Saturday 5 November 2016

"MENACE Which is dividing PAKISTAN" ---- By Rehman Wazir (Edited by Saif Ud Deen Haider, Alishba & Maira)

Ever noticed how the News keeps flashing all around about the atrocities being carried out
against the Shia community? Every single day they're subject to the killings of Pakistan. Suicide attacks and bullets being hurled at them, grenades thrown, trying to hurt them in every way possible. If we could just think about them for once, instead of ourselves, and just realize that; before they're over one of the tragedies they face, they're struck by another vicious act, not even giving them Enough time for the flower petals on their loved ones grave to dry. Such a shame to see how all these Cruelties go and move in such a good way, well sequenced and very well precise/organized, harming people to the max extent, even I at times am left with my jaw dropping, at such horrifically detailed planning and discipline.

I was born to a Sunni Muslim family. Raised in such a society where Shias were considered and are still somehow considered as 'Kafirs' (disbelievers) but how can we judge or decline who's right and who's wrong, who are we to judge without any education about them, or self-awareness for their sect? Shia and Non-Muslims is the concept, that would not just stop till verbal accusations like considering them a Kafir, but then also hate them till our last breath and to the extreme levels of hatred. And in result Killing them as they are somehow 'Shia-the non-believers.' But as we are humans and I believe being a human, we need to Research, and carry out an investigation for the facts and reality, and to look at the other side of the picture, To find the truth, and find the solution to the problem and all other areas that come under this heading. Though I am not a religious cleric, authorised to issue verdict, nor amid those “BLACK SHEEPS” who would simply just kick anyone out of the boundaries of faith. but for those who randomly proceed with “DECLARING KAAFIRS”, wide spereads “HATE SPEECH” and issues the decrees of killing people who do not agree with them. In the name of religion the believers of different cults and creeds had been mercilessly shedding the blood of humans. They sure as hell are foreign to the Principles of Islam, We are Muslims. Our God is one, our Prophet is one, our Quran is one and our Kaaba is one. Then why are we divided? We should adhere to the Islamic Principles. We will have to restudy our history in the light of logic and facts. We will have to interpret the Quran according to the needs of time. We must abandon the sectarian approach and promote the Islamic principles of unity.


So I started my research when I first left my home at the age of 16. I have been hostelite for two years during my FSC studies at a cadet college, but I found no Shia being close fellow of mine in those two years, and even not a single of them at my college. Then I took admission for my bachelor's studies at an Institution 'Edwards College' one of the century old institutions of Pakistan, Here at the start or the very beginning we were told something, I still remember very clearly my teacher uttered saying; "Religion is something not to be discussed here” Quoted by my Christian teacher. He said this was just to put a halt to our concept of brutality, killing and hate. And right here, this started my career as a factual researcher. My teachers, class fellows, Clark staff, peon, workers, Mass employers. every corner I looked to, I found myself looking at Sunnis, Shias, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and maybe even Atheists (disbelievers of God) all working together. The institute had a Masjid (Mosque) for the Muslims at one side and at the other corner of my college, it had a Church for the Christians, both of whose gates were wide open. We had same classes for our lectures and we were part of the same student clubs and societies. Why? The answer was very clear. The very basic codes and rules were to spread and share nothing but Love and Peace. But as my subject of article is basically “The Shia sect" and about the atrocities and brutalities they are facing every single day, all due to the concept of 'Shias are Kafirs.' And it's the cause of this illogical concept that their whole life is shattered and is in danger, and it's cause of this exact same concept that their businesses are declining and they have shadows of fear prevailing them everywhere. Though the current ongoing terrorism has added fuel to it and leaving no difference of Shias and Sunnis, but still their case is exceptional and different in terms of sectarianism violence. I want to put this question to all the intellectuals and bloodthirsty believers out there, distributing VERDICTS about how the Shia's faith is wrong and how they are forcing them to convert to the ideology they think is 'acceptable’?. However, will anyone of them or will anyone in this world accept your Idea that you’re forcefully imposing? Yes, they will accept it just because of fear and threats(and leaving them hopeless to practice their religion at peace) but it will increase the inner hate, antagonism, violence and counter reactions. After all, obviously What could be the response of killing someone with bullets? indeed the exact same thing that we carry out. (I.e. brutalities)


Currently my life is passing as a university student and part of the international Relations program, where each day I have to face, sit , even party and have fun with Shias, and it has me in a total state of confusion, leaving me to compare how the disgusting injected concept has ruined and at the same time built ideas of us. The good and the bad. All these that I've tried to explain in a few lines is basically me trying to explain the real lack of awareness we all have, including lack of awareness in; education, the education of science, exploring, religious education, and also the very know about of our ONE common religion 'ISLAM’. So let us come and sit at the same table and accept the reality. Let's shake our hands together for the elimination of such concepts of VIOLENCE and the very exact same target killing against each other just at the name of 'sectarianism issues.' Let's cover the roof under the banner of being a true Pakistani. If we could just see how us Muslims are split at such a thing, divided and how we kill each other and how other minorities like Christian, Sikh and Hindus which represent the white part of our country's flag actually feel? If the green part of Muslim majority is divided into parts cutting it each day into pieces; indeed the white- (the minority) are going to face a lot much trouble in their homes just by thinking about their lives. And Shias in that sense will come under the banner of minority, that is IF we don't start to accept and treat them equally. Don't exploit these sacred lives, all lives matter. Everyone should be able to practice their religion freely, It's not Just a common duty of A Pakistani to let them free be to worship but also as a Muslim, as the Quran quotes; "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion." [Surah Baqarah- 256) and neither should we divide ourselves into sects where the Quran again Quotes "Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah ; then He will inform them about what they used to do." [6:159] We're all Muslims and We're all Pakistanis and we better need to start acting like one, before there's only green left of our beloved flag. 

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