Reply to a Fatwa given against Ustazah Farhat Hashmi

“HOW FORTUNATE MAID BASHEERAN IS”

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Sunday has never been a “ Fun” day (as most of us believe) for me, rather it has been a sleepy cum grocery day for me since I got married, except for those Sundays when I was young and I used to play cricket and wanted to wait for the match to come on Sundays, so I can safely say that fun has nothing to do with Sundays for me now.

Well, as usual I was having brunch (breakfast+lunch=brunch) with my kido faseeha, my wife was trying to get my attention over a family issue and I was trying my level best to focus on my brunch, meanwhile our maid Basheeran… an old lady of 50 to 55 entered with her composed face. Basheeran has been an honest hard-working maid for over the last 10 to 12 years, she has actually been a famous maid in town due to her decent and soft-spoken nature, she runs a small family of three, she and her two kids. Basheeran worked extremely hard to make a living.

Anyway my wife turned herself to Basheeran and tried to listen to her. During their conversation, I start taking my brunch, and occasionally tried to take a glimpse of TV channel, meanwhile , a news caught my attention, it said that the founder of Apple company Steve jobs has died…..it was a sad news and then I kept watching, she (the newsreader wearing a heavy makeup) was trying to pass on the cultural efforts and technological contributions made by Steve into IT world, well she was right, Steven Paul “Steve” Jobs was an American inventor and businessman. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Jobs died in California at age of 56, On October 5, 2011, seven years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Jobs was elected chairman of Apple’s board of directors and held that title until his death.

Subsequently, I checked and watched almost every channel on cable just to find out any “good” news, I however noticed that my wife did not like this channel surfing while having a chat with Basheeran.

Anyway, there were different news and reports, some of them were shocking some of them were painful. We actually live in an era that is constantly evolving telecommunication, computers (internet) and satellites are bringing the whole world together and closer.

The current development in information technology and communication are really astounding. Over the last few years; there has been an explosion in the method of communication. From the age of tele printers, we have come to the age of radio, TV, Fax machines, computers, the internet, cell phones and cyberspace in almost all parts of the world these fast track developments have had their impact.

The Pakistani media is so vibrant, it actually sensationalize news and that is because they are not trained enough to assume its proper responsibility.

Then it was actually the headline which was a sort of  special concern for me, it was about Ozone, she informed that experts are of the opinion that Ozone depletion will change all of the effects of UVB on human health, both positive and negative, subsequently, that will change the whole scenario on this living planet called earth. The ozone layer is a layer in Earth’s atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). This layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun’s high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to the life forms on Earth. It is mainly located in the lower portion of the stratosphere from approximately 20 to 30 kilometers (12 to 19 mi) above Earth, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically. The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson

An ozone hole was first observed in 1956. It was sort of scary news, the discovery of the Antarctic “ozone hole” by British Antarctic Survey scientists Farman, Gardiner and Shanklin (announced in a paper in Nature in May 1985) came as a shock to the scientific community, because the observed decline in polar ozone was far larger than anyone had anticipated. Satellite measurements showing massive depletion of ozone around the South Pole were becoming available at the same time. However, these were initially rejected as unreasonable by data quality control algorithms (they were filtered out as errors since the values were unexpectedly low); the ozone hole was detected only in satellite data when the raw data was reprocessed following evidence of ozone depletion in situ observations.

 

Since the ozone layer absorbs UVB ultraviolet light from the Sun, ozone layer depletion is expected to increase surface UVB levels, which could lead to damage, including increase in skin cancer. This was the reason for the Montreal Protocol.

So far, ozone depletion in most locations has been typically a few percent and, as noted above, no direct evidence of health damage is available in most latitudes. Were the high levels of depletion seen in the ozone hole ever to be common across the globe, the effects could be substantially more dramatic. Ozone depletion will change all of the effects of UVB on human health, both positive and negative.

