Page 23 - Pakistan Link - August 13, 2021

COMMENTARY AUGUST 13, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

Convocation, Dhaka]. the portals of your universities and colleges then lege for Girls, Lahore]. dah. But the League’s clarion call had penetrated
Work for Education: You should struggle you can play your part freely; and help yourself No National Progress Without Women: inside it and brought a message of hope and
very hard for the sake of education. Education and the State [21 March 1948, Speech at a public No nation can rise to the height of glory unless cheer to Muslim women...” [25 February 1946,
is light and ignorance is darkness. You need meeting, Dhaka]. your women are side by side with you. We are Speech at a meeting of Muslim women, Calcutta].
education badly. You should organize a party ... Women are Teachers and Guides: I have victims of evil customs. It is a crime against hu- Women Education and Future Genera-
that party should work for your education and always maintained that no nation can ever be manity that our women are shut up within the tion: Women’s education is very necessary, oth-
the betterment of your economic position. It worthy of its existence that cannot take with four walls of the houses as prisoners. I do not erwise the future generation, which depends on
should also help you in trade and industry [25 them their women. No struggle can ever succeed mean that we should imitate the evils of the women for its upbringing, will remain ignorant.
June 1943, Address to a waiting crowd at Bellpat without women ever participating side by side Western life but let us try to raise the status of Men alone cannot achieve anything, but together
Railway Station on his way to Quetta]. with men. There are two powers in the world. our women according to our own Islamic ide- a lot can be done. March forward along with men
Knowledge is Greater Than Sword: Re- One is represented by the sword and the other by als and standards” [10 March 1944, Address to to solve the important issues of our national life
ferring to the sword presented to him Mr Jin- the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry a meeting of Muslim University Muslim League, [12 July 1946, Address to Muslim Ladies of Hyder-
nah said: It will rise only in defense. But for the between the two. There is a third power stronger Aligarh]. abad Deccan].
present the most important thing is education. than both. That is the woman. It is woman and Women and Right Type of Education: Mr Women and Character Building: In the
Knowledge is a greater force than sword. Go and woman alone who can teach man how and when Jinnah said that he was really gratified to learn great task of building the nation and maintaining
acquire it... A part of your education is to study to use the sword or pen when the occasion arises that the right type of education was being given its solidarity women have a most valuable part
the current events, the forces and the move- [25 March 1940, Address to the students of Jinnah to Muslim girls. He said that many impurities to play as the prime architects of the character
ments in India of All India Muslim League, your Islamia College for Women]. and un-Islamic things had crept into the Muslim of the youth that constitutes its backbone, not
national organization [4 July 1943, Speech at the Women’s Education Essential: I am glad society, and it was the task of Muslim education- merely in their own homes but by helping their
Balochistan Provincial Muslim League Session at to see that not only Muslim men, but Muslim al institutions to educate their children on right less fortunate sisters outside in that great task [28
Islamia High School, Quetta]. women and children also have understood the lines with a view to enabling them to live the Is- March 1948 Broadcast Speech from Radio Paki-
Students are Makers of Pakistan: We are Pakistan scheme. No nation can make any prog- lamic life [17 March 1944, Speech at the meeting stan Dhaka].
a free, independent and sovereign state. Let us ress without the cooperation of its women. If of Islamia College for Women, Lahore]. Quaid-i-Azam’s Vision of Education: Se-
behave and regulate our affairs as free men. I Muslim women support their men, as they did in Man and Woman should go together: It lected Quotations (1910-1948) is a historical and
look forward to you as the real makers of Paki- the days of the Prophet of Islam, we should soon was the duty of every Muslim woman to help important document that reveals the Quaid’s in-
stan, do not be exploited and do not be misled. realize our goal. in the struggle for the achievement of Pakistan. sights on education; students, educators, histori-
Create amongst yourselves complete unity and Referring to the Jinnah College, Mr Jinnah “There was a new life today stirring among Mus- ans and general readers will find it an interesting
solidarity. Set an example of what youth can do. said that he was very pleased to hear the report lim women,” said Mr Jinnah. “No nation on earth read and a valuable reference.
Your main occupation; should be — to devote read by Fatima Begum, Principal of the College could make any progress without the active help Dr Ahmed S. Khan (dr.a.s.khan@ieee.org)
your attention to your studies.... After you leave [22 November 1942, Speech at Jinnah Islamia Col- of its womenfolk. They might be inside the Par- is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar (2017-2022).
n By Abdul Malik Mujahid Muharram & a Call for Muslim Unity standing of their faith to respect Shias and
Chicago, IL their loved ones.
he violence between Sunnis and This is respect. This is Islam.
Shias that springs up annually at May Allah help us live the ideals of our
Tthe time of Muharram is an extreme faith and make us the best human beings and
example of the often tense relationship Muslims.
between Sunnis and Shias. This is why we https://www.soundvision.com/article/
are dedicating this article to muharram-and-a-call-for-muslim-unity?eTy
Shia-Sunni relations. pe=EmailBlastContent&eId=4f134368-f294-
Despite major differenc- 4bbe-875d-bb0942954fbe
es between the two groups,
there has always been a spirit REPORT FROM P13
of co-existence based on man was charged in London last month with
what is common among us in conspiring to murder political activist Ahmad
terms of our basic beliefs and practices. Waqass Goraya in the Netherlands.
