I have been following his show ‘Brass Tacks’ for more than a year now and have examined his views about Islamic ideology and Pakistani Nationalism. He has also been floating conspiracy theories and linking Illuminati and the so-called New World Order to almost all known problems in Pakistan; Social and political, religious and cultural . He in this hour long show plays PowerPoint-styled presentations showing scanned images of the one dollar bill and of Marlboro Red cigarettes and concludes that the Jews have everything to do with the conflict in Balochistan and Waziristan. This programme is very popular among the well-educated-burger-generation of Pakistan. The host is also a fine-looking female who just speaks to commence the programme then to take breaks and finally to announces the end; the rest of the time it is either Zaid Hamid and Zionism or Zionism and Zaid Hamid!

Mr. Zaid Hamid has also ventured outside the domain of defense and political analysis. Lately he has attempted to interpret and expound a long Persian poem written by a Muslim saint of the medievals, Nematulla Shah Wali. During the course of this TV show Mr. Hamid demonstrated his lack of knowledge of the Persian language and his tangled taste of literature. He was not even able to read the poem correctly.

Ghazwa-e-Hind is the latest one in this row. His supporters most of whom are apparently patriot, loyal and devoted young men but actually are so unaware and unacquainted that they have started campaigning for this cause by sending chain emails and starting facebook groups without even understanding the basic concept of this terminology.

Without going into the critical details, I would like to keep the discussion literally literal. What I mean is that we need to know what a ‘ Ghazwa’ means in the first place. The word ‘Ghazwa’ is usually is used to refer the battles that were fought during the blessed time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(pbuh), and his very participation in those combats actually made them ‘Ghazwaat’ (plural of Ghazwa). Here I would like to clarify that in Urdu Islamic literature this is the only meaning of the word ‘Ghazwa ‘. Therefore the battles of Badar, Uhad and Hunain were all referred to as Ghazwaat by prominent Muslim scholars and commentators. The battle of Panipat or the Muslim adventures over Andalusia or for that matter the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971 cannot be called as Ghazwas.

I know that this will not be liked by most of my friends, but I also know that someone has to somehow come up against perpetrators like these. The appetite for emotional reasoning is at its heights in Pakistan and people like Zaid Hamid are like parasites who feed on this urge of the new generation by their charisma and hysterical mode of pursuit. May his soul rest in peace!!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of author expressed in this article are of the author only and do not necessarily state or reflect those of the administration of Guppu.Com.

While I am blindly keying in the words into my computer, a part of me is well aware of the implications of writing such an article. I also understand that I may be or perhaps will be criticized for my views and that forums like these are not meant to put up commentaries like these. Having said that I may also humbly state that whatever is expressed herein is nothing but an honest analysis about the ‘nation’ which doesn’t by any definition qualify to be labeled so.

The story is long and painful, very long and very painful indeed. I certainly cannot shrink the pain and the length in this blog alone but can only try to depict a vivid picture of what I intend others to see. Now the heading may seem very critical apparently but it actually is not. I am not going to criticize the Pakistani nation here; I will rather attack the typical Pakistani mindset. Each and every aspect of it. The very fiber of it. Stressing the word confusion – I will deplore and censure the Pakistani psyche of the present day.

What makes Pakistanis the most confused people on the face of earth? Well, I will try my best to stick to the possible answers to this question. My remarks must be judged in the light of philosophical and historical argument and should not be taken in the literal sense as the masses and laymen generally tend to do.

So by coming back to the fact of the matter with ease, I think that confusion in the Pakistani way of life has to do everything absurd with everything rational. It has a lot to do with religion and culture. It has its roots in literature. This nation has tampered with its history and adulterated with its own ideology. What it has nothing to do with is knowledge and reason. Knowledge – this is the scarcest of all luxuries within the geographical boundaries of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. While inside the borders of this country the very perception of this word changes. Any written, spoken or broadcasted nonsense is regarded as knowledge.

