[B]
Predominantly, that right there is our biggest problem in Afghan society. Because people have accepted these terms and regulations as the ''only'' way - they've put down their strength to finding better ways that can at least be more humane. Having an ideal way of thinking have changed maps, demographics and civilizations for the better in history before – so it’s fully possible. What you consider as your pride doesn't have to change, but the idea and rules of what ruins it and how you deal with it can change – hence letting you still keeping your honour.
Most Afghans I’m acquainted with like my uncles, cousins and the bunch; knows there should be other ways, but in fear of becoming 'outcasts' they resent to promote that idea. What needs to be said here is that war and bloodshed is inevitable for a society who needs change - no society has ever excelled without paying a huge price for it. That’s how successful nations came to be.
When the fight is fought amongst the people themselves without any interference from outside powers, the results of dissidence can be successful. Although, I have to admit, there is no certainty with Afghanistan. It’s fully possible that a revolution can backfire so harshly that it may even wipe off our race completely from the face of earth (given how every Pukhtoon is his own ruler). But this shouldn't stop us from doing the right thing. We seriously need change. Understanding WHY it is as it is [which I do], is different than accepting it and not bothering to do anything about it. That would be cowardice in my opinion. It would only prolong the delinquency and making it even harder for Afghans to return back to their homeland. I was born and raised somewhere else, but I have plans of moving to Afghanistan in a few years, getting married to a stunning Pukhtanah - have a bunch of little pahlawans and assist [I’m a med. Student at the moment] the deprived as much as the Lord is willing. But if I ever get a female patient who is heavily abused by her husband - and she repeatedly comes to visit me with a smashed face - I'd go berserk. Hitting children as a mean of discipline is perfectly understandable, but hitting a grown up woman is nothing but the acts of a coward and insecure idiot; would hardly call him a man. ****, thinking over it, I would most likely cause my ration of commotion there and may even be accused of having an affair with the abused woman and result in us both being killed. How poetic would that be? =)
Anyway, to those educated Afghans out there [who has the least excuse of not understanding that lack of education is ruining our country], it doesn't have to be like that and neither does it have to change into a western dog-eat-dog world. The change I believe is needed will come at a HUGE price – it may last for decades, even centuries – since we’re the last people on the earth to ever succumb to a one conjoint leader. But this, I am certain if successful, would make Afghanistan the most desirable nation to be in and afghans would become the smallest fearing empire by the West ever in history. Ah, smearing it in the faces of those bloody Pakistani, Gulbuddin and Rabbani worshippers would be priceless. Our biggest problem is our own stubbornness – it may have saved us from the outside world, but it has also devastated us within our own society. It’s about time we had peace and happiness in our beloved watan. Lord knows we deserve it.
Do you see the main problem here? It's not that Gull's decision of forgiving the two was a wrong thing to do. They were left in his hands, and he gave a verdict of forgiving the two, so in essence it should have ended there. The problem is the society! Instead of thinking of Gull as a better, more merciful and greater man for being able to restrain his anger from killing them both, they called him beghairat and benamous!! That is precisely my point. The whole idea of which solutions are considered most honourable is twisted. Killing is easy - there should be no honour in that unless you're in a front-line battle and fighting your country. That is the only time I deem killing as a part of a solution which is necessary. A man should be remembered for his up-righteousness and his valour. There is no bravery in killing an unarmed person because of a woman he did not even care for. There's no common sense in that. Those two who ran away are the ones that should have lived through their lives with people looking down on them - not the man who bravely forgave them. The only reason Pashtoons don't realize this is because they've never considered looking at it from a different point of view - and the reasons to which they haven't looked at it from a different point of view is because nobody has presented it to them like that. They've all this time been bathing in the muds of their own turmoil without realizing that mud makes you sink deeper and deeper. This is why education is needed. Had they read stories of countless legends in history who's had a similar ''honour codes'' as those we have, but with a few differences where certain solutions have been given an even greater value; such as forgiveness or showing mercy - they might have thought differ - and many lives would be saved.
I understand fully why they're disillusioned with this type of thinking since they grew up within it, alongside of it and around it. It's the same with extremists who've either grown too much with hatred for non-believers, or known only one-side of Islam - it's hard for them to imagine other possibilities. But all opinions aside – think to yourself – what would be the right thing to do if we did NOT have those codes of honour? How would you deal with a case similar to this if there were no risks of demeaning your family name and pride? If nobody blamed you – how would you deal with it then? Would you still murder your daughter who’s done a mistake of foolishly falling for some guy? I’ll have you know, that if it wasn't for how 'taboo' it is talking about personal desires and choices – there would not have been ‘run-away’ incidents like these in the amounts there are today.
Like I said earlier, putting up examples like this one – by stoning someone to death will not keep women and men from being human, i.e. making mistakes. It’s one of the many faults God has given us that separate us from the angelic – following our instincts, feelings and the risks of making blunders. It’s something that will never change. So ask yourself, would you want to live and witness neighbours stoning this and that person by the dozens each month? Come on! Be realistic, the society which Pukhtoonwali is aiming at is unlikely to exist. Better to start giving the newer generations education now so that this crazy wrong upon wrong actions stop!
The intention is correct as you say - and very understandable. What I tried to point out was that even though this halts a bloodshed, it still does not benefit everyone since it is done in the act of necessity and mental force. The whole drama isn't exactly applauding for either part.
