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Sunday, December 31, 2006

Poree Cholay


Img_1241, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Ahh. The picture shows the preparation of a puree.

The wonderful sunday morning tradition of eating puree with cholay ( or halwa if you like halwa).Most bakeries have thier puree cholay crew out in the morning (7 AM) on Sundays to make the delicious oil filled breakfast.

Puree is deep fried rotee. Yes it is unhealthy. But its just once a week.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Chicken!


Img_1232, originally uploaded by hammadin.

If you want chicken you can get it at the Friday Bazaar. YOu can even choose the size of your chicken form the cage as seen in the photo. The chicken is killed in front of you ( and is rated PG 13).

Friday Bazaar


Img_1231, originally uploaded by hammadin.

At designated locations across the city we have the Itwar (sunday), Mangal(Tuesday) and Friday ( Jumah) bazaars.

This is a photo of the Friday bazaar from yesterday. It is like a farmers market with lots of poeple shouting out prices of their goods. YOu dont have grocery carts but you have tokree walas ( basket holders) who carry your goods for a nomincal ammount.

I enjoyed my visit to the Friday bazaar.

Blue Area


Img_1228, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A view of the greenary in front of the main commerial area ( called the blue area) in Islamabad.

Traffic control


Img_1229, originally uploaded by hammadin.

One Traffic policeman talks to two policewomen about ( I hope) the increasing traffic and the accompanying chalenges of traffic control in Islamabad.

Eid is in the air


Img_1233, originally uploaded by hammadin.

The spirit of EId is being felt on the streets.

Herds of goats are being escorted for sale in designated areas and on the streets. Also slowly but surely I can hear more and more sounds of cows and goats from differnt houses.

The picture shows one cow and one goat.

Chalo Mcdonald chalien


Img_1234, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Well. I avoid Mcdonalds in Canada due to halal issues.

The Mcdonalds in the picture opened just recently. It is of course a big hit. I have so far been successful in avoiding it in Islamabad. I am against commercial imperialism. Why should I make Mcdonald people rich abroad when I can make other poeple rich here.

I enjoy the other local franchises like Rahat Bakery or even better: the burger walas on the street.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

RIckshaw


Img_1220, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Three wheeled taxi that is a major mode of transportation in most cities.

Donkey Cart


Img_1222, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Donkey cart! A good cheap way to transport goods locally.

Busy street in Gujrawala


Img_1224, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A busy street in Gujranwala. Notice the smog, lack of pavenment makings, pedestreians and a whole lot more. Believe you me its not fun driving these roads.

Horse Carriage


Img_1225, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A picture of a horse carriage in Gujrawala. The horse carriage is still common in many cities.

Grocery store on the road


Img_1226, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Fresh fruit carts on the sides of roads are quite common specially in Punjab ( I went to Gujrawala on a 1 day trip to visit my aunte). I have really enjoyed the Guavas on this trip.

Notice the garbage behind the cart (which is also quite common in Punjab).

Cute kids


Img_1197, originally uploaded by hammadin.

My nephew and neice. Both of them are too cute as is obvious in this picture and too adorable in person.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

While the band was playing...


Img_1189, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Last 4 days I have been busy with weddings. Of course I cant post pictures because I dont ant to be beaten up by anyone who doesnt want their picture on cyberspace ( read: any auntees or bajees who might think they were not looking good in the picture will beat me up).

Regardless, basically there were two weddings. Both were quite interesting. ONe was of a family freind and another of a close freind. This band was playing to welcome the barat ( the bridge groom posy who come to take the bride away). IN south asian culture by and large the girl goes and lives with the boy's family. ( I am tempted to comment on the whole mother in lw-daughter in law issue --saas bahu--but thats better left for another post when I have a better internet coonnection and can research the topic more).

The normal marriage in SOuth Asia consists of upto 6 functions:

Mangani-engament

Nikah- NIkah( contract for marriage---i.e. the paperwork) if families need to have nikah beofe actual wedding date

Dholki-At bride and bride groom's house...women ( and somtimes men) sing songs to celebrate occasion for many nights some time

Mehandi- The night before e mariage night when the bride orbride groom's hands are decorated with this orange thning called mehandi. The bride and bridegroom can have seperate functions or the same ones for Mehandi

Shade- The actual night whhen the bride leaves the bride's house to go to bride groom's house. It can be sad occaion for girl's parents who may cry a lot. The bride crys a lot too and if the bride groom is emotioimnal like me he moight start crying just for the heck of it. This is the actual night of consumation of mrriage. Much more can be written nbut thats better left for another day.

Vailma- A reception hosted by bride groom to introduce bride to his freinds and relatives

The question I asked my family freind about his marriage was that: Is this the beginning of the end or the beginnning of a new beginning? He answered saying that it was a later. May Allah make it so and give him the best in this life and the next. ( and may his wife make lots of rotee if he likes it--or when I visit)

Saturday, December 23, 2006

STreet snacks


Img_1165, originally uploaded by hammadin.

If you are on the street and want snacks. There is the option of buying corn ( or corn niblets) warmed up in sand. It has a delicious and fresh taste and costs about 20 cents. I have been having one every day. yummy!

Stay in your lane


Img_1163, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A orange cone to make sure people dont invent new lanes at intersections. Pavement markings dont always work at intersections.

Whenever I ride in a car, it is like an amusement park ride. You dont know what hazard you might face next. It is exciting and scarey. Well the driving topic deserves more details form me later.

Locked.


Img_1160, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A sanitary sewer cover near my house chained and locked so that scrap metal hunters cant steal it and re sell it.

Thats Garbage!


Img_1158, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Waste management in the capital city is handled by dumping garbage into designated bins which are cleaned out regularly by city authorities. As you can see in the picture that sometimes the area around the bin is more populated then the actual bin itself. One can regularly observe people on bikes who manually scan the grabage in the bins for recylable scrap. ( there is no recycling at the consumer level). And yes as you see in the picture, the crows like these bins a lot So do stray dogs, cats and random cows.

