better light a candle than curse the darkness |
better light a candle than curse the darkness |
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| Sachin
Tendulkar and Dr. Zakir Naik: Two Gems from Mumbai By Shakeel Ahmad <shakeeluae@gmail.com>
"Oh! He should have leveraged his front foot to play this ball towards that gap between the covers and sqare-leg.” “Oh no! What is Tendulkar doing? If only he had played it on the back-foot, this would be a sure 4”. Salil kept on moving from one edge of his seat to the other, sometimes pushing himself forward, sometimes backwards, constantly advising Tendulkar on each ball, his movements almost accurately reflected his advice as if Tendulkar was watching him and would heed to the advice when he takes the next ball on. It was 6th January 2011, and the 3rd and India’s final test match of this series against South Africa finally came to an end. Indian news channels were pouring laurels, congratulating “Indian giants” coming out of South Africa without losing the test series, for the first time ever. To me these channels sounded more jubilant than the ordinary Indians back home who always demand “give me more”. But, I had not expected anyone to curse Tendulkar for losing an excellent chance to win this series, particularly after the team came back so strongly after an innings-defeat in the inaugural match of the series to win the second test convincingly. Newlands Cricket Ground of Cape Town had created history with many firsts in this last test match, but Salil was still expecting more. He said, “This target was achievable, what is this target of 340 runs? They make this much in 50 overs of a one-day match and come so close to it, even in a T20 match!” “Tendular’s 51st century in this test has made him greater than Sir Don Bradman”. “In a year in which everyone thought he would declare his retirement, he scored 7 centuries (2010), as if he has just begun!” “He has set records that would remain unbeatable forever.” Such comments reverberated on all the channels that remained busy singing Tendulkar’s praise despite the match ending in a draw. “But why do you blame Tendulkar for this?” I did not like the curses Salil was throwing on Tendulkar whose number of records is no match for even the number of test matches played by many of his team-mates! Salil jumped on me,”Can’t you see, this guy made only 14 runs in the 91 balls he faced, just to remain “not out” and better his average! He always plays for himself, not for the team!” He continued, “Look at Jacques Kallis, he made a century in the first innings, and repeated the feat in the second innings as well, the first by any South African on home grounds. This should be the spirit! His innings saved South Africa’s honour and the series. From 130 for 6, Kallis played a game for his team to reach an unbeatable score of 341. And, Tendulkar played the game for a draw!” It was becoming unbearable for me, now, so I cut him short, “Salil, you say the score was unbeatable, then what else would he have played for? And, was it not a team decision to play for a draw?”  Sometimes I get so upset with Salil, I resolve to break my habit of watching the cricket matches together, and never to invite him again. But, habits die hard. Or, maybe, I like the company of sceptics! His name sounds so close to Zaleel, sometimes I love to call him that way, and he never minds; other sceptics who easily find avenues of criticism where none exist, would make my life hell if I call any of them this way! Maybe it’s this level of his tolerance that forces me to break my resolve each time there is a cricket match. Tendulkar has been the most complete batsman of his time, the most prolific runmaker of all time, and arguably the biggest cricket icon the game has ever known. His century as a 19-year-old on a lightning-fast pitch at the WACA is considered one of the best innings ever to have been played in Australia. His greatness was established early: he was only 16 when he made his Test debut. He was hit on the mouth by Waqar Younis but continued to bat, in a blood-soaked shirt. He currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and ODIs. First double-century of one-day cricket is in his name; he is about to score 100 international hundreds, which like Bradman's batting average, may last forever.  |
  "The only challenge he has is to beat himself every time he walks out there because he has done almost everything." … Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara "I've never imagined that someone can go this level and play for more than 20 years. It's an incredible feat." … Graeme Pollock For Salil and commoners like us, sitting in the cozy sofas of our air-conditioned drawing rooms, or sipping tea at a village roadside tea-shop, it is so very easy passing on comments against Tendulkar, giving him advice on what he should do and what he must not. Each one of us, and most of those in the cricket stadium, is expert of the game for all the Tendulkars of the world, and for that matter, of all the games. How does it matter if some of us can’t even lift a bat! Still, we feel every ball would go for a four or a six if only we were on the crease! But, are we really ready to introspect and find out why we would remain just spectators the whole of our lives, while the Tendulkars bring laurels to themselves, to their societies, and to the nations they belong?  Internet has made for the experts in us extremely convenient to flood the entire world with our “valuable tips”. Be it Tendulkar of cricket or Zakir Naik of comparative religion! Both come from Mumbai, but there is far more common between the two. Both have been able to accomplish what no one had imagined in the past, and what would be near impossible for anyone to achieve in the future. Zakir Naik has brought about a revolution that forces everyone, belonging to any religious faith, to look into their respective religious scriptures and those of others, thus making them look out-of-their-boxes. Young professionals who used to be out of touch with religion, did not know of their faith beyond the rituals and festivals, are now connected with the divine sources and explore the basis (and basics) of faith. Those who were scared to express the desire to adopt Islam as their way of life are able to express their desire in front of hundreds of thousands of people watching them in programs like the annual peace conferences of Mumbai, and millions of people watching on Peace TV. Those who accept Islam today do so based upon knowledge and conviction so they are able to confront any of their society members on all questions that they ask. “Veda says God is one, but we were kept away from it so that we don’t find the truth”, or “Ramayana and Upanishads tell us that cow is not god and its meat can be eaten”, or “Christ was a prophet of God, not His son; the coming of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was already mentioned, by his name, in the Bible and Vedas and in all the books claimed by people as divine”. He has references in his hands to show to the family members, friends, and society’s moral-keepers to prove what he says. The common Muslim, new or by inheritance, feels empowered once he opens his hearts to what Zakir Naik says. He is strong in his belief that Quran is the only divine book which remained untampered by humans, and can never be tampered in future; he can prove it in a few minutes. He doesn’t need to make weak arguments like “my parents told me so” - no more dawah (invitation to authentic divine guidance) with worthless logic like these. Zakir Naik is a challenge to the mullahs who just want Muslims to be blind followers rather than educationally empowered, informed, and confident. But Zakir Naik is no different from Tendulkars of the world, every Tom Dick and Harry thinks himself capable of passing comments against him, criticizing him, and giving him free advice! I think the sheer volume and intensity of the rhetoric against him proves that Zakir Naik is already a Naik (leader). May Allah save him and all of us “from the mischief of the envious one as he practises envy” (Quran, 113:5)! |
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