Dear Students,
This is the essay and expansion topics list. As we have not got the turnout we desire, meanwhile we will start practising essay writing. So that the other students who are appearing in 2006 or after could take the maximum out of our plan.

Expansion Topic list

1) Nations which lose faith in God, deteriorate!
2) First and the foremost duty of Government
3) Women's place in home and society
4) Genuine rural uplift can only make our country strong and self-reliant
5) Self-finance scheme in the Government Institutes
6) Politics should be a forbidden fruit for our students
7) Trends in Pakistan's foreign policy

1) National Solidarity - ways and means of achievements
8) Your concept of an ideal beaurocrat
9) United we stand - divided we fall
11) The mystical and idealistic spirit of Islam
12) Isreal, the threat to world peace
13) Population planning in Pakistan
14) Importance of women in Islamic Society
15) Falling standards of education - causes and remedies
16) Man's place in Universe
17) Rights of Women
18) An ideal state
19) Interest free baking
20) Unemployment - causes and remedies
22) Science and Religion
23) Drugs - a great menace
25) Importance of education of women in Islam
28) Pains of unemployment
29) Corruption - causes and remedies
30) Inflation - causes and remedies

Further contribution from members is invited. I pasted these essays from SPSC which are of bps-16 level so that we could start with the easy ones and move towards the harder ones.

Regards,
Adil Memon

The First and Foremost Duty of Good Governance

The terms governance and good governance are being increasingly used in development literature. Governance describes the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). Hereby, public institutions conduct public affairs, manage public resources, and guarantee the realization of human rights. Good governance accomplishes this in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law. The term “Good Governance” in my perspective is simply an ideal term, which is impossible to achieve in really so far.

The duties of a Good Governance are numerous and uncountable. They range from survival of the nation to social, economic and intellectual well-being of a nation. The duty of a Good Governance, on the top hierarchy, is to bless the nation with survival. Thus, it can be said that the top priority of a good governance should be to provide basic amenities to general public. But, in this society, the provision of basic needs is not possible without impartial justice. Justice in itself is a very broad term. When justice will have the upper hand; there will be no poverty, illiteracy, crime, corruption, terrorism and unemployment etc. It would not be irrelevant to state here that all the social vices and menaces emerge in the absence of Justice. Therefore, justice is the panacea to all these evils.

A good governance can not introduce justice by casting a magic spell. The characteristic of justice can only flourish progressively. To evolve justice, a good governance needs to empower and enlighten the general public. The only way to do it is to load the general public with the weapon of Education.

Education is the only way through which we can create mass awareness among the people. This is the mode by which people refine their lives morally, socially, economically and intellectually. Education teaches them the manner of living a good life. By acquiring education, they can themselves solve all their daily-life problems. Education helps them in disclosing their status and position. It creates a sense of responsibility in them as well as makes them aware about the duties and responsibilities of a good governance towards them. Education civilizes a social animal into a human being.

In the end, it can be said that the duties of a good governance are inter-dependant. It is true that the provision of basic amenities is the most important. However, that provision isn’t possible without justice. Justice can only emerge through education. Hence, the first and foremost duty of a good governance is to provide Education.

Criticism is not allowed at any cost... (and infact, not by outsiders at least)
Suggestions and comments will be considered!

__________________
"The race is not over because I haven't won yet."

Adil Memon
Police Service of Pakistan (P.S.P)
37th Common Training Program

“The excellence of every government is its adaptation to the state of those to be governed by it.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1816.

The study of government and its relationship with the masses lies at the heart of political science. Finer defines the term ‘government’ as follows:

1. Government refers to the process of governing, that is, the authoritative exercise of power.
2. The term may refer to the manner, method or system of government in a society, that is, to the structure and arrangement of the offices of the government and the relationship between the government and the governed.

The governments are normally formed of three distinct sets of offices performing their particular role in a society.

1. The role of the legislature is to make the law.
2. The executive is responsible for the implementation of the law and in most advanced policies has come to play a predominant role in the formulation of proposals for new laws.
3. The judiciary meanwhile is responsible for the interpretation of the law and its application in individual cases.

