Sunday, 22 July 2012

To my dear critics

Mentality levels of the critics

I don't mind when someone comes on character assassination when he does not
find a logical answer to some valid point. The most favorite gaali of our so-called educated, religious minded mediocre is to accuse someone of being an agent of
America, Jews, RSS or BJP. The next level is of those who do not want to read but worship their wishful thinking as Quran delineates و منھم امیون لا یعلمون الکتاب الا امانی" ۔ they are emotional and confident of their ignorance. They imdtly start issuing the Fatwas on opponent as being "Wahabi, Deobandi, Barelwi, Parwezi, Qadiyani, Motezela, Khawarij etc". These two levels are still tolerable as they rely on their own pseudo-intellect but the next level is really dangerous.

And that is of those critics who have mortgaged their knowledge, senses and faith to their Jamaat, Maslak, Murshid, Naazim, Ameer, Ustaad, Buzurg and Akaabereen like the Quran delineates "واتخدوا احبارھم و رھبانہم اربابا من دون اللہ" ِif their Gurus preach them that x,y, z is wrong, these people will not use their senses to read or talk or understand, they will go on condemning whom their Gurus have condemned. 

The next level is of violence. The philosophy of violence is that when the man does not have capacity or quality or ability to convince with well studied, truthful argument & proof, he seeks the short cut of violence to silence the opponents. This is human psychology. It is not that it is found only in RSS or Shiv Sena etc. This is found abundantly in our people too. From small pity differences of Fateha & loudly aameen to the highly political Talibanic issues, people do not hesitate to kill not only the character but also the person without any hesitation as they are taught that to humiliate, degrade and even kill even if he is your brother is Jihad. If we go thru the history and count how many of us have been killed on the issues of Fiqh, Aqaaed, Rituals, Race, Language. region and religion we come to know that the number of Muslims died at the hands of their own brothers is more than at the hands of anti-Muslims. 

The worst of all the critics are those who see someone fighting alone for the right cause but they maintain a sort of status quo. They don't want to support the right neither they want to condemn the wrong. They meet with smiling face and shake hands with both and pretend to be moderate, compromising and soft. They feel safe in being a silent spectator. They do want to see a change or revolution in the society but without putting themselves in any trouble. Quran has quoted examples of many such hypocrites who do not rise to the occasion but come later as if the biggest sympathizers. 

There is a good story that tells how to face the critics coolly. Once a king went out for hunting. He lost his way and parted from his companions. All the people began running in search of him in the forest. One of his slave passed by a blind sitting near a cave. He addressed the blind and said: "O blind, did you feel anyone passing thru this way? "
The blind said "NO"
After a while, another Wazeer passed thru the same blind person and asked" Soofi ji, did you feel any person passing thru this way?"
The blind said "No"
After a while, the King himself passed thru that way and found the blind person. He asked him "Shah ji did you notice anyone passing thru this way?
The blind man said : "Yes, there were two men before you. one of them was your slave or servant. another was some respectable person of your court. You are the third Shah yourself".
The Shah was very astonished. He asked him how could he recognize all while he is a blind.
The blind man answered: "The one who addressed me as "O blind", belong to a low class-mentality who does not know how to address with respect.
The one who addressed to me by "Soofi ji", must be a respectable person of your court, therefore he knew how to give respect to others.
and then, third, your are Shah yourself. You addressed me as "Shah ji". A Shah recognizes the other Shah".

The lesson is that whoever criticizes you, before taking it serious, you have to think what class the critic belongs to. If he does not belong to your class, then to respond to him is your own mistake. You need not come down to his level but let him come up to meet your level. Otherwise you will humiliate yourself.

Saturday, 9 June 2012

پوپ کہانی - آگ اپنے گھر لگانا سیکھہ لو



 آگ اپنے گھر لگانا سیکھہ لو

کیا؟ سہیل سے طلاق؟ وہ بھی عدالت کے ذریعے؟ تم پاگل تو نہیں ھوگئی ھو؟
نہیں ابو، میں نے پورے ھوش وحواس میں یہ فیصلہ کیا ھے
بیٹی؛ سہیل تو تم کو اتنا چاھتا ھے۔
لیکن اسکی ماں تو نہیں چاھتی۔ اسے تو فلیٹ چاھیئے۔ اسلئے میں اسے سبق سکھانا
چاہتی ھوں۔
ٹھیک ھے، میں اپنا گھر بیچ کر اسے فلیٹ دلا دوں گا۔ 
مگر میں نہیں چاہتی تھی کہ ایک باپ کو بیٹی کیلئے اپنا گھر بیچنا پڑے
بیٹی اس میں برائی کیا ھے۔ یہ ریت ھے، بیٹی کا گھر بسانے کیلئے باپ کو گھر بیچنا ھی پڑتا ھے۔
ابْو؛ بات صرف میرے باپ کی نہیں ھے۔ مجھے تین اور باپوں کے گھر بچانا ھے 
کیا مطلب؟
سہیل کے تین بھائی اور ھیں جن کیلئے سہیل کی ماں رشتے ڈھونڈھہ رھی ہے۔ 
تواس میں بری بات کیا ھے
بری بات یہ ھیکہ اگر آپ نے اپنا گھر بیچ کر سہیل کو فلیٹ دلایا تو اسکی ماں ھر
لڑکی کے باپ سے یہ بات شان سے کہے گی کہ اسکی بڑی بہو کے جہیز میں ایک
فلیٹ دیا گیا تھا۔ جس کا مطلب یہ ھوگا کہ ھر باپ اپنا گھر بیچے اور داماد کو فلیٹ دلائے۔ 
تو دوسروں کا گھر بچانے اپنا گھر تھوڑی اجاڑا جاتا ھے؛
ابو کیا آپ ھی نے نہیں کہا تھا کہ
تیرگی شہروں سے خود مٹ جائیگی
آگ اپنے گھر لگانا سیکھہ لو؟

