Pakistan Vs Saudistan

[muse]

Let’s Not Inflict our Ignorance on Islam
Samar Fatany

17 September 2008
Nobody likes to argue or discuss serious subjects like local traditions and religious injunctions with the people one happens to meet in the departure lounge of an airport. But there are occasions when you feel drawn to an argument or debate against your best judgment, as I learned at the lounge of the Riyadh airport last week.

Most of the passengers at the airport were people going to Makkah to perform Umrah. Whether locals or those coming from abroad, men in ihraam and women in pure white garbs have always fascinated me. They are a reminder that although there may be a lot of evil people in the world, there are many more who are good. They come from far-away lands and endure all kinds of hardships to reach out to Allah and ask for His blessings and forgiveness and pray for the good of mankind. They also remind us (Saudis) of how blessed we are to be part of this holy land and be able to perform Umrah whenever we wish — especially when you are someone like me who lives in Jeddah.

Yes, we the people who inhabit this land are privileged. Should not this make us all the more responsible to honour the holy places and save Islam from those who distort it or misinterpret its teachings? My thoughts were running along these lines when three women wearing the niqab (full veil that left only the eyes uncovered) walked into the ladies lounge.

There were a few pamphlets on the table about Haj and Umrah and one of the women reached for one pamphlet and started reading it aloud. Apparently, they were going to Makkah for Umrah and wanted to know as much about the rituals of Umrah as possible. I could not help but listen to their conversation, with great interest at first and with a little bewilderment later. I guessed that the woman who was reading was the mother of the other two. She was eager to inform her daughters about the important rulings for women performing the Haj and Umrah. She stressed that one of the essential guidelines mentioned in the pamphlet was the need for women to cover their faces completely during Umrah and not to wear the niqab that shows their eyes through slits.

When I heard that, I could not keep quiet. I interrupted to say that this was not true and it is a clear distortion of all the religious teachings that I was taught and raised with and I indicated that I was born in Makkah and my uncle was one of Saudi Arabia’s prominent judges and a scholar who taught in the Holy Mosque. As a little girl I used to accompany him on Umrahs. I know for a fact that women are forbidden to cover their faces during Haj and Umrah.

However, the mother pointed out that the author of one of the pamphlets too was a prominent religious scholar in Saudi Arabia. I urged them not to believe those who follow their own rulings and disregard the four Muslim schools of thought. The mother had no comment; however the girls answered me in a very friendly manner and said that people in the Makkah region have different beliefs and a lifestyle that does not compel them to cover their faces.

I argued that I respect their culture and their way of life; however, when it comes to religious teachings we should abide by Islamic rulings and not allow customs and traditions to disregard what is in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. I continued to argue my point with one of the women who was soft-spoken and a charming conversationalist. However, I was taken aback when she told me that she was a graduate of microbiology from the US. I could not believe that a woman with her educational background and her exposure to more advanced societies could cling to such rigid notions.

Although she was highly educated, she was blindly following the instructions of the hard-line religious scholars of her region that women should be completely veiled and that they should remain faceless even during Umrah and Haj when in fact, according to the Sunnah, a woman should sacrifice a lamb in atonement for the violation of covering her face. At this point, the elderly lady read another guideline that she thought was equally important for us to know. She said women should not wear white clothes during Haj and Umrah because that would be emulating the ihraam clothes that men wear during pilgrimage. This was another baseless fact. All of us, I said, including women from all over the world wear white clothes when they perform Haj or Umrah. It is a symbol of purity, nothing more. There is nothing wrong or indecent in sharing the white colour with men. Why should it be forbidden or frowned upon? Before I could hear their answer we had to leave the room, as it was time to board the plane.

I felt really sad and frustrated with these women who, no matter how educated, are still being brainwashed by hard-liners who want them to remain faceless and shrouded in black. I had dreams of a new generation of educated Saudi women who would lead the Muslim women and debate issues that promote peace and global prosperity, rather than indulge in superficial rulings that serve no purpose. We need moderate Muslim scholars to encourage Saudi women to contribute positively to the Saudi culture and to the image of the global Muslim society. This negative image of women who do not care to assert their identity has harmed Islam the world over.

Our scholars must give their blessings to allow Saudi professional women to be part of the international community and appear in proper hijab and be distinguished in adopting fashions that include contemporary, yet conservative, styles representing modest Muslim women. It is unfortunate that there are many in our society who criticise women who wear abayas that are more elegant. The official code of dress continues to be something that should be unattractive to look at. How sad! In my book and according to the majority of Muslim women in the world, this is totally un-Islamic. There are so many interpretations of what is appropriate for Muslim women to wear; however being faceless and shrouded in black should not be an option.

We need to correct the image of Saudi women who have unfortunately become the symbol of all Muslim women in the global community. We must put a stop to the wrong preaching and the brainwashing that goes on isolating Muslim women from the rest of the world. Our scholars must decide on a more appropriate dress code for the Saudi woman enabling her to lead and command the respect of all Muslims and help her assert her identity as an equal partner in the international community. The government must stop the distribution of these pamphlets that convey a distorted interpretation of Islam. The moderate and more enlightened scholars need to speak out against the preaching of scholars who issue baseless fatwas that are adopted by the masses in this country.

Many Muslims today hold it against us Saudis for spreading a rigid interpretation of Islam and influencing innocent and ignorant Muslims who are under the impression that Saudi scholars could never say anything that is wrong. It is time we addressed these issues before more harm is inflicted on Muslims and Islam.

