by Asadullah Mahesar 13 January 2024
Religion has played a double role in a society, namely, ”world maintaining and world-shaking”. Sometimes, it behaves to legitimate the power, getting privilege or liberty, and sometimes, it manipulates to dethrone the rulers. The dictation of religion was misinterpreted, and the officialdoms of the state misused religion to justify their rule and to architect the social settings of the society before and after European imperialism in the Sub-continent. Pakistan has a colourful history of religious exploitation where the religion is being exploited either by theologians or ruler elites to get their interests before and after the independence.
The division of the Sub-continent was based on the ”two-nation theory” proposed by Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan that was entirely based on religion (Hinduism and Islam); it means nationalism was created in the name of religion to advocate the Muslim interests of India. However, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah underscored the cultural differences between Hindus and Muslims rather than the religious dissimilarities between them, nevertheless, the Muslim Leaguers had observed the same vision. Even Jinnah’s 1940 and 1947 speeches have contrast to each other, for instance, in 1940 Jinnah’s main argument was to create the separate Muslim state for Muslims only, but when his object was fulfilled in 1947 his notions was changed, and he welcomed all the people from different walks of life in the new-born state. If the Muslim League’s goal was only to establish an Islamic state, then Maulana Maududi, the founder of Jamaat e Islami, and Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani, a renowned Indian Islamic scholar, were not against the Pakistan movement. Thus, the two-nation theory failed when Bengal was segregated from Pakistan in 1971.
Since the inception of Pakistan, the political gains have been accomplished by exploiting the religion either by religious or political parties and this exercise has been observed in both military as well as in civilian governments. Hence, the first time this religious card was played by Jamaat-e-Islami of Maulana Maududi against Fatima Jinnah by declaring that “women do not have right to contest the election” during the presidential elections of 1965, when she contested in the opposition of General Ayub Khan.
Alike, Z. A. Bhutto replicated the same to appease the Ullema by raising the slogan of Islamic Socialism during the first-ever general elections of 1970, and then to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslim through parliament as well as organized the second Islamic Summit in 1974 to remain in power. Moreover, in 1977 after the second general elections alleged by the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) led by Mufti Mehmood against Z. A. Bhutto thus, the political demonstrations were converted to demand the implementation of “Nizam-e-Mustafa” by using religion to depose Bhutto’s government. Even Bhutto declared Friday as a public holiday instead of Sunday to stabilize his power, but he could not succeed.
Furthermore, the religion was tremendously manipulated during the Afghan-Jihad of 1980s against the powerful army of USSR that had posed an adverse impact on Pakistan’s politics and social life under the umbrella of General Zia’s Islamization. According to Arif Jamal, author of Shadow War, explains that Jamaat Islami had played a decisive role in Afghan-Jihad along with the military and later creating the insurgency in Indian Occupied Kashmir in 1990s under the shadow of Holy war. Besides, Islami Jamhori Ittihad (IJI) was founded by former ISI chief General Hameed Gul during the general elections of 1988 to oppose Benazir Bhutto, exploiting religion to assert that “women could not be accepted as the Prime Minister of a Muslim state.”
In recent decades, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), led by Maulana Tahir ul Qadri, misused the religion twice against PPP in 2012 and PML-N in 2014 to destabilize their respective governments. Additionally, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) led by Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi organized a massive Dharana (protest) against PML-N in 2017 and PTI in 2020 to pressurize their governments. Similarly, during the campaign for the general elections of 2018, Imran Khan exploited the religious card in the name of establishing of “Riyasat-e-Madina” to manipulate the masses for political gains. Alike, JUI-F of Maulana Fazal also exploited Madrassa students during the Azadi March of 2019 and then in 2022 under the umbrella of PDM to overthrow the PTI’s government.
Consequently, individuals can be easily manipulated in the name of religion due to a lack of awareness regarding the authentic essence of religion as elucidated by the Quran, Hadith, and Sunnah. Religion inherently fosters the prosperity of human beings without any discrimination of caste, colour, or creed; however, its positive impact depends on its proper use. Prevention of such manipulation is achievable through a profound understanding of the true spirit of religion which neither allows exploitation nor permits individuals to be exploiters.