Different local and national level news portals are abuzz with appalling and unpleasant news items from Kashmir valley. Our heads are bowed down in extreme shame and obloquy. Somewhere a mother is killed by her own son, elsewhere a young marriageable girl is torn into pieces, somewhere women drug peddlers are apprehended by police, somewhere a young man stabs another to death for a petty reason, and somewhere a cruel father strangulates his own daughter to death, resembling the ignorant Arabs who used to bury their daughters alive.
Such gruesome episodes were beyond the imagination of our fathers and forefathers. They would attribute the red sky to a murder, in a faraway country. Even such terms had hardly any space in our local parlance. But, now, fact of the matter is that we have turned wild. I mean, successors of simple and squeaky clean people have become vehemently brutal and barbaric. The disciples of Nund Reshi, Makhdoom ( AR ) Sahab and Lal Arifa have turned insane. We have wounded, maimed and petrified the humanity. Values, virtues and ethics are annoyed with us, and have probably gone to distant lands. We are bereft of morality. And we deserve to be dethroned from the royal chair of Ashraful Makhlooqat(The noblest of all creatures).
During recent times, we have added new chapters of indecency and obscenity to the history of Peer Waer. I hardly gather courage to make a mention of the obnoxious episodes which have rocked, shocked and grieved every Kashmiri. Yes, I am talking about twin prostitution rackets that have been busted very recently, in the capital city of Srinagar, by law enforcing agencies. And ironically, the trade of whoredom was carried out during the holy month of Ramadhan. No strangers, atheists or foreigners have been found involved in the heinous crime. But, the culprits are our own people! We have dug pitfalls of death for our own children to get destroyed. We have become the priests of lust.
Though the law of our land has probably for the first time taken strong cognizance of the matter, and have booked a couple of the wrongdoers under public safety act (PSA). But, it isn’t enough and adequate. Complete eradication of malicious and malignant tumor is vitally important to cure the society off the deadly cancer, because adultery and fornication decays and degenerates a nation quite silently but surely. The horrendous act of Satan is one of the most despised things before Allah SWT. Islam has taken a strong stance against the abominable gesture.
Islamic shariah law has devised 100 lashes as chastisement to fornicators, and severe flogging ( Rajm ) to those found guilty of adultery. Allah SWT has categorically admonished those who indulge in the cheap business. The holy Quran vividly advises slaves of Allah SWT to keep away from the awful act. (Wala Taqrabuz-Zina, Inna HooKaanaFahishahWa Sa-a Sabeela.” Surah Al-Isra, verse 32). Do not approach fornication for it is an immodest act, and an evil way. Prophet Muhammad SAW has cautioned us to refrain from the malady of Zinna. The cheap trade evaporates the divine light ( Noor ) of Eeman ( Faith ) and Haya ( Modesty ) from our hearts. Nations indulging in the mucky trade become cowards and immodest. And the dirt of prostitution is believed to be one of the chief causes of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS, Hepatitis B etc… Perils of the dirty business have landed us into a sexual anarchy.
Satiation of sexual pleasure through legal and legitimate means is no sin or crime. Prized institution of marriage licenses adult couples to sleep together. ” They are your garment, and you are a garment for them.(HunnaLibasunLakum,Wa-antumLibasunLahum. Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 187). Sanctity of religious constitution is desecrated even by our slightest indulgence into unfair and illicit ways to give vent to our sexual desires.
Violation of law widens the breaches, and inundates societies into the deluge of immodesty. Allah SWT has created man with many taste buds to relish the culinary delicacies, fruits and other eatables. Besides receiving necessary nutrients from the foods we ingest, we satiate our taste buds and derive pleasure from them. In the same way, sexual activities are primarily meant to carry out the process of reproduction, but, homo sapiens are among the only two species which derive pleasure from it.
Now, we need to unravel the reasons behind these disreputable and debauched practices prevalent in our society. The most important cause of the growing immorality is the exhaustion of eeman in our hearts. Eeman seldom rests in rusty hearts. Haya (Modesty) is a component or a branch of eeman (Faith). How can we see a branch growing greener, healthier and stronger, when the mother tree is ailing. The branch is sure to perish when its mother tree wilts and dies. The tree of our eeman (Faith) has almost succumbed to multiple diseases.
Fear of God (Allah SWT) kindles the candle of eeman in our hearts, constant Zikr (Remembrance of Allah SWT and His commandments), keeps a check on our animalistic traits. But alas! The basic fuel of eeman has exhausted in our hearts. Now, the retributive and punitive reactions from heavens are sure to whip us all. Those who are pious and honest, but are silent against the growing evils, are no better than the wicked ones. Keeping away from crimes and evils is not enough to win us the pleasure of Allah SWT, but, we must raise voice against the growing indecency to save ourselves and others as well. (” Kuntum Khaira Ummatin, UkhrijatLinnas, TamaroonaBil-MaroofiWa Tan-How Na AnillMunkar. Surah Aal-Imran, verse 110) You are the best people brought forth for (the guidance and reform of ) mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.
Author is a Teacher and a Columnist. He can be reached at mushtaqhurra143@gmail.com
