Sunday 6 June 2010

Political response to Ahmadi massacre in Pakistan - bigotry at its worst

The Islam that is my religion seeks to establish such a society where all citizens of the state enjoy equal rights and religion does not become the basis for any discrimination. Religious teachers who taught Islam to me in my childhood taught me that Islamic law holds both Muslims and non-Muslims equal and no superiority or privilege is given to the Muslims on any ground. That the Islamic state is responsible for the protection and security of minorities.

While I saw light at the end of the tunnel today when the leader of opposition in Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif mustered up courage and spoke out against the barbaric act of terrorism carried out against the Ahmadi minority in Lahore. I am disgusted at the outcry his statement has caused from the so called religious intelligentsia who are almost about to declare Mian Nawaz Sharif an infidel for calling the Ahmadi minority our "Brothers and Sisters".

Whatever their religious beliefs Ahmadis are Pakistani citizens. Though Pakistani constitution declares them non-Muslims and a religious minority, they as citizens have a right to security as any other Pakistani. Tolerating massacres of innocent civilians because the victims happened to have a different religious belief is abominable and un-Islamic.

The reprehensible incident of Lahore and the atrocious public and political response can only be attributed to Pakistani society's lack of knowledge of actual teachings of Islam. The vacuum of knowledge, unfortunately, is bridged by the semi-literate clergy and bigoted religious-political leadership with no exposure to the Islamic historical tradition, demands of contemporary age and challenges of future.

Apathy of civil society, media and political leadership to the increasing intolerance towards minorities is worst form of bigotry in practice by a state and its citizens.

15 comments:

  1. Apart from the pain and anguish expressed by our Ahmadi brothers and sisters, this is the first decent comment I have come across on the black Friday massacre of 28 May. I have felt sickened by the public chest beating of Pakistan's self-styled liberals, some of whom at least have used this tragedy as a ploy to divert attention from other issues of great national importance. Some even commented that it was unnecessary to protest against Israel's murder of Turkish citizens taking relief supplies to Gaza!

    There is no denying the intensity of the hate and prejudice that exists in Pakistan against Ahmadi Muslims but we should not lose sight of the fact that the killers, the TTP fanatics, had other motives as well. I tried to highlight this aspect of the massacre in my post on 1 June but I may be in a minority of one.

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  2. I am not surprised by all the statements made by these Fanatic mullas, they are like thali ka bangun. They dont have any destination to achieve but their political benifits. On the other hand when you see life of Holly prophet in Macca and Madina he was even living among all other religions and was preaching to them Islam. What could be the possibility of preaching if he was hating them and was restricting them to profess their religion. How can you prove that you are truthful without having a dialougue? A monologue can not spread your faith.

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  3. The scale of discrimination practiced against Ahmadis is simply mind-boggling. It is simply a grotesque form of modern-day apartheid. When the state itself discriminates against a section of its people and humiliates their religious icons, it takes discrimination to a whole new level.

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  4. Actually lack of knowledge of actual teachings of Islam is the main reason that no political leader tried to speak against the barbaric act. Minorities must be given equal rights like of majority. But they are discriminated by Government.

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  5. i dunno which minority you guys are talking about ... u better read the teachings of islam first. Muhammad p.b.u.h already addressed about these people, they are the followers of false messiah and should be treated the same way as the false messiah should be ..!!
    I would appreciate if you quote me any hadith of treating them as minorities. Also read how sahabas r.a treated these people that might open your eyes and increase your knowledge.
    So far as real minorities are concerned, yes they should be treated equally if they pay tax!
    Howerver I condemn the bomb blast since it is an act of terrorism!

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  6. Adnan, I will repeat what I said in my blog post "Whatever their religious beliefs Ahmadis are Pakistani citizens. Though Pakistani constitution declares them non-Muslims and a religious minority, they as citizens have a right to security as any other Pakistani. Tolerating massacres of innocent civilians because the victims happened to have a different religious belief is abominable and un-Islamic."

    And I would be interested in finding out more about which teachings of the holy prophet or which act of the Sahabh encourages killing or inhuman treatment of minorities in an Islamic state.

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  7. This discrimination is the root of many problem arising daily in Pakistan

    Send flowers to Pakistan

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  9. THE MULLAH now holds the Pakistani society by the throat. His version of Islam has plunged Pakistan into an epidemic of honor killings, hate murders and mob executions of fellow Muslims and minorities alike. The society is paying the price for allowing the Mullah to propagate extremism and intolerance from the pulpit.

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