In the words of William Blake, “when a sinister person means to be your enemy, they always start by trying to become your friend.” These profound words by the most revered English poet William Blake exposit why Muslims across the globe are tangled in intricate web of miseries and wretchedness of fate. A cursory look at history provides numerous instances where the bigot followers of the Crusade went all out in their efforts to subjugate Muslims. This age old islamophobia still grates their nerves; that is why they pound every opportunity to pursue their nefarious designs against the Muslim world. Former US President George W. Bush, implicitly threatening Muslims right after the 9/11 attacks, had said, “This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while.”
Rifts and schisms among Muslim nations are exacerbated and intensified, one way or the other, by the enemies of Islam. Detestable policy of “divide and rule” professed by the British colonialists is still functioning in Muslim nations, may it be Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon or Kashmir, Iran and Iraq. The fanatics in the West and the US have always manoeuvered to make peace elusive for the Muslims.
But, being the only recognized Muslim nuclear state in the World’s Nuclear Club, Pakistan is a thorn in the hearts of these Crusaders and Zionists. This is the very reason why they hold Pakistan responsible for every mishap that hits any part of the world.
What an irony of fate that the country which was destined to be a true Islamic welfare state is blamed for every wrong on the planet today. Peccadilloes, misjudgments and follies committed by our successive rulers have brought us to a point that the very word “Pakistan” is associated with every negative connotation in the world thesaurus. The tactics of these elemental forces make it clear that they will never allow the Muslims to rise. Unless we, the Muslims, become united to counter their offensive, they will keep on strangling us.
Notwithstanding the global conspiracies and cabals against Muslims, in general, and Pakistan in particular, there is a dire need that the leadership of Muslim countries leave their internal conflicts behind and unite to counter the West’s onslaught. This is the high time that our rulers make prudent decisions. Presenting the real image of Islam to the world is more than inevitable at present. Muslim leader, scholars, academia and public at large must come forward and show the world that we are not the terrorists rather we have sacrificed thousands of lives to make the world a better place to live in.
MUHAMMAD YASIR KAYANI,
Kasur, April 20.