Backward...? - STRADA PLACIDO

Salaamaleykum,

Recently at a Pakhtun forum, I came across a topic where a person asked-
WHY ARE PATHANS BACKWARD?

The first thing that hit my mind was - What defines backward?
Oxford dictionary defines it as;

having made less progress than is normal or expected.

    Again, if you look under a microscope towards that definition-i.e. what is progress...and study it further, you will notice that backward is a term that falls into the same category with terrorism, happiness...etc..words that are very relative.

    Just like one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, one man's progress is another's degradation.
First of all, let me admit a mistake of my people- yes we do belittle the requirement of education for women (most of us anyway).Its time we Pakhtuns wake up and start facing reality.Women NEED to be educated.Women's role in the house is not confined to cooking and cleaning the house...they are teachers to the children and financial advisors of the household.Of course, being educated doesnt mean they can go out and work.I'm still,Pathan, i rather have them being full time wives/mothers.
    Other then that issue, there's an issue of our kids more eager to work abroad then to finish their school and graduate. I believe, as soon as we manage to educate our wives,they would influence our children to be keen on studying.

    Well, thats so much for criticizing my roots...
    If progress means lack of material wealth...fastest latest cars...fancy extravagant buildings...flashy clothings...then,yes...we're backward.
    But, if progress means low level of stress,calmness,tranquility, ability to follow all of Allah's Shariat(laws)...etc...then, we are indeed pioneers of this progress.
    In terms of tabligh(Muslim evangelical group)...Pathans are well known for their commitment to going on the Path of Allah (Jama'at)...when people normally go for 3days, 40days ,4months...these people are well known to go for 9months-2 years.
    PS: to the ppl unfamiliar to the Tabligh, Jama'at is a practice of going to other towns, and caling the Muslims there to be better Muslims (eg. come to Mosque for prayers 5 times a day..etc)

    If we study the mainstream population..they get crazy and miserable over mundane stuffs...wealth,job to name just a few.Heck! people are killing themselves in Japan over this!
    Well, the pathans are happy...we're happy with out simple way of life.Even the womenfolks are satisfied.
    I believe I say on behalf of all my people when I say...we'ld rather be happy stressless people living in mud walled houses, then being miserable,stressed out people living in big mansions(with hefty mortgages) putting on fake smiles.
    This is a makeshift world we live in...know where to place your priorities.

    ALLAH MADAD!