A peaceful Ummah

This maybe a taboo topic for most Muslims, it is for me as well. Where we can present facts and logic about what our religion actually preaches; we’ve been portrayed in a matter that we have now become the oppressed. In light of the latest twitter trend #oppressedmuslimummah; I too shall speak out and reach out to the world in an attempt to rebel against the general stereotype that has been skillfully created over the years. Those who take our religion’s name and shout that they embody the teachings of our religion and then kill innocents; have done their part. What proof does the world have that these people were actually muslim? It’s easy to blame and it’s easy to refer to every violent act as a result of radical Islam than it is to actually find out the reason and perpetrators behind it.

What Islam teaches is respect, care and Islam strictly directs Muslims to ensure that the rights of others are exercised. Even in a country drowned in corruption, Pakistan is the embodiment of this very teaching. If we compare what is happening to Muslims around the world and then what is happening to non-muslims in Pakistan; it is evident that Muslims are the ones who are actually oppressed. Verily, there are incidents where non-muslims were targeted but those isolated incidents are negligible to what has been happening to muslims. Our children have been dying, our ladies and our seniors; no one is spared. Millions have died and who knows how many shall die but the media; the global media only pays attention to the non-muslims.

It is without a doubt, inhumane; the killing of anyone whether or not they’re Muslim. That is exactly what Islam teaches as well. Killing of innocents: that is not forgivable. Even at times of war, Muslims throughout history have spared women, children and the old. Despite the fact that our women and children were not spared. Look at Jerusalem, when Salahuddin finally became victorious he allowed the conquered to leave. He allowed the women and children to live whereas the defeated King himself said that If I were you, I would have killed every defeated soul.

What we ask of the world is not special treatment. What we ask for is the elimination of the discrimination? A muslim is taught not to discriminate. A muslim leader is equally answerable to the Muslims and Non-Muslims in his nation. Our concept of Jihad has become so infamous that it is now completely wrongly portrayed. There are plenty of forms of Jihad; one among them is self defense as well. If someone attempts to hurt you or your loved ones and you end up hurting them or even killing them; then that too is Jihad. How wrong is self defense? Even in our current judicial and legal systems, that is very well accepted. How would one wrongly portray such a form of Jihad? Leave that to our dear global media; they’ll find a way to do it as they have been doing it for ages.

With a new beginning of the new year, may be the world needs to understand what they have been doing to Muslims. And those, who claim to be Muslim but are responsible for the deaths of innocents; need to understand and know that in accordance to the teachings of Islam, they are in the wrong and what they’re doing is actually unforgivable.

Let 2017 be the beginning of where we stand together in the formation of a better world. Where we are not the oppressed nor the oppressors. Where we stand together and prove to the world that what they’ve been told is nothing but just a pointless propaganda.   

Banks & Annual Closing

What is closing? It is an internal procedure that every business, institution, organization and company undergoes. However, the closing of banks is the most notorious one because they are the center of all the currency and finances roaming about in various businesses. Even a small business has to do a daily, weekly, monthly and then annual closing to learn about the details of what they spent and what they earned. For banks, it’s about various other details since the banking procedures are governed by various applicable laws. Why did I bring up closing and why are we talking about the annual closing of banks? It is an internal procedure and should have nothing to do with those not directly involved but sadly, it does.

As the year went through the annual closing, banks were all in chaos. People were requested and even begged to leave their savings in their accounts. While large account holders were similarly requested and begged to submit as much amounts as they could. Why? Because the banks were doing their annual closing and they needed the numbers. The numbers that they would use to advertise how great they were doing. It is a sad sad predicament. Yet again, another institution of our country only takes into account its own preferences and doesn’t concern itself with the need, desire and preferences of its clientele.

My person interaction with this situation was that when a needy person needed a certain donated amount to purchase dowry for their daughter; the banks didn’t facilitate them. This needy person was a labor who worked on daily wages and a certain NGO had procured donations to fund the dowry of this person. Even though, donations aren’t easy to arrange they still managed it. The only thing that remained was to cash that donation and purchase the dowry. The banks just didn’t let the NGO to cash out the amount because they were going through the annual closing. How sad and unjust is that? The NGO then managed by using various contacts and by asking favors from local business owners. However, this should not have happened.

The closing procedure is of an internal nature. The banks are service providers so for them, the preference of their clientele should come first. Regardless of whether or not they’re going through their daily closing, weekly closing, monthly closing or annual closing.

This article is written with the intent to point out that this is not appropriate and that banks should revise the way they work. Aren’t bank managers and officials supposed to be educated individuals? If so, then ideally educated individuals in the service provision field should be more caring and humane towards their clientele. Why is it that everything is going in the opposite direction? We really, should go through a process of self evaluation. And in the spirit of the beginning of a new year, we should rethink how we do things.