اردو کا کاروبار - پبلشروں کی کمائی ادیبوںکی گنوائی



 ہر اردو ادیب کے نام آئے دن مختلف پبلیشروں کے میل اور خطوط آتے رہتے ہیں کہ 
شاندار سر ورق، کتابت اور طباعت کیلئے ہم سے رجوع کیجئے۔ یقیناً اس کاروبارمیں
بہت فائدہ ہے ورنہ اردو کیلئے فی سبیل اللہ کوئی اتنا وقت برباد کرے اور ادیبوں
 کی طرح اپنا خون جلائے اور راتوں کی نیند اور دن کا چین غارت کرے یہ
 ناممکن ہے
اس وقت اردو کا سب سے بڑا مسئلہ کتابوں کی اشاعت نہیں بلکہ ان کی تقسیم ہے۔ 
جہاں تک مذہبی کتابوں کا معاملہ ہے آپ طہارت یا نماز کے مسائل و فضائل پر یا
 بنکنگ، سود، فیملی پلاننگ، لائف انشورنس وغیرہ کی حرمت پر  سالہا سال بلکہ
 صدی  پرانے فتووں کو کاپی پیسٹ کرکے چھپوایئے یہ پھر بھی بک جاتی ہیں۔ لیکن مسئلہ
ان کتابوں کا ہے جن کا تعلق نئی تحقیق سے ہے۔ لوگ یہ رونا روتے ہیں کہ قوم میں
اچھے صحافی، دانشور، مفکر، اہل ادب یا ماہرین تعلیم یا دوسرے موضوعات کے
ماہرین کا فقدان ہے۔ ایسا بالکل نہیں ہے۔ یہ قوم آج بھی اردو کے ایک سے اعلی ایک
قابل ترین ادیبوں اور دانشوروں سے بھری پڑی ہے۔ 
ہر ادیب اپنی پہلی کتاب ایک بڑے انقلاب برپا کرنے کی آس میں شائع کرواتا ہے۔
ناشر اپنے پیسے وصول کرکے کتابوں کا ڈھیر حوالے کر کے رخصت ہوجاتا ہے 
پھر اسکے بعد ادیبوں ہی سے پوچھئے۔ جتنی محنت زکوۃ و خیرات وصول کرنے
والوں کو نہیں کرنی پڑتی اتنی بلکہ اس سے کہیں زیادہ ان بیچاروں کو کتابوں کے اس 
ڈھیر کو کسی سلیقے کے قاری تک پہنچانے میں لگتی ہے۔ آدھی سے زیادہ کتابیں 
مفت دینی پڑتی ہیں جو کبھی پڑھی نہیں جاتیں۔ کچھہ کتابیں لوگ مروتاً رحم کھاکر 
خرید لیتے ہیں جو پڑھتے نہیں۔ کچھہ ادیب یونیورسٹیوں یا اردو اکیڈیمی اور
 ساہتیہ اکیڈیمی جیسے 
اداروں سے تعلقات یا اپنے اختیارات کے بل بوتے کئی کتابیں شائع کروالیتےھیں۔ یہ  
 مواد کے اعتبار سے بہت کمزور ہوتی ہیں لیکن ادیب کی پبلسٹی تو ہو ہی جاتی ہے۔
جو کتابیں واقعی پڑھنے کے قابل ہوتی ہیں وہ کبھی صحیح قاری تک پہنچ نہیں پاتیں۔ 
اسی لئے اب اردو کا قاری کسی نئی کتاب کو نہیں پڑھتا کیونکہ وہ جانتا ہے کہ 
کھودا پہاڑ نکلا چوہا کے مصداق اسکا وقت ضائع ہوگا۔
پھر ایک مسئلہ اور بھی ہے۔ اردو کے قاری کو انٹرینٹ پر دینا تمام کا گھسا پٹا مواد
خوب مل رہا ہے جس پر وہ اپنی دو کوڑی کی رائے بھی پیش کرسکتا ہے۔ یاہوگروپس
اور گوگل گروپس پر وہ اپنے دوچار مضامین کے ذریعے ہزاروں قاریوں تک پہنچ کر
اپنے تئیں خود بھی ایک مستند ادیب بن جاتا ہے جس کے بعد پھر اسے کسی اور ادیب 
کو پڑھنے کی ضرورت باقی نہیں رہتی۔ 
دوسرا مسئلہ یہ ہیکہ اردو کا قاری فلم، برتھہ ڈے پارٹی یا بیگم کی شاپنگ پر تو خوب 
خرچ کرسکتا ہے لیکن اردو کی کتاب اگر مفت ہاتھہ آئے تو ہی سرسری پڑھتا ہے ورنہ
اردو سے بے نیاز رہتا ہے ۔ بڑے شرم کی بات ہے کہ مغرب میں انگریزی کی کتابوں کی 
طرح اب ہندی، تلگو، مرہٹی وغیرہ کی کتابیں کئی کئی ہزار کی تعداد میں شائع ہوتی ہیں لیکن
 اردو کی دو چار فیصد ہی کتابیں ایسی ہوتی ہیں جو ایک ہزار کی تعداد میں شائع
ہونے کے بعد ان کے نصیب میں دوبارہ شائع ہونا ہوتا ہے۔ دوسری زبانوں کے ادیب
ایک کتاب شائع کرواکر اپنا گھر بنالیتے ھیں اور اردو کا ادیب کو اپنا گھر بیچنے کی 
نوبت آتی ھے۔
امریکہ میں ایک کمپنی ھے جو بک آف دی منت {اس ماہ کی کتاب} کے نام سے ھے۔
یہ لوگ بے شمار موضوعات پر کتب شائع کرتے ھیں اور ھر قاری کو اسکی 
پسند کے مطابق سالانہ خریدار بنا کر ایک کتاب بھیجتے ھیںاور اس شرط کے ساتھہ
بھیجتے ھیں کہ اگر کتاب پسند نہ آئے تو پیسے واپس کردیئے جاتے ھیں۔ اسطرح وھاں
کی ھر کتاب بیسٹ سیلر ھوجاتی ھے۔ کاش ھمارے پبلیشر یہ کام بھی ساتھہ ساتھہ 
کرنے لگیں۔ 
پھر ایک اور مسئلہ یہ بھی ھیکہ بعض ناشر اتنے چالاک ھوتے ھیں کہ جس کتاب کے
بارے میں انہیں یقین ھوتا ھے کہ وہ خوب بکے گی اسکو جتنے کا آرڈر ھے اس سے
کہیں زیادہ چھاپتے ھیں۔ جو باھر کب بیچ لیتے ھیں غریب ادیب کو اس کا پتہ ہی نہیں
چلتا وہ اس خوش فہمی میں رھتا ھے کہ شائد اسکے ھی کسی ڈسٹریبیوٹر نے دکانوں
پر رکھوائی ھوگی۔ 
پھر سرقہ توھندوستان پاکستان کے خون میں داخل ھے۔ یہاں کے ناشر وھاں پر اور وہاں
کے ناشر ادھر ایک دوسرے کی کتابوں کو دھڑلے سے چھاپ کر فروخت کرلیتے 
ھیں۔ ڈاکٹر اوصاف احمد صاحب مشیر اسلامک ڈیولپمنٹ بنک نے کئی سال کی محنت 
کے بعد "بیسویں صدی کی اردو شاعری" تالیف کی اور اسی طرح مولانا عبدالرحمان 
صاحب نے نبیوں کے قصص کو مستند احادیث اور روایات کی روشنی میں دو جلدوں
میں قلمبند کیا۔ ایک ایک پیسہ جوڑ کر شائع کروایا۔ یہی کتابیں بعد میں پاکستان سے 
شائع ھوکر "چوری اور سینہ زوری" کے مصداق جدہ ھی کے بازار میں آگئیں اور 
خود مصنف کو اپنی کتابیں پیسے دے کر خریدنی پڑیں۔ 
اردو کے بڑے اخباروں کے مالکان ایک طرف اردو کی خدمت کا ڈھونگ رچاتے ھیں
اور دوسری طرف اسی اردو سے لاکھوں کماکر راجیہ سبھا اور لوگ سبھا کی سیٹیں
خرید کر اپنی مارکٹ بڑھاتے ھیں۔ انہیں اخبارات کے صفحے کسی طرح کالے کرکے اشتہارات
چھاپ کر پیسہ کمانا ھوتا ھے اس سے غرض نہیں کہ کون کس درجے کا ادیب ھے۔ 
اسلئے انہیں ایسے بے شمارندیدے ادیب مل جاتے ھیں جنہیں محض اپنا نام شائع کروانے اور
تھوڑی بہت مبارکبادیاں حاصل کرلینے سے دلچسپی ھوتی ھے اسلئے وہ کچھ بھی 
اناپ شناپ لکھہ کر نام اور تصویر چھپواکر اخبار مالک کی بلا معاوضہ مدد کردیتے ھیں۔