UVB (the higher energy UV radiation absorbed by ozone) is generally accepted to be a contributory factor to skin cancer and to produce Vitamin D. In addition, increased surface UV leads to increased tropospheric ozone, which is a health risk to humans. Some of them are:-

1. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas — the most common forms of skin cancer in humans.
2. Malignant melanoma — another form of skin cancer, it is much less common but far more  dangerous, being lethal in about 15–20% of the cases diagnosed.
3. Increased tropospheric ozone — Increased surface UV leads to increased tropospheric ozone.
5. Increased production of Vitamin D-Vitamin D is produced in the skin by ultraviolet light. Thus, higher UV-B exposure raises human vitamin D in those deficient in it.

A November 2010 report by scientists at the Institute of Zoology in London found that whales off the coast of California have shown a sharp rise in sun damage, and these scientists “fear that the thinning ozone layer is to blame.

An increase of UV radiation would be expected to affect crops. A number of economically important species of plants, such as rice, depend on cyan bacteria residing on their roots for the retention of nitrogen. Cyan bacteria are sensitive to UV light and would be affected by its increase.

However, between this surfing and news I had to tolerate those “Breaking News” what non sense is this? I mean the media has actually lost the worth of Breaking news, look at them, every single news whether concerning to information or not is a breaking news for them, so they brought Wiki Leaks as a Breaking News among all those rubbish clips of day-to-day routine work of people, so Wiki Leaks a famous issue which has already exposed Govts and the politicians in third world countries.

Here let me quote Tim burrows, Tim Burrows is a Sergeant with the Toronto Police – Traffic Services Unit. who rightly said that:-

“One of the many benefits that social media has created in everyone’s day-to-day lives is the instantaneous ability to receive and report information. One of the newest trends that I have seen is media agencies using their social media accounts to announce “BREAKING NEWS”.

That title shot is then followed up by a brief note about what it is that is now happening in the world around us or right next door.

That is the job of the media; to let us know what is happening. Now, in the age of instant information and social media powering the ability to share faster and with a broader audience we see more and more media trying to out-do other media on who can get the information to their social streams faster.

One sacrifice with the “get it out now” mentality is detail or accuracy of the detail. For media, this can be fixed pretty easy with a retraction, correction, or no action at all.

This is not the case for law enforcement. We are not the media! We feed the media our information. We provide facts. We give updates, interviews, and depth to the story line. But all too often lately, I have seen law enforcement agencies getting caught up in the “Breaking News” phenomenon.

There is nothing wrong with taking a breath before updating a social stream. In fact, that breath can be very valuable. We all know that the information that first comes in over the police radio or dispatch system is rough. The best information and most accurate comes much later as officers respond, statements are taken, and evidence is collected.

If you need to be the first, then be the first with accuracy which is vague. What do I mean? You can say, “We are aware of an event at XYZ location and officers are responding, will update as information becomes available.” Or if you are asked a question, verify known details and stick to the facts.

Could you imagine what a good lawyer could do to your case when they learn that the information you put out about an event described a suspect that looks nothing like the person arrested because you tweeted info from the radio which you later learned was third party info? Only to find out that the actual description was the victim, not the suspect?

Take your time, get your facts, provide accurate, reliable information and don’t jump to conclusions or feed the rumor mill. Our job is not to break the news, so stop doing it!”

I am totally agree with tom, anyway Wiki Leaks is an international non-profit organization that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organization, claimed a database of more than 1.2 million documents within a year of its launch. Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activist, is generally described as its founder, editor-in-chief and director. The group has released a number of significant documents which have become front-page news items. Early releases included documentation of equipment expenditures and holdings in the Afghanistan war and corruption in Kenya. In October 2010, the group released a package of almost 400,000 documents called the Iraq War Logs in coordination with major commercial media organizations. This allowed every death in Iraq, and across the border in Iran, to be mapped. In April 2011, Wiki Leaks began publishing 779 secret files relating to prisoners detained in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. In November 2010, Wiki Leaks collaborated with major global media organizations to release.