Religion also has played its havoc in Pakistan. As if the hard-to-understand state religion was not enough for the extremely plain and over whelmingly illiterate population, the so-called religious scholars and self-proclaimed aalims, did everything to add to the confusion. Today there are more than four dozen known sects of muslims in Pakistan almost all declaring all as infidels and Kafirs. This confusion can be witnessed from Karachi to Waziristan, from Lahore to Dera Ismail Khan at any given point in time.

Here I can enjoy the liberty to curse the most accursed military dictator that Pakistan has ever had, but he alone could not be held answerable for all this bafflement. His predecessor and the former civilian Chief Martial Law administrator have also done a great service to this cause. But again the relatively less controversial figure, the first Prime minister of this country also tried to encash this blank cheque of religious fanaticism by approving the famous objective resolution instead of giving a full fledge contemporary constitutional structure. This so-called objective resolution has served as one of the most notorious set of laws ever written. Pakistan was not founded by Jinnah to have such a biased and inhumane piece of legislation as its ideological basis. Jinnah, who stood for a secular muslim state was buried in 1948 in Karachi along with all his wisdom and vision which found no inheritors leaving the newly born state in the hands of people who were pursuing fresh political careers. The mainstream leadership had just migrated from India leaving behind their constituencies and also the political powers and votes. They were badly searching for new ways to gain popularity. Religion and religion embedded in both constitution and sentiments of the masses was the only possible popular choice. And to drag this band wagon bearded Mullahs served as beasts of burden.

Then time and again different rulers in different times used religion to strengthen their grasp on power. Sometimes it came as a slogan of implementation of Nizaam-e-Mustafa (The System of Muhammad) and at others it came bracketed with communism and socialism and was labeled as ‘Islamic Socialism’. Recently by the end of the last decade it was once again used by a Prime Minister who had a two-third majority in the parliament at that time. He coined a term which had its roots in the early Islamic history – The Khilafat (Caliphate). The clean shave city boy of Lahore, who could hardly read the sacred book of Islam, the Quran, fluently showed his interest to become Ameer-ul-Momineen (Leader of the faithful). His dreams were shattered when a general and the Chief of the country’s military seized power in a bloodless coup. The Prime Minister was charged and convicted but later managed to escape because of his friendly relations with the Saudi royal family and lived in Saudi Arabia in exile for about seven years.

As I said earlier religion was used as a power tool by almost all the rulers of Pakistan without exception. The result was obvious – severe confusion among the masses. It was not just the political elite which tampered with religion. The so-called religious scholars or maulvis also played their part in creating confusion among the religiously moderate people of Pakistan. They were perusing their motives so rigorously and so aggressively that they even did not care about the sacredness and sensitivity of this issue. Fatwas (religious verdicts) were issued by different sects declaring others as kafirs or infidels. The leaders even encouraged their followers to go for Qital (commonly misunderstood as Jihad) against the opposition. The result being that the bloodiest months in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are the months of Moharram and Rabi-ul-Awwal. The former marks the Islamic New Year and the anniversary of the killing of Imam Hussain the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad at the hands of the ruling muslim class and the latter marks the birthday of the Prophet himself. These months are celebrated in Pakistan by Shias and Sunnis respectively; Shias being in minority mostly bear the brunt of being so.

Again the issue of determining the majority or minority or even the number of followers of a sect is controversial in Pakistan. Technically the Sunni muslims are in majority but they are divided into two major sects. The Deobandis and the Barelvis. The latter considering the Prophet as divine light or Noor and the former opposing this view. Then there are Wahabis or Ahl-e-hadees. Looking closely you will also find Hayatis and mamatis. There are Baahis and Soofis also. And within the Shias there are Isna Asharis and Ismaliees. In Isna Asharis there are Jafferies and Alavis and Baqarees. In Ismaliees there are Bohris and Aga Khanis. This is a never ending list. All of them claim to be muslims and a majority of them merely find themselves muslim enough to make it to the paradise. Most of them consider all others as kafirs or infidels.

