The Message of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

-The portrait of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai 

The Message of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is the well-renowned Sindhi classical mystic poet. He was born into Sayed family of Hala, Sindh, in the year, 1689.  Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was massively influenced by Molana Jalal-ud-din Rumi, Farid-ud-Din Attari and Sheikh Saadi, among others. It is the principal reason why he did poetry in the Persian language as well along with the Sindhi. He also got inspiration from Khawaja Muhammad Zaman of Luari with regard to spirituality. His work is admired all over the world. Unquestioningly, Shah Abdul Latif is believed to be the greatest poet of the Sindhi language and the Muslim world. 

Also Read: Muhammad Iqbal- the Greatest Poet of the Muslim World By Siraj Mustafa

With his poetry, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai has deluged Sindh with depth of intellection. He stood against injustices of his time. During his time, it was an era of fundamentalism, and Sindh in particular, was hijacked by the extremists. Amid this, he raised the slogan of Humanism, and did not let the differences of religion, race, and status override the humanity. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was a hope for down-trodden people, underprivileged, and those who were discriminated on the grounds of religion. He prayed for everyone. 

 

                                       سائينم سدائين ڪرين مٿي سنڌ سڪار 

دوست مٺا دلدار عالم سڀ آباد ڪري

 

Through his poetry, Shah Sahib played a pivotal role in disseminating awareness about inequalities, and injustices. The people of the region were facing brutalities of the rulers of that time, and every time he encouraged them to resist. His all poetry is centered on humanism, of which every word is about the struggle for good,  dream of prosperity, affection, and so forth.

-The Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

Shah Abdul Latif’s poetry is not just limited to particular time and space, rather it transcends both. His poetry is the embodiment of the ‘history of Sindh’, and acknowledges every bit of every moment. He was not scared of powerful forces, rather he challenged them. Whenever he saw something wrong was done, he was at the vanguard to protest. In his sight, there was no value of wealth, imperialism, splendor, or anything that was the cause of discontent. This is why he always held Humanism in high-esteem. He gives a message of becoming a benign person (Kamil Insan), whose every thought and actions are premised on the welfare of community and humanism as a whole.

نڪي کڻن پاڻ سين ، نڪي کڻن پاڻ  

                      اهڙا جن اهڃاڻ ، آئون نه جيئندي ان ري 

 

One may also find a ‘lesson of unity’ in the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif. He believed that through unity anything in the world no matter how impossible is destined to be achieved. By virtue of his mystic, nationalistic, reactionary and revolutionary poetry, he has given a call of aversion to evil, and of the pursuit of truth. Other than this, he forbids to kneel down before tyranny, and emphasizes on loving the freedom, and on fostering unity. 

وڳر ڪيو وتن پرت نه ڇنن پاڻ ۾ 

     پسو پکيئڙن ماڻھان ميٺ گهڻو 

 

He does not have favorable views about those people who do not have affection for their land (motherland). They do not have the right of existence at all. They are burdens not only on themselves but also on a society. According to him, such persons that do not love their motherland can never be true to anything.

سڄڻ ساڻيھ ، ڪنهن اڻاسي وسري 

   حيف تنين هوء وطن جن وساريو

 

Sindh that has always been remaining the land of Sufism along with peace is under attack by some extremist forces and ideology, and it seems like the land of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is fast becoming the land of fundamentalism, to say the least. Alarmingly, his message about tolerance, pluralism, egalitarianism, and above all, humanism, is being forgotten. Therefore, it is the immediate need of time to embrace the message and philosophy of Shah Sahib, which he has propagated through his exquisite poetry. It is time to own Shah Sahib, and fight extremist mindsets who are spreading hatred in the name of religion. 

Also Read: Islamic values vs Western values

Inarguably, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is the greatest poet of Sindhi language. After him, many poets came the likes of Sachal Sarmast, Saami, Sheikh Ayaz, and many others, but none could reach the stature of Shah Latif. Such is his status. In fact, he was torch-bearer of many renowned poets of Sindh later on. His poetry has eternally been drafted in the famed volume, 'Shah jo Risalo'. This revolutionary and saint poet breathed his last on 1st January, 1752, and buried in the town named after his name, Bhit Shah. His Urs ( the death anniversary) is celebrated every year on the 14th Safar ( the second Islamic month), which continues for three days. 

