blind, deaf, dumb, paralyzed but if the brains alive, the opportunities are endless!!!

a blind person can

smile, love, care, give, think

seek education

read Quran, books, poetry, etc

write novel, poetry, fiction, non-fiction

run, swim, sports, exercise, play an instrument, speak, talk, sing, recite, be a stand up comedian, actor, scientist, cook, gardener, use computers and the list goes on

a deaf and dumb person can

smile, love, care, give, think

seek education,

read Quran, books, poetry, etc

write novel, poetry, fiction, non-fiction

run, drive, swim, stylist, sports, exercise, play an instrument, be an actor, desginer, scientist, cook, gardener, use computers and the list goes on

a crippled person can

smile, love, care, give, think

seek education,

read Quran, books, poetry, etc

write novel, poetry, fiction, non-fiction

run(in some cases), drive, swim, stylist, sports, exercise, play an instrument, speak, talk, sing, recite, be a comedian, be an actor, desginer, scientist, cook, gardener, use computers and the list goes on

a full paralyzed person, with only his facial senses alive can

smile, love, care, give, think

seek education,

read Quran, books, poetry, etc

write novel, poetry, fiction, non-fiction

speak, talk, sing, recite, be a comedian, be an actor, desginer, scientist, cook, use computers and the list goes on

BEGGING should never be on the list!!!! a man in his senses shouldnt do it and one not in his senses wouldnt know how to do it!!! why then in our culture, disability is an excuse for begging!!!

Ramazan in Spirit! Our HERCULEAN ramazan scrapbook:)

• AN EFFORT BY KHADIJA(WITH MY GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE) TO GATHER THE JOY AND SPIRIT OF RAMAZAN

  

  why is ramazan special?

      

  

  Who can we help?

  
  

  

  RAMAZAN IS ABOUT SHARING AND HAPPINESS!

  
  

  

  HOW CAN WE BENEFIT FROM RAMAZAN?

  
  

  

  SHE WAS EXTREMELY DELIGHTED AND EXCITED TO KNOW THAT SHAITAAN IS LOCKED IN PRISON AND WAS MOST EAGER TO MAKE THIS PAGE:) WAS IN HIGH SPIRITS THAT DAY KNOWING THAT THE DEVIL IS IN CHAINS

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  

  A FEW GOOD DEEDS OF KHADIJA(GREEN)AND MARYAM(ORANGE)
  WE ARENT MENTIONIND THE BAD ONES:)

  
  

  

  KHADIJAS BRAVE RESOLUTIONS (INSHA ALLAH)   

  
  

  

  WHEN STATING THE BLESSINGS OF ALLAH, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL THAT SHE THOUGHT OF HER SISTERS FIRST. TO BE A MUSLIM AND PROPHETS(saw) LOVE WAS ENTIRELY HER IDEA TOO. AN INTERESTING THING WAS WHEN SHE WROTE TEACHER AND THEN EDITED IT AND ADDED "FRIENDLY" TEACHER!!!!(SADLY, SHES SEEN THE OPPOSITE TOO)

  
  
  

  

  TREE OF FAITH THAT BEARS FRUITS OF COMPASSION, GENEROSITY, PATIENCE, HONESTY, FAIRNESS, RESPECT, HUMILITY

  
  

  

  ALLAH MADE EVERYTHING

  
  

  

  HOW CAN WE HELP? WE BRAINSTORMED AND CAME UP WITH IDEAS LIKE FEED THEM, FIND THE WORK, GIVE THEM TIME, MONEY, MEDICINE, GUIDANCE, TEACH THEM ABOUT ALLAH, EDUCATE OR TEACH A SKILL. THE BEST WAS WHEN KHADIJA SAID, "TRUST THEM" AND TO MY CONFUSED EXPRESSION SAID, "YOU KNOW WHEN THEY SAY THEY ARE NEEDY, WE CAN TRUST THEM THAT THEY ARENT LYING!"