Then there was a news that Warren Buffett has become the world’s richest man with a net worth estimated at $62 billion. The investment guru surpassed Bill Gates who was the previous world’s richest man for 13 consecutive years.

Gates and Buffett are friends who are reported to enjoy playing the board game bridge. Buffett recently pledged the bulk of his Birkshire shares to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Bill Gates is now the world’s third richest man with a fortune of $58 billion. Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico is the second richest man with a personal haul of $60 billion according to Forbes magazine.

THEN the brain wave……I saw Basheeran helping out my wife, wandering around with concern complexion and I thought how lucky and fortune Basheeran is….yeah how lucky.. she had No Idea about all these…..rather she had nothing to do with all this stuff….her tiny world starts with sorrow and tears like her many countrymen and women and will end with the same. She has to cop and deal with typical third world countries problems. She has been facing all sorts of deprivations. She only knows how to feed her family.

She does not know about Nuclear arms race which developed during the Cold War, a period of high tensions between the Soviet Union and the America. She has No idea about the pollution which causes not only physical disabilities but also psychological and behavioral disorders in people, as air pollution reduced lung functioning , cause irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat, asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, reduction of energy levels, including headaches and dizziness all are due to air pollution, this air pollution is a source of getting cancer disease as well.

Moreover, there is also a water pollution, which affects waterborne disease caused by polluted drinking water which further causes typhoid, amoebiasis, giardiasis, hookworm etc.Hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, vomiting, and stomach aches. She is not aware of the fact that there are Soil Pollution Effects as well as Environmental Pollution which Effects Animals.

I have seen almost 12 breaking news during this period while I was surfing of 58 channels, Basheeran had nothing to do with the report which says India will not construct a permanent structure over River Neelum/Kishanganga that may affect the flow of water downstream, the spokesman said. Pakistan had lodged a complaint in the court of arbitration that Indian bid to build Kishanganga dam was violation of World Bank brokered Indus Water Treaty of 1960.

There have been mind bobbling heart threatening and painful news such as drone attacks in north Waziristan where hundreds of innocent civilians have brutally been killed by US just on the basis of so-called safe heavens for al-qaida……how can I explain all the scenario of drone attacks to Basheeran? How painful is the reality that almost 35 thousand civilian and innocent including army men have been killed by these attacks and terrorism, Well Drone Technology is A pilotless aircraft capable of performing a nondestructive mission; when used destructively it is properly termed a missile. There are three basic types of drones: the preprogrammed, the smart, and the remotely piloted drone.

The CIA has used drones armed with missiles to ramp up its covert campaign to kill al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Pakistan.

At this point of time when Pakistan Railway is on a verge of its collapse, Basheeran should not know because this will surely take her into a phase of deep complex that the High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include 200 km/h (124 mph) for upgraded track and 250 km/h (155 mph) or faster for new track.

The world record for conventional high-speed rail is held by the V150, a specially configured and heavily modified version of Alstom’s TGV which clocked 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) on a test run. The world speed record for Maglev is held by the Japanese experimental MLX01: 581 km/h (361 mph).

Then there is a very famous “drama” which had not only ruined the lives and future of hundreds of family in Muslim world especially in Afghanistan but also opened the door of US to intervene and take army action against any so-called suspect in any Muslim country especially in Pakistan for its unjust agenda, I am talking about the drama of World Trade Center’s controlled demolition. It was a conspiracy theory that the collapse of the World Trade Center was not caused by the plane crash damage that occurred as part of the September 11, 2001, attacks, nor by resulting fire damage, but by explosives installed in the buildings in advance.

Early on, advocates such as physicist Steven E. Jones, architect Richard Gage, software engineer Jim Hoffman, and theologian David Ray Griffin, argued that the aircraft impacts and resulting fires could not have weakened the buildings sufficiently to initiate a catastrophic collapse, and that the buildings would not have collapsed completely, nor at the speeds that they did, without additional energy involved to weaken their structures.

