[symple_box] 
Sabeet Raza is a young Pakistani who aims to bring an end to the way his compatriots pessimistically view the Pakistani society. He is the founder of the Religion Humanity Initiative, an NGO working to bring an end to religious intolerance. [/symple_box]
Love is a beautiful concept, yet one that has never been understood and from what I understand, never will be fully understood. It has been interpreted by millions in a manner unique to everyone. From Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet to Zuliakha and Prophet Yusuf, love is yet again to be the same for anyone. That though, is not the only unique thing about love. It expresses itself in very different ways too. For some its a red rose and a box of dark chocolate wrapped in red paper whilst for others its standing up to protect the dignity of your loved ones.
I pen these words not to enforce my interpretation of love, that would be nothing but a crime; but I write to question the madness that a specific kind of love has recently brought around. If you guessed it, you probably guessed it right, yep- I’m talking about the Ahmedi factory that was burnt to ashes over an allegation of blasphemy.
To be honest, I tend to react very quickly when it comes to such issues. I would’ve written this article the night I saw the burning factory and the mad mob but something struck me that night. We always write about such events promising not to forget them. Yet, in all our hypocrisy and the facade we live within, we always tend to forget them. Hence, I decided to wait a few days before I started screaming in a melodramatic manner, with my words nothing but a mere rhetoric.
Therefore, today I shall try my best to convince you and myself of the brutality of this love that has started to plague our nation. Before you judge, I do believe in Love, but I find it absurd to burn a persons house down solely for an allegation of blasphemy against the romance of your life.
I’ve come to understand that for some, religion is the ultimate love, their final romance.
If you still haven’t gotten it, I am talking about the extent to which one religious person can go to for the sake of protecting the dignity of their beliefs. If you have, I hope to keep you interested long enough to convey my message.
Firstly, please do understand that this is not as simple a situation as it may appear. Sectarian Violence, Religious Intolerance and Criminal activities have been so commonplace that we now tend to skim past them as if they were the results of a lottery game we hadn’t bought a ticket for. We need to take this event seriously and learn a lesson from it.
Secondly, whoever you are, wherever you and whatever religion you identify with- nothing gives you the right to take one’s home away, simply not just for a few words he might’ve uttered or pages he might have torn. I understand that religion is a very important part in the lives of many. They live every moment trying to follow their leaders but that is where the million dollar question comes in. Is there really a religion on this planet that supports the idea of violence against blasphemers? Does any religion ask you to torch the home of a person who does not conform to your beliefs? I believe not. If there is any such “thing”, it is merely the radical mind of a criminal who has nothing better to do but to serve as the proprietor of mischief and hate.
Thirdly, I may be criticised for this, but it goes without a single doubt in my mind that the mob that passionately torched the factory and house of an Ahmedi in Jhelum was merely a group of hypocrites, brutes, savages and outlaws. Their actions reek of inhumanity and an absolute lack of compassion. They deserve to be tried as such (i.e. as the criminals they are). Hence, I would not only request, but humbly implore, the government to take action against such savages who monger mischief in the name of religion.
Furthermore, as unfortunate as it may be, our society too is largely at fault for nurturing such animals. Some people even pet these criminals as if they are the saviours of the nation. This needs to change for as of now, we are “within and without”. If no adequate initiatives are taken against such people, our society will soon be in ruins, down on one knee at the mercy of outlaws and mischief mongrels.
Hence, let us not forget this event like the hundreds we have before. Ignoring those incidents is nothing different than ignoring a deep cut on your right hand. If we let these cuts keep on tearing us open, we will eventually end up scarred and broken from the inside and the outside. We need to pay attention to such wounds, particularly since those from 19th December 2014 are yet to heal.
I implore you to stand against this inhumanity with as much strength as you can. Please ostracise these brutes instead of ostracising the victims and religious minorities. I hope my word have at least a slight influence on your contemplation of life and the rights of those in its despair; and may we hopefully head towards a more tolerant nation as soon as possible.
