Meezan

The fall of Hitlery Clinton

2008-05-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

This youtube flick is HILLARY-IOUS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oEa8-tYzgU

Enjoy!!

Hello World!

2008-05-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

So, where was I? Oh yeah, Pakistani politics... BLAH! I am still following it on and off and 2 of my very close friends have made it to the National Assembly. More on that later...

What a chaotic yet pleasant 3 months or so I have had! Marriage is a different ball game altogether and I am actually enjoying every bit of it, Alhamdolillah! The marriage took place on the 15th of January and only Allah Knows how I pulled it through! What a weird, weird wedding I had! For all those that might care to remember, January 15th was a rainy and wet day; the entire city was inundated in heavenly outpour! I have never seen Dubai so soaked and soggy - it was a sight!

The weird thing was that I had been doing rigorous istikharah throughout the first 2 weeks of January seeking Allah's counsel in taking this step of marriage. My blood results (and the wife's too) were necessary for the nik'ah and I was to collect it early morning on the day of the nik'ah. I got up at 7 o' clock in the morning to go get our blood test results and the moment I stepped out of the house I realized how I was going to have a long day ahead of me. I was stuck in snail-pace traffic from Qusais all the way to Baraha Hospital, Deira, from where I had to collect the results. To exacerbate matters, I had a slight fever.

I got to Baraha hospital in 2 hours (I ask you!) and the moment I got out of my car, which was parked in a pool of water, I was in for the shock of my life: The ceiling of Baraha hospital had caved in and water was pouring through the ducts overhead right onto the machines and counters ! Security personnel were shoving people out telling them to go home and come the next day! My heart was in my mouth, I swear! I was almost shattered and I had thought that the Will of Allah was against what I had willed. I had this weak feeling in my knees and I did not know what to do. I wasn't about to give up though.

I tried reasoning with the security person who didn't speak English or Urdu, which only made it harder to explain my predicament to him. Fortunately, an old man in a dishdash was kind enough to hear me out and spoke some broken Urdu. I quickly picked up his broken pattern of Urdu and tried speaking to him in the same manner so that he could understand me. It worked! He took me inside to the incharge (who was a veiled lady) who could speak in English. I explained my situation to her and she mobilized her people to expedite my pending report. I had to hang around for 2 hours and she handed the blood reports to me! I think it was 2 o' clock by then. As I left, all the good folks there wished me well. They all had heard my story and the lady in the veil told me that if my intentions were good and God had willed for this marriage then not even a storm could change that. Indeed, Allah's help arrives when you most need it!

I had a lot of errands to run, make some preparations for the dinner at night, make arrangements for the wife and in-laws and in between I had to go to office as well! I was running all over the place and I have never been so rushed in my entire life! The nik'ah was to take place just before Maghrib at the Dubai Courts where I got soaked in rain in the suit I had worn to work. I hadn't taken a shower that day; I hadn't had anything to eat since the other night; I hadn't cut my nails in a while, basically I was a wreck! If only words could do justice to what I felt and had been through that eventful day.

By the Grace of Allah, the nik'ah took place smoothly and in 20 minutes we were done. The call to prayers for Maghrib had just subsided. Me and the 2 witnesses from my side headed out for Maghrib prayers in the masjid behind the Dubai Court. After the Maghrib prayers, I prayed 2 rak'ah nafl to thank Allah for everything - I swear By Allah it was the most soothing, fulfilling, and peaceful prayers I had ever experienced! 2 rak'ah of nafl prayers hardly take 5 minutes and those 5 minutes took away all the pain, sadness, fatigue, anxiety and what-have-you!

I have left so much detail in between due to paucity of space and time (sigh, I have so little at hand these days!). But, marriage has been a rewarding experience. It is a great blessing from Allah and a good life partner - I have come to appreciate - is one of the choicest blessings of Allah (SWT).

The wife has left for Canada and I will be joining her there in a couple of weeks. I miss her dearly and can't wait to see her again! Puppy lurvvv, hehe.

Welcome to the Jungle

2008-01-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Pakistan is getting inundated in its own blood. The ongoing conflict in the country reflects at how there is no rule of law and that the country is now following the laws of the jungle. Benazir's assassination does not come as a shock to me. Yes, she was corrupt; yes, she was coming back as part of a larger American design; and yes, she was giving some horrific statement vis-a-vis Pakistan's internal security. Yet, I do not condone her murder! I denounce her killing and would like to throw caution to all those who may be saying to themselves "good riddance".

I have said it before, this is not the way civilized countries settle scores with one another. Bugti's assassination by the state (and it is quite clear who took out Benazir) was a clear indication of what extent the present dispensation was going to go to get their way. All those who supported Bugti's assassination must be thinking twice now. If you are still saying "good riddance" then I guess you have to wait till one such brutality hits closer to your own homes.

The "establishment" was never easy with Benazir coming back and it took a sinking Musharraf and American diktats for a marriage of convenience between the 2. The honeymoon had to end somewhere and it came to a tragic end with the brutal murder of Benazir. Had she not been killed, this unholy alliance of BB and Mushy would still come crumbling down after elections in a similarly dramatic fashion (perhaps even worse).

There is no doubt that Benazir's death comes as a setback for the US. There also is no doubt that all America has now in Pakistan to further its ludicrous cause of the "war on terror" is Musharraf. No prizes for guessing who is the winner in this tug-of-war. The question now that begs is: Does America have the patience to support an increasingly ambitious "establishment" (headed by Musharraf) that is now biting the hands that feed it? If this wasn't the last straw then I think we are certainly very close to it. The following few months will be very interesting (although all this is very tragic indeed).

The elections in Pakistan becomes very important now. I personally feel the elections need to be boycotted for many reasons. My number 1 reason was for the independence of Judiciary, which stands defunct at the ambitious hands of the present government. Today, my primary reason for boycotting these elections is because if the results of these elections turn against what the "establishment" wants it to be then we will see some seriously horrific consequences. With the way Musharraf (and remember he is just a face - there is a ruling "establishment" that has been holding everyone captive since the 50's) is clinging onto power do we really think he will easily digest results that are contrary to what he wants?

Let's not forget how the "establishment" reacted the last time an election went against them in the 70's. God have Mercy on us!

Addendum: Just as I almost hit the bed after posting this, I came across this news item from Reuters. This could be an insight into a possible motive for her assassination. As you may recall, the US Congress was already pretty ticked off at the misuse of US aid to Pakistan in the "war on terror".

Decision Time...

2007-12-24T10:07:00.000-08:00

Why is it that marriage is such a complicated thing for us Muslims these days? As it is the thought of marrying the right candidate consumes half our time and gives us gray hairs before we even tie the knot. Then, on top of that, we have parents who become an impossible obstacle in wanting something HALAL for ourselves!

Here is a good youtube flick reflecting what kind of nonsense can be made out of something that is actually a commandment from God to His slaves for satisfying a natural urge/need in a perfectly legal way.

