THE ROLE OF PAKISTAN IN UNITING AND LEADING THE MUSLIM UMMAH

It is an irrefutable fact that Pakistan and Islam can never be isolated from each other. One was created for the protection and promotion of the other. The British tactic was always to instil territorial nationalism in the Muslim world and thus drive them apart. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the great twentieth century Muslim poet-philosopher, confronted this attempt with his enlightened Islamic philosophy which emphasised how important it was for Muslims to unite and revert to the teachings of Islam which came with “legal concepts”, “civic significance”, and “religious ideals” that could not be separated from a social order. According to his Two-Nation Theory, Pakistan was the only way by which these ideals could be realised. Thus, it was essentially on the basis of Islamic philosophy and as a hallmark of Islam that Pakistan came into being.

President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto revived Iqbals’ notion of an Islamic Common wealth of Nations in the shape of the Islamic summit in Lahore where Muslim world leaders gathered and established an agenda of “determination of Muslim statesmen to promote solidarity among Muslim countries, to respect each other’s independence and territorial integrity, to refrain from interference in each other’s internal affairs and to resolve their differences through peaceful means in a fraternal spirit”.

38 states participated. Resolutions calling for the vacation of occupied Arab territories by Israel, restitution of the rights of the Palestinians, and promoting and safeguarding the political and economic rights of Muslim and third world countries were adopted. It helped in the reconciliation of Pakistan and Bangladesh and proved its potential as a promoter of great peace and stability. Muslims leaders in the conference also deliberated on trade relations. Bhutto said, “It is not spiritual but economic strength we have lacked so far…Muslim countries are so placed as to be able to play a most constructive and rewarding role for co-operation among themselves…their economies are such that they are able to supplement one another’s development effort.”

The summit proved that Pakistan was a genuine “Muslim ideological state” that was not restricted by geography, caste, colour or creed. It could potentially function as the uniting force between all Muslim countries because of the strong communal and spiritual bonds they share.

Pakistan’s geopolitical position also contributes immensely to its importance as a leading Muslim state. We are surrounded by some key state actors in the Muslim world like Iran and Afghanistan and have an influential relationship with Saudi Arabia. Now that we are caught in the War on Terror our ulemas should take the opportunity to distinguish between true Islamic principles and extremist brands by which they are now being abused. Ruet-i-Hilal Committee chairman Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman stated that those “fighting in the name of Sharia must first abide by Islamic rules”. Such clerical statements should be made public internationally in order to explain to the Muslim world that the offensive against the TTP is justified because they are fighting with unIslamic means. That is the only way we can make the international Muslim community realise who the aggressors really are so they can stand united with us against this conspiring Anglo-American bloc.

It is high time for Pakistan to host another Islamic Summit, the most crucial one in history, despite our internal situation. We must revert back to the timeless principles of unity and progress that Iqbal emphasised. If we can do so internationally, we will be successful in uniting and leading the Muslim ummah. Pakistan is a means of positive change in the Muslim world, not an end. General Hamid Gul said that Pakistan is an unfinished revolution.

The time is now for its completion.

First published at www.risethemag.com on June 28th, 2009.

YEH CUP YAHIN AYAA

This World Cup win for Pakistan could not have been better or come at a better time. The excitement on the faces of our players and people alike was priceless, unmistakeable and very much needed. Lord’s cricket stadium became a sea of green emblems. The total elation spoke exactly how much more valuable this success is for us than for any other team.

Like I said, we have been under immense pressure for the past two years especially. Pressure and strife. But today was our day, even the Sri Lankans knew it far before Mohammed Aamir took that crucial wicket and got the ball rolling in our court. Our day and our moment.

The streets of Pakistan and UK alike were flooded by ecstatic Pakistanis who had forgotten everything but the image of their well-loved team members performing a victory lap with the much desired trophy. No electricity, no money, just sheer happiness and a sense of pride.