This confusion is not limited only to religious scholars and schools of thought. Even in the formal curriculum wherein Islamic studies is taught as a compulsory subject, we have two different text books. One for Shias and other for Sunnis. It is very difficult to understand how these religious and political leaders talk of implementing Shariah (The Islamic Law) in Pakistan. It seems impossible to me as it was perceived impossible by the founder of the state. The first Law Minister who was appointed by Mr.Jinnah himself happened to be of the Hindu faith. This makes it obvious that Mr. Jinnah never wanted Shariah to be implemented in Pakistan.

Another logical question that arises here is that what kind of Shariah these people want to enforce here. The Shia version of it or the Sunni one while both of them are miles apart. The nature and style of legislation of each and every school of thought differs from the other. This confusion of religious beliefs and doctrines has deepened its roots in the Pakistani society.

In the next part I will be covering other aspects of this confusion which has made our lives really miserable. Please feel free to express your views, comments, remarks or even criticism and abhorrence. I am open to all such reactions and will try to respond to every question that you may put.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of author expressed in this article do not necessarily state or reflect those of the administration of Guppu.Com.

Islam, the religion of peace puts a great deal and emphasizes to have protected the rights and lives of non-Muslims. Unfortunately the lives of our Christian brothers weren’t made secure and they had to suffer. Now today if someone asks me who is the real enemy of Pakistan? Trust me I’d say the real enemy of Islam and Pakistan is NOT the west but these extremists who are bringing the disgrace to our religion and country.

I demand that the government of Punjab should put the full efforts in order to bring the culprits into the courts of Justice. And I request to our Pakistani Christian brothers who became victim of the barbaric attacks, please forgive us!

And to the extremists, Here is the message of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah:

The same message was given by Jinnah, Pakistan’s founding father, he always spoke about the rights of Non-Muslims.

Below are the words of Jinnah:

If we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor… you are free- you are free to go to your temples mosques or any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state… in due course of time Hindus will cease to be Hindus and Muslims will cease to Muslims- not in a religious sense for that is the personal faith of an individual- but in a political sense as citizens of one state

Thus, Pakistan’s constitution protects the rights of Non-Muslims and gives them freedom. So, Once Again; Merry Christmas Pakistan!

Here is what Christopher Lee (the british actor who played Jinnah, in Jinnah The Movie!) has to say:

Impressed? Well now see what As his biographer, Stanley Wolpert, wrote:

‘Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.’

That’s not all, even Indian Politicians including L.K. Adwani have praised the strong vision and secularism of Jinnah.

To know more about Jinnah, Watch this historically accurate Jinnah The Movie!

Starring: Christopher Lee as Jinnah

and many other actors from USA, UK, Pakistan and India

Enjoy the complete movie in English Language!

Part 1:

Part 2:

But wait a moment, before that, we have birthday of Pakistan’s founding father, and a great leader Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on Dec 25. All TV channels excluding PTV were featuring much patriotic coverage according to the ocassion. I was waiting for PTV to show any promo of the coverage of Quaid’s birthday, but all in vain. After all, what can we expect from the holy Information Minister Mohtarma Sherry Rehman?

In this post, I didn’t mean to disgrace Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, I respect her. But is it like, she is becoming a holy character for us? I mean Yes! we should be presenting her the tribute but we shouldn’t be forgetting our real heros.

I have seen people quoting Benazir Bhutto’s sayings as if they are quoting a hadith. Many places including Airports, Hospitals, Housing Societies, Sports grounds are named after her. Even coins are gonna be having BB’s photo. Guys! isn’t it too much of the tribute?

Jinnah’s birthday is just 2 days ahead, and we are still waiting to see PTV’s coverage. Will PTV create a balanced coverage? or it will continue to make blunders? Tell me your feelings in the comments.