More on this later...

Life in Darra

2007-12-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

Darra Adam Khel is a town in the northern region of Pakistan. It is home to the Afridi tribe of the Pashtuns. There are 2 things in Darra that catch one's immediate attention - the scenic valleys and the weapons market!

Darra's economy runs on sales of ordinance handmade by craftsmen who have replicated almost every gun/rifle in the weapons market. The prices are really cheap and the quality pretty close to the original.

Since it is next to impossible for an ordinary person to gain access to Darra, I am posting this 8 minute video on Darra's weapon market.

Enjoy!

The Battle for the soul of Pakistan

2007-12-07T12:27:00.001-08:00

So much has happened in Pakistan in the last 9-10 months. The lawyers' movement has inspired the youth of Pakistan to mobilize and stand firmly in support of civilian institutions. The pressure that is being exerted by the lawyers, students and the media is starting to bear fruit - the major one being Musharraf being stripped of his khaki wear.

Pakistan has seen itself through one major hurdle and as it now faces its next biggest challenge, some politicians might end up playing the roles of pimps and sell Pakistan's soul to the powers-that-be. Two names stand out amongst this list of sellouts: Benazir Bhutto and "Maulana" Fazlur Rahman. These selfish scoundrels have ridden on the popularity waves of the lawyers movement and manouvered themselves into a position where they are now bargaining for the PM house. So much so that these 2 opportunists have trashed these same lawyers who resurrected their all but dead political careers. Brutus would feel shy at such treachery!

Pakistan is fortunate to have a batallion of good men and women who have given some hope to the people of Pakistan. Just when we were about to despair, God sent us not one, but a whole host of brave souls! Today, these brave persons are being incarcerated and punished for their honesty by Musharraf's goons. They are being forced into early retirement so that the good are thwarted and the bad continue their stanglehold on the jugular vein of the nation. Benazir and Fazlur don't give 2 hoots for the lawyers. They have stated clearly that they are willing to contest elections whether these honest men and women are re-instated or not. This treachery is equivalent to treason!

Are we Pakistanis going to let such power-mongers take control of our destiny and let the good folks fizzle out? Have we not learned anything from the struggle of Imam Hussain (AS)? Will we let wrong triumph over right again? NO! Pakistanis need to take a stand today and force these 2 scoundrels to boycott the elections if the Judiciary is not restored as it was pre-November 3rd. Anything short of this will just take us back to the status quo of the last 60 years and we will murder future brave souls who would have lost hope in the system; we will rape the ambitions of young aspirants who want to contribute positively to the country's growth; we will deflate the exhuberance of those who dream of saving the ummah from the shadows of despair. This fight should be waged unabated!

I am glad that Aitezaz Ahsan is already devicing plan B in case "Ugly and the Beast" take part in the elections. It speaks volumes of the level-headedness of the man and how he is able to transcend the rotten scenario and think outside the box. His open letter is well worth a read.

Innocence of the young

2007-12-04T12:17:00.000-08:00

I recently went through 2 experiences that made me realize how children are innocent and so close to purity. Sure, they can be real rascals at times, but their hearts are so clean and souls so pure that it just makes an almost-30-guy like myself miss this innocence that was once in me, too.

I was at the City Center mall last night and was waiting for my order to arrive at the counter from "Shamiana" (desi food rocks!). 2 local girls, who looked pretty young - 14 maximum I'd say - also were ordering their food as I looked on while I waited. The filipino lady at the counter gave these 2 girls a coupon, which I hadn't got. I politely asked the lady at the counter why I didn't get any discount coupons and she told me nicely how it was only valid for the combos that these 2 girls took. I just said, "Oh OK... thank you... maybe next time I will go for it" and continued waiting for my food.

One of the girls came up to me with BOTH the coupons and offered it to me! She said, "You can have it" (in her local Arab accent, hehe). I was pleasantly surprised! I declined, but she insisted. I didn't take the coupons and told her that I had already paid for my food and that it was very nice and polite of her to do such a kind thing for a total stranger. She smiled and kept her coupons on her tray and left with her friend looking for a place to sit.

A couple of nights prior to this I saw a little boy - I would guess 7 years of age - eating my favorite chips, Lays Salt and Vinegar!! The little boy was with his mother and father and I made a face at him suggesting "Aren't you going to share with me?" And what does the kid do? He sticks his hand out and offers me the entire packet! I told him "Can I have alllll of it??" (sounding excited) and he looked at his parents and just nodded in approval! I was so impressed by the kid's "tarbiyah" (upbringing)! I just took one and returned the rest and really complimented his parents on the kid's exemplary behavior and manners. They looked like pretty proud parents, hehe.

Some can argue the first example cannot be really classified as young children, but for a person who is breaking white hair left, right and center, those girls really reminded me of my teen days when I was so into myself. It was all about my image and I-dont-give-a-fudge, rocker attitude. The little boy also made me realize how we actually start off as really cool and pure souls and with our experiences and increasing individualism (because of self-centered interests) we turn out to be real idiots, frankly!

Sometimes I really wish I could turn back time and pause it into my childhood. Reminds me of that cool Enigma song from yesteryears, Return to Innocence!

The Rising...

2007-11-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

The first few days of the emergency were punctuated by a deafening silence by the civil society of Pakistan - or so it seemed. 4 days into this unjust army rule (for those who doubted that the army was in control for the past 8 years!) and people are starting to come to terms with what has happened to them.

For any civil disobedience or movement to be successful, it is imperative for the youth of the nation to come out in demonstrations. Demonstrations don't necessarily have to be violent, but with article 144 of the consitution in effect (hmmm, when the constitution is in abeyance how can article 144 be applicable?) protestors can expect baton-wielding police officers and plain-clothed agents to charge at them. This will obviously result in the peaceful demonstrators fighting back.

LUMS - one of the best management schools in Pakistan, if not the best - is holding daily processions within their campus even with the police warning them against it. Following suit are all other major universities and educational institutions such as FAST, GIK, UET et al. The police have cordoned off these institutes and are stopping the media from covering these ever-growing protests.

Since the media has been banned all across Pakistan, these students are taking their struggle online. LUMS is maintaining a blog pakistanmartiallaw. blogspot.com where they update news on protests being held in various universities. I am noticing this effort become increasingly organized with collaboration from members and student councils of other univerisities. This is great news and is exactly what is needed to make these demonstrations meaningful.

Imran Khan

Imran has been able to slip through police custody (no mean achievement in Pakistan!) and is now in hiding. He has also taken his struggle over the internet (on youtube and his website) where he is issuing short videos to mobilize the youth against this emergency. His speeches are available both in Urdu and English on his website.

Imran Khan was giving a speech in LUMS when the state of emergency was declared. I think his speech to the 'luminite.s' was instrumental in reviving the student organizations across Pakistan to finally break their silence.

