Reinterpretation of Islam in Turkey

#205 Posted by zeemax on March 3, 2008 10:43:16 pm


I had referred to an article in the current issue of Friday Times titled "Well played, Mr. Sharif". It can't be copy/pasted because TFT is a subscription site




Well played, Mr Sharif




Moeed Yusuf
PMLN and PPP will remain in sync on national political issues only till economic concerns remobilise anti-state (read government) sentiments among the masses

Adjust Font Size The Friday Times The Friday Times




With the election behind us, all eyes are set on the make up of the next ruling coalition. If one is to go by the statements of political actors, a PPP-PMLN-ANP alliance is likely to occupy the government benches at the Centre, with the PPP nominating its Prime Minister.

Common wisdom suggests that the PPP, as the head of the government, will be the ultimate winner over the long run. In reality, the answer is counterintuitive. While PPP may have emerged as the single largest party, its role as leader of the coalition is likely to create problems for the outfit. The key beneficiary then – and he seems to have calculated his moves well – will be the PMLN leader, Nawaz Sharif.

The PMLN was in disarray till Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan. Given the absence of the party leadership and having been the target of the PMLQ’s political manipulation over the years, the party had lost its traditional vote bank. It was tipped to finish behind the PPP and PMLQ in the elections (on the original date of January 8).

While Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and the wheat and energy crises did alter the scenario somewhat, these were exogenous shocks that came late in the day and could not be banked upon by the Sharif brothers. Their answer – even before the above mentioned shocks took place – was to run an issue-based campaign to appeal to the anti-Musharraf sentiment. The two obvious issues to take up were the reinstatement of the deposed judges and the fate of the President.

Interestingly, Sharif was still not seeking victory. Especially after the December 27 assassination he knew that the PPP would be in the driver’s seat. In fact, this suited him. Those close to Sharif acknowledge that he had reconciled with the fact that there was no possibility of him being anointed this time round. What he was looking for was a hold in the Punjab Assembly. With a burgeoning anti-Musharraf outlook, this was precisely what the issue-based campaign was designed to do: lure the swing vote in Punjab towards the PMLN.

But why didn’t Sharif want to take a shot at the Centre?

Apart from the virtual impossibility of defeating the PPP after Bhutto’s assassination, Sharif’s campaign line was inherently paradoxical. Without it, he stood no chance even in Punjab. However, he also knew that neither of the two goals was easy to achieve. The judicial tussle needed an extra-parliamentary reversal of the PCO or a two-thirds majority (note that there is considerable disagreement on this even within the legal community) while Musharraf’s removal was impossible unless Washington or GHQ gave the green signal. Ideally then, what he was vying for was a scenario where he could put up a strong showing in Punjab and yet not be in a position seen as turning back on promises. This meant that his party could not rule the show at the Centre.

There was another major concern: the state of the economy. Reportedly, some prominent technocrats close to Sharif convinced him that the impending economic crisis was largely unmanageable in the short-run and would force the next government to make a number of highly unpopular moves to stabilise the situation. The ideal role for the party post-elections – as they saw it – was one where it could criticise the lingering economic problems and use it to rebuild its political base outside Punjab. The message was to wait it out and come from a position of strength next time round.

The outcome of the February 18 ballot then is precisely what the doctor ordered for Sharif. Although with a much stronger showing than their own estimates, the party still remains in a comfortable position of being able to find shelter behind the face of the government – the PPP – on all controversial issues while using its leverage to keep the opposition (read the PMLQ) at bay. In Punjab, however, the PMLN would rule virtually unopposed.

Sharif’s future recourse is likely to be as follows:

First, he will accommodate virtually all of PPP’s demands on the ministerial portfolios in the Federal Government. In fact, he may shy away from deputing his party members in the Cabinet even if asked to do so by the PPP leadership.

As mentioned, to ensure his credibility, he needs to be out of the limelight at the Centre. That is only possible by allowing the PPP to run the show and tackle fundamental economic questions that lie in store for the new set-up. The rhetoric around the issue of the judges and Musharraf’s fate will be kept up but is unlikely to be matched by any action on the ground. PPP itself remains disinterested in the former and is wary of negative US reaction with regard to the latter. It will thus have to own up to its reluctance to press both issues to their logical conclusions.

Next, Sharif will insist on forming a government in Punjab with his nominee as the Chief Minister. He will quickly move to divorce the socio-economic debate in Punjab from that at the Centre. Ideally, he would like to initiate highly visible (infrastructure, construction etc.) developmental efforts while continuing to blame the Centre for economic problems.

