The first thing that struck me as I read reports on Malala’s shooting was the village name: Saidu Shareef. Living in Pakistan, we have been conditioned to hear of shootings, bombings and barbarity across the country and get on with our day; unless you know someone who lives where today’s incidents took place. A selfish reaction, yes – but required when you hear of so much every day. When drone attacks were at their peak, there was a “situation” in Pakistan known as the “IDPs” – Internally Displaced Persons – much like refugees, but because no international borders were crossed, they were homeless in their own homes.

Campsites were set up across the country to house these people, all hailing from various quarters of the then North West Frontier Province (now KPK)  and Balochistan regions. These were the less fortunate who didn’t have family or friends they could set up house with temporarily, for an indefinite period. These camps helped them make new friends, formulate new families.

I volunteered at one such camp in Swabi, NWFP, where I met a family from Saidu Shareef.  From the minute Nasreen, a mother of three, propped her youngest, 8 months old at the time with Bambi-eyes and sun-burned brown hair, in my lap I fell in love. Their other two children, a boy of 11 and a girl of eight, were equally adorable and very energetic. When it was time for me to leave the camp, I joked with their father to let me take their daughter with me. Laughing, he pulled her close and said, “She is my princess, you can take a boy!” Growing up in Pakistan, we understood that the unprecedented love for a son is tantamount in our culture – more so in our rural areas. This man dispelled all those myths with one swift embrace. He said he wanted his daughter to study to become “a big person.”

I spoke with that family often after returning from my trip. We remained in touch for a couple of years until last year my phone got stolen and with it, the one number I had to reach them. Of course, I am often reminded of them, but the day Malala was shot my heart sank as I thought of them, and of Arooj, their princess.

The mother had told me tales of how the Taliban had restricted their movement as women, and how often they would sight severed limbs in the alley, lying in a puddle of blood, or heads plastered up against a pole as “admonition”. Nasreen explained how it was difficult for her to walk to the market and how she didn’t answer her front door anymore, out of fear of the Taliban. Her sister had been publicly harassed by the Taliban because she offered some Pakistani soldiers water. “And I thought it was our duty, as Muslims, to feed the hungry and provide water to the thirsty,” she said.

Maulana Fazlullah gained popularity in the Swat region after the October 2005 earthquakes, not by threatening the masses, but by appeasing them. He helped build madrasas, affording local boys education in the light of having no other educational institutions; he helped the poor marry their daughters and provide them with a respectable dower; and most of all, he helped the residents of Swat valley find serenity in prayer in a time when their entire villages were distraught and ignored by the government. Nasreen told me her mother sold her heirlooms and donated the proceeds to Fazalullah’s cause because he was educating her grandchildren. The love for education was a reoccurring theme.

Fazalullah was revered for all the right reasons. It was only later, in and around 2007 that he started imposing a parallel judicial system of the “shariah courts” where beheadings were commonplace; restricting the movement of women and girls, shutting down their schools and stripping them of their right to vote;  banning music and burning music stores; shutting down anti-polio campaigns for being part of a western agenda to promote impotency . A tyrant had replaced the once calm provider of solutions.

Even though the situation on ground has changed since that time (the army has taken control from the Taliban in the area), it seems that the Taliban continue to lurk in the shadows. Even in light of all that has come forth since Malala’s shooting – we are yet to hear an outright condemnation of the Taliban from any of our political leaders. Ordinarily hated by most, MQM leader Altaf Hussain issued a statement that he would “expose” the religious clerics if they did not condemn this shooting. The next day a fatwa was issued stating shooting an innocent girl was not within the injunctions of Islam. But still, no one has come out to say that the Taliban, who have expressed no qualms about owning up to their act but have only shown determination to finish the job should Malala survive, need to answer for what they have done.

Pakistan has come together over Malala’s shooting like never before. Today, Pakistan has declared as a Day for Prayer for the speedy recovery of Malala Yousafzai. The last “day” declared was the “Love of the Prophet” day that brought with it death and destruction over some movie, shown somewhere, stating something no one really knew about. This day, everyone knows what happened and everyone joins in prayer — peaceful, silent, heartfelt prayer.

Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, has said that this case will be the turning point for Pakistan. Turning from supposed “religious” barbarianism to emancipation and recognition of the peace that is really Islam? Quoting novelist Nadeem Aslam, writer Kamila Shamsie put in her piece for The Guardian: “Pakistan produces people of extraordinary bravery. But no nation should ever require its citizens to be that brave.”

No nation should require such bravery because its government should protect it. Every government should have the courage and the authority to speak out against wrong committed and make perpetrators answerable for what they have done. Kamila Shamsie asks these politicians “… do any of you know the way forward? Today, I’m unable to see it. But Malala, I’m sure, would tell me I’m wrong. Let her wake up, and do that.”

As we patiently wait for that turn of fate and awakening of spirit of those power-hungry in politics, we join the nation and the rest of the world in prayer for this girl and the suffering of her family and the hundreds of families similarly situated. We pray that their struggles be not in vain.

This post first appeared on www.foreignpolicyblogs.com on October 12th, 2012  |

Chasing Pavements

A week ago, in various necks of the Muslim world, protests broke out to show the disapproval with the video that was made showing Prophet Muhammad as an adulterer, child molester and murderer. I’m sure there was more to the movie, but I, like many others, have not seen it. As much as I have heard about the film annoys me, but that is my opinion, just as what is shown in the film is the opinion of those who made it. But this review of the movie is what has hundreds of thousands up in arms about its content. Content that they have not seen but only heard of as well. Basically, hearsay.

Based on this hearsay, today in Pakistan the government had to announce a national holiday in celebration of “our love for the Prophet.” This declaration came in light of the fact that most political and religious parties had already declared a day of protest. Friday is a holy day for Muslims — where mass congregations gather for the afternoon prayer. Here most clerics get their fifteen minutes of fame. It is these fifteen minutes that reverberated into an entire week of violence and bloodshed across the country. Protesters  wreaked havoc, cellphone coverage was shut down for security reasons and the army kept on high alert for the entire day. Burning tires is apparently for children now. And yes, children were taken to these protests — eight to twelve year-olds, wearing bandannas, screaming, probably haven’t a clue of what was going on. But they were there, and that is what they will remember of their childhood.

They say that the plight of the country, the living conditions, unemployment, energy crisis, inflation and general corruption have all agitated such protests. However, the fact remains that this uncertainty, matched by clerics declaring that the only salvation lies in defending the name of Islam (inadvertently, the name of the Prophet of Islam), has only escalated frustration and misdirected rage towards the only thing you have control over. The only thing one can vent such frustration on, is that which is physically within reach. For the rioters, this turned out to be small corner shops that were broken into and destroyed (after the goods were stolen); the police, who were trying to maintain the peace were brutally beat up; media personnel covering the “protests” were injured. Ambulances, cinemas and fire brigades, were destroyed. Things and places that had nothing to do with the movie which no one has seen, seemed to bear the brunt of all this violence.

News reports vary as to the number of casualties. At least a dozen have died and a couple of hundred have been injured. No matter how ignorant the protesters or how unrelated and unnecessary the deaths, the point remains that these families will never be the same. Such irresponsible hatred, shown in a film is not protected under the Constitution of the United States and does not represent America, just as these violent acts of frustration do not represent Islam.

I do not believe it is up to governments to fix this problem. It is our responsibility, as citizens, to ensure what we say and what we do does not offend others. Karen Armstrong said it best in “Socratic Questions”:

“How do we apply the Golden Rule, which requires us to look into our own hearts, discover what gives us pain, and then refuse, under any circumstance whatsoever to inflict this pain on anybody else… Confucius said: “Use your own feelings as a guide to your treatment of others. What do you feel when you see your own sacred traditions, your heroes, your national symbols, your flags, embassies and their personnel attacked and insulted? … Try to put yourself in the position of the ‘other side’ – as the compassionate ethos demands – and ask yourself ‘How much do I really know about their history of pain, achievement, oppression, disappointment, fear, idealism, and aspiration – all of which, on both sides, have contributed to this violence?”

