SAY “NO” TO TALIBAN!

There was the time when people used to have academic debates regarding the status of the non-Muslim minorities in Pakistan. But, now-a-days, people are compelled to discuss the status of the Pakistani Muslims who have disagreed with the Taliban extremists. ( Terrorism is a universal problem) However, it becomes difficult to root it out when there is a difference of opinion on it.  Unfortunately, we are facing the same situation in our country. There are some religious and political parties who are trying to defend the terrorism by terming it as “reciprocal retaliation”.

The most disappointing aspect of this tragedy is that we have already lost the thousands of human lives as a result of the terrorism of Taliban, yet these elements are still defending the culprits.  As per the teachings of Islam, can killing our own innocent Muslims be allowed in the name of Islam? Was that Pakistan that the Quadi-e-Azam Muhammd AliJinnah wanted to make?

The Taliban supporters back extremists saying, “Taliban, in fact, are the students of the Quran and the Sunna, thus, they should not be opposed by us.” We must not forget that the companions of the Last Prophet (PBUH) were the true students of the Quran and Sunna. Did any of the companions of the Last Prophet (PBUH) try to ill-treat a small Muslim girl in the way Malala became the victim? Did they anyhow leave the battle field and hide themselves behind the common people like the Taliban did? Did it ever happen in the era of the Last Prophet or during the tenure of the Muslim Caliphs that they started taking revenge from their own Muslim community as a result of the attacks by the enemies??

When no, then why to support these evil minded people?

Our religious scholars frequently quote the famous incident of a non-Muslim old woman who used to throw litter on the Last Prophet (PBUH) everyday when he passed by her house. We know very well that such an act was certainly the disrespect of our Prophet (PBUH). But, did the  any of followers (Sahaba-e-Karaam) of the LastProphet (PBUH) misbehave with her for that act? Did any of them announce to target her? No, they did not do so as it was not the teaching of their leader (Muhammad___PBUH).  It was not the threat, but the lenience of the Last Prophet (PBUH) that she herself embraced Islam.  Then, what kind of Islam Taliban and their supporters are trying to impose in Pakistan? If, God forbids, the Talibani Islam is enforced in the country, would the disagreeing Pakistani Muslims have to come across the same problems that the non-Muslim minorities have been facing for a long time??  Is that the Pakistan that the Quaid-e-Azam envisioned?

It is the obvious part of the history that the Muslims of the undivided India had to form All India Muslim League as a reaction against the religiously biased policies towards them. The prejudice was the result of the hatred with their religion. That was the reason why all the Muslims despite pertaining to different ethnicities, cultures, languages and regions got together as a community of the followers of Islam.

It should be kept in mind that if the British government as well as the Hindu leadership had not been biased towards the Muslims, but had shown equal respect for them, the division of India would not have taken place. If the policy of “live and let to live” had been followed, the Hindus might not have come a cross the division of their country in 1947. In other words, it was the discriminating policies on the basis of the religion by the majority against the minority, the division of the sub-continent emerged.

Taking into account all these facts, should the Muslims repeat the same mistake by making Pakistan a Muslim-extremist country for the non-Muslim minorities? Can Pakistan afford any sort of religious or sectarian disturbance? Would it be wise to incite such kind of unrest in our society? When no, then why should we not give similar importance to other religious communities that the Muslims of the un-divided India were demanding from the Hindus and the British government before the demand of separate land for them.

Therefore, having faced the same religiously discriminating attitude in India as Muslim minority, the founder of Pakistan the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah gave non-Muslim Pakistanis the equal rights like the other Muslim Pakistani citizens. In the speech on 11th August 1947, he said, “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state” He further said, “We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens of one state.”

In the light of the Sunna of the Last Prophet and the clear vision of the founder of Pakistan, do we still need any sort of Talibani system for our country? Taking into the rising threats from the terrorists and their continuous support by some political and religious parties, the time has come when the people of Pakistan would have to decide if they want Pakistan as per the vision of the Quaid-e-AzamMuhammad Ali Jinnah or the one that the evil minded Taliban are trying to turn it into. May Allah strengthen us to stand up against the evil minded Taliban…Aameen!