Ejaz Haider is News Editor of The Friday Times who shared his concerns about civic sense and immorality of Muslims and bluntly blamed Islam for it. I got the link from Karachi Metroblog where a reader “JayJay” provided the link.

I wouldn’t call him a secular extremist; he is rather an ignorant soul who has NEVER studied Islam or any other religion. His article clearly reflects this fallacy from beginning to end.

This is not the first time that a pro secular soul demonstrating his ignorance towards the religion. Few months back I wrote about Moon Sighting issue which was actually a reply to Nazir Naji’s article which was filled with myths and hatred. I actually like to read such elements as they force one to make study to seek truth. The problem with these anti-religious elements that they don’t understand human nature that is, the more you oppose something, more one would get curious to know about it. The same thing happened with Islam after 9/11 when US [read Zionist] machinery become active against Islam and started preaching Islam a terrorist religion while in reaction more people studied Islam and several thousands become Muslims. I think if such dumb mentality stop preaching against Islam then it might be helpful for them to stop others following Islam. Such anti-Islam elements actually becoming reason to promote Islam among non-Muslims. I personally had never read Quranic translation till 2003 unless US attacked on Iraq. I was IRC addict at that time and was frequent to some US and political channels. When I read so much crap against Islam and in return I found myself totally blank and ignorant towards my own religion then I unintentially and seamlessly started reading Quranic translations and other associated things. I don’t claim I know much but yes my knowledge about Islam, Christianity etc is a lot more than what I knew 4 years back. Anyways read this lengthy post. The content is given below:

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I was forwarded your article and I was surprised to realize the lack of knowledge and logic by “an editor”. I will quote concerned bits of your column and explain my part. Your parts will be in Italic.

Good citizenship is a function of secular humanism

I would like to learn that what do you know about secularism? Please don’t put forward the fictitious theory that secularism is all about giving freedom to others regardless of religious, cultural and national bonding because in real world such thing doesn’t exist and you might fail difficulty to give example of any secular govt which is 100% error free and laws given by seculars have NO influence of Religion. Right now I can give examples of US and India, the biggest “secular” nations[as they claim] both have influence of Christianity/Judaism and Hinduism respectively and laws made by concerned guys of the country DID refer religious teachings[indirectly or directly,intentially or unintentially] to write laws. One might give example of Malaysia and Singapore which were colonized by ancient Indian rulers[sikh,rajput etc] long time back STILL didn’t get rid the name of their city/country name which are on based on Hindu/Indian names ;Singapore[Singh pore etc].

When the tech-staff returned from the mosque, I called in their section head and asked him to explain why he and his staff had left the section unattended. His explanation: Friday prayers in Ramzan cannot be postponed for anything; all of us have to pray and pray in the mosque. There was a minor glitch in the server and it would be removed in a couple of minutes. He also told me that this kind of thing occurs once in three months

I do agree with you and I tell you that person MUST using religion and demonstrating his ignorance. It’s true that Muslims MUST pray 5 times +Friday prayers but no where in Quran ,Hadith or life biography of Prophet[saw] or His companions demonstrate that Human rights are LESS important than God’s rights. Allah himself says to give relief to His creatures first than to Him [Allah] because Allah will forgive anyway but creatures [human here] are less tolerant and might not forgive. You are the best example who is complaining here and didn’t prefer to ignore while several times in life you would have done blunders and would make others to suffer. Yes we all do it and one shouldn’t sound hypocrite that “He is like god hence no mistake chance”. But my friend I know you wouldn’t have complaint if ALL OF THEM would have gone for some lunch session in some posh restaurant. Would you dare to complain about your bosses and write an article in same newspaper that they DO come late in the morning or often spend[waste] MORE time in lunch sessions in the name of “Official meetings”. Let’s get straight and honest; either condemn all scenarios or NONE. Picking one just because it has a flavor of religion and is against your ideology [secularism] doesn’t make you a credible person. As far as leaving Namaz and listening humans first, there is a famous saying of Prophet of Islam[SAW] who once said to explain the importance of mother that “If I am doing Imamat of Isha Namaz and Namaz has started and My mother calls “Mohammad!” then I will quit the namaz rather I see my Mother waiting for me”. A Religion which has a Prophet like Mohammad [SAW] is MORE pro-Humanity than any other religion or cult [secularism here]. The problem with our people which includes majority of educated and learned people like you that they see a religion through the eyes of a follower and don’t bother to learn from Original text. I myself is a computer engineer, If I see a guy who claims is a C++ programmer but doesn’t even know how to use the language then should I curse to that guy or to C++ or the creator of that language? If I follow the first choice then I am a real moron and an Ignorant freak who don’t know a SHIT about language itself. If I myself know the worth of C++ language and know how to use it then I would condemn that damn programmer rather the language. I shouldn’t curse others for ignorance about the C++ computer language. I hope you got what am I trying to tell you.

