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Caught on Camera: Wine or Juice? Asif Ali Zardari & Chinese President’s Toast

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In this picture story, proclaiming a thousand words, the “Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s” latest and most regretful leader, the shameless Mr. 10%, the jaahil (ignorant), crook, the bane of Pakistan is seen “toasting” at the end of a signing agreement (see picture below sleeve).

Of course, it is not alcohol that Zardari is drinking from this wine-goblet. It is just some apple juice (hey, what’s in a little fermentation??). *snark* It is one thing to hide one’s crookedness, but just like the shameless flirting with Palin, Zardari doesn’t even try to act like a Muslim. Well, I guess for someone with zero integrity, zero honesty, and someone who openly sides with every Western plan to rid the country of “newly-manufactured terrorists” (just like how they were manufactured in Iraq), alcohol would only constitute a “minor” sin.

I thought I would never say that, but at least with Musharraf, we didn’t have a street crook. Oh, don’t get me wrong… a merciless dictator, he surely was, but at least an educated one at that. Who could ever say that we would end up with worse than Musharraf? I wasn’t even sure that such a Pakistani existed. Well, we found him. And he’s now the President of the “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

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A nation gets the leader it deserves, so my countrymen from the old country, return to your deen, return to honor and honest dealings with each other. Perhaps then, for once, Pakistanis will get a leader who can truly embody the “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”. May Allah replace this crook Zardari with an honest, just and sincere leader for Pakistan. Until then, let’s not toast to a very grim future for this nation.

zardari-toast.jpg

Photo: Courtesy Dawn.com

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The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

Abu Reem is one of the founders of MuslimMatters, Inc. His identity is shaped by his religion (Islam), place of birth (Pakistan), and nationality (American). By education, he is a ChemE, topped off with an MBA from Wharton. He has been involved with Texas Dawah, Clear Lake Islamic Center and MSA. His interests include politics, cricket, and media interactions. Career-wise, Abu Reem is in management in the oil & gas industry (but one who still appreciates the "green revolution").

70 Comments

70 Comments

  1. Amad

    October 22, 2008 at 9:08 PM

    I do wonder… what I can’t stand more: looking at Zardari’s face or Musharrafs… both seem to have special signs of darkness.

  2. AbuAbdAllah, the Houstonian

    October 22, 2008 at 9:20 PM

    innalhamdolillah. amad, (depending on how quickly i click “submit comment”) i am the first to tell you here that i love you for the sake of Allah. since you also indicate that the glass contained no alcohol, i seek refuge for you and for all of us with Allah from shaytan.

    i do not see how the scathing and sarcastic tenor of this article advances any good result or action. wAllaho’Alim. laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billah. this article may only generate a backlash of support for zardari, a backlash that may rear its ugly head the next time he actually commits a sin that hurts all of Pakistan.

    by contrast his immodesties are personal sins — ones for which we would be better to pray to Allah that he someday feels shame. if anything his lack of modesty can only do drive Pakistanis in two directions: to emulate him or to recognize how vile such behavior makes a person. perhaps your article may help some people see that vileness. i pray that it may be so.

    but i am always reminded of the hadith that never does harshness touch something without making it ugly, and never does kindness touch something without making it more beautiful. it is true, alhamdolillah, in all things, especially in naseeha and especially in how one handles his brother’s mistakes. may Allah forgive me for any error in what i have written; all the error would be from me. and any good of it is from Him.

  3. aarij

    October 22, 2008 at 9:23 PM

    Like you said Amad, a nation gets the leaders it deserves. Grim times for Pakistan.

  4. AbuAbdAllah, the Houstonian

    October 22, 2008 at 9:37 PM

    bismillah. i would add two more cautionary trains of thought:

    1) would any of us feel better if zardari’s glass had had alcohol in it? if his reaction to articles like this one is to say “damned if i do and damned if i don’t” then how much good was accomplished?

    2) how many people publicly spread harsh criticisms of musharraf during his reign? how many people exposed his sins? who among them is happier with zardari? why do they think the same tactics will produce a better result?

    in Torchbearers we faced a harsh reality: on the one hand the Muslim ummah has for many hundreds of years often had to deal with rulers who seized power by force, among whom were many tyrants. but whenever a group of Muslims deposed such a ruler by transgression and open rebellion, the following leader was at least as much of a tyrant. and the best of the scholars in those generations were the ones who refused to join such populist insurrections.