Reportedly, the garbage goes into a nearby landfill. I passed by that landfill a few times back in the day. I doubt that there is a barrier at the bottom of the landfill which checks the flow of hazerdous lechate into the subsurface groundater. yeah you guessed right. Thats not good for the people who might drink/pump that water.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

A speed bump


Img_1156, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A speed bump on my street.

Speed bumps in Pakistan are an essential part of traffic control. In some ways they serve the purpose of a stop sign ( stop signs downt work in Pakistan) and/or to control speed limits. They sometimes even work better than traffic lights. A recent accident in my neighborhood led to a constuction of a speed bump right at the scene of the accident. The speed bump in this picture has reflectors so you actually can see it at night. However, a lot of speed bumps are either unmarked or their paint has faded. So they are also a test for your eye sight.

For some people this is a speed bump, but for others its just another bump in the road. [Bump!]

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Watch your step


Img_1154, originally uploaded by hammadin.

This picture is of a catch basin located in the local market place near my home. This catch basin is of course supposed to catch stormwater ( and from the looks of it is capable of catching more than storm water ).

The depth of the hole is about 6 feet. And given that the parking lot which hosts this catch basin has no lights, it is a big safety concern.

Such dangers are common in the capital city and even more so outside of it. As a matter of fact trips and falls is one of the major causes of injury to the public in Pakistan ( according to a report in a reputed newspaper today).

Dont worry, I'll watch my step.

Monday, December 18, 2006

A view from my house


A view from my house, originally uploaded by hammadin.

This picture is taken from my house. It shows the mosque, beyond which are the Margalla Hills part of the Himalayas ( I think).

I never realized what a great blessing this view was thoughout my youth. Thats what travelling does to you, eh. It humbles you and makes you appreciate what you have or what you had.

And you know what, I am thankful for the fact that I am thankful now!

A view from the plane


A view from the plane, originally uploaded by hammadin.

This photo from a height of 10,000 m is taken from my plane. It shows the (famous) Pak Afgan border. Notice how the rugged sandy mountains change into higher snowy peeks. ( I dont think you can fence this border!!)

Friday, December 15, 2006

to complete this update, please restart yor machine.

as it is very obvious, my blog has been out of commission.

I was being updated and hence had to restart myself, causing the delay.

I am going to Pakistan for a few weeks. This time I intend to take my camera and try to keep up a photo blog during my trip ( No, I dont intend to get engaged or married during this trip, However, stay warned that what I intend and what actually happens are not always syncronized.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Imam Zaid Shakir's blog on Washington Post

Alhamdulillah, Imam Zaid has his own page on the WP website. He has made three posts in the last week or so. The first post got about 153 comments. Most of the comments, however, missed the mark. Despite that, he persisted and remained patient. He made a general comment in response to those copmments and continued. Read the posts yourself. The last one is in relation to Thanks Giving Day in the US and it is briliant. IZ is the man. Here goes the text:

For Lincoln, Also A Day Of Penitence

In 1789, declaring the first national day of thanksgiving, George Washington mentioned, “…the many and signal favors of Almighty God.”

He recommended a day dedicated “to the service of that great and glorious being.” In 1863, when Abraham Lincoln declared what would become an annual Thanksgiving celebration, he saw it “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Their wording suggests that they envisioned a holiday of religious significance, although the day has gradually come to be better known for its cultural practices.

From an Islamic perspective, both believers and non-believers could celebrate a day of thanksgiving. Most scholars see thankfulness as both acknowledging a blessing from God and working to show appreciation for that blessing through one’s enhanced service to God and humanity. Others take a broader view and see thankfulness as any customary expression of appreciation for a boon received.

In this country, a full day of thanksgiving should involve expressing our collective appreciation for the many boons we have received, while acknowledging that to greater or lesser extents they have come at the price of deprivation and suffering for others. That acknowledgement should ideally translate into a renewed commitment on our part to work to improve the lives and alleviate the suffering of those others, wherever they may be.

For those who would view these latter thoughts as inconsistent with the spirit of Thanksgiving Day, we would remind them that Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation contained many sobering sentiments. For example, he felt the day should also be one of “humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience.” As we survey our sad lot, I do not think too many of us would feel we are above his advice.

Friday, November 24, 2006

The stolen dream of Iraqi freedom

A sad BBC report about Iraq after the war:

Mohammed's father - and many others I have met - say life was better under Saddam Hussein.

Brutal and terrible, but nowhere near as bad as it is now.

Iraq has become Hell.

The horrors are so searing, so frequent that fear is a rampant virus, destabilising normal life so that even a trip to the shops or the walk to school are tainted with deep anxiety.

Is there a suicide bomber on this minibus? Is that parked car a bomb? Is that bag in that bicycle basket somebody's vegetables or explosives?

Under Saddam, they say, you knew where the "red line" was. Now there is no red line.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Group Demands Probe of Imams' Removal

From The Guardian:

The Council on American-Islamic Relations called Tuesday for an investigation into the behavior of airline staff and airport security in the removal of six Muslim scholars from a US Airways flight a day earlier.

A passenger raised concerns about the imams - three of whom said their normal evening prayers in the airport terminal before boarding the Phoenix-bound plane, according to one - through a note passed to a flight attendant, according to Andrea Rader, a spokeswoman for US Airways.

``We are concerned that crew members, passengers and security personnel may have succumbed to fear and prejudice based on stereotyping of Muslims and Islam,'' Nihad Awad, the council's executive director, said in a news release.

Beyond the veil

Fareena Alam gives her 2 cents about the veil debate in a well written article published in Newsweek. While she is critical of people who are throwing the veil up as an issue, she is also critical of Muslims and i think she gets it right when she says:

Muslims are not necessarily helping themselves, either. Instead of focusing on the powerful theological message of Islam and its relevance to modern Europe, some critics say, Muslims spend too much energy defending the outward symbols of their faith. "Crises like this expose a spiritual vacuum," says Navid Akhtar, a British documentary filmmaker. "We are becoming a religion that is obsessed by icons. We forget that we worship God, not our headscarves or our beards." Muslims indeed have a duty not to alarm their neighbors, he adds, much as Straw and Blair imply. "If your neighbor is frightened of you, it's not all his fault," Akhtar says. "You have a responsibility to meet him halfway, to try and calm him down."
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

The hat

From SOME:Wisdom

If someone gave you a beautiful, expensive new hat, wouldn’t you be grateful for the generous gift? But shouldn’t you be even more grateful for the One Who gave you the head to put that hat on. [Shaykh Muzaffer Ozak]

Vince McMahon Lives In My Mosque

Javed Memon hits the nail on it's head in this peice about......
Suck it." Did he really just say that? "Suck it." This time he held his hands high, crossed them and smacked them against his thighs, gesturing to his crotch. That was, uhh, unexpected.