All power to Imran! I think he is the only political leader who truly represents the aspirations of the youth in Pakistan. I have already commented before on how leaders like him are hard to find who really have a feel on the pulse of the nation.

Mullah Blitzkrieg

The Jamatis are back! Click here to see their brilliant idea of what I call "guerilla demonstration"! This is hilarious and cool at the same time!

Petition against "emergency" in Pakistan

2007-11-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Visitors:

Kindly take some time out and click on the link below to sign the petition against Musharraf-imposed emergency in Pakistan.

We Oppose Emergency in Pakistan

State of Emergency

2007-11-04T00:41:00.000-07:00

Emergency mubarak! That's the buzz phrase amongst my Pakistani circle today. It was expected to come any time soon and I will give my 2 cents on the situation later.

I hope you guys caught Musharraf's speech last night? His entire speech can be surmised in one word - hogwash! Sorry, Sir, you cannot fool Pakistanis anymore. This is NOT about "Pakistan first" as you so religiously preach. This is about "Musharraf first" and the facade fell off last night when you addressed the entire nation. Your speech lacked reason, cohesiveness, integrity and credibility. I am sorry to say, Sir, but you made a total clown out of yourself!

You are no better than the countless other unsolicited "saviors" who came riding with pomp and valor. Just like all the rest, you got afflicted by that Pakistani disease that inflicts every "savior" that has graced the land of the pure - lack of an exit strategy. Heroes are supposed to come riding in the middle of the night, do their work and disappear into the horizon by sunrise. Alas, leave the disappearing act aside, you even took off the mask that donned your face! Howzat for bravery, folks!? Zorro should learn a thing or two from you!

May I ask you, Sir, whom have you placed the emergency against? Yourself? And I thought emergencies were declared by civilian/political governments. What is an emergency for the military-walas? Common, Sir, you can say it - MARTIAL LAW. What a sad state of affairs and all this because you can't see beyond your nose. Or as you put it in military euphemism, "I have never learned to lay down my weapons in times of adversity...".

Emergency mubarak, everyone!

The writing on the wall

2007-10-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

Iraq is becoming an American nightmare. This coming from no less a person than retired Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez who used to be the top man in Iraq not too long ago. It's weird because I was thinking about the guy 2 nights ago as to where he had disappeared (very much like Camp Rhino in Qandahar, Afghanistan, where the Americans were beat out by the Taliban long back and none of this has ever made it to mainstream Western media).

This is the same man who at one time harped on about how brilliant George Bush's strategies in Iraq were. It seems now that he never agreed to monkeyman and his cronies - it was all a facade for the outside world's consumption that everything was in order in the American corridors of power. It reminds me of the verse of the Qur'an:

"...thou wouldst think they were united, but their hearts are divided: that is because they are a people devoid of wisdom." (Quran 59:14)

Devoid of wisdom indeed! The writing is on the wall and the Americans have to leave Iraq some day. The turks are already getting involved in this war and this entire region of ours is in turmoil because of the West meddling in our affairs. Mullah Omar's statement today requires a lot of introspection from our leaders who are standing on one leg doing America's dirty work and supporting their nefarious designs. No matter how much one may disagree with the Taliban's style of ruling, his words need to be taken seriously in a changing sequence of events where clearly the "terrorists" are winning.

Seymour Hersh was on "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer" on CNN a few nights ago. He was talking about how the hawks in the whitehouse are shifting their rhetoric from Iran's nuclear program (which the American public and the world at large isn't buying after seeing the intelligence "failure" in Iraq) to Iran's interference in Iraq. This seems an idea the American government can sell to the gullible masses in the West and Sarkozy of France is already onboard! The Westerners are being hoodwinked again and the stage is being set for an American attack on Iran. It seems the US is hellbent on bleeding itself to death!

Bollywood "lifts" (chak de) the Twenty20 World Cup

2007-09-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

So, the inaugural Twenty20 Cricket World Cup is over. The final was fought out in a nail-biting encounter between the old arch-rivals India and Pakistan. India held their nerves and saw themselves through a most inspiring and dramatic fightback by a lone Pakistani, Misbah ul-Haq, who all but took away the match from India. In the end it was to be a fatal mistake on Misbah's part, rather than the brilliance of an Indian player, that gave India victory. It was a great final and a great end to an exhilarating tournament that saw some really competitive cricket!

The cricket ends right here; enter bollywood - aptly led by Shah Rukh Khan of "Chak De" fame - on the shoulders of the Indian media. There is something about the Indian media that really bugs me to bits! Add to this the gullibility of people who are GLUED to such channels and brainwashed into believing that they are in some sort of lala land. As if that were not enough, the little objectivity that is left in people is completely inundated by the folks at Bollywood. The net result is a whole bunch of desis (I say desis and not Indians because a lot of Pakistanis susbscribe to this "New Order" as well) acting like total idiots!

Shah Rukh Khan "graced" the finals with his presence. I guess he was the official Indian mascot as he recently came up with a movie on the revival of Indian sports. It was released on the 15th of August being the Independence Day of India and ever since every Indian worth his vegetable curry is under the spell of "Chak De India". Suddenly, being Indian is all about being sporty (and not IT anymore). Everywhere you go (and Dubai is FULL of Indians) you hear "Chak De India" - in shops, in restaurants, on TV, in conversations. So much so that it is getting REALLY irritating.

Just before the finals, Star News, a popular Indian News channel, was constantly playing this "Chak De" song in the background and singing praises of the Indian cricket team. This being a stark contrast from their usual practice of negativity where every time India loses, they pick out a "match ka mujrim" (literally, "criminal of the match") and blast the poor guy to bits. Again, the Indian public jumps onto their bandwagon and what you see is the irritatingly negative side of India. Well, these days there is a surge of irritating positivity! Why can't we desis ever be balanced??

Here are some anecdotal beauties before and after the final match that could be heard on Indian TV (try playing the "chak de india" song in the background while you read this):

1- Indian ballaybaaz Pakistaniyon kay chakkay ura dengay!
2- India nay Pakistan ko dhool chata dee!
3- Chak De Team India!
4- Dhoni kardo Pakistan key dhulayee!
5- Yuvi kay ballay say hogi Pakistaniyon key pitai!

Nauseatingly sickening! There is so much more, but I really dont want to waste my already wasted time. The Indian media really harps on about how great India is and just raises expectations (I dont even know why people buy into it!) and the moment India loses, this same media (along with the "gullible billion" as I like to call them) thrash their own heroes. For example, when India lost a home series to Pakistan, Star News was running a caption "Kyon hogaye Dher India kay shayr!" Nonsense!

Unfortunately, knowing the Indian psyche (and India was not like this 10 years ago!) we will have to hear this "Chak De" crap till India is beaten by another team. Then everyone can snap out of Shah Rukh's "Chak De India" dream and look for a new dream that bollywood and Star News, NDTV, Zee TV and the gazillion other Indian channels cook up. The Australians are in India for a test series and it seems the partying is going to be short-lived.

