Halal and Haram

If you are a Pakistani and have never been to outside world, the above terms mean little or of no significance. Living in a country with 98% of Muslim majority population, you need not worry to ever come across a choice of Halal and/or Haram food. You would certainly be getting Halal food, just everywhere without having to ask for it. I wonder what percentage of local population has ever seen a pig in real! Although Cable TV has brought it in our living rooms but thanks God, it can never penetrate into our kitchens.

And what exposure do you have with Haram food in the outside world? The first rendezvous with pork comes when you travel in a non-Muslim Airline and you only evade it if you are smart enough to ask for choice of food before it is served by charming airhostesses. While travelling in Indian Airlines, I overheard a hostess asking something to passengers before handing over them the food tray. When she came nearer and became audible I heard her asking Veg or Non-veg! Obviously my choice was Non-veg presuming that it would be Halal food. Later I realized my mistake and on a return journey I preferred the Veg food.

Another shocking experience in the Western World comes when you observe pork and meat/beaf (Halal and Haram) are placed side by side in a buffet lunch or supper with the application of same spoons/forks. Once on an international training course, my Ghanian Christian course mate said; Mr. Pitafi, don’t you think we are subjected to too much Halal food? He was referring to hotel menu that was catering to serve food to more than 200 international students, 25% of which came from Muslim countries.

So you escaped having pork in your cuisine but what about other Haram things that you purposely let them come into your life! You enjoy alcoholic drinks, visiting gambling dens, “red light” areas and even “staying” there for a while! Allow me to use an anonymous Western quote that reads; Muslims enjoy every bit of Haram things here but when it comes to eating pork they start chanting: Tauba Tuaba, Haram.

Coming back to my own beloved country, I have to confess that if “corrupt practices” and “Haram Things” are synonymous then they are 13 years older than me. I can’t estimate their exact age but based on exponential rise seen in the last few decades, they are surely going to last many generations.

Our life style, class system, behavior, environment, habits, (mal) practices, businesses, and last but not the least, the financial system are entirely engulfed with malignancy of corruption. We can’t cite a single area or institution in public sector that is free from malady. More dangerous is the generally accepted wisdom that deceit and malpractices of highest order with national wealth makes you the noblest man of the country.

In a country where you hear deafening sound of Adhan (call for prayer) five times a day, the mosques are bursting with Namazis (those offering prayers) on Friday prayers (and with sizeable attendance on ordinary days), millions go to Makkah for Umrah and millions make pilgrimage to Hajj every year then what’s wrong with the nation. Why can’t it distinguish right from the wrong, good from the bad, honesty from the hypocrisy, and Halal from the Haram?