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17. Decency and courtesy are words found in
the dictionary of fools in Pakistani society .
Once I went to a colleague’s office. I found him engaged in talking to someone over the telephone. He wore a beard and looked every inch a pious man. I waited for him to be free in his staff’s room, which was adjacent to my colleague’s room. When he was free, I asked him if his telephone call was official or private. He replied that it was private. I further asked him if his call was legitimate or Illegitimate in terms of Islamic morality . He replied that it was illegitimate . We all use official telephones to conduct private conversations . But in this case his reply was honest and I appreciate his honesty .
2. I read a story in the Reader’s Digest once . A young woman in London wanted to commit suicide by jumping in the River Thames because she had been jilted by her lover , Jim . She stood on the Embankment . She found a newspaper cutting in one of the pockets of the coat she wore . It was an advertisement from a deacon telling readers to come to him in case of need for advice . She went to him . He advised her that Jim was not only man in the world . Unfortunately , in our society there are exploitators , charlatans and greedy men.
3. I sought advises from noted ulema karam (Islamic scholars ) in a complex religious matter through emails. My emails were not even acknowledged . Earlier a few years back , when internet was not introduced in Pakistan , I wrote a letter to a very noted religious scholar whose programmes were aired regularly by PTV. My letter was again not even acknowledged . Let us suppose that my questions were stupid . Still I deserve a reply . Again let us suppose that we are living in the times of the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him ). He would have answered ALL questions very calmly and very patiently.
4. Years ago ,I read the Islamic Ideology Council’s Report on Insurance . That Report was written in Urdu so tedious that the common man in Pakistan must have found it difficult to follow . I wrote a letter to a member of the Council . I thought my letter would have been thrown into a waste
Once I went to a colleague’s office. I found him engaged in talking to someone over the telephone. He wore a beard and looked every inch a pious man. I waited for him to be free in his staff’s room, which was adjacent to my colleague’s room. When he was free, I asked him if his telephone call was official or private. He replied that it was private. I further asked him if his call was legitimate or Illegitimate in terms of Islamic morality . He replied that it was illegitimate . We all use official telephones to conduct private conversations . But in this case his reply was honest and I appreciate his honesty .
2. I read a story in the Reader’s Digest once . A young woman in London wanted to commit suicide by jumping in the River Thames because she had been jilted by her lover , Jim . She stood on the Embankment . She found a newspaper cutting in one of the pockets of the coat she wore . It was an advertisement from a deacon telling readers to come to him in case of need for advice . She went to him . He advised her that Jim was not only man in the world . Unfortunately , in our society there are exploitators , charlatans and greedy men.
3. I sought advises from noted ulema karam (Islamic scholars ) in a complex religious matter through emails. My emails were not even acknowledged . Earlier a few years back , when internet was not introduced in Pakistan , I wrote a letter to a very noted religious scholar whose programmes were aired regularly by PTV. My letter was again not even acknowledged . Let us suppose that my questions were stupid . Still I deserve a reply . Again let us suppose that we are living in the times of the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him ). He would have answered ALL questions very calmly and very patiently.
4. Years ago ,I read the Islamic Ideology Council’s Report on Insurance . That Report was written in Urdu so tedious that the common man in Pakistan must have found it difficult to follow . I wrote a letter to a member of the Council . I thought my letter would have been thrown into a waste
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paper bin . But no . I
received an obscene reply . I was rebuked in the strongest possible words that
I dared not write to any Islamic scholar . If my memory serves aright,
the gist of the reply was that it was not written for the common man.
5. The society in Pakistan is Muslim. But our habits and characteristics alien to Islam.. In fact , we are following the pagan rites in an Islamic society .The reason is that for two hundred years , we were ruled by the British . An English lord , Lord Maccaulay made a famous statement ‘Let us create a class of people Indian in origin and blood but English in their tastes and manners’ . In effect the Pakistan society has developed its own unwritten caste system although there is no distinction in Islam among the people on terms race, blood or wealth .The Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him ) told the believers on the occasion of his Last Sermon .
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.
“Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.”
However , there are two or three thousand holy cows in the society which tend to destroy its social fabric .