A young man e-mailed me about the semi-final win and said “at least this is one front we have conquered’. I told him we will conquer all fronts one step at a time. We will. All we needed was one psychological boost and Allah provided us with this one. Younis Khan had said there was a lot of fighting in Pakistan, and they would be very happy of if they won this cup. Congrats, Younis all our prayers have been answered. You go now and bask in this moment and continue to represent the Islamic republic of Pakistan as well as you do now. Treat your ‘boys’. They are all our heroes.

I guess it’s official; cricket runs in our blood. Today we learned that it also gets our blood running.

THEATRE TEHRAN: ACT II

I guess Pakistanis can temporarily breathe a sigh of relief as their name is taken off the headlines for a while. But an issue that is just as relevant is taking our place in the spotlight, instead; Iranian Elections 2009.

Ever since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has been an enemy. And a threat to American power politics. And here was this one chance where the Americans thought they could witness the change that would pave the way for them. But it didn’t. And that made them mad. Imagine how different their demeanour would have been should the election results have been otherwise.

In my personal opinion, Mousavi is the perfect excuse for a harmless reformist who could do a lot for the US government. He wants to create private TV networks, terminate the ‘Moral Police’, reduce the costs of the Iranian nuclear program while maintaining “what he sees as Iran’s right”. He has chosen green (the supposed colour of Islam) as his official campaign colour. His supporters swarm the streets shouting phrases like “Green Change” or “Vote for Change.” Sound familiar?

I find it boring and predictable that power media outlets in the US are raising a hue and cry over the results of the elections. A company backed by BBC and ABC themselves conducted a poll and had to admit that Ahmedinejad was leading by a margin of 2:1. Then why is this coming as such a shock? And why are re-elections the way to go?

They are not happy with a simple re-count because they are afraid of the truth. A re-election would give the CIA (Yes, I said CIA) a chance to get back in there and rig elections for their own purposes. Now this is only my view but I base it on the following information.

In 2007 there were reports of a secret or “black” CIA operation approved by President Bush himself. (Remember that when it comes to America, covert operations and foreign relations go hand in hand). This operation was to use Iranian immigrants as tools to communication with opposition parties back home and “bypass” censorship. Almost 20 years ago, the CIA’s whole spy network in Iran was exposed and around 50 Iranian citizens working for them were ‘taken care of’ including members of the Iranian military. A dozen locals were jailed or executed.

Former pentagon advisor Richard Perle testified to this setback and stated “ [the] terrible setback that we suffered in Iran a few years ago when in a display of unbelievable, careless management, we put pressure on agents operating in Iran to report with greater frequency and didn't provide improved communications".

Well, they have come a long way from writing on the backs of envelopes with invisible ink to recruiting expat Iranians like Roxana Sabri. And yet, this will still not stop the operation from proceeding. The policy of open secrets is what this New World Order functions on. It might even give it an advantage since most Americans have a soft spot for the “poor young woman abused by the Iranian regime image”.

Whatever Obama or his admin says, they are very much interested in the outcome of the elections and would very much like to interfere with it if they could. The fact that they can’t has lead to such avid support for Mausavi who represents, to them, one step forward to breaking down Ahmediejad’s Iran. One step forward to another puppet who they can buy or rent as they have done with our leaders for the longest time now.

And now we know why it is so important to have private TV networks in Iran; so they can send their own people to do the propaganda for them. America will do anything to get their hands on Iran; it is such a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to the securing of Israel and the creation of the “new Middle East”. They are just dying to get in but since that is one place where the CIA is not allowed, they are recruiting foreign bred spies to do whatever they can. The efforts are not very successful and that is great.

Iran represents the success of defiance as so eloquently put by Gen. Hamid Gul. If this model is broken down, it will be a blow to the many Muslim countries around the world (including ours) that are in such dire need of this model.

