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Mustafa Nazir Ahmad
- 35, Male
- Lahore
- Pakistan
- Project Director, Modern Languages…
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- What motivated you (or your organization) to become involved in peace and conflict resolution?
- My first exposure to pacifist literature was through a French poem titled Les Deux Blesses (The Two Wounded). This poem (reeproduced below) by Jean Aicard narrates tale of two soldiers: a French and a Russian. Both are fighting with each other in extreme cold and are about to die. As they struggle to overpower each other, a feeling dawns upon the Russian that the French has more chances to survive and places his overcoat on him before going to eternal sleep. The poem also helped me understand the point Thomas Hardy wanted to drive home in his poem The Man He Killed, which also discusses the brutality of war.
The speaker in Hardy’s poem is a simple craftsman who is forced to sell his tools and join the army, after being rendered unemployed because of the war. He kills a man and regrets why he did so, imaging that had he met the same person in ordinary situation he would have offered him a drink and also helped him with some money. This in a way was the end of innocence for me and I decided to devote the rest of my life to promotion of peace.
The next turning point was an article on Jimmy Hendrix, undoubtedly the best ever guitarist of the world. The article titled The Wild Man America Loved to Hate was reproduced from an American newspaper in The Khaleej Times. Hendrix opened a new realm of imagination for me -- he offered a substitute in music for what Muhammad Ali is to boxing. He was also a victim of the Vietnam War, though it eventually cost him his life at the age of 27 -- Ali only had to dispense with an Olympic gold medal.
At the peak of the Vietnam War, Jimmy Hendrix, the most popular musician of America at that time (lead guitarist and vocalist of the group, The Band of Gypsies), performed America’s national anthem The Star Spangled Banner in a concert. To show his agony at America’s uncalled for offensive against Vietnam, he included many distortions, including live sound effects of tanks and bullets from the War, in the anthem. Aesthetically it sounded very unpleasant, but that was the point he wanted to make: war is like a scar on America’s so-called humane face.
As a result, most whites boycotted his subsequent concerts, resulting in his death next year. That was the end of the most talented of modern musicians, but he left behind a history of protest that is hard to forget. He also composed other songs like Machine Gun, which once again directly targeted the American offensive against Vietnam. All the alternative rock music owes debt to Hendrix for his sacrifice, however much the Americans might try to wipe his memory.
Meanwhile, I read William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, which provided me with some very useful insights into the basic nature of human beings. The novel revolves around a group of English school children, aged five to 12, who resort to extreme sorts of violence while being marooned on an island. Golding had a point to make: all human beings are intrinsically the same and, therefore, behave alike in similar situations. I liked the novel also because it reinforced one of my beliefs that to classify human beings because of religion or ethnicity was wrong: in Pakistan, people would have a lot to say about the Hindus only because they are Hindus, not as a result of any direct experience.
But, this does not end here. Every ethnic group in Pakistan would have something negative to share about the other. If there were a discussion on Sindhis in a Punjabi group, one would surely hear, “if you found a Sindhi and a snake, kill the former!” This implied that the snake is less harmful than a Sindhi. A Punjabi would be termed as a lassi-drinking moron by the Mohajirs. This phenomenon trickles down even further to castes: Sheikhs would be considered miserly, Arains would be called onion-eaters because of their agriculturist background. It seems hard to believe, but there is no end to this. You could be a butt of ridicule just because of belonging to a specific city. For example, probably for the sake of rhyming, it is said: “Sialkoti, kuttay ki Boti.”
But, there is something that challenges this approach and has a universal scope – spirituality. When I first went to a shrine, I was surprised how people, irrespective of their identities, are treated equally. With time, I came to know more and whatever I learned exemplified the notions of peaceful co-existence I had in my mind. The saints, though they were Muslims, advocated an approach based on humanity. In fact, they were the ones who spread Islam in the subcontinent (contrary to the history books which give the credit to Muhammad Bin Qasim or Mahmmod Ghaznavi for this), but not through any conscious effort. They treated everyone equally and in this process rallied people around their line of thinking.
A French orientalist, Garcon de Tassi, writes in his book, Muslim Festivals in India, how Muslims and Hindus visited the same shrines with the same devotion and fervor. Even today, the shrine of Hazrat Khawaja Nizam-ud-din Aulia in New Delhi is frequented by people of all religions, including the sitting prime ministers of India. It is not just an official visit, but one out of sheer devotion. I have read accounts of how Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi and Narsimha Rao benefited from these haziris (devotional visits), despite the fact that the saint was a Muslim.