After shaking off the reality that is a 9 year old South Asian Muslim kid telling me to suck his private parts, I reflected [again] upon what it means that our kids (and adults) find it "fun" to watch women getting stripped and spanked. It isn't just "those other kids," either. It is our kids. Our kids who we let sit in front of the television without speaking to them about what they are watching, and then make them go to the mosque where we tell them to memorize verses that they don't understand. You may be wondering what I'm writing about...

Allow me introduce you to World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. It used to be known as WWF for those of you 80's kids out there. The first responses I receive when asking aunties and uncles about this usually consist of, "Oh, it's just fake wrestling." or "It's just fun, just entertainment." READ ON

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Who speaks for her?

From "United Nation" blog ( posted by sister Aaminah):

The politicians of my nation? The well-meaning feminists and leftists who want to "save" me? My family and friends who are "concerned" about so-called Islamists? My husband, my son, my brother, my father; whatever male family member is available?

I cannot be asked to speak for anyone else's experience or needs. If you want to know how a migrant worker feels, please, ask a few migrant workers. If you want to know why black men feel systematically disenfranchised, please, go meet with some of the boys on the corner and ask them. If you want to know how a Saudi woman feels about not being able to drive, or how an Afghan woman feels about the burqa, go to Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and engage in dialogue with the women living it.

If you want to know what an American Muslim woman thinks, ask me. Don't ask my husband, my non-Muslim mother, my employer, or some Christian theologian. Ask me. I am only one, and my words do not represent every other American Muslim woman, but they do represent me. And I can speak for myself, thank you very much.

The cost of Canada's Black Gold

An article dicussing the environmental cost of Alberta's Oil Sands. The cost of black gold ( from Speigel Online):

But what is most worrying is that the Canadian government is no longer able to meet the targets for emissions reductions it set when it signed the Kyoto Protocol. Experts have calculated that emissions in areas with oil sands will continue to rise. By 2015, the area around Fort McMurray is expected to produce as much carbon dioxide as all of Denmark. But Charles Ruigrok -- the head of Syncrude, one of the veterans of the oil sands industry -- shrugs off the problem: "I believe technology will fix it."

Even if that prediction doesn't come true, it's unlikely Canada will curb petroleum extraction for ecological reasons. The economic boom in the north has spread to the entire province of Alberta. The province that used to be Canada's problem child is now experiencing a change in fortunes. White truffles and Mercedes cabriolets have become popular purchases in Edmonton, the provincial capital. Alberta is debt-free and doesn't even impose value-added (sales) tax on its residents.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Large Steeped Tea double double with milk,



A lot of us go on trips and wonder where the nearest Tim Hortons is on our route. Well I just found out you can find all the Tim Hortons on your route at this link ( just enter your origin and destination and it will give you all the TIm Hortons along your route.

Large Steeped Tea double double with milk, here I come.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Compatibility and marriage



Looking for someone compatible for marriage? ( or are you looking for someone who can make good roti:-)). Well either way Psychology Today has something to say about that:

"Compatibility is overrated. The similarities or personality traits that attract people to each other may not hold up over time. You might be attracted to someone because you both love to ski, but then one of you blows out a knee. When people are divorcing, they'll say, "We have nothing in common." But they have kids, a house and 30 years of shared experience. Values about money and children run very deep and are important. The surface ones—antiques, sports, travel and gourmet coffee—don't matter. —William J. Doherty, professor and marriage and family therapy program director, University of Minnesota""


Click here to read full article

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Crazy Moon

While I celebrated Eid with my local masjid, I do agree with Zaytuna's take on the issue ( sighting the moon within the astronomically possible moon sighting window). Anyways an interesting comment from Irving on SAF space's blog about the whole moon issue, really hit my note:


When they met, the way they looked,
I knew that I was through.

Oh, you crazy moon,
What did you do?

- Crazy Moon, an old song of the 1930s

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Shahada through Sh. Habib Ali

A young man converts to Islam

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Beyond Skimpy Skirts, a Rare Debate on Identity

From the NY times:

South Asians call it “the best run Indian city,” Arabs celebrate it as a model of Arab accomplishment, and Westerners embrace it for its endless sunshine and luxury lifestyle.

With more than 150 nationalities and almost as many expressions of culture, Dubai is one of the most diverse cities in the Middle East.

But after decades of selling dreams to foreigners, this Persian Gulf emirate has begun debating the limits of multiculturalism. READ ON

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Rhthyms of Ramadan

From the Toronto Star:

You could read the Qur'an from cover to cover without learning the spirit of Islam. But getting to know those living the faith daily opens windows to a world that can seem strange to an outsider.

It's not easy to find people of any faith willing to risk revealing their private lives to a stranger, let alone the million-plus people who read the Saturday Star.

In September, I got an email from a reader suggesting I spend time in a Muslim home to "see" what Ramadan is like. Sending out feelers from my Rolodex of Muslim contacts, I was delighted with a generous offer from the Khan family of Maple.

There's something about rising at 4 a.m. and trekking a trafficless Highway 407 to Vaughan that feels sacred, a tranquility rarely felt in the hectic daylight hours. You get to appreciate the starry sky and dawn that most of us miss — and the importance of making time for simple things.

Muslim generosity was felt the moment the Khans invited photographer Charla Jones and me into their home, not only because of the delicious breakfast we were offered, but because of the trust and faith they placed in us to deliver their story.

It struck me how time-conscious they were in sticking to the sahar and iftar timetable distributed by their mosque. "We've 15 minutes for breakfast," Tanya would remind us.

