Pak Tea House » Uncategorized » I am ashamed….
I am ashamed….
Raza Habib Raja
One of the most important days of my life occurred in 1994. At times a tragic event changes you as a person. They say and I agree that tragedy more than anything else has the potential to bring about change. Perhaps tragedy evokes negative emotions like hurt, fear, embarrassment and revulsion. Emotions which do not reinforce your existing state of mind but force you to look at the status quo with a critical eye.
That day changed my life forever. I had woken up and was reading the newspaper when a two column headline caught my eye. According to that news story, a crowd of several thousand had burnt a man alive as a punishment for desecrating Quran in the city of Gujranwala. The man’s name was Hafiz Sajjad Tariq and he had accidently dropped Quran on a burning stove. Being a religious person, he panicked and merely uttered words “ Oh God, I have sinned and burnt Quran”, words that were unfortunately heard by a neighbor who had just entered the house. The neighbor went out and started screaming that Hafiz had burnt Quran.
What followed next was horrifying but perhaps not unusual. Soon there were announcements from the loud speakers (I hate that device) that Hafiz had burnt the Quran. The mullahs were urging Muslims to show their “love” for Islam and the Muslims in that city obliged. Hafiz was dragged out of his home and beaten up. At that point police came and took Hafiz into protective custody. But charged up Muslims wanted “justice” and so a mob of thousands gathered outside the police station and demanded that Hafiz should be handed over to them. The police buckled under pressure and handed Hafiz to the crowd. Crowd stoned him to death and then burnt his body. Afterwards the burnt corpse was dragged in the streets.
I felt a nauseated revulsion and just put the newspaper down. That fateful day changed my life forever. That incident demonstrated the flipside of “reverence” of religion. It showed that one could easily vent out his/her (by the way some of our Muslim sisters also actively participated) gutter instincts under the excuse of “reverence”.
I found out through tragedy and the revulsion which followed suit enabled me to understand that unquestionable reverence allows humans to be evil without any restrains. No one who was near could raise any voice knowing that if he did then he would also meet the same fate. The incidence was the prime example of unquestionable reverence, which by the way, is considered to be a noble emotion, causing inhuman suffering.
But what happened after the incidence was even more shocking. There was hardly any debate and no party tried to raise the debate on this gruesome act. Some of NGOs and politicians did try to stir up debate but to no effect. No party tried to make that gruesome incidence a political topic.
Eighteen years have passed and I have travelled a journey which has taken me from an orthodox Muslim to a skeptical and questioning Muslim.
In these eighteen years, I have witnessed so many similar incidences. I have been shocked and yet in a strange twisted way hoped that my fellow countrymen would feel the same kind of awakening. In these eighteen years I have read news about little children being killed by suicide blasts, have witnessed suicide blasts killing scores of my countrymen, have sulked over Gojra incidence where several Christians were burnt alive on the accusation of burning of Quran, have lived through Ahmedi Massacre and targeted Shia killings. And yet have naively believed that my countrymen will wake up the way I had woken up..
And now another incidence has happened which is eerily similar to Hafiz Tariq episode…
I felt revulsion again and in fact I cried……
A mob in Bahawalpur district has killed a mentally ill person for burning Quran…
The gruesome details can be read here http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/07/05/news/national/man-burnt-for-burning-quran-in-bahawalpur/
Once again I see the repeat of everything…
Will we wake up?
I want to hope though there is no reason to hope…
They say that times have changed but I don’t think so…
There was no heated debate when Hafiz Tariq was killed and there is no debate when this guy has been killed..
I was born as a Muslim and hence Islam is my identity…
I will identify myself at least communally as a Muslim…
But I am ashamed because of my fellow Muslim “brothers”….
Shame on you………
And more so on this “educated” middleclass of Pakistan….
Go and cry about drone attacks while keeping hypocritical silence on far more graver issues..
Damn you………………….
Filed under: Uncategorized · Tags: attacks, cry, drone, Raza Habib Raja
100 Responses to "I am ashamed…."
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Our religion is best, we are the gift of Allah,
hate non believers and many other similar hateful
messages. Untill children are stopped from being taught
these hateful maessages, nothing will change in Pakistan. RHR, sorry to say but I believe that you have still not seen the worst.
I have often times wanted to see some analysis on who’s going to win between radicals and liberals in Pakistan. I am afraid liberals are not adequately prepared to fight the radicals. and it might be too late for de-brainwashing.
woh dagh dagh ujala…
education both religious and secular are very important foundations that play an important role in any society, however, histories of various places do exhibit similar behaviours of burning or desecrating humans/objects in the name of the consciousness prevailing in a given time and place…this my friend is despicable herd behavior!
