Khan might have an interest in spirituality or it was just his political strategy: Arif Nizami
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 29th June, 2018) Renowned journalist Arif Nizami while talking on a tv program has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan went to Pakpattan at 3am in the morning, that too bare-footed.
He said that Khan bowed down at the shrine out of reverence, adding that he also offered Nafil at Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj Shakar’s shrine in Pakpattan.
Nizami said that Khan’s act gives two impressions. Since his wife Bushra Bibi is Pakpattan’s Mutawwali and has been walking there bare-footed, she might have taken Khan along with her as Imran got interested in her due to her spirituality. But this spirituality turned into unity and the two got married.
One impression is that Khan has an interest in spirituality and so he went to Pakpattan with his wife. Second, Imran Khan’s visit to the shrine is being referred to as his political strategy but that sounds childish to me, he added.
PTI chairman Imran Khan paid a visit to Baba Farid Gunj Shakar’s shrine in Pakpattan with his wife Bushra Maneka Wednesday night.
The video of his visit to the shrine has gone viral on social media. While some people appreciated Khan’s reverence for the Sufi saints, others criticized him.
In the video, the PTI chairman is seen bowing down at the footsteps of the shrine.
The critics said that this shows how far Khan can go to get premiership of the country since he earlier married his spiritual leader Bushra Maneka. Despite being a candidate for premiership of the country, Khan is blindly following the Pirs.
Some people however said that Khan did not prostate rather kissed the stairs of the shrine out of respect.
Commenting on this, religious scholar Dr Raghib Naeemi said that we explain the issues of Shariah without connection to any person. Such things already happen at shrines and will continue to happen; that’s why we should not attribute these actions to a specific person.
As far as prostrating at the shrine’s entrance is concerned, it is called ‘Sajda Tazeemi’ in Shariah. This is such a Sajda that is prohibited in Shariah regardless of whoever it is meant for – a living person or a dead. A person who has performed such an act should seek forgiveness from God.
Another religious scholar Hamid Saeed Kazmi while commenting on this said that there are two types of Sajdas – if it was ‘Sajda Tazeemi’ it was prohibited and if it was ‘Sajda Ibadat’, it is Shirk.
He said that he cannot figure out if Imran Khan has given a Sajda at the door of the shrine or he has kissed the stairs. However, this is not allowed. There is no second opinion in Quran and Shariah that Sajdas are only meant for Allah Almighty, he added.
Watch Imran Khan's video here:
The PTI chairman reached Pakpattan late Wednesday night with his wife and visited Baba Farid’s shrine.
He laid a sheet on the shrine and offered Fateha. Bushra Bibi laid floral wreath in front of the ‘Bahishti Darwaza’ while Imran Khan distributed relics in the shrine.
PTI’s candidate for provincial assembly constituency PP-192 Deewan Azmat also accompanied Khan on the occasion.
Successor of the shrine Deewan Ahmad Masood Chishti tied turban on Imran Khan’s head. The two held a one-on-one meeting in the shrine. Following this, the PTI chairman left from there.
Imran Khan’s third wife Bushra Maneka is a spiritual woman. Khan earlier went to perform Umrah with his wife. While some criticize Khan’s marriage with his spiritual leader, others praise him for the act.
