The Khatam- e- Nabuwat (The Finality Of The Prophethood Pf Hazrat Muhammad PBUH) Outburst
21 November 2017By Saeed Qureshi
The sit-in assemblage (Dharna) by the Muslims and upholders of the
Khatam-e-Nabuwat (the belief in the finality of the prophethood of Hazrat
Muhammad) is still continuing a the Faizabad interchange located between
cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. This colossal
protest congregation was initiated by the indignant Muslim protestors and
religious and spiritual leaders on November 6 and is still continuing. The TLP
leaders and activists have been picketing at the interchange since November 6,
disrupting the routine life in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
This huge protest was sparked because some individuals in the government
recently changed the oath related to Khatm-e-Nabuwat into a simple declaration
and repealed Clauses 7B and 7C from the Election Order 2002 that made it
obligatory for the government servants and all people serving on coveted
positions and jobs to declare the finality of Prophet Muhammad for all times
to come.
Apparently, it is a matter of faith and the Muslims particularly, the clerical
classes and religious circles cannot accept the removal of those clauses from
the oath that are related to the faith that prophet Muhmmad is the final
prophet of God. As such the colossal reaction to the removal of those
controversial clauses recently were resented and hugely protested on the
countrywide scale.
Tanzeem Islami (TI) Ameer Hafiz Akif Saeed has demanded "unmasking, punishing,
and expelling the ministers and government officials responsible for repealing
the clauses of Khatm-e-Nabuwat oath". He pleaded that "those responsible for
the misadventure of altering the Khatam-i-Nabuwat Declaration had committed a
crime against entire Muslim Ummah and deserved punishment."
The satiation has become very precarious and problematic for the movement of
vehicles of all kinds between these two cities. As we all know huge number of
employees, businessmen and students travel between these two cities every day.
As such with the Dharnas and blockade caused by the demonstrators has caused
inexplicable hardships for the employees and bread earners of the families and
other commuters.
The students cannot reach their educational institutions easily. The patients
cannot be moved from one place to another due to the persistent and stubborn
protests and obstruction by the "do and die" protesters who stop the
travelling of all kind by raising slogans and physically reprimanding and
turning back the ordinary citizens. This is an alarming situation which has
immensely disrupted the normal life of the citizenry in these most important
cities of Pakistan.
In the meantime, and in response to the extremely delicate law and order
situation and disruption of normal life, the government as a remedial measure
has removed the controversial "change of the oath related to Khatm-e-Nabuwat
into a simple declaration and repealed Clauses 7B and 7C from the Election
Order 2002"
The Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has claimed that "not only that
those clauses have been restored but "The Khatam-e-Nabuwat law" has been
strengthened more than ever before. So much so that Sections 7B and 7C which
were made part of the Constitution during the Musharraf government in 2002 for
10 days only and were recently repealed, have been instated and made permanent
part of the Constitution".
Nevertheless, the leaders of this unabating religious protest must realize
that the government will have to take stern action to clear the roads and
disperse the crowd of protesters by using force including the deployment of
the Frontier Constabulary as ordered by the High court. That might entail
casualties for which the entire responsibility will be leveled on the
religious Ulemas and leaders who refuse to disperse and doggedly continue
their protest and hampering the normal life of the citizens including the
employees, the students and the general commuters.
In that situation, the prominent religious heads leading the protests will be
held responsible for that mayhem, loss of life, damage to the property and
vehicles etc. It is therefore, imperative that the religious leader
spearheading Khatam-e- Nabuwat should sit with the government functionaries on
the negotiating table and sort out the whole issue in a peaceful manner. That
is the best, viable and wiser course than having head-on collision with the
government. If the purpose behind this protest is the removal of the incumbent
government then it is different scenario.
In the meantime, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the government to
explain as to why it had failed to clear the Faizabad Interchange of Tehreek
Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protesters.
"This is a very serious situation that despite a request to the leadership of
the sit-in and directions given to the district administration, no material
progress has been shown except negotiations, negotiations and negotiations,"
said Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, who heads the one-member bench.
The court served show-cause notices on secretary interior, IGP Islamabad,
chief commissioner and deputy commissioner Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT)
seeking explanation as to why the protesters had not been removed from the
interchange despite the November 17 directions.
The protestors are demanding resignation of certain ministers somehow related
with a that decision that patently hurt the religious sensibilities of the
believes of Khatam e Nabuwat or the finality of the prophethood of Hazrat
Muhammad.
It appears that the protests and their powerful religious guides and leaders
have some other motives beyond the restoration of the concerned clauses. If
it's merely a question of resignation by some ministers let the government
take that decision as well.
But per say had prophet Muhammad(pbuh) been alive, he would have certainly
advised and commanded the Muslims protesters to call off their strike for the
sake of the people. He would have counseled them restraint and patience and
not to be rowdy.
It is certainly advisable for the protesters to call off their protest when
the basic conditions and demand of the protestors have been accepted and the
necessary legal action taken by restoring the original clauses related to
finality of the prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (Sallalah-o-Alai Wasslaum) a
have been reinstated. It is all the more necessary to restore normal life of
the citizens.
The writer is a senior journalist, former editor of Diplomatic Times and a
former diplomat. This and other articles by the writer can also be read at his
blog www.uprightopinion.com
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EsinIslam.Com
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