These saints were not just spiritualists: they left behind treatises on the equality of human beings and how peaceful co-existence was possible. Bulleh Shah, one the greatest Punjabi poets, writes: “Gal samaj aa gaee tay rola ki/Aiy Ram Raheem tay Maula ki” (If you have understood the meaning of existence/Then what are Ram or Allah?). Based on his belief that God manifests Himself through His creations, Bulleh Shah advanced a viewpoint that all human beings are equal and should not be discriminated on the basis of religion, sect, caste, etc. His exemplified his secular teachings through his acts: despite being a Syed (descendant of Prophet Muhammad), he chose Shah Inayat Qadri, an Arain (a caste much less respected than Syeds), as his murshid (mentor).
Much to the dislike of fundamentalist Muslims, the gaddi nashins (disciples who hold the seat of a saint after his death) of many leading saints were Hindus. For example, one of the biggest saints in Pakistan is Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. His seat is still held by descendants of Lal Das, a beloved disciple who happened to be a Hindu. This illustrates the point that humanity has no religion and advances a viewpoint based on love for all.
- Please list the countries and/or regions in which you (or your organization) have direct and significant expertise
- South Asia
- What is your current country of residence (or location of your organization)?
- Paksitan
- What is your current job (and organization) and/or where and what field are you studying?
- Project Director, Modern Languages and Learning Centre, University of Gujrat
- How many years professional experience do you have ?
- 15+
- What is your personal or organizational website?
- http://www.uog.edu.pk
- Which are your primary sectoral areas of expertise (or the primary sectoral areas of your organization) ?
- Civil Society, Conflict Resolution, Conflict Mainstreaming, Development, Media, Terrorism
- Which are your primary skills areas(or the primary skill areas of your organization)?
- Advocacy, Budgeting, Capacity Building, Communication, Fundraising, Information Technology, Program Administration, Program Design, Program Implemenation, Research, Qualitative Skills, Quantitative Skills, Training
- What are some of your current areas of research (if any)?
- Good Governance
Strengthening Civil Society
Poverty
Understanding and Analyzing Annual National Budget
Climate Change
Peace and Conflict Transformation
- If appropriate feel free to list several of your (or your organization's) publications
- MAJOR PUBLICATIONS (ANNUAL REPORTS/REVIEWS)
Annual Review South Asia Partnership-Pakistan: 2002
Annual Review South Asia Partnership-Pakistan: 2001 (in Urdu also)
Annual Review South Asia Partnership-Pakistan: 2000 (in Urdu also)
Annual Review South Asia Partnership-Pakistan: 1999 (in Urdu also)
Annual Review South Asia Partnership-Pakistan: 1998 (in Urdu also)
Annual Report World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan: 1997
MAJOR PUBLICATIONS (AS AUTHOR)
Report of the Third South Asian People’s Summit, South Asia Partnership-International, ISLAMABAD: 2003
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: A Review of South Asia – Pakistan Perspective 2001, South Asia Partnership-International, COLOMBO: 2001
Report of the Partnership Meeting and Annual Thematic Workshop, Rural Support Development Programme, The European Union, ISLAMABAD: 2000
Report of the Inter-provincial Development Dialogue – Sindh and NWFP, South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 1997 (In Urdu also)
MAJOR PUBLICATIONS (AS CO-AUTHOR/CO-RESEARCHER)
Journey Through the Lives of Courageous Women, Interactive Resource Center, LAHORE: 2004 (co-authored with Ms. Nadia Anwar for the British Council’s Gender Equality Project)
Reviving Democracy: The Emerging Role of Women in Decision Making – A Study of Women’s Participation in Governance in South Asia, South Asia Partnership-International, COLOMBO: 2003
Small Arms Proliferation: A Big Problem – A Study of Legislations in South Asia and the United Nations Program of Action, South Asia Partnership-International, COLOMBO: 2003
MAJOR PUBLICATIONS (AS EDITOR)
Mazhab aur Siasat (Religion and Politics), an anthology of research papers on Sectarianism published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2003
Muslim Rulers: Religion and Politics, a research paper published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2003
Subcontinent – A History of Tolerance, a research paper published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2002
Pairokari (Advocacy), an introductory paper published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2002
Sectarianism – the Players and the Game, a research paper published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2002
Pakistan – Subon kay Tareekhi Khakay (Historical Sketches of Provinces), handbooks published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2001
Citizens and Governance: Civil Society in the New Millennium, Pakistan report of the Civil Society Project, published by Commonwealth Foundation, LONDON: 2001
Sarhad – Tareekhi Khaka (A Historical Sketch of NWFP), a handbook published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2001
Sindh – Tareekhi Khaka (A Historical Sketch of Sindh), a handbook published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2001
Sinfi Imtiaz aur Mutawazan Muashara (Gender Handbook), a manual on basic gender principles published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 2000
Balochistan – Tareekhi Khaka (A Historical Sketch of Balochistan), a handbook published by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, LAHORE: 1999
The Two Wounded
They fought well, each for his nation,
And now with their flesh rent and bruised,
There they are, the Russian and the French -- dead.