These are just two incidents of the abominable literalism that has taken hold of today’s Muslims. Ritual has killed spirituality as well as civic sense and work ethic. On the road, some years ago, a driver was zigzagging and making a nuisance of himself as he took the left turn onto the road that goes to Liberty Market. In doing that, at one point he nearly hit my car. I went after him only to see him park the car (almost) on the road and run into the mosque across from Liberty to say his prayers. He didn’t want to miss the Jama’at, rules and else be damned.

*sigh*- I don’t know that whether I laugh or mourn about that piece produced by you. Again I would refer my last para about a dumb computer programmer that that particular guy DID NOT know anything about Islam and for him Islam is praying 5times only but I would like to ask you something that do you claim that current traffic problems in Karachi is due too all these Muslims who go for pray? Do you claim that every accident happens in Karachi or any other city is DUE TO ISLAMIC TEACHINGS? I would like to learn what your mighty logic teaches you about the daily accidents on the streets of NY or Dubai or India? Does Islam get dissolved in their soul at the time of violating the rules? Last year I went to Bryan Adam’s concert and while returning back from the venue, I atleast experienced 6-7 traffic violations+fight between guys+ hitting cars and I tell you a secret that one of the collision was due to a guy who was drunk with his “lover” and was so TUN that he didn’t know that a car was approaching to him. Now one should condemn Islam and Muslims or to MULLAHS that they didn’t PREACH to those guys that they SHOULDN’T have DRUNK WINE. Yes its all Islam and Mullahs fault not theirs.

Higher clergy would tell me that this is not Islam; that these are misplaced people. In which case, allow me to say, sir, that we now have a burgeoning population of such misplaced people; not only that, this population is extremely self-righteous and is prepared to break all rules and laws under cover of its piety

I don’t know what high clergy says but YES this is not Islam and again I refer my that particular para about the Ignorance of a person towards particular issue without referring original text. No I disagree that every SHIT happens in this city is due to such “MUSLIMS” . One can reject your hollow claim very easily which you are trying to put forward that Seculars are angels and they don’t do any crap in society. Those guys in Bryan Adams concerned belonged to elite class of Karachi who follows the religion of Alcoholism. If one breaks the law then he should be punished REGARDLESS of his religious association. Why are you so afraid to condemn the management and police dept who are most corrupt person and don’t bother to pay attention? What would you say about a recent incident in which police took off the shalwar of a young kid who was protesting for the releasing of his Dad. Why your hands don’t have enough courage to pen against Mushrraf regime and come out and protest against it. I know you will not do, you don’t have enough courage because Mush is the guy who is in favor of secularism in the name of Enlightment and Moderation. Such attitude is NOT different than the MMA people who follow double standards that are hypocrites. The bad luck of this state is that it was hijacked by extreme cabals who didn’t even bother to curse Jinnah, the father of nation. If religious zealots declare Jinnah Kafir-e-Azam then Secularist extreme gave the fatwa that “he has no knowledge about Islam” or He is a secularist while Jinnah was infinite times superior then the pathetic mentality of both extreme cabals. The left wing cabal is not less extreme, the torture on that guy JUST proved my point that secularism can’t preach TOLERENCE or PEACE.

