabia is a respectable Arab person. He should come forward to give people rights as it would have been in early times in Makkah, as the prophet s.a.w.s. wanted things to be, i.e. liberty, freedom to speak and justice and no punishment for the beliefs only; and no political religion.
The king should come forward and call his ministers to restore the rights according to the peaceful teachings of Islam. He should provide liberty of belief and should arrange tours for non-Muslims to observe the rituals of Hajj. Ka’abah is not only for the Muslims. It s for all mankind. Hazrat Ibraheem a.s. was ordered by Allah to announce and call MANKIND to come for Hajj.
May Allah bless the King of Saudi Arabia with good health and long happy life in service of Islam. Ameen.
i m much upset from that when i saw the video of imran khan, he is not able to observed the pressure of so called religious scholars, the new pakistan of imran khan shows that their is no place other than suni muslims. it seems that pakistan is sinking day by day in dark. and imran khan admitted that he is not a leader, he is just politician, like others. so sad for pakistan.
it is very nice article .
IK is not, has never ever been, not he will be in future, not even a mediocre politician, not to talk of him as a national leader. He is not and has never been a democrat. He does not know the meanings of democracy and cannot understand the limitations of constitutional liabilities. He has played cricket for self satisfaction and glorification. He was such a self-serving player and as captain,too, he would obey only what used to be according to his ‘Sweet-Will’ and whimsicality. He did not obey even his PCB chief and always took decisions and acted like powerful dictator. Only dictation he knew and would never understand the meanings of obedience to law or high command. And his public speeches are just full of noises signifying nothing. He would just say he will do this or that thing, but how he will do that he knew nothing about it. And now it becomes clear that he does not know the meaning of ‘Insaf’ as he says he will not do justice– ‘insaf’— to Ahmadiyya Community, who were declared by ZAB as ‘not Muslim’,in his own framed 1973 constitution. Your esteemed writer has correctly renamed IK’s ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’ as ‘Pakistan Taareek-e-Insaf’.