October the cruel monthWriting in the Jang, historian Dr Safdar Mehmood stated that the greatest-in-history earthquake had hit Pakistan in the month of October. In October, too, Pakistan had to fight its war in Kashmir after the Indians grabbed it unfairly. Also in October Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister, was killed. In October the governor general Ghulam Muhammad dissolved the Constituent Assembly. In the same month did Ayub Khan and Iskander Mirza impose Pakistan’s first martial law. Finally, Pervez Musharraf too overthrew the government of Nawaz Sharif in the month of October.
Offended by truth?
The daily Nawa-e-Waqt, in its column Sarerahe, greatly minded the letter supposedly written by the federal education ministry to the provincial textbook boards that in future, instead of simply praising the Muslim rule in India, facts may be given and great rulers like Ashoka be described objectively while, instead of describing the great religious achievements of Aurangzeb, his treatment of non-Muslims too be described. Further, the British period may be positively assessed and instead of Muslim commanders, the achievements of Alexander the Great be highlighted. The column expressed great anger at the instruction.
Finland’s telephone dept earns more than Pakistan
Writing in the Jang, Dr Farooq Hassan stated that America had only temporarily suspended its laws stopping aid to Pakistan, meaning that Pakistan’s war against terrorism was of no use and that Pakistan could be subjected to stoppage of aid any time. About Pakistan’s $12 billion of reserves, one had to note Finland’s telephone department making a profit of $18 billion.
Exploiting the earthquake
The daily Khabrain highlighted the criminal activities of the citizens in the aftermath of the biggest earthquake in Pakistan’s history. People were reported looting the dead bodies and houses of the affectees, dacoits were reported as looting the citizens while the entire nation was in mourning. There were citizens who came out in Lahore collecting money by the roadside, saying that it would go to the quake victims. The paper also reprimanded the TV cable owners for showing songs and dance. It criticised the showing of films in cinemas halls too.
Earthquake as divine punishment
According to the Jang, a large number of religious leaders in Lahore stated that the earthquake that killed thousands of people in Pakistan was divine punishment for the people’s dereliction from Islam. Those who reprimanded the Muslims and asked them to start praying for forgiveness were Dr Sarfraz Naeemi, Allama Maqsood Qadiri and Hafiz Abdul Ghaffar Ropari. One Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer came up with an interesting theory,: that ordinary innocent Muslims are punished with death by God if the rulers are bad.
Was it punishment of God?
Speaking to the daily Pakistan, senator SM Zafar said that floods in America and the earthquake in Pakistan had been interpreted as divine punishment. But there was a difference in the Muslim mind. If the calamity fell on a non-Muslim state it was called the curse of God, but when it fell on a Muslim, it was called a test. He said that the main thing was whether it was a test or a curse. The important thing was to prepare for the next one and plan for self-protection.
Dam-building forbidden by Islam
Reported in Khabrain, religious leader Abdul Wahab Chachar, Sheikhul Hadith of Jamia Sharia Rohri, said in Karachi that the Kalabagh Dam was not allowed by Islam in light of the fatwa given by 300 ulema 15 years ago. No one had opposed the fatwa by another fatwa, therefore the dam could not be built.
Imam Mehdi is about to appear!
Quoted in Khabrain, chief of Jamia Ashrafia Maulana Abdur Rehman Ashrafi stated that Imam Mehdi had made his entry and was about to appear in public. He said that the coming of Imam Mehdi will be a clear sign of Qiamat (End of the World). He added that the recent earthquake was a low-grade sampling of what will happen on the Day of Judgement. He said that one Maulana Sarfraz had been told by Allah that Imam Mehdi was about to make his first announcement. It was also revealed that Imam Mehdi would appear while Sarfraz was alive and Sarfraz was already 86 years old. Sarfraz went for Hajj every year to meet Imam Mehdi there because it was divinely ordained that the Imam would be there.
Mehmood Mirza’s challenging book
Writing in the Jang, Prof Dr Manzur Ahmad stated that Mehmood Mirza’s book Muslim Riasat Jadeed Kaisay Banay had challenged traditional thinking in Islam. Muslims were generally opposed to new knowledge and did not like freedom of expression in this regard. The self-criticism seen in the works of Sir Syed, Allama Iqbal and Dr Fazlur Rehman was no longer in evidence. Religious leaders did not allow any analytical rationalism in discussions. There was a reluctance to express new thoughts because of fear of violence. There was much deductive thinking from the scripture and jurisprudence based on an intellectually debased level by the clergy. Above all, the Muslims were not able to reconcile modern economics to Islam because of their reading of medieval juristic opinion that they treated as final.