I don’t have something hopeful for Basheeran to tell if I still like to tell her that she lives in Third World Country… the world has been divided not by ALLAH Subhanahu Wa Ta’Aala but by men: by the political influences, the economic resources, and military authority. During the Cold War era, the world was separated into three worlds, each one with its respective allies.

They classified the United States and its allies as the First world; the Soviet Union and its allies as the Second world; and as the Third World those Non-aligned and neutral countries. We cannot forget that “The Third World was a world excluded, subject to the power of alien worlds” (15), as John Isbisten in “Promises Not Kept,” mentions.

Due to this division, some nations gained social improvement, although it brought poverty for other nations, making life practically impossible for so many. To determine the effect caused by this divided world, we must respond to one question, what are the differences between life in America and life in Third world nations? where she has to face load shading, inflation, law & order problem, water problem and a list of problems, she knows that it’s a hell living like that, I don’t want to tell her that company called Lunar Embassy, which describes itself as “the founders and leaders of the extraterrestrial real estate market,” claims to have been in the business of selling Lunar Property for over 25 years to over 3.4 million customers. There are other companies selling land on the moon as well, but it seems that Lunar Embassy is the first and biggest.

According to the Lunar Embassy website, you can buy one acre of “prime real estate” on the moon with great Earth views for just $19.95.

Oh Good Heavens!! there are so many things which Basheeran never heard in her life and she will never going to hear all these in years to come, and I bet if she hear about these she will definitely go made, such as Brutality in Kashmir by the Indian forces, and US adventurism in Afghanistan, resultantly the Guantanamo Bay detention camp came in to being for innocent and so called Al-Quida terrorist with innocent women like Dr.Aafia Siddiqui. So, the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a detainment and interrogation facility of the United States located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base where many Muslim men and women are being treated like animals and same is being done in Iraq, and on the other hand how Israeli troops have been killing and beating the innocent Palestinians. She should not know that.

Although Basheeran has nothing to do with this bad news that (may be if I tell her I am sure that will made her bit relaxed) one four of the world’s people still live in severe poverty. It is worse for men then for men; and for black people than for white. Even in the so called “rich” world increasing numbers of people do not have enough to live on, so Basheeran may get a sigh of relief (perhaps) moreover, more than a thousand million people still live in poverty a tenth of them in the industrialized world. Of the 4,400 million people in the majority of world, nearly 60% lack basic sanitary and more than 30% have not access to clean water 25% do not have adequate housing 20% have not access to modern health services. two thousand million women are anemic (including during 55 million in the industrial world) 20% of children in the world do not attend school to grade five. Although, there is a lot for Basheeran to get relaxed but I am not going to tell her, it is wise to keep her way from these statistics.

In Pakistan we have lost many years listening to gunfire, battling with electricity, water, food, inflation, target killing, and waiting for peace. The so called war against terror has not only resulted in heavy civilian casualties but has also lead us to a severe economic crises because of which Pakistan has hit the highest inflation ever throughout its entire history, along with record corruption. One hears the same promises, which mostly go unfulfilled.

She would die in an astonishment if I tell her that in her own country Mian Muhammad Mansha is at the top position who has the worth of $ 2.5 Billion and he is a businessman. He has around 40 companies on board and owns Muslim Commercial Bank. There are so many things which she should not get a hint of them, she should remain busy in her tiny family and its survival because the rulers do not have a time to think about her and her class, I wish to convey those elites and rulers that the trick of a just and good society is to get the bounds by which power can be attained and exercised so that good and benefits will flow from those who are able to claw their way to the top.

But in this careless and senseless society she should remain ignorant, because ignorance is a bliss without a doubt there are many instances where ignorance is bliss. I think for things that you can’t change either way, ignorance is bliss to a certain extent. We all probably know that there are lots of examples where knowing the truth would cause hurt feelings and not knowing the truth would not harm you in any way. So in those cases yes ignorance is really bliss. I think there are many things it is better to be ignorant of many who look too long into the pit of the worst things of the world never recover from it psychologically.

