Sufis & Change-science

"Changing souls is the ikstisaas/specialization of Sufis."

-Abdal-Hakim Murad

Rene Guenon on "Tolerance And Freedom Of Thought"

"Let our meaning be quite clear; we have no intention of blaming practical tolerance as applied to individuals, but only theoretic tolerance, which claims to be applied to ideas as well and to recognise the same rights for them all, which if taken logically can only imply a rooted scepticism. Moreover we cannot help noticing that, like all propagandists, the apostles of tolerance, truth to tell, are very often the most intolerant of men. This is what has in fact happened, and it is strangely ironical : those who wished to overthrow all dogma have created for their own use, we will not say a new dogma, but a caricature of dogma, which they have succeeded in imposing on the western world in general; in this way there have been established, under the pretext of "freedom of thought," the most chimerical beliefs that have ever been seen at any time, under the form of these different idols, of which we have just singled out some of the more important.

Of all the superstitions preached by those very people who profess that they never stop inveighing against "superstition," that of "science " and "reason", is the only one which does not seem, at first sight, to be based on sentiment; but there is a kind of rationalism which is nothing more than sentimentalism disguised, as is shown only too well by the passion with which its champions uphold it, and by the hatred which they evince for whatever goes against their inclinations or passes their comprehension, Besides, since rationalism, in any case, corresponds to a lessening of intellectuality, it is natural that its development should go hand in hand with that of sentimentalism..."

- East and West, p.48

What thoughts do you have?

"No time, no time" by Haris Gulzar

I wish all Believers could read this poem, especially those who mistakenly think dunya is their real life; and they can't be blamed for such a misunderstanding. Anyways, here's the poem

Courtesy: Ambar Bail: The Plant of Eternity.

"I knelt to pray but not for long

I had too much to do

I had to hurry and get to work

For the bills would soon be due

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer

And jumped up of my knees

My Muslim duty was now done

My soul could rest at ease

All day long I had no time

To spread a word of cheer

No time to speak of Allah to friends

They’d laugh at me was my fear

No time, no time, too much to do

That was my constant cry

No time to give to souls in need

But at last the time came, the time to die

I went before my lord, with hope

I stood there with downcast eyes

And there was an angel holding a book

It was a book of blessed lives

He looked into his book and said

“Your name I cannot find”

I once was going to write it down

But unfortunately never found time"

Forgetfulness

Dunya nay teri yaad say baygana kar dia

Tujh say bhi dilfareeb hain gham roozgar k

-Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Correct me if there's an error. I've to write a post - reflections on 2009... May I be blessed some focus...

S. Z.

Mr. Shoaib Zafar passed away.

Ah! 'Death the leveler'. Lesson: “The world is a magician greater than Harut and Marut, and you should avoid it.”

Karachi Burning

Courtesy: Musaafir-e-Dasht.

"So, it did feel like hell broke loose yet again on Karachi when hundreds of shops were burnt as a supposed aftermath to the Ashura blasts. Families ruined. Businesses lost. And death prevailed. No, those who burnt the shops and markets were not those who were in the procession. Rather they had nothing to do with those were busy mourning the deaths of their dear ones. They were quite 'known' people. People who had planned it all before hand. People who made sure that they use chemicals when putting the markets to flame. People who claim to own the city. And let us not go very far - those who remember hearing the video I posted on my blog sometime back, regarding the surreptitious Blackwater activities in the city, would also remember who was aiding them establish a stronghold here...

Ironically, not a single person had the courage to take names - names of the people, names of the organistaions involved. Media - what to say of it but et tu, Brute (As always!)? All they had to tell us were the same immaculately woven tales regarding the 'taliban' and the 'religious extremists' (by the way, nowadays anyone who practices religion is an 'extremist'). So, all in all, what followed the highly unfortunate incident was a heap of falsehood struck right into teh face of the avaam who are being constantly 'requested' to be on their guard against any dehshatgard that they might find amongst them!

How truly and beautifully some poet said:

دامن پہ کوئی داغ نہ خنجر پہ کوئی چھینٹ

"تم قتل کرو ہو کہ کرامات کرو ہو

I also ponder: Why is that in this age a religious person, the religion in question must always be Islam, is an extremist, when the West has gone to extremes, not us? Why people around call be a bare 'fanatic' for I do not approve of sitting before this 'plug-in drug' called TV, although I approve of all monitors, nonetheless?

