Insecurity of Pakistani Muslims
Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.
In an article, on Lakshmi Building in Lakshmi Chowk, Lahore, in Dawn newspaper online edition the author points out to addition of phrase ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ has replaced statue of Lakshmi goddess.
Author writes: “In the recent intervention on the façade carcass, all the details have been painted a rather sharp tone of blue, while the remaining has been painted a slightly brown shade of white. The words ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ have replaced the statue of the Lakshmi Goddess, almost as if to mock its original historical and cultural background. The Lakshmi façade makes strong visual references to Hindu mythology by way of its overall detailing. That being said, the presence of the takbeer on an evident Hindu image raises the question as to how distressed and insecure Muslims might have become as a community that they feel the need to impose their belief onto something that belongs to a completely different set of beliefs.”
All I can say, Pakistani Muslims have no idea of rational and intellectual strengths of Islam.
Lakshmi chowk’s volte face
http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/25/2115149.html/comment-page-1#comment-353206
From Zahid Aziz:
My comment is not on this subject as such but is prompted by the mention of “takbeer” in the quoted extract. In Pakistan a day named “Yaum-i Takbeer” is celebrated on 28 May every year:
“… with great passion to remember the historic nuclear tests in 1998 in reply to Indian explosions that made Pakistan the seventh nuclear nation of the world and first Muslim state equipped with deadly arsenal.” (see Link)
I am saddened as well as perplexed that this day should be named the day of the greatness of Allah (which is what takbeer means), or perhaps it is meant to indicate the day for proclaiming the greatness of Allah. In any case, I can’t see how the possession of nuclear weapons by Pakistan is a manifestation of the greatness of Allah. For a start, Pakistan did not invent these weapons. Inventing them, while still not a good thing, might have provided some cause for jubilation, as it would show capacity for original thought and research. Pakistan merely copied and borrowed deadly technology invented by Christians and Jews in the West. Whose greatness does this prove? Moreover, the inventing countries possess the same weapons on a much large scale and with much more devastating power.
Yaum-i Takbeer should not celebrate success in copying others in trying to destroy the world. The following would deserve to be called Yaum-i Takbeer:
(1) The day Pakistan convinces the inventors of nuclear weapons that Islam is a religion of peace.
(2) The day people in Pakistan pledge that they will place the interests of their country above their personal interests, and vow to give up bribery, corruption and nepotism. That day, international respect for Pakistan will rise faster than a nuclear missile!
From Usman:
Or perhaps the date on which Dr. Abdusalam received the Nobel Prize could be designated a real day of celebration for Pakistan.