Thanks to this crazy "Chak De" fever, I have this e-mail exchange going on with some friends where an Indian friend tried to joke (he says it is all in good fun and was just humurous mischief) with the rest of the list and it is all turning out a bit ugly. Here are a few excerpts from this crazy thread:

Indian friend:

CHAK DE!!!

INDIA WON!!!

CHAK DE... CHAK DE INDIA...
CHAK DE... CHAK DE INDIA

And in the pakistani captains own words: "India Playsed a Good Game"

Moral of the match:
Think twice before migrating.
Migrate back :D

Pakistani friend replying back:

Muslims in India fit the proverbial “khisiaani billi khumba nochay”. They wish in their hearts to be Pakistanis, but to prove their Hindu masters that they are more loyal than the banias, they leave no chance to criticize Pakistan.

Another Pakistani friend:

I just don't understand how a funny cricket match picture led to this bullshit about migration and hindu muslim shit. I guess it explains why are we so far behind the rest of the world.

A different Indian friend:

It shocks me that as muslims IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN we can express such extreme opinions which are born out of an artificial attachment to something which is considered a sign of jahiliyyah (the period of ignorance before Islam) which is called 'assabiya' in arabic denoting partisanship to something other than Islam. In this case-patriotism/nationalism or tribalism.

Some good sense prevailed towards the end, but I will just conveniently blame the entire episode on bollywood!

The last straw

2007-09-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

Shoaib Akhtar is in the headlines again, and yet again for all the wrong reasons. The enigmatic "Rawalpindi Express" has the knack of getting himself in trouble repeatedly. This time he may have crossed the line after a spat with team mate, Mohammad Asif, led him to strike Asif with a cricket bat in front of a sizeable presence of the international media!

As much as he is the darling of the crowd that flocks to see him steam in and terrorize batsmen with his thunderbolts, he makes a very bad role model for youngsters. Arguably the fastest bowler in cricketing history (having clocked the fastest delivery ever bowled by any person), he is also the "bad boy" of cricket - ironically in a game that is known as a "gentleman's sport".

Shoaib's insolent behavior has been repeatedly tolerated by our ad-hoc cricketing governing body, the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), which is led by an incompetent medical doctor (what the fudge is a medical doctor's business in a sport and that too as chairman?) Dr. Naseem Ashraf. The eerie doctor is best buddies with Musharraf. Enough said.

As much as I was waiting to see Shoaib back at the inaugural 20-20 World Cup, I am glad the PCB has finally made the right call and summoned Shoaib back to Pakistan effectively taking him out of the competition. It serves him right and it is about time. He has won us many games single-handedly and his "bad boy" image sometimes is a positive thing, too. But, such consistently brash behavior cannot be tolerated.

Shoaib actually represents the state of the ummah these days - highly talented, raw, showing immense potential in bursts, but lacking any vision or direction and a total contempt for laws. I am sure that even the most ardent supporters of Shoaib have lost all hope in him now.

He must be kicking himself in his long and lonely flight back home, but I am sure he is not going to learn anything from this experience. He needs to know that he is not bigger than the game and that the team can do without him. He not only gives a bad name to the country, but also deflates the spirit of his fellow team member in the wake of an important competition. I hope he is out for good now and I also hope that Dr. Naseem Ashraf is booted alongwith Shoaib.

(images taken from www.cricinfo.com)

Man in the mirror

2007-08-24T05:23:00.001-07:00

I first heard this song as a 12 year old in 1990. This song had an impact one me back then and does so even now. Great lyrics (incidentally it is not written by Michael Jackson), which I feel people should take seriously in not just philanthrophy, but every sphere of life.

Rosh, this entry is dedicated to you, hehe.

Lyrics:

I'm gonna make a change, for once in my life
It's gonna feel real good, gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right...

As I, turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street, with not enough to eat
Who am I, to be blind? Pretending not to see their needs
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know'
Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

(Chorus)
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change

I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they're not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya' see
Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me

(Chorus)

The chief, courage and the charming!

2007-08-22T11:18:00.000-07:00

My honorable lord, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, continues to resurrect the dead-and-almost-out insititution of the Judiciary in Pakistan. Today, the Attorney General of Pakistan magically reproduced missing persons after the unrelenting and sustained pressure from the Chief Justice and Supreme Court of Pakistan. This is followed by the release of PML's (Nawaz Group) political activist and president, Javed Hashmi, who was jailed under a concocted case of treason. These are major slaps across the face of the Pakistani establishment!

This is unprecedented in the history of a major Muslim country! I have a feeling that if Pakistan develops an independent judiciary, the effects of this will ripple across all of the Muslim World as an independent judiciary automatically takes care of political representation, autonomy of different components of a state, rule of law, an understanding of due process, fair and free elections, empowering the weak, and most importantly the resurrection of diminishing institutions of a state.

This is why I have always championed the seemingly harder route of principles over pragmatism. Yes, it is dicey and by no means a walk in the park. But, the end results are always fruitful. People who compromise over principles soon lose their identities. Look at the pragmatic champion, Musharraf, today. Where have all his U-turns taken him? Today he is so desperate that he is willing to shake hands with his sworn enemies - pragmatism having fragmented and fractured him.

If there is anything more dangerous than courage to a feeble dictator then it is contagious courage. Dr. Sher Afgan of all people is coming out now and vehemently attacking the foreign policy of the government!

Special mentions needs to be made of Imran Khan here who has become the "voice of conscience" of Pakistan. He is the only political leader who feels the pulse of the nation and speaks what the common man on the streets is saying. It is very hard to find such leaders; even in the "civilized" West! His party may not be as popular as some other political parties, but I feel it is the courage that he showed that acted as a catalyst to everything happening today. CNN ran a short documentary on him and not only is he strikingly handsome even at 55, but the man is inspirational. I recommend that you guys watch this documentary. The ladies love this man!

Reality or dream?

2007-08-18T01:53:00.000-07:00

There is no set definition of ‘dreams’. The more I try to understand the role of dreams and why we see what we see, I get all the more confused. Modern science – the little that I have read of it – is far from convincing in explaining the reality of dreams. Islam seems to answer this mystery the most convincingly and for brevity’s sake I won’t try to explain it here.

These days I have a major disagreement with my parents over a future decision. I have found my parents very stubborn and unwilling to listen to me. Of all the people, I would have least expected my parents to be so rigid and uncompromising. So much so that my relationship with them is being affected and things have reached such an impasse that at times I really don’t know where life will lead me from hereon.

Last night I was on the internet reading random stuff when I fell asleep at round about 10:00pm. My eyes opened after a couple of hours and this waking up was triggered by something I saw in a dream that felt like reality. The experience was so real that I don’t even know if this was a dream or if there really is a parallel world (in Islamic terminology referred to as “barzakh”) that I had just been to!

