Friday, August 31, 2012

The Profound Misogyny


Today we have with us a much-esteemed guest, Dr. Naseem Khan Qureshi. Dr. Qureshi is a regional coordinator of an iNGO, Protection of Women Rights and Feminine Empowerment (PWRFE). He has completed his Doctorate in Biology from ABC University of UK. He has been associated with the iNGO since last 15 years and has worked for different projects all over Pakistan. Today we will speak with him about his personal life experiences and his ideas about contemporary affairs.

Akif Khan (AK): Welcome Sir, hope you are doing well.

Dr. Naseem Khan Qureshi (DKQ): You should have started with Assalam o Alaikum. See if educated people like yourself won't commensurate with our religion, then what about the poor illiterate souls of our country?

AK: Oh my bad! Salam a Laikum Sir.

DKQ: Its Assalam, not Salam.

AK: Ummmumm! Sir should we start the interview?

DKQ: Yes Sure! Today's youth is spoiled. (murmuring)

AK: Sir, will you please like to enlighten us about your career growth and how you achieved this in your life.

DKQ: Well thanks to Allah Almighty, I have been bestowed with Allah-gifted intelligence since I was created by Almighty. My mom told me that I was so much righteous since my birth that even I wouldn’t feed on her in Ramazan until Maghrib. Later my father called a moulana sahib at home, who taught me religious things. I got associated with Tablighi Jamaat, when I was just 15 and Masha Allah, since then I have never missed weekly Sehrozas (Three Days Time with Jamaat).

AK: I am sorry Sir, I am asking about your professional career? What did you achieve in your professional career by this God-Gifted Intelligence?

DKQ: Its Allah-Gifted, not "GOD"-Gifted. Anyways, as I told you that I was very intelligent since my childhood, I went to Dad's friend's school. As my Dad was Superintendent of Police so I always stood first in class (winked at me). Later I kept my performance shining throughout my career, went to Model Schools, Graduated from most expensive university of Pakistan and then went to UK where I got my PhD in Biology, that too on self-finance, as you know Allah has gifted us with so much wealth that I needed not to get myself into trouble and pain of applying for scholarships here and there. Alhamdulillah, I paid my fees at time and got PhD degree in just 3 years. I am an over-achiever and so do I recommend to all.

AK: Hmm! Well Sir, to be fair, achievements in science comes with results. Will you like to share with us that how did you contributed in your field of studies?

DKQ: I did research on Down's syndrome in Pakistan and discovered some responsible genetic mutations. My brother in law, who is a Health Inspector, got me the samples of the families from different hospitals.

AK: Sir, what is the objective of your iNGO?

DKQ: Umm! They are doing their job and we are doing our job.

AK: Sorry Sir, I did not understand you?

DKQ: Well, you can't (Leaning Forward), these are Jewish agents, trying to spread vulgarity in our country. It is off the record.

AK: What? Sir, are you serious? Then why are you working with them?

DKQ: Well, I am earning my Halal money by doing my office work, coordinating with people.

AK: But Sir, are you not promoting their agenda by doing so?

DKQ: Well that is the part of my job, and we just do routine work. I have obtained fatwa (religious decree) from a religious scholar that my job is halal, on the grounds that I do my due work. The agendas are served at other levels, not in my division. And as I am an intelligent and qualified person, so this job suits me best in the terms of benefits and salary.

AK: But Sir, what job do you do and what vulgarity is promoted by this iNGO?

DKQ: They want to send women to School and later on they want them to work with men in offices.

AK: What is wrong in it?

DKQ: You don't understand, its the matter of honour, at least I will never send my women to universities and work. It is disgraceful. There are men outside who are ready to make your girls victim.

AK: Your Women? Why don't we stop the men to victimise women instead of barring women from education? Moreover, is this not what your NGO promotes?

DKQ: Yes, my daughter does not go to school, a lady comes to home and teach her necessary stuff, you know, only religious education. And as soon as she will grow adult, I will marry her. This is not a problem for boys. My 6 sons not only go to English medium school but one is also studying in Australia. See son, is this not an easy task to keep women at home instead of curing the whole society? Woman is an evil, you know. Those who work and study at universities are not the women of character.

AK: Sir, I am really shocked to know your views, why would a woman be kept at home and not sent for education. Even our Prophet (PBUH) said that Education is a must for Men and Women.

DKQ: Of course, it is. I am giving her education at home. This is the real education. I wish I had one more son instead of a daughter. And you liberal fundos, don’t quote selective lessons of Prophet. He stressed more on modesty than on education. Your selective lessons are a part of your hidden vicious agenda.

AK: But Sir, why don't you give the same treatment to your sons then?

DKQ: Men are superior to women; they deserve more facilities as they have to earn money.

AK: But women can also earn money. And who told you that women are inferior. Women are just another gender and even biologically there is no comparison of superiority or inferiority.

DKQ: No, they should remain confined to their homes. And I am a PhD in biology, don't you teach me biology. Have you not seen that majority of the women who work are either divorced or unmarried. It shows that they are free and they have no restrictions to keep them away from vulgarity.

AK: This is because, those women don't have anyone to earn for them. It is not that they are divorced because they work, but it is the other way around.

DKQ: Whatever! Don't you know how they interact with Na-Mehram Men, around? And what happens to them? Harassment and all?

AK: But Sir, the men should be taught not to harass women instead of stopping women to work.

DKQ: See, the evil should be nipped in the bud. If there would be no women at work, there would be no vulgarity, no men will become sinful.

AK: Sir, It is oppression and I guess your NGO works against the same and you should resign from your post, immediately.

DKQ: Who are you to tell me to resign? You western liberals have been treated by secular medicine. Hence, your brain does not work in religious direction.

AK: What? Can medicine be secular too?

DKQ: Yes, the Jews have invented vaccines, which shut down a specific part of brain which governs thoughts related to religion.

AK: Sir, please provide me that medicine, I want to try it on some people.

DKQ: You have already been given that, it seems to me. Anyways, I am busy now. This interview is over. I have to go to Village, my older wife is ill. Allah Hafiz and May Allah direct you to the right path.

(Although based on multiple real conversations, the character in the above story is fictitious and any resemblance with living or dead is purely coincidental.)

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