Asif was quick to issue a challenge: "Why don't you two try to fast?" And we gladly accepted.

We were amazed by the traffic headed to the mosque so early: "Where are all these people coming from?" Charla mused.

The white mosque glowed against a dark horizon, where we were received with welcoming smiles and warm greetings. How intrusive must it be to hear a camera click or see a stranger scribbling away amid a sermon?

Following the family through their day was fun, but as blood sugar dropped we started to feel cranky. There were moments of temptation as we drove alone from the mosque to Tanya's school, passing a Coffee Time.

We could have cheated, but like Asif, we figured it would defeat the purpose of the experience. For us, the fast wasn't so much about empathy for the poor as experiencing the challenge Muslims face, observing these rituals in a non-Muslim world.

I don't have a sweet tooth, but never had dates tasted so delicious as when we broke the fast. The sense of reward is that much sweeter for the effort it takes. That's something I learned from my day with the Khans — which resonates with the Confucian teachings I learned in my Chinese home.

I can't help but admire the determination of Muslims during Ramadan. What we lived for a day, they will have repeated 30 times by Monday, the joyous holiday of Eid ul Fitr.

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY FROM THE TORINTO STAR

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Sh Abdul Hakim Murad and Jermey Smith: An Organic Iftar

Lectures delivered at An Organic Iftar - We Are What We Eat (the joint event by Q-News, IFEES and Islamic Circles), by Shaykh Abdal-Hakim Murad (Cambridge University) and Jeremy Smith (Managing Editor, The Ecologist). An evening of organic potluck iftar. In this world of instant gratification and over indulgence we lose sight of the fact that we are what we eat. Eat the wrong foods and our bodies will become polluted because food is our fuel and we must help the engine that drives our bodies. However, partaking of the wrong things is not limited to food. We often talk about following the Sunnah, understanding Tawhid and being spiritual, but how much of these have we really implemented this Ramadan?


Imam Zaid and Shiekh Hamza on Surah Rahman and Surah Asr

Sheikh Hamza on Surah Al Balad

Friday, October 13, 2006

IslamicaMagazine: Letter to Pope

From Islamica Magazine:

In an unprecedented move, an Open Letter signed by 38 leading Muslim religious scholars and leaders around the world will be sent to Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 15, 2006. The letter, which is the first of its kind in several centuries, was a collaborative effort signed by such prominent figures as the Grand Muftis of Egypt, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Istanbul, Uzbekistan and Oman, as well as leading figures from the Shia community such as Ayatollah Muhammad Ali Taskhiri of Iran. The letter was also signed by HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, the Personal Envoy and Special Advisor to King Abdullah II of Jordan. Western scholars have signed the document, including California scholar, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Professor Tim Winter of the University of Cambridge. Click here for more information

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Mandatory Hijabs

It seems like one student Islamic society has taken the road of making Hijab compulsery for sisters who are invloved with that MSA. I recall back in the day when there were a few people in my former MSA ( when I was in school) trying to put something similar forward for our MSA. Sanity prevailed then, due to some wise heads who were making the decsions.

I understand that people who made this rule want only people who are fulfilling the obligation of Hijab to represent Muslims so that non muslims dont get the impression that Hijab is not a complusary regulation. But then where do you draw the line? Compulsary beards ( or a minimum length for beards) for brothers? Only people who eat halal meat to represent Islam ( yes there are Muslims out there who eat it all)?

I recall every time a new semester would start I would notice a lot of new sisters in our school. But then when I would ask one of the sisters about the new sisters, they would tell me these people arent new, they have just started wearing the Hijab. Please dont discrimnate against these people.

Please dont discriminate against Muslims to show non muslims what Muslims are. You might just be showing them what Muslims shouldn't be.

Culture of Corruption

Below is a very interesting post on corruption in Nigeria. While the writer is talking about Nigeria, I think that a lot of points he raises are true for other corrupt countries too ( yes that includes Pakistan):

There was an interesting passage by one of the better This Day journalists, Simon Kolawole, in This Day yesterday (on the back page). He goes to the nub of the problem of corruption in Nigeria by showing how it is grounded in social expectations and conventions. Corruption stems from the structure of society itself, in terms of patronage systems and the expectations of the extended family. Until there is a break away from patronage culture and clientism, Nigeria will continue to be deeply beset by problems of corruption. Here is the passage, where Kolawole imagines what would happen if he was given political office:

"I am a journalist. I live in a rented house. I drive an official car. Now, let's say I am given a political appointment today. The first thing is that I will open the newspapers tomorrow and see my face in full-page congratulatory adverts sponsored by my former 'classmates'. Why? they are rejoicing with me for getting a 'plum' job. They are very proud of me that I have been called up to serve my fatherland. they are positioning themselves to 'partake' in my 'patriotic service' to my fatherland. They want contacts and contracts.

Let's also say in one year, I have bought houses in Abuja and built mansions in Lekki. Nobody will ask me questions. Let's say I have acquired a convoy of cars. Nobody will say, come, is this not the same Kolawole who didn't have a personal car? How much is he earning now that he can afford all these? No. Instead, people will be thronging my house to slice their own share of my loot. Youth organisations, women's groups and town unions will all be paying solidarity visits to me. They will present me with a life-size portrait in the full glare of the media. Pastors will become my spiritual consultants, uttering more flattery than I can imagine. Fuji and juju artistes will start to sing my praise. "Kolawole o, baba l'oje!" They will release a whole album with one side dedicated to "Simon", the other side to "Kolawole". They will even address me as "Chief Kolawole", even though I may not have a traditional title. O, that is not a problem. I can easily organise a chieftancy for myself. With a few millions, kings - who are suppose to be custodians of traditional values - will be falling over each other to give me titles for my "contributions to humanity", even if I have not contributed to humanity. Universities will give me honorary doctorate degrees as a "role model" in exchange for donations...

The society expects, encourages, promotes and nurtures corruption. The society condones it. The society budgets for it. If you go into public office and don't come out rich, you are a failure. Your immediate and extended families will curse you. Your community will alienate you. "You're stupid," they will say. "Opportunities come but once. You missed your chance. Look at what the minister from the other community accumulated during his time in office. You must be a fool!" So, we keep dragging the country down, down, down. We keep envying developed countries, wondering why our own country is not making progress, wondering why shools don't have laboratories and libraries."