Here is one of the best examples of this It also said political analyst Ayesha Sid-
ideal behavior: diqa had received an Osman warning from
To the credit of the Saudi government, the Metropolitan Police — a warning named
which is guided by Salafi scholars, derogato- after a case from the late 90s. The warning
rily referred to as Wahhabis, they have never was issued by British authorities who believe
stopped Shias from performing Hajj or pray- there is a death threat to the prospective vic-
ing separately around the Kaba. This is despite tim.
their strong anti-Shia beliefs and positions. Reacting to the claims carried in the re-
To the credit of the late Imam Ruhollah port, the Foreign Office spokesperson, Zahid
Khomeini, on whose directive Shias stopped Hafeez Chaudhri said that the unsubstanti-
praying separately around the Kaba and ated allegations appeared to be part of the
started praying with the rest of the Muslims, rather “blatant on-going misinformation
making Hajj became even more a symbol of subject to a divide and rule scheme by differ- • We request that Sunnis arrange campaign” against Pakistan to malign the
Muslim unity. This is despite Shias’ strong ent Muslim and non-Muslim powers, it is im- for guardsto stand at Shia plac-es country and its state institutions.
criticism of Saudis and Salafis. portant that Shias and Sunnis recognize the of wor-ship, and public-l y The spokesperson insisted that Pakistan
If Saudi Salafis don’t consider Shias Kaf- following when dealing with each other: declaring that they are there to protect our is a parliamentary democracy with a “vibrant
irs, and Shias pray behind Sunnis in the Ha- • Common humanity brothers and sisters, and to stand against ex- civil society, free media and independent ju-
ram, then that should serve as a model which • Mutuality of our faith tremists who kill. diciary”, which remains fully committed to
should guide the rank and file of the rest of • Recognition of our differences in • Commit to a dialogue between Shia promotion and protection of human rights
the Ummah. belief and practice and Sunni community leaders. for all its citizens without discrimination.
No wonder top Sunni and Shia scholars • Safeguarding each other’s places of We are guided in our call by the follow- “Our strong commitment to the right to
have issued fatwas sitting next to the Kaba, in worship ing orders of Allah: freedom of opinion and expression is dem-
solidarity with each other. This was codified • Protecting each other’s life and • Hold fast, all together, by the Rope onstrated by presence of scores of vibrant
in 2005, when Shia-Sunni violence increased, property of God, and be not divided among yourselves media channels and newspapers in the coun-
and the Amman Message was released. • Honoring those who excel in en- (Qur’an 3:103). try,” said the statement.
Imam Husain, may God be pleased with The Foreign Office felt that the provision
him, is regarded as Shaheed (a martyr) by In Chicago, they often pray in each other’s Masjids and send their children to each of a platform for peddling of unsubstantiated
Sunnis as well as Shias. The autocrat named other’s schools. The most commonly used Islamic textbooks in many Sunni-led and false narratives against Pakistan by any
Yazeed who killed him is equally despised by news outlet was “regrettable”.
Sunnis and Shias. weekend schools in America about twenty years ago were written by Dr Hashim. He
Despite the fact that there are serious is an Iraqi-American Shia. I remember NPR once asking me if Shias and Sunnis are EVM FROM P13
differences between Shias and Sunnis, in going to fight in Chicago after a discussion on this topic regarding developments The ruling PTI has been pursuing the is-
Iraq, 30 percent of them were married to each overseas. My response was yes - if the Mayor or other politicians can benefit from it, sue of the use of EVMs since the 2013 general
other before the 2003 invasion of the country. elections. A prototype had first been shown
In Chicago, they often pray in each oth- they might. We need to watch out for both extremists and opportunists at the Parliament House in May.
er’s Masjids and send their children to each Earlier in May, the prime minister had
other’s schools. The most commonly used Is- hancing this relationship • The Believers are but a single Broth- invited the opposition to sit down with the
lamic textbooks in many Sunni-led weekend Sound Vision has in the past issued a call erhood: So, make peace and reconciliation government and participate in bringing elec-
schools in America about twenty years ago for Shia- Sunni dialogue and has organized between your two (contending) brothers; and toral reforms such as the use of EVMs in or-
were written by Dr Hashim. He is an Iraqi- one itself. It is important that this is done in be pious to God, so that you might be granted der to restore the credibility of local polls.
American Shia. all cities. mercy (Qur’an 49:10). In a series of tweets, the premier had said
I remember NPR once asking me if Shias As Muharram has arrived, we pray • Saving one life is like saving the that after the NA-249 Karachi by-poll, all par-
and Sunnis are going to fight in Chicago after for the safety of Shias, who are in a state of whole humanity (Qur’an 5:32). ties were “crying foul and claiming rigging”.
a discussion on this topic regarding develop- mourning. We request that you do the follow- • We cannot force anyone in the mat- “Technology and the use of EVMs is the
ments overseas. My response was yes - if the ing: ter of faith (Qur’an 2:256). only answer to reclaim the credibility of elec-
Mayor or other politicians can benefit from • Adopt a code of honor signed by Shias don’t have to leave their under- tions. I invite the opposition to sit with us and
it, they might. We need to watch out for both many Sunni and Shia scholars in your region. standing of the faith to respect Sunnis and select from EVM models we have available to
extremists and opportunists. You can use the Amman message as your their loved ones. restore the credibility of our elections,” he had
While Shia-Sunni differences have been guide, as well as this one. Sunnis don’t have to leave their under- tweeted.
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