03-03-2008, 11:01 PM
I am a Muslim, an ordinary Muslim. I am thankful to ALLAH that he choose a Muslim for my birth. But honestly speaking having severed for more than 25 years abroad at different places with different nationalities I have always felt an inferior sort of complex being a Muslim. Perhaps word inferior is not suitable but my lack of English vocabulary. Living with European and Arabs much time I felt shame that I am a Muslim. A colleague of my was from Lahore when I was working in a Arab country. He was âSyedâ. His father was some sort of âpirâ in Lahore called âShahjee Shajeeâ. This young colleague from the office used to go âZoharâ prayers and normally took an hour. In the middle east one of the cause of disliking Pakistanis, as I observed was that these Pakistan may offer their rest 3-4 times prayers or not but during office hours prayers they definitely attended to extending it not merely 5-10 minutes. One day our immediate boss a very top high ranking British bureaucrat came from outside and straight on my table. He enquired where was my colleague to which I replied him for prayers. I can not describe my feeling before a non Muslim when told me, no he just on his way to office saw my colleague in the main commercial area. My colleague in the name of prayer had gone for outing. Due to my some what association or whatever one may say both Muslim and Non Muslim seniors respected me and consulted me in official matters. One day a very serious official administrative legal meeting was going on attended by three high level British experts. They called me during the meeting and posed a question that how it was that requests from Pakistani workers use to come changing their date of birth at an average by 10-15 years. I explained them in older days there was not much education in Pakistan and there was no system of birthdays. The elders only remembers this child was born three days before Eid, and this one when high floods came. Whether they were fully convinced or not I do not know what a counter question was raised the difference could be just a few months or weeks how 10-20 years. As a Muslim expert in lies and as a Pakistani I gave them a proper answer as I could not tell them honestly that this was only due to avoid retirement before the fixed date. In the same meeting they raised a second question which I knew one day bombshell definitely will come. This question was, OK then how it is that oneâs father changes. We used to receive at an average 3-4 applications a month from Pakistanis informing that in their Passport name of father has been changed from say Chrigah Din to Ahmed Hassan. The British were surprised how the Pakistani Embassy was changing such names. Here I was helpless. Though I knew the reason of it but I felt not only national shame but also shame in myself I did not. During my more than 25 years association with different nationalities, ethnic and religious communities living in complete harmony and peace abroad one thing I felt and I am determined on it that these are only we the Muslims who feel no shame in speaking day light lies. I found European in this respect having highest character. If they made a mistake eg lost an official letter they would immediately accept their mistake even apologizing before a low level staffer like me âSorry, my mistake, my apologiesâ. But we the Muslims including myself in such case invented one over other excuse always saying I did not see that letter etc. While I was in Middle East a very old British used to come my office on official work. I respected him and he had a little sort of affection, attention or attachment whatever one may say for me my being a Pakistani. These good feelings were reciprocal. I respected him more because he liked Pakistan and had many good memories about Pakistan. He liked me because I was from Pakistan and thus he used to chat with me whenever he came frankly and freely over a cup of tea. He had long been touching Karachi as a pilot with Orient Airway before it became PIA, hence his natural attachment with Pakistan. He used to say to me âyou Pakistanis are very good people, very hard people. You can sacrifice yourself in friendship but you can not be trusted upon because you are liar number one in the worldâ. Last month an Arab friend was on transit at Karachi airport. I went to see him. Chatting he put me in shame quoting how yesterday on TV one Brigadier from Defence Ministry was saying on TV that chief justice was not under house arrest and can move anywhere same moment a BBC recorded clip was also shown chief justice house wire fenced.
The last nail re-cementing my belief was when I read the official statement of Saudi Government in the UN Human Rights Commission meeting. Against the criticism of the Commission, the Saudi representative denied that there was any ban in the Kingdom for women driving. No more day light naked lie can be than this. I have lived amongst them for long. Recently I had been there for Umrah. As a little civic awareness has come in Saudi society, ladies are protesting to get the right of driving. Last year this demand was again on the Agenda of the Government but was denied. No visitor from Pakistan must have seen any women in Saudi Arabia driving a car. Of course a small percentage do drive but only in limited restricted area. For example ladies (European) do drive cars but within the four wall of ARAMCO. The Saudi representative submitted that there was no legal or Sharia ban on ladies driving. It added however that due to âtraditionsâ women do not right. If someone has the chance to see the Saudi women he would know the Saudis mostly being well paid have adopted the European lifestyle. It is another matter that due to tradition they wear black âhijabâ but 90% their dresses are âmodern trouser and skirtsâ beneath this hijab. An Arab child borns in the morning and by the evening his first word is âSiarahâ {Car}. In any part of Arab Saudia, Kuwait, Qatar if you know the Arabic language and you stay in any office or big shop for 10 minutes you will hear this word at least twice. Having a âsiarahâ, keep changing it is a complex there hence how strange it is that todayâs modern trouser wearing young ladies using modern mobiles in hand do not wish to drive.
