The Black Rainbow

by Hussain Zaidi

  Dr Junaid’s words made a great impression on Ali’s impressionable mind. He had seldom thought beyond himself. He had been concerned mainly about resolving his own contradictions. But Dr Junaid told him that one could not resolve one’s contradictions without resolving those of society.

  “So why not resolve the contradictions inherent in society,” Ali thought.

  “Sir, how can we effect a meaningful change in society,” Ali asked Dr Junaid in their next sitting.

  “It’s good to see you are thinking beyond yourself,” Dr Junaid appreciated Ali’s question. “This is the real sign of the maturity of a person when he starts thinking about changing his society. Coming to your question, people talk about two ways of change: evolutionary and revolutionary. But in my view, there’s only one way of change — if by change we don’t mean mere transition but transformation — and that’s revolutionary. Never in history have a people transformed themselves by following the evolutionary path. The reason is that the status quo, like the vicious cycle of poverty and backwardness, can only be dismantled by a strong big push, which is only the result of a well thought-out conscious campaign. As a matter of fact, those who insist on evolutionary change don’t want meaningful change at all. They only want peripheral changes so that their privileged position remains unchanged. This is what our leaders and opinion makers clamor for. Those who stand for the real change or transformation are dubbed miscreants, foreign agents, conspirators, traitors and terrorists.” Dr Junaid stressed the last word.

  “Forgive me, but do you mean that the terrorists are actually revolutionary?”

  “My dear it’s is just the use of words. Those we approve of, we hail as heroes and freedom fighters; those we disapprove of we stigmatize as miscreants and terrorists.”

  “But sir these terrorists kill innocent persons. They have turned our society into a hell. They are the agents of disorder and anarchy, of mayhem and chaos. Aren’t they? Ali queried.

  Dr Junaid looked askance at the young man and remarked, “This is the language of the status quo and reflects on the poverty of a society which is not yet prepared to accept those who are out to dismantle its basic fabric, which is rotten to the core. Yes innocent people are killed in bomb blasts but this is the unavoidable price that we have to pay to purge society of its evils and vices. Remember, the people have to make contributions if there’s to be a revolution, some by killing, and others by being killed. There’s no such thing as a bloodless revolution. Yes people talk of the bloodless revolution in England in the 17th century, but do you know how much blood was shed before the advent of that revolution?

  “As for the disorder and anarchy, this is the inescapable destiny of a society characterized by gross injustices and inequalities. The social order can’t be dismantled unless all its evils and vices are exposed. And do you think the present system is not killing the people? It’s also killing them in its own way. It’s giving people slow death, which is far more painful than what the terrorists are giving them. I see you aren’t convinced and this is hardly surprising as common prejudices, like old habits, die hard,” Dr Junaid stated in an emotionally charged tone.

  “You have really touched my heart sir but you’re right: I’ll need some time to overcome my prejudices. There’s one question that has troubled me most — and that’s the problem of freedom and determinism. Would you be kind enough to share with me how you look at it?”

  “Why not. I’m here to help resolve all your intellectual problems. But remember one thing. As I advised you earlier, don’t try to resolve these philosophical problems for their own sake. Since philosophy is essentially a social enterprise, solution to such problems must be related to social change.”

  Dr Junaid took a glass of water and then continued, “To begin with, I don’t take freedom in an abstract sense. Rather I look at it in a concrete sense. Some thinkers say that freedom is essentially a matter of consciousness and that you are free if you think yourself to be free. But I believe this is an aristocratic and abstract concept of freedom. Mere affirmation of freedom doesn’t make you free. A prisoner can’t come out of his cage by believing that he is free. If he wants to be at liberty, he should either get himself acquitted or simply break the prison. Freedom then is power. The more powerful you are, the freer you are. And power is the ability to exercise control not only on others but also on oneself. People are free to the extent they can influence others as well as their own actions. If my actions are dictated by others, I’m not in the least free. If I’m the master of my own actions, I’m free. God being omnipotent is absolutely free. We the mortals falling well short of being omnipotent are relatively free. You may be freer tomorrow than today and even freer day after tomorrow. But as I said earlier, you can’t be free merely by thinking yourself to be free. This is delusion rather than freedom. I hope this will satisfy you.”

  “Yes of course. One last question before I take leave of you. How can we relate freedom to society?”

  “Well it’s very simple. Every society has its own free people and freedom is thus an aspect of culture. In the slave society, only the master is free. In the feudal society, only the feudal lord is free. In a capitalist society, only the capitalist is free. In a hierarchal society like ours, only people at the upper echelons are free. By contrast, in an egalitarian society all are free, of course not entirely equally. We must use our freedom for creating a just and egalitarian society.”

  Chapter 39

  “We are going to have a new recruit for our cause,” Dr Junaid told Maulvi Zia.

