It is not the first time that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has surprised us with its narrow interpretation of Islamic laws on issues such as marriage and women. CII’s special interest in allowing unrestrained polygamy and its desire to deprive women of any right to decide about their married life has increased the nuisance value of this institution. It cannot accept the existence of strong, independent and self-reliant women in society. The mullahs conveniently invoke Islam when it suits them, but give it little respect when they interpret its message in socially regressive terms. This has been a general hypocritical approach followed through the years by these so-called Islamic scholars. However, the most interesting statement made by the Chairman of the CII, Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, in the council’s 196th meeting was to declare the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance Act 2014 against Shariah. One would be interested to know, through which interpretive model of the Shariah has the Maulana arrived at this conclusion. The reason given by the Maulana that the Act has given the armed forces power over the civilian government, goes only to expose the blinkered view the CII uses to read, assess and interpret the political situation in the country.
If the CII wants the terrorists to take over the country, then that is a different story. But if it is genuinely interested in seeing this country restored to peace, Maulana Sherani and his clan should apologize to the country for this statement. On the other hand, who had promulgated the law, the army or the government? In spite of its several clauses impinging upon civil and human rights, the law has been passed unanimously by parliament in the interests of the state. The question arises, whose interest is the CII trying to defend by declaring the PPO un-Islamic? We need this country cleansed of all sorts of terrorists, the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’. In fact, the CII would do a great service if it could pass some kind of resolution on revising and updating the education policy pursued in the madrassas. Whether we like it or not, the reality is that much of the terrorism has arisen from these institutions.
In spite of all its idiosyncrasies, the CII has been careful and prudent enough to discourage people from indulging in hate speech, especially during the sensitive month of Muharram. Still, it is time the CCI should either be disbanded, since it has outlived its constitutional life, or it should revisit its views on its pronouncements that have violated the message of Islam and made us the laughing stock of the world.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Pakistan: Council of Islamic Ideology’s idiosyncrasies
It is not the first time that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has surprised us with its narrow interpretation of Islamic laws on issues such as marriage and women. CII’s special interest in allowing unrestrained polygamy and its desire to deprive women of any right to decide about their married life has increased the nuisance value of this institution. It cannot accept the existence of strong, independent and self-reliant women in society. The mullahs conveniently invoke Islam when it suits them, but give it little respect when they interpret its message in socially regressive terms. This has been a general hypocritical approach followed through the years by these so-called Islamic scholars. However, the most interesting statement made by the Chairman of the CII, Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, in the council’s 196th meeting was to declare the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance Act 2014 against Shariah. One would be interested to know, through which interpretive model of the Shariah has the Maulana arrived at this conclusion. The reason given by the Maulana that the Act has given the armed forces power over the civilian government, goes only to expose the blinkered view the CII uses to read, assess and interpret the political situation in the country.
If the CII wants the terrorists to take over the country, then that is a different story. But if it is genuinely interested in seeing this country restored to peace, Maulana Sherani and his clan should apologize to the country for this statement. On the other hand, who had promulgated the law, the army or the government? In spite of its several clauses impinging upon civil and human rights, the law has been passed unanimously by parliament in the interests of the state. The question arises, whose interest is the CII trying to defend by declaring the PPO un-Islamic? We need this country cleansed of all sorts of terrorists, the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’. In fact, the CII would do a great service if it could pass some kind of resolution on revising and updating the education policy pursued in the madrassas. Whether we like it or not, the reality is that much of the terrorism has arisen from these institutions.
In spite of all its idiosyncrasies, the CII has been careful and prudent enough to discourage people from indulging in hate speech, especially during the sensitive month of Muharram. Still, it is time the CCI should either be disbanded, since it has outlived its constitutional life, or it should revisit its views on its pronouncements that have violated the message of Islam and made us the laughing stock of the world.
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