Running away to other lands … Imran Jan

In Islam, Allah Almighty has placed emphasis on the rights our fellow humans have over us. Huqooq-ul-Ibad, the duties we owe to fellow human beings, have preference over Huqooq Allah, the duty we owe to the Creator. Even when we step back and take a look at all the religions broadly, at least the Abrahamic ones, the difference is perhaps in how it defines the relationship between humans and their Creator. However, the goal of that definition mainly is to control the affairs between us human beings.

When someone tells you to help other people without expecting anything in return from them because this is between you and your God, they are absolutely right but if you think about it, this is about regulating your behaviour with your fellow human beings and perhaps it is rather more about that relationship.

Many argue that God is a creation of man. I do not agree with it and I am not going to get into this debate because the naysayers would be naysayers. However, what is certainly a creation of man is a nation-state. We may, as believers, welcome the interference and intervention of God in our affairs so that we are put on the right path, so that we can achieve our goals, so that we can be ushered into the direction that is good for us since we humans, with our limited intelligence, cannot foresee what is good or bad for us. However, that is in stark contrast to why nation states are created. We, as citizens, do not welcome the interfering hand of the government into our affairs. That is the essence of liberty. Many people do not know the difference between freedom and liberty. Freedom is to be able to do what one wants. Liberty means freedom from one’s own government so that it cannot encroach upon that freedom.

In the lives of believers, when unfortunate things happen, they seek the help of their Creator. They may try to make sense of it all by rationalising that perhaps despite being gifted with free will, the Creator has made a decision for them, which may feel painful and appear difficult in that moment, but in the grand scheme of things, it will start making sense. Regardless, they turn to their Creator in such times of difficulty. They find solace in the leadership of the Almighty.

In the lives of the citizens, when their freedom, life and property are being attacked by their fellow citizens, they turn to their government for relief in the form of justice. The judiciary being one of the pillars of their government moves into action to provide justice. In today’s day and age, the broadcast media have played a major role in moving into action not just the judiciary but the other pillars of the government also.

The citizens of Pakistan who also happen to be Muslims primarily are trapped in a unique situation. They are ruled over by a government that is miles away from any semblance of any faith. These citizens are often told that they’d be ruled over by people who’d be a reflection of their mindset and morality. God is perhaps not coming to their rescue given the filth in the society where every female actor is looking for ways to wear the minimal clothes and men take pride in being adulterers.

What is left is a government that may not be representative of the people’s vote but representative of their mindset and morality. This is the unique citizenry that cannot turn to their state institutions for justice and relief if and when their liberties are encroached upon. That ‘if’ and ‘when’ in the last sentence are merely written for the sake of writing the sentence. We know there is no if and there is no when. The media have been completely defanged. People cannot change their God, but they have decided to change their country. Is it any surprise that millions of Pakistanis are running away to other lands?

Courtesy Express Tribune