Tag: Photography

  • THE CITY OF ISLAM

    THE CITY OF ISLAM

    ‘Islamabad’ means “City of Islam” or “City of Peace” in Urdu. So, I thought it would remiss of me if I didn’t visit the Faisal Mosque while visiting the City of Islam.

    The Faisal Mosque was built in 1988 and named after King Faisal of Saudi Arabia who inaugurated it. It was designed by a Turkish architect who aimed for a more contemporary structure in a triangular design reminiscent of a Bedouin tent. The foothills of the Margalla Hills give it a picturesque backdrop. With a 100,000-person capacity it ranks as the world’s 6th largest mosque.

    There weren’t quite that many worshippers there when I visited on a Friday, which is the day of prayer. I took my shoes off and strolled around the terrace and enjoyed the serene setting as the sun slowly set on my last full day in Pakistan.

    For the duration of my visit to Pakistan, I was looked after by the staff of the Plant Genetic Resources Institute who made sure I was never in need of anything. I have travelled to many countries in the world, and I am a bit hard to impress these days, but the Pakistanis certainly impressed me with their hospitality, humility and warmth. I asked them bluntly why they were so kind. They explained that the Quran emphasizes the importance of hospitality and treating guests with generosity, kindness and respect. Hospitality is highly valued in Islam and seen as a virtuous act that brings blessings and rewards from Allah. I’m not entirely convinced that the hospitality I received was given in hopes of a divine reward … it was given through a natural warmth in their hearts.

    Whereas the Quran provides guidance on treating guests, Pakistan may interpret the Quran regarding the role of women in society differently than other Muslim countries. The Quran offers guidance on the role of women in society that emphasizes both dignity and equal standing in all facets of society. I can’t say that I saw that in force during my visit but who am I to judge based on a short visit. And who am I to judge a country which has shown no hesitation to be led by a woman … unlike some countries which purport to support the equality of women. In 1988, Benazir Bhutto became the first female prime minister of a Muslim-majority country – a full 36 years before the United States chooses it first woman as President (yes, wishful hoping on my part). I was happy to see many women working at the National Agricultural Research Center as technicians and one as a senior breeder. But outside of that, for example in the hospitality trade and markets, it was very much a male-dominated society. My hosts recognised the disparity and indicated that the situation is challenging, but evolving.

    At lunch one day, I asked my hosts what language they were speaking. They spoke in Urdu, which is the national and unifying language. But their lingua franca is a different language … Punjabi, Pashto, Sindi, Balochi, etc. They described the cultural diversity of the country to me. I see so many divided countries these days as artificial national boundaries attempt to unify people of different tribes and ethnicities. So I was curious how, since it achieved independence in 1947, that Pakistan managed to hold together. ‘Our shared faith,’ they told me. Indeed, Islam has kept this culturally diverse country together, for the most part. To illustrate this unity, my hosts Drs Kashif and Umer brought me to the Pakistan Monument which was constructed to symbolize the unity of the Pakistani people. The four large petals of the monument represent each of the four main cultures of Pakistan, while three smaller petals represent minorities.

    While driving through Islamabad, we stopped at a red light and a transgender person came to my window and asked for assistance. I asked Drs Kashif and Umer if there are a lot of transgender people in Pakistan. They indicated that there are, and they were treated with dignity. In fact, Pakistan has a long history with the ‘khawaja sira’ or ‘hijra’ community, which includes transgender, intersex and non-binary individuals. Pakistan passed a landmark legislation in 2018, which granted legal recognition to transgender people and allows them to self-identify as male, female, or a third gender on official documents. The hijra community has been part of South Asian society for centuries, but there are still challenges in some parts of Pakistan regarding their social acceptance.

    Prior to this trip, Pakistan was never on my bucket list of ‘Places I Must Visit Before I Die.’ But now that I have learned of its warm and hospitable people, its cultural diversity, the 5000+ year history of the Indus Valley and the rich and varied agroecological zones, I have moved Pakistan up in my list of places I must re-visit before I die.