secondriseofislam@blogspot.com

Sunday 14 October 2012

Military Operation in N. Waziristan and its Implications




Military operation in N. Waziristan would be fatal to our military's power and influence in the country. Army may not achieve its short term objectives in N. Waziristan without generating long term public animosity against Army in Pakistan generally and in N. Waziristan particularly. Later on, Army would have nothing to offer to tribal Pakistanis to offset this animosity which would be a continuous cause to erode Army's power and influence in Pakistan.
Government’s view is that North Waziristan is providing shelter to Taliban and Al-qaeda’s remnants which need to be flushed out of this area so that anti-state activities by these militants in Pakistan may be controlled.  This stated objective of military operation in N. Waziristan is not only shrouded with grave confusion but also smacks of fighting against reflection without removing the real cause of the problem.
The first thing to ascertain is whether Pak army would be able to evict militants from N. Waziristan forever. What strategy would be adopted, if militants, during or before military operation, shift to Afghanistan or other parts of Pakistan to come back again in N. Waziristan after the operation is over? Is Pakistan ready to deploy military permanently in N. Waziristan and bear financial burden permanently in this respect? Pakistan is already not considered very conducive place to invest in, what if militants shift to settled areas during military operation? Is Pakistan ready to face fallout of this military operation in economic and social terms? Is this military operation and its implications fit in the Pakistan’s post USA withdrawal regional strategy? Has Pakistan decided to align with anti-taliban forces in Afghanistan? Could such an alliance with anti-taliban forces serve Pakistan’s foreign policy interests in a better or worse manner in post USA’s withdrawal period? Has Pakistan worked out strategy (if it is possible) to contain negative implications of this military operation to the time of USA’s withdrawal from the region?
All these are the questions which need to be answered along with workable strategy before going to military operation in N. Waziristan.

Most important of all, it needs to be clarified by Pakistan whether military operation in N. Waziristan is the only solution to the problem or other options are also available to achieve the stated objective of this military operation. This question, in fact, relates to the real causes of growth of militarism/extremism in Pakistan. This surge of militarism in Pakistan has its roots in peoples’ dissatisfaction with the government’s policies and state systems/institutions which do not deliver to the satisfaction of peoples’ aspirations. These aspirations are not only religious but also social and economic ones. Our existing state systems/institutions do not have capability to come up to peoples’ expectations, even if such institutions are reformed in the best manner keeping within the parameters of existing state systems/institutions. What is required is not to reform existing state institutions but to erect these institutions on entirely different foundations. We have seen failure of Judiciary in recent years to provide justice to the people, though this judicial system has been reformed in the best possible manner. Similarly our political, economic and administrative institutions cannot perform according to peoples’ aspirations, even if they are reformed in the best manner. These institutions may perform well in non-islamic societies where peoples’ aspirations may not be conflicting to such institutions’ performance. But in Islamic societies like Pakistan, state institutions have to be in line with Islamic aspirations of the people. Turkey did its best to achieve socio-economic and political development through secular values and institutions but in vain. Now they are starting to value Islamic aspirations of people, and as a result their social, political, economic and educational institutions are performing better than before though still Turkey has a long way to go to establish Islamic institutions.
In short, we need in Pakistan to establish Islamic political, economic, social and legal systems, if we want to suppress militarism/extremism in Pakistan. Only Islamic institutions can perform to the satisfaction of peoples’ aspirations; when peoples’ aspirations would be satisfied, there would be no encouragement to go for militarism.

But, of course, establishment of Islamic institutions is a long term solution to the problem. The short term solution lies in negotiations with the militants. One of the causes of suicidal attacks in Pakistan are drone attacks which are launched against militants with complicity of Pakistan’s authorities. Pakistan’s authorities should stand with militants to stop these drone attacks; such a good-will gesture on the part of Pakistan’s authorities may pave way to successful negotiations with militants to end suicidal attacks in Pakistan. If suicidal attacks are discontinued, Pakistan should not bother about USA’s demand to launch military operation in N. Waziristan. In order to abridge trust deficit between militants and Pakistan’s government, Pakistan may announce discontinuation of NATO supply through Pakistan till end of drone attacks against militants.
If Pakistan’s Army undertakes military operations in N. Waziristan to the blatant disregard of above discussed factors, it will surely be fatal to Pak Army’s influence and power in Pakistan.


