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VIEW: Success lies in secularism —Dr Irfan Zafar

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Bulleh knows not who he is
by Murtaza Razvi on August 19th, 2011



Well, he isn’t the only one. There’s a whole nation that suffers the trauma minus that humble self-abnegation of Bulleh Shah, and Shah Husain before him, two inimitable poets rooted in this soil. Neither would have anything to do with established views or practices; both defied convention. In their refreshing repertoires they expressed much élan and a sense of jubilation at their defiance. There is not a spec of remorse or guilt whatsoever but pride in knowing that they do not know.

I don’t know if they were Sufis or not; I deliberately avoid that word for fear of insulting their memory by bestowing a holy tag on them when they sought none. They were the Kabir and Khusro of Punjab, but because of the black and white sensibility of the language that they used to give vent to their feelings and convictions, theirs comes across as a more hard-hitting idiom. That said, subtlety of expression belongs firmly in the heartland of the Ganga-Jamuna plains, and not with the descendents of the Kurus, who by their very likelihood of having written the classic epic, Mahabharata, make known their awe-inspiring talent: generously handing over victory to the Pandus, who vanquished them.

The very same generosity continues to haunt the verses of Shah Husain and Bulleh Shah. Luckily for them, they lived not in times or a country inhabited by the Taliban or the Zardaris of the world. The former would have chopped their heads off and the latter would have discredited them by bestowing pride of performance awards on them, whose recipients this year include so many lackeys and the brownnosed. Bulleh and Husain were saved the ignominy of undeserved wrath or praise in their lifetimes; Salmaan Taseer and Meera tasted it, respectively. Good Christian that he was, Shahbaz Bhatti escaped the posthumous insult but exposed the double standards the state applies to honouring its Muslim and non-Muslim ‘martyrs’.

Make no mistake, given half the chance and his chronic infliction that is hubris, Nawaz Sharif would have done worse at bestowing national medals. It is as if the gods have ordained that there shall never be a Mukhtaran Mai, or an Ahmadi even if one is murdered while praying, among the recipients of presidential awards, civil or military. This is precisely what is inadequate in the very ‘ideology’ of Pakistan, which the army chief says, every Independence Day, that his institution will defend. Defend from whom, pray tell? The religious and ethnic minorities which the state negates by calling this nation one of Muslims alone?

Even the pre-independence Congress Party didn’t negate the minorities this explicitly in its movement for self-rule; it was only a majoritarian Hindi idiom with some Hindu iconography that the party used to attract the majority vote, which alienated the Muslims. They were then forced to demand Pakistan. As irony of history would have it, in the same Pakistan today the minorities’ condition has gone beyond being helpless; it now borders on the hopeless, while secularism, howsoever imperfect in India, has not only integrated the Muslims who stayed back but also the thousands of non-Muslims who fled the areas that fell to Pakistan.

There are no ‘Mohajirs’ in India while in Pakistan, Mohajirs are definitely a fifth, de facto, acknowledged and thankfully accepted, nation at the popular level, though their grievances remain. Religion has failed to unite Pakistan; the majority East Pakistan seceded, and the remaining stands divided further on the issue. The Bulleh spirit says we must take Islam out of this controversy and disrepute which the more radical factions have brought to the great faith. This can be done by keeping religion out of the business of the state and its identity. Jinnah saw the problem coming and wanted to avert the disaster when he tried to bury the two-nation theory three days before Pakistan was achieved.

Rights activist and respected journalist, I.A. Rehman has argued that the two-nation theory had to be buried because its purpose had been served with the creation of Pakistan. Secondly, a theory that broke up India would do no less to Pakistan (we witnessed this in 1971 when Bangladesh was proclaimed out of the country’s eastern, majority-population province). Religion has not gelled but fractured this country.


Many of the points Jinnah applied in his rhetoric to Hindus and Muslims being two separate nations, because their social practices and because even their heroes and villains were different, apply between Sunnis and Shias or between the rest of Muslims and Ahmadis, let alone Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and adherents of other faiths living in Pakistan today.

Why can’t we have an ideology that includes rather than pointedly exclude the many minorities; that is, if we must have a state ideology. Bulleh allegorically demanded of such false gods and holy cows: “Pull down the mosque, the temple, and all that you can; save the heart, though, for God resides therein.” And, like a child to his mother, Shah Husain let out the lament: “Mother, to whom do I turn, to tell of my pain and anguish?”


The writer is a member of the staff at Dawn Newspaper.
 
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Same old ancient arguments but with no real substance. Today the most successful country is a communist country so how about success lies in communism ?
 
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China is not a communist country,It is a capitalist country run by a politburo,thats all.Dont confuse economic and social systems.
 
