Do Muslims deserve what they get?
Are Muslims good citizens of the global community?
I visited Australia for a few months earlier this year to spend time with family and friends. During my stay in Melbourne, I had the opportunity to visit Vic Roads, the state authority for issuing drivers licenses and collecting fines as a friend of mine had applied for his license. While we were waiting for our turn we went to get some refreshments at the bar.
The cashier at the counter got around to talking to us and asked what we were doing at Vic Roads. When he heard our answer he said “Mate, there are two Muslim men among the officials here. If you give them $500 they will pass you in the test and the license will be yours.” He revealed that one of the men was from Pakistan and the other from India. “Don’t talk about this with any other Aussie,” he advised.
The thing that stung me most about what the vendor’s ‘advice’ was the word ‘Muslim.’
Do we deserve a bad reputation?
Later on during my trip a cousin told me that Australia often suffered from forest fires. He said that 16 years ago the country’s forestry minister was driven to suicide because he felt he did not do enough to control one of Australia’s worst fires. When I juxtapose the minister’s behavior with our own ‘Muslim’ politicians who have been found to have fake degrees but still resist having action taken against them I feel sad. The case of 9/11 involved Muslims, Faisal Shehzad is Muslim and the 7/7 London bombers were Muslim too…
I wonder sometimes why so many Muslim countries have low GDP and GNP’s. With the exception of four or five countries, most Muslim nations are suffering. So many of us remain below the poverty line. Literacy is a commonly used word but literacy rates remain low.
Unfortunately, I feel Muslims remain in the background in almost all fields. While we participate in various fields we do not lead. I cannot think of any Muslims who are currently ruling the sports world. While Muslims have contributed to the world of science and mathematics in the past, we hardly hear of any inventions or innovations from Muslims anymore.
Can Muslims accept each other?
Countries in the West have always been open to accepting people from other nationalities. They grant them nationality or citizenship, but is the Muslim world open to this idea?
Individuals have been working the Middle East for more than two decades yet have not been able to get nationality of the country they work in. On the other hand, some families deliberately travel to the west right before the birth of their child so their baby is born in a foreign land and gets a foreign nationality. Besides families, students and professionals who serve in other countries for a five to ten year period get nationalities. But my point here is, no Muslim country offers nationality or citizenship options like this - not even for Muslims.
What do Muslims do for each other?
It is disturbing when one sees the Muslim world so divided. Looking at the bloodshed in Palestine, it angers and hurts me to think that the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) is so ineffective that they have not been able to come up with practical solutions. Let us now turn our attention to Kashmir, and again, where is the OIC? Why has it not taken practical steps to help the oppressed Muslim population of Kashmir? In Bosnia,Chechnya, Afganistan and even Pakistan it is the same. Muslims all over the world are under pressure, Muslim states fight wars, but the OIC is silent on every issue.Iran has been facing severe pressure from the US over its nuclear program, and has even had sanctions imposed on it.
The state of Pakistan today saddens me. We are at a point where the whole world is on our case. Wherever I look, everything just seems to be going wrong. I wonder where the OIC is for any of us?
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The Express Tribune.
I condemn the way the image of Muslims is being tarnished all over the world, but when it comes to Pakistanis, I am sorry to say, but allegations of fraud, evil-doing and mischief-making is not totally baseless.Recommend
OIC stands for Organisation of Islamic Conference God, thats the hundredth time I’ve corrected someone!Recommend
OIC is a good for nothing organization. Why would you even expect anything from them?Recommend
Muslims certainly do not deserve ‘sweeping generalizations’. But they are not holy cows either.Recommend
At this point the Muslim world is in the dark ages. Apart from a few countries that have challenged the islamic status quo (turkey, malaysia, indonesia), very few countries have taken the road towards secularism.
It is hard for many muslims to accept that islam as an effective philosophy has failed. Political islam emerged as a movement after the defeat of Ottomon caliph, and leaders like Maududi, Bannah and Syed Qutb became its proponents. With the aim of defeating communism, western powers openly supported political islam, and this movement became international after the Afghan Jihad.
