A New Paradigm of Pakistani Society! (Part 2)

By Dr. NADIA KHAN

Every Pakistani, knowingly or unknowingly, is drifted towards sectarianism with the tide of events happened in Pakistan or in neighboring areas. This has resulted two segments in Pakistani society; a group of people who think progressively and a group of people who believe in hardcore religious teaching in which Jihad is having fundamental value. 

The polarization of religious segment of Pakistani society, has elevated a heightened disagreement among each other leading to fierce conflicts that some time took Pakistan as hostage of sectarianism.

Sectarianism, though disliked by most of Pakistanis but still most of them are its adherent, has gain prominence in last two decades. The mosques for Sunni and Shai Muslims are different, even named differently; for later it is termed as Imambargah whereas Sunni place of worship is called a Mosque. Even for Sunni's its further classified as Deubandi Mosque (followers of Maulana Qasim Nanotvi or Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi in India and Moulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani or Mufti Muhammad Shafi in Pakistan), Barelvi Mosque (followers of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi), Ahle e hadith Mosque (Salfi school predominately followers of Saudi Fiqha), symbolizes as these people belong to respective sects worship there.

Among Deubandi, there are further classifications. Staunch followers of Jihad such as students of Lal Mosque, Rawalpindi or banned Sipha e Sahaba (SSP) or Taliban or those who fought against former USSR in Afghanistan and those who are not in favor of Jihad in its present day meaning & definitions such as followers of Tableghi Jamaat unlike Taliban or Quranic Madrasah students.

Likewise, Barelvi sect is further divided into many due to their own interpretations. Like followers of late Shah Ahmed Noorani or those who wear brown turban or Moulana Ilyas Qadri or Dawat e Islami who's followers wear green turban or many other sects who celebrate Eid milad un nabi (birth day of Holy Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) occasion with religious zeal.

In spite of Jamaat e Islami's leader, late Qazi Hussain Ahmed's effort to bring all sects of Muslims under one umbrella, known as Milli Yakjehti Council, all these sects are still disintegrated, followers of their own interpretations of Holy Quran or Hadith, and sometimes fighting fiercely against each other killing rivals and terming each other non-believers (kafir). This trend is common and getting strengthen after every passing day; Sunnis normally do not pray in Shia's place of worship and similarly within Sunnis, Deubandis try to avoid prayers in Barelvi's mosques and so on.

The core of the issue among Muslims is, the interpretations of Holy Quran and sayings of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Much easy profession in Islam is, interpretations of Holy Quran and each one who does so is adamant about others interpretation.

This is all about the followers of religious segments or students of Quranic-Madrsah whereas those who earn their education in modern colleges or universities in Pakistan, occasionally, have a different approach. Though they follow above school of thoughts in terms of religious needs, but in their political approach, sometime they might go with political parties who are totally secular by nature. With the mind-frame in Pakistan, these secular parties, in order to gain public momentum, they presume themselves with few religious celebrations culturally like they celebrate Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) birthday or Muharrum on 10th Muharrum and so on. But by its ingredients they are secular and do not believe in the supremacy of Allah or God in their political approach. Examples of these are Pakistan Peoples Party or MQM or Awami National Party (ANP).