6. There was a time in the Pakistan Secretariat , the lift operator would tell the deputy secretaries and below to leave the lift whenever a joint secretary or above was around .Still one lift is reserved for ministries or secretaries . Juniors whether in the office or elsewhere dared not differ with their superiors . Again it is against the Islamic beliefs and the practice of the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him ) . He always to consulted his companions whether older and wiser or younger than him on
5. The society in Pakistan is Muslim. But our habits and characteristics alien to Islam.. In fact , we are following the pagan rites in an Islamic society .The reason is that for two hundred years , we were ruled by the British . An English lord , Lord Maccaulay made a famous statement ‘Let us create a class of people Indian in origin and blood but English in their tastes and manners’ . In effect the Pakistan society has developed its own unwritten caste system although there is no distinction in Islam among the people on terms race, blood or wealth .The Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him ) told the believers on the occasion of his Last Sermon .
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.
“Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.”
However , there are two or three thousand holy cows in the society which tend to destroy its social fabric .
6. There was a time in the Pakistan Secretariat , the lift operator would tell the deputy secretaries and below to leave the lift whenever a joint secretary or above was around .Still one lift is reserved for ministries or secretaries . Juniors whether in the office or elsewhere dared not differ with their superiors . Again it is against the Islamic beliefs and the practice of the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him ) . He always to consulted his companions whether older and wiser or younger than him on
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important decisions .
Hazrat Salman Farsi opined on the digging of a trench before the Battle of
the Trench . No wonder , Pakistan is in a state of disarray.
7. The sacrifice occupies an unique and a prominent place in Islam . But where does this practice disappears on any given Friday at midday at any crossing in Islamabad when offices and schools close in the holy month of Ramazan .
8. Years ago , I obliged a friend whose family was dire financial straits . His younger brother wanted a job very badly to tide over his family’s financial difficulties . I arranged him a job. Fortunes smiled for him . He is now a well to do man . And now when he comes to see me , he reads a newspaper in my presence while I wait for him to converse .
9. Friends or relations promise you to come and see you at a given time . You prepare to receive him or them . They seldom come . I committed the same error once . I promised a very dear friend that I would come to his house the following Sunday . His family waited for me all day .The next week the poor man met his Maker . I am still haunted by my guilt.
10. Seeking an information over the telephone is always tedious . The person at the other end promises you that he would provide the information at a given time . Rarely that he provides you the required information. Quietly he would go away from his place or let the telephone bell go on ringing.
11. Whenever I visit the western world , every person you meet has a smile plastered on his or face and do their best to satisfy no matter how they feel about you . Any time the concerned person is absent from his or her seat . persons near the telephone is eager to note your message . No sooner that the concerned person is available , he rings you back. I once telephoned the Brazilian Permanent Representative in Geneva while attending a course there . He was not in his office . But barely fifteen minutes later , he called . In the same course , it so happened that two participants were placed in one room while on a study tours outside Geneva. An Indonesian Foreign office officer shared my room . We became great friends . In each city where we went , he telephoned his Embassy . He was invited by his
7. The sacrifice occupies an unique and a prominent place in Islam . But where does this practice disappears on any given Friday at midday at any crossing in Islamabad when offices and schools close in the holy month of Ramazan .
8. Years ago , I obliged a friend whose family was dire financial straits . His younger brother wanted a job very badly to tide over his family’s financial difficulties . I arranged him a job. Fortunes smiled for him . He is now a well to do man . And now when he comes to see me , he reads a newspaper in my presence while I wait for him to converse .
9. Friends or relations promise you to come and see you at a given time . You prepare to receive him or them . They seldom come . I committed the same error once . I promised a very dear friend that I would come to his house the following Sunday . His family waited for me all day .The next week the poor man met his Maker . I am still haunted by my guilt.
10. Seeking an information over the telephone is always tedious . The person at the other end promises you that he would provide the information at a given time . Rarely that he provides you the required information. Quietly he would go away from his place or let the telephone bell go on ringing.
11. Whenever I visit the western world , every person you meet has a smile plastered on his or face and do their best to satisfy no matter how they feel about you . Any time the concerned person is absent from his or her seat . persons near the telephone is eager to note your message . No sooner that the concerned person is available , he rings you back. I once telephoned the Brazilian Permanent Representative in Geneva while attending a course there . He was not in his office . But barely fifteen minutes later , he called . In the same course , it so happened that two participants were placed in one room while on a study tours outside Geneva. An Indonesian Foreign office officer shared my room . We became great friends . In each city where we went , he telephoned his Embassy . He was invited by his
64
Ambassador or the
Embassy’s officers and staff to meals. In Warsaw shortly after my arrival there
, I telephoned the First Secretary of the Pakistan Embassy . After a long
interview in which I had to explain the purpose of my visit , the First
Secretary apologized and told me that he was busy with the visit of the then
Advisor on Shipping and that he had no time for me . We stayed in Warsaw for
three days during which my fellow participant from Indonesia was a guest of the
Embassy on all three days . On the third day , he told me that the First
Secretary of their Embassy had also invited me .At the given time , the First
Secretary and his wife drove to the hotel where we were staying and took us
along . We passed a delightful evening with the couple and other Indonesian
guests
12. Once I was young , I was playing in the house of a friend . He was enjoying himself with disturbing the turban on his servant’s head. I took it as great fun . The next morning , my servant and I went to a nearby shop. He was an old man and had been serving my family all his life . At the shop the servant sat smoking his bedi . At my great joy , I disturbed his turban the same way I had seen my friend do. The shopkeeper was amused but not the servant . He complained to my father . He was not too pleased with the antics of his only son.