Tackling corruption is therefore not simply a matter of the EFCC, the ICPC and other legal processes being implemented and effected. It is not enough that Tafa Balogun, Fayose, Tummy Tuck, Mrs Goodluck etc are brought to book and we get to see pictures of them in cuffs, humiliated in the face of the Law. There must also be, as a friend puts it, an acceptance of the reality of the "Abacha within all of us".

We must therefore acknowledge that the structure and expectations of Nigeria society pushes complicity in everyone's face. Everyone in Nigeria is complicit with corruption - it is not an external process that happens to a select few. Put like this: how many could accept public office without caving into demands for access and contracts from friends and relatives?

And it seems to me that religion is entirely complicit with the system of corruption in Nigeria. For instance, the Church in its many denominations wields extraordinary influence over people's ethics and perceptions of right and wrong, yet how many pastors are actively campaigning against corruption? Instead, every day we read another story of yet another corrupt pastor in the news. Beyond the increasingly powerful net of the law, Nigeria needs a transformation of ethical values which views public office as a force for the common good, not a means to enrich one's circle of friends and the extended family. Religious leaders should put this message at the front of their preaching. Getting people to sign an 'anti-corruption pledge' might be an idea - anything that forces people to acknowledge that corruption lies within every Nigerian, thanks to the society in which they live.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

New paper by Dr. Omar.

An insightful new article by Dr.Omar about what Western Muslims can learn from Chinise Muslims:

A couple of quotes from the article:

The mere mention of “Chinese Muslims” draws an astonished blank from many people: “You mean there are Muslims in China?” Even those familiar with the Islamic world and conscious
of the existence of Chinese Muslims are often aware only of the Turkic Uighurs of Xinjiang, China’s vast northwestern province in Central Asia. This paper focuses exclusively on the history and cultural formation of the largest population of Muslims in the People’s Republic of China, the Hui people. Unlike the Uighurs, the Hui are culturally Chinese and virtually indistinguishable from the Han community, who make up China’s billion strong majority. The Hui have lived for centuries within the borders of the Great Wall in eastern China where the major cities are located, and theyconstitute the Chinese Muslims proper.


and another


The notion of the sinicization of Islam in China is based on a false preconception of Islam and its attitude toward indigenous cultures. It presumes that the only valid (“orthodox”) expression of Islam is Middle Eastern. In reality, neither Muslim societies in history nor classical Islamic law produced uniform patterns of cultural expression. Muslims have always formulated distinctive indigenous forms of Islamic cultural expression wherever they went, and the process was encouraged by Islam’s religious law. Regional cultural receptivity produced a marvelous mosaic of unity in diversity still in evidence today. Islam’s inherent cultural genius created a global Islamic civilization, which spread its peacock’s tail from China to the Atlantic.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Man questioned and misses flight for speaking Tamil

Pathetic. Read below.


Man questioned and misses flight for speaking Tamil

By BRAD WONG
P-I REPORTER

A 32-year-old man speaking Tamil and some English about a sporting rivalry was questioned at Sea-Tac Airport and missed his flight Saturday because at least one person thought he was suspicious.

The Port of Seattle dispatched its police officers to investigate the case, which occurred Saturday around noon, said Bob Parker, airport spokesman. The Chicago man was preparing to board an American Airlines flight to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

The man was speaking Tamil, a language largely used in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore, on his cell phone at the departure gate and on the aircraft. An off-duty airline employee heard the conversation and informed the flight crew.

The man also apparently said something in English about a sporting rivalry at his alma mater.

"It's a big misunderstanding," said Parker. "He had a perfectly innocent explanation that all added up."

Parker said it is incumbent on airport officials to investigate reports of suspicious activity.

"It's hard to triage over the phone," he said.

But Parker had no explanation as to why a man speaking Tamil, which is spoken worldwide, would be considered suspicious. The person who contacted airport officials could give an answer to that question, he added.

Parker said the man was cooperative and boarded a later flight to Texas. He told officials that he would not speak in a foreign language on his cell phone at an airport in the future.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Spiegel Online:From Arranged Marriage to Love at First Sight ( Love in the Muslim World)

From Arranged Marriage to Love at First Sight

Ten couples living in eight countries, from Egypt to Yemen, from Afghanistan to Turkey: For the German magazine Zenith they've answered questions about marriage and love. A portrait of diversity within the Muslim world.

Amin, a young Yemeni, is engaged. But he won't see the bride until his wedding day. An Azerbaijani named Israfil, on the other hand, has courted his girlfriend Elmira since they studied together, with love poems he penned himself. In the United Arab Emirates, Rodaina's husband Yasser also writes love poems for her, even though their marriage was arranged.

From arch-conservative to liberal, from traditional to modern, from love that exists before the marriage to love that's allowed to bloom only after the wedding: the Moslem world isn't a uniform bloc.

A German magazine by young journalists called Zenith has published a series of ten portraits of married couples from eight different Muslim countries.

Tanyeli, a Turkish woman, tells how she lived in New York for a year to advance her career and left her husband at home. Such a life is unimaginable for Nassima, from Afghanistan. When she was 15 years old, she was married to a man 15 years her senior, and today looks after four of their ten children. Her husband can't even dream of computer games, like Tanyeli's husband -- he's just happy to have escaped a sentence of death by hanging. Twice.

SPIEGEL ONLINE presents the brief interviews with these couples, which unveil both similarities and differences across the Islamic world.



Saturday, September 30, 2006

He is back

After closing down his previous blog, Omair is back with a new blog.

http://omairquadri.blogspot.com/


Welcome back Omair!

Friday, September 29, 2006

Hammadi words

1. You cant always ask why; but you do need to know when to ask why

2. Part of learning is learning what not to learn

3. The vision of your perfection is another one of your own imperfections

4. Look at the mirror before you look out of the window.

5. Love is a 2 way street; if traffic flows only one way, the street eventually closes down

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Songs of Innocence

A lovely Nasheed:

And I sing my songs of innocence
To you my precious child as you lay on your bed
With your sleepy eyes and your heavy head
Rest and dream in peace till morning comes again....