Contrary to that Early 20th century was replete with reformist movements which were mostly secular. Secular nationalist muslim leaders had emerged all over the muslim world in the 1900s. Ata turk, Iqbal, Jinnah, Baath Nationalist ruled the day then. Communism also was popular in many muslim countries but the slide into political islam with the help of the west stopped these reformists in their tracks.Recommend
A very nice piece indeed. And thought provoking too.Recommend
Forget all that you see and hear about ‘Muslims’. Ask yourself,”Who are these who say grudgingly,’we are Muslims’, without knowing what they mean, without ever attempting to know their identity, religious,or national. They say it because they believe the family which gave them birth is Muslim. That’s all. If you doubt pl dig it so you know what I mean. They are ignorant as donkeys are, knowing almost nothing. Sorry to utter the truth, but truth no matter how painful, is beautiful most.Recommend
An honest answer to your question is – YES.
Nice article I like your thought process.Recommend
:) Perhaps I am removed and hence a bit more objective on this subject. I can easily remove “Muslims’ and make it “Indians” and this blog post would still read the same:)
The point I am making (perhaps broad stroking it a bit) is that there are motivations within motivations within motivations in this ambitious world we live within. The developed nations see us developing nations as a huge threat. They scheme, strategize and plan ways to undermine our efforts such that they use their brains to find the loopholes within our very own world to fight us with our own negativies! Is’nt that what the Brits did during pre-Independance time? Isnt tat what USA does with erstwhile USSR and now Iran? Or Afghanistan?
Rather than get emotional about ourselves, its high time we used logic, rationale and our own superior skills to outwit them at their own game. Just by you being Muslim or me being Hindu we aint good or bad! We are simply not strategic enuff! They use the Media to their advantage – we dont. They use “researches” to their advanatge -we dont. Their Public relation skills are good- we have none! O I can go on and on and on- dont let “them” divide you -use their negativity to undermine them!!Recommend
Agree 100% with Natasha. I’d like to point out that our once finance minister, Dr. Mehboob Ul Haq(I could be wrong on the name) developed an economic plan for Pakistan, which our government rejected. He gave the same plan to countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, notably countries that gained independence after Pakistan. They’re flourishing now, whereas Pakistan isn’t. Another reason for the relative lack of success of Muslim countries is the lack of secularism in most countries. Countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Turkey, that adopt a secular approach to state affairs generally tend to thrive because then, there’s no interference from the mullahs, and thus, a proper democratic system is enabled in said countries.
I understand your depression and sadness, but please, don’t make it out like Muslims/Pakistanis are “doodh k dhulay” innocents. We’re Pakistanis and Muslims, we all know that there are reasons other than 9/11 for people developing a bias towards us. Lets face it, there are exceptions, but most of the Muslim population, at least in Pakistan, has grown vastly corrupt.Recommend
Go Ban facebook! Report this page, report that page as abuse, join this community, vote against this, show them that we can vote, forward this message, blah blah blah. BULL!!!!
We have inflicted upon ourselves whatever hardships and ‘injustice’ we face. Had we been stronger and stuck to the teachings of Islam, things would have been different.Recommend
@Usman we did ‘stick’ to the teachings of Islam and follow those laws instead of a secular democracy. That’s why we suck.Recommend
@ All
i really appreciate each and every commentRecommend
@Ghausia
I think we did not. We believe what the west has to say about Islam. They portray our religion as barbaric and we believe it. They call us terrorists, we believe them. Our minds and souls have been captured by their preachings.
Islam is a very moderate religion with guidelines for every walk of life. I believe and that’s my point of view, that our salvation and freedom lies in understanding and true practice of Islam. Don’t let others define who you are.Recommend
I want to say you are wrong. I want to disagree and defend Muslims. I want to say we rock. We are the best. We has Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X.
But I really can’t – we are not great. Our architecture, literature, science – everything is the pits.
I am proud to be Muslim but I wonder if I am proud to be part of Muslim community? Probably not.Recommend
@kamila
you have your own school of thought and that’s your rite.
i never condemn the MUSLIMS nor ISLAM ..
its not only about M.ALI or MALCOLM …. though we have a million of examples besides them……..!!!
