Where were the muslims ?

[system]

I just finished watching the movie Hotel Rwanda earlier. The movie made a big statement on how the west has abandoned africans and does not care for their worries…

Someone made a pretty good point to me though that we muslims are very clearly absent from the world relief arena.

It seems we are all too busy blaming the west for everything thats wrong with the world and never really focus on ourselves and our faults. We have the resources, the man power AND the money, and on top of that our faith COMMANDS us to help the needy and the destitute, yet we look to the west in times of need and demand that they help the needy, and then fault them for only looking after their own interests. Never do we realzie that we are just the same as them…

I know Pakistan apparently has the most peacekeepers deployed with the UN, but is that enough ?

[Mr_Fraudia]

Re: Where were the muslims ?

Kodiak

because people's energies and attention is diverted to othr stuff. pointing fingers at 'outsiders' keeps our leaders in place and our opposition parties in business.

There was great hoopla about soviet invasion of AFghanistan but not as much regarding the Iran-Iraq war
dont recall many protests as Iraq took over Kuwait either
while religio-political parties and their publications and rallies were focused big time on Palestine, aside from pakistan, no one really said much about atrocities in kashmir.

Go back a few years and pick any of these publications, get a list of rallies that took place and on what topic, and you would see that while these religious-political leaders were all up in arms against US, there was hardly a bleep about the killings in darfur.

Why you may ask? well...its easy to point fingers and scream about the evils of the west and what nots.

Pakistan, I believe is doing what it can from a government position by supporting critical UN missions around the world. as far as population goes, some are misdirected by these mullahs, others are too busy in their own greed, many are struggling with their own lives, and the rest are too oblivious and apathetic to organize a team to clean the trash in their streets let alone do anything more.

The same holds true for other countries to varying degrees.

[danial]

Re: Where were the muslims ?

@Fraudz

Kodiak

because people's energies and attention is diverted to othr stuff. pointing fingers at 'outsiders' keeps our leaders in place and our opposition parties in business.

There was great hoopla about soviet invasion of AFghanistan but not as much regarding the Iran-Iraq war dont recall many protests as Iraq took over Kuwait either while religio-political parties and their publications and rallies were focused big time on Palestine, aside from pakistan, no one really said much about atrocities in kashmir.

Go back a few years and pick any of these publications, get a list of rallies that took place and on what topic, and you would see that while these religious-political leaders were all up in arms against US, there was hardly a bleep about the killings in darfur.

Why you may ask? well...its easy to point fingers and scream about the evils of the west and what nots.

Pakistan, I believe is doing what it can from a government position by supporting critical UN missions around the world. as far as population goes, some are misdirected by these mullahs, others are too busy in their own greed, many are struggling with their own lives, and the rest are too oblivious and apathetic to organize a team to clean the trash in their streets let alone do anything more.

The same holds true for other countries to varying degrees.

good post.

[Sara516]

Re: Where were the muslims ?

Because some ppl think Muslim-on-Muslim violence is OK. Like.. (a very weak analogy) its alright ot make fun or tease ur friends, but if a stranger does it..

[roadrunner]

Re: Where were the muslims ?

@Kodiak

I just finished watching the movie Hotel Rwanda earlier. The movie made a big statement on how the west has abandoned africans and does not care for their worries...

Someone made a pretty good point to me though that we muslims are very clearly absent from the world relief arena.

It seems we are all too busy blaming the west for everything thats wrong with the world and never really focus on ourselves and our faults. We have the resources, the man power AND the money, and on top of that our faith COMMANDS us to help the needy and the destitute, yet we look to the west in times of need and demand that they help the needy, and then fault them for only looking after their own interests. Never do we realzie that we are just the same as them...

I know Pakistan apparently has the most peacekeepers deployed with the UN, but is that enough ?

you're right. Pakistan needs schools, hospitals, defence, to raise its living standard. but yep, we should all be giving the money to African countries else we're just bad people.

Please do not ever apply for a job in the "looking after national interests" sector.

[Mr_Fraudia]

Re: Where were the muslims ?

Sad thing is we i.e. Pakistanis are not even doing it for Pakistan.
I would be very interested in reading some report on charitable giving in Pakistan.
and aside from giving cash, personal involvement and effort.

I recall in my undergrad, student groups used to do everything from a bike-a-thon, danc e athon ..to car washes to support chrities, volunteering at shelters etc. During grad school, stuent groups were involved in things ranging from big brothers/big sisters to efforts t go clean up poor neighbourhoods, set up parks for kids there, serve as volunteer tutors for kids who needed help.

I have many cousins who have been or are currently in Pakistan unis, including IBA. LUMS, KU, AKU, Dow, SMC, UET... and in general while there are some groups that are doign something, by and large there is nothing.

I see high school kids doing car washes in US to raise funds for local spup kitchens or major national charities.

The only time I think I have seen people mobilize in Pak was after the earthquake, but in general apathy rules.

Youth in Pakistan in general wants to be hip and the part of american life they seem to focus on is clothing and music, but the civil duty, social service, volunteerism.

what is it, selfishness, greed, apathy.

you guys who know pakistan better tell me..
or you can tell me that this is not true....