Watch below:

Monday, September 25, 2006

Ramadan Mubarek--

Ramadan Mubarek to everyone.

Here is a good reminder from Imam Zaid in his Ramadan Mubarek message ( Click here to read)

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Imam Zaid Shakir: One Faith, Many Voices

Taken from Q-news website. A lecture delivered earlier this year by Imam Zaid who really hits home on what our priorities as Muslims should be and how we should treat each other ( Muslims and Humanity).

Click Here to Listen

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Clean hands, Pure heart ( Wudu anyone?)

Scholars say we should always try to keep our wadu and renew it right after it is broken.

Perhaps research agrees with that principle too. Here are findings from an interesting research study:

You don't have to take it from Pontius Pilate or Lady Macbeth. Guilty minds may really send people scurrying for the soap dish, a new study shows.

The study, published in Science, found that people who recall acting unethically are more drawn to cleansing products than those who remember behaving ethically.

Chen-Bo Zhong, who works for the Rotman School of Management at Canada's University of Toronto, and Katie Liljenquist, a graduate student at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management in Chicago, did the research.

"Daily hygiene routines such as washing hands, as simple and benign as they might seem, can deliver a powerful antidote to threatened morality, enabling people to truly wash away their sins," the researchers write.

They call the phenomenon the "Macbeth effect," after Lady Macbeth, who plotted King Duncan's murder in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth.

"Lady Macbeth's desperate obsession with trying to wash away her bloodied conscience while crying, 'Out, damned spot! Out, I say,' may not have been entirely in vain," the researchers write.



Silence: The Sunnah

A good article in the Christian Scinece Monitor about silence:

In this era of audio abundance, with myriad opportunities to sound off about the latest controversy, cultural crisis, or political provocation, it's important to remember that no law says we're all required to have an opinion about every issue churning through the current news cycle.

And it says in the Quran:

"Do not pursue what of which you have no knowledge of hearing, sight, and hearts will all be questioned." (17:36)

Allah says, "He does not utter a single word without a watcher by him, pen in hand." (50:18)

And a hadith ( related in Riyad us Salihin) states:

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak good words or be silent." [Agreed upon]

SAF Space: Here I am my Lord

I have always wondered how it will be when I see the Kaaba for the first time, that is, if I ALlah belsses me with the means to make that possible. Perhaps I feel as Saffiyah felt?

Saffiyah describes her first expreince of seeing the kaaba with great eloquence.

Click here to read it

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Sh Faraz North American "SunnipathTour"

Sheikh Faraz's North American "Sunnipath tour"

Dont miss it ( online or offline)


1)

SunniPath Study Tour - New York, USA
Foundations of Prophetic Guidance: The Hadith Jibril Explained
Tuition Rate:

OnSite: FREE
Online: USD$ 40
Student and Regional Pricing available

Teacher: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Shaykh Abdullah Adhami
Course Format: Live Weekend Program
Time: September 23 - September 24
Live Session Time: TBD Convert to your time zone

2)

SunniPath Study Tour - Austin, TX
The Key to the Garden: Understanding the Meanings of 'La ilaha illa Allah'

Tuition Rate:
OnSite: USD$30
Online: USD$ 40
Student and Regional Pricing available

Teacher: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Course Format: Live Weekend Program

Time: September 30 - October 1
Live Session Time: TBD Convert to your time zone


3)

SunniPath Study Tour - Ontario, Canada
Lessons from Imam Al-Haddad's "Knowledge and Wisdom"


Tuition Rate:
OnSite: USD$30
Online: USD$ 40
Student and Regional Pricing available

Teacher: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Shaykh Talal
Course Format: Live Weekend Program
Time: October 6 - October 8
Live Session Time: TBD Convert to your time zone


4)

SunniPath Study Tour - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Fiqh of Life: How to submit to Allah in your social dealings, work, rest, and play

Tuition Rate:
OnSite: USD$30
Online: USD$ 40
Student and Regional Pricing available

Teacher: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Course Format: Live Weekend Program
Time: October 7 - October 8
Live Session Time: TBD Convert to your time zone


Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Cricket on a golf course




I went golfing on Saturday. Compare my golf shot ( picture 1) to a cricket shot ( picture 2). Not too much of a difference eh? :-) ( Some of the balls I hit went more than 200 yards!Everyone just gasped at my wrong technique and my shot distance when the ball would go far). I have named my type of cricketing golf shot " the hammad".

Monday, September 11, 2006

The Water Melon story

So here goes my water melon story.What happened was that I bought this water melon a couple of weeks ago and it looked lovely. ( I love to eat fruit dont you?). You know green and all. The skin was smooth no bumps at all. I was happy and giggling to myself as I love to do.

Anyways I got it home. My apartement being on the 3rd floor meant that I had to pick up the water melon from my car and walk it up to the third floor while gravity was working against me. I stumbled though the door and safely placed the precious water melon on my counter. While going towards my room to change I took a peek at it and yes the melon did look lovely. As lovely as a water melon looks in a kitchen.

Like all other water melons I have had, I left this one on the counter for a couple of days. On the Monday I came back home from work and as soon as I entered I smelt something awful. It was like stink bomb. I walked into the kitchen and OH MY GOSH!!!!! The floor was wet with some fluid. On the counter top was a water melon with a huge hole in it. All that was left was a shell with "ugly looking and smelling gue" in it. Anyways, the counter was a mess as well. When I threw the water melon away the shell felt very week and gue started falling from the bottom . The melon barely held together. However I skillfully got my water melon into my garbage bag and threw it away. The smell of the melon stayed for a week after and I cleaned it up and all. But it was one ugly incident.

It was really messy. I looked it it up online and found out that the water melon explosion was caused by fermentation inside the water melon and it exploded due to gas build up!!! Isnt that awful!!!!

Lesson learnt: Dont trust Water Melons!!! The picture is shown below:





Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Hikam 1

From Ibn Atta illah's Kitab-al Hikam ( Hikam 1)

"One of the signs of relying on one's own deeds is the loss of hope when a downfall occurs."