  5. Amad

    October 22, 2008 at 9:58 PM

    This is not a “hidden” sin… this “leader” is openly flaunting his evil in front of everyone. I think we should expose this evil person wherever and whenever possible.

    And btw, it was a snark attempt about the juice. It’s quite obvious what he is drinking, and it isn’t juice by any means, wallahualam.

    As for the last question, if asked differently, would it have been better to keep quiet in Musharraf’s time? Just because the alternative could be worse should not preempt talking about the wrong today? You bring up good points, but I am just not sure it applies to this crook. I don’t know if they have done any polling in Pakistan, but I suspect that he is quite unpopular (remember, he was never elected… he just rode his dead wife’s popularity, the shameless creature he is).

  6. My H-town

    October 22, 2008 at 9:59 PM

    he repulses me….

  7. Hassan

    October 22, 2008 at 11:11 PM

    I prefer Zardari over Musharraf.

    A less evil dictator is more dangerous than more evil democratic government leader. Zardari wih all his evilness can not do 10% (irony?) of Musharraf bad actions

  8. Muslimah

    October 22, 2008 at 11:15 PM

    It’s one thing to expose someone’s sins if they are doing it in private. But to make an open display of one’s own indecency, like this Zardari, deserves to be openly rebuked because otherwise, as I see it, if we all shrug it off, then as an ummah it is easy for us to quickly become desensitized to such actions.

    Wallahu A’lam.

  9. Zahra

    October 22, 2008 at 11:29 PM

    To be very clear (sarcasm aside), do we have any confirmation as to what he was drinking?

  10. Amad

    October 22, 2008 at 11:45 PM

    I don’t have any confirmation. I presented the picture as is. I will be shocked if it wasn’t. People don’t toast with apple juice. And those who know the Bhutto family will not be surprised at all. The novel, “Feudal Lord” comes to mind.

    Like father, like son?

    http://forum.mpacuk.org/showthread.php?p=462115

    But to be honest, based on his other crimes, alcohol is the least of his problems.

  11. islam blog

    October 23, 2008 at 12:00 AM

    What was anyone expecting? There’s a similar picture of Musharraf, interestingly, with the same leader

    http://www.teeth.com.pk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/PakCheenDoosti.jpg

    Please post that picture up if you will and caption this post ‘Old wine in a new bottle’ (no pun intended)

    They’re all the same!

  12. islam blog

    October 23, 2008 at 12:01 AM

    I think my last comment was caught by spam. Please check. Jazakallah

  13. Ibnkhalil

    October 23, 2008 at 12:08 AM

    Well I was going to post this on my blog but did not because I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. But Amad I want to bring your attention to a more important matter. The name Islamic Republic of Pakistan has something terribly wrong in it. Allah and His Messenger did not give us a democratic republic and the people who founded Pakistan mixed religion, politics and secularism together and came up with this country. What is even more disturbing is that the party that Zardari belongs to is a socialist order. Refer these two links
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Peoples_Party
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_International

    So having said that we have no one to blame accept ourselves as Muslims. We have failed in deilvering the message. So it is time to use this blog as a platform to raise awareness to people living in Pakistan that they are infact being fed very wrong stuff and they need to critically analyze what they being force fed. A post on how nationalism will destroy us as muslims would be quite poignant at this time. Wallah u alam!

  14. MR

    October 23, 2008 at 12:09 AM

    I am totally ignorant about Pakistani politics. Can anyone summarize Zardari in one sentence?

  15. AbuAbdAllah, the Houstonian

    October 23, 2008 at 12:09 AM

    bismillah. the atrocities of the tyrants brought up in Torchbearers make the worst accusations against Zardari appear like the “campus crimes” section of a college newspaper.

    the Muslims who brought more harm upon themselves by failing the test of patience, they were arguably fighting great evil. they included the pious and well-intentioned as well as others who took advantage of them. weren’t there among the anti-Musharraf campaigners many righteous men and women? they were completely taken advantage of by the ones who propelled forward Zardari, and history bears witness that such opportunism is the norm not the exception.

    so i guess i am saying that it is too easy to tear into this oft-weak man who is now the leader of Pakistan. the things the scholars of Islam teach from the sunnah and from the lessons of Islamic history — those things are harder: patience, prayer, naseeha (for those able to give it).

    and when i referred to exposing sins, i was not talking about this act in front of a camera. i was talking about an almost endless stream of reports of acts witnessed in private but somehow never failing to make it to the news.

