On Cleanliness Part II

On Cleanliness Part II

Mrs   Ambareen Asif Qureshi  , M/s Faheem and Khalil Sufi thank you so much  for both your appreciation for my  choice of subjects to write upon and your critical comments . Indeed I deeply  value your critical comments   . Mrs  Qureshi told me to remain focused. .Indeed , I have failed to establish a plausible link between cleanliness and Islam . But I am pained to see  the fair name of Islam  irresponsibly harmed .  

 Mr. Faheem had offered detailed assessment .

”This is an important subject. You deserve compliments for raising awareness among reading public on this vital issue of public importance and public policy.

Having said that, I am afraid religious beliefs have nothing to do with it In my modest travels abroad ,.I have seen non-Muslim as well as Muslim colonies as being dirty and filthy. At the same time I have seen both Muslim and non-Muslim localities as being very clean. I am sure you also share this observation. Like me you must have visited cleanly kept mosques in affluent areas and not so cleanly maintained mosques in areas where economically less fortunate people abode. So in addition to cultural values of hygiene and cleanliness of individuals and society, it is a question of their economic affordability or economic depravity which determines their cleanliness standards.

What are the reasons that areas in Islamabad where affluent people live are clean compared with slums where poor live? Availability of public funds and enforcement by authorities and payment of taxes/ service charges by the residents are some factors. If in Germany, authorities were able to enforce their administrative powers, why does not the same thing happen here? Is general public making the job of garbage collectors easier by not littering or making it more difficult by littering all over.

Having said that, I have been to not a rich Islamic country where most people were poor. But they were very clean and their localities were clean. May be their individual cultural and spiritual values taught them so or, may be enforcement by authorities for cleanliness was effective.

Authorities at the local levels have to be proactive to ensure cleanliness. They should not hesitate in imposing fine or other punishments if they notice violators, however influential they may be. If local authorities fail to carry out their duty, then local public reps/ political institutions should ensure compliance. If they also fail, then public should elect new reps who can ensure that. “

The linkage between cleanliness and Islam has been explained in the first paragraph of my essay on cleanliness . But this is primarily a social sector . In the opening remarks , I had written “ Why are we so unclean ?” I think that  remaining clean or dirty is  a mental attitude no way connected to any religion . For instance , Khalil had referred to untidy kitchens and bathrooms of the very rich  where the work is done by the servants.     In the fifties, public bathrooms were built in various parts of big cities of Pakistan  . But the experiment failed because of poor literacy rate , . However , they are very neat and tidy public bathrooms in each locality in  the west , even in shopping centres . These are run on  charges using the facility . And the charges are nominal so that none minds it .

My view is that a few people in the country really care about the environment where the community lives . A mosque is suitably maintained regardless of the wealth of the community .However , when it comes to communal hygiene , doubts arise. I agree with Khalil that we concentrate more on our drawing rooms , dining rooms and bedrooms . But we neglect our kitchens and bathrooms .After my first trip abroad , I began to notice it whenever I had a chance to see others kitchens and bathrooms .

Sectors such E7 , the entire  F sectors , I-8 , the Blue Area are by no means poor . Yet I notice garbage spilling out from the bin . Only the residents of such localities are indifferent to it . Garbage is  also being heaped between Bahria Town and the Airport .  It   , including the hospital waste,  is heaped near the main gate  of the Government Services Hospital (Poly Clinic) .When my  deceased children were admitted to either PIMS or the Children’ Hospital ,I had a chance to experience water dripping from the ceiling of the bathrooms or to see nasty remarks written on the doors of the bathrooms of the latter hospital  .

Mr . Ejaz Naik , the then Secretary General , Planning Commission , while presiding a meeting in which a case for  the construction of  thirty bathrooms for the police barracks  was being considered quipped “ we don’t need so many bathrooms . The whole of Pakistan is a large public toilet .” A similar feeling was expressed by a lady member of the Commission .  Addressing the officers attending the NIPA Course ( including yours truly ) ,she said that when we abuse , we describe the whole female  anatomy . Our parks are littered . Nawaz Sharif’s Park ,  Rose and Jasmine Park , Lake View Park . We maintain our personal hygiene . But when it comes environmental hygiene we take no interest at all . Instead of helping the authorities we tend to belittle the little work they do.

On a study trip to the city of Basel , a female guide introduced us to the city in these words . “ On my left is old Basel while my right is the new Basel . The new Basel has money and the old Basel has history . The new Basel provides money to maintain the old Basel .”

While coming back to Karachi from Frankfurt , the air hostess beseeched the Muslims passengers of a PIA flight not to waste water when washing themselves before offering  the morning prayers because they had used much water to wet the carpet .One can recall an advertisement appearing in most American publications “ KEEP AMERICA CLEAN” or perhaps “ KEEP AMERICA GREEN” . ( But America is very green) . At school , we read the story of John Chapman . He set out from home carrying apple seeds in two bags planting them along the way . It took him twenty years to cross America . When he reached home , the seeds he planted had grown to fruit bearing trees .He became known as Johnny Appleseed in American Folk Literature .

Twice I tried to plant this story in Pakistan Government circles. The first attempt was  made when I drafted a letter and asked my PA to sign  and send it to the daily “ The Muslim” in the early 1980s . My proposal was that the Government may hire a Cessna aircraft to throw fruit seeds across the length and breadth of the country . The second attempt was made when I was asked to escort a Vice President of the World Bank to Tarbela Dam by the then Chairman , Senate , the late Mr. Ghulam Ishaq Khan . We were received by the General Manager at the gate . During the drive , I discussed it again with him . My two attempts were a failure . However , I made another try by approaching the press a couple of years ago .

Similarly my attempt of dredging the rivers of Pakistan was made when I discussed it with the Adviser on Science and Technology during a lunch . Again none took further action  because those discussions were informal . And the desalination of sea water to make it fit for drinking is a perfect solution for Karachi .

While staying in Germany , I learnt that the city government  paints the exterior of houses which have not been painted or maintains the front lawns  if it  was not freshly mowed and sends the bill to the owner.

I agree with M/s Faheem and Khalil that those who violate the rules may be fined . Singapore has this set of laws . Anyone throwing chewing gum on the road is fined . But  we in Pakistan  are talking of people who are not paying taxes already imposed on them .

One of my childhood friends recounted an incident which took place in Vienna . He and Khalid Hafeez  , another childhood friend , both my classmates , were roaming around the city . Pervez took out a packet of cigarettes . He offered one to Khalid and took one himself and threw the empty packet on the ground . An old lady following the two stopped to pick it up , placed it in her bag and deposited it in the nearest dust bin . I had a similar experience in Bad Godesberg . I threw an empty chewing gum wrapper on a hedge in one of the bungalows . A lady and her daughter saw me in the act . Unfortunately for them , the hedge was very tall .     

Mahfooz ur Rahman

Islamabad

February 04 , 2014