Backlash of Disgusting Rites & Rituals

In the last six decades or so, for various reasons, the face of Pakistani society has been marred with invasive alien cultural & religious rites & rituals, leading to unpalatable social practices. Like termite, this invisible seizure has eroded the roots of our societal values; which has not only made life unbearable for the poor masses; but also increasingly  suffocating for all and sundry. The disgusting innovations that have gradually become a norm in our social interactions, on happy as well as on sad occasions can best be called Bid’ah (بدعة), which literally means "innovation" in Arabic. In Islamic context, it refers to any new practice or belief that has no roots in the Quran and Sunnah. It is often viewed with caution, as it can lead to alterations in the faith and practices established by the Holy Prophet Muhammad(PBUH). Islamic scholars have debated the concept of Bid'ah extensively. Some reject all forms of Bid'ah, insisting that Muslims should strictly adhere to the Quran & Sunnah. Others recognize that certain innovations may be necessary to adapt to changing circumstances, as long as they do not alter the core tenets of Islam. Therefore, understanding the nature of Bid'ah is crucial for Muslims to navigate their religious practices appropriately. 

It goes without saying that most of the disgusting social practices, which have gradually become a norm are prevailing due to lack of  in-depth religious knowledge, limited understanding of Quranic injunctions  as well a Sunnah of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), inadequate adherence to basic tenets of Islam,  and prevalence of “herd mentality/ blind imitation”. Besides, the diminishing practice of following the Quranic direction i.e. the greatest societal obligations of “amr-bil-Ma’roof”(ordering for acknowledged virtues)  and “nahi anil munkar” (forbidding from sin) is one main reason for uncontrolled spread of innovations in our religious and cultural practices. Allah (SWT) says: “And there should be a group amongst you who invite towards good, order for acknowledged virtues, forbid from sin and it is they, who shall be the successful ones” {Al-Imran(3): 104}. Together, they form a foundational pillar of Islamic ethics designed to protect the moral and spiritual health of the community. Fulfilling this duty is what makes the Muslim Ummah "the best nation," as stated in the Holy Quran.

While one could go on to produce a grand list of Sayyiah Biddah(bad innovations), suffice to state here that most of the rites and rituals associated with death, birth and weddings as practiced in Pakistan flow-in from non-Muslim culture duly magnified by the unlimited greed of money making mafias, belly fillers and howling misguided youth; helplessly watched over by the senior citizens. The wasteful expenditures on lavish food and on a long list of pomp & show, strange Nikkah ceremonies immediately preceded and succeeded by vulgar songs & dances are now considered an unavoidable menace. Some other examples of Bid’ah include mourning on the 3^rd, 10^th, 40^th and on the yearly death anniversary of the deceased with distribution of invitation cards, offering lavish food along with money/ gifts to the professional  reciters of Holy Quran, celebrating Urs (yearly festival) of saints, Sacrificing animals in the name of saints, praying or supplicating to the dead, the saints, or anyone else besides Allah, believing in or using lucky charms and soothsayers, making monuments on graves, objectionable poetry recited as Naat with musical instruments as for songs and singing Qawali (touching limits of Shirk), learning religion as a livelihood only without acquiring any other skills, using excessively high pitched loud volume for Azan/ sermons, using different colours of Turbans and dresses/ gowns by the clergy for cult identification, ‘Rent a crowd’ type booking offices in Masjid/ Mosques for occasions related to death or happy ceremonies and even for political gatherings, Religious/ Sectarian division on disputed Islamic history, unbridled use of confusing titles and prefixes/ suffixes with the names of clergy, and acting as wheeler-dealer for the political parties. 

The backlash of such disgusting distractions and Bid’ah have caused unrest, despondency, despair and frustration in the Pakistani society. The role of the State, Society, Clergy and even individuals to put an effective check on these innovations is found missing because their focus has shifted to self-interests only, while forgetting the hereafter. Human rights organizations and activists frequently criticize deeply ingrained traditional and customary rituals in Pakistan that violate fundamental human rights, particularly those of women and minorities. The most condemned practices include honor killings (Karo-Kari), forced child marriages as dispute settlements (Swara), and severe sectarian/religious persecution. Other issues that come under sharp focus include Child labour/ abuse,  poverty and economic inequality, low literacy and poor education, gender inequality, underage marriages, overpopulation, healthcare disparity, lack of freedom of expression, sycophancy as an accepted norm for elevation in all careers, elite/ State oppression, unsatisfactory system of justice/ Adal; and in short Pakistan being ‘The Islamic State’ in the name only.

Who will bell the cat; we all shall as God only help those who help themselves. "Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves." (Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:11)