I was in 7th
grade in 1991 when the first Gulf war started. Allied air forces were
targeting Iraqi military with all their precision guided munitions in
conjunction with latest target acquisition systems. I was traveling
to Peshawar in public transport and heard people discussing the war.
They were saying confidently that due to the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Qadir
Jilani RA in Baghdad (Iraq), the US and Allied bombs are not
exploding. They believed in the miracles. Later on, we came to learn
that Iraqi military has been expelled from Kuwait and now Allies are
going into Iraq itself and that Iraqis have suffered serious losses.
People of low development have shown such behaviour in almost all
parts of the world, regardless of their religion. Belief in miracles,
witchcraft and superstition induce naive and credulous men to become
cannon fodder. A General does not depend upon miracles for success of
his campaign. He calculates and plans for everything that he needs to
have before going to the battle. One reason that the mutinies and
numerous armed movements of the Indian Muslims against the British
power in India (1757-1947) did not succeed is that calculating and
experienced British Generals were fighting against locals led by
priests (or baba), pirs and fakirs (a hermit) who relied upon
miracles and divine intervention for success. Lets take a tour of the
military history for some case studies.
Kamikaze Winds of
Japan
The China-Japan enmity is
perhaps as old as the civilization of China itself. Towards the end
of the 13th century, when the Mongol prince Kublai Khan
had become the King of China, he prepared an expedition against
Japan. A great naval fleet was sent towards Japan but due to strong
storm winds, the whole Chinese fleet was dispersed and Japan could
not be conquered. Interesting, this happened once again, hurricanes
preventing the Chinese fleet from landing on Japan. Japanese called
these as “heaven-sent or Kamikaze” brought by the God of Wind.
Later on during the Second World War, the name Kamikaze was given to
the pilots flying suicide missions against US Naval fleet, giving
them a divine aspect. It was of course a desperate measure and could
not turn the tide of the war.
