Daily Times

In Hans Christian Andersen’s renowned folktale “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” an emperor obsessed with new attire is approached by two swindlers claiming that they can weave the most magnificent fabric invisible to those unfit for their office or those who are simply foolish. The emperor hires them for a hefty sum, and they pretend to weave the cloth. Once the “clothes” are supposedly woven, the emperor sends officials to check on the progress. None of them want to admit they can’t see the clothes, so they praise the invisible fabric out of fear of being seen as unfit for their position. Finally, the emperor himself goes to see it and, though he sees nothing, he also pretends to admire the clothes. Finally, in a grand procession, the emperor parades in his “new clothes.” People, not wanting to appear foolish, praise him, becoming part of a communal lie.

Although we might laugh at the irony of this situation, it is paradoxically evident that we are living this story today, becoming part of a whole communal lie. Despite millennia having passed since this story was passed down through generations, we still exhibit what in sociology is referred to as “herd mentality.” Even exemplifying this is not difficult as it is a daily deity of our society. Just a month ago, in Madyan, Swat, a man was burned alive in a case of alleged blasphemy of the Holy Quran. This man was a tourist from the eastern Punjab province who was staying at a hotel in the town when a mob accused him of burning pages of the Quran. They took him out of police custody and burned him alive after mercilessly mutilating him. Another similar incident recently occurred in Sargodha, Punjab, where a 70-year-old Christian man was attacked by a group of people who accused him of desecrating the Quran. He died after nine days due to his injuries. What peace they are trying to preach is anyone’s guess.

There is a need to streamline the judicial system and propose targeted solutions.

Even we are not alien to these kinds of situations. Pakistan has emerged from a secular state to an Islamist state at an unprecedented rate. The debate over whether Pakistan’s foundation finds its roots in Islam or not will never end, as history and historians, one of whom includes the eminent Pakistani writer Ayesha Jalal, fail to agree.

According to Dr Jalal, until the very last moment of independence, there was room for shaping the emerging state based solely on federated units rather than religious ideology. One cannot perceive that a man as genius as Quaid-e-Azam would let a country rot in the abyss of Islamic extremism. This is why he repeatedly told his listeners that Pakistan would “not be a theocratic state to be run by priests with a divine mission.” Unfortunately, he departed very early, and that marked the beginning of the facets of this newly emerged polity becoming Islamized.

In a world where peace and freedom are urgently needed, our tendencies toward religious extremism appear as a source of another ongoing conflict. It is true that the law-making bodies have improved over time, and so has the rule of law. However, in matters of religion, people tend to forget their human values too, validating their herd mentality. In a similar vein, a famous image circulating on the internet starkly illustrates how religious fanaticism has led to absurdity. The image depicts a religious man standing beside a corpse and is quoted as saying, “He didn’t believe that my religion is peaceful, so I killed him.”

Looking at the number of blasphemy cases in Pakistan, one can clearly see how deeply staggering these numbers are. Thousands of cases are registered each year, and people are killed mercilessly in the name of religion. According to the Center for Justice, an independent research group, since 1987 around 2,000 people have been accused of blasphemy, and at least 88 people have been killed because of such allegations. This occurred during a time when, under the façade of the Cold War, Pakistan was wrecking its own social, religious, and political fabric in order to please America. The country has been taking turns since then, without reaching a threshold level.

Almost every country has laws to address blasphemy, yet individuals often dare to take the law into their own hands in the name of Jihad. The rise in such incidents indicates that extremists in this region are bold and fearless, seemingly unintimidated by potential consequences. They receive financial and moral support from like-minded individuals and groups who share their extremist views. Not only local people but also those who portray themselves as guardians of religion play a major role in this. Some political parties openly assist these extremists, pushing large segments of society to adopt and propagate their beliefs.

The most effective counter to a religious extremist is to challenge them to a constructive, peaceful debate. However, they frequently refuse, content with the “herd mentality” that absolves them of independent thought. Victims, particularly minorities, and their families desperately await a response from the state, but their hope is often met with disappointment. The madrassa system, dedicated to religious education, significantly contributes to the propagation of religious extremism, especially in cases of blasphemy. These institutions often endorse a narrow-minded approach to religious beliefs, fostering intolerance towards different religions. While freedom of religion is essential, this vulnerable institution requires supervision and oversight to prevent misuse.

Neither Islam nor any other religion decrees that minorities and people who commit blasphemy are to be considered “Untermensch,” a term used by extremist German Nazis for non-Aryan people. There is a need to streamline the judicial system and propose targeted solutions. Stringent actions must be taken to focus on education that promotes equality, responsibility, and the rule of law. Either way, the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” ends with a child shouting, “But the emperor hasn’t got anything on!” Those who are sane and unbiased will not cease to tell the truth.

The writer is a freelance columnist.