  16. Ibnkhalil

    October 23, 2008 at 12:18 AM

    Well this picture is worth a thousand words but we cannot comment on it because we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. This was actually going to go on my blog but then I had second thoughts.

    Amad I want to draw your attention to a matter even more disturbing then this picture. The problem is that people in Pakistan have been fooled by their founders. Their founders used religion, politics and secularism to promote what we know today as Pakistan. How can Islam and socialism exist side by side. It is because of all these factors that over the course of its 60+ years history Pakistan has so much corruption. Thus you see even the name ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN does not make sense Islamically. It is a violation of Islam’s basic principles of Aqeedah. Today we have all kinds of preverted religous sects existing in Pakistan that practice actions that I feel ashamed reproducing here. The party of Zardari is actually a Socialist order which tends to compartmentalize religion as a mere religion and just limited to rituals. Why do you think Pakistan has such a hard time with finances? Its because they implemented socialist five year plans and ran the country Soviet style. Now they are trying to run it Capitalist style. All these powers are people who are very ignorant. Their followers are even more ignorant. Wallahi I do not want to step foot in that country out of fear that I will not be able to practice my religion.
    We should take this opportunity and educate them about what their governments have forced them to think. A post by any MM member on how nationalism is a great sin in Islam and its consequences will be much welcomed and poignant. Wallah u Alam

  17. Ameera

    October 23, 2008 at 5:56 AM

    No question about what’s in the glass. A simple observation – it’s the same in both glasses and I don’t imagine a high level Chinese diplomat, much less the President, drinking anything less than alcoholic drinks in an official ceremony (in their own country). I mean, why would they drink Apple juice like that?! Apple juice’s a darker color anyway. And now, this discussion has become pointless!

  18. Abu Hatim

    October 23, 2008 at 8:02 AM

    Amad: “I don’t have any confirmation. I presented the picture as is.”

    So if you cannot confirm what he was drinking why bother posting it in the first place? And even if it appears to resemble wine, for all you know it may not be, and if it is it could be non-alcoholic. Fortunately our religion is not based on assumptions but verified news. And just think, if that is not wine he is drinking, then would you not be sinful for insinuating that it may have been?

  19. Hassan

    October 23, 2008 at 8:24 AM

    MR said:

    I am totally ignorant about Pakistani politics. Can anyone summarize Zardari in one sentence?

    I can do it in one word, but kids are reading the blog too.

  20. br sdot

    October 23, 2008 at 9:04 AM

    MR said:

    I am totally ignorant about Pakistani politics. Can anyone summarize Zardari in one sentence?

    SHADY!!!

  21. Mezba

    October 23, 2008 at 9:42 AM

    Pakistan as a nation is doomed. I have said this before elsewhere and I will say this again.

    This is a country that massacred thousands of Bengali (fellow Muslims) in 1971 (some estimates go above a million). They raped hundreds of women. Yet as a nation till today they have not shown remorse for any of their actions.

    Even today, if you ask a Pakistani, they will either deny their army committed atrocities or they will say, “Oh, we only killed a few Hindus.” As if that is Ok!

    Hundreds and thousands of souls still have not forgiven Pakistan because Pakistan has not asked for forgiveness. Buried under all their curses, how can Pakistan as a nation succeed?

    Zardari is the least of Pakistan’s problems.

