A humble request from a Kashmiri Musalman to Ms Nousheen Abass, columnist, DAWN.com

To

MS. Nosheen Abbass,
Columnist,
Dawn Newspaper.

I occassionally not regularly visit Dawn.com for news and analysis. Few days back, while checking out what is under Columnists tab, i had a chance to go through your writeup wherein you had laid stress upon the Civil Society with youth to come to secure Pakistan of all its evils extremism, terrorism etc etc. It is apparent that you are holding Late President General Zia-ul-Haq responsible for the every evil present this time in your Pakistan. There has been reference to Hudood ordinance, lashings, forcing women to wear headover on TV etc etc.

I am resident of Srinagar city in Indian administered Kashmir. I had a chance to have good reading of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. Believe me, i have been a student of Hindu Missionary School known as Dayanand Anglo Vedic School (English medium) and not a madrassah students and in Kashmir Gen. Zia never ruled. I wish to share few words with you. If we go through Surah Nur (lights) in Quran you will face a verse in Quran which ordains 100 lashes for an unmarried adulterous man or woman. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) practised stoning of married man or woman which has been reported in number of Hadiths, famous one which i too has read is of Haz. Magiz bin Malik (RA). Then there is a Quranic verse which ordains for Qisas and blood money which is in the 2nd surah of Quran i.e. Al Baqarah (Cow). Lastly, cutting of hand for theft is also ordained in Quran. These are the four Hadood ordained by Allah almighty in Quran and Prophet Mohammed (SAW) as per Hadith. Coming to wearing of headcover, there are two places in Holy Quran one in Surah Nur and other in Surah Ahazab besides there are numerous Hadith on this issue. Yes, there has been a difference of opinion over the interpretation whether the woman has to cover the whole head including face or face is excluded but there is no difference upon the issue that a woman has to cover her head. The practice of the Prophet's wives (RA) after these verses have been to cover themselves. Quite simply, Holy Quran and Hadith are explicit upon it.

I donot want to discuss here the benefits of these Hudood and Purdah as for a researcher there are thousands of books which delve deep on this issue. I just want to convey a faithful on the plank of faithfulness. Now, whether Late Zia implemented it or someone else doesnot matter, these Hadood are in the Book of Allah and Last Messenger's Hadith. Head cover of women too has its roots in Quran and Hadith. Now, i have a question for you, hope you will answer like a good human, do you oppose Hudood and other matters referred herein above in their essence which has its roots in Quran and Hadith or you just oppose Late Zia's way of imposing it?. I know there are many people who want to change Quran who (God forbid) donot find Quran relevant for present times, are you among them, as rightly said by Iqbal "Khud badalte nahin quran ko badal dalte hain". Or you are still in a belief of defeated / dead ideology of communists?

Ms. Nousheen if you are among who hate the implementor of these Quranic deeds, i personally donot have any problem because Islam doesnot bother whether you love or hate a person because human can err, but hating Quran or its injunction is matter of siren and when the words are posted out through a muslimah. However, if you have idea number two and three, then why donot you preach it openly and face the faithful in full light. I mean you should not be hypocrite. You should not try to kill men by putting dagger in their back. A hypocrite can never be anyone's friend and cannot be faithful to any cause, not to speak of bringing glory to Pakistan. Hope you will revisit your thoughts and see what you are writing. This is a request from a person who loves Islam and feels very much disturbed when a person who appears to profess the religion of intellect, peace and righteousness and opposes it. Moreso, when a person is from Pakistan the place which was created on the toil and blood of lacs of men and women who did not sacrifice for a secular nation they were living in but for an Ideal nation of Islam. In kashmir too these days, the small boys who laid down their lives, laid them not for independent secular kashmir or this time secular Pakistan but for the greater islamic Pakistan, as a Hadith of Prophet, says a martyr is the only one who gets killed while fighting to have kalima of Allah at the highest pedestal. Nationalism, valourism and tribalism has been denouced by Prophet and per this hadith whosoever lays down his life on these causes is not fighting in the path of Allah implying is not a martyr. It has becoming a practice everywhere the men of islam lay lives and hypocrites like so called secularists, nationalists, communists then take the benefit on their sacrifices. This seems to be trend now which is seen in Pakistan and believe me here in Kashmir some people want to take advantage of this.

Ms. Nousheen, i request you to read Quran and Hadith directly of your own and see you will find a light. Allah has given you capabilities and youthfulness which can be great help for you to earn rewards here and in hereafter. When i write to you, i remember, the man from my land and your father of nation Dr. Iqbal (RA), see when our ancestors were under slavehood in all the world how he gave them strength and courage to fight back, he used to weep nights while reading Quran and we oppose it unknowingly.This quran is same which carried hudood and purdah gave strength to the lacs of muslims to get up on the call of Iqbal (RA).