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Secularism was introduced by criminals who had cased on them and it is the failed system
 
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I am not in favour of an official secular state. However it is fact that two nation theory was dead and buried in 1971 when the very province that created Muslim League in 1906 decided to separate.

My proposal would be that the President, Prime Minister and Chiefs of the Armed Services must be Muslims, but after that everywhere else equal opportunity to all Pakistani citizens regardless of religion, sect or ethnicity.
 
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Secularism was introduced by criminals who had cased on them and it is the failed system

Are you sure about this? and can you give more details on it?

And i think secularims havent failed, it might not be perfect, but it is working Fine.
 
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Agree with the title. Which is quite evident also...
 
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Islam= rule of law based upon precepts that provide humanity solid foundation because nothing can be better than that. if there is then show it, is the challenge. What is problem with accepting what is right and proper?

Islam is not a personality cult but a community based system where gains and losses are one. You rise you rise together and if you fall you fall together. However failure is not possible if one works according to advice after understanding it properly.

If one knows a program already exists that works at least on paper why keep trying everything else and failing? Where is sense in that?

It is nothing other than nonsense that we see some ignorant people misinterpreting the program and misusing it and stop accepting it on that basis rather than pushing aside the elements that cause trouble.

Islam is best way for living in this world because it does not discriminate negatively at all. It gives us community framework wherein community together decides what role its individuals should play to benefit themselves and their human community.

Islam is not a straight jacket that mullahs are showing us they do not know islam and we know they do not know islam because their version of islam does not work even on the paper it is written on.

Their islam is child brides, plunder, killing, mistreatment of women, living in stone age. This is a joke labelled islam but nothing to do with islam in the quran.

Sir seyyid challenged the mullahs and proved them wrong, even today his challenge is there for us all to see. iqbal challenged mullahs and proved them wrong and his challenge is there also for us to see. Jinnah created pakistan despite opposition of mullahs.

islam not only challenges mullahs but the whole mankind to bring up not a better but an equally valid system to invalidate claim of islam as an overall system. So far nothing has been brought that could stick and prove its worth.

We experiment with all sorts of things and explore all sorts of ideas yet so far no project on studying islam properly. Something is definitely wrong with humanity. We are looking for something it is right before our eyes yet we are side stepping, what is going on?

Is it not possible that we are showing insincerity and dishonesty in trying to look for a better system for living our lives?


 
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Islam= rule of law based upon precepts that provide humanity solid foundation because nothing can be better than that. if there is then show it, is the challenge. What is problem with accepting what is right and proper?

Islam is not a personality cult but a community based system where gains and losses are one. You rise you rise together and if you fall you fall together. However failure is not possible if one works according to advice after understanding it properly.

If one knows a program already exists that works at least on paper why keep trying everything else and failing? Where is sense in that?

It is nothing other than nonsense that we see some ignorant people misinterpreting the program and misusing it and stop accepting it on that basis rather than pushing aside the elements that cause trouble.

Islam is best way for living in this world because it does not discriminate negatively at all. It gives us community framework wherein community together decides what role its individuals should play to benefit themselves and their human community.

Islam is not a straight jacket that mullahs are showing us they do not know islam and we know they do not know islam because their version of islam does not work even on the paper it is written on.

Their islam is child brides, plunder, killing, mistreatment of women, living in stone age. This is a joke labelled islam but nothing to do with islam in the quran.

Sir seyyid challenged the mullahs and proved them wrong, even today his challenge is there for us all to see. iqbal challenged mullahs and proved them wrong and his challenge is there also for us to see. Jinnah created pakistan despite opposition of mullahs.

islam not only challenges mullahs but the whole mankind to bring up not a better but an equally valid system to invalidate claim of islam as an overall system. So far nothing has been brought that could stick and prove its worth.

We experiment with all sorts of things and explore all sorts of ideas yet so far no project on studying islam properly. Something is definitely wrong with humanity. We are looking for something it is right before our eyes yet we are side stepping, what is going on?

Is it not possible that we are showing insincerity and dishonesty in trying to look for a better system for living our lives?
Kindly can you enlighten us all on how you came to the conclusion that you have specified in the above red line.
Have you made a study on any of the other religion. Budhism abdicates all sins, it insist that man live with nature to ensure absalute balance, so does the rest of the Religion, they all look at the posivites of man and descriminates against any ills of the society.
Don't be so sure on what you feel is correct. Learn to co-exist with every one arround you.
 
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Kindly can you enlighten us all on how you came to the conclusion that you have specified in the above red line.
Have you made a study on any of the other religion. Budhism abdicates all sins, it insist that man live with nature to ensure absalute balance, so does the rest of the Religion, they all look at the posivites of man and descriminates against any ills of the society.
Don't be so sure on what you feel is correct. Learn to co-exist with every one arround you.