To another criticism that in Saudi women are allowed to go out without a âMahramâ was severely contradicted by the spokesman. Three or four months back a young girl coming out of office for some chat sat in the car of a male colleague. The car was stationary and parked. Instead of talking standing in open in sun she sat. In the meantime 3-4 persons in another car kidnapped her, ran towards desert and gang raped her. Instead of remaining silent she reported this. The rapists were arrested and sentenced 3-4 years imprisonment. But the victim was also awarded 80 lashes for her sitting (talking) in a car with a âNon Mahramâ. Her lawyer appealed in the higher court which increased this sentence to 200 lashes on the ground that why such a âBayshermâ women talked about this episode in the society which brought it to the press. Her advocate was issued a show cause notice by the Ministry of Justice as to why his practicing licence should not be cancelled for pleading case of such a women. The case came in international attention. Now perforce under international criticism the sentence of the victim has been cancelled not by court but by the King under his special powers. And still like our government the Saudis have the courage to say women are free to walk without any âmahramâ.
A fortnight back photograph of a dismayed Srin Lankan housemaid came with her terrifying story. She was working in Reyadh. She was being ill treated when from within the house someone feeling a minute pity on her provided a phone opportunity to her to speak to a newspaper. She was not able to tell the newspaper where he employerâs house was since for the last 7 years she had never been out. With the help of police the newspaper found her. Since 7 years she had not got any salary, had been getting left over food, was sleeping in the kitchen. Despite newspaper and NGOs advice to fight for her dues, she preferred to forget salary but go home. Why would she prefer to leave her salary for which she came but wanted to run off. This is not one story, thousand and thousands. Last month in three installments an open letter addressed to Suadi Ambassador in Pakistan appeared in daily Frontier Post by a NWFP citizen who recently returned from Haj. It is worth reading. Some people do quote the good arrangements made by Saudis for Hajis giving reference to number of Hajis. These people forget the facilities available to Saudi authorities including that atmosphere generally in those countries so far had been much calm though violence has started. The Government of Pakistan or for that matter of India can not do that reason being the law and order situation and above all freedom available to our citizens. There is no doubt that wordâs worst cheaters live in Holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Saudis would catch you taking a photograph in âHaram Sharifâ as it is a bidat for them but same Saudi allow sale of big posters outside Haram Sharif. This shopkeeper will take one Riyal for a cup of tea, the other will try to pick pocket you with Riyal twos. Recently Saudi newspapers quoted that as the Haj days were coming fare for private cars running as taxis had reached from 100 to 500% - of course âservingâ the Hajis. Five years back a girls school caught fire. The religious police did not allow fire men to go inside because they were all male. Many girls died of fire and suffocation. These male firemen were "na-mahrams". But Ministers, king all can proudly sit and get photographed with proud or shake hand with other women like Condalizza Rice, then there is no question of mehram or non mehram. Only yesterday the Saudi government declared that there is no question Saudi women induction as airhostesses in Saudi Airline. However these pious Muslim will keep employing girls of other nations as airhostesses as then it is not the question Mehram or Namehram. It is same like Pervaiz Elahi, Sher Afgan, Durrani etc saying women race in half trouser was raising image of Pakistan and it was a patriotic act but patriotic act till when our women folk run and element of patriotism finished when question of their own family girls participating comes.
On matters eg women allowed driving, when custodian of Holy Mosques would speak lies the lies from rulers of Pakistan or ordinary Muslim should not surprise â perhaps today it is today's Muslims self-made-religious habit.