Recently, the issues of governance and good governance have been deemed as crucial matter of major political and national concern throughout the world. The structure of state and its processes often generate greater influence of the development in comparison with individual policies, programmes and projects.

The government can fully comprehend its duty towards the state and the public when there is presence of a sound relationship between the government and the governed. For this very reason, organizational structures along with the productive functions that are implemented with a society are of greater significance. In order to attain better relations among the government and the public, it is necessary on part of the government which can be possible when the principles of ‘good governance’ are pursued. The major attributes of these principles is to provide the public with:

1. public participation
2. accountability
3. competence
4. transparency
5. decentralization
6. responsiveness to public needs
7. implementation of law & justice
8. legitimacy

Pakistan has also been introducing several reforms at the government level to ensure the corruption level is minimized; the needs of the public are addressed, minorities are given equal rights and that an independent judiciary be established. Some of the reforms undertaken are:
1. Local councils have been established at the union, tehsil and district levels.
2. Separate seats have been reserved for women.
3. Authorities of implementation of law, development and other policy issues have been transferred to the local governments.
4. Relationship between the federal and the provincial governments are being resolved and revived.

Some suggestions for enhancing the capacity and capability of the government are:

1. Reviewing and reforming the government institutions and structures.
2. Strengthening public participation at the grass root level by creating interaction between the authorities and the public.
3. Enhancing transparency and accountability, thus providing public the access to the performance of the government.
4. Provide better economic and social platform to the public which can help in eliminating poverty, lack of job opportunities and better living standards.

Thus, the major concern of a good government is to establish relationship with the public based on mutual trust and understanding of each other’s needs. This will ultimately lead the nation on the path of prosperity and evolution.

What is first & foremost duty of Good Governance

The concept of "governance" is not new. It is as old as human civilization. Simply put "governance" means: the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). An analysis of governance focuses on the formal and informal actors involved in decision-making and implementing the decisions made and the formal and informal structures that have been set in place to arrive at and implement the decision.
Government is one of the actors in governance. Other actors involved in governance vary depending on the level of government that is under discussion. In rural areas, for example, other actors may include influential land lords, associations of peasant farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutes, religious leaders, finance institutions political parties, the military etc. The situation in urban areas is much more complex. At the national level, in addition to the above actors, media, lobbyists, international donors, multi-national corporations, etc. may play a role in decision-making or in influencing the decision-making process. All actors other than government and the military are grouped together as part of the "civil society."
Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.
Our foremost priority should be defining our ideology; which is a body of essential beliefs in all walks of life. There are religious, social and political beliefs that need to be clarified so that our overall view and attitude toward life is deciphered. For the sake of order, stability and strengthening Pakistan, a clear perception is essential. The architect of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, not only laid out the foundation of our beloved motherland, he left behind a comprehensive blue print for the social, economical and political development of the state which should have been followed in letter and spirit.
The Quaid stated, "The first duty of a Government is to maintain law and order so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected."
He considered bribery and corruption biggest curses and poison that must be put down with an iron hand. Another curse, black-marketing, a colossal crime against society that causes starvation, want and even death, should be dealt with sternly.
He believed that the State of Pakistan could be happy and prosperous only if we wholly and solely concentrate on the well being of the people especially the masses and the poor.
Quaid-i-Azam wanted his Pakistan to be based on sure foundations of social justice and Islamic socialism which emphasizes equality and brotherhood of man. A Pakistan aspiring for equal opportunities for all.
So the conclusion is that the foremost duty of the good governance is to understand the ideology of Pakistan. For what Pakistan is made? What was the purpose of it’s creation? That will make a good governance in Pakistan.

