Daily Times

In a magnanimous tweet, Junaid Jamshed, the former pop singer turned preacher absolved the people who assaulted him a couple of weeks ago. “I forgive all my attackers at Ibd [Islamabad] airport. I pray that may Allah give us the strength to love and respect each other irrespective,” he wrote. “Let us all love and respect each other irrespective of our ideologies and make Pakistan a safe haven for everyone.” Along with the tweet, a video clip of his lecture has also emerged on social media in which he extended his compassion once again. While addressing a small group of his supporters, he said we (referring to himself) are the people with big heart. We consider them (the attackers) as our brothers and forgive them. We admit that they may adore the prophet (pbuh) much more than us, but we hold him dear to our heart as well. So please, in the name of God, do not call us blasphemous.

Listening to Jamshed, it seems as though he is finally spreading the real message of Islam, a message of tolerance, humanity and kindness, a message that promotes pluralism in which difference in ideologies does not matter, and what matters is the peaceful coexistence of every religion. However, he is not doing that; he is using these terms to forward his own agenda. Don’t trust me? Ask him how he feels about giving ‘love and respect’ to Ahmadis, and when he would speak to show a ‘big heart’ for them too. We know the answer to that already, don’t we?

Anyways, in my opinion, people who attacked him at the airport or those who filed a blasphemy case against him have not sought an apology from him. Why should they? Despite of what we think of their action, they believe they have not done anything wrong. They did what they thought was necessary to preserve the honour of the youngest wife of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), Hazrat Ayesha (RA), and attacked a person who had (allegedly) blasphemed against her. Their devotion to the family of the prophet called for an immediate action. Inaction, after seeing him and having him in their reach would have meant hypocrisy, and for them being a hypocrite is worse than being a non-believer.

So if they are not asking him, why is Jamshed insisting on extending his goodwill? Why does he have to tell them that he does not intend to confront them? A neutral person may be impressed by his generosity and believe his words, but for people who understand how strong the sentiments running against him are, his offer of peace looks as though a prey is forgiving its predator in order to establish a cordial relationship. They realise that his apology in December 2014 after the incident has not done the trick to calm down the Barelvis, the sub-sect of Sunnis who launched the police report against him. Upset as ever, they are in no mood to let Junaid Jamshed, a Deobandi, off the hook.

Jamshed knows this as well. After all, he too is in the same business of triggering religious fervour. He is afraid that the very sentiment that he very tactfully used to arouse has been turned against him. He also understands that if he can be attacked at the Islamabad airport he cannot consider himself safe anywhere in Pakistan. Something needs to be done, something to calm people down, something more concrete and long-lasting. The first step, therefore, is to show a ‘big heart’ and offer unconditional forgiveness. But the fact remains by offering forgiveness he is actually pleading for one, and by extending clemency he is in reality asking for it.

That is why Jamshed’s compassion sounds more like hypocrisy rather than an act of devotion, his courage an act of cowardice. It does not show the strength of his character, and instead just exposes the lack of it. Had he been really brave, Junaid Jamshed would have stood up for the rights of the people who are punished for the crimes that they have not committed, the innocent people who are accused of blasphemy when they had not engaged in the act; those who did not have the resources to stay abroad and ended up in jail, victims of the system like Asia Bibi, who has now submitted a petition in the Supreme Court hoping for a reversal of her death sentence.

However, we all know Junaid Jamshed would never do that. Reason? Firstly, regardless of what Islam says about clemency, it is bad for business. By supporting the weak and the less fortunate, and demanding an honest investigation, the sales in his clothing stores can take a hit. He may also lose his lucrative TV show contract. And anything bad for business cannot fall into his definition of piety. Secondly, he will not be safe and can be attacked again by the same people. His faith does not ask him to stand up for the weak and the destitute, risking his own life. It only asks for a camera, a pulpit, a mike and an audience. In short, he is a showoff.

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