Thoughts on Weekend - Part 1

Getting on in years, anticipatory weekend thoughts are replaced by somber thoughts on weekend. This weekend, the focus is on patriotism versus nationalism particularly why Allama Iqbal disapproved the concept of nationalism and called it The Idol of our age. 

‎ان تازہ خداؤں میں بڑا سب سے وطن ہے

‎جو پیرہن اس کا ہے، وہ مذہب کا کفن ہے

From this verse it appears that nationalism is antitheses of religion. No wonder, we are not taught Iqbal in its true spirit. His thoughts were antithetical to Nationalism which would change the way we look at our existence today. Caveat, don't bother too much, just keep your perspective the way it is, however, let me take you on a different tangent on nationalism for a change. 

Don’t get me wrong, patriotism is not under question but the perscriptive patriotism we have grown up with. Patriotism is a sacred thing to have. Because sense of belonging to a place is no ordinary thing. Here is a cool fact, you belong to every place you go. Let me explain; in a place other than your native town, the water you drink and the food you eat becomes a part of you, so in a way you become a part of that place. Hence, the places you go, you become a little bit from those places albeit the lion’s share of ownership remains with your hometown or the town where you spend the most of your time. In hindsight, I Thank God that maximum number of my visits outside Pakistan were to God’s House. Surely, this motivates me to visit more. I pray to find my final dwelling there. So, more you visit Harmain, the bigger part it becomes of you and you become a part of it. This also goes to explain the reason for love of ancestral lands, the pride in heritage and sense of belonging to a remote place. If your elders, migrated from a place 200 years ago, you still belong to that place because your ancestors were part of that place and that place was part of their make up. It fed them and its nutrients ran through their blood and shaped their bodies. Its nucleotide helped construct their DNA. Its minerals ran through their veins. It strengthened their bones through accumulation of calcium and other constituents. Its climate fashioned their dopaminergic and serotonergic swings. How could you not love your land? Probably if you lack love. 

What an amazing relation we have with the land we belong to or happen to visit. We have learned to call this sense of belonging as patriotism. 

However, Nationalism was invented just couple of hundred years ago. How it is different from patriotism and why Iqbal disapproved of it shall come in next part. 

Have a thoughtful weekend.