Saturday, January 23, 2016

_My Life and Struggle_ by Badshah Khan

_My Life and Struggle_ by Badshah Khan
Delhi, India:  Hind Pocket Books, 

(14)  He was Hafiz Koran, knew Koran by heart, by the time he was 8 and had madrassa schooling

(49)  A Hijrat Committee was formed in Peshawar and anyone who wanted to migrate to Afghanistan had to go through this committee, which provided him with all kinds of facilities and comforts.  In the beginning the Britsh tried to stop people from going on hijrat to Afghanistan, but later, when they found that people would not listen to them they changed their tune and encouraged people to go on hijrat in large numbers.

(61)  When he had gone I threw the pieces of gur out of the window and there and then I made a resolution that as long as I was in jail I would never do anything against the rules and regulations, because it created fear in a man's heart.  I had seen it happen to many of my political friends.  First they violate the rules, then they flatter the jailor.  They have to even bribe him.  All this is caused by fear and it costs a man his self-respect.  I did not want that to happen to me.

(86)  I replied:  "I have not come here to see relics, I have come here to look for the patience and courage of the Holy Prophet, who braved the journey through the desert from Mecca and came here for the welfare of the people of Taif.  And how did the people of Taif receive him?  They threw stones at him, set their dogs at him and beat him.  But in spite of all this cruelty the Prophet did not despair of the people, but he prayed for them saying:  'Oh God, be Thou their Guide and show them Thy ways.'"

(160)  I should mention here, that when the Jirga was discussing whether to start civil disobedience or not, Haji Faqir Khan of Hazara proposed that we should cut telephone wires, or remove railway sleepers.  I told the Jirga that this would be allowed only on the condition that the saboteur himself went to the police and told them what he had done.  This would make him develop moral courage and this would be an inspiration to other workers.  Also, no innocent people would come under suspicion and the police would have no excuse for hunting and harrassment.  So this mass movement was started, according to my instructions and carried out with great discipline on the part of the workers.

(174)  After all we did not want to win the elections or form a ministry for the sake of ruling over people, but for the sake of serving them.

(195)  My religion is truth, love, and service to God and humanity.

(230)  The student said:  "Suppose the German [a visitor to Afghanistan] asks me why we do not have these sentiments of fellowship and brotherhood, what shall I say?"

I told him:  "The answer is that in other countries there are people who have sacrificed their own comfort and happiness, their lives and property for the sake of their country and people.  There are no such people in our country, and if by chance there are a few people like that somewhere, we call them infidels and Wahabis."

More notes on my readings about Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Ghaffar Khan: Nonviolent Badshah of the Pakhtuns
https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2016/01/ghaffar-khan-nonviolent-badshah-of.html

Nonviolent Soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan, a Man to Match His Mountains
https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2016/01/nonviolent-soldier-of-islam-badshah.html

The Pathan Unarmed: Opposition and Memory in the North West Frontier

https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-pathan-unarmed-opposition-and.html

No comments:

Post a Comment