So she should remain ignorant about world’s expensive car bugati or…….she for sure knows that she would not have all those luxury items being living under the poverty line. However much a mother may love her children, it is all but impossible for her to provide high-quality child care if she herself is poor and oppressed, illiterate and uninformed, anemic and unhealthy, has 2 children, lives in a slum or shanty, has neither clean water nor safe sanitation, and if she is without the necessary support either from health services, or from her society,yet she seems to be satisfied because she has NO idea about what is going on around her…..oh Basheeran how lucky are you being so ignorant of so many bad, worse, painful, and breaking news around the globe.I wish I could have this ignorance……….

SAY NOT THEM “UFF”

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Oh Mom you don’t understand! It’s a new era, things have been changed now!

 

This sentence or likewise expression has continuously been uttered and shall always be so in every home on earth, Whether it belongs to East or  the West. More often children use these words of exclamations to their parents especially to their mothers, whenever, they try to teach them how to deal with life’s ups and downs. I would not be considered wrong if I say that every mother has to listen to this sentence once in a life time. In fact it’s a sort of  natural phenomenon we can safely say with new generation, as the children grew up they do realize that their parents have spent an “older version” of time period which was not ultra modern as compare to the  present one. Well they are right to some extent, however, there is a big BUT and today I am insha ALLAH going to discuss that specific “But” which shall explain the  negative intensity while using “UFF’. So here I go…….

 

Image via Wikipedia

 Whenever I hear this sentence, my thoughts entangle with the verse of glorious Qur’aan. The verse Number 23 of surah Asra says “YOUR LORD HAS DECREED THAT YOU WORSHIP NONE HIM AND DO GOOD TO PARENTS. IF ANY ON OF THEM OR BOTH OF THEM REACH OLD AGE, DO NOT SAY TO THEM UFF (a word or expression of anger or contempt) AND DO NOT SCOLD THEM RATHER ADDRESS THEM WITH RESPECTFUL WORDS .

 

 Textual evidence, testifying to the prestige of parents, in the Qur’aan and the Ahadees abounds. How grateful we should be to our Almighty Lord ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) and his beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him), that they gave us guiding principle about our being mindful of our most precious possessions, our parents. I have thought for some time about this specific word “UFF” ( FIE ) rather I have been so keen so meticulous and got an area of interest towards this tiny word (though it is not SO in its depth)  I wanted to do some research. I thought I should enrich my healthy (as far as I am concerned) curiosity that why Almighty ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) has to use this word.

 

 Obviously one might be thinking that he never articulate “Uff” to their parents, rather if we notice that conversation or argument in anger or in irritation starts with words of disrespect (most of the time) in reality this word of contempt is not registered when we pronounce it through our tongue only but it includes our thoughts and expression too.

 

Turning up our nose, cringing, making a weird face, can be some of the examples. To abridge, the instant you feel a certain repulsion towards anything concerning your parents, be it having to discuss the day with them or carrying out a chore that they want you to be done with, it very much is worse than saying “Uff”.

 

Image via Wikipedia

 Instead, they are the beings who deserve our utmost respect, as ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) in the same verse as well as in other places elevats kindness to parents, especially to mothers, to a status second only to the worship of ALLAH  (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala’s) Himself. 

 

 In general, most statements of responsibility to parents include both father and mother but the mother in Islam is granted more in this respect. So, making our parents sad is one of the many ways to earn ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala’s) anger.

 

 So cut the argument  short lets quickly find out about “UFF”  it’s a smallest of word which describes anger and disrespect towards human being. Hazrat Ali RaziALLAH  said that if there would have been a smaller word than Uff,  ALLAH(Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala)   would have mentioned that too.