The nation who lose faith in GOD, Deteriorate

Faith is an affectionate, practical confidence in the testimony of God. Faith is also mean to believe. Believe on Allah, and obey His orders. This world consists of two types of people, one who believes called as Believers and who doesn’t believe known as unbelievers. It is commonly considered that who says “I am a Muslim” is a really faithful person. But question is: Is saying “I am a Muslim” sufficient to be considered one of the faithful?
The answer is No, because according to Quran, the believers have the following attributes.
“They pay constant attention to living by the values of religion, sacrifice their personal benefits for the common benefits of religion, overcome the selfish passions of their own souls, pardon others, control their rage and are moderate in their behavior, sacrifice for others even when they are in need ”.
And these actions can’t be fulfilled only by speaking. Even though saying “I am a Muslim” may be the first step in becoming one of the faithful, it will become true faith only when the person sincerely adheres to Allah’s commands to the best of his or her ability. This is explained in the Quran as follows:
“who could say anything better than someone who summons to Allah and acts rightly and says :’I am one of the Muslims’ ” (Surah Fussilat, 33)People in whose hearts the light of faith does burn shrink back from the thought of evil. History tells that the cleanest, purest and noble lives have been those of men who were charged with a glowing faith in Resurrection and the final Requital.
The details about the world of Requital can, however, only are known through the prophets. It is beyond the realm of controversy that all the prophets during their lifetime imparted to their people what they needed knowing about God’s final judgment and Heaven and Hell, but their followers did not pay enough attention to the preservation of their teachings with the result that much of what they preached was lost or driven out of shape with the passage of the centuries.
History also proved that a nation who not believe in God, deteriorate. They ignored the teachings of Prophets & as a result were punished by God. They were punished by thunderstorm, sand storms, earth quacks. Fire was thrown on them from sky. Some of those nations were obscured in sand of deserts and ocean water. And this was like that mostly because of their faiths & and their leaders/ representatives faiths.
As far as leaders of a nation are concern, both the believers and the unbelievers have leaders. The believers' leaders invite them to live by the religion, perform good deeds, and exhibit good behavior. They inform them of Allah's existence and the good morals that they should have, describe how the religion's commands should be fulfilled, and enable them to improve themselves by showing them what they are doing wrong.
In the case of the unbelievers, we should not understand their "leaders" to be the community's leading people. People who do not believe in Allah, and reflect their unbelief in their way of thinking, behaving, and living, call others to the Fire, and so become leaders of unbelief. They do not direct people to believe in Allah; rather, they lead them away from belief in Him. They incite the people to follow Satan and their desires, instead of the Qur'an and their consciences. As a result, these leaders of unbelief draw their followers into the Fire and Allah's punishment:
“... See the final fate of the wrongdoers! We made them leaders, summoning to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped.” (Surat al-Qasas, 40-41)

The literal meaning of faith in God is to believe in the existence of a being who is the sole creator of this universe. He has been present since ever and is independent on any other force for his own beginning.

However; logically; a mere belief in his existence can not be called faith. In true sense, faith in God means total submission and obedience to Him.

He is the exclusive authority who invented this universe and the creatures in it. The most distinguished of his creatures is Human Being. It is the only creature of God who has been bestowed with the powers of “self-will” and “discretion”. They are the only creatures who have been given a choice to follow whatever course they choose. So that ultimately indicates that they could go stray. Considering this, God revealed his Divine Messengers and Holy Scriptures to guide them to the right path.

God sent his Divine Messengers and Holy Scriptures to the nations all over the world. The prophets invited the nations to accept the Divine Religions they had come with, in order to provide them with worldly as well as After-life benefits. Since human beings had been conferred with the freedom of choice in whatever course of action they adopt, some brought faith in the Divine Religions (God), however some did no. The ones who believed, prospered, as was promised to them, while the disbelievers vanished, as they were warned. Such an instance can be presented from the history of Isreal:

The people of Israel since a little before the birth of Moses to the appearance of Prophet (PBUH) were seriously wretched. It changed for the better when they inclined towards their creator and exhibited steadfastness in the observance of His religion. The Quran reveals:

“And the fair word of the Lord was fulfilled for the children of Isreal because of their endurance”. (7:137)

Their wretchedness was transformed into prosperity all because of their inclination towards Almight God and dedication to the path of truth. Not only that, they were also assured of more blessings in return of gratitude.