  

  FINALLY, THE MUCH AWAITED EID DAY FROM OUR SCRAPBOOK, KHADIJAS HAND AND MY MEHNDI ART:) DOLL OBV IS KHADIJAS:)

  If I may admit, I wasnt too excited about Ramadan this year, infact quite the opposite. i was fearful of the long, hot and humid days of fasting that waited ahead and was trying not to think too much about how the fasts would go although I've witnessed Allah's special mercy and blessings in this month as the fasts are never as challenging or testing as one at times dreads they would be. What else would you call it if not Allah's utmost rehmat!
• Anyway, so my excitement was low, the idea of waking up for sehri and preparing iftar overwhelming enough, when a friends facebook status reawakened the true spirit of Ramadan for me.

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  "I never realized that we should be "welcoming" the month of Ramadan with utmost joy instead of just embracing it by fasting for 30 days! As this year it approached and I saw the gleam in Minahil's eyes when we mentioned Ramadan...her delightful squeals, her excitement that "its a very special month (she's been telling her papa all day today that tomorrow is very special)"...made me realize that amidst all the other days we celebrate and make so much effort for, this is one that calls for the biggest celebration! Because this is the month when opened are all gates of forgiveness and countless blessings." (Muzna fahad)
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  And I realized that we really don't excite our kids about Ramadan that way. If we did, they would be much more excited about Ramadan than about their birthdays even but since we turn birthdays into a big affair, they learn to get thrilled about birthdays more than about Ramadan, and so i set to amend my ways. I started discussing Ramadan with my kids, telling how its a very important month and how reward for every deed is multiplied in this month. However, we see reward as power in our family, that the more good deeds you do, the more power you will get to do more good deeds so that they don't believe that their reward is stored somewhere far away and can only be accessed after a very long time but that Allah doesnt keep 'udhaar' and pays instantly and the pay is in the form of more 'taufeeq' to do good deeds.
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• And so I intend to teach my kids that while they are still too young to fast from food, they can still fast from bad manners, meanness, lying, laziness, fighting, being selfish, being disrespectful, being impatient, being inconsiderate, being unthankful and as they do this, I plan to join them in this fasting and gather the endless blessings of Ramadan insha Allah.

  
  

  Thankfully internet is full of ideas of how kids can be involved in the Ramadan spirit. From scrapbooking about good deeds to gift boxes for the financially struggling, there's so much that kids can do to get involved and it is so much more humane than to drop off some money in a box!  

  
  

  Rather than to excite kids about just one Eid day, why not excite them (and our ownselves too) about the whole month that leads to that one day. Allah is most raheem, Ramadan is a gift in itself yet He blesses us with the beautiful Eid day as a celebration of Ramadan. He keeps giving and giving, hope we all get the hint!!
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Step Out!

if it weren't for my young one wetting her bed, i wouldnt have gone out on the terrace to get the sweeping supplies and if i hadnt gone out, i wouldnt have witnessed and felt what I did!! Blessing in disguise is an understatement as what I experienced is difficult to express in words and how could I regret missing it if I didnt actually know what I had missed(since regrettably, i cant remember experiencing something like this before)

For a second i forgot that i had come for the mop and was totally taken in by the beauty of the early morning, rehmat i would like to call it, for it was more than just beauty. A soft, caressing breeze, reddish grey sky filled with dark, rainy clouds, sky dark enough to make the trees look black instead of green! It was like an answer to a question that had been nagging me for sometime, the question being, life has become so fast and noisy that one hardly has time to comprehend, let alone absorb, enjoy or savour the beauty of a moment or a concept. We have become like a restless bug that has no time to spare for the leisurely walks, both literal and metaphorical(down the memory lane) for too much is at stake, too much is at a risk of loss if we didn't hurry and speed up and caught up with the rest. By the way, where are we all going????? It was better when tv would go off at 12, when lights would dim in the evening, when during a day there would be a time when people would have no choice but to relax, to contemplate, to reflect, to interact, to recall both fond and difficult memories, to think and question and wonder and seek. It must have been a more rewarding journey than googling!!

After cleaning up the mess, I went back outside( I had to!),my mind constantly talking to me, going against my will to just savour the moment and coming up with phrases to share the experience with you all but I seriously doubt if anyone will have the time to read through the entire blog and I can totally understand if noone doesnt! I myself have become so restless and impatient that I cant give a thorough read to a one page article without getting distracted and jumping to the next. This is madness and it is making life difficult and less enjoyable for many. The desire to know it all, to scroll down till the last story, to want to watch every show on every channel, to want to stay updated about the latest apps and gadgets, to want to know everything about everything and everyone, then measure and weigh your life against them (intentionally or unintentionally) is draining the life out of people. People may not do anything productive all day but this sheer exercise they are engaged in takes a toll on their mood, spirit and life. Living in the moment, focus, concentration and attention are becoming serious problems of the present world that may have made mindblowing technological advancements but is struggling with the basic art of focus and 'finding joys in the little things in life.'

