Mandate! For What?

muneer.khalili@hotmail.com
‘The people will not allow someone to trample their mandate given to the government.’ Who says this? The One who himself tarnished the mandate by getting counted to be one of the most corrupt and untrustworthy men of our political history. The most dubious character seems to have put his loyalties on sale for his personal and family interests. All of his policies have brought nothing for the people except disgrace, carnage, insecurity and uncertainty. He lives a luxurious life behind the fortifications. In return of the mandate given to him by the people he gave them the scarcity of the basic goods needed in daily life, load shedding and price hike. He is lowly with his American masters, surrendering to their will at the cost of national interests but ready to crush his own people where and when the Americans demand his cooperation in so-called ‘War Against Terror’. The country seems to have been let on lease to the Americans. He is two hands ahead of his predecessor, the military dictator.
Now let us make out level of profundity of those who mandate the thugs and plunderers. Our Holy Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: “The believer is subtle and sagacious, understanding and sensitive, vigilant and careful, cautious and scrupulous, firm and resolute, meticulous, knowledgeable and pious.” (Al Delmi) Why almost in every election only dishonest, rakish and wicked people become our choice to lead and govern over us? Why we again become ready to choose the people already tested to be the worst in political arena? Why we run into same troubles of hereditary and professional and not missionary politics without any noble cause? Though our politicians are extremely sycophant about the political awareness of the people and their love for Islam but as a matter of fact the people are very simple and ignorant, easily made fools and led astray. The leadership is actually the reflection of what the people really are. The politicians are only scum of sentimental and unthinking sea of the people. Due to the lack the attributes mentioned in the Hadith referred above they are bewitched by political sorcery. A dwindling faith hardly saves the people from being subject to the poisonous sting of the foxy politicians. The reason behind getting again and again misled is weakness of faith and morality. Holy Prophet (SAW) had once said “ The believer never gets stung and bitten from the same hole.” (Hadith agreed upon) but unfortunately they thrush their fingers in the same hole and get dangerously harmed times after time. If a character and nature of a true believer whose vision is profoundly sharp and sighting power is derived from Allah’s Light then the believer hardly becomes open to such trickeries.
If we cast a cursory look around us we find humanity at its decline. Materialism is at its rise. Everyone is seen in competition with others in raising living standard. Emulation in worldly life getting swelled. Trend of vying with others in artificialities of life is surging. Contentment has died out and greed has grown high. Madrassas of religious scholars, abodes of ‘Shayukh’ (spiritual leaders) and hermitages of Sufis fail to play any role to mentally uplift, spiritually guide and morally train the peoples. Great values have reduced to be inculcated in minds and role models have vanished. Most of the religious parties prove to be more concerned for political gains than caring for curing the indisposed condition of almost a lifeless religiosity. Moral decline is a crystal clear fact. The system of Madaris-e-Arabia has zero level impact in the process of building a healthy, noble and vibrant society.
Worldly and modern education does have a contribution in elevating man’s thinking but literacy rate in our country is still much more below the required level. Set objectives of this type of educations are entirely earning money and not bringing awareness and enhancing the conscience. Three different systems of education are in work for different classes of the society placing them in three distant islands. All the three systems are developing three clashing mindsets. Our ruling elite has the influence to sideline two of these and constantly give the special distinguished system an upper hand. The product of the institutions for privileged classes in the country and abroad, the degree holders, are particularly prepared for ruling the lower classes or being right hands of the rulers with special services in civil and military bureaucracy.
They learn not to serve but through their preferential education they master a skill of fooling the masses. Already struck of illiteracy, ignorance and poverty, the people lose their sense of self-respect, self-confidence and self-determination. Irrespective of looting of the national resources by corrupt political elements gulled and duped masses start dancing on the drum of wicked politicians. This is called ‘mandate’ in our country.
What is happening to the people of Pakistan is actually recapitulation of the old stories of the human history. Firaun had done the same to his people. He also enjoyed the ‘mandate’ of his subjects. And when Musa (AS), the prophet of Allah (SWT), challenged his tyranny the same was his claim that the people of Egypt would not allow Musa (AS) to trample the public mandate given to him. What the ‘mandate’ meant to him? No check on crushing those who refused to bow, bargaining the loyalties and conscience, deceiving the foolish, cowards, and those who lacked manliness and courage. He was happy to see the people of his country coming up exactly as he had expected. They proved themselves having no discrimination between bad and good and between vice and virtue. Passivity of their voices had made them unimportant to him. He befooled them and took them very light. Verse:54 of Surah Az-Zukhruf gives us an account of their mentality: ‘Fastkhaffa Qaumahu Fa Atauho. Innahum Kanoo Qauman Faseqeen’ {He took them light (because of their foolishness) and they obeyed him (and proved they were the same what he thought them),and (by nature) they were corrupt and worst in their moral condition. }