By announcing ‘Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool’ on Friday, the Pakistani government has absolved itself from any responsibility towards its citizens – letting chaos prevail throughout the cities. This public holiday had been called out to pacify the masses apparently, but if anything, the scene on the streets of the country is doing anything but pacifying us… instead it seems to be terrorising us further.
Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool had been intended to mark a day to observe, declare and demonstrate love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH). What we see since morning instead is the burning of cinemas and toll plazas, mobs clashing with police and incidents of looting and plundering. How do these acts display love – love for the Prophet?
Was this day really meant to observe religious sentiments or does it have more to do with political gimmicks – more so, allowing the criminals to have a field day.
While some remain holed up inside their homes, others take to the streets shouting slogans, carrying sticks and stones. No message of peace being delivered today – instead every scene seems to exude violence and intolerance.
The army was called in Islamabad to protect the domestic enclave after protesters broke through a barrier of containers set up by police to block a road leading to the area. So the army is protecting the domestic enclave, but who is protecting the common man on the street?
What would have been the correct way to observe this day and what kind of protests should have been carried out?
Did the government take the right step by calling for Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool – and if it did, does it have no responsibility towards what goes on in the streets of Pakistan today?
“The innocence of Muslims”, which is an extremely shoddy and pathetic film has been turned into a global phenomenon. It has started the trend of Muslims burning their own cities and killing their own people. What if someone again makes a film or publishes a cartoon….every month? Are Muslims going burn down the entire Islamic world? If Muslims feel that an insult to the Prophet means death, I support you fully. But kill the person who insulted the Holy Prophet. Dont kill your own countrymen, for God’s sake.
Street power!
Always means that the original grievance has been hijacked by nefarious elements on a large scale. The ‘original grievance’ remains unanswered and simmering.
The so-called Muslim governments now have to ‘work together'( an alien concept) to have international laws put in place and they are really not up to this job.
The wider issue that needs to be addressed is that Muslims all over the world ‘perceive’ themselves to be at the receiving end of many injustices. Many of these injustices they can remove themselves given the right leadership.
What we are in witnessing is a government ‘joining the crowd’ rather than ‘beating’ it.
This is very shamful to see the properties, vehicles, belongings and the most important lives of muslims (who didnt commit the crime of making fun of our beloved prophet HAZRAT MOHAMMED SALLALAHO ALAEHE WALLAM) but still they have lost their belonging just because of no reason. i wonder why call ourselves true muslim?? this is JAHALAT and should be discouraged. If the so called “AASHIQ-E-RASOOLs ” have the courage then they should go to kill the film maker but they dont do it because they are just namely muslims who dont bother to follow islamic values or if they dont have the courage to kill the film maker then atleast they should have burnt their own vehicles, houses, and properties. Extrem iliterate show. This why education is so much important for pakistan.
Apart from the goverment our electronic media is also to blame for what ever happened yesterday specially in Karachi ! All the channels were showing the live footages of the riots in Peshawar since yesterday morning ! There were the headlines on almost every channel that the protestors has burnt cinemas in Peshawar while one channael was giving the countdown of the number of cinemas burnt in Peshawar ! I really failed to understand that what is the purpose of live telecasting the riots ! It only ignite the prostesters more & these type of coverage spread the violence rapidly ! My advice to the goverment is to suspend the electronic media on such days instead of suspending the mobile services ! I am not sure that my opinion will be posted at all but its a reality that the electronic media is very much responsible for all the choas on Youm e Ishq e Rasool !!!
Pakista nhas reached a point of no return now. Never before has violence been so easy. may be Partition was a violent time but it looks like soon Pakistanis will put the violence of partition to shame.very sad indeed.
Being born and raised in Muslim majority Kashmir but being Hindu by faith, I have for decades witnessed this kind of ‘violent random chaotic’ way of expressing love for Prophet (PBUH) till I got displaced in 1990. Increasingly devout Muslims are proving Winston Churchill’s saying on Islam right?
A religion calls itself peaceful and yet encourages its adherents to kill themselves in droves to take revenge against the alleged violators of its sanctity. Witness hundreds of thousands killed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq! It is indeed the peace of the graveyard that it promotes. Perhaps the definition of peace should be changed to the peace of the graveyard. As they say stupidity has no bounds – upper or lower.
Our exemplery national assembly issued an emotional on-the-spot declaration of a national holiday proudly thinking that they had uniquely displayed their religious duty. Then our exemplery law abiding citizens provided an on-the-spot emotional response proudly thinking that they had uniquely performed their religious duty by destroying, burning, looting and sacrificing themselves. When will we stop letting our emotions take control of us? When will we stop giving the enemies of our beloved Prophet opportunites to rejoice?
Don’t fire cinemas and stop damaging public property best way to protest is to boycot using USA made things it will provide economic pressure if all muslim nation stop using only coca cola and pepsi
There are few ways to celebrate/commemorate Yum i Ishqi Rasool (saw):
1. Adopt one of the qualities of our prophet (saw) for life/year/day/hours.
2. Help/perpetuate his (saw) cause [spread Islam]
3. Do his (saw) zikr.
Did we not fail him (saw) on all counts?
Well said.