Shahpar

My dear readers, I was reading this post on Social Action & Reaction by someone in Occidental Exile (this is his blog), and then happened to watch a few second clip of a PAF F-16 A taking off in winter weather at steep angle, thus I couldn't resist the temptation of thrilling you with extraordinary combat aerobatics of Pakistan's bride, F-16 - verify this later fact from a 2-yr child even, in Pak! Well, the quote that triggered this 'impulse' to 'thrill' you - in a moment - is quoted here:

"Your first question presupposes that Rene Guenon desired either to return society to a previous state or otherwise cause a radical change within its present structure but this is incompatible with the traditional teachings concerning cyclic laws. In the context of these laws the decadence of humanity as with their social institutions is an inevitable outcome of the progression of the ages leading from a Golden Age or Satya Yuga to the present Iron Age or Kali Yuga. This process can be represented as that of a winding-down or solidification of the world prior to a renewal." (Read the rest of post here.)

First, we go "maximum vertical":

Then we can't wait for a Paki Viper to go blasting over the perverted buildings of Islamabad.

At last, we can allow Europeans to show off their uniqueness (don't miss the point where it literally wheels in the air, i bet young, teenage Pakistani stunt-motor-bikers would feel heavily envious!):

"December"

I read a beautiful, pair of couplets on December, and I cannot help but share it with my Urdu-speaking audience (and I dare not translate, so to say deform it!).

By poet Raaji,

Abhi hijr ka kayam hai aur december aan pohancha hai

Yeh khabar shehr mein aam hai, december aan pohancha hai

Aangan mein utar ayi hai phir manoos si khusboo

Yaado'n ka Azdhaam hai, december aan pohancha hai.

Is disorder is more efficient than order

Have you ever observed that many bsuy, working people, who are really competent and intelligent, have their study rooms, offices, etc., full of disorder, almost as chaotic as Pakistani society? Do you think it is negative and inefficient to have disorder rule over one's living place(s)? i feel this, others may relate to it, that disorder is a good friend of mine. It does not bother me, rather it helps me by saving my time which would have been consumed in establishing the order, which never stops to diminish. Disorder is natural to happen, it'd take place, look what entropy says, but can it be really more productive than having order in 'working places'? But, on the other hand, our environment shapes very much what we do, it affects our 'actual' behavior profoundly. As per Shaykh Abdal-Hakim Murad, a Muslim's soul has to be at ease with its environment. Secondly, if you want not to be distracted with other things while studying a book, for example, you should not have other books lying open on the same table, other distractions (except drugs in this case) must not be easily accessible to you so that you may read the book with focus. I've posted this little post on some other places as well, but I've not been much satisfied with the comments.

I picked up this idea from a review published in DAWN Books & Authors on a book written in praise of disorder.

Let's go Diamond!

And sleep... (2:56 AM)

Some vehicles of American Imperialism in Pakistan

NGOs, without any shadow of doubts, see Encyclopedia of Sociology, p. ??? . American schools, colleges. Forman Christian College, Lahore, the best example that suffices. What do you reckon what 'missing' vehicles can be, (of which yours truly is only ignorant of it, while they're operating at their best)?

Children of Iran

It's so sad to know that much of Europeans and Americans have been fed with this strange notion that Islam and Muslims are Bedouin Arabs who are up to destroying Western civilizations (when a part of it is influenced historically by Islamic culture as well), and are terrorists, never miss that designation, more than anything else. I do not blame any European and American for that or any other (including modernist/secularist Muslims!), for I blame their environment and age we live in. Many who have converted to Islam, a large majority has been affect deeply by some or any aspect of Islam that which involves some kind of beauty and serenity either in Islamic tenets or in Muslims, or in Islamic architecture. Despite that people have gross misconceptions, that's what I can say, even about the very outlook of Muslims. A German-Russian convert was telling people that Muslims don't look like dark skinned, dark eyes, black hairy people, b'cause a Muslim can be anyone. Yet here's a little photo-presentation of the children of the so-called 'fanatic' and 'isolated' Iranians, BBC and American media propaganda machinery is so obsessed with.

Courtesy: Flickr.

Vacation Note

Hi,

My dear and conscious readers, I value you a lot. Therefore I wish to inform that yours truly is going away not-so uncharted waters on a dual-role mission, balacned, the way of a Muslim. Soon I'll depart toMultan tostudy an industry only to understanding concepts of a course that everyone treads. Then, if Allah wills it, I along with a teacher and some students would be visiting and staying in khankah somewhere in Punjab for self-purification.