The last nail re-cementing my belief was when I read the official statement of Saudi Government in the UN Human Rights Commission meeting. Against the criticism of the Commission, the Saudi representative denied that there was any ban in the Kingdom for women driving. No more day light naked lie can be than this. I have lived amongst them for long. Recently I had been there for Umrah. As a little civic awareness has come in Saudi society, ladies are protesting to get the right of driving. Last year this demand was again on the Agenda of the Government but was denied. No visitor from Pakistan must have seen any women in Saudi Arabia driving a car. Of course a small percentage do drive but only in limited restricted area. For example ladies (European) do drive cars but within the four wall of ARAMCO. The Saudi representative submitted that there was no legal or Sharia ban on ladies driving. It added however that due to âtraditionsâ women do not right. If someone has the chance to see the Saudi women he would know the Saudis mostly being well paid have adopted the European lifestyle. It is another matter that due to tradition they wear black âhijabâ but 90% their dresses are âmodern trouser and skirtsâ beneath this hijab. An Arab child borns in the morning and by the evening his first word is âSiarahâ {Car}. In any part of Arab Saudia, Kuwait, Qatar if you know the Arabic language and you stay in any office or big shop for 10 minutes you will hear this word at least twice. Having a âsiarahâ, keep changing it is a complex there hence how strange it is that todayâs modern trouser wearing young ladies using modern mobiles in hand do not wish to drive.
To another criticism that in Saudi women are allowed to go out without a âMahramâ was severely contradicted by the spokesman. Three or four months back a young girl coming out of office for some chat sat in the car of a male colleague. The car was stationary and parked. Instead of talking standing in open in sun she sat. In the meantime 3-4 persons in another car kidnapped her, ran towards desert and gang raped her. Instead of remaining silent she reported this. The rapists were arrested and sentenced 3-4 years imprisonment. But the victim was also awarded 80 lashes for her sitting (talking) in a car with a âNon Mahramâ. Her lawyer appealed in the higher court which increased this sentence to 200 lashes on the ground that why such a âBayshermâ women talked about this episode in the society which brought it to the press. Her advocate was issued a show cause notice by the Ministry of Justice as to why his practicing licence should not be cancelled for pleading case of such a women. The case came in international attention. Now perforce under international criticism the sentence of the victim has been cancelled not by court but by the King under his special powers. And still like our government the Saudis have the courage to say women are free to walk without any âmahramâ.
A fortnight back photograph of a dismayed Srin Lankan housemaid came with her terrifying story. She was working in Reyadh. She was being ill treated when from within the house someone feeling a minute pity on her provided a phone opportunity to her to speak to a newspaper. She was not able to tell the newspaper where he employerâs house was since for the last 7 years she had never been out. With the help of police the newspaper found her. Since 7 years she had not got any salary, had been getting left over food, was sleeping in the kitchen. Despite newspaper and NGOs advice to fight for her dues, she preferred to forget salary but go home. Why would she prefer to leave her salary for which she came but wanted to run off. This is not one story, thousand and thousands. Last month in three installments an open letter addressed to Suadi Ambassador in Pakistan appeared in daily Frontier Post by a NWFP citizen who recently returned from Haj. It is worth reading. Some people do quote the good arrangements made by Saudis for Hajis giving reference to number of Hajis. These people forget the facilities available to Saudi authorities including that atmosphere generally in those countries so far had been much calm though violence has started. The Government of Pakistan or for that matter of India can not do that reason being the law and order situation and above all freedom available to our citizens. There is no doubt that wordâs worst cheaters live in Holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Saudis would catch you taking a photograph in âHaram Sharifâ as it is a bidat for them but same Saudi allow sale of big posters outside Haram Sharif. This shopkeeper will take one Riyal for a cup of tea, the other will try to pick pocket you with Riyal twos. Recently Saudi newspapers quoted that as the Haj days were coming fare for private cars running as taxis had reached from 100 to 500% - of course âservingâ the Hajis. Five years back a girls school caught fire. The religious police did not allow fire men to go inside because they were all male. Many girls died of fire and suffocation. These male firemen were "na-mahrams". But Ministers, king all can proudly sit and get photographed with proud or shake hand with other women like Condalizza Rice, then there is no question of mehram or non mehram. Only yesterday the Saudi government declared that there is no question Saudi women induction as airhostesses in Saudi Airline. However these pious Muslim will keep employing girls of other nations as airhostesses as then it is not the question Mehram or Namehram. It is same like Pervaiz Elahi, Sher Afgan, Durrani etc saying women race in half trouser was raising image of Pakistan and it was a patriotic act but patriotic act till when our women folk run and element of patriotism finished when question of their own family girls participating comes.
On matters eg women allowed driving, when custodian of Holy Mosques would speak lies the lies from rulers of Pakistan or ordinary Muslim should not surprise â perhaps today it is today's Muslims self-made-religious habit.