Sunday 7 October 2012

Allah's 'Rehmah'/Mercy- its Specific Period and Mode



      
Allah determines period and mode of operation of everything in this world. This principle applies to operation of Allah’s ‘rehmah’/mercy also in this world. Drifting away with bad deeds, human being usually pins his/her hope in Allah’s ‘rehmah’/mercy which is believed to be overshadowing and erasing all bad deeds committed by human beings. In the succeeding lines we would see Allah’s ‘rehmah’/mercy is not without principles and is associated with determined period and mode in case of erasing human bad deeds in this world.

 It may be noted that Allah’s ‘rehmeh’ has various forms e.g. shining of the Sun and the Moon; blowing of hot and cold air currents; growth of all kinds of vegetation; beautiful panoramic views spread all around; all natural systems; all revealed social systems; granting of various emotions- each emotion may have soothing effect, if applied with right time, place, and degree; granting of physical faculties; availability of various relationships; all divine guidance; and above all person of our Nabi (saw). In short every moment and matter of an individual’s life has been ensured to be covered with Allah’s ‘rehmah’/mercy. This is what has been mentioned in Quran. “Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?" Say, "To Allah." He has decreed upon Himself mercy…..” (al-anam-12). But all forms of Allah’s mercy/’rehmah’ operate in this world for limited/ determined period for every individual; when the period expires, the related form of mercy/’rehma’ remains no longer available to be availed  by that individual. Similarly every form of Allah’s mercy operates in a specified mode; every individual can avail a form of Allah’s ‘rehmah’, keeping within the mode specified to avail that form of ‘rehmah’/mercy. 

Allah’s mercy/ ‘rehmah’ associated with forgiving/ignoring human’s bad deeds is also operated in two stages in this world; the first stage relates with specific period and the second stage relates with specific mode. After the specific period expires, concerned individual remains no longer able to avail Allah’s mercy to get his related bad deed forgiven/ignored in this world (except within specific mode). In other words, for every individual and every bad deed, there is a specific period; after expiry of that period, Allah’s mercy to get that bad deed forgiven/ignored cannot be availed by that individual in this world (except within specific mode). Quran says: “Leave them alone, to enjoy and to please themselves: let (false) hope amuse them: soon will come to know” (al-hijr-3). From this verse, it is evident Allah’s mercy to delay punishment in this world for bad deeds comes to an end after expiry of specified period. This specified period may vary for every individual and for every deed.  Such bad deeds of which specific period of Allah’s mercy has been expired, can only be got forgiven/ignored by keeping within specific mode. The mode of operation of Allah’s mercy to forgive/ignore bad deeds is based on ‘repentance’ and rectification of deeds by the concerned individual. “And when those come to you who believe in Our verses, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy: that any of you who does wrong out of ignorance and then repents after that and corrects himself - indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful" (al-anam-54).
From this verse, it is evident that bad deeds are forgiven/ ignored by Allah in this world, if the wrong doer repents over his bad deeds and corrects his conduct in future. 

From the foregoing, we may conclude that Allah’s mercy operates with specific period and specific mode to forgive/ignore bad deeds in this world. This specificity of period may vary for every person and every deed; but specificity of mode is the same –i.e. repentance and rectification of deeds.  As long as specific period continues, Allah does not punish for related bad deeds in this world; but when the specified period expires, the concerned individual is punished for related bad deeds, if he does not take resort to ‘repentance’ and ‘rectification of deeds’. (it may be noted that an individual is not fully  punished for his bad deeds in this world; full punishment is given in ‘ukhra’). Repentance and rectification of deeds is the mode through which Allah’s mercy operates till last breath of human being. Even after death Allah’s mercy operates but not through mode of ‘repentance and rectification of deeds’; rather through mode of our Nabi’s (saw) ‘shafa atun’/ intercession or through selective good deeds of the concerned person. Many wrong doers will be forgiven through our Nabi’s (saw) intercession or on the basis of some highly appreciated good deeds done by such wrong doers.

We may further conclude if any person/ nation is not being punished for its wrong doings, and they are being blessed with affluence in this world, it does not necessarily mean they are Allah's dear ones; it may be that specified period of Allah's 'rehmah' regarding their bad deeds is still running. When the specific period will come to an end, they will be condemned for their bad deeds in this world, if they do not repent.