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Seeking Compassion and Unity The estimated global value of annual Zakat calculated as 2.5% of a Muslim’s surplus wealth would amount to at least 15 times more than global humanitarian aid states IRIN Global. In addition to Zakat, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, Muslims are encouraged to offer charity whenever they can which can be a small or large amount of money or as simple as a smile or kind word. Despite being a financially strapped country, 98% of Pakistanis give some form of charity totalling an average of Rs 800 billion. Yet the poverty index in Muslim countries does not improve. Tariq Cheema president of the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists, says there is a need to shift from generous giving to strategic giving so that the distribution of collected funds would result in none left to receive charity as in the time of the Khalifa Umar (RA). The success of Muhammad Yunus’ Grameen bank offering microfinancing led to its adoption by 100 other countries.

Justice or Judgement? Trial Attorney Anne Bremner, says we are living in an age of judgements rather than justice. Her book ‘Justice in the Age of Judgment’ examines trials in recent history heralding a new era of trying cases in public as much as the courtroom. This is not a new phenomenon. The trial by the British Raj of the Karachi Seven at Khalikdina Hall in 1921 was a very public affair and reported daily in the press. Medieval Inquisition trials conducted across Europe were held in secret but punishments were public including the burning at the stake of women accused of witchcraft. The Sufi Mansur Hallaj after being confined for 11 years was brutally executed in public. Why are people so keen to see justice being done? Is it an assurance for a safer future? Is it to be reminded of the limits imposed by society? While courts make judgements, the question may be raised: was justice done? Doing the right thing is justice, while a judgment is the decision of the court bas

Step Back to Move Forward USA was the first colonized country to gain independence in 1776, followed by Haiti and Brazil. USA and Brazil were Europeans who sought independence from Europe, while Haitians who fought for independence from France were slaves mostly from Africa. The indigenous populations of all three were all but wiped out. Most countries that carry the tag of decolonization today were native populations that achieved independence between the 40s and the 70s across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. These countries remain trapped between colonial and traditional values. Along with military might and brutal suppression of resistance, the more subtle instruments of subjugation have been education, language and culture. Ironically it has been these very impositions that have allowed voices of protest to turn colonial monologue into dialogue. From Dadabhai Naoroji in the late 19 th century to Frantz Fanon and Edward Said in the 20 th century to Mehdi Hasan and Sh

A Sense of Belonging Human society historically evolved into distinct communities held together by a shared sense of belonging. The sharing may be geographical such as mountain people, desert people, seafarers or nomads. Language and religion bind people together, as may their collective occupations such as farmers or snake charmers. The gypsies across the world have a shared identity. The Khoji (investigators)tribes of Punjab and Rajasthan, are experts at following the tracks left by lost or stolen camels, cows, goats or sheep. A sense of belonging is inculcated within families from childhood. The adoption of family surnames is an interesting journey from individualism to collective identity. Given an individual name at birth, the child would simply be known as the son or daughter of their mother or father. When travelling they would add their town of origin, when conducting business they would add their profession to their name. By the 19 th C, state administrative and

Reimagining Education The moment a child takes its first steps, the entire family is taken by joyous surprise. No one taught the child how to walk. Did it learn from observation? Is it an innate instinct similar to a foal who stands up unsteadily as soon as it is born? What has however been agreed is that the baby needs a safe environment, lots of play time, and the opportunity to be independent and experiment. Those are the conditions that remain essential for learning all through our lives. Yet those are the very things we deny during the learning process. Many children learn under the gloom of fear of a demanding parent or an impatient teacher, play time is considered a distraction from ‘studies’, and there is an expectation to conform and obey instead of experiment. Clearly there is a need for structure and boundaries, even if these change over time. Defining these structures and boundaries determine the best environment for learning, teaching methodologies and curricula.

Seeking New Communities The poet, John Donne, wrote “No man is an island”. People inevitably form communities, whether as a family, a neighbourhood or a profession. Community is the yardstick for individuals, whether they feel part of it or alienated from it. Early communities were important for the very survival of humans as there was safety in numbers. While one group went hunting, the others protected the home. This rudimentary social structure still remains the norm in isolated communities. In a modern version of hunter gatherers, when the breadwinner works overseas, he is reassured that they can turn to the community for support. As civilizations grew, professional communities developed for farmers, craft guilds, religious institutions, warriors, and of course the rulers and the ruled. Unlike social units defined by geography, nationality, or class, a community implies common interests and a shared purpose and is built on mutual trust. Urbanisation and migration crea