PLIGHT OF THE MUSLIMS NATION

The plight of the Muslim nation is that we’re heavy sleepers. And I mean we really do know how to hit the sack. No amount of terror threats, implications of war, massacre, genocide, holocaust, ethnic cleansing, racism, religious prejudices, political chaos, economic instability, famine, floods - and so on and whatever – can wake us up. We love to lie in our comfy beds and dream our rose-coloured dreams. If ever the hint of a nightmare itches our conscience we snuggle deeper into the inviting covers and slip into a doleful sleep. And our sleep is anything but peaceful.

Ever since the decline of the Ottoman Empire, the decline of the Muslim nation has been rapid and ugly. The once majestic and dutifully feared and respected people – the people who were so powerful in fact, that the Mediterranean Sea used to be called the “Muslim Pond” – are now a threat to no one, just a mockery and a jest.

With all due respect, even now, we instil fear into our enemies’ hearts. It is exactly that element of fear that has made us the target of a global war and has prevented us from sheer annihilation. It is that element of fear that will bring us back to our former glory and power. But until we can learn to let go of the world we are so deeply entangled in, all these are mere fantasies.

It’s a devastating day when our children attend demonstration in favour of Gaza and then make statements like “I thought Palestine and Israel were best friends”. How oblivious are we and how much more oblivion remains to be discarded? It’s a pathetically over-done day when a Muslim state eats missiles in the day and balls of fire at night and fellow Muslims celebrate New Years Day and birthdays and whatever it is that gets their adrenaline pumping. You know you’re desensitised when your Muslim brothers and sisters are massacred by the hundred in the other part of the world and you are busy discussing movies, celebrities, nail polish and the dandruff in your hair.
Wake up.

What do we need to give us that initial shove? Do we have to be bombed, abducted, tortured, mutilated, raped and humiliated to feel the pain that others have felt? Or are we such heavy sleepers that only a nuclear explosion – in quite the literal sense – will jolt our senses back to reality? Whatever stimulus has to be applied I hope it plays out soon. Because if the revival of the collective conscience of a Muslim nation depends on the ultimate degradation of their rights, bring it on.

I dream of a newer generation of Muslims with nerves of steel and faiths cast of iron. I will keep dreaming of this new generation until it materialises as the Hadith has so positively predicted. I believe in the ahadith and I believe in a greater tomorrow. But the burdens of today’s hibernating nation sometimes de-motivates people like me, who can do nothing but sit back and watch and give the occasional shake of disapproval and write gruelling articles that whine about how the Muslims won’t wake up no matter how hard we shake, shake, shake them. Sure, we attend protests and raise funds and give charity and trash Israel in the comfort of our living room, but how often do we limit our luxuries solely out of sacrifice and love of simplicity? Almost never.

What ever will wake us up; the buzzing alarm clock of nuclear fallout or the trumpet announcing the end of times, I don’t know, I can only be sure of one thing. We will awaken in some time frame or the other. And when we do the world will be a changed place. Our norms will be different as will our taboos. Our thoughts and words will be different and so will our weapons. Our people and children will be no longer the translucent shells of modern thought. A revolution will have begun and I can smell it on its way right now. It is heavy and jarring and ultimate. And it is very close.

We will conquer the world of which we have been sent as ambassadors and we will carry once more the flag of this beautiful religion that we have learned to conveniently ignore. We will promote love, peace, equity, unity. We will avoid violence but we will fight for justice it if we have to.

And win the fight we most certainly will.

More Than Just a Win

PAKISTAN – always has been a nation of miraculous survival. Burdened by war, distraught by multiple enemies, crumbling due to lack of stable economy, badmouthed in the cricket arena by critics across the globe. This one nation that has been salvaging itself over the course of history, rising above its challenges and challengers alike, has done it again in the T20 cricket semi-final.

They came with a bad physical and even worse psychological form, many of them hailing from cities that are constantly attacked by TTP fighters. They came to England with a lot on their minds; the T20 World Cup was just one of them. They were not able to play any decent cricket for the past 2 years, almost. No one expected any thing more of them this time. The political crisis has become so intertwined with our cricket lives that even the commentators were (intentionally or not) using phrases like “this is the Pakistan to be afraid of”.

