News Kashmir Magazine

MANNERS  ALWAYS ARE OBLIGATORY
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad

In the present world, it is quite clear that a majority of the Muslims, are not morally or ethically uplifted. In one of the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Prophet said that Akhlaaq are obligatory for 24 hours. However, we have been preached that apart from Kalimah, we should offer Namaaz, give alms, remain on fast and go on pilgrimage, if conditions are fulfilled. If a sane person ponders over all these basic things, all are subjected to some conditions. If the conditions are not fulfilled, there are chances that any action may be called null and void. But in case of Akhlaaq, there are no conditions. They are obligatory through out the life. Whether one prays or not, he or she has to be morally uplifted in order to get closeness of God.        The above thing makes it clear that how much Akhlaaq are important. Without Akhlaaq, there is no guarantee that we can be called as true Muslims. But the question that is of utmost importance is that what are the reasons that make it possible to oversight more obligatory things than obligatory things? In the coming lines, I will discuss some causes in concise manner.       First is lack of knowledge. We are not enough educated to understand Islam in its original form. Nevertheless, we know a lot but we know partial things. Prophet Muhammad used to pray that God, show me the truth in its original form and the evil in its original form. This supplication encompasses a lot of lessons for us. It trains us that a mere translation of the Quran and Hadith are not enough. The origin of any verse and Hadith has to be seen. Moreover, all the verses of Qur’an must be inter related and the period of the world should be kept in front so that everything becomes crystal clear. Our irony is that more than 90% people don’t know the Arabic language. Furthermore, understanding Quran and Ahadith have been made so difficult to understand that it needs so many disciplines to be mastered over so that understanding of Islam is possible. This hard and fast rule is responsible, apart  from the role played by some immature and emotional maulvis, who have very narrowly understood Islam and its teachings. Quran is a guide. It has come to let us know why we are here and what to do here. Sunnah always has source from Qur’an. In other words, Sunnah is the practical translation of Quran. But this treasure has been hijacked by Muslim Jurists. Every Jurist has inclination towards a particular thought. He or she reads Qur’an and Sunnah; but still the particular thought doesn’t leave him or her. In this way, Qur’an and Sunnah is reduced to beliefs. Everyone tries his or best to align himself or herself with a particular ideology. If anyone doesn’t align with him or her, he or she is declared deviated. In this manner, the grand edifice of Islam is reduced to some hard core beliefs and the world of Akhlaaq falls into oblivion. Religiosity takes place of Deen( the complete way of life). Respecting like minded persons is followed in letter and in spirit while humiliating opposite groups is also religious deed. Hence, the result is that those things that are the cause of some punishment at some times, take lead over those things that are always welcomed by Islam.       Second is materialism. We honor those who have money to have a comfortable life. Moreover, we respect the rich in order to get something tangible from them while those who do some low class jobs,  are never taken into account. It is opposite of Islam. In the historical books, it is written that in the court of a Persian King, a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad walked on the rare or precious carpet with his mule. All the courtiers were amazed at his bravery. He responded that we have been taught by Prophet Muhammad in such a fashion that we live here; but we have something better that this waiting in the life Hereafter. What does it mean? It means that a majority of the Companions of the Prophet were poor but they got the statuses that no rich can think of. However, in the present world, it has become the futile norm to respect those who have material access while denounce those who are devoid of these. It is a clear violation of Islam. And hence, the result is that we are at the lowest rung of the ladder of Akhlaaq.     Third and last is imitation. We blindly imitate others. By imitating others, we have forgotten our basics. The Western world is not fully wrong. It has some best things to offer. But we cannot go on following them, without looking over good and bad things. Their cultures have a lot to offer to us but they have some loopholes that must be discarded. Ours position is that we imitate them without looking at the pros and cons of a thing. We think that the West have progressed. We have no recourse but to follow them. It is a fallacy to a large extent. Europe went through the “dark ages”. They were enslaved by the illogical rules and regulations. But today, Muslims are going the darkest ages.  In this way, the West lead us in technology and morality. But they have some apparent loopholes that defame their picture. They don’t respect old people the Muslims do. They have less respect for women than the Muslims. These apparent things are forgotten by us when it comes to following them. Hence, the result is that today, the West are right in saying that we are not morally uplifted. Have we shown them the character of Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Usman, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Hussain,etc., We must not have been where we are.!       In short, we should weigh everything the way it needs to be weighed. On the Day of Judgement, the most important deed will be of character. So, let us build our character first and then radiate the light of good character in every direction. Are we ready?