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Sh Hamza: Food for thought

Read by clicking here

BBC Heart and Soul: 99 names of Allah

From the BBC ( listen before next sunday):


The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah

God in Islam is known as the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful, the Creator, the Praiseworthy, the Everlasting, and by many other names.

There are 99 such names in all, scattered throughout the Qur'an.

Listen as Muslims from different backgrounds reflect on these 99 beautiful names of Allah.

In the Islamic understanding, these names highlight different aspects or qualities of the Divine.

To Muslims, they can be a key that unlocks the meaning of life, or an incentive to overcome their own human weaknesses.

They can also help believers acquire a little of the qualities God has in abundance, such as patience or purity.

The practice of repeating and chanting these names is particularly important to Sufis, followers of the mystical branch of Islam.


Listen by clicking here.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Scarborough Bluffs



I was working in Scarborough near the lakeshore today and was "exposed" to the Scarborugh Bluffs for the first time ( some of you who live in the the area might already know about it). I found it fascianting ( specially since I deal with soil sampling/identification a lot). I came hope and did some minor reseach. Here are some pics and text.

The layers of sand and clay exposed in these cliffs display a remarkable geological record of the last stages of the Great Ice Age. Unique in North America, they have attracted worldwide scientific interest. The first 46 metres (150 feet) of sediments contain fossil plants and animals that were deposited in a large river delta during the first advance of the Wisconsinan glacier some 70,000 years ago. They are covered by 61 metres (200 feet) of boulder clay and sand in alternating layers left by four subsequent advances and retreats of ice. The final withdrawal of the glacier occurred some 12,000 years ago.
Did you know that Scarborough was named after the bluffs:

The Scarborough Bluffs are an escarpment in Scarborough, Ontario along the shoreline of Lake Ontario. They run from the foot of Victoria Park Avenue in the West to the mouth of Highland Creek in the east. However, the escarpment continues westward inland, running between Kingston Road and Queen Street East, pausing over the Don Valley, and continuing on the north side of Davenport Avenue. The escarpment forms the old shoreline of Lake Iroquois, formed after the last ice age.

It was named after Scarborough, England by Elizabeth Simcoe, the wife of John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada. The bluffs along Scarborough's Lake Ontario shores reminded her of the limestone cliffs in Scarborough, England. In her diary, she wrote, "The [eastern] shore is extremely bold, and has the appearance of chalk cliffs, but I believe they are only white sand. They appeared so well that we talked of building a summer residence there and calling it Scarborough."[1]

A park created from fill has been built in the lake off the cliffside; named Bluffers Park, it is accessible from the foot of Brimley Road.

A stylized version of The Bluffs appeared prominently on the old flag of the City of Scarborough.




Saturday, August 26, 2006

Imran Khan: We need a political solution

Imran Khan, one of the few Pakistani politicians who makes any sense speaks out on the "War on Terrorism":

According to a recent poll, four-fifths of Britons think the "war on terror" is being lost. That is not least because the battle for the hearts and minds of people in the Muslim world is being lost.

The fundamental mistake made after 9/11 was that any stirrings of a debate addressing the root causes of the terror were ruthlessly suppressed. (To explain and understand the cause is not to justify the consequence.) Rather than addressing the known political causes, the terrorist attacks were portrayed as a religious struggle: radical Islam v the west.

This was an anomaly. How could Islam, a religion as peaceful as any other, be pitted against the west? Millions of innocent people were killed in the last century, from Nagasaki to Hiroshima, from Vietnam to Iraq, by acts of governments that were secular by law yet publicly upheld Christian values. Yet Christianity was never put under focus or stress. READ ON

Junaid: New Album!



Junaid Jamshed's new ablum is here. YOu can buy it off here. It sounds like it is going to be as good as the first one inshah allah. Here are some names of the songs and some sound clips:

1. Mehboob-e-Yazdaan (01:56)
2. Meray Muhammad (P.B.U.H) ka Naam (07:37)
3. Aei Rasool -e- Amin (04:36)
4. Mujhe Zindagi mein Yaarab (04:42)
5. Aei Allah (05:05)
6. Qasida Burda - Arabic (06:38)
7. Ayat of Riba - Surah Al Baraqah 278-279 (02:26)
8. Words of Advice - Saeed Anwar (07:15)
9. Meray Allah - Punjabi (08:18)
10. Aei Taiba (05:04)
11. Mohabbat Kiya Hai (06:29)
12. Badee - uz - Zaman - Arabic (04:40)

Friday, August 25, 2006

Marriage: The middle way!

Some of friends are getting married left right and centre. While I am tempted to follow suit quickly, sometimes I sit back and relax and contemplate about marriage.

That is when I freak out!!!!!


It was about 2 weeks ago that me and my friends ended up on Gerard Street at Chandanee Chowk restaurant ( yeah I know very funny name for a restaurant). The place was full of families and we were the only single people in the place. Not only were we the only single
people in the place we were also the only ones smiling!!! Really it was very depressing to see the families around us who were mostly frowning and not talking to each other. Needless to say the families were all South Asian. That's when my friend made the following point( ( BTW he is getting married in December!!!) :

He said that since a lot of the people we were looking at were married in our "Root or home countries"it is not outrageous to assume that these were arranged marriages. Arranged marriage lots of times back home means that you know almost nothing about the person you are getting married to till the wedding day. Of course by then it is too late to call it off . While a lot of these weddings work out okay in the end or appear to do so anyways, it is not always because the husband and wife fall in love with each other after some time together. Sometimes it is the common interest of raising kids which keeps the marriage together ( hence the big pressure from extended family to have kids right away). So outside of the kids, there isn't much that brings the couple together and that can lead to a stressful marriage or a marriage which is only there for the sake of marriage.

And I kind of agree with my friend. A lot of marriages back home stay together because of the pressure of the extended family and the common interest of raising the kids. A low divorce rate does not mean that marriages always work out better. In fact in a lot of cases the societies back home do not give the individuals involved the option of Divorce.

