THIS refers to the letter ‘Maids, servants and pets not allowed’ by Aamir Aqil (Nov 8). The writer I believe has a part-time or a full-time servant in the house.
Does he allow his servant/maid to sit at the dining table and eat together? Has he provided the same bedding for the servant like he uses? Does his servant eat the same food everyday as he does? Does his maid wear the same quality clothes as his wife wears?
Society cannot work if everyone is equal in all respects. Yes, everyone is equal in the eyes of God and law. But in every office, there are officers and subordinates. How can an army work if a general and a soldier are treated equally?
KHALID BUTT Karachi
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Comments (19) Closed
sunny borah
Nov 13, 2012 01:59am
why you folks bring relegion into everything?
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Muhammad
Nov 12, 2012 05:16pm
It is a little odd. The prophet ate with his slave Bilal for sake of equality, but Bilal still remained a slave. Was not slavery also forbidden for sake of eqauality?
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Zeeshan
Nov 12, 2012 05:21pm
Living in London for almost a decade now, I feel the biggest difference is that people serving us here are treated with dignity and respect. They may not earn as much as the ones who employ them but the people show courtesy by looking at the waiters, taxi drivers and cleaners in the eye and thanking them for their work. Our own cleaner and gardener sit on the same table and eat with us the same food.
I must say, I never saw even educated corporate well travelled frequent flyers doing that in Pakistan. No wonder Pakistanis are willing to drive taxis and do jobs in restaurants in Europe and North America but not in their own country.
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Muhammad
Nov 12, 2012 05:27pm
I don't think that eating or not eating with servants is important - it is just symbolic. What is important is how you treat them. I have seen people treating their servants badly. They have no respect for them. They don't talk to them the same way as they talk to their family members. Some even beat them. The servants do their job and get paid. There is no reason to treat them in an insulting manner.
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Saeed
Nov 12, 2012 11:47pm
I saw ex army general and ex sephai traveling in same PIA flight . It's a money which make difference finally. In western countries I have no excess in many high end country club, and also every events there is always VIP entry and other is for commoner. Please stop giving fancy stories about America .
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Saeed
Nov 12, 2012 11:50pm
First of Caesar is even before Christ. And secondly this is call socialism or communism which Muslim fought against in Afghanistan .
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Danyal
Nov 12, 2012 05:33pm
that's not entirely true. There are a certain amount of restaurants which allow pets in North America and Europe.
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FJ Siddiqui
Nov 12, 2012 06:42pm
I am supporter of uniformity in treating all humans in terms of their self esteem and basic needs. However, grooming up people from this deprived section of the society will take time and a change in mindset of 'cultured' section of the society. Till that time neither it is possible nor appropriate to bring the household helpers really become part of the family. By the way when everyone gets educated enough then household helpers become hard to find.... example is Singapore where maids are 'imported' mostly from Indonesia & Philippines, but as education is improving there as well, I don't know what will be their source in future. We must get ready to do our chores ourselves.
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Hassed
Nov 12, 2012 07:24pm
Inequality in islam
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khalid
Nov 12, 2012 05:01pm
Sir Butt you would be surprised but there are people in the world especially in the real Muslim, where I have seen maids eating on the same table with the employers. Travel in same class when they travel and have rooms that might not be palaces but a lot better and comfortable than maids would have. BTW you might even check in US this fair and loving treatment that our beloved Prophet practiced is done there too along with the Arab world.
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awais
Nov 12, 2012 06:59am
the difference is of authority not the status
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Hello1
Nov 12, 2012 05:32am
Islamic society especially in the time of the Prophet (PBUH) and the rightly guided caliphs presented a model of the kind of behavior referred to by the author. Also Western societies today are also very open minded and tolerant in this respect. I have personally seen enlisted men and officers traveling in the same carriage of the metro in Washington.
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farmerdr
Nov 12, 2012 05:09am
Of course my comments refer to norms in England and not to civilised countries with musawaat like ours
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farmerdr
Nov 12, 2012 05:06am
The author probably asked a rhetorical question at the end but having observed and having worked with and lived close to military folk I assure Mr Butt that outside their work environment society does treat soldiers and officers, even exalted generals, pretty much the same.
Every creature is entitled to being treated decently, even a dog.
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Syed Ahmed
Nov 12, 2012 12:26pm
What about Pets.In civilized countries, such as Canada, no pets are allowed in restaurants
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mehmood
Nov 12, 2012 04:24am
Once Caesar of rome asked why is islam spreading so fast. The person replied that i will tell you tomorrow after your banquet that you hosted in honor of the muslim king. Next day caesar met the person again. The person asked him so what happened in the banquet. Caesar replied when the muslim king sat , all of his servants also sat with him on the table to eat dinner. Then the person asked caesar, what about your servants. He replied they all converted to Islam.
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g.a.shirazi
Nov 12, 2012 03:46am
I have shared meals with my driver when I visited Pakistan. Prophet (PBUH) used to eat with Bilal Habshi his slave. Are we better than the prophet?
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Sanity
Nov 12, 2012 08:19am
Finally something politically incorect but true. I fully endorse your views.
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areeha
Nov 12, 2012 10:32am
rules are rules ..it should be equal for every one ..If our prophet Muhamman (PBUH) can sit and eat with their subordinate then why not we
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