مختصر یہ کہ اگر پبلیشر حضرات اردو کی واقعی کوئی خدمت کرنا چاھتے ھیں تو پہلے 
یہ کریں کہ کتابوںکی تقسیم کی منصوبہ بندی کریں دوسری زبانوں کے ناشروں سے 
مارکٹنگ کرنا سیکھیں اور اردو کی اچھی کتابوں کو پڑھوانے اور اسکے ساتھہ ساتھہ
ادیبوں کو بھرپور معاوضہ ادا کرنے کی نیت کریں۔ اس سے زبان ترقی کرے گی ۔ بے شمار
موضوعات جیسے سیاسی، معاشی، ادبی، تعلیمی، نفسیاتی، سماجی وغیرہ پر جب اردو
لٹریچر سامنے آئے گا تو خود اردو والے دنگ رہ جائیں گے کہ اردو میں انگریزی سے 
بھی کہیں زیادہ طاقتور لٹریچر لکھنے والے موجود ھیں۔ اس سے ان کے کاروبار میں 
بھی زبردست اضافہ ھوگا۔ سلیقے کے ادیب سامنے آئیں گے اور سلیقے کے قاری بھی۔   
 

Tuesday, 5 June 2012

Dowry Excuse (1) It helps inferior girls to marry جہیز کے حیلے - اس سے کمتر لڑکیوں کی شادی جلدی ھوتی ھے


Dowry excuse (1) It helps the inferior girls to marry 

                                             aleemfalki@yahoo.com     6th June, 2012

some people make an excuse that "If the dowry and the dinner are not given, the wedding of thousands of those girls will become impossible who are not of fair color, blackish or uneducated or divorcee or widow or inferior due to many reasons". 
It is not true. The dowry would have been the best solution if it were helpful to wed such girls. If it were the case that the fair color, educated and posh family's girls were married without any dowry while only the inferiors girls needed dowry to be married, the mentioned excuse would have been acceptable. 
The situation is that the dowry is inevitable irrespective of the girls' beauty, education, financial status etc. Please kindly take a survey of 10 or 20 of your cousins and colleagues. (In fact, you will have to conduct a thorough investigation too as no one will tell you the facts honestly).

