Peace and prosperity in Pakistan?

People of Pakistan are practicing Islam for over half a century but have not been able to develop as one Nation. Spiritually they are split into religious sects and socially they are fragmented into cults and clans, each having its own customs and creeds. In combined India we were governed by two sets of Law; public laws applicable to all and   personal laws relevant and appropriate to different religions. This did not augur well with Muslim population of the country for Islam did not permit division of life into public and personal segments. Islam wants us to obey Allah, His Messenger and those charged with the responsibilities of implementing Divine Laws.( Al-Quran 4:59).

Allah’s Laws and Commands, in the Qur’an, cannot implement or enforce themselves upon people, on their own. Moreover, each individual may interpret these Laws and Commands in his own way and abide by them according to his own right. So, there is a need for one Central Authority and his obedience [Aatee-ur-Rasool]. The first Central Authority was Muhammad [pbuh], the Messenger of Allah. Hence, obedience to the Messenger was also necessary, which was, in effect the obedience to Allah by abidance by His Book as interpreted and enforced by the Central Authority.

From the above it is not difficult to understand that for the people believing in Islam, one thing is Deen (Divine Laws) and the other is implementation of Deen. Deen we find in the book of Allah which no one can change and for the implementation of Deen the best authoritative example we find is in the life of the prophet (pbuh), and his companions where implementation of Deen and political mechanism worked together.

In an Islamic Country the State is responsible for the implementation of the ways and means to achieve requirements of Deen and it is for the elected legislators to make bylaws in accordance with the book of Allah and precedents obtaining from the history of law making in Islam. In the absence of Islamic Laws, every one assumes the role of explaining shariya; very often to suit the requirements of his own cult and clan. This perhaps is the main cause of diverse views, confusion and chaos. Once we learn to restrict our “what to do" to the book of Allah and let “how to do" keep on changing with the situation and circumstances of our time through a central authority, we shall have a persistent shariya acceptable to all of us.

Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, where political system is based on adult franchise. 94 percent of its legislators are Muslim and the laws are made through mutual consultation with an additional restriction that nothing shall they legislate repugnant to Quran. Precedents from golden era of the exalted prophet and that of his companions are also taken care of.

People of Pakistan are free to point out to the Ideology Council the anomalies in the constitution and or laws of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Instead of issuing fatwas against each other, the Ulemas would do better to inform the said Ideology Council to take cognizance of improper laws and un-Islamic practices.

Life on earth works out through a system backed by rules and regulations. We cannot develop as one nation unless we have one direction and one set of rules and regulations to adhere to. We should be grateful to Allah and respect the laws of the country, unless we have reasons to prove that a certain laws are repugnant to Quran. This will help us build our National character leading us to the path of prosperity.

Muhammad Latif Chaudhery

Lahore, Pakistan