We are entering 2017 with some heavy baggage

Chitral — We are entering the new year 2017 with the usual back breaking?baggage that we never resolve to shed, come what may. We are entering the new year with liabilities and hangups, hangovers and ‘things to do’ of all sorts. Whether we would be able to handle our baggage by shedding it (or some of it) does not seem likely?for the time being at least.

We are entering 2017 with the usual self deception. Our religious preachers are still saying that if we recite durood sharif all our sins will be washed away, or if we go for tableegh or for Haj we will free ourselves from our past sins. We are still being sermoned about the evils of alcohol but not of dishonesty and hypocricy.?We are still being sermoned about hating?those who do not conform to the sermonizer’s version of Islam instead of loving all human beings. We are still being told that just being a muslim is enough to get into heaven implying?no need to tread?the tough path of?honesty, truthfulness, uprightness and refrain from forbidden?rizq e haram.

Our political leaders, like always, are?likely to take us for a ride this year too. They live their lives in distant lands, their wealth, their children, their interests stashed out there but come periodically to rule us with impunity. Our political leaders have not done anything to improve the system. Even glaring sins like the plea bargain system has not been challenged by any political leader, nor has any substantial improvement in the election system been pursued by politicians.

The Pakistani people are?likely to live in the same environment?(isi tankhwa may?kaam karainge). Half hearted, half baked reforms may be seen here and there but the essence of the malignant system will continue to afflict us?with full strength through 2017 and on. — CN Editorial, 02 Jan 2017

2 thoughts on “We are entering 2017 with some heavy baggage

  1. The editor has rightly depicted a true picture of our society. The fact of the matter is that we are not fully conversant with the meaning of being a Muslim. Actually a Muslim is the one who submits to the will of God in toto and believes in the finality of the prophethood. To be successful in this world and in the hereafter ,we the Muslims have to adopt the teachings of the Holy Prophet(SAW) and practice the same in our daily life. Only then can we think of being a true Muslim and a believer in the one God and in the finality of the last Prophet(SAW). We erroneously believe that only sticking to the rituals will suffice for our salvage in the hereafter. Unless hypocrisy and dishonesty is discarded, our society will not prosper. Both of these are related to Huqulul-Ibad(the rights of the man).

  2. If our Ulema had preached and practiced Character building instead of rituals sans spirit, Islam would have automatically become the religion of heart’s desire of the non muslims too and there would be no need of any tableeghi jamaat etc to sermonize about Islam. Because we are taught only rituals and no character, we have become what we are and we cannot deny our state of affairs. In my humble opinion, a paradigm shift in the way Islam is taught to Muslims, is needed. From the present practice of laying entire emphasis on rituals, it should be shifted to putting 80 percent stress on ‘huqqoq ul Ibaad’ and 20 percent on ‘rituals’.

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