If you have an habit of praying, pray for the success of these little 'missions'. I'll be back soon, God willing. Don't go away. And meanwhile, watch this video and try to guess why would Pakistani media brainwashing machinery would like to make an imaginary video of india attacking it; and correlate this prejudices of past decades with what is happening in Pakistan. It shows some kids swimming in a pond being bombed by Indian artillery, how do you view it with bombs killing many people in the same way.

Thanks.

We can live without facts

Winter is getting more cold day by day, night by night, with all its enjoyable mysterious beauties, sometimes quite stern. And as it is becoming difficult for a frail being like me to survive sitting on my desk well outside the warm and charming blanket-shell, late at night, I am getting on with my little 'research' project (although nothing is that unknown) on the TV-consumption-patterns and life priorities of early teen school kids. So naturally, being a victim of university conditioning, I's inclined to consume a term called 'fact' obsessively. Amidst this escalating 'faith' of an immature mind in the soundness of statistical data to know what 'current climate' is, and to make future decisions, comes an almost rescuing 'revelation' once again by my one of favorite writers, philosophers and thinkers Seyyed Hossein Nasr, he says to the effect, just making adding detail to his advanced argument (not mentioned here):

"(As per modern science) Phenomenon are facts, and not ayats or signs of Allah. ... One of the fundamental doctrines of Islam is that all phenomenon are ayat ullah, signs of God. ... There is no word for fact in major Islamic language, Arabic or Persian. So we can live without facts. (Smiles)"

From his lecture, Islam, Science and Cultural Values, delivered at the Library of Congress. See free video here.

'Eye for an eye': "Pakistan court orders ears and noses to be cut off "

Topping 2nd as today's most read story at one point in time today, here comes a chilling decision by Pakistan court against two anti-women creatures (men, of course), amidst bombs exploding in my homeland:

'A Pakistani court has ordered that two men have their ears and noses cut off, as punishment for doing the same to a woman who refused to marry one of them.

The two brothers were found guilty of kidnapping 20-year-old Fazeelat Bibi, one of their cousins, in September.

Government prosecutor Ehtisham Qadir said the punishment had been awarded in accordance with the Islamic principle of "an eye for an eye".' [Source.]

Certain dubious human right activists said they approve very much of rights of women, but could not approve of this order of the honourable court. What does this reflect?In my fragile opinion (dhann), it reflects westernization of the brown people. Had this rule be made by Westerners (so as to be be changed after a 'reform', perhaps), they'd have protested against courts for not using 'this rarely invoked Islamic law'. Islamic law, or fiqh, which transcends this thing westerners are obsessed with, 'opinion', does not need any comparison from West, it'd have needed a comparison had West produced a personality like the second caliph of Islam, Umar ibn e Khatab, ra, the source of Islamic law, although many people including Believers much basic education about their imperishable heritage,

'When I grow up I want to be a (little) boy'!

A very basic truth about argumentation and debate

Gai Eaton expresses a simple, yet often forgotten principle about debate and argument:

"Argument and discussion pre-supposes some common ground shared by those involved. When no common ground exists, confusion and misunderstanding are unavoidable, if not anger."

Sorrowfully, much of our discussions become victim to this common neglect about knowing what our basic assumptions are, and it happens in universities as well, no surprise...

However, here's a beautiful recitation of some part of Quran, God's direct conversation with man, do open it sometime, especially during breaks from work or study:

'Word verification for comments'

i excuse my readers, who are declining day by day :), for putting this verification amal to prove that you are one of human beings. Its just to stop spams. I personally have a contempt for it. But that should not stop you from commenting, though.

An idiot's guide to the Credit System

I fanatically hate and abhor the credit system, although I don't understand it fully, neither do I want to. Some day I'll have to learn economics of it, so that I may contribute a verse, or two. Charles Dickens has got a good way of introducing the generally laymen species to what credit system is all about, and I'll leave you to love it or hate it:

Credit is a system whereby a person who can not pay gets another person who can not pay to guarantee that he can pay.

Futurism? We're already 'doomed'

Gai Eaton (Hasan 'Abdul Hakim) writes in his King of the Castle: Choice & Responsibility in the Modern World, "...Obsessive concern with the future of the human race is a uniquely modern phenomenon. ... The Muslim does not easily forget that, as men and women, we are all 'doomed' since we must surely die, and that societies, civilisations and worlds are equally mortal: 'Everything that is upon the earth passes away, and there remains only the Face of thy Lord, infinite in Glory and infinite in Bounty.' Eternity is One; and One alone is eternal."

