‘These are the basic human needs of today to motivate a person to do something. Our politicians have failed to promise people of this basic human need which is one of the greatest motivational factor just like hunger, food and shelter. Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs ignores the sex aspect’ and the debate goes on in the classroom.“Now we will be watching some interactive videos that will depict human behavior”, the teacher continues.
Next I see some obscene ads being watched and laughed at. This is followed by a useless discussion on how these ads have been successful as marketing tools. One such ad shown was of a body spray and the conclusion drawn was that if you use this particular brand of body spray you will not only save yourself from embarrassment ‘at the required time’ but also not miss out any chance of sleeping with a stranger.
You must be thinking as to what the hell I am talking about?? Let me give you the details. It’s a sunny afternoon, thirty minutes past twelve. Winters are nearly over yet our college fails to acknowledge this and we are made to sit in hot and suffocating classrooms. Welcome to Pakistan…no matter it is a private or public institute things are the same everywhere. I’m sitting in a marketing elective course known as the “Consumer Behaviour” but sex is all I’m hearing since the past half an hour. As I look around I see students of both genders, of my age comfortably and casually taking part in such a discussion leaving me bewildered and confused.
“Am I the only one feeling ashamed to be part of such a group? Have we lost all our values and morals?”
Well I guess I’m talking about the so called elite class of students for whom such topics reflect confidence and boldness.
What a pity if we call ourselves educated! Have we lost our HAYA which beautifies our lives, adds respects to relationships and differentiates us from animals?
Anas (RA) narrated: Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “Every Deen has a distinctive quality, and the distinctive quality of Islam is Modesty.” (Ibn e Majah)
Sadly we have forgotten what Islam stands for. Islam is our Deen which is a complete code of life and all our actions and words should reflect this. In this very course, my teacher on the first class clearly told us that we are not allowed to discuss two things…can u guess what they might be? Yes, Religion and Politics. And believe me it’s not with this particular course only. All teachers feel Islam is a personal matter and should not be brought to classroom discussions. What does this mean? Is Islam just a badge that we can choose when to wear and when to throw it in the bin? We treat Islam as rituals selected carefully with a painful ‘pick and choose’ process by us.
This leaves me to a dismal state as I realize what education has given us. MBA and BBA degrees we all have achieved at the cost of our Deen. Are we spending so much money so that we can debate whether gay marriages should be made legal or not (sadly another very interesting discussion in class)
This is the state of education in my own so called Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It has made us irreligious and though we excel in speaking and writing English better than an ordinary Englishman it has taken us away from Islam sadly.
Suddenly my thoughts are disrupted by the sound of the bell. I slowly get up, collect my books and leave the classroom with a question haunting me: “Who am I? Am I Muslim or just become part of the secular class for whom concepts like Haya are dead.
I recall a saying of the Prophet (SAW)
“Islam began as something strange and shall return to being something strange. So give glad tidings to the stranger” (Muslim)
It is sad to see how we have deviated far away from our deen and have lost our identity as Muslims. In today’s world people who act upon the true teachings of Islam have really become strangers and are only a minority. But there are glad tidings from God, to these few strangers.
“If you do not feel shame, then do as you like.” (Bukhari)
