“BLACK & WHITE”
Discrimination in Pakistan is systematic and independent of the presence of foreigners of any tinge. The climate permits and promotes this chaos and disdain for dark skin. Most Pakistani celebrities have wheatish skin. Several stars even promote skin-bleaching cream that promises to improve one’s popularity and career success. Matrimonial ads boast of fair complexion alongside foreign visa and advanced university degrees.
Discrimination based on dark complexion exists in Pakistan. Even now when a girl faces a so-called ‘ber dikhawwa’ or ‘drawing room scene’, a custom in our society, she has to counter remarks like “the girl is so dark I want a fair girl for my gorgeous son”, or “the girl is so short that I don’t think she would complement my tall son” or mostly “the girl is so fat that she would be a football or giant after a few months of marriage so I want a slim and smart daughter-in-law.” People never seem to value the education and other skills of a girl. These are the demands not only set by the mothers but also by the boys. When they are putting these demands and requirements, they totally forget themselves. Do they really deserve a perfect girl? They are oblivious and never bothered to even think about hurting the girl’s feelings with their rejection.
In the last sermon of our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H) addressing a large gathering of Muslims, He (P.B.U.H) says: “No Arab is superior to a Non-Arab neither a white man is any way better than a black man, only the goodness of a person makes him superior from others.”
I don’t understand why we forget that Almighty Allah has created every thing beautiful and individual. Then why we differentiate people by their complexion or their looks? When our beloved Prophet (P.B.U.H) had removed all the differences that led to racism and discrimination among Muslims then why we commit sin by doing so and hurting the self esteem of girls? Why don’t we prefer and desire for the intelligence, talent and education of a girl instead of her looks as a life partner who might be a beautiful housewife but lack that education required to run a proper lifestyle?
It is well said that character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude, and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful.
Sara Niazi
Jinnah University For Women
Karachi.
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