Yet the absurdity that has befallen on Muslim, for which he struggles now-a-days, makes the very idea of death unlikable to him.

Don't get 'misled' by food labels

In some business class session, we're discussing Nestle juices and their positioning [how a product is perceived by customers] of the product (rather consumer brainwashing) in Pakistan. Many of us perceived it to be healthy and pure for it labeled itself as 'pure and healthy'. While it may not be, as a student from Taiwan pointed out that its all sugar water and powder flavor. Well, we should not be confused by these 'dubious' labels; but most the mothers get it wrong. If the rate of confusion is so high in UK, worst should be here. The news report says:

"Nine out of 10 mothers questioned in a British Heart Foundation (BHF) survey misunderstood the nutrition information on children's foods.

The BHF says mothers believe claims such as "a source of calcium, iron and six vitamins" mean a product is likely to be healthy.

However, the BHF said that - for example - Nestle's Honey Shreddies, which claim to be wholegrain and to "keep your heart healthy and maintain a healthy body", contain more sugar [13.6g] than a ring doughnut [9.2g] in an average serving.

Almost three in five respondents believed that the phrase "no artificial flavourings , no artificial colourings" indicated a healthy treat."

Read whole article here.

The Harm Principle: 'Mein nay kisi ka nuqsan tou nahi kia'

'Mein nay kisi ka nuqsan tou nahi kia (I haven't harmed anyone) is a classical Urdu expression' that is often used to legitimize one's wrong doing, especially if it is a sin in the eyes of Islamic law.

What is interesting to note that the same thing is at the heart of secular moral paradigms, what we know as John Stuart Mill's invention of the harm principle. Harm principle was invented so as to replace God and religion from a being's life. That a being no more needs any religion to guide himself; the only guiding principle s/he needs is the harm principle, i.e., if his/her actions harm anyone, s/he must avoid doing it, but if s/he does something, e.g., watch a nude picture, that doesn't harm anyone else in the society, then it is perfectly moral and permissible to be done. He has not commited sin by seeing nudity, or such other acts which are condemned strongly by his/her religion. If a secular, God-less mentality follows this principle, it doesn't matter to me, but when I see a lot many believers following the same principle with such a conviction unimaginable, it treads my heart. But it should not.

Yet I have to ask: Whom do you harm as Muslim for those sins Mills would've perceived as perfectly ethical? I can tell you: You harm yourself, you harm your Prophet, saw. Does anyone else need to be harmed? But. As if to add the plight of human beings of modern age, such absurd principles are taught in an enchanting manner in our universities by professors whom we deem and welcome as great saviors, "He just did a Ph.D from (wherever)." Satan is most widespread than ever, it seems to be. May Allah save us from the ideologies and philosophies that legitimize sins. Aameen!

Geological Time Spiral

There you go...!

A Web-Publics of Pakistani Consumer Market

'What could be an example of "publics" [Textbook def: any group that has an actual/potential interest/impact on an org's ability to achieve its objective*, bit a head-shake, isn't it?] on web of Pakistani consumer market?' Once I thought, then instantly the following example popped in my head: "BoltaConsumer.com - Voice of Pakistani Consumer." I don't know if how many of you have visited this website (indicate if you've by marking 'interesting' option below) made for Pakistani consumers to make complaints about products or services they happily or unhappily consume. Pakistani students and people generally, I have observed, are more interested in making complaints about everything they can imagine in their heads, always trying to enter every field, especially those they've least knowledge of, e.g., politics, than genuinely critiquing consumer goods, business models or way companies conduct business. So here's a useful place where your complaints are not going to be useless, rather may result as valuable for society at large, if you're people of understanding. Post your complaints here.

"Islamic Parenting: Ten Keys to Raising Righteous Children"

This is from the SeekersGuidance (www.SeekersGuidance.org) Online Course on Islamic Parenting: http://www.seekersguidance.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84

"This important course seeks to provide guidance on one of the most critical topics of the times: raising mentally and spiritually healthy children. This course provides practical advice on how to raise upright children in the spirit of the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah. Based on classical texts on Islamic parenting, the course contextualizes their wisdom in light of modern day circumstances and addresses the most pressing parenting questions, including how to raise children that are spiritual and love Allah and His Messenger, how to protect children from negative influences, how to discipline them, and how to deal with parenting issues specific to living in the West. This course is a must for all concerned Muslim parents."