But once again, the Pakistani nation rose to support the only group of people who we have relied and loved unconditionally since the beginning; our cricket team. Just this one, they forgot about the war, forgot about the politicians busy playing them behind their backs, forgot about the social maladies, forgot about the lack of money, forgot about all their troubles and put their country and its ambassadors to the forefront. The cricketers themselves worked to put all problems on the back shelf just temporarily and focus on this one ray of hope that can have such a huge psychological impact on a country no one has hope for any more.

Our team was criticised the moment it lost the warm-up match to India. It was criticised for experimenting with their batting line-up, it was criticised for losing where it didn’t even matter! India, on the other hand, had the whole world rooting for them. (That is a trademark Indian ploy, by the way.) Indians across the globe were ready to put Dhoni in a temple and start worshipping him. The arrogance in their step was unmistakeable. But their defeat was equally unwelcome and now caricatures of Dhoni are being burned on the streets! South Africa itself was being hailed as the perfect team, the ultimate T20 hotshot. They were undefeated throughout the tournament but ended up falling victim to the law of averages. You have to lose somewhere, and by the Grace of Allah, Pakistan lost at just the right moments.

And they won at the right ones, too. It is crucial to remember why Pakistan’s win is so important. This win is not about winning at all. It is about showing the world that once again, Pakistan has performed in the face of difficulty; death of their coach, attack on their country, bombing of their cities, exploitation of their money. A nation who the whole world had given up on has turned around to come out with a lot more than they expected. But they earned it. These players were working under the pressure of not only the game, but the political games being played with their loved ones in their hometowns. Sometimes, Allah sends motivation from unusual sources.

Younis Khan has even decided to dedicate the cup to Bob Woolmer should Pakistan take it home with them. Pakistanis around the world are praying that we do bring it home. We must continue these prayers and pray two Rakats of thanks to Allah for providing us with hope and motivation when all things were falling apart. Let it be known that our win is not defined by the World Cup (even though we are going to pray long and hard that we win it and win it GOOD). Rather, our win is defined by our ability to overcome difficulties, rise above the challenge and stand united so we can show our enemies we are not defeated; we will never be.
Pakistan Zindabad.
Pakistan Paindabad.

THE BATTLE FOR AN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC

I think the singular most important thing that differentiates Islam from other religions is that it is founded on both spirituality and practicality. Whereas Christianity, Judaism, etc have been restricted to spiritual practices in churches and synagogues, Islam has always been an all encompassing “deen”. Deen means way of life and that means if you are a Muslim, your duties include not only spiritual acts like praying or fasting but practically carrying out every action in accordance with the Islamic philosophy of social structure and pragmatics.

Also, the singular most important thing that differentiates Pakistan from other countries is that it was made for Muslims, and for the protection of Islam. It was made so Muslims can practice their “deen” freely, in dignity. This basically means we were given the privilege of living our lives according to Islam. I can safely say that we did nothing of the sort. If the Muslims of Pakistan really had availed the opportunity that cost them so much blood, we wouldn’t be in this crumbling state. Here we are, morally oblivious and socially disintegrated. Our economy that once looked so promising has been reduced to running on foreign aid that is a euphemism for bribery. Our four provinces, instead of utilising their rich culture and vast resources are fighting over petty issues and are burdened by secessionist movements. Our northern border is now home to US/NATO soldiers who have been given a blank cheque to fire as they please inside a sovereign country. We pushed all our national heroes to the sidelines and even apologised for some of them. We failed to produce any more heroes despite the fact that Pakistan is home to some of the greatest talent in the world.

What a beautiful prospect gone sour. All because we failed to adhere to Islam as a deen or way of life and reduced it to Islam as a religion.

