With Oven-Roasted Turkey,
“Thanksgiving” Is Being Celebrated In U.S To Pay Gratitude For The Ripe Crops
And For Everything That Was Blessed To Them In The Previous Year. It Was
Celebrated On Different Dates Throughout History. In December 1941, A Resolution
Was Passed By 32nd President Of The United States To Observe National
Thanksgiving On The Fourth Thursday Of November. Hence, This Year It Is
Celebrated Today I.E. 24th Of November 2016. And It Marks The Start Of A
“Holiday Season” For Americans.
The Day After Thanksgiving Is Called “Black Friday”, Which For Many States In
America Is Also An Official Holiday Making A Four-Day Long Weekend. Shops Open
During Overnight Hours And Massive Discounts Are Offered To The Customers. U.S
Media Gives Quite Hype To Black Friday Shopping And Affect It Has On Commercial
Success Of Christmas Shopping Season.
Such Media Has Stormed Into The “ISLAMIC (Caps Intended) State Of Pakistan”. Not
Just The Media Many Big Brands Are Promoting Their Black Friday Sale Through
Social Media Like Facebook And Instagram. Not To Mention The Billboards And
Television. With The Background Explained, It Is Purely For Those Who Are To
Celebrate Christmas. Gulf Countries Provide Such Discounts During Ramadhan And
For “Eid-Ul-Azha” As The Celebration Is For Everyone And Everyone Has A Right To
Enjoy It.
The Question Is. Is The Whole Pakistan Going To Celebrate Christmas This Year?
The Day Which Is Considered Sacred For Muslims All Over The World Is Now Termed
As “Black” (Though For One Day) Which Depicts The Day For Any Misfortune. Why
Such Sales And Promotion Is Not Offered Before Our Religious Occasions In
Pakistan? Why Not Such A Day With A Unique Name Which Becomes A Part Of
Pakistan’s Culture? Like Last Year, One Website Introduced Same Sales And
Promotion By The Name Of “White Friday”. Why Not Such A Tradition Which
Australians Follow, Like “Boxing Day”. At Least They Have Their Self-Respect In
Not Following Others.
But The Main Question Which Arises Is That Whether Such Nation Who Falls On Even
PKR 40 For A “Bara Shwarma” Will Avail Such Discount Or Not? Ironically, For Me
The Question Is “Yes”. That’s Because, We As A Nation Are The Ones Who Wait For
All Kind Of Sales To Buy Cheap Things And From Brands Because We All Are “Brand
Conscious”. So, That The Standard Which We Have Set For Is Maintained. I Hope
And Pray That We As Muslims Don’t Forget Our Cultural And Religious Values
Following West. Otherwise, As The Urdu Idiom Says “Kawwa Chala Hans Ki Chaal Aur
Apni Chaal Hi Bhool Gaya”