"Obama - The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan"

Below is a 'animated word cloud' (looks beautiful) by Jeff Clark. (Source.)

Animated Word Cloud - Obama - The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan from Jeff Clark on Vimeo.

What do you think?

Most recently my blog has been attacked (see comments) by some cyber-species who seem to be on a covert mission. What do you think who is behind this 'plot' against your most favorite blog:

1) America
2) Aliens
3) I don't know
4) Ammi say poch k bataon ga/gi (Would like to ask my mother...)

Please help us fight to save the blogoplanet.

Why leaders are most important people?

Because babies learn to walk before they talk. Doesn't make sense? It does. In a moment.

Babies learn to walk before they learn to talk, because in case if otherwise they may never learn how to walk. They toil so much to learn how to walk because they see everyone walking around them. Human beings imitate by nature. Babies are no exception I guess. Little ones imitate adults; adults imitate adults. People at large imitate their leaders, who lead them. If leaders wear T-shirts, we all would wear T-shirts. If they do corruption on earth, everyone else would do corruption. That's why they're most important people in societies. Question is: Who is your leader?

(From Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's lecture on Surah Al-Balad.)

The Greatest Losers!

Say: "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?- "Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?" They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight.

Al-Quran, 18:103-5.

Droplets of water bouncing....

Watch for yourself. Allah hu Akbar, kabeera!

Personal Temperament & Religion

"We pick and choose points from Religion according to our own temperaments and likings. Then we give these selected points central importance to which every other aspect of Religion is just peripheral in our mind." To give you a personal example: Yesterday, I was going through the archives of Cambridge Khutabs of Shaykh Abdal-Hakim Murad (Muslim sermons and talks in English). I saw a variety of topics there: Such titles as 'resisting injustics', 'humility', 'compassion', 'purity of heart', etc. appealed to me least, mournfully; But such titles, 'Islamic perspectives on gender', 'corruption on earth', 'islam and modernity', 'God, science and atheism', which have least business to do with my own self, my own ethical character, interested me most. I evaded the former ones, accepted the later ones. It speaks for itself what kind of a Muslim I must be.

This happens, what the quote already quoted points to, perhaps, with most of us, especially those who appear to be much more religious than others. It can be a grave problem and an intellectual disease, if it blinds us to the whole truth. The real true, or Truth (al-haqq) should be our goal, not that what is more appealing to our nafs.

The Woman: A Parable by Shaykh Nuh H.M. Keller

By,
© Nuh Ha Mim Keller 2001
_______________________________

A man was walking through the marketplace one afternoon when, just as the muezzin began the call to prayer, his eye fell on a woman’s back. She was strangely attractive, though dressed in fulsome black, a veil over head and face, and she now turned to him as if somehow conscious of his over-lingering regard, and gave him a slight but meaningful nod before she rounded the corner into the lane of silk sellers. As if struck by a bolt from heaven, the man was at once drawn, his heart a prisoner of that look, forever. In vain he struggled with his heart, offering it one sound reason after another to go his way—wasn’t it time to pray?—but it was finished: there was nothing but to follow.

He hastened after her, turning into the market of silks, breathing from the exertion of catching up with the woman, who had unexpectedly outpaced him and even now lingered for an instant at the far end of the market, many shops ahead. She turned toward him, and he thought he could see a flash of a mischievious smile from beneath the black muslin of her veil, as she—was it his imagination?—beckoned to him again.

The poor man was beside himself. Who was she? The daughter of a wealthy family? What did she want? He requickened his steps and turned into the lane where she had disappeared. And so she led him, always beyond reach, always tantalizingly ahead, now through the weapons market, now the oil merchants’, now the leather sellers’; farther and farther from where they began. The feeling within him grew rather than decreased. Was she mad? On and on she led, to the very edge of town.

The sun declined and set, and there she was, before him as ever. Now they were come, of all places, to the City of Tombs. Had he been in his normal senses, he would have been afraid, but indeed, he now reflected, stranger places than this had seen a lovers’ tryst.

There were scarcely twenty cubits between them when he saw her look back, and, giving a little start, she skipped down the steps and through the great bronze door of what seemed to be a very old sepulcher. A soberer moment might have seen the man pause, but in his present state, there was no turning back, and he went down the steps and slid in after her.