Coming back to the morning glory, as I sat there, I felt the wind soft and cool, having a calming effect on me, sometimes you dont realize how worked up you are until you unload, how much noise there is until everything quiets down! Oh how I wished I could capture THAT feel of wind on camera but LUCKILY, everything cannot be captured; one has to step out and live it by himself and how all this made me regret having wasted such amazing time in sleep all my life. It was like a free session for relaxation and meditation, a time when the only sound is a bird chirping away, singing praises of Allah, never late for her work despite the heat or cold! The flowers were swaying gently against the wind as if a mother stroking her baby affectionately, all was calm, quiet and serene. The sky was a beautiful grey, a slight arch of the moon shining through the dark clouds. The clouds seemed to be in layers, the front layer sailing away slowly while the one at the back, still and as the front one moved, the shades changed beautifully. Cant think of what else to say except that there was magic in the air, everywhere, one could feel the vastness of the world and his own minuscule value yet wonder how gracious Allah is to have put such an amazing network of creation at work all for the service of man! Sometimes the noise is not as much outside as its inside but there is so much of it in both places that you cant distinguish one from the other and it is only when one quietens down that you can actually hear the countless voices in your head and silence each one of them down so that you can listen to the pleasurable sound of absolute silence!

I had always read about morning walks and heard how soothing the early morning breeze is (how i wish i had listened) but it wasnt until today that alhumdulillah I truly felt its beauty (Allah raheem wanted me to feel it I believe) and that has made me realize how messed up we have made our lives, staying up till late at night and waking up when all this magic is gone and then indulging into all sorts of stress while a daily relaxation and stress-relieve therapy is in session right outside our doors. we just need to step out!!!

(for once , i dont have my fb open as I write my blog:))

Ramazan transmissions!!!

Surat Al-Baqarah [verse 208] - O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely[and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan.

Amongst the greatest obligations are amr-bil-Ma’roof (ordering for acknowledged virtues) and nahi anil munkar (forbidding from sin). Allah (SWT) says: “And there should be a group amongst you who invite towards good, order for acknowledged virtues, forbid from sin and these it is that are the successful ones” (Ale Imran: 104). The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “How will it be for you when your women will commit sins and your youth will transgress and you will not order for acknowledged virtues nor forbid from sin? It was said to him: “Will that happen O messenger of Allah?” Then he (S.A.W.) said: Yes. Then he said: “How will it be for you when you order for sins and forbid from acknowledged virtues?” Then it was said to him: “O messenger of Allah(S.A.W.)! Will that happen?” Then he said: “Yes and worse than that how will it be for you when you perceive acknowledged virtue as sin and perceive sin as acknowledged virtue?” Indeed it has also reached from them (the ahlulbayt) – may peace be upon them – “Surely it is through ordering for acknowledged virtues that responsibilities stand ground, ideologies are safeguarded, earnings become permissible, oppression resisted, the earth inhabited, oppressed met with justice against oppressor and the people do not receive any good when they do not order for the acknowledged virtues nor forbid from sin nor co-operate in doing good. Hence, when they do not do that blessings withdraw, some of them over-power others and there is no aide for them in the earth nor in the sky.”

Its in no way fair to make Islam sound ambiguous!!! as if it has loopholes for everything, from drinking to dancing, from suud to homosexuality! n if someone tries to clear this 'intentionally created' confusion, people spare not a second to label him/her as self righteous mullah, moulvi or ms.know it all!!

