Woman with more than substance

The inspiring story of Atiya Khan

People need to know that revolution flows in her blood. An extraordinary saga of a dauntless bloodline and her personal journey to discover her soul, collectively reveal the dynamics of her exceptional good looks, bold attitude and her spiritual strength. She is the granddaughter of Kasim Rizvi, the famous political leader who headed the Razakars militia of the Princely State of Hyderabad and daughter of the brave and bold politician and ex-MNA, Ms Fozia Ijaz.

Atiya Fatima Khan, (mostly known as Atiya Khan) was the first super model of Pakistan during the era of 90s, it was the time when fashion industry was struggling to break the barriers of being a taboo but Atiya enjoyed the limelight and recognition par excellence; she was one of the most vibrant and vigorous personalities of her time who was and is still doted by all her contemporaries. She also acted in two PTV Serials, Zakhm and Nassal back in late 80s or in early 90s.

Being an instinctive rebel she has always been an offbeat, anti-stereotypical, moving against the flow to satisfy her endless urge to explore and experience the variety of enigmas that life had for her. Being raised in different countries around the world her concepts about education hinged on to the philosophy of learning away from the “dark sarcasm in the classrooms”; she says that she never “liked being taught”.

She abandoned her career as a model at the peak of her fame and success and went on to endeavour directing a telefilm called “Raqeeb” which was one of the most ‘talked about’ venture hitting the television screens in the year 1994, apart from this she continued directing a number of TVCs during the decade of 90s. Her direction/production career too ended when she felt a need to direct her own soul. She met Sheikh Nazim Al-Haqqani of Cyprus (a great Naqshbandi-Sufi) who gave her the spiritual wings to fly as a Sufi and guided her about the teachings of Islam in the light of Quran and Sunnah. Since then she refrained from appearing on screen of media and fashion and enjoyed the light of divine guidance and learnt about her religion vastly.

Being a woman she is striving all alone to meet and beat the challenges set by radicals. Those who follow her on social media are witness for her being so bravely active for the past few years

But that is not all about Atiya Khan. As mentioned above she is a revolutionary soul and possesses great energy to impart her strength to conquer the hearts of people around her. With her immense knowledge about Quran, Sunnah, Hadith, Fiqh and also about other faiths and history, she dauntlessly rescues the image of Islam that is blemished by the radicals or when it is attacked by the Islamophobiac and atheists on any forum.

Being a woman she is striving all alone to meet and beat the challenges set by radicals. Those who follow her on social media are witness for her being so bravely active for the past few years. It has been noticed that she fights like a spiritual warrior against radicalism and defaming agents of Islam and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H). It is surely a treat to see how she debates with reason and logic to practically convey the real message of peace and love of Islam.

Atiya Khan was the head of Soul TV while she stayed in Canada and produced a number of documentaries about Islamic Sufi teachings. Her spiritual approach to understand other faiths also helped her to establish friendly ties with people from different religions. She has played a vital role for the empowerment of women in the matter of regaining their ‘lost paradise’ of justice and equality — that has been jeopardised by the radical Islamic teachings, fabricated by many scholars and fanatics over the period of history. She explains her views with a direct support from the Quran and her arguments are bold and she condemns severely the mortifying of women and their rights by the Islamic zealots and their followers.

Atiya explains that the role of women originally explained by Quran and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was very different than what is being propagated in the present era. She has been raising her voice for women on international forums and also participated in the 1^st International WISE (Women Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality) conference that took place in New York in 2006.

Atiya explains that the role of women originally explained by Quran and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was very different than what is being propagated in the present era

Presently Atiya’s struggle to fight as a rational Muslim is not restricted to social media campaigns, apart from that Atiya produced and hosted religious talk shows on HUM TV, as her own initiative. Her first show was aired with the title of Zikr (2005) which was sequenced by another series of shows that were aired during Ramazan, with the title of Zikr Se Fikr Tak (2013). It is worth mentioning that the content of these talk shows was designed to exclusively highlight and spread the message of rational approach of Quran and Sunnah and to somehow shun the austere preaching of the interpreted version of Islam ie, a product of varied interpretations and references of Quran and Sunnah and which is also widely promoted and propagated in madrassas in our country and also abroad.

It was good that Zikr Se Fikr Tak was repeated by Hum Sitaray this year (2014) during Ramazan and it was widely appreciated by people who followed it. The format of the show was based on philosophical quests that outlined the rationale of basic Islamic concepts related to spiritual and temporal life, and was executed in the most simplified manner for the capacity of understanding of common people. And what made the programme stand apart from most of the other religious programmes was its quality of questions and mannerism of discussion that was conducted by Atiya Khan herself with her guests.

Atiya’s followers on social media and otherwise have learnt from her how not to judge others on the basis of faith, sects or race. She only promotes peace, justice and equal rights. As a true Sufi she condemns the killings of Shia and Ahmadis and deplores at such practices in the name of Islam.

Being a spiritually patriotic and ambitious Pakistani Atiya Khan opines that change in Pakistan needs to come through census of opinion of the people. Her views about reforms are revolutionary and need to be discussed at a panoramic platform. Her next venture is to invest her views in a somewhat political form which itself will be a kind of reform that will educate and inform the people about how to exercise the virtue of making a choice.