Daily Times

Sir: According to a dictionary definition, a mullah is a male religious teacher who practises Islam in letter and spirit. However, my knowledge of mullah given to me by my parents and culture says that a mullah is someone who has a beard, wears shalwar kameez and knows the rituals of Islam. Looking into the behaviour of the mullahs of Pakistan, I am compelled to think and believe that beyond these identification marks, they carries no distinction. Recently, a cleric of Muzaffargarh, Maulvi Ibrahim Chisti declared jihad against the Polio campaign by saying that Polio drops are ‘poisonous’ and ‘against Islam’ vindicating his stamen with an easy sell argument that ‘polio was a western conspiracy’. Let me quote a hadith here to remind such mullah’s the practice adopted by our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in curing diseases.

Ones some people came to Madina and fell sick. The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told them to drink the milk of camel…and after a few days, they recovered and grew fat. Bukhaari (2855) Muslim (1671)

In another similar case, a cleric and ex-MNA, Maulana Abdul Haleem from Balochistan, has issued a fatwa (decree) declaring that those women who were working with non-governmental organisations could be captured and forcibly ‘married’ to local men, if they dare worked on women’s education, health or welfare projects.

Let us see the command of our Prophet on this issue. “No previously-married woman may be married until she has been asked about her wishes and no virgin should be married until her permission has been asked.” Bukhaari (4741)

It is unfortunate that these mullahs are slave to their narrow understanding of Islam and are completely oblivion to the true massage of Quran. I think waging jihad against these clerics is more important than taking up sword against foreign elements. These people are a source of greater damage to Islam than any non-Muslims enemy.

NASRAT HAFIZ BALOCH

Turbat