AN EVIL NECESSITY
The Dawn, Friday, October 11, 1993
AN EVIL NECESSITY
By Adil Ahmad
The
land of the might Indus has witnessed a
transition in time. It has withstood the ravages of northern invaders, playing
host to some unpleasant visitors.
Traditional
hospitality and open heartedness on the part of local inhabitants has been
mistaken for a submissive servility resulting in the guest overstaying his
welcome, and the start of tensions invariably leading to full-fledged wars and
hostilities.
Modern
times have seen this land united under the seal of common religious belief, but
little else. In Islam the religious fervour shared by its adherents should
theoretically have surmounted petty regional differences. It should have
provided for a unanimous viewpoint vis-à-vis the stated national objective - to
inculcate and propagate the teachings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). But 1414
years later no leader has yet emerged to unite all the petty, warning factions.
Each generation without the shelter of an effective leadership adds to the
confusion and agony of successive generations who’s multiplying numbers serve
only to increase the suffering of humanity.
Democracy
is a farce in such conditions. Barring the occasional flash in the pan, the
leadership base is vested, self-serving, orthodox, unimaginative and, by and
large, illiterate. Elections accomplish little else other than fuelling
inflation. They are controversial and divisive, pitting brother against brother
for the sole objective of gaining more power. The equality of man is a concept
redundant and restricted to the Friday congregations in mosques.
In a
society fashioned on blatant consumption, the pricy Pajero has come to denote
the future hopes of the impoverished masses. It is the number one priority on
the list of acquisitions of the newly-elected public representative.
The
Pajero has become the symbol of rural supremacy. Rugged and posh, macho and
suave, it provides the wadera with his security blanket much like the
teddy bear when he was young. He travels the dirt roads in air-conditioned
comfort, overwhelming the poor peasant and scattering his flock with not a
care.
The
Pajero has become the symbol of attrition and coercion, deciding the politics
and livelihood of entire regions. No one questions the Pajero, much less the
person inside it. As far as the finances go, public funds get diverted all the
time from potential social projects to the power game of profile management.
Sense of proportion? Nonexistent. Sense of civic responsibility? Nonexistent.
Belief in the Day of Judgment? Possibly nonexistent.
With
the advent of modern technology mankind was gifted with television and the
automobile. The general populace rejoiced in its pleasure and leisure.
Television and newsprint afford instant access to millions upon millions of
potential adherents. Technology has in fact made the job of religion much
easier.
So
where is the problem? Why is the Pajero employed in spreading the word of an
individual instead of the Word of God? Why is hedonism rampant amongst those to
whom God has been most generous in material terms? And why is charity a thing
of the past, and 'love thy neighbour' the utterance of a freak?
Devoid
of proper shepherding in the centuries after him, the Prophet's (PBUH) flock
has disintegrated into an amalgam of confused thoughts and conflicting
viewpoints. It stands as a house divided. And yet there can be no conflict in
the fundamental message, that there is but one God, and Mohammad (PBUH) is His
last Prophet, and that the Quran is the Word of God. This message commands universal acceptance
and respect in the Muslim world. So where is the conflict?
It
is ironical that it has taken a blasphemous book to unite the Muslim world.
Today, as never before, the Muslim ummah speaks as one in its
condemnation of an apostle of insanity. What the clergy could not achieve in
centuries has been accomplished by a raving mad man. Shias, Sunnis, Barelvis,
Deobandis have all closed ranks and spoken with one voice. In retrospect, Salman
Rushdie may yet go down in history as an evil necessary for an Islamic
reawakening.
Today,
when the cornerstones of our belief are mocked, we have reacted with the same
fervour and passion which characterised the beginning of Islam.
Immediately
this fervour and passion has been put to the test. The happenings in Bosnia have
challenged the depths of our feelings and exposed each one of us as nothing
more than hypocrites and holy proclaimers. In a more regional context, the very
long list of leaders and society elders with a wholly nonexistent notion of the
word amanat, has confused the believers. Is there no one capable of
dispensing a trust? Will the 'mighty' continue to rob and pillage the weak? Or
will they perhaps, one day, lend a mighty shoulder to the poor and suffering,
and ease their pain overnight.
The
journey from hypocrite and proclaimer to sincere activist is one which must be
undertaken without any delay. The gears of society are howling under the strain
of inefficient ratios, inflicting untold pain and suffering on the innocent.
The tools necessary for a rectification are there. An intelligent approach is
all that is required.
Again,
in the regional context, are intelligence and democracy compatible? Our
experiment with it so far has been traumatic, to say the least. Democracy has
fuelled the fires of regionalism, parochialism and communalism, and divided
neighbourhoods into ethnic strongholds of hatred and enmity. Democracy has
given birth to universal greed and turned the sacred vote into a prostitute of
the worst kind, pitting brother against brother in the mad dash for her
favours. Is democracy the answer to the question of our society's governance?
Indeed
yes! Most certainly. It is the democratic spirit that is required up front and
out in the open. The determination of that which is best for society. All
sections of society. Specially those sections which are too poor and illiterate
to think beyond their next meal. The multitudes in this section, unfortunately,
comprise the largest segment in our region. Democracy for them translates to
eating well for a few days around election time. Their deplorable condition
does not allow them more thought on the subject. They are very gullible and
ever eager to clap. They don't need a democratic spirit to establish their
needs. Their need is very starkly defined. Food, shelter and dignity. There is
no room for any debate. No need for
lengthy speeches and public nataks.
The
present day brand of democracy lays a premium first and last on cash and natak.
The ability to think in terms of humanity at large is a handicap. Cash on the
knob and natak on the streets equals public office guaranteed. The term
vote in the bank. No cash? You're trash! The real trash with the cash floats to
the top, sits in the assemblies, legislates God alone knows what with the pomp
and splendour of the Caesars.
The
upshot of this present day brand of democracy is ‘honour’ for the corrupt and
immoral, and a society gone haywire in its value system. This road necessarily
cannot be travelled too far since it ends in an abrupt cul-de-sac, or worse,
leads over the edge into an abyss of no return.
So
if democracy is not the answer to the question of our society's governance,
then what is ? Our society is essentially feudal both in its composition and in
its thinking. The sardar is an autocrat, a despot. To make it work, this
society needs an enlightened feudal who would make a benevolent despot. The
masses who comprise the tribes take a pride in their sardars, and in them find
an object for their devotion and loyalty. If the sardars measure up, and
earnestly desire for their people what they would desire for themselves, then
we would have a harmonious coexistence, and the enlightened feudal would
continue as a benevolent despot, carving himself a niche as an essential for
society's governance.
With
public accountability now rising as a priority in our scheme of things, this
great love affair with democracy promises to blossom. The bottomline, however,
remains accomplishment. Real progress that yields happy and contented faces.
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