 

-The statue of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

Also Read: Social decay, Pandemics and Punishment

Islamic values vs Western values: Which ones offer true growth and prosperity to the mankind?

Islamic values vs Western values: Which ones offer true growth and prosperity to the mankind?

The twenty-first century has enlightened all the lines of demarcation between Islamic and Western values. After the Renaissance in Europe, there emerged a  civilization which offered some values to the world. As a matter of fact, those values excluded God from the personal, social, and political domain and were inherently anti-parallel to Islamic values. Let me exemplify this fact. Firstly, the term Islam means 'to surrender'. Apparently and certainly, this term gives a value of  'surrendering to the will of God'. While the value held by the West opposite to surrender is personal 'freedom'. And that Freedom gives one sense that one himself is the ultimate authority and is free to do anything. There are no boundaries to be restricted in one's life. In fact, any action done without realizing that God has set some boundaries has a great level of transgression, and doing so easily transforms this action into immorality.

Secondly, the technological revolution brought by the West has increased the speed of actions and their results. A work done by our forefathers in hours in the past is now done in seconds. The value of speed has penetrated in such a way that it has deteriorated the value of patience. Now we are always in a hurry. We want prompt results. In contrast, Islam guides us to be patient in every moment of ecstasy and agony.

Also Read: Social decay, Pandemics and Punishment

Thirdly, capitalism - a west-born value- has led mankind to blind consumerism and possession. Giving alms in Western civilization is the hardest thing to do. Contrary to this, Islam emphasizes giving your most beloved assets to others. Precisely, Islamic is identified by the value of sacrifice, which is utterly at 180 degrees to the Western value of possession.

Interestingly, western civilization has left no stone unturned in eradicating morality from politics. Let me again cite the post-renaissance era which gave birth to Machiavellian Realpolitik. What Machiavelli's realpolitik has taught international and domestic politics is a shame for humanity as its whole edifice is built on the principles of deceit and dishonesty. Telling lies is its center of gravity. The consequences of following Machiavalleian doctrines are in front of us in the shape of the then western imperialism and now the Pan-Americanism. This is why while criticizing Realpolitik, Allama Iqbal has said, "Juda ho deen siyasat se tou reh jaati he changeezi". Since you exclude God from the political domain, you make humanity suffer. This is what the West has been doing for centuries. As a matter of fact, Islam rejects such a notion. It wants people to be honest and truthful in every dimension of life, including that of political.

Also Read: Clash of Religion with Science

Lastly, the west offers us individualism in personal as well as social domain. At a personal level, one is independent of all the rights and responsibilities of one's parents and relatives. Whereas Islam bound us to follow some set of principles regarding parents and relatives. At a societal level, the Western value of individualism can be seen in the form of corporations. States have minimum or negligible control over the corporate sector. This unchecked growth of corporations has resulted in the rich being the richer and the poor being the poorer. On the other hand, the Islamic idea of collectivism is manifested in 'Ummah' or to say 'nation'. Prosperity of one must be transformed into the prosperity of all. This is what Islamic civilization stands for.

To conclude, it is the need of the hour to stop and contemplate whether western values have done wonders or created more problems for mankind. And what about Islamic values..!!

Written By: Siraj Mustafa

His other blog:  Muhammad Iqbal- the Greatest Poet of the Muslim World 

Book Review: Pakistan a hard country by Anatol Lieven

Book Review: Pakistan a hard country by Anatol Lieven

The author seems to be detracting from the title of the book as he focuses more on the misfortunes and defections befalling the country’s feeble state structure. While portraying Pakistan as a weak state, he adheres to point that the country has surprisingly a strong society. This is why, he calls this phenomenon a “Janus-faced”. He strives to make a convincing case for the inner resilience of the state.

