By Nadia Naeem
With respect to JI Chief Munawwar Hassan’s statements regarding the martyrdom of Pakistani soldiers fighting in alliance with Americans and its allies against Muslims, some political leaders of Pakistan have demanded and implored you take a sue motto action; that JI be banned and Munawwar Hassan be trialed for treachery for his statements.
Pakistan is a place where the Armed Forces enjoy high respect, love and reverence amongst the people, especially amongst the religious. The roots of these emotions lie in the nobility of Jihad in Islam and of course the Armed Forces of a Muslim country are its Mujahideen. That is why that while the secular intellects have often criticized the percentage of national budget spent on the Armed Forces, the religion-oriented have not done so. The religion-oriented have been happy to have the amount of national budget spent on them because of their noble cause and themselves remain on meager means or look for other means to generate finances.
The Holy Quran is extremely clear in its policy towards Muslim’s friendships and alliance with non-Muslims. Muslims are supposed to be cordial with non-offensive non-Muslims on humanitarian grounds, yet they are never supposed to develop such a deep friendship with them so as to share with them their defence and other patriotic secrets. Muslims may have peace treaties and pacts with non-Muslims if it makes Islam and Muslims more powerful. An example of such a pact from history is the very famous, Pact of Hudaibiyah. However, some of the clauses of this pact were unfair and gave rise to a band of Muslim fugitives who harbored themselves at Saif-ul-Bahr. They attacked the Makkans, looted their caravans and thus survived between Makkah and Madinah. The Makkans got sick of their raids and themselves dissolved that particular clause of Pact of Hudaibiyah which had been unfair in the first place and had forced the Makkan Muslims to stay in Makkah and denied them entry into Madinah. Let it be noted that this was the era of Quranic revelation and many a times Allah Almighty had admonished the wrong steps of the Muslims by Quranic revelations. Yet, no Quranic verse was sent down condemning these fugitives, for the simple reason that they had been oppressed in the first place and oppression naturally leads to retaliation. Allah Almighty condemns the oppressors, not those who fight back. Before dissolving the irritant clause, the Makkans complained many a times to the Holy Prophet Pbuh, but did he send a military expedition from Pakistan, oops I mean Madinah, to fight these Muslim fugitives?
In the Muslim world, even a child of age ten would be able to tell you that to be allies with non-Muslims against the interest of Islam and to serve and strengthen their existence and purpose and to attack Muslims on their behalf is treacherous to Islam. One does not need to be a Mufti to conclude this. It is religious common sense!
If anyone is being enemy to any group of Muslims unduly, then the rest of the Muslims will come forward to defend that group of Muslims. Those Muslim who remain indifferent are considered selfish and cowards. But what will you call those Muslims who choose to fight alongside the enemy against those very Muslims under attack? What will you call them if they die on the wrong side? Shaheed?
This is exactly what Munawwar Hassan was questioning on the media. We, instead of making a critical analysis of the objection, got lost in a kaleidoscope of emotions. People were surprised, shocked, angry, hurt and sad. The Armed Forces and the families of the soldiers feel that Munawwar Hassan has said something very cruel. Sir, with due respect, it is not Munawwar Hassan who has been cruel, but we ourselves have been very cruel when we sent our sons to fight America’s war against Muslim freedom-fighters. Our soldiers dying in the Karachi targeted operation are martyrs, our soldiers fighting at the Indian border are martyrs, but what about our soldiers fighting in FATA and providing logistic support and intelligence all over Pakistan to Americans and its allies?
Let us suppose for just one moment that what Munawwar Hassan is saying might be correct. Imagine the horror of such soldiers; dying, thinking that they will wake up to meet Allah Almighty, that Allah Almighty will welcome them in His great Jannah and they will instantly regain a new life in the magnificient Jannah as promised by Allah Almighty. Imagine them meeting an entirely different fate…! We should be more concerned about the possibility of such a truth. If we truly love our soldiers, which we do, then we should care more for their actual fate rather than standing adamant upon a deceptive and horrible misbelief.
Whereas, it also surprises me is that what Munawwar Hassan has said does not some as a surprise to me at all. For since 9/11 and Pakistan taking a u-turn in its foreign policy, the common person has commonly been tut-tutting at the ill-fate of the government’s decision. The common man has been lamenting over the ill-fate of those participating in handovers to America. The common man has been lamenting over the ill-fate of those fighting in the north-west of Pakistan, against Muslims, in the interest of America. Let us call a national referendum, if we really want to know.
Or why do not we simply think why so many army officials have resigned from the army in the last ten years? Or why do not we simply think why many army officials refused to participate in the Lal Masjid operation? Or why do not we simply think why many of our army officials pray fervently not to be posted in the north-west of Pakistan to fight the American war-on-terror.
And I remember further. This is definitely not the first time this issue has been raised and highlighted. Lal Masjid issued a Fatwa in 2004 with five-hundred Ulema signatories, stating that Muslim soldiers fighting against Muslims in the America’s war-on-terror do not qualify as Shaheed by Islamic principles. It is this very Fatwa which ultimately earned Lal Masjid the infamous Operation Silence in 2007.
Sir Munawwar Hassan has done well to come out with the truth despite the persecution faced by the Lal Masjid for this very ‘sin’, for Allah Almighty says, “Have no fear of people; fear Me, and do not sell My revelations for a petty price: those who do not judge by the law which Allah has revealed, are indeed kafirs (unbelievers).”
[Holy Quran, (5) Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 44]
I pray, may Allah Almighty accept the ‘martyrdom’ of our soldiers, based on their individual intention, obedience-to-orders and the understanding given to them, woe to Musharraf. I also wish that our soldiers and civilians both write to the respective authorities and plea to disengage from America’s alliance, even if they write anonymously.
Sir, please do not let another Operation Silence take place. Please, let not Munawwar Hassan or JI be persecuted for actually speaking for the better future of our soldiers. Indeed cruel are those people who are still adamant on sending our sons and soldiers to the wrong frontlines. We love our Armed forces, and we shall not let them die in vain. Can you do something to call for a foreign policy change?