There are many aspects of Islam as a way of life that we have failed to follow, but to go into all of them would require writing a book and not just a single article. So I am going to focus on the one problem that bothers me so much personally and the one that probably has the most far-reaching consequences for the next generations; media. We have forgotten how to think. We live in the age of mass media and information. Perhaps, the most influential media outlet shaping our minds right now is the television and film industry. Hollywood/Bollywood movies, soap operas, television series and even news channels all slowly project norms and ideologies that are starkly contradictory to Islam. Let me clarify that television or any other medium is a neutral article. A TV set cannot be good or bad. The internet itself cannot be good or bad. But every medium can be used and manipulated positively and negatively. Sadly, most of the time, the negativity overrides any positive contribution.

They manipulate our ideas, they dictate to us what is right and what is wrong, they can take any image out of context and use it for whatever purpose they like. They have the most power over the kids of the next generation; more than parents or teachers or peers. TV is the shaper of the foundation of a child’s thinking!

Doesn’t it bother anyone that there are kid channels out there like Disney and Nickelodeon that constantly and easily make their way into our living rooms? Does it bother anyone that most television shows on these channels are about kids just like ours who are obsessed with “dating issues”, crushes, proms and money? Does it bother you that the new generation cries for the Jonas Brothers? Or that their all time dream is to be an actor-cum-(shabby)singer just like their tween Disney heroes? Does it bother anyone that Nickelodeon recently had a whole marathon titled “Junior High Romance” where famous celebrities gave kids advice on how to get dates, how to kiss, how to dress to impress. These kids are mostly pre-teens, it would be vital to mention. Doesn’t it bother anyone at all that all the characters on these shows are instructed to say “Oh my Gosh” instead of “Oh my God” but are allowed to use phrases like “I am a golfing god”? Does anyone else see this slow but sure secularisation of the next Muslim generation? The total stripping of spirituality from our daily life and its replacement with shallow materialism gets nobody’s mind in frenzy?

Or take the world of Hollywood and Western TV. Now there’s one domain whose audience knows no bounds. But did you know that “61 percent of television programs contain some violence, and only 4 percent of television programs with violent content feature an "antiviolence" theme”? Or that “44 percent of the violent interactions on television involve perpetrators who have some attractive qualities worthy of emulation”? Or that “43 percent of violent scenes involve humour either directed at the violence or used by characters involved with violence”? Did you also know that “nearly 75 percent of violent scenes on television feature no immediate punishment for or condemnation of violence”? Or that “40 percent of programs feature "bad" characters who are never or rarely punished for their aggressive actions”? Does it bother you now to know that? That every other Hollywood movie depicts bombing, explosions, fighting, gunshots, killing and murder yet we are known as the big, scary terrorists and that our lands are being invaded on this pretext? That every other movie comes up with newer, better ways to destroy New York or Washington but when somebody goes ahead and actually does it, it’s Islam that goes to trial?

And then there is the Bollywood industry. I think this industry is even more relevant to the Pakistani context than Hollywood and western media. This is the industry that plays to the height of irony. On the one hand, we Pakistanis can not be more proud of our heritage. We are always raving on and on about our culture and our history. When it comes to Pakistan-India cricket matches, it’s a matter of life and death. But on the other hand, our lives are entangled with the Bollywood/Star Plus culture. Aunties all over the nation wait every day for their favourite Star Plus drama. They discuss it with their maids, their friends and even their colleagues. They rant on about the personal, trivial, domestic life issues of totally fictional characters. They cry when one of them has to be killed off. (They always seem to forget that the character will no doubt be brought back to life; this is Indian melodrama we are talking about). They badmouth the villainous mothers-in-law and rebellious daughters-in-law of this strange, fictional world of theirs. A lot of you probably remember the famous death of a woman caused by one of her favourite Star Plus characters being switched for another actress. It’s absurd!