You will find that:
99% will condemn the dowry system but they have committed to accept the dowry by consent or under the "default" system. 
50% of their mothers and elders set the game, sent the proposal to those girls' houses from where they could acquire a lot without asking or bargaining.
40% of them (In fact, their parents) mentioned the list of articles and set the conditions.
5% of them refrained from extravagance and discounted many things from the normal list like Cash (Joda, Tilak or Streedhanam),Gold, Bed, Furniture, Automobile and other assets with Dinner etc. But it is not that they married without letting the parents of the girl spend a single penny. 
3% of them married in unusual situation like a love marriage, or for the sake of immigration, iqama etc where the dowry was not involved. If it were the normal circumstances, the dowry and dinner etc would have definitely been involved.
2% hardly will be those who married courageously on the Sunnat of the Prophet SAWS and did not become a burden on the bride's parents and did not allow them to spend even if the parents were capable as this was the 
occasion of setting good example of an Islamic Halaal marriage. May Allah bless them with prosperity in Iman, health, wealth and children, Aameen.

So where is the question of beautiful or Ugly, fair or unfair, educated or uneducated, virgin or divorcee/widow? No girl is pardoned of the dowry. The only difference is that the rate of the beautiful, educated and well off family's girls is slightly cheaper than the inferiors. 
Another difference is that although the dowry is compulsory for both but the beautiful's dowry is understood by default i.e. comes without bargaining and sometimes it is negotiable too but the inferior's dowry is demanded, non-negotiable.

So those who advocate the dowry in favor of inferior girls are making the life of the inferior girls more difficult by allowing this system of buying the men for these girls. The call of the hour is to eradicate the dowry from the roots and make the men realise that according to the Quran 4:34 a man (MARD) is defined as the one who spends on the woman instead of making her spend on him". This is the reason he is bestowed upon the rights on her. 

It is not wise to defend the Dowry but to stand against it on Military scale. This is the best Jihad of the hour.

بعض لوگ جہیز لینے اور دینے کی مدافعت میں یہ حیلہ پیش کرتے ہیں کہ اسکی وجہ سے ہزاروں ان لڑکیوں کی شادی آسان ہوجاتی ہے جو خوبصورت یا تعلیم یافتہ نہ ہونے کی وجہ سے یا مطلقہ یا بیوا ہونے کی وجہ سے گھر بسانے سے محروم رہ جاتی ہیں۔ ان کے نزدیک جہیز لڑکیوں کی شادی کو آسان کرنے والی ایک نعمت ہے۔
یہ بہانہ ایک جھوٹ اور خودفریبی ہے۔ اگر ایسا ہوتا کہ ساری خوبصورت اور تعلیم یافتہ  اور اچھے خاندان کی لڑکیاں بغیر کسی جہیز کے اٹھہ جاتیں اور صرف کمتر لڑکیوں کیلئے ہی جہیز کی رشوت دینی ناگزیر ہوتی تو یہ حیلہ نہ صرف قابل قبول ہوتا بلکہ اس کو ایک کارعظیم جان کر ہم سب سے پہلے اسکےلئے فنڈز  اکھٹا کرتے لیکن حقیقت 
واقعہ ایسا نہیں ہے۔ 
حقیقت یہ ھیکہ جہیز ہر صورت میں دینا لازمی ہے۔ لڑکی چاہے خوبصورت ہو کہ بدصورت، تعلیم یافتہ ہو کہ ان پڑھہ، کنواری ہو کہ بیوا یا مطلقہ۔ جہیز کے بغیر لڑکی کا بیاہنا آج کے معاشرے میں ناممکن ہوچکا ہے۔ اگر آپ مزید حجت اور تکرار میں پڑے بغیر حقیقت جاننا چاہتے ہیں تو اپنے کزنس یا ساتھہ کام کرنے والوں میں سے دس بیس کا سروے کیجئے۔ بلکہ ذرا تحقیق بھی کیجئے کیونکہ بہت کم لوگ آپ کو سچائی اور ایمانداری سے ہر بات بتائینگے۔ 
آپ اس نتیجے پر پہنچیں گے کہ
ننانوے فیصد یہ کہیں گے کہ وہ جہیز کی رسم کے خلاف ہیں۔ ان کے خاندان میں یہ رسم بالکل نہیں پائی جاتی لیکن تحقیق پر پتہ چل جائیگا کہ یہ سارے نناوے فیصد خوشی سےیا فرمائش یا مطالبے کے ذریعے جہیز کسی نہ کسی طرح لے چکے ہیں۔
پچاس فیصد وہ ہونگے جنکے ابا جان یا امی جان نے پورا میدان ان کے لئے سیٹ کیا۔ رشتہ بڑی چالاکی سے اسی لڑکی کے گھر بھیجا جہاں سے مانگنے کی ضرورت نہ پڑے اور بغیر مانگے ہی خوشی سے دینے کے نام پر یا رواج و سسٹم کے نام پر ہر چیز مل جائے تاکہ یہ لوگ شان سے یہ کہہ سکیں کہ ہم نے کچھہ نہیں مانگا تھا۔ سب کچھہ لڑکی والوں نےزبردستی دیا ہے۔ 
چالیس فیصد وہ ہونگے جو خود یا ان کی امی جان وغیرہ نے لڑکی والوں کو اپنی فرمائش اور شرائط سے آگاہ کردیا  تھا۔
پانچ فیصد وہ ہونگے جنہوں نے جتنا لے سکتے تھے اتنا نہیں لیا کئی چیزوں میں ڈسکاونٹ کردیا ورنہ نقد رقم جسکو جوڑا، تلک یا استری دھنم کہاجاتاہےاسکے ساتھہ ساتھہ پلنگ، فرینچر، سونا، کار یا موٹر سائیکل اور شاندار دعوت طعام تو وصول کیا جاسکتا تھا۔
تین فیصد وہ لوگ ہونگے جنہوں نے اقامے، ایمیگریشن یا لومیریج کی مجبوریوں کی وجہ سے کچھہ نہیں لیا ورنہ عام حالات میں شادی ہوتی تو کسی چیز سے ہرگز انکار نہیں کرتے۔
دو فیصد بمشکل وہ ہونگے جنہوں نے واقعی سنت نبی صل اللہ و علیہ و سلم کو زندہ کیا لڑکی والوں پر کوئی بوجھہ ڈالے بغیر نکاح کیا، مہر ادا کیا اور حسب استطاعت ولیمہ دیا۔ لڑکی والے اگر استطاعت بھی رکھتے تھے تب بھی ان لوگوں نے سنت کو زندہ کرنے اس حرام سے پرہیز کیا اور ایک مثال قائم کی اللہ ایسے لوگوں کے ایمان، دولت، صحت اور اولاد میں برکت عطا فرمائے۔