 

 Students of psychology knows very well that words have their impact either good or bad, It’s the word that can hurt people and it is the words that give courage, hope and affection. Action seldom hurts rather these are words which hurt badly. I am not going to discuss about all words of exclamations but my focus shall Insha’ALLAH  be on that specific word in question, I shall try to find out what exactly this word has in it. ALLAH  (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala)  mentioned this word against word Kareem, which means it’s totally an opposite word of “uff” ,the word Kareem is also a name of ALLAH  (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) which means mercy, kindness, generosity, graciousness and love and peace.

 

 The relationship of the Muslim to his parents should be of the highest order of human relationship and is on going, even beyond the point of death. In the Holy Qur’an ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala)  says “ And we have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents; in hardship upon hardship did his mother bear him (during pregnancy), and in years twain was his weaning “ (Surah Luqman 31:14)

 

 In that specific verse, the pregnancy and the period of breastfeeding are specifically mentioned along with the commandment for us to be dutiful and thankful to our parents. It is a stirring call onto us to bear in mind our basis, when we were but helpless beings in our mother’s womb, so that we are grateful to our mothers for carrying us thus. The bond that a mother, especially a new mother, shares with her child is beyond compare. Most mothers live and breathe according to their child’s needs and demands.

 

 I think there is No need to elaborate all those hardships and sacrifices which parents are supposed to have from birth of a baby to teenage (or beyond that), but let me discuss few of them, most of us would be well aware of the fact that new mothers get little or no sleep and they nibble on bites of anything they can get their hands on. That unconditional love that a mother feels for her children is a mercy and blessing from ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala).

 

Recently fascinating research has been done on the power of words we speak daily in our lives ( I am quoting Lynne Lee’s It’s time to think before you speak) Lynne  is a Christian life coach and spiritual mentor)  and she says that Words can lead to stress, anguish and broken relationships. Words can ruin lives. But words can also empower, encourage, uplift, and comfort. Words can be the beginning of something great, and words can help bring about positive change. Words can produce peace.

 

Before you speak harsh words, might it be wise to consider how these words go beyond your intended target? Whether or not you have power in other parts of your life, you will always be able to use the power of words. Choose to wield this power for positive creations. Words are more powerful than you realise. They have the power to

 

  wound or heal   discourage or encourage   tear down or build up

 

Your words have more power than you imagine. There’s something creative and powerful about the words you speak. That’s why you need to think before you speak.

 

The first step is to become aware of what you’re saying. The second is to choose to exercise self-control. Your words have the power to bring life or death into  your relationships,present and your future.

 

 They create realities. ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) spoke the universe into being with words. When He said “Let there be light”, there was light.In the light of above, I would like to pose a question “why is it then that it is our parents only who get harsh treatment and bitter words from us? How can be grateful to even a stranger who does us a single act of kindness, even it if it is as meager as getting us a glass of water. But, when it comes to our own parents, we become negligent to the limitless favors that they have privileging us with; can we make a list of all they do for us? But whether we pay any heed or not, whether we show any good grace to them or not, they carry on… like a blessed rain.

 

 There are people who are famous & successful today because one of their teachers in school believed in them, and lavished praise & encouragement onto them.There are people who are emotional cripples today because of verbal abuse heaped on them by their parents.We can bless someone, or we can curse them.

 

So If I elaborate all this in few simple lines I would say that  word of contempt must not be uttered before your parents especially to mothers, as this specific word “UFF” has lethal impact , its toxication is more sever than any other word it express distaste or disapproval, it is an exclamation, denoting, contempt or dislike, an expression of disappointment, irritation or disgust, it’s an act of despising; the feeling with which one regards that, which is esteemed mean, vile or worthless; disdain; scorn etc . I can  tell you more and more, but my main objective or cause is to make you understand that only this specific word “UFF” contains many swords of disobedience, arrogance, disgrace, shame and the state of being despised. So it is time for us to check while talking to people especially to our precious asset our mothers.

 

At last but not the least I would like to give a slight touch that beside our parents, our words can be like poisonous darts into the hearts of others as well (who are not our parents but human beings) to destroy them, or our words can be a soothing balm. The choice is ours…..