If we really are so proud of our heritage and our culture, then why do our school kids know all about Vishnu and Rama and monkey gods and disappointingly little about Allah and His messengers? Why do they call upon Bhagwan whenever something goes wrong? A little boy we know attended his grandmother’s funeral and asked his mother: “in ki chitta kab jalain gey?” Why do we emulate everything we see on Indian media, to the point that Hindu practices have easily crept into our customs? Mehndis and mayuns and dowries and what not. It’s not us. “Muhabbat” and “ishq”. Cheap flirting, vulgar dancing. Last Eid I went out on Chand Raat only to find “Hare Krishna, hare Raam” blasting form the marketplace speakers. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since we broke our last fast! What was the point of all your nasheeds and hamds and taraweeh and lectures all month long if, in the end, you didn’t really understand what it was all about? I almost lost my sanity that night. And that night depressed me. Because I realised how invasive this Indian Star Plus/Bollywood culture has become. India might call itself a secular state but the reality of the situation is that it is still vastly Hindu. This religious majority will obviously manifest in all areas of the country’s institutions, including entertainment. Why are such “proud Pakistanis” letting this Hindu culture entwine with their own Islamic values? Who cares who wins the cricket match? Well, we all do. But we are losing something much more important. Our Islamic values. Our Islamic societies. That’s what we are losing. And that is a battle we cannot afford to lose. We need to boycott this Indian media and revert back to our Holy revelations.

Even video games are chock-full of bloody, violent and sexual content. I remember the good old days when all we had to play was Tetris or Pacman. Now you have Grand Theft Auto, Tekken, Sims, Resident Evil, God of War and so many more that are placing virtual weapons in the hands of children; teaching them how to kill, indulging them in sadistic pleasure. But which one of us is going to take the responsibility of telling these innocent minds that in real life, when you shoot someone, they die? And that you can’t press start and get another life? And that in real life, children just like them die in war torn areas every day? And that blood is messy? And that violence hurts people and that wounds don’t magically and rapidly repair themselves? Who is going to tell them that? Or do we want them to find out the hard way?

In the mid 1950’s, James Vicary, a market/motivational researcher decided to pursue the effects of subliminal messaging. Subliminal messaging is the presentation of stimuli just below the threshold of awareness so that the stimulus is physically registered but not consciously. However, it is strong enough to subconsciously alter our behaviour. He did this by projecting phrases like “Hungry? Eat popcorn” and “Drink Coca Cola” for a brief fraction of a second onto slides in a movie theatre. He found that popcorn sales rose 57.7 percent and Coca Cola sales rose 18.1 percent. Psychologists all over the world went crazy to try to figure this one out and concluded that yes, subliminal messaging really does work to a significant extent. Advertisers and movie makers took this a step further and applied the findings to their own ventures. Wilson Bryan Key, a psychologist and former advertiser collected numerous ads and exposed subliminal messages of sex and death embedded in the pictures. He knew advertisers would want to use such topics because they are probably the most controversial, the most striking. They capture attention, even subliminally. Abdullah Hashem took Youtube by storm when he exposed the very subliminal but clearly erotic symbolism hidden amid major Disney films. For those who are interested, http://www.classroomtools.com/sublimad.htm is a good place to learn about various other subliminal atrocities we are subjected to on a daily basis. Artists have come out to confess the usage of crude messages to children across the world and even though subliminal messaging has been banned, one must ask; how can we really know? How do we know if the ban on subliminal messaging has been followed or not? We don’t. All we know is that movies and television programs are becoming increasingly more violent and sexually oriented and that there has been a steady rise in sexuality and violence among the new generation. Teen pregnancies, rapes, early forced marriages gone sour, abortions, suicides caused by traumas. Isn’t it disturbing how teenagers have the greatest attempted suicide rates? Can’t we put two and two together?

Our religion teaches us to think and to analyse. Why don’t we pay attention to the fact that “TV families” never reflect real families and their lifestyles? That virtual lifestyles are always one step ahead of reality when it comes to open sexuality and violence. TV starts the trends and we follow them. It’s not the other way around. I repeat it’s not the other way around. Try observing it for yourself sometime. You’ll be surprised you didn’t see it sooner. So what does our religion say about this, and what do we as Pakistani Muslims have to do about it?