اب بھلا بتلائے کہ کم صورت یا خوبصورت، تعلیم یافتہ یا ان پڑھہ، کنواری یا بیوا کا کہاں سوال اٹھتا ہے۔ جہیز تو ہر دو صورتوں میں دینا ہی دینا ہے۔ البتہ فرق صرف یہ ہیکہ خوبصورت یا تعلیم یافتہ لڑکیاں ذرا کم جہیز پر اٹھہ جاتی ہیں اور کم صورت لڑکیوں کے لئے لڑکوں کو زیادہ قیمت میں خریدنا پڑتا ہے۔ ایک اور فرق یہ بھی ہیکہ جہاں لڑکیاں خوبصورت ہوں وہاں مطالبہ کرنے کی ضرورت نہیں پڑتی، بغیر مانگے بہت کچھہ مل ہی جاتا ہے اور بھاو چکانے میں کچھہ کم زیادہ بھی طئے ہوسکتا ہے لیکن جہاں تک کمتر لڑکیوں کا معاملہ ہے وہاں مطالبہ منوایا جاتا ہے اور بھاو چکانے کی کوئی گنجائش نہیں ہوتی۔ ایک کمتر بیٹی پیدا کرنےکے جرم میں اسکے باپ یا بھائی کو قیمت چکانی ہی پڑتی ہے ورنہ لڑکا اور اسکی ماں کسی اور در کا دروازہ کھٹکھٹاتے ہیں۔

اس طرح جو لوگ کمتر لڑکیوں کی ہمدردی میں جہیز کی دفاع کررہے ہیں وہ لوگ در اصل ان لڑکیوں کی مشکلات اور بڑھارہے ہیں۔ اور لڑکوں کی قیمت میں اضافہ کررہے ہیں بلکہ یوں کہہ لیں کہ لڑکیوں کی قیمت، عزت اور وقار گرارہے ہیں۔ وقت کی ضرورت یہ ہیکہ جہیز کے حرام ہونے پر کھل کر کہیں اور مردوں کی خودداری اور مردانگی کو زندہ کریں اور قرآن سورہ نساء آیت چوتیس کی روشنی میں کھل کر کہیں کہ مرد کی اسلام میں تعریف یہ ہیکہ جو عورت پر مال خرچ کرے۔ جو عورت یا اسکے والدین سے پیسہ اور دعوتیں وصول کرے وہ قرآن کی تعریف کے مطابق مرد باقی نہیں رہتا۔ جہیز کی خلاف ایک جنگی پیمانے پر اٹھہ کھڑا ہونا اور اسکو جڑ سے مٹانا آج وقت کی اہم ترین ضرورت ہے بلکہ اس دور کا سب سے بڑا جہاد ہے

aleemfalki@yahoo.com    ..6th June, 2012

A humble request to Ahle Hadees brothers اھل حدیث بھائیوں سے ایک درخواست

A humble request to Ahle Hadees brothers

I am shocked to see an invitation to attend a prog in a Jeddah mosque on 15th June. 
The topic announced is ""Tableeghee Jamat Kee Gumrahiyan". Ahle Hadees and 
Tableeghi both Jamaats are dearer to us. Alhamdulillah, thousands of people came
 close to Tawheed and Sunnah due to their hard work. Both Jamaats have literature
 full of inspiration and enhances love for Islam. Incidentally, both Jamaats were established, 
of course not by the Prophet SAWS, but by the God fearing sages. Incidentally, 
these sages were human beings, not the angels, therefore, there are shortcomings and
 mistakes too in both concepts. As the Prophet SAWS says:"A Muslim is that from whom 
other Muslim's life and respect is safe". Appreciating other Jamaat's good deeds will 
restore the confidence of the people in both the Jamaats but if one Jamaat starts condemning 
other Jamaat, the trust and confidence of the people will be away from both the Jamaats. 
If one Jamaat will speak openly about the Gumrahiyan of other Jamaat, the other Jamaat too 
will retaliate. This will split the Ummat. Accepting others with their mistakes and bring 
them close will rectify the mistakes. By tearing away other's respect will tear away your
 respect too.
In Short, Whether it is Ahle Hadees or Tableeghi, we respect them equally and we love them 
as both are playing their role in the Dawah work. Pls continue Dawa work and bring those 
who are not close to Islam. instead, if you will debar those who are already in Islam, it is 
very disturbing.
We often come across such scenes in Tableeghi Jamaat and other Jamaats too when they 
spit venom against Ahle Hadees. I tell them the same thing that Ahle Hadees is pure on 
Tawheed, we should not disregard their services towards Islam.