Inside, as his eyes saw after a moment, there were two flights of steps that led down to a second door, from whence a light shone, and which he equally passed through. He found himself in a large room, somehow unsuspected by the outside world, lit with candles upon its walls. There sat the woman, opposite the door on a pallet of rich stuff in her full black dress, still veiled, reclining on a pillow against the far wall. To the right of the pallet, the man noticed a well set in the floor.

“Lock the door behind you,” she said in a low, husky voice that was almost a whisper, “and bring the key.”

He did as he was told.

She gestured carelessly at the well. “Throw it in.”

A ray of sense seemed to penetrate for a moment the clouds over his understanding, and a bystander, had there been one, might have detected the slightest of pauses.

“Go on,” she said laughingly, “You didn’t hesitate to miss the prayer as you followed me here, did you?”

He said nothing.

“The time for sunset prayer has almost finished as well,” she said with gentle mockery. “Why worry? Go on, throw it in. You want to please me, don’t you?”

He extended his hand over the mouth of the well, and watched as he let the key drop. An uncanny feeling rose from the pit of his stomach as moments passed but no sound came. He felt wonder, then horror, then comprehension.

“It is time to see me,” she said, and she lifted her veil to reveal not the face of a fresh young girl, but of a hideous old crone, all darkness and vice, not a particle of light anywhere in its eldritch lines.

“See me well,” she said. “My name is Dunya, This World. I am your beloved. You spent your time running after me, and now you have caught up with me. In your grave. Welcome, welcome.”

At this she laughed and laughed, until she shook herself into a small mound of fine dust, whose fitful shadows, as the candles went out, returned to the darkness one by one.

© 2001 Nuh Ha Mim Keller

Source.

How is to be looked like a Muslim?

Put on a turban, or cover your head in a traditional Muslim way (covering heads is its not only mundoob, recommended in Islam, but a custom of traditional Muslims for centuries having the weight of law), have beard as long as your fist, put on a robe, or any dress that flows down, and walk on the roads, not of America or Europe, but of modern cities of Pakistan, for instance, and feel the taste of being identified as a Muslim. (Why this particular outlook? Because it clearly identifies one as a practicing Muslim, at least outwardly; wearing Western clothes means we symbolically belong to them.)

I can tell you what it feels like: I feels like "holding on to hot fire." Much worst when in foreign countries, I suppose.

“cultural schizophrenia”

The summary of the article, Globalization Unchecked: How Alien Media is Suffocating Real Culture, reads:

Globalization is creating “cultural schizophrenia” in developing nations, which lack the ability to protect their traditional ways of life against the constant bombardment of a dazzling and well-packaged Western culture. The author, reflecting on his travels in the Muslim world − a Muslim family watching a barely-clad Beyonce on MTV or Turkish youths playing an American video game that involves the killing of terrorists − concludes that the aspects of Western culture that permeate developing countries promote a set of ideas that ultimately sell products. Interactions between cultures have historically been beneficial, but the difference now is the speed with which these interactions happen. The constant bombardment of Western culture fails to give cultures in the developing world time to adapt and change. The result is that small and poor countries are left trying to benefit from economic globalization while cultural globalization undercuts their traditional ways of life. −YaleGlobal.

Read the article here.

Something to ponder on

For Muslims, it is worth stopping by and asking ourselves why there's so much terror in our lands, and why so much poverty. Here's something to ponder on for them and humanity in general; here's the cause of much of our tribulations, if not all - Allah says in Holy Quran:

"Allah gives an example: There was a town, secure and content with its sustenance coming in plenty from every place. Then, it turned ungrateful to the bounties of Allah; so, Allah made it to taste hunger and terror (that covered it) like a garment, as recompense of what its people used to do." [16:112]

Qasida Burda Shareef by Muhammad Al-Husyan

Wanted to share this recitation of Burda Shareef by Muhammad Al-Husyan for many days. if you want an introduction to what Burda is all about, and more importantly, its significance for Islamic world, of which many, many Muslims are ignorant, watch the second clip.



Introducing the Burda of Imam Al-Busiri

Muhasaba

Now-a-days, there's a ballyhoo going over in Pakistan over NRO case in high judiciary. NRO is basically, from my understanding, a contract of jhaliyya (ignorance), that Arabs before Prophet's time used to make, which let's rich people in this country do whatever they want and punishes poor people only. But judiciary of ours seems to be no more a judiciary of jhaliyya. It has re-opened all previous cases of rich and powerful people involving all types of corruption which were thought to be buried by NRO contract b/w whoever.