Come back to Quran and Prophet (saw) but if you donot, remember, you will never be successful to build Pakistan with ideas you mentioned in your write-up. It will always be corrupt, oppressive, racist, cateist, fuedalist etc etc. It is only selfless practice of Islam which demolishes all those elements which are this time killing Pakistan. I remember, few decades back there was a Prime Minister in Britain I think in early twentieth century who said you cannot bring Muslim into submission until Quran is in them. I think he was right, you have to kill every single muslim in the world only then the western / secular thoughts and ideas can be put into place and i know the day when it will happen will be doomsday when neither a secular not an Allah walla will subsist on the back of this earth.

Come our way, the way of, Prophet Mohammed (saw), Haz Khatija (RA), Haz Aisha (RA), all Prophets companions and present day Dr. Iqbal, Dr. Deedat, Dr. Jamal Badawi, Mr. Yosuf -ul-Islam, Ab. Rahman Gree, Madam Marium Jameela, Dr. Naik, your Dr. Israr, Sayeed Anwar and lately your Waqar bhai etc etc. I love to see Waqar supporting beard he looks so beautiful. May god bless them all. Nausheen they are not all mad, then turned from the way of darkness and came to the light of Islam. Come to the light which has been covered, in your case, by the prejudices (Nafs Amara).

Mr. Zauq Dehlvi said,

Bade Mouzi ko mara gar Nafse Amara ko mara,
Nehang o Isdah o Shaire Nar ko mara to kai mara.

Hope i have been polite all along, still if at any place in my email, i have written anything which is not on the plane of politness, i regret. Eagerly, looking for your reply.

Salam.

Brother in Islam
Hamid Nilnagi,

Afghan elections - peace only through reconciliation

Afghanistan is all set to have election on Thursday 20th of August 2009 amid rising tension and violence all over the country. This is second election since US and NATO toppled Taliban Government in 2001. Under 2001 Bonn agreement Afghan Presidential elections were to be held in the 2004 but were held in the middle of September 2005 in which the current incumbent Mr. Hamid Karzai was elected President overwhelmingly. This time Mr. Karzai has a tough time in the elections though observers consider him favourite with Mr. Abdullah Abdullah Ex-Foreign Minister of Afghanistan following him.

The things in Afghanistan have turned bad to worst rather than showing any improvement. The incidents of killings, sucide bombings, landmines are not now localized in the Kandhar area but the areas which were considered highly secure due to heavy deployment of foreign and afghan troops like Kabul have repeatedly been brought under suicide bombings. There was a myth that Mr. Karzai rule extends only upto Kabul but this myth too has been turned untrue due repeated attack of Taliban bombers last of which was few days on Nato headquarters which has shaken the security apparatus. The extent of violence has expanded even to the areas like Herat.

Mr. Karzai has failed to gain anything after being incharge for last more than eight years. Law and order situation is at the lowest level. Afghan civilians are dying in greater numbers in the violence committed by both Taliban and coalition forces. The casualities of foreign troops have also risen to the highest level with July 2009 taking the highest toll of all these years. Corruption is ruling the roost. The production level of drugs including heroine has reached all time high. The rule of Afghan Government is within the circumference of Kabul rest Khuda hafiz ho tera ghalib. No considerable achievement has been made on the development front. Unrest is growing among the Afghan people against foreign occupation due to excessive human rights violation which includes indiscrimate bombings on civilian targets including marriage parties and funerals. Besides, night searches, disrespectful frisking and other issues have badly marred the position of coalition forces and Afghan Government. There have been no fruitful efforts to end the political deadlock between Government, Coalition forces and Taliban. There were reports of meetings with the moderate elements of Taliban in Saudi Arabia which bore no fruits because those who are commanding and controlling the Taliban in the battle field were not invited. Though Mr. Obama, US President and Mr. Miliband, British Foreign Minister both have recently urged to talk with the moderate Taliban but nothing substantial appears on the ground. Gravest failure on the part of coalition forces has been that they have not been able to harm any top leader either of Al Qaeda or Taliban during this whole eight year bloody war. The latest operation of coalition troops in Taliban stronghold also seems to have gone into thin air. There are fears the elections seem to be more gruesome because Taliban have threatened to disrupt the elections and have warned more violence. They have urged Afghan people to boycott the elections.

Mr. Karzai had promised a lot in the previous elections and now too in a recent debate with his opponents he has promised to make coalition troops answerable to the Afghan Government. They will not be authorized to carry on any night searches and any operations carried out by them will have to have prior sanction of Afghan Government. He has also promised to reach out to Taliban to find a lasting peace in Afghanistan. This has to be seen whether the promises made by Mr. Karzai will be adhered to, whether he will be able to impress US and its allies on the mission to reconciliation and operativibility of forces has yet to be seen, if elected for a second term.

The people of Afghanistan are desperate for peace and in view of its history, wars have never been successful in Afghanistan, reconciliation seems to be the only way, out of this quagmire. There is a need to engage Taliban, not so called moderate fellows who have no say in the command and control mechanism of Taliban, Mr. Mullah Omar and Taliban Shoura (leadership council) needs to be reined in for talks. They being the natives of Afghanistan have a role and right to decide the future of Afghanistan. Hope Mr. Karzai and others contenders would have learnt lot of lessons from the past failure and whosoever is elected will chose the path of peace and reconciliation.