RHR,
“Mach es Einfach” is the placard we have put up in the house entrance to remind us, “just do it” instead of moaning and complaining about abnormal and despicable acts and reactions in the community.
Those who commit such acts are neither muslims nor your brothers; they are simply ignorant lunatics and criminals instrumantalised by the country leadership.
Pakistan is a so called democracy of the people but not by the people or for the people. And please do not start blaming clergy or the intolerance of the people of hat is occuring in the country.
You are an intellectual and writer and have more power than the common man on the street. Any individual with a healthy sense would know that the law for blasphamy and classification of a muslim is infam and unislamic. The death sentence itself is unislamic. Though shall not kill is God’s commandment and yet Pakistan legal system allows Death penalty.
The solutions are very simple and if there is a consensus some of the ills in the society can be eliminated;
.Make Arabic language compulsary for all in the country.
.Eliminate death sentence from the legal system.
The cases of the blesphamy or similar defemation instances should be handled by the social institutions.
Rex Minor
PS
Do not bother about the drones, those at the receiving end shall tackle it with their own laws.
also make quranic and hadith studies mandatory…
one day every paki will speak arabic fluently, that day is not far…
even if scholars have to be called in from as far as germany..err i mean mecca…
RHR is a man of conscience.Miracle he was born in Pakistan and yet untouched by its Peace. I recommend him to be careful before some one accuse him of being anti-peace as his judgement of islam is very close to the assesment of Indians from their centuries of first hand experience.
MTG,
Is this why Bangladeshi driver was given lesson in Holy Arabic By Holy Saudi in Holy Arabic Spit and stick like the Peers of Pakjab ? Poor man was over joyed by the so much mercy showered on him by Arabic speaking man from the land of his Mentor Muhammad. The blessed grown man could not help the tears of joy rolling down his cheeks.
Bengalis have miserably failed to convert to Islam, even the second grade Pakistani muslims don’t consider them muslims enough, leave aside first grade arabic muslims. Arabic Muslims can smell and tell who is real convert to Islam and who is fake. From recent tribune article –
We come to the climax: “[Enter] Commander East Pakistan General Niazi, wearing a pistol holster on his web belt. Niazi became abusive and started raving. Breaking into Urdu, he said: Main iss haramzadi qaum ki nasal badal doon ga. Yeh mujhe kiya samajhtey hain. He threatened that he would let his soldiers loose on their womenfolk.
without learning arabic, conversion to islam is incomplete.
bengalees are practising muslim.recent converts like punjabis still owns many evils of hinduism.
they will be alright with time.they got freedom from clutches and suppression of brhmns.this is most important.
in hinduism,The Hindu religion speaks of god “Vishnu” having taken ten avatars ie, incarnations, only for destruction. If it is so, Periyar asked whether there was any sense in saying that hindu religion preaches kindness to humanity.
without learning arabic, conversion to islam is incomplete
arabic is language of heaven.every muslim is incomplete with learning this.
bangladeshis need a new pakistani niazi bin quasim, who can genetically introduce islam to bengali women, like the arabic bin qusim did to punjabis…
niazi of 1971 was a faulty muslim, because muslims never surrender, any muslim who surrenders ceases to be a muslim….
tajender
I agree.
I refuse believe that this incident really happened. Some one there with special interest, must be manipulating the news. Or the newspaper itself, is sensationalizing to increase the circulation. Anything is possible on the Internet. One has to be careful not o trust all that appears in Cyberspace.
[...] Cross Posted from: Pak Tea House [...]
A very heart felt article. Dear RHR, I hope your countrymen read it.
[1] religious – bill maher
[2] Ancient Aliens
[3] zeitgeist the movie
must watch…
MilesToGo
without learning arabic, conversion to islam is incomplete
arabic is language of heaven.every muslim is incomplete without learning this.
I always thought that intelligent imperialist is better than a mad murderer. I am having second thoughts…
We need to complete these 1 billion incomplete Muslims.
just so that readers can look at both sides –
http://www.debunking911.com/conspiracy.htm
Best way to evaluate Muhammed’s claims is to look at the results. Results of 14th centuries of Islam.
compare that with teachings of Bulle Shah and kabir…
MilesToGo
This religion from Arabia is an angry arrogant fascism centred around a person and around a book. It is an expression of god’s sadism and cynicism. This religion produces Pakistan, Zia ul Haqs, tajenders, rexes, Kasabs, Abu Jindals, MA’s, AKB’s etc…. and all together – some more fascistic-violent some less so – they end up pushing and pulling this religion and its mental slaves further down into more ruthless fascism, stupidity and arrogance. With the huge amounts of money, weapons and terrorist training camps (also called houses of prayer by some) we have to expect much worse to come.