Yet people among our ranks rhetorically say, "Everywhere people are dying in blasts. There's so much fear and poverty, and amongst all this mayhem they've opened NRO cases. What nonsense!" Someone beautifully replied by saying, "Would terminating NRO case bring more peace and security at all?" Obviously not, they'd say. In our opinion, it more necessary than ever to end all kinds of jhaliyya from our society. If we want to move forward, Abdal-Hakim Murad tells us what we really need to be doing:

"Muhasaba: you will not move forwards until you look backwards."

Source.

Untitled

(K-8 PAF Pilots)

Questionnaire: Help needed!

Sociologist and education-theorist (to-be or not to-be) Mr. Umer Toor is talking to you. He is thinking to plan to commence on an independent research adventure involving bunch of school kids, the notorious 'tv' and a questionnaire form.

Well, the purpose of this "statistical" research - hopelessly - is to know the "TV consumption-patterns"/"viewing habits" of Pakistani children, age range 11-14; and to judge that whether parents need to excercise control over TV viewing of their kids (or nabalgaan) or not; and that whether should TV be banished or not (the last question is simple and research-proof), etc., etc.? Seriously.

I ask you to help me formulate survey questions that can dig up and extract right information from the subjects' mind. Questions have to be subtle, e.g., if I ask them: How many hours you watch TV? That's a VERY important question. But with this type of a question they're going to get lost in counting hours, and are susceptible to give inaccurate answers. But if I ask them that in which part(s) of the day they watch it, they'll instantly be able to recall it.

Finally. The results of the research are going to be very important for parents and society at large. I will be visiting different schools in Lahore. This is an opportunity for you to contribute to intellectual capital of humanity and Muslim ummah in particular. I want to assure myself again that it's not a class assignment, rather purely an intellectual pursuit.

What suggestions do you have?

Switching on TV

"To switch on a television is to acknowledge one’s own lack of refinement."

Abdul-Hakim Murad.

Read more of his contentions here.

Where they encountered the Martyr

The plaque reads: The body of Tippu Sultan was found here.

'Shell wins Iraq oil field rights'

So it was all about oil fields… I wonder… Read story here.

A PhD Dr. in Deception

"Dajjal means one who deceives. So Anti-Christ (Dajjal) has a Ph.D in deception."

-Imran Hosein.

Buyers of 'Idle Tales' & Sellers of Distraction

"But there are, among men, those who purchase idle tales, without knowledge (or meaning), to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah and throw ridicule (on the Path): for such there will be a Humiliating Penalty."

-Al- Quran: Chapter-Luqman, verse # 6.

Heedlessness

"It sounded like the flash of lightening striking earth just outside your house." This is how my friend describes the intensity of Moon Market blast that took place near his residence in Lahore. (He and his family are safe.) My people are yet heedless, I dare not exclude myself, so I want to remind myself as well of this. Nothing in their attitude and actions seems to have changed. I don't intend to propose any plausible cause of this most tragic incident, but i do want to mention this: Since I have entered teenage, I've been seeing my brothers in faith doing disgusting things on roads, markets, etc. Anyone who comes to a city of lights like Lahore from a village, for instance, or even people of the city, intends to go to its busy markets to enjoy 'visual rape' of the opposite sex - bad gazing. People do it in the name of outing and enjoying themselves, shopping around. Such a disgrace. After this incident, I thought we'd be repenting for our sins, and avoiding even doubtful deeds. But when I go out, I wish to weep how heedless we are of the signs. I can't tell you how bad I am, only I know and Allah.

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Image source.

Psychological effect

Wonder what I do at business school?

I learned this today, and much more as well.

Suppose you and me own a mall. We use a separate corner or place to show expensive products, so that customers know: "There you've luxury items," which are costly just for the sake of costliness, and not quality primarily. (Yes, it happens, mostly. Especially with perfumes, the same thing costing Rs. 8,000 can be sold for Rs. 100, but for 100 rupees it won't sell as does the former pricing.) One day, we put in the same showcase of expensive items cheap products, not changing price tags, etc. Customers would consider it to be high-quality, expensive items. That's called psychological pricing. Who can deny 'marketers are liars'?

My parents are so proud of me, yet...

A misunderstanding...

There is a little misunderstanding in the (sub-conscious) mind of my people about marriage. Most of them like to presume that a person can only qualify for marriage till he reaches the age of graduation ceremony. Ancients never had this problem. "Till a person reaches the age of puberty/the age of nikah (marriage)..."

