Politicians urged to avoid name-calling, indecency against rivals

Renowned religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani calls on leaders not to turn political differences into personal enmity

Renowned religious scholar and former Federal Shariat Court judge Mufti Taqi Usmani on Monday called upon the politicians of the country to refrain from name-calling and indecent language while responding to their opponents.

"A difference of opinion, whether it is political or ideological, should not lead to personal enmity, violence and mudslinging," the scholar said in a Twitter post, urging politicians to avoid "harsh language" against rivals.

Mufti Usmani recalled that Allah Almighty asked Prophet Moses (Peace be Upon Him) to use a soft tone against Pharaoh and invited the nation to "think where we are headed."

اختلاف چاہے سیاسی ہو یانظریاتی اسے دشمنی بنا کر مرنے مارنے اور گالیاں دینے کا طریقہ معاشرے کے لئے مہلک ہےتنقید دلائل سے ہوتی ہے بھونڈی زبان سے نہیں قرآن میں حضرت موسی و ہارون علیہماالسلام کو فرعون کے مقابلے میں بھی نرم بات کرنے کی تلقین فرمائی گئی خدارا سوچیں کہ ہم کہاں جارہے ہیں

— Muhammad Taqi Usmani (@muftitaqiusmani) March 14, 2022

He further noted that the way Islamic commandments were being ignored over political disagreements was "horrifying".

The scholar added, "May Allah save us from the consequence of indulging in the practice," and quoted verses from Holy Quran prohibiting the same.

سیاسی اختلافات میں جس بری طرح اسلامی احکام واقدار پامال ہورہی ہیں انکا تصور کرکے ڈر لگتا ہے اللہ تعالی اسکے وبال سے بچائےقرآن کریم سورہحجرات میں فرماتاہے کہ ایک دوسرے کا مذاق نہ اڑاو غیبت نہ کرو بدگمانی نہ کرو کسی دوسرے کی ٹوہ میں نہ رہو اور کسی کانام بگاڑ کر نہ بلاؤ

— Muhammad Taqi Usmani (@muftitaqiusmani) March 14, 2022

A day earlier, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to refrain from ridiculing the political opponents by calling them names.

Also read: Name-calling: Shujaat advises Imran to avoid ridiculing opponents

Talking to media persons after an informal meeting with the party's parliamentarians, Shujaat noted that PM Imran always spoke about the model state of Medina, but he wouldn't have levelled accusations or called his opponents' names had he studied the commandment in Holy Quran that prohibited it.

Two days ago, while addressing a huge public gathering at Blambat Ground in Timergara, the district headquarter of Lower Dir, the premier had said he had been asked by the army chief not to call Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman “diesel”.

Turning his guns towards former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Imran had said, “I am told not to call Nawaz a bhagora [absconder] and a liar.”

He also called former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari a daku (bandit) during the same speech.