Religious and political books

It is the sacred month of Ramazan and we have entered the second phase leading towards its completion. Many books have been published on religious matters and I would like to draw attention to a few.

The first is titled ‘Maamlaate Insan aur Quran’ by author and former political activist, Qayyum Nizami. This book explores rights, morals and ethics, prayers, manners and the code of life. Nizami has written many thoroughly researched and well-documented books on religion and politics. The above-mentioned book is a treasure trove of knowledge. It contains numerous Quranic verses and Ahadith dealing with human actions, psychology, manners and ethics.

In short, he has dealt with almost all the topics examined in the Holy Quran and has quoted many Ahadith-e-Nabvi wherever necessary. The book has been published by Jahangir Books, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi in 2018.

It is an excellent source of information on Islamic values and should be kept in every home, university, college, school and library. It is a ready-to-use encyclopaedia of Islamic values, code of conduct, divine edicts, and saying of our Holy Prophet (pbuh). May Allah shower His blessings on Qayyum Nizami and the publishers for this noble endeavour.

The second book is titled ‘Bahar-e-Naqshband’ by Mian Muhammad Sadiq Kasuri and has been published by Mujahid Millat Foundation in Kasur. He has also provided a list containing the names of the many kind-hearted people who have provided financial assistance for this noble cause and I was happy to see the name of my friend and philanthropist, Dr Mohammed Yousuf of Wazirabad among them. The book has been dedicated to Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani, a saint of great fame in India. Under his patronage, his followers went out to spread the teachings of Islam.

The book has been written along the lines of the 1,000-year old ‘Tazkaratul Aoulia’ by Shaikh Fariddin Attar. The only difference is that Kasuri has started the narrative from our Holy Prophet (pbuh). He has also mentioned many other influential figures who are locally known as waliullahs. The author is highly impressed by Maulana Mohammad Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi and has thoroughly discussed his life, political activities and services to Pakistan.

The third book – an interesting, important autobiography entitled ‘Sach to yeh he’ – has been written by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, a respected politician. It spans many decades of political life in Pakistan. He has started his book with the very relevant famous Ghalib verse: “Sadiq hun apen qoal ka Ghalib khuda gawah/ Kehta hun such keh jhoot ki aadat nahine mujhe.” It then continues with his own background and goes on to discuss all major politicians and political issues of his time.

He has also included comments on my case, which I would like to discuss. Allah Almighty knows that I am not a liar and that what I have said is the truth. At the time of his coup, Musharraf was considered to be a pariah by the West and he was willing to do anything to be accepted by them.

I had always been in the bad books of the US for the part I played in making Pakistan a nuclear power. They wanted to make an example of me in the same way that they had done with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. So, I was falsely accused of illegal activities. S M Zafar and Chaudhry Shujaat were tasked with convincing me to take on the blame.

Zafar categorically advised me not to do so. Musharraf did not like his attitude towards the matter and asked Chaudhry Shujaat to exclude him from future meetings. On February 4, 2004, after a meeting with Musharraf, I was handed a typed statement to read out on TV with the specific promise that I would soon be rehabilitated and would be a free man. This proved to be a pack of lies. I was put under house arrest and treated like a traitor – as were many of my colleagues. Even now, many restrictions have been placed on me.

Two days after my statement on TV, Chaudhry Shujaat gave an interview to a local newspaper, stating that I hadn’t done anything wrong. He added that there was no corruption or mismanagement involved and that I had saved the country for a second time by taking on the blame. In addition to Chaudhry Shujaat’s request to take the blame, I was also moved by the agony that my family was going through and hoped for a speedy end to the matter.

In his autobiography, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has commented on this unfortunate and mischievous episode in the following words: “Pervez Musharraf’s accusations against Dr A Q Khan are baseless and false. Dr A Q Khan had given sacrifice for the country and for the nation and he had accepted the false accusations. In fact, he was not at all guilty.”

Email: dr.a.quadeer.khan@gmail.com