A Common Enemy to Unite Them All
Posted: Sat, 24 Sep 2011
by Orya Maqbool Jan
If you glance over the history of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, one reality that you will witness will amaze you, leaving your eyes wide open. This land where Muslims ruled for approximately seven hundred years without any partnership, the official law of it from the rule of Qutbuddin Aibak till the British governance was based on the Islamic law and principles. In all areas there were Muslim Qazis (judges), who made their judgements in accordance with shariat. There was no concept, sight or sound of a Hindu, Budhist, Sikh or a Jain Qazi. Akbar, who is known as the chieftain of the secular thought, in his reign also, judgements were passed in accordance with sharia.
Fiqah e Hanfia was generally established, but in Shia states judgements were passed on the basis of Fiqah e Jafria. And because not even a minute difference exists in the laws of both the sects hence before the arrival of the British, a shia-sunni difference was non-existent, neither there were any fatwas, and no one was pointed out as a kaafir. There was no sectarianism, or any difference of opinions between groups. The strange thing is that during this period, there were no claims to prophet hood. It was the blessing of this unity and system of shariat that, when Lord McCaulay, after wandering and roaming villages and towns all over Hindustan, makes a speech in the British parliament, he says " There I could find neither a thief nor a beggar".
If we set out in history to find the root of the traditions of sectarianism, blood spilling and fatwas(declarations) of kufar, We will be amazed to know that they have their beginnings in 1857, and origination from the areas that today comprise of Hindustan. All the sects that exist in Pakistan, their basic centres today also exist in the cities of India. After the arrival of the British, and exactly nine years after the the demise of the Mughal Sultanate, the first Madrissa was established by the actively participating member of Jihade e Azadi (Jihad of the Freedom Movement) Sufi saint Haji Imdadullah Mahajir Makki's partners Maulana Qasim Nanotawi, Maulana Shaheed Ahmad Gangwahi and Haji Syed Abid Hussain. From here the founding stones of Jamiat Ulema e Hind were kept, The branches and the influenced of which exist in Pakistan today in the form of various groups of JUI (Jamiat e Ulema Islam) and the madrissas of the Deoband school of thought. The second sect, 'Barelvi' came into being in the form of a movement in 1880 in the city of Barel in India. Its founder Ahmed Raza Barelvi was born in 1856, a year before the end of the reign of the Mughals. He completed his early education and dars e nizaami under his father Naqi Ali Khan's guardianship, and left for Hajj in 1878. On his return he founded the Barelvi school of thought. The fundamentals of which were based on Islamic Tasawuf and chastity. Ishq e Rasul (love of the Prophet (MPBUH)) was a dear treasure. The amazing fact is that in the writings of Ahmed Raza Barelvi and the scholars of Deoband, concerning the aspects of shariat, there is little difference. You will be astonished to read that that the leaders of Barelvi thought, considered Qawali, encircling the tombs, prostrating in front of them, women going to tombs, all a part of bidaat (innovation in religion). The causes of the differences were minor and small in nature.
Third most important sect Ahle Hadith, took the form of a central institution in 1916, at Calcutta, at All India Ahle Hadith conference, under Maulana Syed Mian Nadir Hussain. They had separate sections in Bengal and Assam. It took the form of an important congregation in 1946, presiding under Maulana Abdullah Kani at Calcutta. The Barelvi school of thought representation can be found from JUI to Sunni Tehrik to Sunni Council and many such organisations. And many groups of Ahle Hadith can be seen active in the form of Allama Sajid Meer, Ibtisaam Ilahi Zaheer and Hafiz Saeed.
Shia sect's centre and source is also in states which today are a part of India. Its promotion and its collective form was moulded by the Nawab of Awadhs of Lucknow. The marsia's of Anees and Dabeer, azadaari, taziay and further customs started from sub-continent. Although Shia sects international centres are in Najafand Kum, but Lucknow still holds a central importance in the sub-continent.
Now let me take you to another land of amazement. All these sects found in the sub-continent still exist in India and their birth places are also there. From the advent of the British till 1947, there was no Shia, Sunni, Wahabi and Barelvi conflicts or clash. And from 1947 till today in India there has not been a single conflict and not even a small disturbance between the sects. Why these people go hand in hand in India, but are bent upon slitting each other throats in Pakistan. Because since 1857 till today, all the followers of these sects have a common enemy which has been a problem for them since a lifetime. When Hindu-Muslim riots erupt in India, then no one sees who is a Shia, Sunni or Ahle Hadith. Whole towns are razed to the ground. Men are stripped of their clothes, if they are circumcised then their throats are slit. The elders of these sects are buried there and their treasure of knowledge are also contained there in their libraries.
But in my country these Ulemas (scholars) have their hands on each other's throats. In the beginnings of this country all of them were united. In the time of the struggle for the Objectives Resolution, all the scholars of these sects presented a 21 point agenda for the implementation of Sharia law, all of them agreed on it. Will anyone believe this today? But then how these scholars played into the hands of the politicians of my country, it is a painful story. They have a different face for the television and general gatherings. And for the private debate their speech focuses on negating and falsifying other sects. Seeing their talks on youtube may result in a vomit. With sadness I write that when slaughter was happening with innocent girls of Jamia Hafsa, my inbox and received letters were telling a story of taunts and cheerfulness of the other sects. Similarly when blasts occurred in any Imam Bargah I have saved email and letters filled with taunts against those who died.
These seed of hatred are so deep that a common man who is influenced by the speeches of these scholars, consider it as a part of faith. From my experience of a government job, I know how these scholars from different sects are bought and how they are made to hold each other by the throat.
I am writing all this because in this God gifted country of Pakistan, the greatest responsibility lied on the shoulders of the scholars. Because this country was not created on the basis of race, colour or language, but on the basis of a belief. Its inheritors and trustees had to be the scholars. If a calamity or retribution strikes this country, there is destruction, then tomorrow on the day of resurrection, you will be the one answerable. Talk to the scholars about the differences, they will tell you, there are no differences in the basic beliefs. there are minor and small differences. But the mark on their forehead and the voice from their platforms only resound these minor differences magnified. When will they unite? Maybe the conditions are going to force them to unite.
They all are going to face a common enemy. When they will find out that the azaadari of Muharram, the gathering of the Milad and tauheed conference are the same for jets of the American army. For them Abdullah, Kalb e Ali and Ghulam e Mustafa hold no difference, all are worth slaughtering. Listen to the voice of the time. All preparations are complete. It is the same situation, when loosing the War in Afghanistan, Cambodians were attacked on the pretext of aiding the terrorists. The same policy is being adopted for action against the Haqqani Network of Pakistan. The time is not far, I am not prophesising, the political front and military game is moving towards this direction. But hidden in this is a hikmat(wisdom) of my Allah. A common enemy, will unite a disintegrated and shattered nation.
When the Second World War started Chamberlain was the Prime Minister of Britain. He was removed from the position by the people, saying that in such situation a brave and not a coward leader is needed. The border that exists between Afghanistan and Pakistan after an American attack will have no meaning. Because there will be one enemy, and whoever will restrain others from fighting this common enemy, be it a soldier of the army, will be target of the wrath and fury of the people. Time is ready to fuse this nation into a cauldron and turn it into gold.
The Original Article in Urdu
Shahzad Shameem
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