In this dream, I saw myself sitting on a bench in a big park. I had my head in my hands thinking about this disagreement with my parents and thinking who, what or how can I convince them to understand my position. I feel my mother is the key player and if somehow I could convince her everything would automatically set in place. I sat there thinking with tears in my eyes thinking who in this world would help me out? Just then someone came beside me and held my shoulders and exclaimed, “Naati!” It was my late maternal grandfather (whom we used to call “Nana Abbu”). He used to call me and my brother “Naati”. I couldn’t believe he was standing in front of me and I was confused out of my skin because he had expired about 2 years ago!

Nana Abbu calmed me down and took me on a walk around the park. He seemingly knew that it had something to do with my mother and I started giving him the entire background as we walked around the massive park. Just when we had covered the distance of the entire park, we came back to the same bench where we had started from. The end of my story, which I was narrating to Nana Abbu, coincided with us reaching this same bench. During the entire walk he mostly kept quiet at times showing his displeasure at what my mom was doing. I looked at him and asked him, “But Nana Abbu, how can you help me when you are not in this World anymore?” He looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, “I can talk to your mother just like I am talking to you”. With that look he told me, “Don’t worry, Naati, I will talk to her and try my best.” With that he hugged me and just left.

Right about then I woke up from my sleep and noticed the time on my laptop: 12:28 a.m. The next thing I saw was directly related to something I was discussing with my Nana in my dream! I am still trying to make sense of this all, but the experience felt very, very real. Did my Nana Abbu go and meet my mother after this? I don’t know, but I am hoping he did.

Principles versus Pragmatism

2007-08-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

With the reinstatement of the honorable Chief Justice, backed by the power of the people, a new chapter in Justice has opened in Pakistan. The courage of one man to say "no" to a dictator without fearing the consequences proves how being firm on principles pays off in the longer run than short-term gains offered by pragmatism.

The Chief Justice is back with a bang and just today a 5-member bench of the Supreme Court has issued arrest orders of local village elders in Jacobabad, Sindh. The case involves the inhuman and regressive "tradition" of handing over minor girls of a family to the victim's family in "compensation" for their injustices on the latter. Such practices have been going unchecked for the past 60 years and womens' rights champions such as Asma Jehangir and even Musharraf have done nothing more than lip service to protect people from such injustices.

For the first time in our history the Supreme Court is working with complete autonomy and not as a marrionette of the government. Now that the legislative body of law is independent and bold, it is only a matter of time that its executionary body - namely, the police - also becomes independent of societal and governmental pressures.

To the anti-Islam brigade on blogosphere: Let's see you comment on rulings such as these where the true face of Islam is presented. Or will you conveniently look away? Please take note that this change has come from within the Muslims and from people whose names you probably haven't ever heard. We have our problems and we have their solutions, too. All we ask from you is to stop meddling in our affairs - we can do without your unsolicited advices and stupid "roadmaps".

Now if our Pakistanis could muster enough courage to call the American bluff and give a big "fuck you" to their so-called "war on terror"...

Tragic Romances: Sohni-Mahiwal

2007-08-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

The subcontinental folklore is accentuated by 4 tragic romances: Heer-Ranjha; Sassi-Punnu; Mirza-Sahiba; and Sohni-Mahiwal. Each of these stories is about the unwavering love between 2 individuals. All of these stories end tragically, but the victor in all 4 stories is love. Since love is one of the strongest (if not the strongest) emotions, sufi masters of the subcontinent set out to explain the relationship between God and slave as that of love. These poetic masterpieces make for excellent reading and if I were to trace its roots, I would say Jalaluddin Rumi's "Mathnawi" was the inspiration for such writings. However, that is a seperate topic altogether.

My personal favorite is the story of Sohni, the potter's daughter, and Mahiwal (whose real name was Izzat Baig), the rich trader from Bukhara. Mahiwal came to India for his business as usual with pockets full of gold coins. He set out to the Punjab where at the banks of the Sindhu river his eyes spotted the beautiful Sohni selling her pottery. Mahiwal was enchanted by her beauty and very soon he made it a habit of coming to her shop to simply catch a glimpse of her. He would religiously come to her shop and buy something she made every day!

Soon it became clear to the villagers that they both liked each other and Sohni was forcibly married to someone else. Mahiwal was heartbroken and started living like a hermit in a small hut across the river. He had forsaken his own people and family in Bukhara for the love of Sohni. In the darkness of night, Sohni would come to her side of the river and Mahiwal would swim across to meet her. He would always bring roasted fish for her as a gift. One day, due to high tide, Mahiwal was unable to catch any fish for his Sohni. Being the true lover that he was, he cut out a piece from his thigh and brought it roasted for her.

Sohni saw the bandage on his thigh and wept as Mahiwal told her what he had done. The following nights, Sohni, who didn't know how to swim, would take a large pot, which she used to hide in a bush, to help her float to the other side of the river where she would meet Mahiwal. The news of their romantic rendezvous started spreading like wildfire. Sohni's sister-in-law followed her at night and saw how these 2 lovers were meeting one another. The following night, she replaced the hard baked earthen pitcher with an unbaked one. As their meeting time approached that night, Sohni grabbed the pitcher from the bushes and set out into the river to meet her lover. The fiendish eyes of her sister-in-law looked on in anticipation...

Half way through the river, Sohni's unbaked pot broke open in the river and she started drowning. Mahiwal spotted Sohni drowning calling out for help and with his heavily bandaged thigh jumped into the river to save his love. Having chucked his thigh muscle out, Mahiwal was unable to swim for too long and watched helplessly as Sohni drowned to her death. Mahiwal gave up his effort and drowned to his death as well. Death, perhaps, did not do them apart, rather brought them together for eternity!

Painful, yet beautiful at the same time. Here is a song by Mekaal Hassan on the tragic romance between Heer and Ranjha. I highly recommend that you guys hear this brilliant song. It is a fusion of classical eastern vocals and flute with jazz-style drumming, bass and rhythm guitaring. These guys are my favorite band these days and as an ex-musician I understand the musical genius in their composition. Enjoy!

Quasi-Independence

2007-08-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

So, it's the 14th of August and Pakistan is 60 years young. I started my day today getting SMSes from friends wishing everyone "jashn-e-azadi" (celebration of independence). One of my good friends (that many bloggers commenting here might know), AD, brought up a valid point that prompted me to write this...

Apparently, a lot of Pakistanis see our independence day as us Muslims gaining independence from "India" (which didn't exist back then!) or the hindus. I didn't study in Pakistani schools to know what is being taught there, but talking to most Pakistanis it seems that this is the general belief. However, the fact of the matter is that India and Pakistan both gained their independence from the British Raj! For some weird reason, Pakistani history paints Indians and Hindus as the "bad guys", which I feel is pretty unfair and not exactly the true depiction of events.

