Pakistan calls upon us

By Ali Akbar Avli (Minhajian)

After sixty years of our long life, we, the Pakistani, are standing still at crossroad where we hesitate and linger for a moment and do not know where to go because we have uncharted sea ahead with thousands of fear lying down. Sixty years life is not too little to do well in life. We have entered into another childhood that comes in the very old age but we have done nothing being a school going boy, love, solider and justice. We have wasted all these stages of our mature life in scandal mongering, hypocrisy, nepotism and corruption.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who saw the dream for a separate homeland where the people of subcontinent would lead a life of their own, with their own vision, enlightenment and faith inspired the people from deep slumber, is angry with us. Quaid’s soul is in black dress and in the state of extreme Anxiety to see what we are today. They wanted us to go beyond the heaven as Allama said,

Mohabat Mujjey Unn Jawanoun Sey hey
Jo Sittaroun Pey Daltey Hain Kamand

But it is a sorry state that instead of flying up and above high the sky, we fell deep down into the pitch darkness where we can not foresee anything, have forgotten our own identity and true worth, our state is so worse that we can not even envision our purpose of life.

Once he said,

Toon Shaheen Hey Parwaaz Hey Kaaam Taira
Taeray Saamney Aasmaan Aur Bhee Hain.

Today the eagle of Iqbal is so deteriorated, so ugly that even he does not appear to be black crow that can not use his head to throw pebble into the pitcher to bring the water up and quench his thirst. He is the crow who is always waiting for divine blessings and lying on his face down inactive but does not know that Divine blessings does not come to the ones who do not struggle to change their destiny. If we continue to standstill what would be our lot in the days to come is not hard enough to imagine.

Iqbal says,

Momin Hey Tou Woh Aap Hey Taqdeer-e-Elahi

It means that we are our own destiny; we are the architect of our lot and fate but unfortunately we believe like the Romans and Greek on preordained fate. Why it is so? Iqbal himself reveals

Dareena Hey Taera Marz Kour-e-Nigahi.

Yes, he is quite right to say as unfortunately our so called feudal lords had always kept us in darkness and ignorance. They make the decision about our lot so secretly even those walls do not have ears to listen them.

If we have a birds eye view of our elders, they are just counting the days of their death and have nothing to give us instead of sobbing and cold sighs. They have nothing to give but poverty, nepotism, self centeredness and pessimism.

If we see our customs and traditions, they are changing drastically. We think like materialistic; we behave like infidels and wear like English and Indians. I am not exaggerating the things in any way.

I had a chance to attend the marriage ceremony of my cousin, I was shocked to hear that Indian music was being played and both the young guys and girls were making a hue and cry putting their hands together. When I observe their dresses, the girls were wearing so short dresses that I felt ashamed of calling to be Muslims. They were perfect symbols of modern enlightenment of Atta Turk’s blue eye guy Mushraf, the president of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The fault lies not with our youth fault lies with our elders who do not condemn that practice. They just give a fake smile that encourages them to be more bold and exposing.

As for as our social values are concerned, they are quite opposite to golden values delivered to us by last Divine Book and the Holy Prophet (SAW). Our off-springs are led by their own will and they do not give heed to their parents and think of them as ignorant who do not know the demands of present time. They did not recognize the true status of their parents and elders. Parents are not a step behind them; they do not chart out the plan for their spiritual guidance and growth. They leave their off springs with their strings in their own hands and do not ask their whereabouts. They condemn them if they do not do school work, but they do not utter a word if they are not regular in their prayers.

Husbands and wives are fallen apart and divorce ratio is on rapid increase even in our society. Allah Almighty considers it the most obnoxious act. If we see the logic behind it, it is quite obvious that today we choose our ideal better halves keeping in view their social and financial status and more than that their sensual appeal. It is also pathetic to know that we do not know who is living next to us in cities.

It is far more pathetic to view the economic condition after sixty years. We have strong interest oriented banking system and we feel proud counting our rupees and converting them into dollars and pounds and do not care about the warning Allah Almighty has given us

“Curse is upon Him who gathers and collects wealth” (Al Homaza.) It is not so that we do not have any economic system in religion. If we compare Islamic Economic System with Capitalism and socialism, it appears to be more well balanced and sound system than any other existing system but our lords are not ready to shun their superiority off. If they take the bold step to venture for Islamic Economic system, they do not envisage any other way to buy vote, to put the poor at arms’ length, and enjoy the luxuries that come with being in assemblies and parliament.