“And when Moses said unto his people, Remember Allah’s favours unto you when he delivered you from Pharaoh’s folk who were afflicting you with dreadful torments.” (14:7)

As long as they were on the right path and had faith in God, the world saw that the Divine promise was fulfilled so magnificently that the nation of Israel made a distinction. Referring to their honour, prestige and glory, Allah has stated in the Quran:

“O Children of Isreal: Remember my favours wherewith I favoured you and how I preferred you (to all other creatures)”. (2:47)

Here we see the level of elevation of the people of Israel when they had faith in God. But when they abandoned their attitude of gratefulness, submission, adherence and became proud, arrogant and disobedient they were stripped of this role of honour. The Holy Quran commended on their condition in the following way:

“If they observed the Torah and the Gospel and that which was revealed unto them from their lord they would surely have been nourished from above them and from beneath their feet.” (5:96)

“And if the people of the township had believed and kept from evil; surely we have opened for them blessings from the sky and from the earth”. (7:96)

This is the proclamation for those who digress from the path of faith and worship of God. Thus, these proclamations prove that faith in God leads to prosperity, while, diversion from faith causes deterioration.

Note: This article has been passed through the personal Censor Machine of Adil Memon. The stories of the destruction of such nations have been filtered out.

Keera nikaalney wallon ko talkeen ki jaati hai ke woh zyada free na hon!

I am damn sensitive to sarcasm and criticism... so better avoid it!
Kind suggestions and comments are welcomed!

__________________
"The race is not over because I haven't won yet."

Adil Memon
Police Service of Pakistan (P.S.P)
37th Common Training Program

NATIONS WHICH LOSE FAITH IN GOD, DETERIORATE

[U]


“Faith is an affectionate, practical confidence in the testimony of God” – J.Hawes


FAITH is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true. Its primary idea is trust. Faith is an outcome of knowledge which is an essential element of faith. Assent t the truth is of the essence of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed truth rests in the veracity of God.

Every Muslim knows that the key to Paradise is the statement, “There is none worthy of worship except Allah.” As many scholars state, though, this statement or testimony is the key to Paradise. The famous Follower Wahb ibn Munabbih was once asked, “Isn’t the statement of ‘la ilaha illa-llah’ the key to Paradise?” He answered, “Yes, but every key has ridges. If you come with the key that has the right ridges, the door will open for you. Yet if you do not have the right ridges the door will not open for you.”

There are certain pre-requisites of declaration of faith:

1. knowledge of what is meant by ‘shahadah’
2. certainty
3. acceptance
4. submission & compliance
5. truthfulness
6. sincerity
7. love
8. deny very other object of worship
9. adherence until death

Islam considers faith to be of tremendous worth, as from it flows the fountain of total submission to God. Tawheed – the Oneness of Allah – the monotheistic principle of Islam helps in defining the relationship of Man with God. Avowal that “there is no God but God” means to assert and surrender to the Omniscience and Omnipotence of Allah. Relation between God & His subjects should be to refer to Him for all their physical, mental and spiritual needs. As Allah says in the Holy Quran,

“Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgiveth anything else to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous in deed.”

Though Man has greater mental and physical faculties and has been bequeathed with vice regency on earth but Allah has devised sets of principles in which privileges and responsibilities are clearly chalked out. Allah says in the Quran,

“It is He who has made you [His] agents inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft Forgiving Most Merciful.”

Allah has narrated in the Holy Quran the stories of the past nations and the severe punishments that were sent upon them, and their excruciating doom. Also, how they were destroyed, and what their recompense was for belying their prophets because of their arrogance and resistance to the Truth.

“How many sinful nations have We destroyed! Their cities lie in ruin; desolate are their lofty places and abandoned their wells. Have they not journeyed through the land? Have they no hearts to reason with, or ears to hear with? It is their hearts and not their eyes that are blind.”

