Daily Times

In a graphic photo, a black goat held by four men lies on the ground, its head held tilted upwards, neck slit open, and bright red blood flowing out of its jugular veins. After a tragedy like that of December 7, any other airline would have launched an extensive investigation to understand why did the incident that engulfed forty-seven lives happen and to explore how it can be avoided in future. Does it mean that they look for a scapegoat (metaphorical not literal like ours) and make an example out of it? Some of us would always feel that way, but indeed such an exercise is conducted to serve one purpose: to reorganise and restructure the whole system that failed the passengers. So, you expect to see a group of dressed up aeronautical engineers equipped with the computers inspecting the plane engines, an army of mechanics working on the ATR with their tools, the officers instructing them to ensure the safety procedures are followed as described in the books.

But our response to such an event does not follow the normal rules of the world. Instead, it follows the laws of a parallel universe which do not follow logic or reason, a universe which exists in our minds more than anywhere else. Accordingly, we do not understand why we should construct a theory based on scientific explanations — the laws of physics, as we can explain the same incidence through a conspiracy theory — an evil spirit working behind the scenes or through a metaphysical genie conniving to harm us?

A lot can be and is being written about the details: the process through which a live animal is brought next to the plane setting aside all the rules, the loopholes that allowed the animal to be slaughtered in the premises of the airport, the executive who approved and cleared the whole exercise. Nonetheless, I do not want to talk about these technical issues. Rather, I want to focus on the mindset, the beliefs that lead the staff to perform the barbaric ritual, photograph it and then publicise it. Of course, they did not see anything wrong in it. Lambs, after all, are slaughtered every other day in the households to seize similar objectives.

The question, therefore, before me is not about the procedure, it is about the convictions — yours, mine and the society’s as a whole. So tell me first, do you personally not believe in black magic, its powers, or its (alleged) widespread use in the sub-continent? How many of you have been informed at one point or another that you were bewitched; and its effects were erased only by the formula provided by the Sufi Saheb or Baba Ji?

To make things worse, the system of belief does not stop at sorcery alone. Along with the black magic, which in itself has numerous branches, there exist spirits who can possess us and take over our decision-making capacity. We also have got genies who share this world with us. Some of them are captured by human beings (like Aladdin), who use them as their personal supernatural slaves. Few, instead of being captured themselves, capture us as a vessel converting the subjects into demons, psychopaths or schizophrenics.

Furthermore, we also believe the jealousy of a friend can cause us to lose our health or precious possessions. An envious look of a relative may lead to a significant loss in business. A poor man’s grief can bring about suffering to our children. Our parents can get an incurable disease if we refuse to pay the roadside professional beggar. The agony of our employees can result in a roadside accident. However, the good news is each one of these afflictions comes with a specific set of antidotes just like antibiotics working on specific bacteria. If the treatment of one problem lies in slaughtering the animal, the other can be mitigated by charity. If one could be dealt with prayers alone, everything would have been solved through the recitation of Scripture. How do you find out the right course of the plan? Mostly through a self-proclaimed mystic or a nearby cleric.

So before you make fun of the people sacrificing the goat, please take a closer look at yourself and ask: Which one of these supernatural forces do you believe in and which ones you do not? If you do not find yourself ready to commit and outright negate the role of black magic causing direct harm to human beings, the spirits flying around the planes, the envious looks resulting in the demise of friends, the human beings casting a spell through genies and using them as ‘superheroes,’ then you must not condemn the actions of the people at the airport either. Since in that case, they are doing exactly what you believe in with one difference — they are more courageous and straight forward than you are. They are doing in public what you want to do in a closet. If their action is wrong, then yours is twice as worse, because you are committing the crime of hypocrisy as well.

The writer is a US-based freelance columnist. He tweets at @KaamranHashmi and can be reached at skamranhashmi@gmail.com