By Hamid Nilnagi

As you are hurt so are we too

Once again mainstream politicians have brought disrepute and agony to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Pire-waer has been badly stigmatized by their follies. Whether it is becoming puppets in the hands of New Delhi, election rigging, instituting draconian laws, killing / torturing of thousands of fellow men and women, leasing out state land to non-state subjects, exploitation of young women, corruption etc. Now, Mr Muzzaffar Hussain Baigh has made a revelation in the State Assembly that in the list of high profile people involved in infamous sex scam of 2006 available with them Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah’s name figures at 102. All of a sudden Mr. Abdullah spoke that he is going to resign till he is not cleared of this blot on his character. However, on the way from Assembly to Governor House his unconditional resignation changed into conditional resignation which brought him in a win-win situation.

As rightly said by brother Ejaz ul Haq in his right hand column in that this is nothing but pure politics by all the mainstream politicians but some have behaved like more than loyal attitude. I would like to refer to the write up in Daily Greater Kashmir titled “This is utterly Shameful, Assembly Ruckus” the writer seems to be more shocked on the event because the accused is Chief Minister when accused were hapless Nelofar and Asiya no such response could be seen neither from the writer nor from the King’s men. Was it not a shameful act when the accused Mr. Chief Minister joined hands with those people who were involved in the rape of unknown number of hapless women in Gujarat and enjoyed the ministerial berth? Was it not shameful and more shocking act when Mr. Chief Minister came out in the media and said that two innocent girls at Shopian were not raped but got killed by drowning? Was it not sham when the Mr. Chief Minister’s Jan Commission rather than identifying the culprits of the ghastly crime at Shopian cast aspersions on the character of the husband / brother of the two victims?

Mr. Tanvir is hurt because Mr. Omar Abdullah the king is under fire. As rightly said by the poet “dia ranj butoon ne to khuda yaad aaya”. Mr. Abdullah is hurt, all other mainstream leaders from the coalition seem to be hurt, the men in Delhi seem to be hurt. Has anyone of us assessed how much hurt would have been the brother and husband of these Shopian women when you cast aspersions on his character and try to involve him in his own destruction, when you cast doubt on the brother of Nelofar etc etc. The basis is said that he eloped; the basis is he married with the girl of higher caste; the basis is that he had disproportionate assets etc etc. A question arises if we measure with the same rod or in a same parlance the issue of accused Mr. Chief Minister then how will you behave. How much hurt you and your Chief Minister will be.

The writer weeps that the sanctity of the house has been tarnished. Which house is talked about? The house, people of which have history of being elected by fraud, rigging and New Delhi’s ashirwaad and have least public participation. The house which has been instrumental with playing with the sentiments and aspirations of the people. The house which has been time and again used by New Delhi to silence the will of the people and encroach upon the slightly leftover autonomy under Article 373. We need to understand that no house is bigger than the dignity of our women.

And lastly for the information of all those sympathizer of all these mainstream parties, it is not Mr. Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and his party alone who has alleged Mr. Omar Abdullah and his widely known romantic father to be involved in the shameful scam in which our sisters were exploited for employment and release of their near and dear ones from the cages of Government. It is true that Mr. Beigh want to earn a mileage out of it this time when at their own time they did not act against it but kept mum. Let us have a look what one of the leading English daily The Hindu has to say in its 29th July 2009 paper under its title “Omar’s resignation extinguishes flames of scandal” the relevant portion of which is reproduced as under:

“Highly placed government sources said the document displayed by Mr. Baig was produced by the police for internal use in early May 2006.

Based on interviews with key figures in the prostitution ring, Shahidganj Sub-Divisional Police Officer Javed Kaul compiled a list of over 90 men alleged to have used Ms. Bulla’s services. The report included Mr. Abdullah’s name, police sources said, based on the fact that his phone number figured in a diary recovered from Ms. Bulla and uncorroborated testimony by an alleged member of the ring. Later, though, the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. CBI detectives rapidly exonerated many of those named in Mr. Kaul’s report.

Moreover, CBI sources say, several individuals named in Mr. Kaul’s document turned out to be targets of blackmail by Ms. Bulla’s associates. Mr. Abdullah himself, the sources said, taped a call from a Srinagar-based television journalist who demanded payoffs in return for his name being dropped from the testimony of one alleged sex worker. In response to a query from The Hindu, Mr. Abdullah refused to either confirm or deny this account.”

Let us not act as someone’s stooge but we must represent the common Kashmiri views who are hurt as these king’s men are always treating us differently. Let them understand everyone has got respect and dignity whether it is Chief Minister or a common Kashmiri. If Chief Minister and his coterie is hurt common Kashmiri is hurt too who is waiting for indentification of those inhuman beasts who committed this dastardly act in Shopian.

In all this there is a lesson for Mr. Chief Minister and others if he takes a cue from it.

By Hamid Nilnagi
haamidi2003@yahoo.co.in
Also visit
http://hamidnilnagi.blogspot.com