13. Once I went to Karachi on an official trip. An old servant was there to pick up my luggage to take to my room at the Government Hostel . As habitual , the orderly began to interview me . Perchance he had worked with my grandfather when he been alive. The next morning, the orderly came to polish my shoes. I refused giving him my pair of shoes saying that he had served my grandfather and he was too old to be my grandfather . Tears came to his eyes and he told me that nobody cares for such values now.
14. Values have changed . Words which were taboo for ladies once are being used openly and freely . Even four letter words are no longer taboo .
Evil is no longer considered an evil. The honest and decent folks are considered to be village idiots . After the Quaid e Azam’s death ,the
successive Governments in Pakistan lie .
16. The London Economist in its obituary of Mr. Common Sense lamented the loss of old values . Given below are some extracts from it .
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12. Once I was young , I was playing in the house of a friend . He was enjoying himself with disturbing the turban on his servant’s head. I took it as great fun . The next morning , my servant and I went to a nearby shop. He was an old man and had been serving my family all his life . At the shop the servant sat smoking his bedi . At my great joy , I disturbed his turban the same way I had seen my friend do. The shopkeeper was amused but not the servant . He complained to my father . He was not too pleased with the antics of his only son.
13. Once I went to Karachi on an official trip. An old servant was there to pick up my luggage to take to my room at the Government Hostel . As habitual , the orderly began to interview me . Perchance he had worked with my grandfather when he been alive. The next morning, the orderly came to polish my shoes. I refused giving him my pair of shoes saying that he had served my grandfather and he was too old to be my grandfather . Tears came to his eyes and he told me that nobody cares for such values now.
14. Values have changed . Words which were taboo for ladies once are being used openly and freely . Even four letter words are no longer taboo .
Evil is no longer considered an evil. The honest and decent folks are considered to be village idiots . After the Quaid e Azam’s death ,the
successive Governments in Pakistan lie .
16. The London Economist in its obituary of Mr. Common Sense lamented the loss of old values . Given below are some extracts from it .
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‘A teacher fired for
reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband;
Churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; His wife, Discretion;
His daughter, Responsibility; And his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Right. I Want It Now,
Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on.
If not, join the majority and do nothing.’
17. My Section Officer , my junior officer , on his promotion as a Deputy Secretary, sat in front in me smoking a cigarette and exhaling its smoke in my face , his superior and I could nothing do a thing to save me from this assault on decency . On another occasion, I gave some typing work to my PA , a cleric , at 2 PM. He entered the washroom shortly after. He came out when I had left for home .
18. In 1978 , I was in Masjid e Nabvi at dawn one day . I met the Pakistan
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband;
Churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; His wife, Discretion;
His daughter, Responsibility; And his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Right. I Want It Now,
Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on.
If not, join the majority and do nothing.’
17. My Section Officer , my junior officer , on his promotion as a Deputy Secretary, sat in front in me smoking a cigarette and exhaling its smoke in my face , his superior and I could nothing do a thing to save me from this assault on decency . On another occasion, I gave some typing work to my PA , a cleric , at 2 PM. He entered the washroom shortly after. He came out when I had left for home .
18. In 1978 , I was in Masjid e Nabvi at dawn one day . I met the Pakistan
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Commercial Counsellor
, Jeddah there . He invited me to his lodgings . He told me later that he had
been escorting a trade delegation from Pakistan and everywhere the delegation,
it had been warmly received . But when the time came for placing of orders ,
the Saudi reply invariably was that the Pakistanis liars and cheats. I got the
same reply in Jeddah on the same trip.
MAHFOOZ UR RAHMAN
ISLAMABAD
June 12, 2010
.
MAHFOOZ UR RAHMAN
ISLAMABAD
June 12, 2010
.
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