Pakistan: Batsman Ahmed Shahzad - Straight to heaven or be ready for the fire

Yasser Latif Hamdani

It is continuous lack of professionalism that seeps through Pakistani society where religion becomes a convenient escape. It is this mindset that occasions a break for prayers in the middle of important legislative business in parliament

What was Pakistan’s opening batsman Ahmed Shahzad’s score in the final one day international (ODI) against Sri Lanka? He scored 10 runs out of a total of 102! Sri Lanka won the series 2-1. They had earlier won the test series 2-0. But was defeat on Ahmed Shahzad’s mind? Was he thinking of the lessons learnt from the defeat? Perish the thought. He was more interested in converting Tilkaratne Dilshan, the hero of the final ODI, to Islam and it was caught on camera. He said, “If you are a non-Muslim and you turn Muslim, no matter whatever you do with life, (you go) straight to heaven.” He must have gotten a befitting reply to which he further announced that the fire awaited poor Dilshan in the hereafter: “Then be ready for the fire.”

Let us analyse this statement. Shahzad of the losing team, who scored 10 runs, is telling Dilshan of the winning team, who scored an unbeaten 50, that no matter what you do, whether you win the match or win the World Cup, you are going to face the fire. So what if you have won the match; I have a ticket to heaven because I am a Muslim. I can shirk my responsibility, steal, cheat and do whatever I wish but I am going “straight to heaven”. This attitude is a dangerous one for any society to have.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahryar Khan rightly described the comment as “stupid”. But it was more than just stupid. It is a breach of contract between the player and the PCB that clearly bars the player from talking about religion on the field. Strictest possible action must be taken against Ahmed Shahzad. Yet there may be some Pakistanis who may dismiss this as “freedom of speech”. Ironically, they would be far less forgiving if the situation was reversed. Suppose it was Dilshan who had made the comment to Shahzad on a Pakistani field extolling the virtues of Buddhism and badmouthing Islam?

That is not the point however. It is this continuous lack of professionalism that seeps through Pakistani society where religion becomes a convenient escape. It is this mindset that occasions a break for prayers in the middle of important legislative business in parliament. It is the parliament of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, you might say. But is this Islamic republic not part of the world? Does it not have to deal with problems that any nation state in the world has to face?

Historians record an incident from the history of the founding party of this country, the All India Muslim League. As the central executive committee of the Muslim League deliberated, the time for prayer approached. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan suggested to the chair that the committee should break for prayers. The chair, Mr Jinnah, responded: “Look here Maulana sahib, we are talking of the freedom for the Muslims and you can only think of prayers?” Needless to say, the subject was not broached again. The Muslim League, as a rule, did not break for prayers under Jinnah’s leadership. This aspect of Jinnah’s personality was perhaps best captured in the otherwise inaccurate film Gandhi when Gandhi, Azad and Nehru are shown praying in Jinnah’s drawing room. Jinnah walks in and says condescendingly, “Gentlemen if you are done with your prayers, perhaps we can begin.” Islam, in any event, is very practical in its approach to life. There is no monasticism in this faith. You do not need to fast if you are travelling. You do not need to perform the pilgrimage if you cannot afford it. Time and time again the doctrine emphasises that the rights of man (haqooq-ul-ibad) are more important than the rights of God (haqooqullah). Honestly, carrying out the job you are tasked with is equal to worship. Coming back to cricket, however, and in particular cricket with Sri Lanka, have we forgotten the unfortunate history of our cricketing ties? I am utterly grateful that Sri Lanka continues to play Pakistan after what happened in Lahore in 2009. Now our cricketers are threatening them with hellfire on their own grounds, particularly — and this gets my goat — after losing the match badly and shamelessly. Is it any wonder then that, despite the efforts of all PCB chairmen, no one wants to play cricket in our country?

Islam, a religion followed by 1.5 billion people around the world, does not need chest thumping by Pakistani cricketers on the field. The Creator does not need the most insecure reaffirmations from them when they start their post-match interviews with “Thanks to Allah”, win or lose. Has it occurred to you that cricket is the last thing the Creator of the heavens and the earth may be interested in? When you win on the field, it is not because of prayers and supplications but the skill you display on the field. When you lose, it is because you played badly and not because Allah was unhappy with you. Stop making a mockery of Islam and the Creator and stop making Pakistan the laughing stock of the world.