| February 23, 2002 | Saturday | Zilhaj 10, 1422 |
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Murder most foul
IN our present predicament — religious, social, economic and political — the significance of Eid-ul-Azha is of particular relevance. While commemorating the supreme sacrifice offered by Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) we should ponder its inner meaning as so succinctly described in the Quran. It says the way they (the father and son) fulfilled “the vision” showed “patience and constancy”. Their unparalleled act of faith and unhesitating submission to the will of Allah blazed an imperishable trail of inspiration. When we slaughter an animal we should not forget that Ibrahim’s life and career were marked by a series of sacrifices. He rebelled against the idolatrous order, of the time, challenged the false gods, and championed the cause of monotheism against polytheism. The divine flame of faith in him could not be extinguished by the direst of threats. He chose to abandon his home, not his mission. No wonder he earned the coveted title of “Khalilullah” (Friend of God). Those who claim to follow his example of devotion and sacrifice even symbolically should search their souls. If they do this, in some measure, they would be able to tame the animal within. This message is driven home in the Quran, which says: “It is not their (animals’) meat nor their blood that reaches Allah. It is your Taqwah (piety) that reaches Him.”
The occasion of Eid-ul-Azha clearly demands that we renew our faith in the principles of piety, devotion and sacrifice in the way of Allah. The path of Islam is not an option of convenience and its pursuit is not possible without a clear choice, single-minded devotion, steadfastness and compliance with the command of the Creator. Actually the Islamic fraternity as a whole must resolve anew at this juncture to emulate Hazrat Ibrahim’s example if it seeks to reap the Divine reward and resume its ordained role. Those who perform Haj and chant “Here I come O’ Lord” make a solemn commitment whose significance should be fully grasped. It is only when the stimulus of belief is deeply and genuinely absorbed that the required response will be forthcoming. If adopted as a guiding motto in their individual and collective life, the unity, fraternity, equality and discipline in evidence during Haj can over time change the destiny of the Muslims, who are unfortunately divided, disorganized and backward. Muslim countries which swear by Islam should rise above their narrow interests and petty quarrels. They should strive towards a truly Islamic order — a model of justice, equality and human welfare. It should be the concern of every Muslim society to seek inspiration and guidance from these lofty principles in shaping its systems and institutions. In Pakistan we are passing through a difficult phase and facing a formidable challenge. The need to steer clear of extremism and adopt the concept of moderation is manifest. The bane of sectarianism must be rooted out and mutual tolerance as a fundamental principle of Islam must be accepted and practised. We should aim at higher and nobler ideals. Alleviation of poverty, want and deprivation call for sustained efforts. Pursuit of knowledge ought to be our top priority since knowledge is not only enlightenment but power. Ignorance is our worst enemy, more menacing than any external threat to our national security. Technology, especially as a means of rapid progress and effective defence, has assumed paramount importance. Self-help, instead of dependence on doles, is the best way out of the debt trap we have fallen into. All these demand great efforts and sacrifices. This day is the time to renew our resolve in all these respects.
If the Muslims wish to transform themselves into a forward-looking, dynamic force, they will have to summon forth the same spirit of sacrifice and steadfastness that Hazrat Ibrahim displayed and as a reward earned the Divine promise that “I will make thee an Imam to the Nations”. No wonder the prayer taught by Allah to His last Messenger ran thus: “Say O’ Muhammad, verily my Lord has guided me to a path that is straight, a religion of right, the path trod by Ibrahim, the true in faith and he certainly joined no gods with God. Say truly ‘my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are all for God’.”
The message and mission of Hazrat Ibrahim thus reached the culminating point through the life (seerat) and tradition (sunnah) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Eid-ul-Azha is, thus, the most appropriate occasion for us to revive this spirit and reaffirm the responsibilities that go with it. Let us pray for the fortification of our faith, for strengthened fraternal ties, for the unity of the Islamic world and for the liberation of our brethren in distress and under alien subjugation.
THE news that kidnapped US journalist Daniel pearl is dead is shocking beyond words. The official confirmation of this long suspected possibility is bound to send a shock wave throughout Pakistan, as indeed it must sadden sane people everywhere in the world and fill them with a sense of shock as well as revulsion over the dastardly act of Pearl’s kidnapping and killing. Unfortunately, those responsible for the dastardly crime still remain out of reach of the law. The ones arrested so far — among them Sheikh Omar Saeed — may well be low-level operatives: on whose behalf they worked is still by and large a mystery. What their motives were and why they chose to kill are questions to which our intelligence agencies have not been able to find a satisfactory answer. The only point confirmed by the investigators is that Daniel Pearl wanted to interview some top figure in one of the extremist groups, and that someone who was supposed to arrange this interview either bungled the job or was himself tricked. The demand for Pearl’s release in exchange for some militants in Pakistani and American jails was made by the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty. No one had ever heard this name before. The group also made no attempt to use it as a propaganda stunt to publicize its political views — as Osama bin Laden’s mysterious tapes did during and after the war in Afghanistan.
Until the mid-nineties, Pakistan was as safe for foreigners as any country in the world. Even though the Afghan war had interrupted the overland tourist traffic in 1979, foreigners still came as businessmen or tourists. With the assumption of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan and the proliferation of armed Jihadi groups within Pakistan, the country fell under the sway of parties pursuing an extremist political philosophy bordering on blind fanaticism. While the majority was by no means with the extremists, what gave them clout was militancy and the use of religion for advancing their narrow political and sectarian ends. Many Pakistanis themselves fell victim to this madness. This is evident from the hundreds killed in sectarian violence. Non-religious parties also had a share in blood-letting, as evident from the murder of four American oil company executives in Karachi in 1997.
The investigating agencies must now be held responsible for the failure to save Pearl’s life. They still owe it to the people of Pakistan and to Pearl’s family to track down the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice. Pearl cannot be brought back to life, but by punishing those responsible for his killing, the government will show to the world and to its own people its determination to combat the forces of extremism and terror.