Everyone expresses sorrow over the issue of Gaza, because it is deeply sad that innocent children are falling victim to the politics of the Jews.
Even educated Jewish children have criticized in America the killings, violence, and brutality of innocent children in Gaza, urging that it be stopped. And now, such tragic circumstances have emerged that every parent’s heart aches when they see the images and videos coming from Gaza.
Why has the protest of Pakistanis been limited to just KFC and McDonald’s? Do we, as Pakistanis, realize that in one place, where we are advocating for the boycott of KFC and McDonald’s, we are also preparing to celebrate PSL 10, and that too, at a time when the children of Gaza are asking us: if your own children were dying, would you still be watching a PSL match, listening to Ali Zafar’s song, and celebrating at such a sorrowful time?
We protest in one place, and celebrate in another. Why this hypocrisy? If we truly feel sorrow for the martyrdom of Palestinians and genuinely consider them our brothers and sisters, we should not be celebrating anything.
It is quite evident that when the APS tragedy occurred, the whole world expressed condolences with Pakistan. During that time, no one was celebrating. No cricket matches were being played, nor were there any musical programs being held.
We have made cricket into a business worth billions of rupees, and at the time of our business, we neither see the cruelty of the Jews, nor feel sympathy for the Palestinians. We are the nation that even profits from the suffering of the people of Gaza. A similar example can be seen when the public boycotted businesses owned by Jews, and Muslim companies took full advantage of the situation.
These Muslim companies raised their prices. Is this Islam and humanity? Is this what being a Muslim means? I believe that if we were true Muslims and good humans, we would have to show the world that the identity of a Muslim lies in his goodness and virtues.
Goodness should not be seen in words but in the eyes. In our country, goodness is only visible in words on Facebook, Twitter, and various social media posts, which are widely appreciated and get many likes. On the other hand, those scholars who use good words to make videos and turn them into a source of income are making millions and billions today.
It is not appropriate to charge a fee for teaching and spreading religion. It is said that when you teach someone religious knowledge, you are doing so for the sake of Allah, and it does not befit a Muslim to take payment for good deeds done in Allah’s way. However, in today’s world of money, everything is being sold and bought for money.
In some Ramadan transmissions, beautiful women are showcased, while in others, prayers and supplications are used to play the game, and this has been going on for years. Politicians also use this game for their own benefit and have been seen doing politics in the name of religion many times.
Stop using religion for personal gain. Religion leads a person toward improvement. It leads toward humanity. It leads toward the way of Allah. The person who uses religion to promote humanity and works for humanity, he attains both religion and the world.
Our religion advocates that the enemies of humanity are our enemies. Our religion has always promoted love for humanity, and it is the religion that gives you both religion and the world.
We haven’t even tried to understand religion. The reason for this is that we have always placed the Quran on high shelves. We never tried to read it, understand it, and act upon it. We spend millions of rupees on English education for our children, considering it their better future, while our future, both as individuals and as a nation, can only be brightened when we read, understand, and act upon the Quran, Hadith, and Sunnah.
We shut our eyes and think everything is fine. We criticize the British, yet everyone is eager to go to their countries and read and learn from the books they gave us. Today, the British are progressing due to the teachings of our religion, while we have ignored them, failed to understand them, and have brought calamities upon ourselves.
Until we teach our children the importance of religious education and provide them with the teachings of the Quran, Hadith, and Sunnah, we will not have any honest officers, businessmen, or politicians in the future. We will turn our beautiful world into the worst jungle, where every animal is an enemy of the other and tries to devour each other.
We are the best of creations. We should think about the pleasure of Allah first. We should try to follow the Sunnahs of the Prophet ﷺ and think good for others’ welfare just as we think for our own. Only then will we be able to say that we are good human beings.
If we want to express solidarity with Gaza, we must feel the cries and hidden pain of those children and mothers, and boycott events like PSL. Otherwise, tomorrow, no Jewish person outside can criticize us, saying that these people celebrate their happiness while criticizing us.
How will we face our brothers and sisters in Gaza when they ask us: when our children were dying, you were celebrating at PSL events, enjoying cricket matches? You were dancing to the PSL anthem. We have made the greatest sacrifices for humanity. That is why we must first feel this, because today, our hearts are still not healed, as we still remember the children of APS who taught us by martyrdom that we should never fear standing for truth and humanity.
If we are good Muslims, good humans, and good Pakistanis, we must stand with every oppressed person who is being wronged, no matter what country or religion they belong to. A Muslim is the one who stands against oppression.