Allah mentions stories of the miracles with which the prophets were sent, their preaching to their people, the resistance of their opponents, the stages of preaching and its evolution, the reward of the believers, and the fate of the disbelievers. These includes the accounts of Prophets Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), ’Isa (Jesus), and Mohammad (peace be upon them all). Allah says,

“These are some of the news of the (population of) towns which We relate unto you (O Mohammad); of them, some are standing, and some have already been reaped. We wronged them not but they wronged themselves. So their gods, other than Allah, whom they invoked, profited them naught when there came the Command of your Lord, nor did they add ought to their lot but destruction. Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the population of towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful and severe.”

These nations possessed power, wealth, technical knowledge and a rich material culture. In prosperity they had multiplied and spread over the earth. But when they chose to defy the moral order of the universe, all their efforts to ward off the blow of fate were of no avail. They chose to ignore the warnings and persisted in treading a dangerous path. Vanity and pride ruled their hearts and, elated by temporary successes, they failed to foresee the long-term results of their actions. At last, they reached the limit that the Laws of God have set to everything. When they crossed it, their fate was sealed. They had reached the point of no return. Along with this, the Quran makes the believers firm and strengthens them by giving them assurance that Allah will make them victorious, no matter what.

“And all that We relate to you (O Mohammad) of the news of the Messengers is in order that We may make strong and firm your heart hereby. And in this, (chapter of the Quran) has come to you the truth, as well as an admonition and a reminder for the believers.” [I]

Looking at the present situation of man and Muslims in particular, it is evident that the gradual fall of man is due to the loss of faith in Allah resulting in the race for financial, economic and social provisions. Blinded by the superficial aspects of opulence and splendour, Man has forgotten his avowal of timeless devotion and submission to Allah resulting in moral and spiritual decay of Mankind. John Seymour has beautifully put in writing the condition of Man as:

“We see men now wherever we look, so blinded by the arrogance and the worship of man as God that they are doing things no one but the insane would do … men maddened by the belief that they are both omniscient and omnipotent, that they are indeed God.”[B]



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i know this is too long ... mein kuch nahi ker sakti, sorry :o

For aeon, men did not treat the women with justice and equality for she was considered inferior to man in the matters of mental, physical and spiritual aspects. In the male dominated civilization, woman had to be content with an inferior role. It is now generally admitted that woman is, on the whole, man’s equal. Even so, deep down in her unconscious, the inferiority complex handed down from the ancient times is firmly lodged. In the advanced countries, women are working shoulder to shoulder with men in the fields of science, industry and administration, but still they are impelled to feel inferior. This is because women have been told all the time, on religious authority that God originally created man and woman was created subsequently because man felt lonely.

In early European Society women were not equated with men in humanity or religion, in fundamental rights or obligations, nor in legal capacity or social consideration. The revolt of the new European society against religion and convention was universal. Society became secular and humanistic in its values and therefore heterogeneous and free, pursuing no single ultimate end in life and tending to non-conformism and libertarianism. Likewise the petrified traditional forms of social life broke down towards promiscuity, permissiveness and sexual indulgence. Like power, pleasure, knowledge and beauty, sex almost became an object of total unrestrained devotion. As a consequence the woman began to lose her primacy and autonomy as a human being, to become an object for physical pleasure and commercial promotion.

With the advent of Islam, circumstances improved for the woman. The woman’s dignity and humanity were restored. Islam confirmed her capacity to carry out Allah’s commands, her responsibilities and observation of the commands that lead to heaven. Islam considered the woman as a worthy human being, with a share in humanity equal to that of the man. It will thus be seen that Quran treats man and woman as equals in all respects. The fact is that mankind will attain human stature only when it speaks about man and woman in terms of human beings, and not with reference to sex distinction. Woman has her own, personality, and the relation of personality to personality cannot be a relation of means and end; all personality is an end in itself. The family is an important institution where the major role is played by the mother. One cannot over-emphasize the influence she exercises over her children. She inspires in them the ideals and imparts to them the culture of her society. It mainly depends on her whether they will become useful members of the society or will be only misfits therein.

