THIS IS AN EXERPT FROM A PIECE WRITTEN BY A COLLEAGUE WORKING TO DEVELOP, STRENGTHEN AND EMPOWER PAKISTANIS OVERSEAS.
"...I had to think about how do I deal with those things that I had found difficult to deal with at one time but now face with an approach that does not daunt me nor depress me. Basically it comes back to how Muhammad (saw) handled difficulties that presented themselves in his eventful and pivotal life. Mankind’s being and survival on this earth is so dependant on this. It is what we do not what others do that eventually guarantees our success or failure and no one portrayed this more clearly than the success that Muhammad showed in his endeavour to leave a legacy for us. Our successes will be relative but our example of the nature of our actions to achieve them leaves a working example for those who proceed us.
We are not necessarily born equipped to handle political and social aspects affecting our lives and have to learn and adapt, as I realised, to deal with issues new and repeated. We all have a part to play, and should play, especially if we have children or those we love for, that we may be leaving behind us in this world. What sort of world do we leave them is not our choice, it has existed before us and will continue for a significant, unspecified time after our departure. All we can do is pass on the received and learned wisdom, either through education or good social interaction, and hope we have left them the skill to make decisions that will benefit their lives and those of their successors. That is what the Quran is, a Hikmat (Wisdom), a Furqan (Criterion) to allow us to make decisions of meaning. It is acquiring this skill that we as a community should be concerned with, it will develop familiarity among ourselves, and hopefully allows the development of respect and cohesion among us; in fact stop us from being total strangers to each other"...
..."For the first time I see very skilled and appropriate people, it is not a one person job it will require many if not the vast majority of our people, to develop and administer a purposeful agenda that will change the present trends our society and we are going through. The voice of people of Pakistani descent and Muslims, as a collective, can only be heard, have effect, once we have learned how to get to this point. For this we need to set up our own reference groups, to assess what are the best ways forward and what policies to adopt. Once you do this you will find most parties will have to go with you because of the pressure for them not to do so will be intense and growing.
Speak to each other decide if you are able and willing to pursue this. If not then make people aware what you are able to try to do and who you want to work with you. Islam requires constant input, reflection, and remembrance of Allah. Surah Fatiha suggests a journey along a direction which we need to maintain a focus and vigil upon, the ultimate challenge, but the only thing that Allah will use in judging us, if that is what we believe, and we must pose this question as well ‘do we believe this’?"...
