Generally we hear this term of “Islamic Country” or “Muslim Country” quite often and Pakistan is considered to be one such place. I would like to ask a question here that ‘what makes a country Muslim or Kaafir (Infidel)?’

In my honest opinion, a country cannot be of any religious orientation, but the people living there can have a clear majority of people following a particular faith along with different minority groups following other religions and the country’s laws and security apparatus are obliged to treat every citizen equally without any discrimination. Ideally, in a place where mixed minorities co-exists, it is the responsibility of state to act fairly and impartially to ensure the safety and security of all minority groups including the freedom to practice and preach their beliefs peacefully, but in case of Pakistan, the state institutions responsible for providing protection and justice to the oppressed or endangered minorities have been reportedly involved in their persecution which is very ironic. we have seen incidents where police officials who are responsible for protecting the ones that are accused of offences like blasphemy or anti sharia acts are killed under their protection by themselves and the murderer are often framed as heroes by the entire society and if someone dares to speak against this brutality, their voices are shut with force or by a bullet. On the other hand, we have witnessed Judges of lower and superior courts have acted in bias and convicted individuals allegedly involved in such practices without substantive evidence and although most of these convictions are turned down in the appeal process but that earlier conviction makes the lives of the accused miserable and many were persecuted even after their release whereas few lucky ones manage to escape from there and take asylum in other countries.

I believe that religion is a personal affair and its between an individual and God and that no one is allowed to judge people and issue certificates of paradise or hell for anyone. The real job of religious scholars is to build the character of people and lead them by example but unfortunately, they are doing everything but this. The main driving force behind them is to retain the power seat that they are enjoying since almost 1400 years now right after the fall of Khilafat-e-Raashida by controlling the religious sentiments of the population. They have been hands in gloves of corrupt rulers and the history is continuously repeating itself without failure.

I believe it is high time to come out of this shell and defy from being a part of their game. Its time to try and impress people by our good deeds and character and follow the Sunnah (ways) or our Prophet (PBUH) rather than merely following their commands like pawns. Its time to stop discriminating against the religious minorities like Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis and even those who have deserted Islam and converted to other faiths or even became Atheists and try to win them back by love, care and affection. Its time to highlight the goodness of every individual and stop discrimination on the basis of Gender, beliefs or sexual orientation. This is the only way to attract them to the right path and secure a place in paradise rather than persecuting them as Allah SWT says that a murderer will not even smell the paradise and will descend in hell eternally.

Share if you agree and correct me if I am wrong.