Honourable President and my Dear Audience
Today the topic about which I am going to give my ideas is "Enlightened Moderation is Curse". To the ideas of the supporters of Enlightened Moderation I’ll do my best to explain as to what it is.
In fact, "Enlightenment" and "Moderation" are not just two catchy expressions; these denote some appealing notions. These two attributes would stand out as the distinct features of Islam as a religion and civilization. The Qur’an has, therefore, described the Muslim Ummah as a Moderate Community. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) also declared moderation and the middle road as the best course.
Seen in this backdrop, it would sound strange if someone objects to the current talk about ‘Enlightened Moderation’.
My Listeners!
But the problem is that what is being tried to persuade today as ‘Enlightened Moderation’ actually does not come from our own socio-cultural background, our own traditions, or our own values and requirements. Unfortunately, it forms part of a historical process. It has assumed special significance for the world in general and the Muslim world in particular whose politico-civilizational map is being given a new shape and complexion. When we look at things in the global context, it becomes evident that the call for ‘Enlightened Moderation’ is related directly to external pressures and demands.
Honourable President!
What is the new world order? What does it want? The new world order being currently devised is the most comprehensive and solemn account of the Neo-Colonialism in which the military, political, economic and cultural aspects assume equal importance. Its objective is not just to bring all the countries and nations under the political and military umbrella of the only super power of the unipolar world, but also to impose on them a single value system, intellectually, economically, financially and culturally. The venture is intended to be a success through the use of all possible means of maltreatment as well as cooperation, carrot and stick.
My Dear Audience!
Action in fact started deftly on this multi-dimensional strategy following the end of the cold war. The post-9/11 measures are part of the same broad-based strategy. Unless we understand this, it would be difficult to exactly know the meaning and purpose of this campaign in favour of the so-called ‘Enlightenment’ and ‘Moderation’. This ‘Enlightened Moderation’ has definitely no relevance to our own needs. It is related neither to our socio-cultural moorings. It is instead a pointer to the change being contemplated for removing Islam and the Muslim society and culture from their own basis to synchronize them with the Western demands. This is not a new phenomenon. Such attempts have been there from the very first day of the imperialist attack, which have now taken the central stage of the current imperialist bombardment.
Dear Listeners!
Ever since the last quarter of the past century, the US intellectuals, policy makers and the media have been engaged in a new civilizational war, with an objective to superimpose the West’s liberal socio-economic order over the world at large.
This is the real dilemma! And the proposed solution is to propagate the strategy of Enlightened Moderation in the Muslim countries in such a way as to brighten the prospects of shaking them by their foundations and baptizing them on the Western lines. That is the reason why the Muslim women’s ‘Hijab’ is now being viewed as more dangerous than artillery guns and missiles. The Muslims allegiance to Islam and their love for their culture, values and traditions are the biggest obstacle in the way of the attainment of the West’s aims and objectives. Another biggest hurdle is the indivisibility of the state and religion in Islam.
Dear Audience!
With this background, the American and European intellectuals and policy making institutions are engaged now in their concerted drive to divide the Muslim World into the two categories of (i) Fundamentalists and Militants and (ii) the Liberals, Enlightened and Moderates. Their agenda is to systematically eliminate those whom they view as fundamentalists and ‘Jehadis’ capable to resist, and replace them by those whom they think are ‘endowed’ with the "liberal vision of Islam".
My Dear Listeners!
I would say to my opponents with solid proofs that Enlightened Moderation is an ignorance that cannot be "a blessing" But if it is part of a deliberate maneuver, then the exponents should remember that whosoever amongst his predecessors from Iskandar Mirza to Ayub Khan has ventured to toe this pro-West approach has eventually had to lick his own wounds.
Honourable President!