No one ever became a muslim volunatarily – either he was born into it and could not escape, or he was deceived or bribed or intimidated into it, and also could not escape due to fear of being killed.
Our dealings with islam and muslims shuld be based on this analysis. Otherwise islam and muslims will destroy humankind.
Those who converted out of fear are innocent.
Those who converted out of love are innocent.
Those who were born into – are innocent.
Those who studied it and then converted/stayed – are evil.
The 1 billion who do not know Arabic are ignorant. The day they learn Arabic – most of them will leave.
Only a false prophet can challenge to write a divine sura.
milestone,
conversion was liberation of innocents from hindu apartheism.generally slaves converted. u high caste weeps as u lost slaves who were working free for u.90%of conversion took place during british period.so there was no content of fear.vivekanand even confirmed this in his writings.hinduism in practice is worst of apartheism.
islam stands for egalitarianism and freedom.those who advocate apartheism are evil.
The 1 billion who do not know Arabic are ignorant. The day they learn Arabic – most of them will leave.
from arab world nobody ever left.even missionaries have not gone to iraq and afghanist.people converted after reading and understanding islam.
One of the problems on this forum is that trolls from both sides completely hijack the debate…
I really dont understand the entire purpose of that..
Regards
RHR,
probably you should see the situation differently. Perhaps the people have become immune to such revolting acts simply because there are too many! May be you still feel revulsion, because you have seen only two such incidents!
.
Anyway, Cheers!
@ RHR
The story you so sentimentally knitted cannot be as simple as that. There is surely something more to it. Just stop exaggerating and publicizing such stories as worse could be seen if you did the same in a Christian-majority country. The jews for example will send you to Gitmo or pull your guts out if you talked against the so=called Holocaust. The Hindus narrow-mindedness (and brutality) evidenced by their razing Babri mosque to ground and vandalism against Muslims of Gujarat. What happened in Bosnia should also be some food for thought for you and how the Chechins are being butchered for religious reasons mainly doesn’t need any emphasis.
Rhr
Just to Help debate get back on track – how do you think blasphemy be treated and whether the treatment shall be consistent meaning if someone calls ahmedi prophet false – is that blasphemy as well?
If the Mirjai’s get the charge they will definately hold every Muslim who differs with their creed as blasphmers and every non-Murjai a bloody kafir and subject to Jizya!!
If you think about it – shahda itself is blasphemous to those who do not believe in Allah and muhammed.
@ AKB
These are NOT exagerrated stories..
The recent killing has been overed by all the media local as well as internationa.
Hafiz Tariq’s case is also real and can easily be googled..
And stop trying to point to other societies when topic is our society…
Our problems can not be solved by finding solace in the miseries of others…
Regards
Raza
mr akb and rex,
Why should a god have a wife? A man may enjoy with his wife for an hour or two. Even for this many need drugs and medicines to whip up their potentialities. But our Puranas say that our god had intercourse continuously for thousands of years. The Devas were witnessing this scene. They became afraid. They prayed to the god to stop. The god expressed his inability to stop. At last with great difficulty he stopped the intercourse. His semen gushed forth like a canal. The devas are said to have drunk Siva’s semen. Is it not so written in the Puranas? Is this the way to create a god? If the Brahmins had any respect for us and considered all of us as human beings, would they dare to record such absurd things in the Puranas? Are we devoid of common sense? No. He has the boldness to compel us to believe every thing he has written in the Puranas.
Gods as murderers: God is described as the embodiment of love. But you find dreadful weapons in the hands of gods. Are gods murderers? Is there a single god that has not killed anyone? The Puranas are replete with umpteen instances to prove that gods killed so many. Are our gods butchers? How are we to be convinced of the statement that gods are kind?
With all these baseless, senseless and idiotic puranas, they have succeeded in making our society static, reactionary and dumb. People have lost their sense of thinking.
Hence no sensible man endowed with reason would consider it necessary to worship such gods or touch the feet of any Brahmin with veneration
to RHR
The problem are not what you call “trolls”. The problem is that muslims are not naming the real cause/source of their degeneration. Muslims are cowards and fools held in cowardice and foolishness under islam. They dare not speak out the real cause of their downfall. Even a “muslim” like RHR has no other choice but to pretend that islam cannot be the cause of muslims’ degradation. So even you start blaming some “trolls”. You are no different from some quack-hindu astrologer who says that eclipses (of sun or moon) take place because a demon called Rahu swallows the sun or the moon. The worst of islam is yet to come. Brace for it.