My humble request to you is that both are like my true brothers. If one brother condemns 
the other, it upsets me. Therefore, for the sake of those who love Ahle Hadees like me, 
please change the topic as this will increase the distance and hatred instead of creating
 love for each other.

and also, I request my Tableeghi brothers as well as other Jamaat brothers never to 
condemn Ahle Hadees or anyone. The percentage of the people who are under the influence 
of various Deeni Jamaats is hardly 10% . 90% of the Muslim Ummat is far away from Islam. 
Why not we work hard to bring those 90% close to Islam instead of splitting away the minority of 10%?

I hope my Ahle Hadees brothers will change the topic and Tableeghi brothers too will join 
the prog to support each other for the sake of unity.

Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Family Planning / Birth control in Islam خاندانی منصوبہ بندی اسلام میں


The concept of Family Planning in Islam

                                                                        Aleem Khan Falaki
                                                                                       aleemfalki@yahoo.com

Definition:  Family planning is the planning of when to have children and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans, as defined by Wikipedia. And the Birth control is defined as Voluntary limitation or control of the number of children conceived, especially by planned use of contraceptive techniques.

In Islamic terms, it is not possible to concise the answer in one word ‘yes’ or’ no’ to the question of legitimacy of prevailing concept of Family Planning or birth control as mentioned above.  

Islam’s concept of the family planning is different. It does not limit the family planning to the number or timing of the children but gives a broader spectrum of the planning the family. It includes other important factors which influence the establishment and development of the family with prosperity. The teachings about the family planning in Islam start from the moment the man intends to marry a woman. Emphasis is given to his financial affordability, choice of the spouse, method of marriage ceremony, providing all household needs, procreation and their right brought until the children reach to maturity. These are all vital parts of the family planning, all equally important and inter-related. Just like the parts of a machine, if any part falls short of its functioning, the machine ceases to work, in the same way if any teaching about mentioned faculties is neglected, whole system breaks down. At present, people have adopted to their convenience in all other factors, mostly violating the teachings of Islam, turn up to the scholars only in the matter of birth control. It is but natural that when they opt to non-Islamic culture in the matters of selection, marriage ceremony and life style but tend to seek Islamic ruling on having excessive or less children, it does not fit to their convenience. As a result, the Islamic ruling about the birth control looks odd to them.
Islam although encourages having large family but does not stop birth control too. It is neither illegitimate nor a sin.1

The critics of the large family accuse over population as the cause of the poverty. This is partly true. Islam rejects the idea that the excessive number of children brings poverty. The prosperity has nothing to do with the riches or poverty. It is embedded in the right way of life given by Islam. As a result of neglecting the Islamic teachings about the whole planning of the family, the world is facing far greater problems than the over population. For example:
Affordability: The Prophet SAWS said to his companions “Those who can afford financially they should marry without delay, those who can not afford should observe Fast as the Fast suppresses the sexual urge.2 Here Affording means not only the amount of dower but every that kind of spending which is needed after marriage. He also stressed that the man must declare the maximum limit of his affordability to the woman and let her decide whether she wants to marry or not. The main criteria of the marriage are that the man should not let the woman or her parents spend on or after marriage. But in the present age, the men tend to spend less and force the woman to spend more on the marriage. Due to the violation of the Islamic teaching, millions of girls and their parents are suffering. All the moral evils and financial burdens increasing in the society are rooted to this violation only.    
The Divorces: Islam does not prohibit Divorce but pronounces it as the most disliked thing in the permitted acts. The number of divorce cases in the courts is at high rise. In Delhi alone, as stated by the Law Minister Mr. M.V. Moily, 9000 cases and in Bombay 7500 cases were recorded in the year 2010. In the following year 2011 Maharashtra topped with 20,000 cases.3

 The reason of the divorces mostly is lacking of matching. Due to the high dowry, men marry the women but later on they do not find their mindset in the same frequency due to the difference in the education, life style, way of thinking etc.
Another reason of the divorces is that people violate the teachings about the selection of the spouse. The Prophet SAWS emphasized that the character be preferred to the wealth, family and genealogy4. Since people fall prey out of greed to the wealth, family and genealogy; the shortcomings in the character appear and seize the marriage. This issue poses a biggest threat to the society. This is not due to a large family but due to the violation of a golden rule.
Children of the divorcee parents: One can imagine the number of the children who lose either mother or father and have to take shelter with either step mother or step father or other near relatives. The kind of negative impacts on the psychology too has to be considered. In Islamic jurisprudence, the expenditure of such children was born by the Baitul Maal (Social security) but since there is no system of Baitul Maal, therefore thousands of children suffer. Again, this is not due to the over population but due to the lack of proper government.
The illegitimate relationships: Islam strictly prohibits the premarital meeting in privacy by any man or woman and regards it as a major sin5. Like the West, the tendency of having illegitimate relationships instead of marriage is increasing in the big cities of India. The women do want to marry but the men are exploiting under the excuse of progressive thinking. Any resort, motel or hotel on the outskirts of any city can be observed where hundreds of pairs lease the temporary apartments on hourly basis seeking temporary pleasure to avoid a permanent life of living together. Thus, people tend to have no children or fewer children due to the fear of poverty or inconvenience but, as a result, a society comes to existence which has no loyalty among the couples.
Infanticide and foeticide: The Quran prohibits the killing of infants in Chapter 17, Bani Israel: “Never kill the children due to the fear of poverty”. But “Due to the fear of dowry 50 million girls and women are missing from India’s population due to the infanticide and foeticide6.
 In Pakistan nearly 4 girls are killed daily within 24 hours of their birth as reported by the well known social welfare Trust’s Mr. Edhi7.
Dowry system:  Islam prohibits the dowry trade. It pronounces this as bribe8. The critics of over population make the poverty as an excuse. The poverty arises due to dowry system. The parents have to give away life long earning in the dowry of the daughters and get compelled to live in destitution. The other children too get deprived of their education and other facilities. Here, not the number of daughters that matters but the dowry system that leads to poverty.
Corruption: The scandals of thousands of crores are coming to light every day. The leaders as well as the government personnel are involved in this looting; the people are deprived of their livelihood. Here not the over population but the resources are stolen away by these the corrupt authorities. Islamic jurisprudence asks to mutilate the hands of such criminals.
Education and Morality: The advocates of the family planning claim that the proper education and their moral training decrease if the number of children increases. This may be right if the meaning of education is limited to a degree to obtain a high caliber employment. But Islam implies the education as the moral brought up of the child. The morality among the children comes in the children through religious education. The religious education has been ceased in the present education system. Therefore, the children of small families too are involved in the several misdeeds and crimes inside and outside the home. Therefore it is not the over population but the lack of moral education which is responsible for ebbing morality.

