OnIslam.net

The privilege of being a relative or close associate to someone important in the society is phenomenal, rewarding and a test to a person’s character.

If you are the sibling, spouse or even a friend of a highly respected leader, you are always looked at with admiration and respect.

Doors are always opened for you. People try to be close to you, not because of anything remarkable you have achieved or accomplished. You attract the attention because of someone else.

It is a matter of a pure luck as you didn’t have anything to do with it.

You are at the right place and at the right time.

You could be an illiterate, below the poverty line but, you still get the attention.

I wonder if Mrs. Clinton would have attracted the attention she got had she been not married by President Bill Clinton.

I also ponder whether Mr. George W. Bush would have ever been near the White House hadn’t he been the son of the former President.

Some- not everybody- people take advantage of this honor and try to manipulate others. They use such opportunity to climb the ladder to achieve the status of rich and fame.

They don’t feel shy for being selfishly egotistical and will use their luck for their own personal gain.

“Vote For Me, Vote For Me!”

You would see a Muslim political candidate visiting a Mosque to appeal for voters.  He or she would not outline any plan – big or small – he or she has in mind.  As a matter of fact, he could have no plan of whatsoever.  All he keeps repeating is “vote for me because I am a Muslim.”

I, personally, feel guilty for using the religious card when I was helping a candidate some decades ago.

I was given the task of calling members of the Muslim community in a particular neighborhood.  I didn’t mention any plan the candidate has in mind or how he was going to fight crime, resolve housing issues, tackle unemployment, discuss youth violence and teen pregnancy or any other matter.

All I kept repeating in my phone calls was, “the candidate is a Muslim and we need one of our own in the decision making process.”

While Egyptians are trying to harvest their crops after getting rid of the former dictator; as the Libyans are eager to rebuild their country after the collapse of the former regime; I believe that there will be egotistical people who will try to manipulate the masses  under the banner of religion.

They will try to win the hearts and minds of people, not because of their accomplishments or things they have done for the wider society.

They will try to act as the spokesperson of God by calling themselves God’s only representatives on earth.  This will imply that voting against them would constitute voting against God.

Politicians/ Preachers

I, personally, feel guilty for using the religious card when I was helping a candidate some decades ago.

The right wing parties in Canada, US and Europe also use the religious and cultural card to gain momentum. They try to win the hearts of people by spreading fear about immigration especially Muslims who, according to them, pose an imminent threat to take over the land and apply their way of life.

They don’t run by what they will do for the people but by the fear of the unknown.

Those who use religion as a disguise to run for office are coward human beings who don’t have the courage to be themselves.  They know that if they fail, religion will be blamed and not them and if they win, it will be because of the faith that they use as a bait to catch the fish.

They use exclusive phrases such as “the party of God” and make the religion something narrow and exclusive only for them – while it is vast and welcoming to all.

With their reckless behavior, all their mishaps and failure are associated with the religion which they claim to represent.

They probably use religion as a disguise out of desperation and necessity in order to hide their true pictures of who they are. They probably have nothing to stand upon and they are empty vessels and hijack faith for their own gains.

A dignified person should rise  up with dignity for what he or she has accomplished in life and what he or she is capable of doing  for his or her people, based on his experience and qualification and not just because he is the son of someone famous.