My guess is that this theory of Pakistanis gaining independence from India started gaining currency due to the bloodshed that accompanied the migration of Muslims and Hindus. So Pakistanis started seeing Hindus/Indians as their enemy. Add to this the fact that right after independence, Pakistan and India fought a pitched battle against each other over the disputed territory of Kashmir. At this time, Pakistan did not even have an army, let alone the equipment to fight with. So, the warrior tribals from Pashtoonistan (who had just joined the Islamic Republic of Pakistan) sent in their people to liberate Kashmir. The ensuing battle saw the Pathans gain tremendous ground and capture/reclaim (depending on your perspective) 1/3rd of Kashmir, which is today known as "Azad Kashmir" under Pakistani control. Had there not been a ceasefire and the UN stepping in, the Pathans were poised to run through and take the entire of Kashmir!

But, all idiosyncrasies aside, I think Pakistanis need to come to the realization that our independence was actually from the British Raj. Unfortunately, just as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was in favor of British Raj and opposed to Hindu rule, our liberals from the Muslim League have painted the Hindus as the "bad guys" and continue to be subservient to the West. The difference today is that we have found a more supreme white race in place of the Brits: Amreeka Bahadur!

So, yes, Happy "Independence", Pakistan!

Vomit for thought?

2007-08-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

Spiritual and supernatural experiences are something that scares us. But, most of us would like to go through some supernatural experience just to confirm our belief in all that is unseen. Experiencing a jinn, for example, would be something that would make most of us freak out, but in a way it would satisfy us in that we would have confirmed a bit of the supernatural and spiritual realities that the material world likes to call “blind faith”.

However, I will mention a more closer-to-life experience I had while I was at University in the US. I feel this experience of mine will help Muslims (who believe in the Unseen) and non-Muslims alike. The experience centers on Allah being The Sustainer for all of His creation and also gives some insight into how Allah’s creation of evil is part of His design to run the affairs of this material world.

In the winter of 2003, I was busy designing a 16-bit processor. I was on my way from my home towards my computer lab, which was hardly at a distance of 200 meters. I set out at around 1:30 at night to program the whole night since it was a weekend. A fraternity happens to come in the middle of the way from my residence to the computer lab. Since it was the weekend, the guys at the frat were partying away – boozing, dancing, women and all the other usual vices of University life. I ignored them and was engrossed in my own thoughts of how I would survive the next semester as I was very low on cash.

As I approached the entrance to the fraternity, I saw a group of 3 girls trying to control a fourth girl who was terribly drunk. These other girls were drunk themselves and the scene was pretty ugly. This terribly drunk girl was on one knee and her friends were holding her arms so that she wouldn’t fall flat on her face. I was at a distance of about 4 meters from her when she looked at me. I could swear I saw her eyeballs twirling round and round as if she was about to pass out. Just then she threw up! All that she had eaten prior was all over the floor and I jumped to the side to avoid her puke soiling my clothes! I got absolutely pissed off at her and everyone in that frat who were partying.

Just before I had left the house, I was watching on CNN how Iraqis in their own country were being slaughtered by American forces in their bid to oust Saddam and his “weapons of mass destruction”. This compounded my anger and I remember thinking to myself, “Why does God let these guys have all their fun while they are going around killing innocent people half way across the globe!?” I was sad, frustrated and livid at how these guys and girls didn’t give a damn about the misery in Iraq and were busy boozing and throwing up food whereas people in Iraq, Africa etc were finding it hard to have a day’s meal!

I got to the computer lab and started doing my work, but I couldn’t concentrate because of what I had just witnessed. I somehow managed to complete one module of the processor and it was just about daybreak outside. I prayed the morning prayer and set off back home with my eyes half closed. From a distance I could see the fraternity, which was by now silent and deserted from the outside.

As I got closer to the place where that girl had vomited earlier in the night, I saw little birds feeding off the vomit of this woman! Looking at these birds I broke into a smile and whatever that had transpired last night made complete sense to me! I remember saying, “Subhan Allah!” and thinking how that apparently ugly episode was something Allah had ordained to happen to feed these little birds the next morning!

For the first time in my life, I understood how God works in His own ways that may not make sense to us because we are not privy to His plans. I also came to the realization how God is not bound by the boundaries that He has set for us. I was so touched and moved by this sight that I stood there for a minute watching those birds feed on the vomit. I thanked God for all the favors He has done on me and also put my trust in Him that He had something planned for me the following semester. Suddenly, I wasn’t so worried about how I would finance my last semester at University.

Tin-pot dictators of a Banana Republic

2007-08-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

So, the people of Pakistan have been spared a “state of emergency” for the time being. Perhaps this may be the calm before the storm. I hope you could sense the sarcasm in that statement? A “state of emergency” would mean denial of basic civil liberties to Pakistani citizens and a de facto Martial law across the land. So why am I treating this apparently good news with suspect and the proverbial pinch of salt?

With the enforcement of “emergency” the citizenry loses out on basic rights, which basically translates into the draconian situation where every citizen becomes a threat whom the military can abduct and prosecute on mere suspicion. It goes without saying that such a scenario is never favorable to the people at large. So, in theory, one would deduce that General Musharraf and his clique would have had a change of heart due to public opinion on the matter.

However, leaders of the Muslim world today are least bothered with public opinion. Our leaders have become so American-centric in their policy chalking that they even put their own skins on the line to accommodate the powers-that-be in the ‘land of the free’ – freedom obviously being an exclusively American right these days.

This reversal came about not due to the public opinion – don’t fool yourselves, dispel the thought – but because of 2 phone calls made by that drop-dead gorgeous secretary of state, (ana)Condolezza Rice and our trigger-happy Texan, George “Dubya” Bush. When asked if Ms Rice’s telephone call had influenced General Musharraf not to declare a state of emergency, Mr. McCormack (spokesman for the state department) said: “I'll leave it to Pakistani officials to describe President Musharraf's thinking and how that thinking may have evolved.” You can see the whole article here.

God save us from such pusillanimous leaders!

Tailpiece: Just as I had closed the file on this post I came across this. Sigh, I rest my case!

Islam turns 1427 years old

2007-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

I have been really busy with a lot of developments in my personal life and have not been able to devote any time to my blog. However, I plan to post some new entries soon on the Islamic new year. Muharram is not only the first month of the Islamic calendar, but it is also the month that witnessed the sad and tragic betrayal of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib, that led to his brutal and merciless murder at the battle of Karbala. That was the 61st year of the Islamic Calendar.

The battle of Karbala (named after the southern city of Karbala in Iraq) was not just sad because a religious personality was betrayed by people who claimed to be his die-hard followers. Neither was his brutal slaying by the forces of Yazid - who was the controversial leader of the Muslim at the time - the only other aspect of this tragic event. But, this new year had brought with it a rift amongst Muslims that would split them up into 2 major sects: the main body of orthodox Sunnis versus those who claimed to be the "followers" of Hussain (AS), the Shi'ah.

