THE Quranic injunctions are a beautiful blend of the physical and spiritual aspects of human life. The physical actions have a direct bearing on the mental makeup that ultimately determine the personality of a human being.

The physical aspects of life are extremely important in the Quranic system of permanent values. The Quranic injunctions basically train Muslims (submitters) to discipline their lives physically and mentally.

The Quran deals will all sorts of subjects including those related to science. Nearly one eighth of the Quranic text relates to the phenomena of nature. Matters related to food and hygiene form one such subject. It does not mean that Quran is a book of science, yet it blends hygienic principles into a discipline, so that they assume the form of a ritual.

A believer thus observes these principles as part of obedience to the Divine command. Cleanliness is also a constant process evident in nature. ‘And We send down pure water from the sky (free from all impurities). (25:48) The transformation of impure salt water present in the oceans by the hydrological cycle is a gift from the Almighty without which the provision of fresh water so essential would not have been possible.

The obligatory congregational prayer is a manifestation of subservience to Allah and is also an unparallel discipline. All Islamic prayers, congregations are preceded by Wadu (Ablution), which involves the cleaning of all exposed parts of the body. The Quran says,’ O you who believe! When you rise up for prayer, wash your faces and your hands to the elbows rub your hands (with water) and wash your feet upto the ankles. If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body, but if you are ill or on a journey, or one of your comes from offices of nature, or you have been in contact with women and you find no water, then take for yourself clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.

God does not wish to place you in difficulty, but to make you clean and to complete His favour to you (By making you tidy and disciplined people) so that you may be able to express your gratitude to Him. (5:6), A Muslim who cleans his body five times will definitely be disgusted to plunge into a bathtub and bathe in the dirt of his own body.

The use of toilet paper as a matter of routine is also considered undesirable and must be followed by the use of water. Non-Muslims urinate while standing and never care to protect the lower part of their body and clothes from becoming dirty. It is unhygienic as well. This is not a matter of rituals only; the discipline should be visible in our everyday life.

God does not come down physically on this earth; His system is implemented by those who believe in the ultimate truth of Divine guidance for a positive healthy life here and the hereafter. The believers in the Quranic system are well guided well organized and well controlled and work for the benefit of humanity at large.

The Quran says that only that survives which benefits the whole humanity. It does not regard the body as evil or an impediment to spiritual progress. The purity of mind, body and intention and matters relating to food and hygiene form an important part of this Quranic system, which ordains the believers to be clean and tidy at prayers and other times.

In fact Muhammad (PBUH) considered cleanliness to be half Eeman (faith). Purity and cleanliness are not confined to the externals that are perceived by the senses. Thus the polytheists maybe physically clean immaculately dressed, but they are inwardly unclean. The Quran refers to such people when it says, ‘Verily the polytheists are unclean...’ (9.28). The Quran also says that the purity of body and mind is the hallmark of good humans and is equally demanded from both man and woman.

The basic concept of cleanliness is to have a clean body and mind. The Quran ordained Prophet Muhammad not only to keep his clothes clean, but also the actions involved in the invitation to the truth (74:4,5,6,). A person who knows the true worth of cleanliness should understand the sublime quality of a mind, clean of all unhealthy thoughts. Modern science also acknowledges the deep impact of clean healthy thoughts on the human personality.

A Muslim observes cleanliness not because he has received an academic course of instructions in hygienic principles, but because it is part of the discipline, which he has learnt at home during his early childhood. Public baths were formerly a necessary attachment to the mosques and the wells in small towns and villages.

There are certain foodstuffs, which have been strictly forbidden by the Quran ‘Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine and that on which is invoked the name of other than Allah; that which has been killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a headlong fall or is gored to death, that which has been partly eaten by a wild animal’ (5:3).

These foodstuffs when medically analyzed will always prove harmful. The limits of haram (Forbidden) have been laid down by the Quran and no human being has the authority to add or delete anything, as is the usual practice. ‘O you who believe! Make not unlawful the pleasant things in life which Allah has made lawful for you’ (5:90,91).

The Quran directs the believers to consume only those things that are pure, nourishing and agreeable to taste and liking. The Quran uses the term “Tayyaibat” for such things. It further says,’ Eat of what grows from the earth lawful and good’) (2:168) ‘He (Messenger) allows them as lawful what is good and pure and prohibits them from what is bad and impure (7:157), ‘Eat of the good things We have provided for you’ (2:25, 16:14, 20:81, 2:172, 2:57) ‘O ye Messenger! Enjoy all things good and pure, for I am well acquainted with (all) that you do’ (23:51). In modern times it is very sad to see some Muslims who are under the influence of wine looking for Halaal food in the West.