All these protests and emotional out puts nothing new its in the genes of all south asian regardless Indian, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi’s etc and common to all indo pak races all around the world. Because they do not think with their head.
Hahaha! whats gone wrong with you Pakistanis! What have you achieved by protest and burning your own houses , shops and theatres.! Hahaha! World is laughing at you. You have not caused even a dent to USA and West by your violent protest. You have fallen directly in thier control. It is USA and West have achieved thier aim . The aim of the film was to provoke you and show to the world how stupid you were and you have done that. Does any one destroy his own house to punish his enemy.!? Hahaha! Public protest etc is Indian subcontinents system has no meaning in western world. Apne zalim ke samne apna sar ko jhukate ho. Kya hua tumara zamir ko. If you are so brave why don’t you go and strangle the devil Nakoula bin nakoula’s neck. Have you done any thing to Salman Rushdi in this 20 years.
These riots are not merely protest against the low budget amateur blasphamous film, but a magma that has now started to erupt, because of deep anguish found among these infuriated masses. In wild lawlessness if the life and property of a citizen is not safe, how could any one expect him to be a law abiding citizen towards the life and property of his fellow beings ? When illiteracy is at its peak, what else we can expect from these uncivilized heap ? Majority of these rioters must be even incognizant to this unsanctified movie trailor which was blocked before somebody had any access (an applaudable move by govt;). In fact, they have got a chance of outburst and this film has set a stage for them.
The intelligentsia at the policy level should address the widespread exasperations, as they have entered the threshold zone and mobs like these have dragged Robspeirre, Qadafi and many more like them out of their palaces …
I watched on tv the president or ameer of the sunni tehrik calling the people of a procession that do not vote to those parties who are not participating today. Was this all a political issue which has taken the lives of several pakistanis ?. I humbly request my fellow countrymen that please do not vote these mullah parties. They have hijacked whole the country and receiving dollars for their evil purpose from enemies of pakistan.
“All violent acts are done by a small minority”
“Islam is a religion of peace”
Rinse and repeat.
Pakistani Government must be proud of the bloodshed thus far for have this National Holiday! Fellow Muslims, you are making a mockery of Islam world wide with your anti-social behavior. How do can you justify this VIOLENCE and DESTRUCTION? How are you any different than any other hate mongers??? You are a shame to our Prophet, Faith and the Nation.
What we are witnessing is a fight between have and have nots. The have nots are bent upon destruction of society. Typically Pakistan mindset created by Mullah/Military – If I can’t have it, you can’t have it either.
prophet muhammad(PBUH) was a prophet of action and bravery and rekindling the spirit of action on his day is alright. a small amount of property destroyed is a small price for assuaging hurt feelings.loss of lives is regrettable and it was not caused by protesters.
In the midst of all this chaos. Only Taliban is a silent spectator. Either they are really wise people or they just want to be different or Ishq Rasool is not part of their faith and agenda.
The prophet (SAW) said, “Your faith is not complete unless your love for me is greater than all your loved ones”. I guess all these people who are protesting so violently are doing so because if someone said something about your mother. You would become violent too.
So it’s best to live and let live!
I am reminded of Direct Action Day called by Mr. Jinnah. He said – “If I have a pistol I will use it.” Now that is being copied by not to learned followers in PPP and Jamat parties. Government has th epwoer to declare mayhem and Jamat has power to orchestrate.
i appreciate the government to observe yaum-i-ishq-rasool(PBUH)..but its our own dull people doing such insensible things..
Very normal response from Pakistani Muslims. Nobody can say they are surprised.
i think it is anger coz of lazy islamic labelled govt. On one hand ,it is USA govt who save its people on the basis that it is freedom of Expression
On the other hand it is Pakistan so called for 2 obeserve LOVE 4 PROPHET & it so pelpet govt has only even regestered it protest with USA ambessy… Ask me why. Why it govt has remained silent it should have critised & asked america being it ally … & also being a ISLAMIC PRESENTATIVE COUNTRY… Always remember wen Govt remains silent over sensitive metters it is its sensitive people who speak out & that 2 in huge & angry ways…
i think IT IS GOVT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE &
NOT ITS PEOPLE
this is stupidity of the highest order,burning down homes of people that too are offended by the film.even those people who may have been sympathetic will now doubt us.the prophet once said that “one cant think straight if his fists are clenched ” and i wonder how many banned and radical groups are involved in this?
I wonder how many of the people rioting, looting and causing mayhem for what they think is showing love for our prophet (PBUH) actually prayed Fajr namaz ?
Murtaza I agree with you. I am sadden by the fact it’s all talk but no walk. Unfortunately ignorant people do not understand that violence is not indicative of love, following the Sunnah is. May Allah give us the understand of true love.
you think just by praying Fajr would have made them a better person… what if you find out that all of them did Fajr…will you stop doing Fajr then…
Looting plundering and hurting others depriving families from livelihood…Great.
This is how we show love..
Why not laugh at those who create chaos…Prophet is divine.Lady throwing trash was forgiven/ignored
The protest show that violent depiction of prophet is proved right by his followers.I know that is wrong but this is the message the violent protests give.i.e violent illiterate intolerant Islam
Very good point. I was even thinking the same that all the people who are protesting,calling them a good muslim, had even offered all the prayers which are obligatory.