  22. Me

    October 23, 2008 at 10:04 AM

    Assalaamu alaikum,

    Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said,

    “And contemplate Allaah’s (I) Wisdom when He made people of authority, making them a reflection of the ruled. It is as if the deeds of the ruled appear in the form and deeds of their rulers :

    if the ruled are upright, then their rulers will be upright

    if the ruled incline away from uprightness, then their rulers will do the same to them

    if the ruled transgress and oppress, then their rulers will do the same to them

    if there appears deception and plotting from the ruled, then it will be the same from their rulers

    if the ruled take away the rights of the people and become miser as to the rights of others, then their rulers will do the same to them and deprive them of their rights

    if the ruled take away from the oppressed /weak among them that which they deserve not to take in their transactions with them, then their rulers will do that towards the ruled’s wealth and take what they deserve not, and impose on the ruled taxes and assignments

    and whenever the ruled take from the oppressed and weak unjustly, then their rulers will do the same to them and take it by force

    so the actions of the ruled appear in the actions of the rulers and it is not in the Divine Wisdom that Allaah (I) assigns authority over the wicked and evils ones, EXCEPT to the ones who are of their own kind

    Since the first generation was of the best generation and of the most righteous, … so were their leaders righteous

    It is not befitting Allaah’s Wisdom that in “our times” (Ibnul Qayyim’s times) that those assigned to authority over us be the like of Muawwiya and ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz, not to mention Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. The leaders of those before us were in accordance with their own conditions and ranks. Our leaders are in accordance with our own condition and rank. In both cases, this is entailed by the Wisdom of Allaah (I).”

  23. IbnAbbas

    October 23, 2008 at 10:07 AM

    I absolutely agree with Amad. People like this bigot, jaahil, criminal should be exposed in public. subhaanallah, he is probably the most crookest leader in the history of Pakistan. look guys, it has only been a couple of months since he took over and look at the situation of Pakistan now? things are on the verge of collapse. It is said that if things doesn’t improve, then very soon a time will come when the starvation will be at its peak.

    But we know that Allah will put on a leader on a nation based on the actions of the people. so who elected the zardari’s party? the majority of Pakistanis, even knowing that the same person was arrested for so many charges. AND the person who most likely to have killed his own wife (personally I have no doubt abt that, based on the current situation and the info I received from various sources). Now they shall reap for their grave mistake by electing this crook. I won’t be surprised if this Mr 10% will add on another zero to his figure and sell his country.

    And we ask Allah to have mercy on the people.

  24. Hassan

    October 23, 2008 at 10:18 AM

    Mezba said:

    Pakistan as a nation is doomed. I have said this before elsewhere and I will say this again.

    This is a country that massacred thousands of Bengali (fellow Muslims) in 1971 (some estimates go above a million). They raped hundreds of women. Yet as a nation till today they have not shown remorse for any of their actions.

    Even today, if you ask a Pakistani, they will either deny their army committed atrocities or they will say, “Oh, we only killed a few Hindus.” As if that is Ok!

    Hundreds and thousands of souls still have not forgiven Pakistan because Pakistan has not asked for forgiveness. Buried under all their curses, how can Pakistan as a nation succeed?

    Zardari is the least of Pakistan’s problems.

    Although I was not born at the time, but I am assuming I being Pakistani, is considered to be guilty too? Can you point to your sources about this information, because we were never taught about Pakistani raping/killing Bengalis.

  25. Hassan

    October 23, 2008 at 10:29 AM

    Hassan said:
    Although I was not born at the time, but I am assuming I being Pakistani, is considered to be guilty too? Can you point to your sources about this information, because we were never taught about Pakistani raping/killing Bengalis.

    I found this:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Searchlight

    Pakistani government claims 26,000 were killed, while Bengali government claimed 3million.

    Even if it is 26,000, it still very very large significant number.

    Now Mezba, as a Pakistani, what should I do? (I was born in 1978, never practically lived in Pakistan, never killed or harmed anyone physically)

  26. Amad

    October 23, 2008 at 10:53 AM

    Abu Hatim, I presented a photo, people are free to make their opinion. I should say that it is not the drinking that was the point of the post, but rather the photo represents a little snapshot of what is so wrong with “our” leaders, and “our” nations. The purpose of the photo was to say much more than what it depicted… and as I said, Zardari has done much worse than drink (if indeed this is not alcohol). wallahualam.

    Ibnabbas, the majority of Pakistanis didn’t elect him. He is an unelected president. The majority did choose PPP though, which I guess means they don’t deserve anything less :) Quite unfortunate. And then I would challenge the notion of “majority”. In Pakistan, it is not like people are free to vote for whoever, or they make informed decisions. Rather, the feudal system, and the high illiteracy means that the voting is pretty much a useless affair, with the winners chosen by the powers-to-be. And yes, it may affect the choice ultimately, but that is a choice between one crook, and another lesser crook. Otherwise, Imran Khan would have had a shot!