The basic rule of the Quran is that it should be approached with a clean and unprejudiced mind without any pre-conceived ideas and dogmas ingrained in our minds by the obscurantist clergymen. If they fail to do so they shall not be able to comprehend the true message of the Quran. (52:79) ‘None but the clean (in mind, thought and body) shall touch it’ (56:79). Generally no one handles even an ordinary book with unclean and soiled hands, but an extreme form of the misinterpretation of the above quoted ayats wrongly drives women away from the Divine Book during the menstruation period depriving them of guidance.

The Quran contains a code of hygienic measures and regulations given as religious precepts and as such must be obeyed. For Muslims, pig is a symbol of that is unclean. The ancient Egyptians also considered it so. The Jews stay away from it. Now we know that pig than any other animal transmits more parasitic diseases. Consumption of pork is detested among Muslims so much so that those who are slack in observing other commandments usually adhere strictly to the prohibition of pork.

In pleasures that are lawful, Islam forbids excess. Gifts given by God should be used with gratitude. Consumption of food in excess leads to obesity and diseases like Diabetes and all sorts of diseases of the digestible and circulatory systems. Such diseases cut short the life span of an individual. It also amounts to usurping the rights of those who do not have sufficient to eat. It has been the practice among good Muslims to eat just short of what is required for appeasing hunger.

The Quran prohibits intoxicants. The Arabic word ‘Khimer’ means to cover and is generally used for wine as it covers human consciousness; but it also includes drugs and narcotics that induce drowsiness. ‘Khumar’ (Intoxicated ecstasy) means a substance, which produces exhilaration beyond control. ‘O You who believe! Approach not Salat with a mind befogged until you can understand all what you say’ (4:43).

In the light of this directive one should be careful in establishing Salat even after a rich and sumptuous meal as the mind is drowsy after a rich meal. The debilitating effects of alcohol on the mental, physical, moral and social aspects of man are well known. Taken in addition to ordinary food, it undergoes oxidation and cannot be stored in the tissues.

A Muslim’s food, cleanliness, hygiene, social interaction, prayers and other interests are linked with his duty to the One Who provides nourishment to his body and soul. Islam emphasizes achievement by following the simple set of Divine permanent values. The practice of these values creates psychological attitudes, which lead to a sanctuary of peace wherein a believer is invited to enter and which brings happiness to all. Islam as Deen and not religion, a system of collective living and way of life aims towards the actualization of the potentialities of the human self in individuals and towards the smooth evolution of man to a higher form of life known as “Aakhira”, the life hereafter in the Quranic terminology.

THE September 1 “surprise” meeting between Kasuri and his Israeli counterpart Shalom, in Istanbul is a classic example of a good policy wrongly executed. Subsequent explanations and reservations have only complicated and confused the issue.

The ‘first step’ has also been ill-timed if not ill-conceived. The ‘historic’ meeting needed appropriate consultations with stakeholders, both at home and abroad, with due care and caution and major protagonists taken on board, prior to the diplomatic contact.

The official claim of tacit approval of President Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah begged credibility, particularly with reports of concern and worry by Palestinian Authority on this move. Nabil Shaath, the chief Palestinian negotiator with Israel, expressed “worry because it is not a good time to start relations with Israel. It is not a good time to give Israel gifts before it really implements the peace process, not only in Gaza, but in the West Bank and Jerusalem”. The reaction by Hamas and other militant groups on “any relations between the Islamic state and Israel” should have been anticipated.

President Musharraf’s and his spokesman’s assurances that there has been no change in Pakistan’s principled policy on the issue of recognition, and that “ Pakistan would not recognize Israel before an independent Palestinian state was established”, further defies logic of the timing of the Pakistani initiative.

Any student of history knows that the prospects of the peace process, whether as per Oslo accords or in pursuance of President Bush’s ‘roadmap’ are non-existent. The Gaza pullout in the overall context of Israel’s policy towards Palestinian is neither strategic nor geared to advancing the peace process. Indeed, the Palestinians feel that “the price of Gaza is a stronger Israeli hold on the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem”.

The occupied territories issue is highly emotive and the Arab responses are determined more by emotions than logic. Even if Pakistan has been asked “to play a positive role for the resolution of the Palestinian dispute” by Mahmoud Abbas during his Islamabad visit of March 2004, as claimed by foreign minister Kasuri, neither the timing nor the circumstances are propitious. Shorn of all political hyperbole and diplomatic verbiage, the fact is that Pakistan lacks any influence to accelerate the peace process or act as a catalyst.