Thus, if the concept of family planning is not limited to the number of children but if it is expanded from the time of marriage to the maturity of the children, Islam gives a perfect planning of a prosperous family in which excessive number of children is not a barrier in the growth of the country. 

Bibliography:
1.       Maulana Raghib Nayeemi, Jamia Nayeemia, Lahore, Pakistan, 2010 http://centralasiaonline.com/ur/articles/caii/features/pakistan/2010/01/19/feature-02)
2.    Sahi al Bukhari vol II:758.
3.    DNA issue dated 24.6.2010
4.    Bukhari and Muslim
5.    Masnad Ahmed, Allama Yousuf Qardawi, Islam men Halaal wo Haraam, 1989, Darussalafia, Delhi, page 199.
8.    Quran Chapter 2:188



Why the Family planning subject is sensitive for some Muslims?

It is a strange phenomenon that the ordinary Muslims deliberately violate several teachings of Islam like taking Dowry etc but they react reluctantly on the topic of Family Planning as if it is an attack on their religion. Is it due to their ardent conviction in Islamic jurisprudence or some other factors influencing their sensitivity about this subject? We have to search the answer in the history of 1857’s Jihad against the British rule. The British Raj called it a mutiny. Hundreds of scholars and Muslim freedom fighters were killed brutally, thousands were made homeless. The Muslim rule as well as their culture, language, religious freedom, employments and education were shunned. Some scholars were sentenced to “Kaali paani”. (exile in Ondman Nikobar islands). The religious scholars were leading the Muslim nation. They declared boycott of English rule and their culture. This was the best strategy of that time to restore the courage and confidence among the Muslims. It was a revolutionary call to keep the spirits high to fight for the freedom.
Whatever change the British had introduced, it met with strong opposition. The scholars left no stone unturned in declaring every act of British as Haraam (illegitimate) in Islam. These included Banking, English education, Life Insurance, Birth Control or Family Planning, employment of woman, Government jobs etc. This boycott was a wise decision of that time but its effects still continued in the minds even after 160 years of British rule. Had the British were practicing Dowry and extravagance, the opposition to it would have been of same intensity.
The scholars unanimously say about the Birth control that: This is purely a personal, Private and closed-door decision between the husband and wife. Propagating it openly and making it a mission or profession to persuade the people to do so is not acceptable as adopting the Birth Control method is permissible but not an obligatory act in Islam1.
The advocates of the Birth Control say that: If propagation in favor of Family planning is not legitimate, how can be the propagation against it is legitimate while this is a private and personal matter of the couple? As a matter of fact strong the Government departments propagate for the Family Planning stronger the scholars persuade for producing many number of children. The motto clearly felt behind the call is to oppose and agitate against the government, not the conviction upon Islam. The scholars too should not incite the people to go against it as they themselves agree that neither producing more children nor having fewer children is an obligatory act. The Quranic verse presented by various scholars rejecting the Birth Control is:”Never kill the children due to the fear of Poverty, we are the providers for you and them”2. Asghar Ali Engineer refutes this argument as:In no way this verse refers to family planning because it is talking of ‘killing’ and you kill one who exists. No law in the world will permit killing one who is already born and hence Qur’an rightly condemns killing of children”3.
He argues that: “But, as Imam Razi suggests it refers to both male and female children being kept ignorant. Thus killing them has not been used killing the body but mind which is as bad as killing the body. Imam Razi’s suggestion seems to be quite reasonable and in fact large family means children cannot be properly educated by poor parents and hence parents kill them mentally by keeping them ignorant. They cannot even cloth them properly nor can provide proper space for living. In such circumstances one cannot have good quality Muslims and mere quantity does not matter much. Better quality is more desirable than mere quantity.
First of all we should understand that in those days the problem of family planning did not exist nor that of population control. It is very much modern problem which has arisen in nation states. When Qur’an was being revealed there were neither any properly organized state nor education or health services being provided by any state agency. It is important to note that Qur’an which shows eight ways to spend Zakat, does not include education or health which is so essential for the state to provide today. Thus what Imam Razi suggests is not only very correct and also enhances importance of family planning in the modern times as small family can support better education and health services”.
Further he says: “In fact family planning does not mean killing children after they are born but to plan birth of children in a way that parents can bear all the expenses for their education, health, living space etc. in a proper manner. Qur’an also suggests that a child be suckled at least for two years and it is well known that as long as mother suckles she would not conceive. Thus indirectly Qur’an also suggests spacing of a child.
Even in Hadith literature we find that the Prophet (PBUH) permitted prevention of conceiving in certain circumstances. When a person asked Prophet for permission for ‘azl  (coitus interrupts) as he was going for a long journey along with his wife and he did not want his wife to conceive while travelling the Messenger of Allah allowed him. In those days ‘azl was the only known method for planning of birth of a child. Today there are several methods available like use of condoms”.