As socio-economic problems mount, traditional PPP-PMLN hostilities will come to the forefront. Sharif will blame Zardari and Co. for having breached his trust and seek to move away from the government. If the economic problems become as acute as currently predicted, a Punjab-centric campaign against the PPP could destabilise the government and create an opening for a fresh election. Even if Sharif is not successful in generating such momentum, by raising concerns about the state of the economy, he would have put the PPP on the back foot and increased his leverage behind the scenes.

In the meantime – and this will be key for his plan to work – Nawaz Sharif will intensify negotiations with PMLQ cadres, especially those who have won in the elections. Perhaps the prize candidates (at least from Punjab) will be offered portfolios in the province to lure them towards the PMLN. The ultimate aim of course is to disband the PMLQ and return to the two-party system in the next elections. This would imply a shift of the PMLQ vote bank back to the PMLN.

Consider that Sharif’s interest in dismantling the PMLQ is the primary reason why he wants to be part of the PPP-led government. He will be able to offer far more carrots under this dispensation than he would from the opposition benches. Were it not for this reason, Sharif may even have preferred to be in the opposition in the Centre; that way he could have openly exposed the PPP’s reluctance to reinstate the judges and oust Musharraf, as well as their failure to arrest the economic decline at the outset.

PMLN and PPP will remain in sync on national political issues only till economic concerns remobilise anti-state (read government) sentiments among the masses. On the economic question, then, the two sides shall diverge, with Sharif gaining much of the goodwill in the run up to the next election. Whether this scenario will be realised in a matter of months or beyond is an open question.

The writer is a research fellow at the Strategic and Economic Policy Research (Pvt Ltd.) in Islamabad

Re: # 223

Sad...

I wonder how that would be re-interpreted through the eyes of history..

#219 Posted by VRV on March 4, 2008 4:02:09 am


1. After defecating do not use bones or dung; use stones to cleanse yourself


What about camel urine..mo asked the faithful to drink camel urine...i'm sure it's halal to use it on your butt...would be easier than stones..

cheema: You missed the point of the post, so please re-read carefully what that post is about. Nowhere does my post imply that I have a monopoly license on distinguishing between right and wrong. If you wish to define Islam as being "sucking up to the sky fairy" then that is fine - just put your money where your mouth is and declare yourself a non-muslim. Or else declare yourself a muslim who believes in the sky fairy. But dont impose your stupid definition of Islam on others.

7 more jihad supporting rats dead....

Suicide bombers kill seven, injure 19 at Pakistan navy college LAHORE, Pakistan, March 4 (AFP) - Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the parking lot near the main gate of the prestigious Naval War College in Lahore on Tuesday, killing at least five people (seven according to private TV channels) and injuring 19, officials said. One bomber rammed a motorcycle into the gate of the college just off the city's historic Mall Road, then the second drove another bike into the parking lot where he detonated explosives, they said. Two buses and several cars caught fire afterwards. “Two suicide bombers attacked the naval college,” Lahore police chief Malik Mohammad Iqbal told AFP. “The first drove into the security post and they (security personnel) opened fire. His head was blown over the wall into the naval compound by the force of the blast,” Iqbal added. “He cleared the way for the second bomber to drive into the parking lot where he also exploded himself.” Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier Javed Cheema said five people were killed and another 19 were wounded, according to initial reports. Navy spokesman Captain Akbar Naqi confirmed there were two suicide bombers and said that three navy personnel were among those killed. The college trains senior naval officials from Pakistan and from other countries including China, Sri Lanka and at least a dozen Muslim nations. (First Posted @ 13:30 PST Updated @ 18:14 PST)

Re: # 221

Can you explain how that is different from "the sense of right and wrong" that ALL OF US possess, believers or not?

Or is sucking up to the sky fairy worth more brownie points?

dost mittar #202 That is a well-phrased question. This is the kind of answer no doubt you are looking for: 1 (i.e. myself).

I dont have a problem with this, however. In fact, I basically agree with the basic point I think you are making - namely, that most muslims would choose b, c or d. But that doesnt matter. I am not a beholden to the majority or popular view - only to my own judgement and ability to tell right from wrong, and separate wheat from chaff.

jayp,

Foreign tourists were raped in Goa and Pushkar in the last two days. Have some balance in ur views. India is no safer either.

