By: Syed-Mohsin Naquvi 28 Dec., 2007
"To God We belong, and to Him is our return"
inna lillahi wa-inna ilayhi rajiAAoon - [002:156]
"To God We belong, and to Him is our return"
inna lillahi wa-inna ilayhi rajiAAoon - [002:156]
It was in the 400s A.D. that Hypatia had established her school in the city of Alexandria in Egypt, where she lectured on astronomy, mathematics and philosophy. She had received all her knowledge from her own father.
At the young age of 28 she was able to excel in Platonic sciences and lecture on them.
Cyril, the Christian Bishop of Alexandria was not happy that a young, unmarried woman would have so much influence on the educated elite of the city.
On top of that, she was a strikingly beautiful woman and she was never bashful about walking into a gathering full of men.
One day in the month of March of 415 A.D., during the festival of Lent, Hypatia's chariot was passing through the streets of Alexandria. At the same time, a procession of Christian monks was also passing. As soon as the procession saw Hypatia's chariot, they stopped it, pulled Hypatia out of the chariot, tore her clothes away from her body, and dragged her into a newly built church. Once inside the church, the frenzied mob of monks pulled tiles from the floor and with those tiles brutally crushed Hypatia's head, killing her.
Reportedly, this was done on Bishop Cyril's instigation, or at least with his tacit approval.
How did Christianity benefit from Hypatia's murder either that day or in the long run? No answer is available.
I think it is one of the most appalling examples of stupid, close-minded and bigoted men's jealousy towards a young and highly intelligent woman in known human history.
Yesterday a young, intelligent, highly qualified and charismatic young woman was brutally murdered in Pakistan at the hands of equally narrow-minded, bigoted and hateful men.
The fate of ambitious young women who dare to surpass men in their pursuit of success in life has not changed from the days of Hypatia to this, our day.
Benazeer Bhutto rose from a feudal, backward society. She went to Oxford and Harvard and excelled in education. She challenged men in her own country and surpassed them in her articulation, ability to pursue her goal and achieve it. At a young age, she became a successful and popular political leader. In a conservative society, she reached the position of prime minister in her country not once, but twice, using democratic means.
She did indeed have weaknesses. After all, she was human. During her first term as prime minister, she could not achieve much due to her obsession with avenging the blood of her father from the Pakistan Army. During her second term, she could not achieve much due to being harassed by the men around her in politics. But she had lit a flame of ambition and success for all women in a society where woman traditionally has been oppressed by her male counterpart.
She was not just a Pakistani leader; she was a leader of a global level. Many women of other countries looked up to her.
If she had lived and had taken part in the coming elections in Pakistan, I am sure she would have won with a clear majority. And maybe, this time, she could have done things not only for Pakistan as a whole, but also for the hapless women of Pakistan.
Her timeless and brutal murder has thrown the entire political scene into chaos. This is a sad day for Pakistan and particularly for the women.
Hypatia has been hailed as a "valiant defender of science against religion" by the American author John William Draper. Benazeer Bhutto would perhaps be remembered as a martyr for the cause of democracy and women's status in Pakistan against the tyranny of the most bigoted religious enthusiasts and an oppressive military regime.
Also see Frost over the World - Benazir Bhutto - 02 Nov 07
watch the video, short version :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sxxv_R4uJ0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TeYyHt3JZ4
Benazir Bhutto said Omar Sheikh murdered Osama as though it were common knowledge.
Benazir Bhutto said Omar Sheikh murdered Osama as though it were common knowledge.
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