Opinion ,23 November,2020

                       ANT-PACED JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

 Now, should we treat women as independent agents, responsible for themselves? Of course. But being responsible has nothing to do with being raped. Women don’t get raped because they were drinking or took drugs. Women do not get raped because they weren’t careful enough. Women get raped because someone raped them.” ―( Jessica Valenti)
Rape – Just few days back in KANPUR: A seven-year-old girl was raped and was found dead with her liver extracted. Where the hell we are leading? Is this not the shame for whole society? Rape is one of the more appalling things that one human being can do to another, and yet there is no other crime about which our society is so ambivalent. That must change.
Rape is a heinous crime – which is increasing day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute and second by second. Thinkers are thinking to reduce the crime; Philosophers making another philosophy out of it yet the rate of the crime is increasing by increasing rate. Punishment for the rape cases are much lower than the harm caused. In Indian court, the person freely walks in the society for months and years together, because of the ant-paced judicial system where we get hearings after hearings.
 The effects of rape can include both the initial physical trauma as well as deep psychological trauma. Although rape victims commonly report injuries and issues with their reproductive health after the sexual assault, rape doesn’t always involve physical force. The most common and lasting effects of rape involve mental health concerns and diminished social confidence.
Aftermath of Rape:
The aftermath of rape involves a cluster of acute and chronic physical and psychological effects. It’s important that victims receive comprehensive care. This only adds to the psychological impact of the rape on the victim. Victims of extremely violent rape, or those who were assaulted repeatedly or at a very young age, may need treatment for the rest of their lives. Is this not really breathtaking? 
Increasing crimes is what we are witnessing these days. Criminals have come up with various strategies of committing crimes to which unfortunately our judicial system is continuously failing.
When a crime is done to a person and when the victim goes to register a complaint, the first thing our police personnel do is to deny taking the complaint. Even if they take the complaint, they file it in such an easy manner that the criminal can easily escape even if he has done a grave mistake like rape. When a victim is raped the police files the complaint of “sexual assault” or “attempt to rape” and when the victim is assaulted sexually or attempted to rape, these “kind” men advises not to file the case and get compromised as the career of the criminal will get destroyed. These people have soft hearts towards criminals and stone-hearts towards innocents.
When the victims force to file a strong case against the criminals these people have a very good strategy to harass them by taking counter case from the criminals and lay false charges against the victims. In this way the victim is harassed double. In some situations, the victims are unable to tolerate injustice and even go to the extent of committing suicides!
For any crime to get reduced or stop we ought to go to the root cause. Know the reasons why it is happening. Be honest in accepting the reasons and endeavour to solve the problem logically. When you bring your emotions, feelings, sentiments and passions in between the solutions, you will never stop the crimes that are prevailing. You fail to realize that the crime gains momentum due to your behaviour towards the particular problem.
The only solution for this problem and to defend the honour of women – “the jewels of the society” is to the hang the culprits. Please no more TAREEK PAI TAREEK. 

Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

16 November,2020 Issue

TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM VS MODERN CURRICULUM
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Curriculum has been defined in many ways according to the need of the time. Before some decades, traditional curriculum was in dominance. It was also called bookish curriculum. It focused on books, exams, discipline, fixed time tables, paper degrees, law and order,etc. However, it was against the individual differences. Same kind of syllabus was for different children. Philosophy students were taught Urdu while English students were taught Hindi. In place of practical, theory dominated every part of  society.       But with the revolution in information technology, the need for the modern curriculum has arisen. The present age is the age of AI, robotics, Quantum mechanics, etc. Innovation is the order of the day. Men have started to colonize other celestial bodies. There are chances of life on Venus as well. The calculations that used to take thousands of years, are done in few seconds. Men have surpassed the speed of light. Gene scissors are in the market to protect us from lethal diseases. Carcinogenic diseases are controlled. In this way, there can be no liking for the traditional curriculum that only choked the sane voices. Let us contrast both curricula in some detail.      First is that the traditional curriculum is about books. Books are more important than children. Education is imparted in specialized buildings. There are strict teachers and management. There are fixed classes in a day. Teachers prepare what they have to teach in a particular period. They try their best to complete the syllabi. They, by hook or crook, complete their syllabi and prepare students for examinations while the modern curriculum is child-based. All the focus is diverted upon a child. His or her differences are known in the beginning. His or her psychology is understood so that teaching or learning becomes easy and fruitful. Here, a child is free to learn according to his or her taste. There are no specialized buildings for this curriculum. A child learns everywhere. He is trained in such a way that every experience becomes learning for him. He looks at animals. He doesn’t dread them. But he wants to know how it is created. In case of cow, how she gives milk. How she is mother. In cases of beautiful landscapes, he or she tries to know its Creator. This is the best characteristic of the modern curriculum.       Second is that the traditional curriculum is exam-dominated. Children, from the very beginning, are frightened that they have to pass with flying colors. They are in constant fear that if they don’t get a distinction or a position, they will be treated harshly. They, instead of reading textbooks, find short cut ways to get good marks. In this way, they become addicted to the hand made notes and guides prepared by some unknown persons. They learn questions and answers without knowing their crux. They become good in rote learning. In this way, the marvellous brains are lost in quagmire of nothingness. However, in case of the modern curriculum, there is no space for exams. A child learns different subjects and skills at the same time to be the master of those subjects or skills. He or she is expert in dealing with his or her subject because he or she likes to learn those very subjects. There is no thrust upon them. They learn what they learn. They use their creative powers to go against the views of their teachers. Children don’t believe blindly. Curriculum teaches them to criticize.      Third and last is paper degrees. In the traditional curriculum, degrees matter the most. A teacher without a particular degree is deemed unfit for teaching. However, he or she may be expert in his or her subject but she or he does not possess the required degree, he or she is unfit for that very post. But in case of the modern curriculum, there is no need for paper degrees. A rickshaw puller can be an engineer. A newspaper vendor can be the teacher of Bill Gates. Jack Ma, the founder of Ali Baba, can be the source of inspiration for those who have doctorates in many subjects. Jack Ma knows the real worth of life. He teaches his customers that while studying, I have known how to live real life. He inspires more than the so-called intellectuals of the bygone curriculum.       In short, there should be such kind of curriculum that can know the individual differences in  children. Until and unless the individual differences are unknown, we cannot think of any progress. Let us embrace the curriculum that makes child a child. I request parents and teachers to embrace only that curriculum which is reasonable. Hope good sense prevails!