It is only logical to ask what national interests of Pakistan are expected to be served by assuming this role and what would be the objective and modalities. There are already a number of peace proposals ranging form King Abdullah’s plan endorsed by the Arab League in its summit of March 2002 to President Bush’s roadmap. These, as others in the past, have floundered on the obduracy of Israeli leadership. How Pakistan can improve these proposals or influence Israel to see the light of reason and conciliation remains inscrutable.

It is true that successive Pakistani governments since General Zia have initiated contacts with Israel and Ms Bhutto even planned to visit Gaza in 1994, but none of them implied any recognition of Israel or any presumption of playing a helpful role to cut the Gordian

knot.

It is generally believed that this unilateral initiative owes its origin to US pressure and is part of a wider policy framework, of which the other part is President Musharraf’s address to Jewish American Congress in New York next week, and also for Pakistan to vote in favour of Israel’s stand-off with the Committee of Red Cross in Geneva to allow the Israeli

Red Cross to become a full member of the International Red Cruss.

ICRC does not recognize the Israeli version of the Red Cross — Magen David Adom Society — as it uses the Star of David as an emblem instead of the red cross. There has been strong opposition, mainly from Muslim countries, over the last many years to the Israeli request and now after the Istanbul meeting Pakistan would be expected to support Israel and also persuade other Muslim states to do so.

The US State Department has understandably kept a distance and denied any role in regard to the Istanbul meeting. It, however, hailed it as a “good political development” and “an act of creative diplomacy”, which “represents a strategic calculation by Islamabad”

The official circles are offering all kinds of fanciful scenarios in support of this move. It is being claimed that relations with Israel will introduce a healthy balance between the Israel-India nexus and Pakistan, particularly in terms of the purchase of sophisticated military hardware and that the Jewish lobby’s influence in the US and in the International financial institutions will be a salutary development for Pakistan. The argument is also being stretched to imply that the July 18 US agreement with India to provide support to its civilian nuclear reactors, could also be extended to Pakistan, courtesy the Jewish influence on the Capitol Hill and the White House.

However, all these speculations and scenarios do not take into account realpolitik. Historically, the Jews are known to drive a hard bargain. What would Pakistan offer to Israel in return for all these favours. It is also being argued that already Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Mauritania have extended recognition to Israel and maintain diplomatic relations with it, so Pakistan is not committing any betrayal. True, but their recognition had a certain geopolitical compulsions, and are not relevant to the current context of Pakistan. Morocco, Tunisia and Qatar established trade offices in Israel in the backdrop of the Oslo Accords in 1993 amid high hopes of a settlement of the Palestinian issue. Frustration set in soon and these contacts have remained moribund for more than a decade.

The truth is that the spirit and motivation behind Pakistan’s diplomatic move is essentially in the context of Pakistan’s unhelpful image abroad as being “the heart of Al Qaeda located there”. President Musharraf’s willingness to address the American Jewish Congress is also a part of this move — to allay the fear of the West and the US that Pakistan is an obscurantist state with its citizens religious zealots and intolerant of other religions. This may be a well-intentioned objective well worth pursuing, and if engaging the Jews and Israel can correct Pakistan’s image and put policies in perspective; the motive and initiative should be welcomed. Even a much speculated “chance meeting” between Sharon and Musharraf in

New York, would neatly fit

into this strategy and need not raise many eyebrows of disapproval.

This policy, sound as it may be, needs to be put in this limited context and public opinion be informed and prepared for the change. Regrettably, the government has in the past not taken parliament or other relevant institutions into confidence prior to any major paradigm shift in its foreign policy. The policies towards the Taliban and the peace process with India are glaring examples. It is about time this tradition was broken and the relevant organs are consulted and taken on board. Mercifully there has been considerable support on this issue even from political rivals PML (N), ANP and the PPP. President Musharraf must consolidate his position for a more effective execution of this policy, through national debate and consensus.

Our policy planners would also be well advised to tailor their political coat according to our capabilities. We must have no illusion of Pakistan being a global player, capable of playing a vital role in the settlement of the Palestinian issue. We must continue to maintain our principled position; work in tandem with the Arab League and the OIC and not chart a separate course.

Palestinian-Israel relations evoke a highly emotive response and we should avoid any direct involvement in it which can easily suck us into the vortex of intra-Arab rivalry and differences to our national detriment.

The forthcoming visit of the delegation to Gaza and Al Quds should remain on course, and given a limited mandate to interact with authorities both Palestinian and Israeli to ascertain their viewpoints and expectations and to assure them of Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue. Further ‘gestures’ should await the delegation’s return and recommendations.

The writer is a former ambassador.