Whether religious or secular, generally tend to behave in this manner and the assumption that if only they knew enough Islam they would be good citizens is patently wrong

Are you not sounding like them that is “I know Islam more than you”? This is what you have been doing in your article by cursing a religion by giving your theories which are far from reality? A thief doesn’t sound sane to condemn another thief.

Good citizenship is a function of secular humanism,

I have already exposed your “secular humanism” in above paras.

not religion.

How do you define a religion? If I make a search on Google then one of the definitions of religion is “to follow a certain system or code of ethics”. Secularist or I say Atheist claim that they re anti-religion while in reality they actually follow the religion of “REJECTING GOD” from any worldly matter.

Religion is other-worldly, not this-worldly. Laws, rules and regulations, dos and don’ts and all the bric-a-brac that normal

At one side you complain that religion specialist think that they know ISLAM better than others while on other hand you sound too ignorant for a religion. Yes for any religion not only Islam. I would like to know that how many religions have you studied in your life. How much do you know about Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism? I must like to learn that you give me any reference from Old Testament, Deuteronomy, Numbers, genesis or New Testament Books like Mark, Luke, and Jhon etc who didn’t preach anything about humanity. It’s easy to condemn a religion but DAMN hard to prove a point. Coming back to Islam, which was sent for whole world rather a particular cabel like Judaism or Christianity which were sent for Children of Israelis only? The last sermon of Prophet [SAW] is the Universal Document of Human rights and documents like United Nation’s charter of Human/Universal Rights and American’s declaration of Independence is an offshoot of the last sermon.

Babri Masjid case, the Hindu fundamentalists openly said the court had no jurisdiction in matters of faith.

You sound too immature by comparing Hinduism with Islam or a religion with others. It’s like comparing apple with oranges. I can produce several example of extremism by atheists and seculars but this is a sissy contest as one could read himself about the different wars taken place in last century. I don’t understand why is it so hard for someone to consult the original text rather assuming things by picking one incident or other. I would like to know that whether you have read Quran with Translation in your life? Yes Quran could be read/learnt/understood by anyone and it was not sent for MUSLIMS only. The fact is that today Quran is being studies MORE by non-Muslims than Muslims this is why many of them accepting Islam. Today Quran is being researched more by Jews as well as by scientists and many theories given in Quran and Hadith was later proved by modern science. Believe me Quran is not a complicated sacred book and your brain will not get tortured after reading this. A religion which give reward [swab] by removing a stone from road or given a smile to parents in the morning is the most easiest, modern, logical and practical religion on face of earth. All is required efforts which several don’t bother to make and those who make become Cat Stevens to Yousuf Islam, Yousuf Youhanna to Mohammad Yousuf and Yovenne Ridley to Maryam. One just needs to come out from the shell of Ignorance.

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I recently learnt that Ejaz Haider is also a visiting research “scholar” at Brookings Institution which is one of the most prominent think tank[Umm association with an American Think Tank?figure out yourself]. Fine, one is free to oppose a religion entirely but DO make some sense rather demonstrating ignorance to oppose the religion. What is the difference between secularism[a subset of atheism] and Atheism itself that atheists atleast do make research hence make some sense to reject or accept something on the basis of their experiments. Mr.Haider didn’t sound different than such secularist ideology.

Anyone who has studied a bit about Islam can clearly understand that Islam NEVER preached about Praying all the time and do nothing for humanity or Islam never proposed anything about ethics and civic sense. Concept of Zakat is nothing but charity. Offering Salat helps one to get discpline. The BaitulMaal Concept was Islamic. These are just basic examples. It’s not hard to seek truth these days when we have easiest way of learning that is the Internet. We shouldn’t curse others for our own ignorance.

P.S: I know many going to attack me after reading this, sooner or later. I’m ready
Tagged: Islam,religion,Secularism,ethics

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This entry was posted on Sunday, January 7th, 2007 at 5:42 pm and is filed under Everything . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.