What to speak of deal based politics. Deal after deal, deal after deal brought us to dismembering us in 1971. Quaid’s sad demise was a deal, the assassination of Quaid-e-Millat, Liaqat Ali Khan was a deal, the take-over of Ayub and succession of General Rani was a deal, Movemnt of Imposition of Islamic System was a deal, Bhutto’s slogan bread, cloth and house was a deal, the arrival of Zia-ul-Haq was a deal, the creation of MQM, Speh Sahaba and Speh Muhammad was a deal, killing of Zia was a deal, the Govts of Nawaz and Benazir, the war on Kargel was a deal, Mushraf’s take-over was a deal, providing space to American to kill Taliban was a deal, silence on Iraq War was a deal, the disastrous incident of LAl Masjid and Jamia Hafsa was a deal, Abu Dhabi meeting between the corrupt of the past and champion of modern enlightenment is a deal, proclamation of emergency was a deal so whether it is martial law or lame ducked democracy is a deal and I don’t know how many deals are in the store for us.

Now come to the religious movements. They have taken Din in their own hands and manipulate it as they wish and as it benefits them. They have changed the concept of Jihad (Holy War).They are known by Sunni, Shia Baralvi and Deo Bandi. The main topic of their hot discussion are the petty issues like whether the shilwar would be above ankles or below them, whether you are to utter Amin in louder or lower voice, whether the hands should be on chest or on lower abdomen. They are more interested in decreasing the numbers of Muslims rather adding them. They so disgusting that the people are afraid of sending their children into mosques because they do not know what would be the end of their child whether he would become Islamic militant or true scholar, whether he would have any mean to earn his livelihood or he would look to the morsels of others in evening. So, this is what happening with our holy religion after sixty years.

Spiritualist like Moeen-ud-din Chishti, Hazrat Ali Usman Hijwari, Baba Farid, Bukhtiayar Kaki,Hazrat Sultan Bahu, Hazrat Pir Mehr Ali Shah are rare. Their successors are not treading on the path of their predecessors. They even do not know the meaning of “holy bait” commitment they take the hands of people not driving them in the court of the Holy Prophet (SAW) but to add their affiliates. Their mureedin and affiliates are their source of Income. Once I delivered a lecture in Model Town Society on Sufism. In question answers session, I was asked what are the means of Income of Sufists, I had to go back to give the examples to Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jillani, Hazrat Sultan Bahu and the likes.

Dear Reader! Though we have scattered like grains of sands, we have lost our vision, we have lost our faith, we are ignorant to our traditions and values, our society is not an ideal society with superb values, our politicians are self serving, our economic policies are not worthwhile, our religious scholars are involved in petty affairs, some of us are chanting slogans of Sindu Daish, Jaag Punjabi Jaag and Pukhtunistan yet there is a hope, there is a way for us, this hope and way I can envisage in the face of Minhaj-ul-Quran International headed by a man, who himself is an institution of religion, very veteran politician, Economist of par excellence, and social reformer of present time, Professor Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri.

Minhaj-ul-Quran International is not a movement with minor object of regional, regional or sectarian prejudice. It is the movement that attracts us with its targets. Presently, its target is to reestablish peace and harmony in the world. Shaykh-ul-Islam has given the target to his affiliates from all corners of Pakistan to enhance peace in their region and make the cities an ideal place to live in, where both the Muslims and minorities may feel at ease to breath and prosper, where the investors fancy to invest, where the women may move without any danger, and it is worth seeing that the affiliates of the movement are leaving no stone unturned to get the targets within limited times.

Minhaj-ul-Quran International does not concentrate on just a single object, it is multi dimensional aimed at enhancing Islam as complete code of Life. She is trying to build a cemented society based on love, brotherhood, tolerance, and mutual understanding with common interests, she has her Muhammadan Agenda in politics, and she has revived the splendid way of spiritualism, she is trying to bridge the gap between the west and the Muslims with broader network in more than 82 countries.

So, it is not the time to see here and there. It is the time to join the hands of that great leader who has a lot for us. He has the ability and vision to architect the destiny of the Muslim world, to bring us out of deterioration, to remove darkness prevailing around us and a warrantee to materialize the dream of Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-A`zam.