The repercussions of that conflict and the hardening of stances on both sides can be witnessed even 1366 years after that event; no place more vividly than in the tug-of-war going on in Iraq today. More on this conflict later, in sha Allah. For now, here is an article I read today that talks of the issues and dilemmas facing the Islamic World today.

Zakat: obligatory tax for Muslims

2006-10-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Zakat is the 3rd of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat is obligatory on every Muslim who has a specific level of annual saving. It is to be paid once a year to specific beneficiaries and serves a dual purpose: (1) The growth and general welfare of Islamic society along with distribution of wealth; (2) As a purification of the contributor’s soul by cleansing it from selfishness and greed. The recipient on the other hand is also cleansed of human weaknesses such as envy and jealousy. Is it any surprise then that Zakat means both “growth” and “purification” as highlighted by its objectives above?

Zakat is a 2.5% (minimum) levy on most valuables and savings held for a full year if their total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab. At present nisab is $1,050 or an equivalent amount of any other currency. It is to be given to the following category of persons:

1. Fakir - One who has neither material possessions nor means of livelihood.
2. Miskin - One with insufficient means of livelihood to meet basic needs.
3. Amil - One who is appointed to collect zakat.
4. Muallaf - One who converts to Islam.
5. Riqab - One who wants to free himself from bondage or the shackles of slavery. (In Singapore, zakat due to this category of recipients is spent on those who need help to pursue education or to improve their standard of living).
6. Gharmin - One who is in debt (money borrowed to meet basic, halal expenditure).
7. Fisabillillah - One who fights for the cause of Allah.
8. Ibnus Sabil - One who is stranded in journey.

Even though Zakat is the easiest act of obedience to Allah, a lot of Muslims these days are founding begging (no pun intended!) when it comes to fulfilling this obligation. Many Muslims are not giving Zakat due to their ignorance of this article or that they are too engaged in their everyday lives. I personally try to remember this important act of obedience to Allah by keeping a count of my savings every Islamic year during the month of Ramadhan. Unlike prayers – God guide us, many of us these days find hard to establish 5 times daily – Zakat needs to be done just once a year! So we really have no excuses for not doing so.

Islam is a religion that stresses deeply on equality and justice. Zakat sets out to establish these important principles on which our civilization is based. One of the reasons why we find ourselves in the rut that we are is because we have distanced ourselves from these basic pillars of our faith. The Qur’an reminds us repeatedly on the importance of prayers (Salah) and Zakat. There is a famous saying of the Prophet (SAW) that states that one’s prayers are useless if he/she does not pay Zakat!

Finally, there are a few places in the Islamic World that are in major turmoil and require our Zakat today. Places such as Palestine where the Israelis and the West have choked our brothers’ livelihood for being defiant against their diktats; Iraq where the greed of the capitalistic West and their expansionist ways has claimed the lives of 655,000 innocent Iraqis since 2003; to Azad Kashmir and Indonesia where millions are still trying to recover from the earthquakes that struck last year. It is our duty to help out our brothers and sisters in need and as believers in the Day of Judgment, our actions today will decide our fate in the Hereafter!

ISI under the microscope

2006-10-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Of late there has been much questioning the role of the ISI in the “war on terror”. In the face of continued resistance in Iraq and the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the “coalition of the willing” finds themselves in a tight corner. Like a drowning man clutching at straws, NATO generals from 5 countries have started blaming Pakistan for the heavy hits that they are taking in Afghanistan.

It seems no matter how hard Musharraf tries, he keeps falling short of the miracles that are expected of him. Joining in the bash-all-things-Pakistani fad are the Indians who are blaming the Mumbai train bombings (what they refer to as “7/11” – appealing to American sensitivities?) as a handiwork of the ISI. While Pakistan has been continually asking India to share evidence with it of any such findings, the Indians seem disinterested. Now the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, is going around “sharing" thesefindings with the EU and the US!

Is there a case being made to include Pakistan as an adversary in the “war on terror”? Perhaps it’s too early to comment, but the stars don’t augur too well for the Pakistanis. Musharraf has vehemently rejected calls to dismantle the ISI going out of his way in defending the ISI - the pivotal role it had played in defeating the communist USSR; capturing hundreds of Al-Quaida operatives; and unearthing terrorist plots such as the recent trans-Atlantic terror plot. Yet all his calls seem to be falling on deaf ears and now the push is getting to some serious shoving!

What aim can the West have in dismantling the ISI? My take on the matter is that the dismembering of the ISI is a key first step in rolling back the nuclear program of Pakistan. It is no secret that there are very few takers who trust Pakistan with nuclear weapons. It doesn’t help when people like Musharraf admit proliferation at the governmental level. Who has ever questioned how nuclear technology was proliferated outside of the US!? Moreover, the Intelligentsia of a country acts as a “firewall” to outsiders who may have sinister designs. Once this ring of protection is breached, then the possibilities are endless as to what can be done to the capabilities of a military.

We live in interesting times and Musharraf finds himself in the middle of it all! He is known to make U-turns on the slightest hint of pressure. Can he sustain this latest onslaught? To his credit, he has cut-off Western watchdogs from gaining access to Dr. A Q Khan. Only time will tell if he can stay his ground on this one.

Breaking the fast and the law!

2006-10-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

Last evening I met up with old friends for iftar at a restaurant. The five of us have been together for a good 15 years now! Ever since we have started our professional careers, we get very little quality time together. It is a blessing from Allah to have such friends who stick with you through thick and thin.

After iftar, we all decided to go to one of our friend’s house where we could have some tea and catch up with old times. We talked about a variety of topics from leisure, to business, to the crazy traffic in Dubai and at the very end, politics. Four out of the five of us are Pakistanis (including myself) – the fifth being a Muslim Indian – and so most of our political chit-chat centered on Pakistan. We mainly discussed selected topics from Musharraf’s recently published memoirs as well as some history related to the partition era.

During this conversation with my friends I realized something about us Pakistanis that actually our Indian friend once alluded to – we are damn proud of our contempt for rules and laws! This is a very disturbing trend in self-professed “moderate” and “progressive” Pakistanis. I was surprised to see how all my friends (including the Indian friend!) supported the extra-judicial killing of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti – a tribal leader of the Bugti tribe in Balochistan – by the Pakistan Army. To them, Nawab Akbar Bugti was a “state within a state” who had to be taken out in the “national interest of Pakistan”.