 

Following are some of the important points that need maximum attention. 

 

 

Weak State and Strong Societies

 

He presents various examples to make his point. He concludes that while state institutions are certainly fragile, and defunct in many cases, nevertheless the Pakistani society in its various forms has shown phenomenal resilience. Interestingly, both state weakness and society strength are basically two sides of the same coin and hence are deeply interconnected.

 

 

The power of Kinship

 

While tracing out the causes of  state institutions inability, he underscores that they are spineless primarily because the major actors in society have had no interest in a strong centralized state. Kinship is central to the weakness of the state. The Pakistani society still relies heavily on embedded traditional values that make no space for the formalization of rules in accordance with normally accepted concept of a modern democratic state. This “Kinship system” has become so powerful that it pervades almost all facets of peoples’ daily lives, most of the times overriding all the other elements around which Pakistani individual identity is generally believed to be premised. Religious, ethnic and political affiliations remain indubitably forceful mobilizing factors, but at the end of the day it is the kinship relationship of the individual that will eventually determine the most fundamental choices. If the kinship group is indeed the foundational unit within the Pakistani society, it logically follows that most of the country’s formal institutions must be deeply penetrated and influenced by it. Hence, it this clientelistic system that holds the texture of society together and helps prevent its sudden takeover by radical forces, while at the same time blocking the full development of social reform movements.

 

 

The privileged position of the military

 

Amidst the bleak landscape of Pakistani patronized-cum-inefficient institutions, Anatol Lieven is all praise for the military institution, calling it the stalwart of order, discipline and efficiency. The Military operation that the army launched during the Spring of 2009 in reaction to the daring push forward by the Swat Taliban Group that reportedly brought them within 70 miles of Islamabad, served as a stark reminder to the enemies of the state. And also to the skeptical international community that Pakistanis not yet ready to succumb to extremists.

 

 

 The Negotiated State

 

Anatol argues that every time new ruler whether Civilian or Dictator comes to the power promises to bring radical changes, altering the status-quo. But to their dismay, they all failed. Each time they find their regimes ingested by the same elite and religious group they promised to replace. Ironically, they involves in the same patronage politics which they despise and make a base for their election slogan. None of them is able to found a new mass party staffed by professional politicians, and ideologically-committed activists. Be it PPP, PML(N), General Zia or General Mushraf, everyone needs the support of the same local feudal lords, religious groups, and urban bosses, to remain in the corridors of power. This pattern has been haunting the country ever since independence.

 

          Also Read: Social decay, Pandemics and Punishment 

 

To bring the sweeping change, the country requires two things desperately, agues the author. Firstly, a strong Pakistani Nationalism akin to modern Turkish Nationalism is the hour of need- something that ethnically divided Pakistan does not have and cannot create. And secondly, a capacity of ruthlessness equal to that of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk and his followers in suppressing the ethnic, tribal and religious opposition.

          Also Read: Money heist and the curious case of xenocentrism in Pakistan.

 

In Pakistan, much like in India, the vast majority of human rights abuses do not come from state strength, but from state weakness. Even when they are committed by state policemen, they are not on the orders from the government, but are the result of individual policeman or groups of police preying on the population as their ancestors did the same for centuries. The overwhelming majority of human rights abuses in the country, according to the writer, stem from a mixture of freelance brutality, and exploitation by policemen, working either for themselves or for local elites. Even the hardcore criminals can get concession from the law, and can go sot-free in many instances. The same also applies to the persons who land in mega scandals of corruption. Therefore, the author believes that, for the law, the judiciary, and the police, authority is a matter of constant negotiation. Resultantly, the process of democracy is the victim of this negotiated mindset embedded firmly in the society. As long as the Pakistani political system runs on patronage and kinship, to cut this mindset out would mean gutting the Pakistani society like a fish.

 

The State law

 

He points out that the state’s law is felt by many ordinary people not just to be rigged in favor of the rich, and hopelessly slow, corrupt and ineffiecient, but also to be alien- alien to local tradition, alien to Islam, the creation of alien Christian rulers, and conducted by the elites for their own benefit.