  “Oh really! Who’s the lucky on?”

  “He’s no stranger to you. His name is Ali Naqvi, if you remember.”

  “Yes of course. How can I forget him? He stole one of my prized objects.”

  “He didn’t steal it. He himself was trapped.”

  “You’re right. But how did you catch him?”

  “He met me few weeks back dejected and shaken having no reason why he should live anymore. The people he thought to be his parents turned out to be merely his foster parents and he himself a bastard, I suppose. It wasn’t much difficult for me to draw up some similarities with him and impress upon him that his life had not lost all its meaning and purpose and that he should live for a cause,” Dr Junaid explained.

  “Do you think he can be of use to us? Maulvi Zia asked him.”

  “Very much. I haven’t yet told him about our cause but I think time has come to invite him to join our movement. He’ll not refuse.”

  “Well then sooner the better. Is this all you wanted to speak to me about?”

  “There are few other things. But if you are in hurry, some other time.”

  “Actually I have to appear in the court tomorrow to extend my bail and I have got to see my lawyer now,” Maulvi Zia told Dr Junaid. “I’ll call you later.”

  “Very well. I hope you wouldn’t have any problem in the court tomorrow.”

  “Certainly not. The judge is no stranger to our cause.” Maulvi Zia winked at his comrade.”

  Dr Junaid decided it was time he told Ali about himself and the movement he was part of. The professor was confident he was in full control of his pupil’s mind. So when in the evening Ali came to see him, Dr Junaid asked him, “What you make of what I have so far told you?”

  “Sir all my life I have lived on wrong assumptions about myself and the world. There was none to correct those assumptions. But sir you, true to a teacher, have shown me the real picture of the world and my place in it. I have reached the conclusion that strength is among the greatest of virtues and that if I’m not strong I’m good for nothing. But one must use one’s strength to achieve some impersonal purpose, to live and die for a cause.”

  “Excellent! Are you prepared to live and die for a cause?”

  “Why not sir. I have hitherto lived only for myself and what did I get? A life full of failure and dejection, a life devoid of all meaning and purpose. Now I want to live beyond myself,” Ali said in an energetic tone.
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  “Splendid. The noblest life is that of a hero; the most honorable death is that of a martyr. A hero is one who lives for others; a martyr is one who dies for others. The best cause is that which makes people live and die for others. Do you want to join such a cause?” Dr Junaid asked him.

  “With all my heart and soul,” Ali assented.

  “I appreciate this,” said Dr Junaid. “Before we go into details, remember one thing: you will not step back. Your commitment must be once and for all.”

  “You have my word sir. I’ll not flinch from my commitment,” Ali pledged.

  “Then listen. I told you the other day that I owe my life and everything that I have to one person. You know who he is? He is Maulvi Ziaur Rehman.”

  “Maulvi Zia! The well-known religious leader, the one who is said to be the patron-in-chief of terrorists?”

  “Yes the same Maulvi Zia. The man who has dedicated his life to effecting a metamorphosis in society, the man who is committed to establishing a just and egalitarian system, where people will live with honor and self respect and in fear of God only. If working for such society is terrorism, then yes Maulvi Zia is the patron-in-chief of terrorists,” Dr Junaid said in a voice choked with emotions.

  “Forgive me sir I didn’t mean it. I was just quoting the popular view about him,” an abashed Ali apologized to Dr Junaid.

  “It’s all right. People even fail to recognize, much less honor, their benefactors and stigmatize them as miscreants and culprits, traitors and terrorists. This is because the masses by and large are naïve, conservative and coward. They would bear intolerable suffering but wouldn’t rise against its perpetrators. They would rather live in disgrace than die with honor. But eventually they must come to the realization that it is better to be a martyr than to be a coward, that honorable death is preferable to a wretched life.”

  “Pardon me sir, but I have also heard that Maulvi Zia’s network kidnaps people for ransom, blackmails and extorts money from them. Sara, my ex-wife, told me that her father was one of the victims of Maulvi Zia.” Ali raised another question.

  “There’s no need to beg pardon. You must clear all your doubts before you enter our movement for our world has no room for skepticism. It’s wholly made of faith,” Dr Junaid responded in a crisp tone. “Yes, we kidnap and extort money. But why? That’s important. Unlike politicians, we don’t this to fill our own pockets or to swell our bank accounts but to keep our movement alive and kicking. Without money, no movement can be sustained even for a single day. And look at the people we extort money from — the big businessmen like Seth Nisar and corrupt politicians, who plunder the public wealth and who pay in taxes even less than that paid by my peon. These people have no qualms about abusing girls just about the age of their daughters. It may be a crime to extort money from these thugs, because law is made and unmade by them in their own interest. But it’s not a sin. Rather it’s an act of virtue. And do you know how did we net Seth Nisar?”

