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Afghanistan
I was inspired by Bengal_Tiger to write this.
For years when I have spoken to "Muslims" I have had to both defend my Islamic faith and my Pashtun identity at the same time to the degree that now they are merged into one, and can never be separated. The Pashtuns in Afghanistan are the people predicted by the Hadith I feel.
It has been very difficult when I have been called paki here because to be honest, I am not accepted as Pakistani even if I wanted to be one (which I do not).
A few months I ago, I had to engage in a lengthy discussion and to respond to the baseless claim by a Pakistani (punjabi/sindhi/indian whatever) as to why Pashtuns are so "backward" and "extreme."
I explained that it is not "extreme" for people to defend their land from US, or in regards to Waziristan, Pakistani aggression. This I said is every man's right in the world. I said that the Vietnamese had the same right.
The person was spinning Pakistan's propaganda against Pashtuns which is ongoing. Even their TV plays the usual crap, and now their jokes are not always jokes.
From Arabs, mostly Syrians and Egyptians (from my mosque), they have expressed their admiration and sympathy for the Afghan people. I have not had this same feeling with secular Pakistanis. Much like their Afghan counterparts, they do not care at all for the victims of this failed war of aggression. It is these pakistanis that are in the US.
Now, I do not want to generalize about anyone, but being an American who is a Pashtun has been very tough for me this past decade.
Before this decade, I felt as if I was a part of this country (that I was a part of the national fabric), but I no longer do. How? When my brothers and sisters are killed in night raids and airstrikes? I am sure others here feel the same way. I used to cheer the US NBA team, but no more. I do not even root for the US national team in the Olympics, but before it was different. I am not radicalized. This is normal. I liked the idea of America, still do. I like the supposed story that everyone is equal, but this is merely a story- and a false one. I studied the history of America, and saw what happened to the Native Americans, and then the blacks. It was a history that was truly disgusting to read. I then realized how most people do not even care about nearly half the population which is mostly poor (regardless of race). This inequality was eye-opening. Then I noticed that education was a means to continue a systematic inequality- that people got an education for the sole purpose of an income, and not to help others- this was disturbing and enlightening at the same time. Aside from Pakistanis, and I am sure the same can be said about other "Muslim-Americans," I noticed the same trend of selfishness and wickedness in them.
To top it off, due to the supposed "controversy" there has been no Muslim-American who really cares enough about Afghanistan. In fact, I have even heard some who openly support the war against the Afghans. The few people I see in America who do actually care are non-Muslims.
It is not fair to say that one should not expect people to recognize wrong as wrong in regards to the unjust and failed war of aggression that has been waged on Afghanistan.
When you are more afraid of what might happen to you if you speak out against injustice, and you are more concerned about this fear than the fear of the next life, then you are truly a lost case.
Afghans in Afghanistan need to be left alone. If nations truly wanted to help, they would have just funneled money to the right people, the religious ones who are the only ones who are not corrupt.
It is the biggest crime the world has ever seen where the richest country fought with the poorest country, where the richest country had support of many, many nations, and Afghans had only themselves.
ex-pats who want to enter Afghan politics must be banned from ever going to Afghanistan. They have been the biggest poison for Afghanistan.
As you can see, the Pakistan proxy crap was well all crap, played out by secularists to deny the natural right of the Afghans to freedom and non-intervention.
So, there is no admiration for Muslims, or for Afghans
Only for Afghan Muslims in Afghanistan.
May Allah(swt) alleviate the pain and suffering they have had to endure.
For years when I have spoken to "Muslims" I have had to both defend my Islamic faith and my Pashtun identity at the same time to the degree that now they are merged into one, and can never be separated. The Pashtuns in Afghanistan are the people predicted by the Hadith I feel.
It has been very difficult when I have been called paki here because to be honest, I am not accepted as Pakistani even if I wanted to be one (which I do not).
A few months I ago, I had to engage in a lengthy discussion and to respond to the baseless claim by a Pakistani (punjabi/sindhi/indian whatever) as to why Pashtuns are so "backward" and "extreme."
I explained that it is not "extreme" for people to defend their land from US, or in regards to Waziristan, Pakistani aggression. This I said is every man's right in the world. I said that the Vietnamese had the same right.
The person was spinning Pakistan's propaganda against Pashtuns which is ongoing. Even their TV plays the usual crap, and now their jokes are not always jokes.
From Arabs, mostly Syrians and Egyptians (from my mosque), they have expressed their admiration and sympathy for the Afghan people. I have not had this same feeling with secular Pakistanis. Much like their Afghan counterparts, they do not care at all for the victims of this failed war of aggression. It is these pakistanis that are in the US.
Now, I do not want to generalize about anyone, but being an American who is a Pashtun has been very tough for me this past decade.
Before this decade, I felt as if I was a part of this country (that I was a part of the national fabric), but I no longer do. How? When my brothers and sisters are killed in night raids and airstrikes? I am sure others here feel the same way. I used to cheer the US NBA team, but no more. I do not even root for the US national team in the Olympics, but before it was different. I am not radicalized. This is normal. I liked the idea of America, still do. I like the supposed story that everyone is equal, but this is merely a story- and a false one. I studied the history of America, and saw what happened to the Native Americans, and then the blacks. It was a history that was truly disgusting to read. I then realized how most people do not even care about nearly half the population which is mostly poor (regardless of race). This inequality was eye-opening. Then I noticed that education was a means to continue a systematic inequality- that people got an education for the sole purpose of an income, and not to help others- this was disturbing and enlightening at the same time. Aside from Pakistanis, and I am sure the same can be said about other "Muslim-Americans," I noticed the same trend of selfishness and wickedness in them.
To top it off, due to the supposed "controversy" there has been no Muslim-American who really cares enough about Afghanistan. In fact, I have even heard some who openly support the war against the Afghans. The few people I see in America who do actually care are non-Muslims.
It is not fair to say that one should not expect people to recognize wrong as wrong in regards to the unjust and failed war of aggression that has been waged on Afghanistan.
When you are more afraid of what might happen to you if you speak out against injustice, and you are more concerned about this fear than the fear of the next life, then you are truly a lost case.
Afghans in Afghanistan need to be left alone. If nations truly wanted to help, they would have just funneled money to the right people, the religious ones who are the only ones who are not corrupt.
It is the biggest crime the world has ever seen where the richest country fought with the poorest country, where the richest country had support of many, many nations, and Afghans had only themselves.
ex-pats who want to enter Afghan politics must be banned from ever going to Afghanistan. They have been the biggest poison for Afghanistan.
As you can see, the Pakistan proxy crap was well all crap, played out by secularists to deny the natural right of the Afghans to freedom and non-intervention.
So, there is no admiration for Muslims, or for Afghans
Only for Afghan Muslims in Afghanistan.
May Allah(swt) alleviate the pain and suffering they have had to endure.
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