In our society, it’s a common belief that Punjabis are not practical Muslims. When it comes to religious matters, they merely scratch the surface. They are often presented with negative propaganda against religious practices. Conversely, Pashtuns are seen as practical Muslims who listen to religious teachings with enthusiasm, their mosques are filled, and discussing religion with them is easy.
We accept the opinions regarding Pathans, but we strongly disagree with the opinions about Punjabis. The issue is that before dealing with anything, we either learn its proper use from an instructor or at least read a book about it. However, there’s one entity with which we don’t consider the method important: humans and their workings. What is the psyche of humans? We learn this from psychology. Psychology is not only about individuals but also about nations. Better dealings with individuals and nations are only possible with the help of this knowledge.
Now, if we only consider two aspects of Punjabi psychology, we can estimate in two minutes how discussing religion with them can be successful, with brilliant results. The first notable point of Punjabi psychology is that they always prefer ‘foreign’ things. They are not immersed in their own things. They are content with just beef and spinach. They are drawn to Western culture not because they have extracted any extraordinary benefits from it, but simply because it’s ‘foreign’. Do you understand what that means? It means that the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is also ‘foreign’ to Punjabis. So, there’s a complete possibility that Punjabis accept it wholeheartedly.
Now the question arises, why aren’t they interested in it then? The answer to this question lies in another aspect of Punjabi psychology. The second notable point of Punjabi psychology is that Punjabis naturally stay away from conflict and chaos. You will remember our writings where we mentioned that whenever the Afghan invaders came, they attacked Delhi. The entire Punjab wasn’t concerned with their agenda because Punjabis didn’t fight. They would say, ‘If you want a government, go sit on the throne of Lahore, we don’t care whether a Punjabi or a Pathan is sitting there.’ But beware, if our blood is spilled, our fields destroyed, our city looted, or our properties damaged, think about it; the Mughals didn’t build as much in Delhi as they did in Lahore. Whenever Delhi is mentioned, it’s only about the fort and the Royal Mosque. The Royal Mosque and fort are also in Lahore. But not only that, there’s Kamran’s Baradari, gardens, and domes with chhatri. Mughals spent all their recreational expenses in Lahore. Why? Because peace can only exist in a secure place. And Punjabis were so averse to war that they took the initiative themselves:
“Islam is a religion of peace.”
Have you ever seen this sentence written by our pen? The question doesn’t even arise because we are Pashtuns, and Pashtun psychology considers anyone who doesn’t accept Islam as their fierce enemy. And if this prayer is not accepted, then they keep fighting against their own selves on the enemy’s ground.
Punjabis have an affiliation with Islam. But the problem is that those who are fans of this Islam have less religion and more showmanship. We are talking about ‘Sufi Islam’. Punjabis have accepted it as a religion, and the only reason for acceptance is that Sufi Islam negates war. Therefore, the next sentence in their breath, after affiliating with Sufi Islam, is:
“Islam has spread through the peaceful invitation of Sufis.”
But consider the word ‘peace’. Only this aspect of Sufi Islam appeals to Punjabis.
The best way to understand the psychology of any nation is to note its references. If you hear the Pashtun folklore or common sayings, all their old references are around warfare. Even their grandfathers’ and forefathers’ proudest achievements were about how many enemies they killed.
The issue with Punjabis is exactly the opposite. All their references revolve around ‘art and romance’. And this nation of art is so affectionate that even their sermonizers sing. Musicians from around the world agree that lyrical content is necessary for singing. Musical knowledge cannot be applied to prose. But this achievement has been demonstrated solely by Punjabis, who applied musical knowledge to preaching. Then, their interest in singing has reached such a level that they have formalized one type of singing as religious attire. They listen to qawwali with the intention of worship.
So dear souls! In this era, our method of inviting to religion has only become about wars and sacrifices. And this is the only thing that worries Punjabis. The tragedy is that most of us don’t even know the biography of the Prophet. But we have memorized all the details of wars. Understand well that if we want to influence Punjabis with Islam, then their only way is to present the book of Jihad. Tell them stories of peace, even if they seem insignificant. Open the book of Jihad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; there they will be told stories of peace, and the big Pashtun will whisper in the ear of the small Pashtun.
“دا سڑے ماتہ سہ بے غیرتا خکاری”
ترجمہ: یہ بندہ مجھے بے غیرت لگتا ہے