The plain and the silence around were vast.
Both uttered the same word but it sounded different.
The saw each other dying, their eyes feverish,
Without having the power to say good-bye or share secrets.
The hours passed, they still breathed...
They fell asleep, alone in the freezing night.
In the middle of the night, rising his pallid head,
One of them looked at the other: the other was dead!
But before dying, by a sublime effort,
Thinking that he had no more need for himself
(As nothing could save him from the immense cold),
And the other -- who knows? -- may live till morning,
Can see his mother and far away country again,
He gently placed his heavy warcoat
Upon the man he had fought a short while ago,
And in a contented state, he fell asleep again.
[This is a translation of Jean Aicard's French poem Les Deux Blesses by Mustafa Nazir Ahmad.]
They fought well, each for his nation,
And now with their flesh rent and bruised,
There they are, the Russian and the French -- dead.
The plain and the silence around were vast.
Both uttered the same word but it sounded different.
The saw each other dying, their eyes feverish,
Without having the power to say good-bye or share secrets.
The hours passed, they still breathed...
They fell asleep, alone in the freezing night.
In the middle of the night, rising his pallid head,
One of them looked at the other: the other was dead!
But before dying, by a sublime effort,
Thinking that he had no more need for himself
(As nothing could save him from the immense cold),
And the other -- who knows? -- may live till morning,
Can see his mother and far away country again,
He gently placed his heavy warcoat
Upon the man he had fought a short while ago,
And in a contented state, he fell asleep again.
[This is a translation of Jean Aicard's French poem Les Deux Blesses by Mustafa Nazir Ahmad.]
Mustafa Nazir Ahmad's Photos
Mustafa Nazir Ahmad's Blog
Alternative Resources for Peace
Dear friends,
I have been collecting resources on peace from around the world for the last decade. I call these "alternative resources for peace". These resources have been further categorized under the heads of literature, music, philosophy, and religion/spirituality. Please share if you have anything similar, so that I can add to my collection. I intend to publish them as anthologies later. The only crietrion for inclusion of a resource is that it should promote the message of pe
… ContinuePosted on August 7, 2007 at 3:06am — 2 Comments
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Events
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Tele-seminar on Culturally-Adapted MHPSS in Haiti and for Haitian-Americans
March 19, 2010 from 1pm to 4pm – New York City + Remote Distance Learning
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USAID, Global Pulse 2010 is a 3-day, online collaboration event, that will bring together individual socially-engaged participants and organizations from around the world
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Nonviolence In The Context Of War Or Armed Conflict
June 18, 2010 at 6pm to July 5, 2010 at 7pm – Kurve Wustrow
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Bologna, Italy Symposium on Conflict Prevention, Resolution, and Reconciliation
June 19, 2010 to July 17, 2010 – Johns Hopkins SAIS Bologna Center
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Eyal :-)
Sorry to take so long to respond. Thank you so much for contacting me. I look forward to discussing the issues of the Sexual Exploitation of Children with you. I will send you an e-mail to discuss further.
Regards
Cassandra
124, C-I, Faisal Town,
Lahore
Ph (Res) 042-5165309
Ph (Cell) 0321-4268092
Best regards,
Mustafa nazir Ahmad.
you are Wellcome,
for my articles please visit,
http://www.sanabaloch.page.tl
Thanks you so much for sharing your poetry and thoughts here. Appreciatively, Dena
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