Politics Vs Religion

Is Politics really an enemy of Religion?

By: A - Haq, London

Countless people live in various parts of the globe whose hearts anxiously beat with Pakistan. A few days back, my heart spoke volumes in favour I came across an honourable religious personality. I haven’t met such a sincere, committed and dedicated person without a parallel. After meeting with him, I feel so compelled to pen down on various topics that had come under our discussion. Particularly today I shall discuss only on one topic in major- relationship between politics and religion.

Since the creation of Pakistan rather after the death of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Father of the Nation, the process of division and dissention of resources in the country has begun in such a way that even the loyalties of the people have also been divided. The concept of true loyalty has been thrown in the waste basket of neglect. On a question regarding the role of religion and politics the Honourable told me that till the time religion and politics are together in Pakistan its conditions cannot improve. In this regard when opinion was sought from ‘Molvis’ other religious people/Islamic clergy, they told that Pakistan was created in the name of religion. But they are wrong. She was created on the basis of two nation theory. Whenever, we are conducting an important program (a T.V show or a public meeting etc.) we reiterate The Quaid’s words and put forward examples but surprisingly we forget that in his speeches and messages to the nation he talked about humanity and not the religion. The religious scholars should have read a little bit of the Quaid-e-Azam. Nowhere has the Quaid ever told that Pakistan was created on religious grounds. All his messages pertain to humanity, democracy and religious harmony.

Religion turns us to the path of God. It leads us to inculcate piety, truthfulness and honesty and teaches us to evade falsehood and corruption---to bother about brotherhood and the service of humanity instead of attacking on other people’s reputation. It is in the lust of money perhaps that the Pakistani Ulemas (religious scholars) are playing with other people’s reputation. Nonetheless they are also playing with politics as a housemaid of religion.

Till the time we inter-link religion with politics the conditions in Pakistan cannot improve. Sure truthfulness and dedication are necessary tools to work politics but building up a religious state is not its solution. The way clergy are pushing the public towards into a quagmire of emotionalism; they will not be able to control it themselves later. Those who don’t believe in my opinion, they may agree or not agree, I exercise my right of freedom of speech. They may use theirs to put forward their opinion. But definitely I don’t expect a ‘Fatwa ’against me—a religious verdict on my opinion.