Reinterpretation or rewriting is not allowed but ignoring the ignoble ahidiths is the best way. For eg:

Here are a few more interesting ahadith on defecating in Islamic manner:

1. After defecating do not use bones or dung; use stones to cleanse yourself…(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.157)

2. Use odd number of stones (minimum three) to clean your private parts...(Sahih Bukhari, 1. 4.162)

3. Use three stones to clean yourself after defecating...(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.0040)

4.When visiting a toilet carry three stones with you…(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.1.0040)

5. After you defecate, use two clods of earth; do not use dung…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.42)

6. If you defecate in a desert use three stones, no need to use water…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.44)


Wud the hardcore momins use sand to wipe the stuff?
I guess not even staunch Muslims follow these rules of defecation except of course the ones relating to Qibla (i.e not showing (??) ur posterior to Qibla).

So, following the ahadiths is impossible but avoidance is.

Re: # 217

"if you believe him, you will come to the conclusion that al-lah and gabby were a pair of junkies high on peyote pakoras who couldn't get their story straight ........ "

Don't spoil it Paaji! I thought it was all true!

Re: # 214

cheema sahib,

..... you have to ignore tahmed - he has been desperately trying to reinterpret islam for many years but hasn't had any takers so far other than me ......... i too will wait until he officially proclaims his prophethood ..... but his interpretation is a harmless one; one that you would wish that other mohammedans would accept so that they can stop being a pain in humanity's posterior ......

.... prophet tahmed (pbuh) is what i call a koranist, but his reading of the koran is very selective ....... he wants to keep the good stuff and put a positive spin on the bad stuff - the usual chronological, special occassion, not for all times, etc etc nonsense ...... if you believe him, you will come to the conclusion that al-lah and gabby were a pair of junkies high on peyote pakoras who couldn't get their story straight ........ kind of like the gang that couldn't shoot straight ...

.....it is a comforting concept and a lot better than the zeemax school of thought which ssys that al-lah meant what he said and said what he meant ..... now, that is scary ! .... a vengeful god running around like a mad man throwing hindoos in hell fire, ordering the stoning of adulterers, beheading people who don't 'believe' in him and his messenger boy, offering virgins to suiciders and generally wreaking havoc on his miserable creation .......

Re: # 214

P.S.: If God were to release a newer edition of his previous messages (in the Koran), surely we are due another one after 1400 odd years!

Let's see, anyone around with TLE....

Why you need to re-interprete the mediaval arab practises? There is nothing sentimental/heritage value in sticking to it. Neither, it is providing you any positive energy/direction in life. Pakistan has better Budhdhist/Hindu history (Taxila, Harappa etc.).And Islam is giving bad name to Pakistan ( jihad/terrorism).

Re: # 187

So for the purpose of this "undefined/poorly defined/individually defined" doctrine, the humanity has to put up with it; on Mr Tahmed32's hunch that there may be, just may be, something in it!

Not very convincing grounds I am afraid!

Your reeading of the Koran seems even more selective; for the umpteenth time, do you not think if the "creator of the universe" would have written something, it would have stood the test of time a little bit better than this

Re: # 183

tehsinA,

.... abay bewakoof, islam is not like an old typewriter that people of faith lug around and which will go away on its own ..... it is more like old-fashioned dynamite that they carry around to blow up other people ... you can ignore a person walking around with a typewriter, you cannot ignore a paradise bound fool driving around in a truck full of dynamite ........ your new name suits you

Pakistani tourism needs a boost, 103rd is no good for a country with so much of history and culture. Many of teh well known and potential tourism places are not promoted by the paki govt. Here are some ideas.

1. Destroyed budha statues can be a real attraction for the true muslims and can be promoted in saudi to cancel out teh travel imbalance with mecca.

2. Bank robbery has become a fine art in karachi, mostly organised by their own security guards. The criminal gangs of the US can learn from the karachiates.

3. During eid time camels are slaughtered in public with galleries built for teh spectacle. This at present is to desensitise the pakistanis, but can be shared with the iraquis.

from dawn of today.


Pakistan at 103rd on tourism index



By Ihtashamul Haque


ISLAMABAD, March 3: The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday launched its annual Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, in which Pakistan ranked at 103 out of 124 countries because of having a weak travel and tourism regulatory framework and low prioritisation of the industry by the government.

Pakistan also did not have effective marketing and branding strategies and at the same time it was facing a constricted tourism perception.

Some of the other competitive disadvantages for Pakistan include the poor tourism infrastructure such as provision of competitive hotel rooms (110), available ATMs accepting Visa cards (110), the national and cultural resources (96) and the prevailing security situation (106) among 124 countries.