First of all, we have to realise why this great country was really created. It was created to be the stronghold of the new Muslim generations. It was supposed to be emblem of the new Muslim Ummah. So why have we let ourselves become so easily indoctrinated by all this propaganda? Easy. Because we don’t know what being Muslim is all about. We don’t even know what’s written inside the Quran or what the hadith have to say about things. We know that we have to wear shalwar kamiz every Friday and a topi when we do pray. But that’s not what being Muslim is about!Islam strikes a healthy balance between individualism and collectivism. Everything we are instructed to do in some way or the other contributes to a stable society. Whether it is the institution of marriage or the concept of Zakat or the law of a Qazi, it all boils down to stable, healthy, religiously aware societies. And that’s what TV lacks. TV lacks the kind of morality that is essential to forming societal stability. As does popular music or entertainment! It’s all about “me, me, me”. It’s all about following impulsive desires and attaining immediate gratification. It’s all about the glamour, the fun, the stuff you want. It’s about shallow, transient, materialistic matters. It’s about how you look. How sexually experienced you are. How much money you have? How many outfits you can put together? It’s about where you shop. What cars you drive. It’s about blowing things up. It’s about quite literally worshipping the stars, about idolising them until they become your role models. How different is that from pagan worshippers of the past? How different is the picture of pagan tribes raising their hands up to a stone god from a picture of crazy girls clawing and fighting in order to touch Orlando Bloom on stage? It’s not different at all. It’s shirk of the 21st century because a god doesn’t have to be a wooden idol. Money, people, celebrities, possessions and even ideas can all be “god” and amount to shirk if you give them enough importance in your life. And all of these notions that we have come to passively accept are definitely contributing to the degradation of society. There is no doubt in my mind that if you impose enough materialism and self-sustenance into the mass minds of a people, you can take them away from God. And if you take them away from God, you take away the spiritual half of life that is essential to being healthy, to being successful.

And Islam is all about this spiritual-pragmatic combination. What do we need to do to change this rapid murder of our values? We need to take it one step at a time and we need to start at the individual level. Charity begins at home. So does everything else. My suggestion would be to create a drastic resolution in your life first and to revert back to the Quran and Sunnah. I always say the biggest problem with the modern Muslim is he hasn’t read the Quran. He doesn’t know what it says. He likes forming opinions about what it says, but he doesn’t really know what’s written in it. We think our duty is complete once we’ve read the whole Quran in Arabic and held a big, fancy ameen to show off to our friends and family this “big accomplishment”. But our duty isn’t complete there. Every Muslim now needs to wake up and realise what their roots are. Go back to the Quran and read it from page one, in whatever language you have mastered. You’re comfortable with Urdu, read the Urdu translation. English, read the English one. French, Spanish, Chinese, they are all available so you really have no excuse. You don’t have to read every day and all at once. Read five sentences a week, it’s not that hard. We have time for every thing else, so can we really afford to make excuses to get out of this one?

Once you start, I guarantee you will be riveted.

Next, pledge to start implementing at least two things Allah has asked of us. Just two, whether it is dressing more modestly or yelling a little less or controlling your buying impulses or studying hard in school or praying more regularly or smiling more often. Maybe you can make these your yearly resolutions. Every year you try to master one or two of them. It doesn’t seem like a hard task, does it? Once you’ve established a good habit, then you can teach it to your kids or your siblings or friends. That’s how you gradually work your way up the ladder; by transforming your life, then your loved ones’ lives until we are in a position to change our country and re-establish it as a true Islamic Republic.

Also pledge to really start thinking about what you are watching on TV and how it affects your thinking and lifestyle. Realise that mind manipulation is the easiest and most dangerous thing to do to a person. We are being manipulated on a daily basis and we must use the Quran and Sunnah to break away from these psychological chains. Start thinking and analysing. You are capable of a lot more than you think. Your body may be bound but if your mind is free, you can never be a slave. I really do pray for an Islamic Republic of Pakistan. And I really want to solve our problems. But you can’t clean a river unless you remove the dead dog.