I was so disgusted by the Ramazan shows since last year that i had decided not to bother commenting on them but what little i have seen this time has left me extremely disgusted. Mature men dancing crazy at taraweeh time in the greed of a motorcycle, women and men pouncing on menial giveaways as if animals fighting over food, fully dressed(as if its their walima) female anchor sitting amongst a huge group of men (none of them can be called aalim considering the kind of shows they endorse and approve by their presence), and whats new is duet naats and musical qawallis that are distorting the image and spirit of our religion. and all this for a few bucks???? What is wrong with us? have we forgotten our graves and death? Do we intend to become immortal?? How could we act so senseless when Allah has made everything so clear?? So-called religious scholars are sitting and the audience is dancing and singing in front of them, using inappropriate language and gestures and they dont have the spine to stand up and object! Things have taken over values and righteousness. It appears as if this must be deen as none of the renowned scholars has spoken against it. Who are we to look towards if the torchbearers of religion have chosen darkness and ignorance for themselves, turning a blind eye to all wrongs because it pays them well. In one way, it is positive as now people themselves are making an effort to seek true understanding of deen rather than depend on the thekaydaars who would sell fatwas for halwa!



Is it funny how as soon as the shawwal moon is sighted, the media takes a 180 degree turn and indulges in all that it was condemning not a moment long ago. and to justify it all, it jokes that shaitaan has been released! what kind of sick people are we becoming! The same people who were a few hours ago, preaching you about how to become a good muslim, are dancing and singing to the tunes of the most 'hit' songs, indulging in activities you are quite sure are discouraged.



I fear if we are going back to the times of jihalat and it is being done so subliminally that you are surely in for a lot of criticism as soon as you speak against it!! People dont want to be labeled as fanatics, extremists, islamists, conservatives, fundamentalists, obsolete, backward and so to avoid these labels, they prefer to keep quiet. Many know whats right and wrong as clear as night and day but dont want to hurt their PR and networking and so, dont voice what is right (Sanu ki! they think) ,comforting themselves that its just that we are not condemning it, its not like we are doing it ourselves!  

I think we need to voice what is right. Islam isnt so complicated that we dont know such basic dos and donts. Our intention is not to ridicule or belittle anyone but to talk about the real picture of Islam so that if anyone is really seeking guidance and is confused and lost, he comes to know that there is another perspective to all this drama too. Then its up to him how strong his thirst for hidayat is but even a sinful and nonpractising muslim can do so much. One can only pray for ones own self and for everyone else that we understand the true spirit of Islam and embrace it fully as Allah has so rightly demanded from the believers. We may struggle as we attempt this but it is our sincere struggle and intention that Allah will judge us on.

Death of compassion

Are we responsible for killing the human inside our children?

 Ever since a child is a baby, he gets upset at the sight of a crying or troubled person or another baby so much so that he would cry if he sees another baby crying. We don't give it much thought and shrug it off as 'he's copying what he sees'. Rarely do we think that there could be more to it than meets the eye.

As he grows, he wants to sit and eat with the maid or driver chacha (lets keep the topic of the hygiene and character of maid n chacha for another time) leaving the well laid out dining table and opting to sit on the floor and eat with her from her simple plate and glass. Many wonder, what does he see in her, why does he do like this? Maybe hes trying to convey something to us but we choose not to hear and see.

As he grows, and so does his exposure,  he notices the beggars on the streets. Again he feels for them but very soon hes told that they all are liars, cheats and professionals and he need not waste his emotions on them. The lesson is learned so well that in no time he himself is sensible enough to say ,'jao baba maaf karo!' his elders pleased that he has become street smart so early, no fear of him being fooled by just about anyone so easily, falling prey to their baseless tragic anecdotes.

The story doesn't end here. He then matures enough to watch the news on television. He sees the bombings in his own city, the tragic heat wave incident in Karachi and it shocks him but what shocks him more is the casualness of his elders at all these incidents as they comfortably laugh and plan a dinner meetup with their friends while watching the news. Aside from a statement or two cursing the government, they dont have much to say on the subject.