  27. IbnAbbas

    October 23, 2008 at 11:08 AM

    I agree but indirectly (taking the tribal system in every province, ignorance, bribing people etc into consideration), his party was elected by the majority, which ultimately means that they elected the head of the party who is Zardari. The choice of choosing any other party (i guess) than PPP would have been at least wiser by the people than choosing this crook.

  28. Hidaya

    October 23, 2008 at 11:33 AM

    I have no doubt that it is not juice. SubhanAllah, but then didn’t someone say drinking alcohol is probably least of his problems he needs to worry about!

    My father is sooo much in to Paki politics that just hearing anything about Pak makes me sick now. It increases my blood pressure (which is not a good sign for someone in her early 20s) – Every time my mom turns on Geo news channel (which I hate btw), it does nothing but increases me in my anger. I mean they show, old people who have been tighed in their own houses for years, people are being forced to sell their kids just to put food on table……I can go on and on but then whats the point!

  29. al-Baakistaanee

    October 23, 2008 at 12:20 PM

    @ Amad:

    Bro, whatever happened to “find seventy excuses for your brother”?

    I assume that you may not feel so bad in “exposing Zardari” because you feel he was sinning publicly. However, as another commenter before me mentioned, because there is some degree of possibility that he was not drinking an alcoholic drink – this story/pic should not have been published on this site.

    Look at the bigger picture: What did you achieve by this? Will sinful Pakistanis change their ways after looking at this pic? Or will the devout Pakistanis increase in Taqwah? The answer to either is ‘no’. So what did you gain, besides advertising another Muslim’s perceived sins?

    Be proactive and go back to posting beneficial things, leave the scandals to the tabloids.

    Wallahu Ta’ala A’lam.

    al-Baakistaanee

  30. al-Baakistaanee

    October 23, 2008 at 12:35 PM

    @ Mezba

    Umm, not true.

    I’m Pakistani and I know very well what happened – though I wasn’t born at the time. There were gross human rights violations committed at the hands of the Pakistani Army in (what was then) East-Pakistan, and there is no moral excuse or justification for them. I have openly shared my views with other Pakistanis on the harrowing crimes committed against our own Muslim brothers and sisters. So for you to say that Pakistanis are in denial of the atrocities that occurred is outright incorrect.

    But let me ask you this. Since I wasn’t even around at that time, what can I possibly do to make you happy? Would an apology from me for something that I’m not personally responsible for appease you?

    “That was a nation that has past. For them is what they earned, and for you is what you earn. And you will not be questioned about what they did.” [al-Qur’an 2:134]

    al Baakistaanee

  31. curious

    October 23, 2008 at 1:09 PM

    is this not considered backbiting against our fellow muslim brother….especially since he will never see this article and we’ll hve to answer bout it then on the DoJ?

  32. IbnAbbas

    October 23, 2008 at 1:31 PM

    personally, I cannot comment on whether he is drinking juice or alcohol, but it is well known that he is a criminal.
    No, backbiting such leaders is not considered a sin, as far as I know. Such leaders should be exposed in public, afterall its a ‘democratic’ Pakistan, so shouldn’t the people be known about the actions of their culprit leader?

  33. ayesha

    October 23, 2008 at 1:44 PM

    assalamualikum….
    what is the purpose behind this article?

  34. IbnAbbas

    October 23, 2008 at 1:44 PM

    just one observation though; have you ever seen juice been served in such a tiny glass, especially in such a high standard meeting?

    Not my conclusion. Allah knows best.

  35. Abû Mûsâ Al-Ḥabashî

    October 23, 2008 at 2:18 PM

    I don’t remember where, but I remember hearing about Ibn Hazm’s explanation of husn udh-dhaan where he said that there are limits and you shouldn’t take it to the point of bring foolish. And, if I remember correctly, he gave this very example, i.e. if you see someone drinking from a wine bottle, it’s inappropriate to assume it to be juice. Perhaps someone who knows could confirm this…

  36. Ahmad AlFarsi

    October 23, 2008 at 2:58 PM

    i don’t think zardari deserves husn adh-dhunn in this case. besides the fact of his islam being in serious question (as he rules by other than the law of Allah), he is committing a major sin in the open, where there is extremely little doubt as to the contents of the glass (i agree that assuming it to be juice is inappropriate).

    as for the purpose of the post? it indeed serves a great purpose to expose the oppressors… just for that reason, if for no other reason, this post serves a great purpose! wa Allahu a’lam.