There are no “trolls” derailing the discussion. Because there is no discussion. And there is no discussion because you fail to, or dare not, name the real cause of muslims’ debaucheries. And that real cause is islam.
to tajender
Hindu gods do kill demons in mythology, but they don’t give orders to humans to kill in real life. Whereas this arab mohammadan tribal god allah orders the killing, robbing and raping of humans by humans in real life.
How many humans are being killed nowadays due to kuran, islam and shariah? Many.
How many humans are being killed nowadays because of any puranas, vedas? None.
Even muslims will admit that today : more humans are being killed by muslims due to islam or under islam, than by non-muslims under any other ideology.
rajtoo,
The origin and birth of munivars and rishis who created Vedas and sastras
The birth of these Rishis is against the laws of nature, absurd and vulgar. I give few examples:
Rishis Born to
1. Kalaikottur Rishi Deer
2. Kousik Kusam
3. Jambukar Jackal
4. Gouthamar Bull
5. Valmiki Hunter
6. Agasthiar Vessel
7. Vyasar Fisher woman
why u fool the indians.
The problem are not what you call “trolls”. The problem is that muslims are not naming the real cause/source of their degeneration
muslims and islam was leading the world they will lead again.time changes.u are bunch of crooks and cheaters.can never improve.
With all these baseless, senseless and idiotic puranas, they have succeeded in making our society static, reactionary and dumb. People have lost their sense of thinking.
ahm and rajtoo i hope u will agre this statement of evr.
In my opinion both India and Pakistan are damned to live as neighbours! Both peoples have the choice to learn to live as neighbours in peace, or use the loly pops which two muslims from one villange have provided you.
You have not witnessed wars, nor massacres nor total destruction of cities and its civilian population! If your Nations were as traumatised as the Europeans have been, the two jokers who are permanently present on this blog with a free pass throwing insults at Prophets, the scriptures and even God almighty would think twice before they deliberate with impunity.
We are damned to live sorrounded by most neighbours than any other country in the world; even the Blitzkrieg did not solve the problems for us. Now we must bleed and pay the debts of all our neighbours. This is our destiny.
Rex Minor
Dear RHR,
You are a sensitive soul. It is not a religious thingy. These things happen on this side of the border as well, contrary to what others might like you to believe.
I think u were trying to figure out what is the root cause? Well none if you think like the trolls or plenty if you are a sensitive soul that you are. But always the underlying cause is stress and mob violence is outlet for stress. The sub-continent is a very stressfull place these days. The only difference is while in the rest of the subcontinent there is hope in Pakiland hope seems to have become a luxury.
Dear Romain
I think that RHR is correct in linking it with religion. Although this is mob violence but nevertheless motivated by reverence of religion.
I think, though RHR is in a better position to clarify, that he is trying to point that reverence of Islam creates an unquestionable kind of legitimacy to barbaric acts. Mob under the cover of religion can mobilize and vent out gutter instincts without restrains.
His point is subtle ( understandably so as he is aware of potential problem) that whether Pakistanis should be questioning religion or at least the so reverence which apparently sanctions such violence.
RHR
Its a long battle ahead. Brace yourself.
for sensible Pakistanis:
http://youtu.be/J-3BgvfCkw0
@ Romain
There are reasons as to why I have tried to link what can also be called as simple mob violence with religion..
The reason I have quoted these particular incidences is that they demonstrated the religion’s role in perpetuating violence, venting out of core violent instincts, complete inability of anyone near the mob to even raise a dissenting opinion, impotence of the state apparatus to give protection at the time it was taking place; and lastly, but perhaps most importantly the reluctance of political parties to stir any debate on failure of administration to give protection and on controversial blasphemy laws in Pakistan. The last point also demonstrated that the issue perhaps do not register as an issue with the populace. After all, by design political parties try to stir debate on issues where there is some political meat which in turn emanates if there is some genuine concern for it in the public.
I agree at one level you may say that this is mob violence but there is clearly a “justification” which the mob feels it has and that comes from religion’s reverence..
Under the pretext of reverence men can bbecome animals and still easily get away as society will “understand” that religion is a sensitive matter.
Yes you may be right that across the border the same thing may be happening…but I am naturally worried about my side of the border.
Regards
Raza
@MTG
What battle???
Romain
There is nothing Subcontinental about Pakistanis who are the offsprings of Arabs, Irani, CARwasi and many others who made short stop in that land in medieval era and took advantage of the gene transfer facilities of the time.Living on Subcontinental land dont make one son of soil when mind and soul reside in Arabia. Pakistanis are South Arabian people, not Sout Asians like indians, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan,Nepalis or Afghans who are sons of soil.