Our dead dog is our mindless submission to the media. Can it get any clearer what we have to do next?

"THE TURBANS ARE COMING!"

Thomas Jefferson made it clear. “The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.” Well said, considering he comes from a nation that feeds on mass hysteria. And what better way to promote this collective paranoia than via media sensationalism, the fuel of American communications.
One minute they are crying about “fundamentalism”, (an American word we have accepted without question or resistance), the other minute it is “enlightened moderation” (a euphemism for secularism that we used with great flair during Musharraf’s era), and Obama’s new favourite, “Pakistani Talibanism.” The list goes on and on.

The Swat “peace”-deal had the media going haywire, with even Canadian newspapers publishing demoralising stories of women being murdered by their Muslim husbands or fathers, and eventually relating the incident (by hook or by crook) to Islamic scriptures and inevitably, the Swat peace deal. Then there was the sudden appearance of the questionable Swat flogging that occurred…six months ago! Why that video should appear conveniently after six months of hiding is unclear, until you step back and look at the big picture. But why would CNN or the New York Times report the big picture? They wouldn’t because the threat of the Taliban is exactly what’s needed to keep the Pakistani elite rulers on their toes and the American public constantly looking over their shoulder in fear of the next 9/11. It is exactly what is needed to keep Pakistanis preoccupied while Americans suck their blood, money and resources.

Sadly, our fellow people abroad are having a hard time separating reality from fiction. A young woman at university simply could not believe that one of us had attended a Catholic school…in Pakistan.
“It is so shocking that a Muslim should attend Catholic school, in Pakistan on top of that!” Yes, isn’t it amazing how we didn’t just shout Takbir and behead the nuns? Another young man could only frown and scratch his head when we told him “no Pakhtunistan does not exist.” (It is only a figment of your government’s imagination and desire). Even fellow Pakistanis who have lived abroad for too long dare not venture back home for fear of “all the terrorists and bandits running around.”

It’s that bad. But all is not lost and there are a few things average people like us can do to avoid falling into this media/paranoia trap.

1) Keep up to date with current affairs. It is of the essence that our generation break free from the chains of pop culture and step into the real world.
2) Research everything on your own. Don’t believe all the news that’s going around by word of mouth because it eventually becomes nothing more than a game of Chinese whisper.
3) Don’t believe everything you hear or see on mainstream media, especially if it is a western brand. This has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the fact that these media outlets are in collaboration with their government and military and hence, have vested interests. Try browsing unconventional websites that provide a fresh, alternative, independent perspective on world views like www.globalresearch.com, www.infowars.com, www.ahmedquraishi.com, www.daily.pk, www.presstv.ir and www.independent.co.uk. (Note that being mainstream doesn’t make a piece of information wrong and being unconventional doesn’t make it right but it is a good way to avoid being bound by a certain, dictated mind set.)
4) Spread the word. Forward any eye-opening articles to your friends and family. Post interesting links onto your Facebook profile. Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper. Talk about it in your blog. If you are in university (both in Pakistan or abroad), join a club that promotes social issues and bring up the topic of Pakistan. Someone, somewhere is bound to be affected by you.
5) Relax. The world will end but on God’s terms, not Obama’s or Zardari’s.
6) Pray. For Pakistan and for all the victims of the tyranny of hegemonic powers.

Remember that these are people who run for cover every time a plane flies over New York, whose whole systems break down when their computers crash, who hurry to quarantine when a few cases of the flu are given a fancy name. There’s no reason why this paranoia should rub off on us because there’s one thing the media conglomerates and their partners in Washington are forgetting; this is Pakistan; brave, army strong and downright tenacious. We are not going to fall simply because a bunch of people in turbans have now acquired new technology and weapons (and we all know where they’re coming from). We are going to keep our head and dignity, we are going to fight until the end and we are going to end the fight winning.

Romesa K. Qureishi
May 13th, 2009