Daily Times

We all witnessed mayhem on TV across the country butI had a firsthand view of the turmoil. It was senseless andbrazen defiance of authority leading to complete chaos. I was crossing a roundabout when I saw a small group ofyoungsters wielding sticks, lighting fires, beating up people and breaking wind-shields of the cars. I am no novice to political demonstrations after spendingfive decades in politics.However, this planned disruption, deliberate violence intended to create fear and intimidation was inimitable.This is not Islam!

This is not what my Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) preached or practised. He was an epitome of love, care, affection, kindness and generosity. Yes, he was firm when it came to Huqooq Ullah (Rights of Allah)and strict when ensuring Huqooq-ul-Ibad (Rights of People).

It was over forty years ago when I got my first opportunity to pay homage to Roza-e-Rasool on the 27thnight of Ramadan. Those days crowds were smaller and restriction were very few. I was fortunate to sit near the Roza to say my Nawafil (optional Muslim salah) and recite my favourite verses from the Holy Quran. Tears rolled down duringDua (prayer)as I sought blessings of Allah. I came back feeling cleansed, filled with joyand with a spring in my walk.

Since then, I had many opportunities to revisit the holy place with the same or more intense feelings. My beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) has never let me down. I seek his guidance, Allah’s blessing in his name and get a strong sense of protection. I have read accounts about him and his life by the Muslim and the Western authors. They all came to the same conclusion; he is the greatest human that has ever lived. He does not need these irrational unruly mobs to defend his honour. The best way to honour him is to follow his teachings and footsteps. From a humble beginning in Medina,our Holy Prophet inspired mankind to become better humans and spread the message of Islam throughout the world.

I am fond of history. During my travels many years ago, I visitedthe southern Spanish city of Cordoba and visited “La Mezquita” (The Great Mosque of Cordoba). This glorious mosque reflects full splendour of the Muslim era. I drove onto Granada to visit Al-Hamra “the Red One” palace and fortress to get the true flavour of the spread of Islam. A few years ago during a visit to Romania, my host took me to the fortress where Salahuddin knocked down resistance from Europe. From Istanbul to Delhi to Agra, all the places that I was fortunate to visit, one understands what true belief can achieve.

Somewhere along the way Muslims lost their way. From being the pioneers in multiple fields, we have degenerated. While the West built universities,the Muslim rulers built palaces. The ruling elite amassed fortunes and consolidated personal power,brutalisingthe common man instead of defending his rights. For over a century, lack of education and ignorance led the disenfranchised poor to gravitate towards factions within Islam that preached intolerance and aggression. These leaders trampled over Huqooq-ul-Ibad while promoting Huqooq Ullah through their own interpretations aimed at perpetuating their power base.

Pakistan came into being in the name of Islam. The rights and duties towards fellow Muslims and mankind, “Huqooq-ul-Ibad” exist today as follows: the leaders loot the nation; the judiciary has failed to dispense justice; traders fleece the poor,the police brutalise the masses instead of providing security,inefficient bureaucracy is busy in piling up wealth, Mullahs create friction and promote violence,ignorant politicians aretotallyself-indulgent, Mafias are sucking human blood,the powerful elite has captured resources and institutions, farmlandsare being converted to urban jungles, water resources are being wasted, and self-serving media is promoting divisions in society.

How have we reached here? By aping the West blindly and by adopting Westminster democracy! Did anyone bother to study whether it suited our needs? Were we ready for it? It was blindly promoted by blind followers of the West with no awareness of our rural dynamics. Intellectuals, lawyers and civil society are living in a world of idealism. The rural elite jumped at the opportunity fully aware of their iron grip in their spheres of influence. They would always have the lion’s share regardless of who rules the country.

What have we achieved? Weak, selfish divided governments are restricted in their ability to bring any meaningful change to this corrupt and inefficient two-tiered system where individuals are stronger than the institutions. It has created two set of laws: one for the poor, the other for the rich and the powerful.

The nation needs to revisit the basics of our system of governance. It is no longer a unipolar world with USA dictating everything. It is now a regional world with local alliances based on common interests. It is no longer a divide between capitalism and communism that we grew up with. It is a divide between Western democracy and Eastern authoritarianism. For many years, I have been looking for a success story of Westminster democracy in the developing world that is not corrupt and inefficient. I will elaborate on the realities of the new world in my future writings. We require changing the systems for changing times to safeguard”Huqooq-ul-Ibad”.

The writer is Director CERF, a non profit, charitable organization Canada. President Punjab University Alumni Association