Epigraph: O ye who believe! why do you say what you do not do? Most hateful is it in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. (Al Quran 61:3-4)
Source: The Huffington Post
By Joseph Loconte, Ph.D. Associate Professor of History, King’s College in New York City
No, the ethos that appears to be overwhelming the state of Pakistan is not inspired by democratic ideals. It is, instead, nurtured by the visions and hatreds and paranoia of a perverted faith.
The contrast between political rhetoric and everyday reality is often stark, even in democracies, where politicians are free to speak the truth about the ills facing their societies. But the discontinuity seems greatest in the Islamic world, where religious dogmas and delusions thrive, and nowhere greater than in Pakistan.
Just consider President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to a joint session of parliament last month, following national elections that returned Nawaz Sharif to power as prime minister. After noting his role as the nation’s first elected civilian to oversee a “democratic” transfer of power, Zardari praised the establishment of democratic government in Pakistan. He extolled the “grace and glory of democracy” that had taken root in his country. He announced the “success of a prolonged struggle” toward democracy, insisting that “a dream has come true; a promise has been redeemed.” He claimed that parliament had “purged the Constitution of undemocratic articles.” He explained that voter participation in the parliamentary elections “shows that the ethos of our people is democratic.” Thanks to the sacrifice of the nation’s political leaders, he said, “democracy has arrived.”
The great, historic test of democracies, however, is not their capacity to hold elections. It is whether they deliver justice to the least powerful members of their societies, especially their ethnic, racial, and religious minorities. Put another way, democracies differ from tyrannies by their ability to make peace with modern pluralism. And by this test, Pakistan — a self-declared Muslim state devoted to upholding Sunni Islam — represents a loathsome retreat into sectarian terror.
Now that Shias have faced the violence of Sunnis or the Wahabism, they should be the first to right the past wrongs and declare the Ahmadi Muslims to be Muslims and apologize for their stance in 1974.
This will set the country on the right course and the Shia organizations need to be the first drop of rain. This may also help Iran politics in the long haul.
Peace!
Certainly it fails them the test of sadiq and ameen requirement for parliamentarians
Dear Dr. Zia sahib, just wanted share with other readers that a last week I was invited by a most famous San Francisco – multi-millionaire my new Jewish friend – Dr. Maurice Kanbar for a lunch with him. I did not know the reason.
At the lunch, he pulled a paper from breast pocket that he said je read in the San Francisco Chronicle. It was my letter to the editor an appeal to the world as a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to abstain from causing disorder on earth and observe restraint.
He said he never knew there was a Muslim group like the Ahmadiyya that believe in that kind od peace (please see letter at the end).
He said he had two concerns about Islam:
(1) If Muslims stand for peace why “Sunni/Shia killing.
(2) Why killing of the infidel?
I took his second question and said the law he referred to did not apply to Christians and Jews (the people of the book) that permission to fight those who persecuted the Muslims (that is the Meccan chiefs and disbelievers)
Islam is alone in this regard were person to fight against persecution is given. It is a rule of law applicable in a “state of war” . It is the same of rule of law – the rule of engagement the US army follows in the war where you have to hunt and kills the enemies like we did in the case of USAMA BIN LADIN.
Killing the infidel as compared to the “people of the book”
By Dr. H. Koya
It is important to keep in mind that permission to fight “in the cause of Allah” was granted after 13 years of intense persecution of Muslims in Mecca by the Meccan chiefs who were disbelievers and idol worshipers. Therefore, the rule of law applies directly to them and not the Jews and Christians of the time.
Prior to Islam, no religious code spelled out the rule relating to war but Islam came to open a new era of knowledge and “publication,” and as such it set in motion the fundamentals of all laws (civil and criminal) at the very outset to pave a way to our (modern times).
1. And “fight in the cause of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Surely, Allah loves not the transgressors.” (2:191)
2. And kill them wherever you meet them and drive them out from where they have driven you out; for persecution is worse than killing. And fight them not in, and near, the Sacred Mosque until they fight you therein. But if they fight you, then fight them: such is the requital for the disbelievers. (2:192)
3. ‘If thou stretch out thy hand against me to kill me, I am not going to stretch out my hand against thee to kill thee. I do fear Allah, the Lord of the universe. (5:29)
Women in Islam
Conclusion
Verses 191 and 192 make it very clear that they apply in a situation of war and not for private and individual purpose. Islam spells out different code of conduct where there is no threat of war.
Jews and Christians are our brethren and referred to as the “people of the book” with permission to marry from among them and for other social intercourses.
Love for all and hatred for one.
Dr. H. Koya
Editor, The Muslim News, Hayward
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Originally Published in The San Francisco Chronicle
As a member of the international Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I wish to appeal to all Muslims to exercise restraint and patience, for Quran says God is with the patient.
Secondly, Quran says not to create disorder on earth whether it is simple misdemeanor or of felonious nature causing property damage or risking human life.
Being patient is not cowardice or taking defeat, it is rising to the level of being righteous that Quran calls “muttaqee.” Love for all, hatred for none.
Hanif Koya, editor,Muslim News, Hayward
Muslim Times is doing wonderful service not only to Islam but whole world. It contains very thought provoking material and should be read by all including those who may differ with some of its contents. May Almighty Allah reward all those who are carrying on this noble missionery work and grant more strength to their pens. I lack words to express my appreciation. Muslim Times “Zindabad’
Jazakallah dear brother Shamsuddin Aslam for your kind words and prayers.
Joseph Loconte has observed the “effects” only in Pakistan. Being a historian, he should have ellaborated and discussed the “causes” of this “Democratic Delusion” or as Shuja Nawaz of South Asia Center of the Atlantic, says “battle of ideologies” and “a failing society”
=”This is not an economic battle any longer, this is a battle of ideologies,” Shuja Nawaz, director of the South Asia Center of the Atlantic Council told a Washington, DC gathering last week. “Pakistan is what I would call a failing society.”=
The Muslim World is passing through a similar phase through which Christianity passed after 1400 years. There was the Inquisition in Europe and other parts of the Christian World of those times. There was “torture” “killings” and untold miseries for even the Christians of those societies. At that era of history, it was the Muslim World which provided the concept of “Secular State”, “democratic norms”, and “Human Rights” and yet the Christian World refused to adopt that “secular state” concept and were blinded by “religious extremism” ( which can be termed as Talibanism of that era).
What came out of that period of Christian religious extremism, which has been termed as the “Dark Ages”, was a new awakening when the “secular scientist” found contradiction between the Laws of Nature and the Church. Instead of accpeting the Laws of Nature, the Church branded the scientist as “heretic” and a “Non-believer” in God.
In today’s Muslim World, any sect – Ahmadies, Shias etc., who want to present Islam with “logic, reason and rationality” are branded as “heretics” by the modern day “Inquisitors” (the Talibans).
The struggle in Pakistani society is between the extremist interpretaters of Islam, who came to dominate the state during Gen Zia’s military rule; and the more rational interpretors of Islam, which had dominated the state until 1970.
There has been a big role of the Western governments, because of their strategic interests in this region that they supported and backed a military dictator, and sacrificed “democratic norms” at the alter of material gains.
After having contributed to the “Dilusion of Demoracy”, especially in Pakistan for the last 30 years, it is in bad taste that such forums should brand Pakistan as a “Failing state” and blame “Islam” as the reason.
As Christian Europe had to experience the “Inquisition” before its rise, so is it destined for Pakistan and Islam to rise after the present day experience of “Talibanism”.
Munir Varraich
Sweden