Lets refuse to let such incidents take place again. Lets refuse to let more people die or suffer because of someone’s insensitive actions. As Jesus said, do to others as you would have them do to you.

This post first appeared on www.foreignpolicyblogs.com on September 21st, 2012

Fear Feeding Hate

Wade Michael Page killed six Sikh worshipers in their gurdwara (Sikh Temple) in Wisconsin earlier this week.  Page, a 40 year old who is said to have been an active member of a white supremacist group, died of a self inflicted gunshot to the head. Although the motive of the crime is unclear, or has “died with Page,” most analysts, reports and members of the Sikh community are assuming it was a case of mistaken identity — Page thought Sikhs were Muslims and thus responsible for 9/11. In an attempt to rectify this misunderstanding, Chicago’s RedEye printed a “Turban Primer” to explain the difference between a Sikh turban and turbans worn by Muslims throughout the world to ensure the hate-crime is not targeted at the wrong people next time.

Writing about such mistaken-identity-hate-crimes against Sikhs, Mr. Sonny Singh said, ” ‘We are not Muslims’ hasn’t been so effective for our community, has it? Even if we do so in a positive way that does not condone attacks on Muslims, simply educating the public about the fact that we are a distinct community and that we in fact “are not Muslim” will not get to the root of the problem. As long as we live in a country (and world) where an entire community (in this case, Muslims) is targeted, spied on and vilified, we will not be safe, we will not be free.”

Page has not been labeled a terrorist, possibly because he has no religious or ethnic affiliation to South Asians or Arabs, but these are just the semantics. Shakespeare said “in time we hate that which we often fear.” We often fear what we do not understand. Amardeep Singh, writing for the Guardian sees “rays of light in this tragedy. On Sunday, CNN and other print and broadcast outlets expended more constructive copy on Sikhs than I have ever witnessed. Journalists of all sorts rushed to explain the basic tenets of the Sikh religion and the practice of our faith.”

He goes on to say how it is the responsibility of the Sikh community to educate others about their beliefs. But it is also up to the media to report what these communities are doing — how the mothers in their communities are soccer-moms and how their children vie to be valedictorian. “Humanize” them.

Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh religion, once said “owing to ignorance of the rope the rope appears to be a snake…”  Ignorance feeds fear, fear spirals into hate. So while there are discussions of what triggered Page to kill (“hate music“), the fact is he did. How are we going to ensure that this doesn’t happen again?

This post first appeared on www.foreignpolicyblogs.com on August 9th, 2012  

Ramadan Quest

Earlier this month, Mehdi Hasan of the Guardian wrote about having to deal with Islamophobia on a day to day basis; how his work and family were affected, but asserting that he would continue to do what he does. Mr. Hasan clarifies that he does not consider his Islamic beliefs exempt from public criticism — just that it be afforded the same respect others are, and that you not say about Muslims anything you would refuse to say about any other group or minority. “Believe me, Muslims aren’t endowed thicker skins that non-Muslims,” he says. As Mr. Hasan has experienced, it’s easy to find people who criticize a belief system based on their biased views on how life ought to be lived. Very rarely can we find someone who bases their views on well-researched practices. In the words of Karen Armstrong, “compassion is not a popular virtue.”

In January this year, I learned of an American journalist from Utah that had been studyingRamadan (Islamic month of fasting) for twenty years and now, and “as an exercise of empathy and solidarity” she was going to observe Ramadan how a Muslim would. In her “Ramadan Quest,” Ms. Peggy Stack observed how “Christians believe you should have a prayer in your heart always, and Muslims sure know how to program that into you” (referring to the five daily prayers, or salah). By fasting every day, from dawn to dusk and incorporating the requirements of prayer, alms giving, Quran reading, good behavior, control over negative emotions, etc., she realized that the process reminded her to be grateful for all she had, noting her good fortune that “going hungry can be a voluntary ritual, not a death sentence.”  