 

Reviews of other books

 Book Review: Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State by Madiha Afzal


Book Review: The New Silk roads: the present and future of the world by Peter Frankopan

Book Review: "The Battle for Pakistan – The Bitter US Friendship and a Tough Neighbourhood" by Shuja Nawaz 

Social decay, Pandemics and Punishment

Social decay, Pandemics and Punishment

Various ummah in the past had earned Allah's displeasure due to their misdeeds. They completely perished as a result of their continual indulgence in immoral activities. Amidst those divine punishments, virtuous tribes remained under the shadow of blessings of Allah, and were protected from the divine apocalypse. In this regard, some verses of the Holy Quran lend validity of such discriminate affliction on the human beings. In the Surah Hood, the Holy Quran says that when the commandments of Allah were conveyed to Hazrat Hud (A.S) and his followers, Allah's blessings were bestowed on them, and they accepted Islam, and eventually got rid of Allah's inflictions. On other occasion, the Surah Hood clearly puts it that Hazrat Saleh's (A.S) followers after having embraced Islam, were salvaged and protected from the imminent doomsday. Likewise, there are many verses that explain Allah's persecution befalling those who deviate from the righteous path and Allah's blessing upon those who remain undeterred in their faith. 

There is no iota of doubt that Allah (SWT) loves human beings seventy times more than that of their mothers. Indeed! He is the guardian of all human beings. He always adores such a person who obeys the divine commandments by heart. The category of virtuous persons fulfilling "the rights of people" (Huqooq-ul-Ibad) and "the rights of Allah" (Huqooq-ul-Allah) occupies a unique status in the eyes of the creator. It is really unthinkable that such a worthy group of people may fall victim to Allah's wrath. It is beyond imagination that severe torment could be meted out to the superior creation of Allah. Surely, Allah (SWT) is the most merciful, and chastisement does not owe to one of the attributes of Allah.

Now, this begs a question as to why Allah (SWT) punishes his creation. In this day and age, many Muslims across the world appear to have misconstrued every crisis as a punishment. According to them, every adversity brings itself Allah's wrath because of the widespread obscenity, music culture,  social degradation, etc. Given the prevalent crisis of the pandemic virus, a common perception has been injected into the masses of Islamic countries that the crisis has befallen us owing to rampant vulgarity rooted in our society. Dishonesty, manipulated inflation, immorality might have landed us in this quagmire. They claim that it is the collective misdeeds that have invited Allah's anguish upon us. But their justifications give rise to another questions: Can the plight of persecuted masses of Palestine and Myanmar be attributed towards the creator's wrath? Is the worst humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged zones such as Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan just because of the obscenity and immorality? No, absolutely not! If it were so, the concept of the Day of Resurrection stands purposeless. If people were to hand over the punishment of misdeeds in this mortal world, there would be no need to hold them accountable in the hereafter. Therefore, it is utterly wrong to label any crisis with the pretext of Allah's displeasure. In fact, it is the ignorance that drives them to opt for this notion.      

Also Read: The Gaze by Elif Shafak

  

The era of Hazrat Khalid Bin Waleed (R.A) is considered one of the golden and peaceful eras of recorded history. During his rule, a pandemic had broken out claiming almost twenty-five thousand lives including a couple of companions of the caliph. So, we cannot imply that the pandemic turned into the calamity just because there had been ubiquitous obscenity at that time.

Also Read: Money heist and the curious case of xenocentrism in Pakistan.

Regrettably, the ignorance and insensibility is rife in Pakistan. Given the implications of COVID-19, it is perceived that our very own deeds are responsible for the crisis, and it is the curse that Almighty Allah has imposed on us for our immoral acts. Recently, some sections of the clergy continue to have reinforced this notion by claiming it the result of the creator's displeasure. As a matter of fact, our acts have nothing to do with the natural calamity. Again, if such pandemics and disasters were repercussions of nations' actions, believe me according to the said hypothesis, the European nations would have been under severe wrath of the Creator owing to their vulgar lifestyle, and Muslim countries, now engulfed in many crises, would have experienced relative peace and progress. 

