The public prosecutor repeatedly persuaded the judge to issue death penalty to the bear for mauling an innocent man- “Your honour! The bear is guilty of mangling people, he is a beast, a deadly brute, a fiendish monster who inflicts pain upon weak creatures. Capital punishment is the least he deserves,” exclaimed the prosecuting attorney. The dejected bear stood up from the witness box and said, “My lord, I should be allowed to plead my case because none from the homo-sapiens came forward in my defence. So, I may be accepted as my own counsel”- “Permission granted,” stated the judge.
The despondent bear took an unusual pause, as if he had forgotten everything, his throat looked clogged, cleared it in a state of urgency to speak. “Your ho-o -o nour ! ” He fumbled and stuttered badly, as if he was apprehensive and skeptical about the system of justice prevalent in the court of law. The judge understood his trepidatious and concerned state of mind, thus intervened instantly, “I assure you absolute justice, you are not proven guilty yet, so speak without fear and any apprehension.” The assurance from the chief jurist somewhat calmed and solaced the bear. He opened his mouth as if a volcano of emotions bursts into a monologue. With trembling voice, he exclaimed,
“My lord, I am being often mocked, taunted and ridiculed as ‘ Haput ‘ by the so-called Ashraful Makhlooqat. But, today, I want to unveil the masquerader who rips up hapless creatures relentlessly. Let’s all know who the real beast is. I have been handcuffed and subjected to judicial trials for my attempt to extinguish the fire of my belly. But, the fact of the matter is that the viceroy of God has forced me to retreat from my abode in search of food. His unnecessary and unwarranted attempts to satiate his ego has deprived me of my sustenance. Poaching and fowling have reduced my preying opportunities awfully.
Green-gold is vanishing into the thin air to his rapacity, as if some moorish sorcerer has cursed it with some intense spells of black magic. I have the courage to come down from mountains, but weaker creatures are falling prey to inanition and starvation. Forage and fodder for animals has exhausted to his callousness and greed. Creations of the God are perishing from the planet for his insensitivity and avarice. He mutilates thousands in a jiffy. Yet, he is Ashraful Makhlooqat, and I am Haput.
Spilling human blood has become the trade of the man. Brutal wars and battles have reddened the soil with millions of innocent souls falling prey to his egotism and ambitious instincts. Carnages and genocides have become norm of the day on the planet. The man butchers his own brethren to revenge an insult or to add a few bucks to his bank account. There are thousands of instances of his brutal and barbaric character. Millions have succumbed to his egomania and conceit. Arms of destruction and demolition stand piled up to decimate life from the planet. Lust, libido and ambition are the blinkers that obstruct his vision to look beyond the animalistic and materialistic perspective. Murders, massacres and assassination attempts have tarnished his heavenly appellations. Yet, the man is Ashraful Makhlooqat, I am Haput.
I am guilty of having sharp and pointed canines, but, the toothless viceroy of God is tearing human flesh under his jaws. The disguised wolf is roaming with open mouth to devour anything that comes his way. He is plundering and looting creations of God through deceptive and cheap means. The cunning man is resorting to trickery and deceit to accumulate extra wealth and money. Food adulteration and contamination is manoeuvring the health of common people slowly, but the honourable man is least bothered about it. Cyanides, pesticide residues, urea, brick dust and saw dust is added to different food items to earn extra chunks of money. His mind is a nest of intrigue and treachery. Dozens of cancers and deadly ailments are caused by the foul practices. And the man is Ashraful Makhlooqat, and I am Haput.
Jhelum, Dal, Wular, Mansbal and high altitude perennial lakes are chocked and gagged. The man takes pride in filling the bellies of these water bodies with poisonous trash and garbage. Gigantic mountains of polythene and plastic have assumed dangerous proportions. Quality of air and water has deteriorated badly. Jungles and dozens of animal species living there are facing the pangs of unnecessary human intervention. Many plant and animal species are either endangered or have gone extinct. Killing of innocent animals continues to be his chief hobby, and a cheap source of amusement. And the man is Ashraful Makhlooqat, and I the Haput.
Molestation bids and forced rapes have exterminated the chastity and sanctity of Binti-Hawa. She is being subjected to inferior and stepmotherly treatment Predecessors of the man used to bury her alive, but, the Ashraful Makhlooqat has taken the attack to her conception. He eliminates Binti -Hawa in her mother’s womb. Thousands of daughters of Hawa have fallen victim to his libido and so-called masculinity. Masculine hegemony and brutality has become fate of the Binti-Hawa. He barters her modesty and purity to gratify his carnal desires. And the man is Ashraful Makhlooqat, and I am Haput.
Ah! The visionary angels had raised their voice at right time. I endorse their concerns and scepticism at the creation of Adam AS. I am reminded of surah Al-Bakarah of the holy Quran, verse 30, ” And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a Khalifah (Vicegerent), they said: What! Will Thou place in it someone who causes mischief and bloodshed, we glorify Thy praise and extol Thy sanctitude. Allah responded, “Indeed, I know that which ye know not.” The crown of creations has proven the apprehensions of the angels true. Our own land of sufis, saints and sages has lost its glorious legacy of values and ethos. Misadventures of the man send shivers down my spine. I am at times ashamed of being his subordinate. His wicked and mean character has certainly disappointed his Lord Who has created the man in the best composition. Your honour ! Let you decide my fate on the facts. Give your verdict on merit. Who shall be sent to gallows? Who is the real Haput? I or the man! The judge put his pen under his teeth, and was drowned into an ocean of introspection and self-analysis.
The Author is a Teacher and a Columnist. He can be reached at mushtaqhurra143@gmail.com