Dear ashokdieva, please read my posts on this threads and you will see that I have explained things already. You can also refer to my replies on other threads eg the following.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/nation...sparency-versus-corruption-4.html#post2041920

If you want me to be more specific then all I can do is past the interpretation of the quran as I understand it. It will be then easy for you to compare the quranic information and the way it is laid out before us to any other religious book of your choice. Most religious books are available online and I have given the link already. Also on hindu sites, christian sites, jewish sites, parsi sites, sikh sites etc.

My understanding of the quran and other scriptures is unique because I do not accept any religious book as divine other than the quran. For example, Bible is not word of God but word of a person talking about God. The same is true about bagwad gita which is lecture of krishna to arjun.

Budhism is likewise not a message from God but view point of a man about existence and humanity.

In all these books religious element is very strong and they are about individuals' thoughts about God. They have concept of vice and virtue, sin and righteousness, ignorance, knowledge in that context.

The quran differs from all these books in various ways. The quran is not lecture of Muhammad for his followers about God. The quran is not word of followers of Muhammad talking about Muhammad like followers of jesus talk about jesus.

The quran is not about individuals' relationship with God by means of ritualism but it is God speaking to mankind through an agent or prophet Muhammad. It is divine advice for mankind as to how they should live in this world as a community to progress and prosper and be at peace with God and with each other. Hence there are common goals, guidelines, rights and responsibilities etc etc for community of humans.

This is why islam is called peace. Living any other way than islam cannot bring peace and I have explained that in this thread in my posts elsewhere on this forum please do take a little trouble to read and think over.

It is for these like reasons islam is not a religion but a divine rule of law or a constitution for mankind. The quran clearly tells us that peace is not just state of mind but is 100% dependent on physical realities. If those realities are not taken car of properly no matter what you claim to believe and do you cannot have peace. All these people running around in confusion in jungles and all those who sit in mandirs and masjis have no peace till they join together for get it by making a genuine effort for it. So long as we are not willing to work together for good of each other we are just lying to each other adn most of all to ourselves and we know it deep inside ourselves. If we had peace inside us we will not be running to these odd people who claim to have abilities to solve our problems by supernatural powers they claim to possess from on high. This is not what Muhammad claimed he told people what he was told by God. He did not tell anyone any quick fix but way to solving problems in form of the quran.

If air was removed you will not be in peace, if water was removed you will not be in peace and if food was removed again you will not be in peace try anything you like. This is challenge of the quran. Since these thing matter therefore people must come together to fulfill their needs as a community and when they come together they need to have rules, rights and responsibilities as an organisation.

So the quran does not show people the way to God that is actually wrong because that way does not deal with realities of life. What good does it do anyone to sit on a rock and keep repeating OM or hale Mary or even Allah? These acts do not bring fresh air for breathing or clean water to drink or good food to eat. This is how the quran tells to face reality. Allah only helps those who help themselves. Allah never changes and nation unless they change themselves is the message of the quran ie you want something then work for it. If you are hungry get food don't sit there praying for food and do nothing.

Quran: The Constitution for Humanity


Allama G.A.Parwez was Quranic advisor to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah


This is why religions are wrong and islam is right because religions take away people from realities of life into make beliefs wherein people waste their time and get absolutely nothing. The ruler used religions to divert attention of people from this world to next so that they could take what these people have as well as to use these people and abuse them at will to get they wanted.

There is a saying that you can fool some people for some time but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

The same is tried on islam but it is difficult to hide everything in the quran to make it into a religion. In the quranic context virtue is sticking to life realities not living in dream world so virtue is helping other people by making their life better in material sense ie making sure people have fresh air, water, and food and shelter etc etc.

When we talk about these things how can you do all these things if you do not have political support? This is why islam is political and islam is rule of law=deen, not a religion. It is not about you go and praise God but worry not about your needs. Instead Allah brings in needs of people first and foremost and then ritualism. So when you are satisfied with essentials of life then you are free to go and sit on a rock and do Allah Allah otherwise your Allah Allah is not genuine.

2/177) Freedom from manmade ills is not possible by you randomly acting one way or the other; rather freedom from manmade troubles lies in the fact that you strive for peace for Allah and for the purpose of good end result through setting up of the divine administration based on the divine book as shown through the examples of the prophets, and to spend wealth out of loyalty to His rule on relatives, orphans, helpless, needy travelers, those who ask for help and on freeing the ones stuck in unhelpful situations and circumstances: That is establishing divine rule and attaining freedom from manmade troubles and fulfilling promises when made and being steadfast in distress, in adversity, and at the time of war. Such as do these are true to their word and they are the ones who have attained consistency with Allah, the mankind and the universe.