Muslims did rule in many decades and eras but what i portrayed was the CURRENT STATE OF THE MUSLIMS THROUGH OUT THE GLOBE(@ large)
one should keep in mind the hovers of the HISTORY.Recommend
i totally agree with all this … lookin at the situation … its just impossible to thtink about hope and talk about positive things .. and the image of muslims have been ruined because of few peopleRecommend
We’re not barbaric? We’re not terrorists?
a) Aafia Siddiqui.
b) The Gojra incident 2009.
c) Systematic assassination of Shia professionals.
d)Ahmadi massacre 2010.
e) Ahmadi massacre in the 50s.
f) Bombing of Shia processions.
g) Blasphemy law.
h)”Islamization” of Pakistan.
Should I go on? Or will you still cling to your “boohoo us poor Muslims are just little angels trying to be good people”?Recommend
aoa @ all,
murtaza you pointed out the things that is been going wrong. To correct them i dont think OIC is going to solve all of them. To unite Muslim Ummah i strongly believe that there is only one platform and that is Khilafa that can solve all the problems facing by muslim ummah.Recommend
Impressive piece man !Recommend
OIC is doing NOTHING at all …! i believe its an org of anti Muslim forces…! sorry to say
though it is among the league of WAKE UP CALLS for MUSLIMSRecommend
Muslims have divided into sects and then after King Aurangzeb used Sunni-ism for his Mughal War of Succession the distances increased.
Islam is however a state where all religions unite and especially it relates to health of the new inductees into Islam.. The health like Jamaat e Islami and Hyderabadis ,they are good Muslims but they have their weaknesses.
Today Musalmans have reached a critical hieght in the world as http://www.islamictreason.blogspot.com will wexplain the Yazidis are wrecking the world .as syrian and Baghdadi Turkish caliphs and Sultans they killed Imams and punished Holy Sufis and controlled Success and wealth of toll taxes and trade since the passing away of our holy Prophet [PBUH] ..
The Yazidis are in control of Pakistan and foolish too ,they succumb to dresses and gestrures ,amounts etc………..
My best wishes to the real Musalmans who prove it is a religion of Peace to other societies and blessings to The Ale Rasul and The Hussieni and all lovers of Prophet Muhammad PBUH for now the crimes of Unmmayads and Tazidites are visible..
The Turks after fall from Sultanate had already declared worldwide Isotropic ropism[rassa giri] and use Lawyers , Bankers,Free Masons and ofcourse the vast wealth they have from Hotels and Shipping and International Weapon Trade!.Recommend
Islam is a colourful 1400 years old strong pillar. It is known for its beautiful teachings. The light emitted by this beautiful pillar is showing the right path to masses world over. John Donne in his writing above has rightly pointed out that there are number of donkeys those are tied to this pillar only. They are not willing to venture in wild. These donkeys see at each other and cry for their own plight. Even the beautiful light of Islam is blinding their otherwise normal vision. Not only that, they expect that people those are venturing in wild will bring some ‘Charra’ for them to eat and they will sleep in peace.
Forget it my dear friends…! Come out, lose your string and see that beauty and Charra (wealth)is also existing at other places. If you are slightly away from the pillar, the light which is presently blinding you will also show you the right path.
“Khudi Ko Kar Buland Itna, Ki Har Tadbeer Se Pahle Khuda Bande Se Khud Pooche Bata Teri Raja Kya Hai”
A right Muslim to me is that who ventures in wild taking directions from the aforesaid beautiful pillar of Islam. Aameen … !!Recommend
@ Shahzada Sher Saddozai
excellent piece manRecommend
Its just matter of time, i would blame all muslim nations, all muslims countries need to be united for the sake of Islam & for the muslims, just like European union, all the EU members support EU policies regarding trade, economy. The national of EU can travel,live & work to any other EU country.
So we are in need to have some thing like EU also for all muslim countries to support trade,economy & above all to allow all the nationals of those countries having economy problems. Think about Saudi Arabia,Oman, Kuwait, Qatar in short all arab world they have natural resources they can put all those countries who call them selves a supper power on their . If all muslims countries do that trust me we will be back on our track.Recommend
NO!Recommend
Very Well written,interesting and thought provoking….. waiting for your come back with another piece.
come soon :)Recommend
Well, if we all (Muslims) can do little, we can all do a lot. The name and reputation for Muslims is not very good in all over the world, however the reasons for most of them are Muslims themselves.
