Anecdotes Of Vataayo Faqeer

Watayo Faqir aka Vataayo/Wataayo Faqeer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watayo_Faqir] is a Sindhi sage belonging to the skeptic school of Philosophy. His ideas and thoughts are conveyed by poignant, humorous and honest questions which he posed to people and religious as well as social elite of his day, to make them rethink their convictions and beliefs. Once a rich man decided to offer alms [Khairaat خيرات in Sindhi or free food] for public in the name of God. He asked Wataayo to distribute the food. Wataayo asked if he should distribute it according to the sysem of God or of Man. God's way of course, replied the rich man. As people queued to get the food he gave bigger portions to people who looked well fed and better off. Then came one person who looked really very hungry and was in a very bad shape in terms of clothes and appearance. Wataayo asked the man to open his hand. When the man did open the palm of his hand Wataayo put his thumb on his palm, which in local cultural traditions means a humiliating way to deny and reject. The rich man aghast at the gesture shouted at wataayo, "What the hell are you doing?", "Distributing according to system of God" replied Wataayo, "If God has not given him anything, why should I give him food?" he continued. With his questioning and action, he managed to put the idea of Distributive Justice on agenda in his time. Available at: Culture Department Bookshop, Opposite MPA Hostel, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah Road, Saddar, Karachi-74400.