Granted Pakistan can do without the “sardarana” tribal system of Balochistan, but to support the blatant modus operandi of the Pakistani army in bombing a 2-time former chief minister of a province and a citizen of Pakistan is quite reprehensible. Doesn’t such high-handedness reduce to rubbish institutions such as the judiciary? What about the rule of law? What is more is that they were all agreeing that the Constitution of Pakistan categorically states that the President of Pakistan cannot hold 2 positions at the same time. Yet they support Musharraf’s illegitimate tenure at the office in clear violation of the Constitution of Pakistan! Their reasoning varies from Musharraf being the only person capable of leading this nation through these times, to their disappointment, which I share as well, with the political parties of Pakistan, to the more crude “rules are made to be broken” line of reasoning!

It is weird that all of these friends of mine lament how the law and order situation in Pakistan is so bad and how there’s no respect for the law. If only we could see how we have ourselves contributed to the lack of rule of law and due process!

Humanism: Understanding the West

2006-09-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

An important precursor in understanding different cultures/civilizations is to dig to the root of their ethical philosophies. If people can understand where, why and how civilizations derive their philosophies from, we can take a giant leap in understanding each other.

After the separation of the church in the affairs of the State, the West has increasingly relied on humanist philosophies for their ethics and morals. Wikipedia defines humanism as, “a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means in support of human interests. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects transcendental justifications, such as a dependence on faith, the supernatural or divinely revealed texts.” For a more detailed explanation, click here.

So why did the West do away with the orthodox system of the marriage of church and state? The answer is complex and it spans over thousands of years! The crux of the matter lies in the fact that the Europeans were – as were the Arabs, believe it or not – always influenced by Greek philosophy. The Greeks were so influential in their philosophy that Christianity itself induced a lot of ideas from the Greeks. The advent of the Printing Press and the consequent Protestant movement had a major role to play in this change as well.

History is proof that the Church did take a good hiding from the new “dangerous doctrine” of humanism. The crisis of Renaissance humanism came with the trial of Galileo, which forced the choice between basing the authority of one's beliefs on one's observations, or upon religious teaching. Clearly, the church was preaching contrary to physical evidence. In almost all instances, the Church was proven wrong repeatedly. This ideological victory set the mood for Europeans to formulate and legislate laws based on the humanist approach. Pragmatism was to be the quintessential component in the development of humanism.

How good this solution is depends on whom you ask this question. It has worked for the Westerners and it is their experience that makes them so passionate about their beliefs. The problem today is that the West is being intolerant towards the East – Islam in particular – and wants them to adopt their system hook, line and sinker. To the Westerner they have “been there, done that”. It is no surprise then that the West fails to understand the Muslims deep attachment with their faith.

However, the West needs to come to a realization: Is their experience relevant to Islam and Muslims? Is the Qur’an preaching something contrary to physical evidence as was the case with the Bible? All idiosyncrasies kept aside, are the Westerners ready to admit that Muslims are not facing the same dilemmas as the West did vis-à-vis their Divine Texts? The variables and dynamics of the Muslim World are very different to 14th century Europe. The sooner the West comes to this realization the better for all of mankind.

Holy Rant

2006-09-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Much has been said about the recent controversy surrounding Pope Benedict’s statements about Islam in general, and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and jihad in particular. However, I feel that most of the reaction by leaders of the Muslim World and even Muslim scholars misses an essential point that the Papal makes. Missing this key point lends credence to the general stereotype that Muslims are an emotional lot who only react violently when confronted with reason.

The Pope’s speech revolves around how reason – logos in Greek – plays an essential part in religious beliefs. The dialogue he is seeking for is to engage religions of other faiths, which in his view are following practices that are not based on reason. He elucidates this point by quoting the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel II Paleologus, and then further quoting a Muslim scholar (why single out Islam?), Ibn Hazm, to support the claim that much of Islamic creed is based on false pretenses that are diametrically opposed to reason. He singles out the Islamic principle of Jihad – holy war as the West knows it – in support of his thesis. Had the Pope just quoted the Byzantine Emperor, one could have given him the benefit of the doubt. But, right after the quote, the Pope goes on to state Ibn Hazm’s assertion that God can act contrary to reason. He also extols the Emperor as an authority on Islam and Christianity! Had he said this in a pre-google era, this tactic would have served his cause well. Alas, a cursory search on google about the Emperor makes one nauseate at the audacity of the Pope!

Whereas I am not going to delve in the rather sinister quotation from the Emperor – who was not only a sworn enemy of Islam, but also had a very bloody tussle for power in his own family – I am amazed how I haven’t seen anyone challenge the Pope in the classical polemical style that the World of Islam once excelled in! Inter-faith dialogue certainly is the need of the hour, but are we Muslims going to settle for such humiliation? I feel the best way to approach this situation is to engage the holy fathers by pointing out the enormous elephant in the Vatican and their creed. Once we are through with this essential pre-requisite can we then start engaging in constructive inter-faith debates and statements such as those of Ibn Hazm.

Since Pope Benedict quotes the Byzantine Emperor in his thesis of God's inherent nature for non-violence in line with reason then may he, or any holy father worth his holy credentials, explain to us why in his own theology did God Almighty have to violently torture and then, as if that was not enough, crucify His Own “Son” at the hands of the Romans and the Jews? Clearly, in the Christian faith, God Himself set the precedent for attaining objectives (in this case, forgiveness of human sin) by the use of violent means! Contrary to “logos”? Most definitely!

This is not just the only diabolical belief in the Christian orthodoxy. How about the concept of Trinity that defies reasoning and every mathematical principle? As the saying goes, "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

Ignition...

2006-09-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking for quite a while to start my own blogs. However, procrastination kept getting the better of me! It is hard to blog given the paucity of time at my disposal. I had to scrutinize my time on the internet and I came to a realization that blogging would be more productive for myself than things like, for example, orkut.

One of the major reasons for my hesitance to start my own blog was the fact that if I get a remotely decent viewership, I risk being entangled in petty debates having to justify my opinion to potential "hate comments". Why do I say this? Because I feel most of my opinions are not as per the norms of society. Sometimes I do write passionately, which opens the door to even more passionate rebuttals. For the moment, I am concentrating on presenting views and explanations to political/religious happenings as I see them. If I ever see myself wasting my time, I will seriously stop blogging. A sad reality of the e-World is that it cuts away from quality time with one's own family.

Even though the above still bugs me, I eventually sided with the other half of me due to a variety of reasons. There is way too much going on in the world today (especially in the world of Islam) that it just begs commenting on! I feel there are things (sometimes very obvious) that a lot of people miss, which leads to frustration on my side. The recent remarks by the Pope being a case in particular. I feel I have something different to bring to the plate. Mercifully, I have been blessed with some good company who are very learned and insightful on a lot of contemporary as well as historical issues. I hear them and feel that someone needs to put these views out for others benefit. Unfortunately, mainstream media and even most of "independant" media is unaware of these things.

In retrospect, I think I should have taken this step a bit earlier. Sometimes I curse myself for missing so many good opportunities to highlight the Muslim view of current conflicts. Forwarding e-mails of my learned acquaintances and my own thoughts has just not satisfied me completely. I hope this venture will whet my appetite!