Also Read: Clash of Religion with Science

The bottom line is that disasters and pandemics are the real test of Mankind. Their recurrence is the reminder of the fact that He is the omnipotent. In fact, they become a means of getting further close to the Almighty Allah. The people get to know their Lord closely. Despite living in the era of science and technology, mankind seems helpless before this pandemic. Sooner or later, the vaccine for the said pandemic might be invented in the near future, but one cannot simply ignore the fact that, Indeed, He is all-powerful.

Authored by: Naeem Abbas

Book Review: The Gaze by Elif Shafak

Book Review: The Gaze by Elif Shafak

This novel is written by one of the finest writers of the world. Her other novels such as ‘The Forty Rules of Love’ based on the life of Shams of Tabraiz, and ‘The bastard of Istanbul’ based on the two Turkish and Armenian families have attained worldwide fame. The latter also became the source of bitterness between the author and the government of Turkey. For that reason, she had to face prosecution. This novel, ‘The Gaze’, is based on some unnoticed phenomena happening around our surroundings. Most of the time, we take those happenings for granted; nonetheless, they leave a very impactful mark on our lives. In this novel, Elif makes a point of how damage can be inflicted upon us by our simple desire of looking at others.

Basically, the theme of the novel is that our lives are based on seeing and being seen. And this world is simply a collection of spectacles. A simple desire to look at other things initiate a chain reaction, and subsequently, our life keeps on unfolding events after events, tragedy after tragedy, and so on.

Also read: Clash of Religion with Science

She narrates the story of an obese woman and her lover who happened to be Dwarf. Both are very allergic to being seen by others, primarily because of their body features. Together they become a sight to be beholden, and a source of amusement for others. Therefore, they decide to wander separately in order to escape the eyes of the people. For this reason too, they both sometimes disguise themselves in order to wander about the streets of Istanbul and not to be recognized by anyone else. The dwarf is busy writing, ‘The Dictionary of Gaze’, which consists of his observation of the outer world.

Also Read: Money heist and the curious case of xenocentrism in Pakistan.

In parallel, the author also describes the tale of cranky freak-show of the 1880s, occurring at the top hill in the cherry-colored tent. Of this show, two main characters are the source of amusement for the audience. One character is the ugliest of ugly, a sable-girl; and the other is the most beautiful of beautiful, La Belle Annabelle. However, both these characters are the result of the events that could easily be avoided in the past by a simple decision of not looking at some things. But at the moment, both are living characters.

To finish the novel in a style, the author adopts a crescendo tone, rewinding to those events from where these said characters- a sable-girl and La Belle Annabelle- were born.  And eventually concludes on the note that it is not necessary to see everything. It is better that some things remain well out of sight.

Reviews of other books

Book Review: Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State by Madiha Afzal


Book Review: The New Silk roads: the present and future of the world by Peter Frankopan

Book Review: "The Battle for Pakistan – The Bitter US Friendship and a Tough Neighbourhood" by Shuja Nawaz

Money heist and the curious case of xenocentrism in Pakistan.

Money heist and the curious case of xenocentrism in Pakistan.

The Spanish crime serial Money Heist has recently stolen a huge pile of attention. And rightly so, it deserves such recognition for several reasons. Ever since lockdown, the stakes of serial has skyrocketed. Its characters nicknamed after cities names are equally fascinating. More significantly, the Professor, the charismatic character and leader of the house, is liked much among others for his composure and alacrity. By and large, the serial has drawn a great round of applause mainly owing to its plot. At the same time, it has grabbed some criticism for prolonging the script and adding some unnecessary shots. Almost everyone was disappointed at the death of the core character, Nairobi. Nonetheless, the serial left everybody guessing what is going to happen next.

It seems this lockdown has come as a blessing in disguise for the Netflix. Its subscribers have increased overwhelmingly, and one must admit the fact that Pakistanis have also contributed much to the fame of this crime serial. Indeed, what a time it is for the Pakistanis to grace the opportunity. Firstly it was Money heist that was trending top in the country. Then came the turn of “fifty Shades Freed”, and eventually it is “Too Hot To handle” that tops the list.