  And then Dr Junaid gave Ali a brief account of how they had trapped Seth Nisar. As he finished, he remarked, “And look at his daughter — just like his father a ruthless, heartless person, who lives only for herself and uses innocent people like you. Do you think it’s wrong to take away from these filthy rich and give it to those who most deserve it?”

  “Certainly not sir. Such people deserve worse treatment,” Ali agreed with his mentor.

  “Yes, they need to be given worse treatment. But how? Not merely by killing them, because they will be replaced by their scions, who are even more ruthless. The cure consists in uprooting the system from which these people draw strength and sustenance. And the system can’t be uprooted by the so-called constitutional, legal means, because no system provides for its own demise. We have to resort to other means.”

  “I fully understand and endorse your views. We should leave no stone unturned in demolishing this system. And for this I’m with you in life and in death,” Ali assured Dr Junaid.

  “This is like my disciple! Let me hug you and congratulate you on embarking on a new life,” Dr Junaid chuckled.

  Chapter 40

  Every evening, Ali visited Dr Junaid and they spent an hour or so together. The professor would endeavor to strengthen his new recruit’s faith in their cause and answer any questions he might have.

  Dr Junaid knew well that Ali was impressionable and shaky. Such people are remarkable for their lack of consistency and perseverance. They are easy to influence but difficult to keep under influence for long, because God knows when they will come in thrall of some other doctrine or person. Therefore, Dr Junaid took upon himself to ensure that his student didn’t get off the hook.

  One question that troubled Ali from the beginning was why did a westernized and secular Dr Junaid side with the religious people, who aimed at establishing a theocracy. If he wanted to change the system, he should have joined people like him in thought and lifestyle.

  When asked, the professor’s response was this: “I’m glad you put this question. Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was secular and westernized but he ended up having India divided on the basis of religion. Why? Did he want to set up a religious state? Certainly not. But he knew well that India could be bifurcated only on the basis of religion. No other basis would be a workable proposition. In our society as well, if any real change is to come through, the same must be in the name of religion. The people wouldn’t accept any change based on socialism, secularism, liberalism, etc. Besides, the clergy are the only well-organized force, who want a real change in society. We have leftists, some of them of brilliant intellect, but they don’t want any meaningful change. Their socialism starts with their sense of personal deprivation and ends with their personal fulfillment. In the past, their personal fulfillment was promised by socialist ideals but after the demise of socialism in Eastern Europe, these people have taken refuge under the umbrella of civil society, which is an instrument of capitalism. These leftists, secularists only flirt with the revolution. I see no point in joining such faithless people.”

  “But sir would the establishment of a theocratic, monolithic society be palatable to you — just like the one the Taliban had established in Afghanistan?”

  “Pakistan is not Afghanistan. We are a far more advanced and diversified society; so if the Taliban come into power, they will definitely tone down their philosophy. I know this like the back of my hand.”

  “Does Maulvi Zia share your views?”

  “To a great extent. He is a clergy but an enlightened one, if I may use this term. Like me, he was educated in the West and admits that a primitive interpretation of Islam can hardly work in our society.”

  “Among Muslims we have Shias and Sunnis, Brelvis and Deobandis and Wahabis. If an Islamic state is established, what will be its creed? Ali queried.

  “Yes that’s a common objection when it comes to setting up an Islamic state. The answer is that the creed of the government will be that of the majority. Just as in the post Islamic revolution neighboring Iran, the creed of the state is that of the Shias, who are in majority. Besides, the differences among sects are not that enormous or fundamental. The important question however is not which creed or sect will rule but whether the system will change for the better. I’m willing to pay my allegiance to anyone who is committed to real transformation of society. To me it doesn’t matter at all whether he is clean-shaven or wears a beard; is a civilian or a man in uniform; is a man of the world or a man of religion; has a puritanical or permissive outlook; speaks English or Urdu or Arabic; is dressed immaculately or shabbily; smokes cigarette, pipe or cigar; is an alcoholic or a total abstainer; was educated at Harvard, or Oxford, or in a village seminary,” Dr Junaid responded.

  Ali was used to staying at home most of the time. However, Mrs Naqvi had noticed that for last few weeks he would regularly go out in the evening for considerable time. She knew he had no friends and no hobby.

  “So where does he go?” she wondered. “Maybe he goes to library but I hav
en’t seen him leave home, or return, with books.”

  She wanted to ask Ali but thought that might offend him. Ever since he came to know about his parenthood, Ali had virtually stopped talking to her. By the time he woke up, Mrs Naqvi had gone to college. They met at lunch and dinner but Ali would finish his meal quickly without uttering a word. He even didn’t ask her for money, though she would put some money on his study table regularly.