We keep asking what is wrong with Pakistan, and do not seem to have an answer. But we do have the answer and it is simply “illiteracy.” We as Pakistani do not have the knowledge of the religion nor the world. We are lost either way. These have been disastrous few days for Pakistan. The suicide attack near Wagah border close to Lahore killed 60 innocent Pakistanis and wounded over 200. The news reports quoting security officials, claims that one bomber was able to create this havoc on the nation. In another news today we heard about the brutal killing of a Christian couple by a Muslim mob on alleged desecration of the Holy Quran just a few miles from Lahore. Let me talk about as to how and why this is happening in Pakistan. But before I do that let me tell you another thing. People ask me as to why I blog about Pakistan and its problems when I live comfortably in the West. And who reads these blogs and does it change anything. My take is very simple. Pakistan is my motherland and it does affect me when negatives are always associated with Pakistan. So if my writing has an effect on even one person positively, I have done my job.
Coming back to how and why. The sad reality is that our leadership for the last 30 years or so has done nothing for Pakistan and its common citizens. Pakistan’s only salvation is education. Every Pakistani should be told about their religion. Islam is really a religion of peace. We do not have to kill a person who calls my prophet names. We have to have the power of speech to tell the world who our prophet was and convince the person who believes otherwise. If someone desiccates our holy book, they do not deserve to die. We should know that it is a book that Allah has promised to protect Himself. So we, as Muslims, need not do anything about it. I wonder how many of the people who attacked the Christian couple, and killed them on an alleged crime, have read the Quran in the last week and months or even years. I can bet, if we can ask them the answer will come out as a big no.
That is a sad truth! I wonder if the suicide bomber or his handlers know that the Quran (sura An-Nisa the fourth chapter of Quran-verse 93) says that, “anyone who kills a believer for no reason will live in Hell Fire for eternity (forever)” It is clear and simple; you kill an innocent your abode is hellfire and no seventy virgins in Paradise. You will be a thousand years from even the fragrance of paradise, this according to our Prophet (PBUH) . But the issue is, do we read and understand the holy book? No! The sad reality is that, the so called “learned ones” do not take the time and talk about these issues with the common man, and the ones who do are a minority and their voices are overshadowed by the cry of ‘Kill and destruction.” It is time for the sane voices to speak up and talk about these issues. Do not let the likes of a cold blooded killer, Mumtaz Qadri, influence others. If you can speak to your domestic help, your driver, chowkeder, maali and any other common man and lead them to the light of truth that “Islam is really a religion of peace” and we have to prove it with our actions, then do so! If we don’t we will be answerable to the highest power.