The Quran instils into her mind ideas of her essential worth and her own capacity. Islam allows her to work outside the home in an appropriate job which suits her nature, her concern, and her capacity, and which does not crush her femininity. The need for work is not merely limited to the financial aspect. The Quran also leaves no doubt in the matter of her right to possess:

“What man earns will be his and whatever the woman earns will belong to her.”


The woman’s right to seek education or learning is basic and is also guaranteed by Islamic teachings. Islam makes it incumbent on the woman to seek knowledge; the Prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h) says, “seeking knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim”, where “every Muslim” obviously involves men and women on an equal footing as a rule formalized by all authorities of jurisprudence.

Islam grants woman equal rights to contract, to enterprise, to earn and possess independently. Her life, her property, her honour are as sacred as those of man. If she commits any offence, her penalty is no less or more than of man’s in a similar case.
Woman enjoys certain privileges of which man is deprived. She is exempted from all financial liabilities. As a mother, she enjoys more recognition and higher honour in the sight of God. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) acknowledged this honour when he declared that Paradise is under the feet of the mothers. As a wife, she is entitled to demand of her prospective husband a suitable dowry that will be her own. She is entitled to complete provision and total maintenance by the husband. She does not have to work or share with her husband the family expenses. She is free to retain, after marriage, whatever she possessed before it, and the husband has no right whatsoever to any of her belongings. As a daughter or sister she is entitled to security and provision by the father and brother respectively. The whole status of woman is given clearly in the Quranic verse which may be translated as follows:
“And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but man have a degree (of advantage as in some cases of inheritance) over them”.
Looking at the present state of affairs in the Muslim world, it is seen that as consciousness of the growing economic needs spreading in the impoverished society of Muslims, and as they became less resistant to material temptation and more deprived of the close social ties of economic solidarity, the strong pressures for a better life swept away the reservations of the past. Women took advantage of this new-found experience and power to assert their freedom from the vanity and authority of men. The old-time institution of ‘harem’, the barrier of female privacy, was dismantled for practical considerations, with no compensating development of personal piety or moral barriers. Under the impact of cultural change and alien domination, the traditional society of Muslims is falling apart. Therefore, Muslim nation has to uphold its traditional way, the life of Prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h) as a beacon of light, for it is only Islam that provides Man with the complete code of life and a source of salvation in the world and thereafter.

The role of woman, her position and status in society, and her nature have been issues of debate and discussion informed by religion, tradition and culture, misogyny, feminism and - many times - downright ignorance and bigotry.
We are Muslims and Muslims seek guidance from Allah through his book, the Qur'an, and His messenger Mohammed (PBUH). Muslims believe that the word of Allah is supreme and takes precedence over all traditions cultures.
Many religious scholars argue that women should be confined to their homes and they should stick to serving the needs of their husbands and rearing the next generation. Modernists argue that women are seen to be simply wasting themselves in a typical eastern society. They have nothing to do except indulging in gossip and meaningless household problems. The majority have virtually killed their mental abilities and intellectual prowess. When we talk of boys, we discuss their careers; but when we talk of girls, we discuss their marriage.
It is ironical that all of them claim that Islam liberated women 1400 years ago. They claim that Islam gave women the right to equal education and civil and economic rights, but at the end of their analysis they come to the conclusion that a woman's place is in her husband's home and that she should be obedient to him and the male elite.
How on earth can she enjoy any liberty if she lacks knowledge, is confined to her home and has minimal control over her life?
The Qur'an declares the absolute moral and spiritual equality of men and women.
"For Muslim men and Muslim women, for believing men and believing women, for devout men and devout women, for true men and true women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward." (Sura 33:35)
This passage makes a clear statement about the absolute equality of the human moral condition and identical spiritual and moral obligations placed on all individuals regardless of sex. Incidentally, this is one of the passages that addresses women directly. It is related that the women asked the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) about why the Qur'an addressed only men when women too accepted God and His prophet. This question occasioned the revelation of the Qur'anic verses explicitly addressing women as well as men - a response that unequivocally shows Muhammad's (pbuh) and Allah's readiness to hear women. Thereafter the Qur'an explicitly addressed women a number of times.
"And their Lord has accepted of them, and answered them: 'Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, male or female. You are members, one of another: Those who have left their homes, or been driven out therefrom, or suffered harm in My Cause, or fought or been slain, verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into gardens with rivers flowing beneath. A reward from the presence of Allah, and from His presence is the best of rewards.'" (Sura 3:195)
Allah clearly tells us here that we are members of one and the same human race, and therefore equal to one another.
Another interesting fact about women in the Qur'an is that Allah relates instances when woman received Wahy (revelation). Oftentime the assertion is made that there has never been a female prophet. There is no conclusive evidence that there did not exist a woman prophet. And yes, women have received Wahy. Allah sent a messenger who carried Allah's message to Mary (PBUH):
"She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: 'I seek refuge in The Most Gracious from you: (come not near) if you are conscious of Allah.' He said: 'No, I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a holy son'" (Sura 19:17-19)
What is interesting is that Allah, The Most Wise, has not specified any particular role for all men or all women. The Qur'an does not propose or support a singular role or single definition of a set of roles, exclusively, for each gender across every culture.
This thus allows individuals the freedom to decide on their functions and roles best suited to their contexts. This must, of course, be done by maintaining fairness and equality through mutual consultation, mercy, consideration and compassion between those affected by the decision.
Consequently, women have before them a whole arena of activities. They can do everything which is not against the healthy conventions of their society. They should educate themselves as far as they can and contribute positively in the society through their intellect, talent and ability. Earning for themselves is certainly not prohibited. They can pursue careers just as men can. However, as pointed out, they should always give due respect to the precepts of the Shari‘ah.