  37. Abu Noor Al-Irlandee

    October 23, 2008 at 5:29 PM

    I have no problem with exposing oppressors who publicly and openly sin…I do think perhaps it would be better to research and write a long and detailed article on some of the problems with Zardari from a both a Muslim and human perspective which would include reflections upon what are the long term structural issues with Pakistani society that result in corrupt feudal politicians or corrupt military dictators being the only alternatives as leaders, along with some thoughts about what people in Pakistan can do to address these long term conditions, what people outside of Pakistan can do, or at least what lessons we can learn then to just post a picture which will let some people blow off steam but will not educate anyone who didn’t already know any of the above and instead will actually result in not much more than gossip and/or confusion.

    Allaah knows best.

    I also think Sister Mezba has an excellent point about the war between Pakistan and Bangladesh. In taking the AlMaghrib class on Making of the Modern Muslim World with Dr. Ashraf Ismail WaAllaahee this came across clearly as the absolute low point of the Muslim ummah (at least in this century). I say this not to diminish any other tragedy like the Palestinian Nakbah, the formal abolition of Khilafah, the massive death of innocents that resulted from Partition of the SubContinent, the Communist genocides of Muslims in Europe and Asia, or anything else. As some people have commented of course no individual is born guilty of the sins of those who came before him, but any ummah or any nation must deal with its collective history and will no doubt reap the crops of the seeds that the nation collectively has sown.

    It is not just the atrocities of the war, but the fact that Pakistan, a nation founded on the Muslim identity of its inhabitants, if not necessarily on the basis of Islam, and for which hundreds of thousands died in the Partition…systematically discriminated against its Eastern half (what became Bangladesh) which basically led to the Bengali independence movement and which without doubt hurt the image and importance of Islam among many Bengali Muslims.

    Today Pakistan is a nation where 73 percent of the population is in poverty. That’s over 120 million Muslims living in poverty. Over one third of Pakistani children under five are malnourished, tens of thousands (I’ve seen estimates up to 250,000) Pakistanis die of diarrhea each year. And yet the wealth of the country is stolen by corrupt elites or spent on a military which primarily kills Muslims and props up that elite. Those lives lost to diarrhea could be saved and the malnourished children could be fed but Pakistan spends 40 percent of GDP on the military while spending .7 percent on public health. These are crimes against humanity and these are crimes against our Muslim brothers and sisters. So, I think an article outlining some of these realities and prescribing some means of assisting would be fine to include this photograph alongside as symbolic of the corrupt and out of touch nature of these elites….but these are the issues we should be talking about.

    May Allaah (swt) guide all of us and may Allaah (swt) bless the beautiful people of Pakistan!

    Allaah knows best.

  38. Amad

    October 23, 2008 at 6:17 PM

    Abu Noor: you have to be one of my favorite commentators… you are smooth even in criticism mashallah :)

    In fact, if I may make a public request, can I suggest that you to write a post for MM on how to criticize (constructively)?? I am serious. I was going to write something along these lines myself (because one of the best ways to help yourself on a matter is to write about it, and no doubt I need that help!!), and use a couple of your comments as examples (esp. the one you put on singularvoice). But instead, it would be even better if you wrote it! Like a methodology… do you give pause before pressing the submit button, before starting a reply? How many times do you review what you write, how do you mix praise and criticism, psychological factors, etc… Like the ABCs of blog criticism! Now you may be saying to yourself that you don’t think about all these when you post, but I am sure if you try packaging your ideas about it, you could break it down for all of us, esp. me :)

    As for this post, my response to you and others, is that I wrote this post as a spur of the moment thing. I saw the picture, and my blood reached a temperature where its vapor pressure equals outside pressure (fancy way of saying it reached boiling point!). And I have despised this man and what he has done to the nation for years and years, and to be honest, gave up on Pakistan once he was elected.

    And usually all the P.S. posts don’t have any discussion, just the photo and perhaps a caption. So, the error in my judgment was to write anything, because all that came out was an angry rant. I should have probably just posted the photo and let it be… a picture that tells a story, since in my opinion, this photo does tell a story, a story emblematic of the problems that Pakistan, as a nation, faces.

