Bad smell, huge mass of disoriented people – young and oldn well mostly old – litter, noise, unwanted pushing. . . That was Islamabad airport when I entered this morning at 9 am to catch my Karachi flight. What has gone wrong with place in just few months? I realised that it had been over three months since my last visit. But still, has plane-riding population grown Hyperbolicaly or has PIA introduced cheap meal-less tickets like United Air of USA? Whatever, I thought and proceeded to the window for getting your tickets printed if you've already bought online. You're issued a Passenger Name Record number (commonly called PNR). I had stored it in my blackberry. Tried to get but gosh, it was lost! Another fifteen minutes sorting it out with an extremely lazy man sitting on the window. He seemed tired and disinterested. But why, the day has just started, I thought. The next was getting inside the port building, get boarding card and board on the plane. The ticket checker on the gate suddenly got apprehensive of me and asked my personal identification. Don't know why, but I suddenly thought of My Name is Khan, who introduced himself: "My name is Khan and I'm not a terrorist". All the passengers were comfortably getting in and taking their boarding passes. Why me then? I felt like screaming: I'm wearing a sari/bindi and I'm not a spy! Got the pass and proceeded to the lounge. Unbearable smell of sweat. Heads, uncountable. Felt like throwing up. Ran towards the rest rooms only to find ladies packed in that narrow rest room. Chose to have a chit chat with the care-taker of the toilet. Yes, we do have care-takers in public toilets. We lack basic courtesy to flush, clean and dry the toilet after use. I heard we're Muslims and half of our faith lies in cleanliness. I hope I wouldn't die before seeing it happening! The care-taker, Theresa (we have a tradition of keeping minorities especially Christians on certain jobs), looked visibly disturbed. On enquiring she told me, its a Jaddah flight taking people for Umra – the voluntary pilgrimage to Mecca. Here we are. I recalled my father who once came back from Juma prayer and lamented how wasteful Muslims are when it comes to use of water in ablution. He also was wary of people doing ablution and not drying the area after that. I also recalled the condition of the toilet of a mosque when I had to use it once. Is there something genetically wrong with Muslims? Or what exactly? Please help me understand. I'll switch off my cell 'coz the hosrtess says so!
Arun
May 26, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Islam being the most strict religion (as far as i know, with all rules and regulations), you expecting people to be self-concious (clean and keepin the mileu clean) is correct. But following Islam or abiding its rules is not going to teach people about social responsibility (for this matter any other religion). Religion should be kept apart and should be personal. Wen one comes out see the wider world he/she should be sensitive and responsible about others sufferings, which is not the case anywhere. So with out social responsibility and kindness in heart wat ever religion you follow you are not complete and god wil never accept yu.
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Amir
May 22, 2010 at 4:47 pm
wow, I see you've got countless issues with Islam. no problem with the passage of time, you'll understand things. Regarding the bath thingy, well this isn't because of islam if you go to any public toilet in developing countries you'll find the same thing. However, you won't find this thing in middle east where lots of Muslims live so it has nothing to do with Islam, got it? This is sort of illiteracy.
Another thing is regarding abultion, your father noticed that muslim wasted a lot of water but he didn't notice that there's no religion on earth who emphasize a lot on cleaness more than Islam. ablution five times a day keeps the filthiness away from one. YOu should visit remote area of France or europe where people don't like to wash or clean, I hope you'll enjoy your tour there
. If someone wasting water, it's their own fault, islam didn't ask to waste water. Did you find anywhere where Islam asked that don't care of water while ablution. Last but not the least thing, when you observe or notice the things then think unbiasedly. People personal's acts has nothing to do with their religion. And one more thing I've noticed that you need to study a lot about Islam so that you really get to know what exactly islam is? even after facing lots of propagandas, it keeps spreading so there must be something which really attracts people. I hope I removed your confusion. Thanks.
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absurd surd
May 4, 2010 at 8:31 am
All 3 parts of Punjab are uniquely susceptible to hypocrisy & excessive show of piety. Perhaps a brutal history religious persecution would account for this fact. The State further complicates the picture in Western Punjab as it depends on religion to rally an impoverished populace to causes that it would otherwise scarcely care for. Islam will separate its religion from existential reality as time goes by. But can the middle class throw off the State's yokel? That, & not Muslim genetics( know you jest), is the question. Happy rebellion in a just cause!
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HASEEB AHMAD
April 18, 2010 at 2:48 am
We impose religion to others to practice, but inside nobody is following religion especially the spirit of an religion.we clean our body.but spreading trash for others in the same time.
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Rohit
April 14, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Well… I gues… its not much to do with being or not being Muslim… Its about the social & economic class… as you've mentioned… Cheap meal-less tickets have increased the airport usage… and the facilities are short of capacity…
Hmm… yup the point to be noted at the crux is… The Islam That is practised… so there we go… and from what I understand a clean & pure body is pre requisite for spiritual growth.
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Huma
April 14, 2010 at 4:48 pm
In the beginning of Islam the mosque would be the place everybody will be welcomed to. The Prophet himself would welcome jews, christians and everyone there, in today's time if a Shia (Ehl-e-Ta'shee) goes to a Wahabi (Ehl-e-Hadith) mosque there is a greater chance of clash; if not at least they'll wash the mosque after they're gone. How the hell do we think these Mullahs will "direct" us towards the betterment of their choice.
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Huma
April 14, 2010 at 4:43 pm
and these are the people claiming that they'll change the world for better, in name of Islam. Do they even know the basic hygiene and ethics? The one category they are worst in is ETHICS…..
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RizziElahi
April 13, 2010 at 2:48 am
Baghi I agree with as title it self explains the intentions of your article. I blame to our Mullah system, Unless these Mullah's are state controlled and have some kind of qualification before they take over our Mosques. Islam will be hijacked by ignorant Mullahs and the people who fall for them. Results are in front of us. We are only going into drains. Clearly shows Allah is even hating us for the way we have adopted Islam.
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Baaghi
April 13, 2010 at 2:42 am
But Ayesha ji, where was the blame put on Islam? All I was talking about was the way it is practiced! See, you became un-necessarily defensive, no?
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Ayesha
April 12, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Well! Marvi , it is the people who have to be blamed not the religion. we are self conceited idiots, who write in the in internation level newspapers " Mairay Mutabiq " Dr. Shahid Masood, a self opinionated top class journalist"" hahahahah what a shame !
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Rahul Sharma
April 12, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Aaahh.. It seems its a railway station and not an international airport
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RizziElahi
April 12, 2010 at 10:32 am
Muslims in India and Pakistan are mostly convert. Convert Muslims always tend to over do the religion. Preachers in India and Pakistan did the same thing to Islam there. Over do to Islam was only multiplied over the years in India and Pakistan , Which caused unnecessary fear of Allah all the times in the heart and minds of people.
Allah is not Jalad or Hitler, Allah is forgivable and love us all. Fear Allah that is why we have to make sure we are good humans but do not miss out all the fun Allah has for you on earth. Specially women paid the highest price.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rizwan-Rizzi-Elahi/116783941665298?ref=ts
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