Also Read: Clash of Religion with Science

A few years ago, the famous English serial, Game of thrones, not only thrilled the world, but also Pakistan. The plot of serial consisted of scores of characters, and was based on the tug of war for the imperial throne, as the name of serial itself suggests. I can precisely remember, until its 5^th or 6^th season, hardly anyone took an interest as our nation is not much interested in fiction-based stories. But as soon as its trend became evident, and memes started to surface; suddenly everyone took a deep interest in watching the serial. And I bet most of them were like me who did not get anything till the last. But sorry, I had to watch just because my cool cousins were also watching. I had to pretend that I had an aesthetic sense of xenocentrism, and therefore, ethnophobia. Thanks to lockdown that nowadays Money Heist, the most trending serial, is the talk of the town. Indubitably, the serial is worthy of immense admiration. But again like Game of Thrones, it has been another source of triggering xenocentrism in Pakistan.

Also Read: Can the Creation of Pakistan Be Justified On the Religious Grounds?

When it comes to comparison, the sub-continent people deserve special kudos. Anything or anybody once shoots to stardom is quickly compared with other things. Just like some yesterday born cricketers on the basis of just one innings are compared with Virat Kohli. Some days ago, some bloggers tried to draw parallels ( If Money Heist was made in Pakistan)  between the characters of Money heist and the Pakistani actors. This became a laughing stock for many. It has happened before, when Game of Thrones had the ultra- hype in the country. What is really bothersome this time was the annoying comments of the people, especially of the young generation. People treat the local celebrities worthless and give the impression that they are not being impressed by the local talent. Is it really truth or do they just pretend like this? 

Also Read: Will coronavirus hit the Muslim countries badly in Ramzan?


One must admit the fact that some of the Pakistani showbiz stars have made the world appreciate their talent. Many have worked in the Bollywood, and left the audience in awe through their sensational performance and rare talent. Yet, they are being underrated in their own backyard. Such an unappreciation is the scheme of ever-growing xenocentrism in the country, to say the least. They might want to appreciate but perhaps cannot pluck the courage. Because once they admire the acting skills of Hamza Abbasi, Fawad Khan, Humayun Saeed, Mahira khan Or Saba Qamar, their English accent friends and cousins who watch English serials, football leagues, and sometimes tennis would come from nowhere to boast about their alien taste of liking.

That is for sure we have been victim of colonial mentality over the years. Unknowingly, this trend of xenocentrism has become the inevitable part of the national psyche. It took its roots in our society a long ago, but it has manifested itself increasingly currently.  When some countrymen use indigenous and native things, we ridicule on them. Putting on Ajrak and Topi- the emblems of the Sindhi Culture- are taken as a stigma in the society. Yet, we take pride in talking the language of others. For example, one who can talk English is held in high esteem in our society. Altogether, anything that is ours no matter how valuable and talented is not going to be embraced by us simply because we are gripped in the fever of xenocentrism. 

Clash of Religion with Science

Clash of Religion with Science

From hunting-gathering society to the civilized modern world of today, the rift between religion and science has been holding on. And every time it is the science that vindicates itself. The different religions, be it Islam, Christianity or Hinduism, had had a bitter row with science. Nevertheless, it is the Christianity that had an intensive clash with science, as it had been challenging the myths that were attached to peoples’ beliefs. Those myths are sometimes nowhere to be found, even from their sacred books. Yet, the so-called guardians of religions- call it Mullah, Pundit, Father or anything else- infuse them in the minds of the people. Sometimes, those myths and legends tend to be tribally or societally manufactured, largely fabricated to establish the authority of the powerful ones.

Also Read: Can the Creation of Pakistan Be Justified On the Religious Grounds?