Ms. Naiara Leite, a lawyer in New York, similarly tried a “Ramadan Quest” of her own. In an attempt to understand one of her good friends better, she started fasting last Ramadan but only on Fridays. She answered the following questions via email from her home in New York: 

1. I’ve been reading the Quran for over 20 years, I find that I have to frequently revisit the Quran and ensure I come to it with no baggage. What was your experience like in reading the Quran? How does it compare to when you read other religious texts such as the Bible? What were your favorite parts of the Quran? Do you continue to read it? 

I am a born and raised Catholic from Brazil where we have relatively good coexistence among religions but little religious diversity.  It wasn’t until I moved to the US in 2007 that I met a Muslim friend who introduced me to the Quran.  Being such a well versed and religious person, my friend inspired me to learn more about Islam.  Like other religious books that I have come across, the Quran is a product of its time and society that has timeless teachings.  When read in context and in light of discernment, anyone can benefit from its wisdom.  Like the Bible, the Quran relates a universal quest of love for God and compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters.  One of my favorite parts in the Quran is “[…] onto everyone of you we have appointed a different law and way of life. And if God had so willed he could truly have made you all one single community. But He willed otherwise in other to touch you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto you. Vie, then, with one another in doing good works! Unto God you all must return and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ.” (Quran 5:48).  I continue to consult the Quran after my Ramadan experience, particularly by search term and theme. 

2. What were you expecting out of fasting and how did it compare in reality? Do you have favorite parts of the day while fasting? 

Honestly, my first goal was to feel closer to my Muslim friend whom I missed so much.  Also, I was determined to continue her advocacy for Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance even if in a smaller scale by fasting only on Fridays.  I felt that, as a Catholic, I also had a responsibility to correct the distortions that had been aired about Islam among my community.  So celebrating Ramadan was a window to encourage discussion and learning among my family.  What I was not expecting was to be humbled by this experience.  The other great surprise was the sentiment of communion with Muslims fasting all over the world.  My favorite part of the day was walking by the Mosque next to my house after work to see their celebration.  I felt like I could finally understand their excitement. 

3. We advertise the differences between religion too often. Did you find a lot of interconnected theories and analogies between Islam and other faiths that you have studied?

This is a great question!  Indeed, the more I interact with people of different faiths, the more I realize the universal sentiment that unites all.  But all too often our commonalities are clouded by one group’s use of its powers to subjugate a religious minority somewhere.  One way to overcome this is by going back to the roots of our own religions and we will all find that we share one fundamental truth: love, for God and our fellow humans.  It is also enlightening to see that the major religions share a sense of retribution for the good and bad we do.  It is within our power to be closer to God, something we commonly call freewill.

 4. What did it teach you, if anything and would you do it again?

 This was certainly an exercise of self-control and moderation.  The very first Friday was an uphill battle against my mind and body.  But the following ones were filled with introspective reflection.  I was able to realize that I was gaining more from the experience than what I had intended to give.  Fasting helped me clear my mind from daily distractions to focus on family, and my relationship with God.

 5. Lastly, do you have any anecdotes from your experience that you’d like to share?

Oh, yes!  Coincidently I was working long hours those weeks, so my boss decided to buy me and my colleagues lunch on Fridays.  Initially I did not know how to explain that I would not eat with them because I, a Catholic, was observing Ramadan.  To my delight, when I finally communicated my reasoning it turned into a healthy and positive group discussion about religion.  After that my colleagues were mindful of my fasting and avoided eating at their desks so that I would not feel ‘tempted’.  Little did they know that, by then, I had grown to value fasting so much that I actually did not miss food at lunch hour. 

Yesterday, with the commencement of Ramadan, Muslims around the world started fasting. It is a month of introspection and of shedding our vices; seeking enlightenment not to judge but to understand. As Muslims seek to better themselves this month, it would great to see others taking a page out of Peggy and Naiara’s book in order to learn about something new. Commenting on Mr. Hassan’s piece earlier this month, Mr. Owen Jones of The Independent put it best when he said “[i]t’s time for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to join forces against the most widespread – and most acceptable – form of bigotry of our times.”

This post first appeared on www.foreignpolicyblogs.com on July 21st, 2012