YouTube - ‪The Pashtunwali , Pakhtunwali‬‏
[B]
Thanks for this!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by [/B
Most Afghans I’m acquainted with like my uncles, cousins and the bunch; knows there should be other ways, but in fear of becoming 'outcasts' they resent to promote that idea. What needs to be said here is that war and bloodshed is inevitable for a society who needs change - no society has ever excelled without paying a huge price for it. That’s how successful nations came to be.
When the fight is fought amongst the people themselves without any interference from outside powers, the results of dissidence can be successful. Although, I have to admit, there is no certainty with Afghanistan. It’s fully possible that a revolution can backfire so harshly that it may even wipe off our race completely from the face of earth (given how every Pukhtoon is his own ruler). But this shouldn't stop us from doing the right thing. We seriously need change. Understanding WHY it is as it is [which I do], is different than accepting it and not bothering to do anything about it. That would be cowardice in my opinion. It would only prolong the delinquency and making it even harder for Afghans to return back to their homeland. I was born and raised somewhere else, but I have plans of moving to Afghanistan in a few years, getting married to a stunning Pukhtanah - have a bunch of little pahlawans and assist [I’m a med. Student at the moment] the deprived as much as the Lord is willing. But if I ever get a female patient who is heavily abused by her husband - and she repeatedly comes to visit me with a smashed face - I'd go berserk. Hitting children as a mean of discipline is perfectly understandable, but hitting a grown up woman is nothing but the acts of a coward and insecure idiot; would hardly call him a man. ****, thinking over it, I would most likely cause my ration of commotion there and may even be accused of having an affair with the abused woman and result in us both being killed. How poetic would that be? =)
Anyway, to those educated Afghans out there [who has the least excuse of not understanding that lack of education is ruining our country], it doesn't have to be like that and neither does it have to change into a western dog-eat-dog world. The change I believe is needed will come at a HUGE price – it may last for decades, even centuries – since we’re the last people on the earth to ever succumb to a one conjoint leader. But this, I am certain if successful, would make Afghanistan the most desirable nation to be in and afghans would become the smallest fearing empire by the West ever in history. Ah, smearing it in the faces of those bloody Pakistani, Gulbuddin and Rabbani worshippers would be priceless. Our biggest problem is our own stubbornness – it may have saved us from the outside world, but it has also devastated us within our own society. It’s about time we had peace and happiness in our beloved watan. Lord knows we deserve it.
Originally posted by khushal
View Post
Do you see the main problem here? It's not that Gull's decision of forgiving the two was a wrong thing to do. They were left in his hands, and he gave a verdict of forgiving the two, so in essence it should have ended there. The problem is the society! Instead of thinking of Gull as a better, more merciful and greater man for being able to restrain his anger from killing them both, they called him beghairat and benamous!! That is precisely my point. The whole idea of which solutions are considered most honourable is twisted. Killing is easy - there should be no honour in that unless you're in a front-line battle and fighting your country. That is the only time I deem killing as a part of a solution which is necessary. A man should be remembered for his up-righteousness and his valour. There is no bravery in killing an unarmed person because of a woman he did not even care for. There's no common sense in that. Those two who ran away are the ones that should have lived through their lives with people looking down on them - not the man who bravely forgave them. The only reason Pashtoons don't realize this is because they've never considered looking at it from a different point of view - and the reasons to which they haven't looked at it from a different point of view is because nobody has presented it to them like that. They've all this time been bathing in the muds of their own turmoil without realizing that mud makes you sink deeper and deeper. This is why education is needed. Had they read stories of countless legends in history who's had a similar ''honour codes'' as those we have, but with a few differences where certain solutions have been given an even greater value; such as forgiveness or showing mercy - they might have thought differ - and many lives would be saved.
I understand fully why they're disillusioned with this type of thinking since they grew up within it, alongside of it and around it. It's the same with extremists who've either grown too much with hatred for non-believers, or known only one-side of Islam - it's hard for them to imagine other possibilities. But all opinions aside – think to yourself – what would be the right thing to do if we did NOT have those codes of honour? How would you deal with a case similar to this if there were no risks of demeaning your family name and pride? If nobody blamed you – how would you deal with it then? Would you still murder your daughter who’s done a mistake of foolishly falling for some guy? I’ll have you know, that if it wasn't for how 'taboo' it is talking about personal desires and choices – there would not have been ‘run-away’ incidents like these in the amounts there are today.
Like I said earlier, putting up examples like this one – by stoning someone to death will not keep women and men from being human, i.e. making mistakes. It’s one of the many faults God has given us that separate us from the angelic – following our instincts, feelings and the risks of making blunders. It’s something that will never change. So ask yourself, would you want to live and witness neighbours stoning this and that person by the dozens each month? Come on! Be realistic, the society which Pukhtoonwali is aiming at is unlikely to exist. Better to start giving the newer generations education now so that this crazy wrong upon wrong actions stop!
Originally posted by khushal
View Post
The intention is correct as you say - and very understandable. What I tried to point out was that even though this halts a bloodshed, it still does not benefit everyone since it is done in the act of necessity and mental force. The whole drama isn't exactly applauding for either part.
YouTube - ‪The Pashtunwali , Pakhtunwali‬‏
[B]
Originally posted by [/B
Originally posted by [/B
Thanks for this!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



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