We should remove "Islamic" from "Islamic Republic of Pakistan". Reason: There are so many types of Islam followed in Pakistan that this term has lost its meaning. For example there is Shia Islam, Sunni Islam, Sufi Islam, Bahrelvi Islam, Ahmadi Islam (sorry this is incorrect as the others don't think they follow Islam so we have kicked them out), Conservative Islam, Modern Islam, Liberal Islam, Moderate Islam, Talibani Islam, Musharaf Islam, and this list goes on and on. Now the question arises which type of Islam does Pakistan follow? Does it follow the Islam which allows it blow up shrines and mosques in the name of Islam or does it follow an Islam which allows muslims to drink and party all night. Every Pakistani seems to have a different connotation of Islam they seem to follow and think is correct. After living in the west I feel Pakistanis are trying to follow an Islam which has nothing to do with the religion sent to us by Allah through our Prophet PBUH. For example there is a famous hadith which says "Cleanliness is half of faith (eman)". Pakistan and clean seems like a joke when put together in the same sentence. OR how about karo karri, honor killing or flogging a girl in the name of Islam because a girl married someone she likes when Islam has given her the right to do so. OR blowing up innocent MUSLIMS in the name of JIHAD.. that just seems to contradict itself.
We Pakistanis (and I tend to include myself in all these shortcomings) tend to be very passionate about Islam. We are so passionate that we took out rallies and boycotted facebook recently in the name to protect Islam but we did not take out rallies to boycott porn websites (well that just seems too much effort) nor did we try to tell people what Islam really is because we ourselves are confused amidst all our sects and tribes and castes and cultures that we do not really know what the definition of Islam is for our next door neighbor who also happens to be a Muslim. We are also very active in taking out rallies against the Israeli Occupation in Palestine but how about a kick Taliban out of Pakistan rally. Ouch we are too scared to do that plus Taliban doesn't let us survive in a anti-Israeli rally what will they do in an anti-Taliban rally. We hate our president Mr. 10 percent but we dont have the courage to kick him out like we have kicked out our previous presidents. (I am betting that the 100 goats he does sadqa everyday literally save his life because we really hate him). We Pakistanis also have a love for blaming our shortcomings on the west. We are in this position because of US, UK, Israel etc but as I agree with what Hassan Nisar said and I also think that with 1.66 billion muslims on this planet, if we can't still stand up and fight against the what we thinking is happening as a western propaganda than we are at fault and we should take charge and make our countries better, invent new technologies, teach our children and lets not blame them because we seem to love their Mc Donalds more than our Bun Kabab.
The history of war and terror with the name of Islam is not new to the sub continent. If my memory is on my side, Islam reached the Indian peninsula through the crusades of Mohammad Bin Qasim during the era of the Third Caliph. This happened to be a very gruesome conquest of Sindh and Punjab but then some where in the history we also see the Imam Ali AS came to Hyderabad, Sindh and there is Molla Qadam there which is the footprint of him. (I have not visited that place... just heard about it). After a few years when muslims were being persecuted during and after the time of Karbala, about eighteen women of the Family of the Prophet along with one of the sons of Imam Hassan AS came to this region to find some shelter. This is how Bibi Pak Daman (who is actually Bibi Ruquiya Binte Ali AS, Imam Ali's youngest daughter now buried in Punjab) and Abdullah Shah Ghazi (one of Imam Hassan's son who was killed by the Karachi beach and was buried by Hindus) reached this region and propagated Islam through their actions and not by sword. (I am not sure about the authenticity of this story.. heard it in Majlises and found through some web searches but am not 100% sure about it). There were more conquerors in that region and everyone fought in the name of Islam. From the Mughals to warriors like Tipu Sultan, Islam was always the core focal point of these conquests but later on Islam reached this region because of the sufi saints. Saints like Shah Abdul Latif Bhithai, Sachal Sarmast, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Khuwaja Nizam etc, it was their actions and teachings which converted the hearts of hindus and muslims alike and thus even today they are still revered and people still believe in them. Our culture from our lifestyle to our psyche has so much hindu influence that unless Islam wouldn't have been taught to us as a religion of love and peace, we would have never accepted it. For example, mehandi and maiyoun are no Muslim festivities in a wedding to the role of a widow woman in our society who we treat as a living satti. In our daily lives if one examines there is a major contribution to the hindu culture (if I start writing about it, i will offend so many that a few of you might end up calling my mom and complaining about how misguided I am). Still, Pakistan has always faced this war on the name of Islam and we are still fighting this war but I don't know when we will find the true Islam.
When Pakistan was created 1947, Quaid e Azam, made it as a country for all muslims and non-muslims. Nehru at that time said that this country will not survive the next five years. Today, Pakistan celebrated its 63 anniversary this year but it feels like we are still not free. Now instead of fighting Hindus and British, we are fighting different sects in the name of Islam. We all want to call ourselves moderate and practicing as well as liberal and open-minded muslims but lets first decide what Islam we want to follow- the liberal, modern cool Islam or the Islam brought to us by Our Prophet PBUH which was conservative but gave more freedom that we can understand or imagine.
So lets first follow Islam and then call our dear Homeland as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
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