Victims are us, eager young lads, not dictionaries (who read them?).

Self-deception

I don't know why we sometimes fall in love with ourselves, our writings, pictures (people here are most obsessed with), our actions, looks, expressions, gait, etc., etc. We become happy when we see ourselves, or our deeds, yet we may be far from the Divine, yet we may not have any such admirable qualities we like to conjure up in our mind and imagination. Why?

Who came in my dream last night?

I don't know if that's the right forum to answer this question, but I can't keep it in my stomach for long, for it is not a nightmare, rather a dream come true :) General Ashfaq P. Kayani came in my dream, we spent some time on Daewoo Bus Station! Yes, in full uniform. We greeted each other whole-heartedly, non-military style - he's such an affectionate person!

Gen. Kayani is the present Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army, said to be the most influential and powerful post in Pakistan.(The middle man is our man.)

'Social sotck of knowledge'

("Knowledge," by Richard Henson)

“…theoretical knowledge is only a small and by no means the most important part of what passed for knowledge in a society… the primary knowledge about the institutional order is knowledge… is the sum total of ‘what everybody knows’ about a social world, an assemblage of maxims, morals, proverbial nuggets of wisdom, values and beliefs, myths, and so forth”

- The Social Construction of Reality, (p.65)
Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann.

Latest innovation of moderns: Man marries video game character

I am a bit depressed at this news, not because "the modern", central character of this incident, is my brother, but what can possibly happen to my own brothers (people), b'cause of the gaming culture? Let's mask ourselves with morbid expressions so as to repel any illusions that may arise by this incident: "[Whoever] reports on the marriage in Japan between a man known as "Sal9000" and [whatever videogame character] in the Nintendo DS simulating game love plus"? Simple, a man has married a video game character, or at least he wishfully thinks, proving how ignorant he is of the soul of marriage!

Who could have done this in whole human history than those human creatures forgetful (ghafil) of the very purpose of life? This incident is a product of a particular civilization, a mind-set, of a different category of human psyche, of an age Rene Guenon termed as the Dark Age. There's nothing but darkness in it, opposite to the light of Ruh Allah, Jesus, pbuh, the symbol of pure spirit. Yet we, people of my society, wish to go there, visit their lands and buildings and structures; yet they're enchanted by the outward charms of a hollow, deeply disturbing civilization.

From childhood, we are here fed with the images of a paradise that is West, or Westernized societies. It is considered to be a big achievement to be one of them, to be there. How foolish! I've been a victim of this misunderstanding too, I only wish to unlearn it. This incident is a nice reminder, and a little helpful too in this process of knowing the nature of things, and living according to it. Allah hu Akbar!

School education

Reading a blog of a homeschooled student on homeschooling, I came a line that actuely describes the truth about schools, academia: "School is SO not the real world." Even no successful entrepreneur deny this fact, let alone those who wish to live according to their fitra.

Can't blame mobiles anymore for brain cancer

Well, nobody has been blaming mobiles, but you can't deny that rumors are very 'sticky'.

BBC writes, "A biological mechanism that could explain the potential effects of mobile phone radiation has not been identified." And that "There has been no substantial change in the number of adult brain tumours since mobile phone usage sharply increased in the mid-1990s, Danish scientists say."

Read the whole article here.

A sufficient argument for the elimination of t.v.

A gadget named t.v. was introduced some decades back in Pakistan, and like Muslim countries, with the view that, okay, if we can't bomb them directly, let's feed them tom and jerry, star moives, HBO, and above all, I Love Lucy. When a muslim walks down the road, he lowers his gaze, whether literally, or, at the least, he suppresses his lust. We could have kept our children and youth safe from the "grossness" of t.v., but the problem was that within a flash of second, the time taken to jump from a hardly "safe" channel to an "unsafe", no one was able to lower their gaze or control their lust. We gradually, along with the whole civilization, except a select few, sank into the miseries of immodesty, and hence utter misery. Their is only one argument that suffices for our position of elimination of the of t.v. (take it as an augmented product in present context, and its basic nature as well): "Verily, the gaze is a poisonous arrow from the arrow of Satan." TV should then be considered as an atom bomb.

Speak a good word...

Poem, Why the Rib?

Pearls of Wisdom composed a beautiful we feel obliged to share...

"Woman was made from the rib of man,
She was not created from his head to top him,
Nor form his feet to be stepped upon,
She was made from his side to be close to him,
From beneath his arm to be protected by him,
Near his heart to be loved by him."