GENUINE RURAL UPLIFT CAN MAKE A COUNTRY SELF-RELIANT

A country comprises of two regions i-e: Urban and Rural. The urban areas are those areas which are highly developed and are provided with all kinds of facilities and services. While, the rural areas are comparatively less developed and devoid of facilities and services with regard to urban areas.

Rural areas of a country are mostly dependent on farming, agriculture and livestock types of businesses. As they are devoid of facilities and other services they have no other choice than to stick up to their traditional businesses. So, this way they are deprived of their rights to advance. Ultimately they turn poor within no time.

In Pakistan, the major proportion of its population lives in rural areas. The people of rural areas lack the basic needs of a modern life. They do not have electricity, oil, natural gas, telephone and good infrastructure etc. They do not have clean drinking water. They do not have any efficient health facilities. They do not have proper protection under the law. They are the worst hit by natural calamities with no afterward relief. They lack effective schooling system. They are very insecure, vulnerable and powerless. And, they do not have any other sources of employment. This creates a disparity between the rural and urban areas and finally a sense of deprivation among the rural people.

The poor, then, with the shinning hopes to rise in life switch to mass-migration towards the urban areas. Mass-migration forms a heavy burden on the limited resources in the urban areas and affects the overall social and economic lives of people. Thus, in the end they create a hell for the people in urban areas sans improving their own lives to the least extent.

To avoid such types of predicaments, the Government needs to work out on the problems of rural areas. It needs to provide the rural areas with proper infrastructure, advanced farming and agriculture technologies and technical education to improve their traditional businesses. Electricity, Sui Gas and telephone facilities should be provided to them for their comfortable lives. They should be provided with healthy food, clean drinking water and a proper shelter. Effective education should be imparted to them. It is the sole responsibility of the Government to improve the lifestyles of people in rural areas. The Government should consider a major proportion in rural areas as its manpower not menace. It should set up mills and industries in rural areas to adjust the huge influx of unemployed ones for economic progress and improved life standards of people.

In the conclusion, I would like to state that rural areas are a blessing in disguise, which, if understood and manipulated properly can prove to be a bless.

(This topic was really rude and I couldn’t find anything specific to it so please ignore and forgive me if this is stupid.)

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"The race is not over because I haven't won yet."

Adil Memon
Police Service of Pakistan (P.S.P)
37th Common Training Program