Daily Times

What is a ‘silent majority’? Why does it stay silent? What is its role in a society? How long it needs to stay silent and when must it speak? Is silence at some point almost criminal? Or has this ‘majority’ become silent out of fear?

The silent majority is an unspecified large majority of people in a country or group who do not express their opinions publicly. The term was popularised by US President Richard Nixon in a November 3, 1969, speech in which he said, “And so tonight — to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans — I ask for your support.” In this usage it referred to those Americans who did not join in the large demonstrations against the Vietnam War, who did not join in the political opposition, and who did not participate in public discourse. Whatever Nixon’s motives had been the strength of the ‘silent majority’ was recognised. He saw this group as being overshadowed in the media by the more vocal minority.

The ‘silent majority’ must play a constructive role in critical situations for a nation. Such a situation has developed in Pakistan. It is said that 80 percent of Pakistanis believe in the fact that Islam gives the message of peace. The message of peace is repeated again and again in the Holy Quran. Also, all believers in other religions who were blessed by the Almighty’s message through holy books, namely Zabur, Taurat, and Injil are to be respected. The Quran even indicates other prophets not known to us. Compassion, charity, social responsibility, welfare, and mutual respect are the essence of human behaviour. If the ‘silent majority’ in Pakistan believes in these peaceful values, then how is aggression and intolerance creeping in?

In hindsight one is inclined to believe that it has not happened in a day. The poisoning has been slow and over at least 60 years and has continued. One would like to hope, without the desire of blood but for gaining political power. Unfortunately, it has shed a lot of blood and shaken society.

Two groups involved in this activity can be identified. One is the determined self-righteous group of claimants to religious expertise who did not believe in Quaid-e-Azam’s vision of an enlightened Pakistan. Second, equally responsible, is the ‘silent majority’ whose members did not study the Quran’s message themselves and accepted anything given to them by persons in typical attires, to be the teachings of the Holy Quran. I have personally experienced that some individual quoted Arabic verses in support of an incorrect message, which were not actually from the Quran. May Allah forgive such proponents and also forgive those who are misled. The silent majority found it convenient to give up their responsibility of learning from the Quran and succumbed to the lethargy of letting someone else claim expertise. This was a critical mistake. Even today substantial amount of hate literature is being circulated by extremist sects in the name of Islam and misleading people.

Also responsible are some of those on the pulpit who misuse their privilege. Their hands were strengthened by the ‘Objectives Resolution’ being adopted in preference to the Quaid’s guidelines in his speech of the August 11, 1947, to the Constituent Assembly. The aggressive sectarians looked for greater slice of support from the simple-minded and increased their street power and added an element of fear for those who did not comply with their views. So the story goes on.

The agitations of the mid-1950s were confronted but still these sent a message to political operatives that the effort had some potential. The radicals continued to monopolise the religious rituals, and found the ‘elite’ and so-called liberals compliant. The room for manipulation by the religious groups kept increasing. This created a more dangerous situation. Now the silent majority, instead of learning and acquiring the knowledge themselves, completely surrendered and preferred to side with one strong group or the other. A powerful monster of radicals came into existence that had a taste for power. The silent majority is now a hostage of aggressive religious-political groupings and mafias. These groupings are destroying peace by in-fighting for power. They have no scruples; everything is acceptable including foreign help and coercion. The target is hegemony over the nation for their brand of religion. Killings, fatwas, rewards, head money are all going on. Members of the ‘silent majority’ think and hope that they will not be the targets but actually they are sitting ducks. If the so-called ‘silent majority’ does not get motivated to save its belief that Islam upholds peace and the finest human values, then it can only be interpreted to be ‘silent partners’ in crime and nothing else. I believe this is not what the majority of the people in this country can find acceptable. If my optimism is justified, then each member of society will stand up and should be counted. Each one will gain strength from the study of the Quran and reject anything that is concocted. Each member must raise his/her voice against the ‘mortals’ who assume the right to declare a ‘kalima-goh’ as non-Muslim. Society as a whole must insist on the sovereignty of the Almighty and refuse to accept the commands of the individuals who try to exercise His powers. The ‘silent’ must raise their voice now, prevail upon the media, government agencies, courts, educational institutions, civil bureaucrats, and everywhere else to de-radicalise the nation. After the killing of Salmaan Taseer and the events thereafter, the message must be read loud and clear. The ‘silent majority’ must not stay silent anymore. Any more silence will be a criminal consent. The role of the ‘silent majority’ at this point is to restore the sanity in the people and uphold the values they believe in. They must speak loud and clear in voice and in action. If we all do so, there will be hope.

The writer is a culture and media management specialist, a researcher, author, director and actor