We don’t follow what Islam says. The Western world has adapted all the good stuff from Islam and not only that, they follow them and implement them.Recommend
yes, because, we cheat, we lie, we hurt others, we are insensitive, we are menatlly, morally and socially sick and flawed..what we hold true for ourselves, we change it for others, we have double standards, we are materialistic, we fool people in the name of religion, we are social frauds, we feel happy after bothering someone, we are racists, we discriminate, what else…….and we get…………………..Recommend
Brother,
I am really sympathized for the Muslims but more over your English has brought tears to my Eyes. I love your thoughts but I hate how you portray them. I will convey all the messages you have written down in here to my Elder brother USAMA. Who at the moment is going through domestic issues with his spouse.
Take care and keep up the good work.Recommend
master piece boy ! and let me tell you one more fact “majority of the prisoners in the world are also Muslims”Recommend
It’s a great article you created! HATS OFF TO YOU! And I really mean it!
But isn’t this what everybody’s saying! Let it be “ family dinners , check-up at the dentist, tea party at a friends’ or giving away pays to employees …“ All of this discussion just comes out of no where. Its seems like everyone is crying and whining but keep their eyes shut and let what’s happening happen!
After reading this article, and the reviews posted by others, I got this impression which keeps on pinching me; that all of us are void of OPTIMISM! Have we lost all our Hope??
Being a Muslim, a true Muslim as we call ourselves, doesn’t it imply we should under any and every circumstances remain steadfast and stick to our ISLAMIC values ?
I know many of you may disagree , but its my viewpoint that all the bad-publicity , barbaric impression, and negativity we are under regarding our religion is purely due to our DIVERSION from Islam, not because of lack of “secularism”.
I disagree with Ahmed when he says “Islam has failed as an effective policy” ..I don’t think Islamic laws , practices and philosophies have been implemented properly, if they had been it would have reflected the true results!
Implementing Islamic laws does not have to mean following the rules which Mullahs lay out. All the social and political laws and policies are clearly available to anyone who looks at the right places!
Islam lays out the path (sirat-al-mustaqeem: right path) for each and every minute detail of our lives! It’s only a matter of having enough courage to put them into use.
As far as I know, every religion teaches honesty, anti-corruption, anti-discrimination, moral responsibilities, positive social attitudes …etc. the only difference is that non-Muslims value these traits and we don’t!
I don’t know how everybody may interpret this, but its my belief that WE ourselves our wholly responsible due to our deeds for every hardship, threat and gloomy situation we are under .WE our responsible for how our religion is being portrayed (although I think International media exaggerates whatever Muslims do and create negative propaganda, but that is a different issue)
I think (please don’t take me wrong, because nowadays whoever tries to support Islam is usually opposed and considered backward and suspicious), is to try to remove all these holes and views about Muslims by being what a TRUE MOMIN is supposed to be, enlighten our souls and life by the illumination of ISLAM and its laws(as they are the right path towards eternal as well as worldly success). We need to unite as ONE! Forget who belongs to which sect; forget who supports Jamat-e-Islami or Tableeghi Jamat etc! We ALL believe in ALLAH, and that’s what really matters!
Besides this, I wanted to say that before pointing out others and blaming each other (as we all are inclines to do. …I don’t know why!!) we should peek inside our own souls and admit to our self what we contribute towards today’s image of a MUSLIM! I may sound sadistic but if we think rationally it may prove that maybe we really deserve what’s happening to us..are we right when we say “ Muslims are inflicted towards injustice” ?
My last point being again not to lose HOPE ! This is an extremely difficult time for us emotionally, socially as well as politically , but even then we shouldn’t become pessimists and lose faith! NO!
Our Maker will IA help us out! The thing we should do is hold on to the faith we have in HIM, even though it may be a mere string!Recommend
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) contains 57 members in it, and from these 57 stats, no one has that much power to solve Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan and other issues of this level. but if these 57 countries become united, then Muslims can rule the world once again.Recommend
@ sana
Brilliant piece girlRecommend
Fine piece of writing…an eye operner to all ov us..we should definately know…Do muslims serve what they can..