In the 1630s,  Galileo Galilei, the Italian Scientist, who claimed the earth is round and propounded his theory of heliocentrism (sun-centered), was subjected to life imprisonment. Knowing how his theory will lower the standing of the church, the church waged a war against the eminent physicist and astronomer. It was just a matter of time that it took no more than 300 years for the church to admit that Galileo was actually right.

When Galileo presented his heliocentric theory, people mocked on this idea. Some people questioned how Joseph would land on the earth in that case? Will he have to do this on either side of the earth? And what about heaven? Will it be on either side of the earth? Ferdinand Magellan- the first one to circumnavigate the earth- had the best answer to these questions, that says, “ The church says the earth is flat, but I know that it is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in a shadow than in the church".

Also Read: Book Review: Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State by Madiha Afzal

Today, everyone including the religious institutions is looking towards science to salvage them after the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus. Not very long ago, the same institutions called such pandemics ‘the wrath of God’.  They believed they were the punishments of their sins. When Edward Jenner invented the vaccine of smallpox in the late 18^th century, mitigating the death toll caused by the deadly virus; some religious segments termed it the intervention in the divine affairs. Soon, Edward Jenner’s home was set on the flames. It is the pity that after the passage of two centuries, these minds still exist largely in our society. Do you not notice how para-medical staff of polio is being targeted and sometimes killed in the tribal areas of Pakistan? Needless to say, the minds that sentenced Galileo and torched the house of Dr. Edward Jenner are the same minds that oppose the polio vaccination.

Whenever unnatural things happen, the religious genius people try to link them with divine affairs. During the time of Carl Linnaeus, the water of rivers seemed a bit reddish. People said it was the blood of Joseph and he is angry with us. Carl Linnaeus through microscope concluded that it was nothing but tiny red warms. Very soon, he was labeled as the infidel. Carl was as brave as Galileo and knew the fate of Galileo; therefore, he apologized from the church.

Similarly, the same was said for the lightning striking. The devastation of churches in the USA had just become the norm of the day, precisely during the latter half of the 18^th century. The church maintained that God had been enraged with our transgressions. Benjamin Franklin negated these claims, and was of the opinion that lightning we see in the sky is the same which we produce in the lab as electricity. For this reason, he conducted a demonstration. During thunderstorms, he flied the kite and attached a key with it. When lightning struck, it collides with that metallic key. In this way, he succeeded in his claims. He suggested lightning rods (conductor antenna) be used at the top of buildings to escape the lightning strike. The church did not listen to this. One day, when lightning struck, another church was again demolished. However, the opposite wine shop that had lightning rod remained safe and sound. Now it was essential for the church to admit the scientific claims of Benjamin Franklin.

Quite paradoxically, when such inventions come to the fore, the same religious circles claim that these scientific truths have already been mentioned in their sacred books. One may frequently find such claims from the Muslims. Indubitably, Muslim scientists had an amazing past and excelled in science and knowledge. It was not until 1258 that their downfall nose-dived at breakneck pace after the Mongolian invasion of Baghdad. Likewise, Johannes Heinrich in his 1887 book, “The Scientific Vindication of Christianity”, avouches that Christianity and science go hand in hand. The Hindu religion is not far away in this contest. Mohan Roy’s work on “scientific origin of Hinduism” is the testament of the fact that the Hindus also link many discoveries with their sacred text. No surprise, this trend still goes on.

Also Read: Will coronavirus hit the Muslim countries badly in Ramzan?

On the whole, it can be argued that after having revolutionary and scientific inventions that falsified some of the religious myths, yet the science and religion do not go hand in hand. There are yet considerable contradictions in many debates. However, despite the fact that some of the genuine minds of science happened to be orthodox Christians, one may ascertain to a great extent that Christianity has adopted a great deal of rationality. The names of Issac Newton, Nikola Tesla, and Dmitri Mendeleev are conspicuous ones in this regard. They never blended their fundamental beliefs with scientific truths.  However, after some bizarre comments from the religious scholars regarding the COVID-19 and their persistent opposition to scientific inventions, one may aptly remark that Islam, once had a glorious past, has to travel a lot to restore its lost prestige in this particular field.