  39. Saad

    October 23, 2008 at 10:48 PM

    salaam aleikum,

    to be fair, Musharraf openly bragged and boasted to Western reporters about drinking scotch:

    Mr. Musharraf, though a secular leader who is said to enjoy the occasional tumbler of Scotch, did little to undercut the power of extremist clerics in the nation, or to curb the Taliban and other militant groups, which had long been used by Pakistan’s intelligence services to exert influence in India and Afghanistan.”

    source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/world/asia/19legacy.html?fta=y

    and this article mentions how well it is a politicized issue:

    http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,405232,00.html

    interestingly enough, Musharraf has the same taste in alcohol as Britney Spears. How far we have truly come.

  40. Olivia

    October 23, 2008 at 11:51 PM

    *cough* fasiq *cough*

    man, when are we going to get some decent people in government??

  41. Olivia

    October 23, 2008 at 11:53 PM

    by the way that Chinese guy must really be into apple juice too then because it looks like the exact same thing! lol

  42. Abu Umar

    October 24, 2008 at 12:15 AM

    Zardari doesn’t even try to act like a Muslim.

    That is because he is not a Muslim and never was. He is a secularist Isma’ili (who are disbelievers according to the consensus of the scholars). Drinking alcohol is the least of his problems.

  43. Asim

    October 24, 2008 at 2:31 AM

    whoa lets watch it using the T word (takfir.) who said he was ismaili anyway?

  44. ibnabeeomar

    October 24, 2008 at 2:41 AM

    was he ismaili aka aghakhani??

  45. Abu Umar

    October 24, 2008 at 6:46 AM

    whoa lets watch it using the T word (takfir.)

    Takfir is part of our religion, and the Isma’ilis are considered disbelievers by consensus of the scholars.

  46. usman

    October 24, 2008 at 10:59 AM

    Salaam, I agree with the comments that it is very foolish to assume he is drinking apple juice or any other juice…but like the the brother said that is the least of concerns for zardari and the pakistani ppl…may allah have mercy on pakistan.

  47. Mezba

    October 24, 2008 at 11:00 AM

    Pakistanis who are born today must acknowledge the dark chapter in their country’s history as well as educate others. Once the people genuinely feel sorry then perhaps we can move on, ala Germany after the Second World War. But so far, hardly any Pakistani (some commentators in this thread excepted) are even prepared to acknowledge the genocide. Sometimes I just wonder if all the souls who were tortured, particularly the women who were raped, can EVER forgive Pakistan. Unless a Pakistani leader shows genuine remorse (the army especially) on a visit to Bangladesh, I doubt it will happen.

  48. Hidaya

    October 24, 2008 at 11:35 AM

    Not sure if he is Ismaili however he is definitely a SHIA, when Bhutto died, he and his entire family were wearing black clothing during mourning period and they were chanting ”Imam Hussain ka Karbala’ LOL

  49. Asim

    October 24, 2008 at 11:46 AM

    Who said he was Ismaili?

  50. Ibn Masood

    October 24, 2008 at 11:58 AM

    Whoa… how do you know he is Ismaili??

    And btw… Musharraf once appeared on a video in China on BBC with a very similar glass containing a similar liquid.

  51. Faiez

    October 24, 2008 at 2:06 PM

    Drinking alcohol is the least of his crimes…

  52. MT.Akbar

    October 24, 2008 at 5:48 PM

    Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ilayhe Raji3oon. This is a Musiba for the Ummah and Pakistan.

    MT

  53. Jawharah

    October 24, 2008 at 11:44 PM

    To those who think it’s not wine, after all that he has done, why wouldn’t he drink wine?? At regular work parties, they raise an eyebrow when some non Muslims choose to avoid drinking wine, I don’t think it would be any easier on the international level for a Muslim leader. Especially a sweet lil puppet. :)

  54. Faisal

    October 26, 2008 at 11:01 PM

    I think its Ginger Ale =)

  55. shahgul

    October 27, 2008 at 4:06 AM

    Assalamu alaikum,

    Your sins are private till you commit them in the privacy of your home, not blatantly in front of the whole world.
    He has brought shame on the entire nation by sipping liquor and sexually harassing Palin in front of the whole world. I hope she sues him after she loses the election. (And don’t tell me she is what kind of woman, because it is not about her, but about the ‘president’ of Islami Jamhooria al Pakistan.