Samar Fatany is a Saudi radio journalist. She is based in Jeddah and can be contacted at samarfatany@hotmail.com


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[Logic note]

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Pakistan's bleakest moment

Pakistan's bleakest moment

Guest columnist Ahmed Rashid takes a look at how Pakistan is facing its bleakest moment, months after getting a new democratic government.


'Pakistan's economy is in a meltdown'

Just when Pakistanis thought they had a new democracy, ushering in a new civilian government, a new president and the end of eight years of military rule, they are faced with the bleakest moment in the country's history.

Proverbially listed as a failing state, this precariously poised country could now be in a downward spiral towards becoming a failed state.

Internationally isolated and condemned by the world community due to its Afghan policy, Pakistan's tribal territories have become a free for all firing range for US troops even as the domestic threat from the Pakistani Taleban multiplies.

Pakistanis also face run away inflation of over 25%, an economy in virtual meltdown as foreign exchange reserves dwindle and industry grinds to a halt.

There is a lack of electricity, an unresolved judicial crisis and ultimately an uncertain political future with the army still waiting in the wings.

The civilians and the military need to develop a partnership that works, where decisions are jointly discussed and made and burdens shared. So far that has not happened.

Send your views on Ahmed Rashid's article

When newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari travels to New York to attend the UN General Assembly he will be desperately trying to shore up Pakistan's crumbling international reputation, discuss new policy options towards the Taleban with President George Bush and beg for fresh aid from donor countries in order to avert a default on the country's foreign debt.

Double game

It's a tough order for a man who barely knows his way around the corridors of power.

Much of the present crisis has to be laid at the doors of former President Pervez Musharraf, the army and the Interservices Intelligence (ISI) - who since 11 September 2001 have played a double game not only with the Americans but also with their own people.


There has been a spike in militant violence

Promising democracy, economic development, moderation and an end to training jihadi fighters who had become the army's front line in projecting its foreign policy and fuelling the wars in Afghanistan and the insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir, in reality the military continued to pursue the same old games.

By allowing the growth of Islamic extremism and the mushrooming of thousands of new madrassas in the country, the military considered economic and political stability an afterthought.

In his last years Mr Musharraf presided over a rotten system that was just waiting to implode. Neither the army nor the Americans were prepared to see that but the people of Pakistan certainly did - as they poured into the streets to protest this or that foible of the regime.

Out of control

Just as the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government took over, all the chickens came home to roost. The Afghan Taleban - which still has a safe haven in Pakistan - no longer listens to its military mentors.

The Pakistani Taleban are out of control. Once serving as the protectors and facilitators for al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taleban, the Pakistani Taleban have now developed their own political agenda - turning northern Pakistan into what they call a Sharia (Islamic law) state.

The key to remedy the present crisis lies in how Mr Zardari and the civilian government will conduct their relations with the military and how successful they will be to bring it on board when adopting a new national security doctrine that does not depend on Islamic extremism and makes friends rather than enemies of Pakistan's neighbours.

The civilians and the military need to develop a partnership that works, where decisions are jointly discussed and burdens shared. So far that has not happened.


Anti-American feelings have risen

Confrontation - such as when the government tried and failed to force the ISI to report to the Interior Ministry just before Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani visited Washington - will not work.

The incident showed up the government to be immature, inept and unversed in how state institutions operate.

By the same token the army cannot carry on with its military campaigns against the Pakistan Taleban, refusing to share information and intelligence with responsible civilians. Nobody in government has a clue as to what the military strategy is while many doubt there even is one.

The army's refusal to give the public any information and the lack of transparency in what it is doing only further damages the military's reputation and creates unnecessary conflict with parliament and the government. Moreover it fuels conspiracy theories about the army's intentions.

It cannot be over-emphasised: to get over this present crisis the army and the civilians will have to sit down together.

But the problem for the government is that so far in its discussions with the military it has been shown to know next to nothing about national security or foreign policy.

It is not trusted by the army and Mr Zardari has to find the right people to fill the key positions where interaction with the military is paramount.

Gradually through a maturing working relationship, the army must learn to accept that the elected government has the right to control foreign policy, although not without consulting the military first.

Only civilian rule can deliver greater trade and cooperation with Pakistan's neighbours rather than more confrontation.

It is the resolution of disputes like Kashmir with India and the Durand Line with Afghanistan that will give Pakistan securer borders.

It will also make the military less paranoid about India and place civilians more firmly in control. Failed statehood can still be avoided

 

[Spring Onion]

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Pakistan's bleakest moment

and what you expect from a person like Ahmed Rashid other than propaganda against Army, a person who was once in the ranks Indian backed terrorist group BLA in the 70s and who have fougth against Pakistan Army in Balochistan on behalf of BLA.

So mr Logic Note come up with some neutral analysis instead pieces from those who are now sitting in US and propagating against ISI and Army in exchange for handsome bucks.

 

[Logic note]

YouTube - Taliban in pakistan (killing a shia person)

 

[Vinod2070]

Its common for these criminals, I guess.

They killed Hazaras en masse in Afghanistan earlier. Civilization has not touched them from afar it seems.

 

[DarkStar]

no, civilisation confined itself only to Bhaarat in south asia...where kilings and rape of muslims and christians by blood thirsty mobs is the epitome of civilisation and ahinsa.

 

[Kasrkin]

Thats what extremeism everywhere does DarkStar.