Oh I see..OIC……here i would like to share a quotation
jamal ud din afghani once said
“muslims have agreed,that they would never agree”Recommend
Mr.Murtaza Bashir, You wrote. ” It is disturbing when one sees the Muslim world so divided. Looking at the bloodshed in Palestine, it angers and hurts me to think that the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) is so ineffective that they have not been able to come up with practical solutions. Let us now turn our attention to Kashmir, and again, where is the OIC? ”
Well, I am sorry to say that you are fundamentally wrong. Religion can never be a basis for unity. Separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan can be cited as a best example. Along with the religion , other factors such as race, language, ethnic culture and nationality do equally play a powerful role in creating a person’s identity.
Look at the Arab countries, can you, with all your intellectual and journalistic honesty, say that the Arabs do care a Pakistani muslim more than an Indian or western non-muslim? If your answer is in no, then, please don’t get surprised, because it is eqally true of people of all other faiths.
I can give you an example of Nepalese attitude towards us Indians. Despite of both countries having religious and cultural proximity and their economy being entirely dependent on generosity of India, they,the Nepalese, just hate us. Trust me a Pakistani muslim is more welcome in Kathmandu than an Indian Hindu. They think we Indians are haughty and arrogant, only the Indian Rupee keeps them smiling for us Indian tourists.
Countries like Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam etc. have been bitter enemies of each other in spite of sharing the same religion, Buddhism, throughout the centuries. Same can be said about the Christian world where butchery of each other continued for more than a millennium.
Even if we come to the history of Islam and Islamic countries, can you tell me where and when there was no bloodshed amongst the faithful? Even the immediate followers of Prophet Mohammad, the early Khalifas did face violent death.
Therefore, my dear, let us strive for a unity of entire human race as a whole where everyone of us does take care of each other, irrespective of the religion, race and nationality. The Utopian dreams such as Umma or Khilafat have been rendered completely irrelevant in today’s modern world.Recommend
@ neeraj
its some thing by HABIB JALIB:
Deep Jis Ka Mahalat Hi Main Jalay
Wo jo Saaey Main Har Maslihat Kay Palay
Aisay Dastoor ko, Subah-e-Bay Noor ko
Main Nahi Manta, Main Nahi JantaRecommend
Excellent effort and Good Luck with the next one;)Recommend
Thought provoking piece.
You’ve mentioned an essential problem within the Muslim community, we are always looking for scapegoats instead of realising our own shortcomings and working on them. In this way we hinder our progress. The only way forward, if any, is to work on our mistakes and rise above them.Recommend
What a non sense based on some Chinese whisper in an Australian licensing authority!! Author is at best confused when we read his reference to Australia and then jumping to 9/11 or 7/7 and mixing Palestine with OIC (Arab dictators).
Little knowledge is indeed dangerous!Recommend
“Let us now turn our attention to Kashmir, and again, where is the OIC? ”
Why Kashmir alone? Why not Africa? Or, the poor South American countries?
The writer wrote a column expressing his desire for the Muslim world to open up. But, he has concentrated on Muslim-Majority areas. Interesting.
There are many nations in Africa that are dirt poor and Muslim. Kashmir is a far lesser problem than those countries. OIC will go the way of Pakistan. Lets say some country decides and asks the OIC to define the word Muslim. This one question alone will tear the OIC apart. Just like it is tearing Pakistan apart.Recommend
I am really surprised with such a hollow analysis. A proper study of sociological issues could expose the writer to the diverse nature of Muslim majority countries and how it has nothing to do with universal concept of Islam that we learn from the likes of Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami.Recommend
it’s all thought provoking..but it’s the fact that we people jst read..and then we talk about it and then after some time it finished…what we need is to take some step not something verbelyy..we can’t neither improve the concept of MUSLIMS..nor gatherd MUSLIMS till we can’t take some step..but nobody will take it…we are indeed dead soulss….Recommend
http://tribune.com.pk/story/41122/cj-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-brutal-killings/
this story might help few minds … who still have doubts about pakistan and about the current muslimsRecommend
a prominent western writer somewhere mentioned that Pakistan is a nation which is akin to a kidnapper,only difference being is it negotiates with the barrel of gun pointed at its own head.creating all sorts of problems for self and the world, and then expecting oic and west to come to rescue them is plain foolhardiness.a self respecting nation never blames others for the problems of their own.on one hand pak loathe US, all the west,india,israel and occasionly oic and simultaneouly asking world for help solve their problems for nth number of time,is nothing but hypocricy.Recommend
Simply the best !!!Recommend