    Now for some public sins:

    http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Pakistan/ss/events/wl/081401pakistan;_ylt=AtWf6KTGvTKvXxsVo7kv6qP9xg8F

  56. shahgul

    October 27, 2008 at 4:37 AM

    Yet I agree about Br. Abu Abdullah, that publication of this photograph had no benefit. It might actually propogate sin.

    The President of Pakistan, though, in his official capacity is acting on the payroll of the people of Pakistan, and should be held accountable in political circles and blogs for every action taken during publicly funded time. This is the essence of democracy.
    I am more concerned this person has sold the Ummah to the highest bidder.

    Musharraf and now Zardari both harmed the ummah in their own way. It would be naive to want Musharraf after being stuck with Zardari. Zardari is only completing what Musharraf begun. May Allah give both Hidayah.

    p.s. the real photographs in the link above start after a couple of screens.

  57. MahshiBiryani

    October 27, 2008 at 11:58 PM

    Audhubillah,

    I can attest to the fact that people DO toast to apple cider. Forgive me for being rude, unless you were sipping along with him and witnessed that he was drinking an alcoholic beverage, I suggest you give it a rest.

    May Allah forgive me for wasting my time.

  58. Ahmad AlFarsi

    October 28, 2008 at 12:27 PM

    Zardari should be whipped in public by a Pakistani criminal court (if only they implemented the hadd)!

  59. tanya

    November 3, 2008 at 2:36 PM

    zardari is lame and is not better than musharraf u can see wats goin on and what went in last 10 years atleast poor were not suffering

  60. Suhail

    November 3, 2008 at 3:33 PM

    The quote from Ibn Qayyum (rah) summed the situation up. When the populace leaves the rope of Allah and become opressor then we see the people like zardari leading us.

  61. Pakistan-ToBe

    November 6, 2008 at 1:44 PM

    I’m actually taking an (awesome) Foreign Policy Decision Making Class, and we will be doing a two week simulatiion in which countries will be negotiating with one another, and sending their ambassadors to see their strategic goals realized. We will have the opportunity to shape our country’s foreign policy (most everything is in the scope of possibility). We shall be holding meetings with US, Iran, India, China, along with many other countires.

    I wanted to get a feel for other perspectives. So, you (as I shall be in the game) are the PRESIDENT of Pakistan – what do you do? What are your strategic goals, as relates to the countries mentioned above and the foreign policy direction you wish to take?

    I thought it would interesting to see the views of others – looking forward to reading your views!

  62. Shabir

    November 22, 2008 at 8:25 PM

    Alcoholic drink or not, that’s nothing in comparison to the Kufr, the Rulers have fallen into today diviating away from the Book of Allah and instead implimenting the Laws of their payed Masters and making it binding upon the masses to obey themand take their Judgments to them!

  63. Khan

    December 19, 2008 at 9:38 AM

    AoA…

    We can expect any thing from Zardari like people and plz do not call him leader…… leader is a positive quality and in Zardari personality there is nothing like leaders.. ….Zan and Zer.. = Zardari………

    Allah bless Pakistan and people of Pakistan ameen

    waslam

  64. Umme Ammaarah

    February 7, 2009 at 11:35 AM

    Could we all maybe request Dr. Israr Ahmed to run for president? ;)

  65. Asif Raza

    June 5, 2009 at 3:17 AM

    If Zardari Drinks its his personal matter why r u people so worried about. If he drinks its his own choice if do not like to drink you dont and let drink who wants to.

    Jio or Jeenay do…. :}

    • nkazi

      July 6, 2009 at 4:37 AM

      how can u asifff raza be so indifferent?

  66. Abu Bakr

    June 5, 2009 at 7:29 AM

    Asif Raza, it’s thanks to people like you that kufr is spreading in Pakistan.

  67. umm hamza

    March 6, 2010 at 2:09 AM

    The leaders are from the people. all one has to do is pick up the GT magazine and see the who’s who of society sippng away.

  68. Hammad

    June 23, 2012 at 10:13 PM

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