The Muslim Ummah will never accept the secular approach to life. The real objective of the ‘New US Religious Order’ is to introduce in the Muslim World a system which based on the division between the spiritual and the temporal and the religion and politics. This ‘New Religious Order’ seeks to promote a ruthless view of Islam, that restricts religion to homes and mosques, while the entire affairs of life are run according to the precepts and ideologies suited to the West. It is an order that aims at holding the Shariah in abeyance and Jehad abrogated. Such a development would however, mean an open declaration of war against Allah and his Last Messenger (PBUH).
My Listeners!
The exponents of this nasty approach have begun mixing up Jihad and the popular struggle for freedom with ‘terrorism’. Now, they have openly come out as a Champion of ‘Enlightened Moderation’. They equate the upsurge for Islamic renaissance with terrorism and are apprehensive of a possible clash between the Islamic civilization and the global forces of oppression and tyranny. They are, therefore, advocating ‘enlightened moderation’ and ‘liberalism’ as the panacea for all ills of the world. They are at pains to impress that there is no contradiction between Islam and ‘Modernism – Secularism’ and the two can walk hand in hand. It is for the first time that they are now openly supporting Secularism. The cat of ‘Enlightenment’ has thus come out of the bag. It does not remain a secret any more which way he is leading the country and to what end in view. There is nothing new as such in their advocacy of liberalism. We have been listening to such sermons since well over one hundred years. Allama Iqbal had, therefore, cautioned the Muslim Ummah to beware of those Muslim intellectuals and rulers who due to their own ideological and cultural bankruptcy have often served as the mouthpiece of the West.
Honourable President
The actual enlightenment and moderation for a Muslim are to follow the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in letter and spirit. These are in fact built-in in our social order as a Muslim community and there is no need for importing it from elsewhere, or for any process of pick and choose to suit others’ whims and demands. As we all know, there is no room for any additions or omissions and rejections or acceptance in Allah’s Deen and there can be no crime bigger than any such attempts, about which we have been warned of the disadvantages in the worldly life and the worst punishment in the Hereafter. The Islamic concept of enlightenment and moderation is part of the overall Shariah paradigm. It cannot be separated from this Whole. The parameters laid down by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to keep the Muslim Ummah always on the right track determine the boundary lines of the enlightenment and moderation.
Dear Audience!
In a nutshell, I would say that our Pakistani rulers are speaking the mind of the American and Western intellectuals. If we are accepting this approach, we are fulfilling their wishes, we are completing their long awaited missions, we are proving them to be true in all respects of their world affairs.
Is it enlightened moderation that most of PTV actors are adopting nakedness, throwing hijab, TV dramas and film industry are now openly showing obscenity, nudity, and pornographic dialogues? Is it the positive side of this so-called moderation? Media has been curbed and the reporters are arrested. Do you think it right when you see the merciless killing of your own innocent students at Lal Masjid? Is it the result of enlightened moderation? Is it justice to have brutal bloodshed of innocent people in Swat region?
Mr. President!
If somebody invites me to adopt this sort moderation I would never go even near it. God forbid! It is nothing but an intrigue against Islam and Pakistan at the hands of our own rulers and leaders.
Honourable President!
In the end I would like to say to supporters of enlightened moderation with great apology that during the colonial days, a series of all similar attempts by alien rulers met with failure. The attempts have been on subsequently to get the job done through their native allies. But we should positively hope that all such attempts would meet their ignominious end. Neither Emperor Akbar could succeed in imposing his adaptation of Secularism with the name of "Deen Illahi", nor George W. Bush of America would ever be in a position to get through with his dream of a new religious order. The best course left for us is to strengthen our own Islamic values and traditions and sincerely try to improve the socio-economic lot of the Muslim masses according to the models available with us for a multi-dimensional progress and development in this world and the Hereafter. Islam has been the target of attacks sometimes from outside, sometimes from within, sometimes covertly and sometimes overtly and often through distortions, or in the name of ‘enlightened’ re-interpretation. May God save our country not from the curse of enlightened moderation but from the enlightened extremism!
Thank you
