Assalamu Alaikum Auntie,
I am from Sialkot. I often read the advice that you give, but I have never ever seen you giving advice from the Quran and Hadith. The Quran is our solution for all things. So you can ask your audience to look to the Quran for a problem. And we must also learn them from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Thank you so much. Concerned

Dear Concerned,
Thank you for writing in. You are absolutely correct when you say that you have never seen me give people advice from religious texts or even suggest that they read the holy book for peace and comfort. Reciting holy scripture provides succour to millions around the world. However, giving advice based in religion is a huge responsibility and not one to be taken lightly. I am not qualified, nor am I learned enough to do that. There are religious scholars out there who can give advice that is appropriate from a religious point of view and if you are seeking that, you should consult them.

The other issue with giving religious advice is that there are several schools of thought and sects in Islam and, so again, it is much easier to just go to the religious scholar you follow.

‘Why don’t you give advice from religious texts?’

However, another equally important reason why I do not bring religion into my column is that a lot of the people who reach out to me are not Muslim. When you live in a Muslim majority country, it is very easy to forget our minorities. See? You have also assumed that I am a Muslim (I am!) but I very well could not have been. I am always pleasantly surprised by the number of Hindus and Christians who regularly reach out to me. So not bringing religion into my column is definitely deliberate. I want to reach out and help as many people as possible, because I believe that many of you, who read the column, do so to understand your own problems better. You don’t always have to write in to be helped. You can learn from others’ problems too. And all these other people I may be helping without knowing, may not be Muslim, or, dare I say, they may simply be Muslims who are not very religious. So while you believe that the Quran is the solution for all things, others believe the same about their religious texts or whatever they consult to understand their purpose on earth.

It takes all sorts to make this world. You may not like it, but the fact is that there are people out there who are not very religious. Whether that is right or wrong is not for us to judge and, honestly, there isn’t much you and I can do about that.

My column has been running for several years now and I find it generally attracts people who are looking for something other than religious advice.

So if you are looking for advice in the light of the Quran, Sunnah and Hadith, simply consult your religious scholar.

Dear Auntie,
May I have a face reveal? Because I feel like you are a male. Curious

Dear Curious, Sorry,
I cannot do a ‘face reveal’. And I am definitely a woman.

I am also one person, not a panel. So for all those who have asked, sorry but you cannot join the ‘panel.’

 Auntie will not reply privately to any query. Please send concise queries to: auntieagni@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 14th, 2020