Some Traditions (Sayings of the Prophet SAWS) are usually presented in support of rejecting the Family Planning. For Example:
1.    The Prophet SAWS said to Jaber RZ who had married to a widow : Why didn’t you marry a virgin, she would play with you”4.
2.    Umme Sulaim request the Prophet SAWS to pray for Anas RZ. The Prophet SAWS prayed for the growth in the wealth and progeny of Ansa RZ. He RZ got enormous and had over 100 children and grand children5.
3.    The Prophet SAWS told to Ayad Bin Ghanam: O Ayad, don’t marry a barren woman. I will be proud of your strength on the Doom’s day6.
There are many other similar Traditions quoted on this subject. On study in depth, we find that the text is correct but the context is missing. Therefore, the Traditions appear to have a different meaning than the original intention of the Shariya. Since the Prophet SAWS had been a best counselor too of his time, his different suggestions to different companions were a part of personal counseling to individuals. The scholars described these traditions as if a general rule, which is unfair. If these traditions are not studied in their original context, their meanings too reflect negatively on the humanity. For example, in the mentioned above tradition 1, without knowing the real background, the reader may raise objection that this is a mockery and insult to a widow. The true incident was that Jaber RZ’s father had died in a war leaving younger sisters to Jaber RZ. His mother too had died earlier. He was not sound financially. The younger sisters were yet to marry. The Prophet asked why he married a widow, why not a young virgin, he answered that his sisters were too young teens. He wanted his wife to be little experienced, older and take care of his sisters like an elder sister or mother. Similarly, the Ttradition no. 3 will look like degrading a barren woman if the background of the Hadith is not presented properly.  It is not fair to quote the tradition’s text without context. The status of all the Traditions found in favor of the excessive number of children are like advises to the individuals by a wise and true counselor. These do reflect an inspiration and encouragement but should not be made source of propagation to produce more children. All the four schools of thought recognized the validity of having a large family as well as a planned small family. Ibn Taymia writes “All four scholars permit the AZL (Withdrawal) with the condition that the wife consents to it”7.
Another Tradition is present in favor of large family that :I will be proud on the strength of my nation on Dooms day, don’t let me down”8. The words “I will be proud” is used commonly in other Traditions too as an expletive or phrase habitually introduced into speech. This can not be categorized as an obligatory act. For example, in another Tradition it is said that on the Dooms day when the Prophet SAWS will call “Ummati, Ummati (O my nation) on Hauz Kausar (a lake in the paradise), many will gather, but a wall will be partitioned in between the Prophet SAWS and some Ummatis. The Prophet SAWS will ask “Why they are separated from me?” the angels will reply “These people had invented newer things in Islam after you”. Then the Prophet SAWS will angrily pronounce acquittal from them”.
In a similar Tradition the Prophet SAWS says: I will lead you on the Hauz Kausar and will be proud on your strength in front of other Prophets’ nations. Beware, never commit bloodshed and murders after me”9. All these Traditions negate the number and endorse the number with quality. It means clearly that the Prophet SAWS does not need a number which has been produced in protest against the British or the Government’s policies but He SAWS wants the number who holds to His teachings firmly. This matter belongs to education and training which is possible only with the small family. In another Tradition a companion RZ said: “The Jews claim that the AZL is like infanticide”. The Prophet SAWS denied this angrily and said “Jews are lying”10. Thus the Prophet SAWS did not stop from Birth Control. There is another tradition endorses this permission that a companion Jaber RZ says: We used to practice AZL while the Quran was under revelation and the Prophet SAWS was alive among us. He did not stop us”11. These Traditions are evident to clarify that the whichever method of Birth Control was existing that time, was permitted. Imam Ghazali has not only permitted the Birth Control on the basis of the health reasons to the woman but also permitted if she fears of losing her beauty and body physic.
Allama Yousuf Qardawi says: Islam has encouraged procreation of many children but did not stop the Family planning if there are appropriate reasons. Therefore the contemporary method of Birth Control “AZL” was permitted. Ali Ibn Abi Talib RZ has denied that the AZL is like infanticide and said “Unless the drop of semen takes the shape of living flesh and bones in the mother’s womb, it can not be regarded as infanticide”. The Birth Control is allowed not only if there is a health risk to the woman but also inevitable if the couples feel that they may indulge in the worldly affairs so heavily that it will result in negligence from Islamic teachings. The Prophet SAWS had stressed on giving the space to the next child until the milking period of two years is over. Ibn Qayyim goes to the extent that even the intercourse during the milking period is questionable as this may effect the health of the child if another pregnancy takes place. Therefore, if someone wants to respect this instruction of the Prophet SAWS, he should give space to the next child from 30 to 33 months. Caliph Omer RZ had prohibited AZL without the consent of the wife. Thus Islam paved the way to protect the Woman Rights at a time when the people were not aware of the Woman’s Rights”12.

Bibliography:

1.    Monthly Bayyinaat, Jamia Uloom islamiya,Lahore, Oct,2010, volume 73
2.    (Chapter Bani Israe 17:31)
3.       Asghar Ali Engineer, New Age Islam, 22nd Oct, 2011, http://www.newageislam.com/articledetails.aspx?ID=5752
4.    Md. Iqbal Kaylani, King Saud Univ. Riyadh, Kitabuttalaq, Hadith Publications, Lahore, 2000, page 51
5.    Muslim 2/298
6.    Mustadrak Haakim 4/339
7.    Majmooal Fatawa Ibn Taymiya 32/100 
8.    Abu Dawood 2050
9.     Sunan Ibn Maja 293.
10.  Sahi Abu Dawood, Kitabun Nikah 1902.
11. Sahi Bukhari volume 7, 136.
12. Allama Yousuf Qardawi, Islam men Halaal wo Haraam, Darul Salafiya publications, Bombay, 1989, page 264-269