With reference to the article Copyright crime (August 8), when I glance over my bookshelf I do find myself guilty of reading photocopied books. But, we students are compelled to buy copied books because it is too expensive for us to buy original books that are priced astronomically.
ANEEL FARAZ
Turbat, Makran
Gorakh’s natural beauty
With reference to the letter by Faizan Ghani Brohi (August 22), he wrote in his comment, “the writer’s claim to have brought Gorakh into the limelight, is untrue.
“Development of the Gorakh Valley has been on the agenda of the Sind provincial government since 1950s.”
When I climbed the hilltop in August 1985, fifty miles on foot and after two days of struggle which nearly killed myself and the guards as we had ran out of water and had lost our way, I discovered a lot which I have happily shared with others since.
Saying that Gorakh has been on the agenda of the provincial government since 1950 and therefore it is in the limelight, is non-sequitur. Agenda doesn’t mean a thing unless one takes practical steps to implement it and having taken the practical steps causes enough attention to be focused on it in the media in a systematic way; only then can one say that one has brought the subject into the limelight.
AZMAT ANSARI
Karachi
Whose mosque is it anyway?
With reference to Anjum Niaz’s piece, Whose mosque is it anyway? (August 8), according to Prophetic teachings, a women can just not be a Muqtadi in a mosque, but she can be an Imam.
Famous Muslim Scholar (late) Dr Hamidullah wrote in his book The Emergence of Islam, “Umm Warqah was an Ansari lady who had embraced Islam in its very early phase. It is recorded that she offered her services for the Battle of Badr to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and requested him to take her along as she wanted to fight the enemy. There is another aspect which makes some practical and academic problems. It is stated that the Holy Prophet appointed her leader or Imam of a mosque in her locality and that men prayed behind her. The muazzin, who calls the faithful to prayer, was a man. It is obvious that he too prayed behind the Imam. This account occurs in the Sunnah of Abu Daud and the Musnad of Ahmed ibn Hanbal. Here the question arises weather a woman can be made an Imam. One can perhaps speculate that the tradition in question relates to the early period of Islam and the Holy Prophet possibly cancelled it Later.
But on the contrary it is proved that Umm Waraqah was alive during the regime of Umar and continued to discharge her duties.”
MUNIR HUSSAIN SIDDIQUI
Karachi
Will ye no, come back again
With reference to Mustansar Hussain Tarar’s column, Will ye no, come back again (August 15), Shafiqur Rehman painted dreamscapes with his words. His stories were punctuated with life and its meticulous colours.
NUZHAT SAADIA SIDDIQUI
Lahore
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It is hard to believe that a person so full of wit and humour faced such tragedies in life.
His masterpieces like, Dajla, Lehrain, Shagoofay etc. are still fresh in my mind. Even today, they manage to make me smile and giggle, no matter how many times I read them. Shafiqur Rehman will always remain alive with his fans.