3/92) You will not attain freedom from the manmade troubles and destructions unless you open for all others equally the livelihood and the sustenance that you love most for yourselves provided for you all by Allah. And whatsoever good you open for the good of others Allah is aware of it.

4/36) So carry out instructions of Allah and accept none as sovereignty other than Him, and be good to your parents, kinfolks, orphans, the helpless, near and far neighbours who keep company with you, the travellers in need, and the war captives in your care. Allah supports not the arrogant and the boastful,

4/37) who are themselves niggardly hoarders and effectively force other people to behave likewise, who hide the abundance of wealth which Allah has bestowed on them. For
such opponents of our guidance we have setup a disgraceful suffering as a rule.

4/38) And the case is likewise for those who use what they have to help others only for a show off to the people, they do not commit to working for peace for sake of Allah nor for the good end result for mankind. In fact any who chooses such an evil person as a friend has chosen a deadly harmful companion!

4/39) What harm could have come to them had they committed to working for peace for sake of Allah and for the good end result for the mankind by opening up to others whatever Allah had provided for all of them? Allah is fully aware of them.


I have already explained chapter one and the start of chapter two in the quran. In the quran these like verses are repeated this is why islam is all about society, politics, culture and economics. If muslims do not have poltical power whereby they have control over land and resources and means of production and distribution the divine commandments remain unfulfilled.

There is no mention of having a very long beard as a requirement for being a muslim but the verses quoted tell us that if you do not stand up for these things then you are not a muslim even if you claim to be one.

Human rights are not western or eastern value but divine values. Dictated by God long, long time before quran or any other existing scripture. This is told in the quran very clearly. So if anything, we have ignored these things and think we do not need islam because we can do better well I do not see us doing any better do you? Billions of people are living below poverty line throughout the world. Not because all these people are lazy and crazy but because some other people are lazy and crazy to set up a system that gives them great advantage and puts others at a great disadvantage. We are playing against the inventor of this game who knows all the tricks so it is easy for him to win the game every time before we even realise what trick has been played on us.

Islam is not at all about theocracy because it is not a ruling system at all. It is a system whereby all are ruled by law not by people. People are simply organised as a community under this law and this law does not hive anyone undue advantage over others like all others manmade laws that are made by those in position of power and implemented by those in authority against the rest. So every now and again people protest against one thing or another but they are not successful because we all must sign at the bottom line or we will not get our livelihood. If you need loan from a bank you are forced to accept their terms. Who cares about you? Profiteering is only possible by those who have plenty not by those who have little or nothing. Charities are not good works because they are a trick by rich and powerful to mask real effects are what they are doing to human society.

In quranic sense it is not good enough to be a law abiding person but to ensure that law is good for the community as a whole to begin with. Only then law must be obeyed otherwise if it gives undue advantage to some over others then such a law is not a law and people who bring in such a law and people who support it are all criminals in eyes of God and in eyes of those who follow God and try their best to do good for humanity.

This shows that what the quran teaches is nothing new at all and people are deliberately doing harm to each other in opposition to it and yet want to be considered good people.

It has just become a culture that people claim credit for all good that some one else does. So many cases are in courts for copyright infringements. Likewise western people think islam is not good and they are a great people but that is not what their track record shows.

This does not mean muslims were much better, they too went the same way but they did all evil against the diktats of the quran. So people will not be right in claiming that islam taught the muslims the wrong things. It is just that these people used islam as a tool and a label. It not only suitsed them but their supporters as well who wanted to give islam a bad name without really knowing much about it so that islam does not become known top people properly in case we lose our game.

In pakistan mullahs are blaming secularists and secularists are blaming mullahs and they are both pulling islam in their directions whereas the quran proves both of them ignorant. All this because the text of the quran cannot be covered up fully by either of them and truth somehow manages to shine through.

Nonmuslims are also fooling themselves because they have not bothered studying the quran by themselves to reach a proper conclusion about islam. They take the quran like their own religious scriptures whereas the quran is a book of its own kind. Same with atheists and agnostics etc because they come from various religious background and that is how they take the quran ie same as what they have already rejected.

Regardless whatever people believe and do it is matter of fact that none can escape the consequences of their actions. As per quran all is governed by divine laws. So called spiritualism is nothing it is realism that we are trying to ignore. The real spiritualism is to take advice of Allah and try it in real world, if it works on paper it would certainly work in real situations and circumstances and solve our problems because thats what it is. Problem solver.

Hope this helps but please remember one only oneself can satisfy oneself by considering things oneself others can only help to a degree, regards and all the best. You let people be free of harm you have solved the human problems.
 
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Are you sure about this? and can you give more details on it?

And i think secularims havent failed, it might not be perfect, but it is working Fine.
Secularism was always a failed system no system can match the beauty of system of ALLAH
 
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