With time, his compassion for humans begins to depend on the faith, proximity, relation to and scale of the incident. He learns not to 'overreact', to sensibly weigh the situation and respond accordingly If its someone from his own faith, he feels more, if someone from his own country, it hurts more, if someone from his own family, it pains more. He is born as citizen of the world but his citizenship is narrowed down  to the level where it is constrained to barely his own family and sometimes not even that. He becomes focused on his own personal satisfaction, growth and success. If he still has any insanity left, he is told, ' tum nai sari dunia ka theka liya hua hai? focus on your studies and progress. All this madness can wait, no need to get so emotional!' And so, embarrassed and somewhat confused, he drops the theka and carries on 'sensibly' focusing on becoming someone worthwhile! And by the time he gets there, the spirit has died down. All that he can manage, given his busy schedule and lifes' demands, is a hefty cheque in the name of some charity. Other than that, he doesn't have the time to sit with his own family even and give a comforting ear to their troubles and grievances. He has seen so much and been told to feel nothing that he programmes his brain to function like that. What his 'mentors' dont realize is that a time will come when even they wont be spared from this insensitivity, when they will be in pain or trouble and he will see them as just another overemotional drama.

So many kids go through this difficult time when they see violence, torture and injustice and feel entirely helpless at the sight of it all. Instead of appreciating and encouraging their emotions, elders tend to dissuade them from 'overreacting' and guide them the 'right' way. Maybe if they make the effort to take their kid to an orphanage, a trust hospital, a school for special children, a 'kachi abadi' only 5 mins drive from their home, and engage them in some charity work there, they wouldnt feel so helpless, frustrated and depressed. But they dont and so he is left to feel miserable AND helpless, a deadly combination. Soon he realizes that there is no point in feeling terrible when he basically cant 'save the world', so why make his own life pathetic too and as soon as this amazing revelation dawns on him, he chooses 'not to feel too much' for others and life is beautiful again.

A recent photograph in the news of a kid taking a selfie with his deceased grandfather is, while sickening, a symptom of many diseases, It speaks of  the level of compassion n sanity left in us, a reflection of how relations are losing their importance n respect, how insensitivity that was once reserved for the outside world has entered our homes.Whats more is that it is becoming more and more challenging to raise thankful and happy kids because all we expose them to is perfection; either people like them or better than them with whom they love to draw comparisons Hardly do kids get to sit in the company of a blind cousin, a disabled class fellow, a financially struggling relative who we too meet without  pitying him for his lack of blessings, but appreciate for his level of thankfulness and contentment. Nothing is enough for kids today, very little seems to please them and that too, not for long. We have turned them into 'receivers' , they always 'want' something, some place or some attention, rarely are they provided with opportunities to give, give hug to an ailing grandparent, give time to a younger sibling, give help to a maids child in school work. We worry too much, fear too much, lest he is left behind in this ruthless race, that may leave him breathless but shouldnt leave him without victory!! But in this fight, arent we losing something far more important??

Kya Pata

bay namazi bhe agar namaz ki baat karay toh ussay karnay doh
haram khanay wala agar halal ki baat karay toh ussay karnay doh
uss ka ye kehna bhee uss k emaan k zinda honay ki daleel ho sakti hai
kya pata, uss ki apni kahi huee baat he uski hidayat ka zariya bun jaye
usss k apnay kahay huay alfaaz he ussay haya dila dain
hum kon hotay hain us ka faisla karnay walay, uska mazaaq uranay walay,
ye na ho k iss mazaq k darr sai woh haq ki baat 'kehnay' sai bhee jaye
woh khud sai mukammal na umeed ho jaye
aik chota se awaz jo ussay kehti thi k tum badal saktay ho, raasta mushkil lagta hai magar tum chal saktay ho, woh bhee chup ho jaye
ye khushfehmi k mai badla toh bohat hain jo mera haath thaamain gai, mujhay himmat aur hausla dain gai, ye bhe khatum ho jaye
kya pata woh rozz khud sai kitna larta ho, kitni dafa haarta ho, khud sai mayuus hota ho, phir umeed ki himmat karta ho aur humara zara sa tanz, taana, ussay ye paighaam dai k tumharay liyay hidayat k darwazay bund ho gaay, tumhari 'munafiqat' yahan nahe chalay ge,, tum mai humari wala baat kahan, tum kya jano kya kya qurbani deni parti hai iss parsai k liyay, hum sai poocho
aur tum namaz aur hajj ki baat kartay ho....kehna bohat asaan hai bhyee, per mehez kehnay sai baat nahe bunti, ye toh hum hain jo jihad kartay hain.....!!!!!

dil mai dusroon k liyay achi sooch rakho, kya pata tum he uski hidayat ka zariya bun jao.......