And yet there is the other extreme where the couples know each other so well or think they know each other so well that they think nothing can go wrong after they get married. However they find out soon after marriage that what they were looking at before marriage was merely one side of the person in question. SO in the end it could almost be as bad as the arranged marriage described in the previous paragraphs.

I don't think it is feasible to go totally arranged and expect and hope things to work out in a few years. Neither is it realistic to think you can know everything about your spouse before marriage. So what do you do then?


I think the solution is the middle way. SO where you take the good out of the arranged marriage system and combine it with a relevant halal way getting to know the othe rperson.

I know that parents put in a lot of good research that goes into finding the right girl for their kids back home and sometimes here. Talking to a colleague of mine ( who had a love marriage and got divorced), I know that family background, set up, etc all do have an impact on how compatible the marriage is. Its not just the individuals. Yet arranged marriages the South Asian style do tend to overlook the individuals. That's where there should be the get to know each other aspect with the most halal of means should step in. It does not have to be an extended list of questions or an an extended period of time together.

I have some friends in the process of marriage and my advice to them was/is that its not only what your potential spouse gives as an answer to your questions, its also how they say what they say. As in their general approach.

Moreover, you have to have "deen" or relgiousity as the top criteria. As Ustadha Umm Salah rightly points out in her answer on Sunnipath:

"The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, gave us certain criteria to use when selecting a spouse. The first and foremost is religion. In a rigorously authenticated hadith, the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, "A woman is married for her wealth, her reputation, her beauty or her religion. Choose the religious one or you may be ruined." Scholars explain that this hadith also applies equally to choosing a husband.

Our first choice may be to go with our feelings. However, it is important to note that the fires of passion can be quickly extinguished, particularly when the novelty of the spouse wears off and the realities of married life set in.

After making istikhara, it is important to have some serious conversations with this brother. Obviously, the conversations must be chaperoned, so why not choose someone with experience in marriage counseling? Allah willing, this person can help you identify areas of potential conflict and suggest useful strategies for dealing with these issues.

Make no mistake. Every marriage has some degree of conflict, even when the spouses appear to be completely compatible. What's important is how the spouses react to each other during the conflict.

Are these issues so fundamental in nature that they could drive you apart? That is something you and the brother will have to determine. It is difficult, if not impossible, to find someone who has completely matching views. On the other hand, such differences, if strong enough, can be a source of constant bickering."



Once you think the above factors in addition to approach are compatible and you have some common things amongst yourself, you are good to go!!! Renew your intentions, make istikahara and say Bismillah!!

----Totally random but I love it how Apache Indian puts his desired spouse in words:


Me wan gal fe me don rani
Me wan gal dress up in a sari
Me wan gal say soorni logthi
Me wan gal sweet like jelebee
Me wan gal from jullunder city
Me wan gal say a soorni curi
Me wan gal mon to look after me
Me wan gal to mek me roti


Last and "most", Shaykh Faraz rightly points out in this article that we need to be prepared for marriage. Not just knowing the fiqh is enough, there are also other psycological aspects that might arise and you may be faced with that you should be ready for:

"People have to be made aware of the (often many) resources available in the wider society on marriage. Often, Muslims are wary of going outside the community for counseling (and yet fail to find capable counseling within the community). We need develop lists of reliable counseling services—services that uphold the core marital values Muslims hold dear (and which they fear for when seeking outside counseling). Likewise, there is a lot of good literature on marriage that those marrying and married should seriously consider reading.

As Dr. Ibrahim Kreps and other leading Muslim counselors concur, one of the very best books on marriage is John Gottman’s The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. This or similar books give practical guidance on improving marriage relationships in our times.

With this, as Muslims we have to look at the radiant example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself. He reminded us that, “The best of you are those best to their spouses, and I am the best of you to their spouse” (Tirmidhi, on the authority of ‘A’isha, God be pleased with her)). We should look regularly and with reflection at the life and example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as these give us beautiful examples and clear principles on how to have a successful marriage built on the Qur’anic paradigm of love and mercy, and of striving to live together with a mutual commitment to excellence in dealings."


Make dua for yourself and myself !!!!

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Shiekh Abdullah bin Bayah: Muslims living in Non Muslim lands

A very relevant talk by the shaykh given a few years ago:

[Bismillah irahman iraheem. The shaykh began his talk by praising Allah subhaana wa ta'aala and sending prayers on the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.] I wanted to speak tonight about your conditions, your circumstances here. You are a group that is small in number and yet strong in faith, a group that has diverse ideas and understandings and whose individuals come from many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, a group that is few amongst a dominant group that is many. The dominant group is strong in many areas; in fact, they are controlling many areas of the world. I would like to speak tonight about what the priorities of such a group would be: What are the obligations of such a group? What are the responsibilities of such a group? I would like to present some ideas to you, and I hopes that Allah subhaana wa ta'aala helps me to present some ideas that relate to a methodology, to approaches, and to things that will be beneficial to this group if they implement them.
[Read on]

Monday, August 21, 2006

Christian Science Monitor: "Overexposure: When media coverage blocks out the sun"

A relevant article on the state of the media ( the mainsream North American media to be exact) and how they cover things today. A lot of issues that we worry about are the issues in the media. When the issues arent there then we arent worried. ( We being the muslim community and/or the general community). An example was the cartoon issue which came and went at the will of the media. It was an issue before the media made it an issue and then it died down while it is still an issue right now! ( as in things really did not change when the issue died down) Moreover if we divide each issue into subsets, the media really wants focus on one subset. In other words they define the frame with which each issue is looked at. Do you remember Hurricane Katrina? I thought and think the ammount of coverage the event initially received and the coverage it receives one year after the event is immensely dispropotional. Dont we want to know what happened to the thousands of people who got displaced? Same can be said about other disasters. Anyways please do read this article:

"It is an enormously complicated world, and every day, all over, things happen that matter. It may sometimes seem that stories come from nowhere, like the terrorist attacks on 9/11. But it's often the case that these events are surprises only because we weren't paying attention, and we probably weren't paying attention because the media weren't paying attention.

There are reasons people buy books or pay to see movies. Plots are nice. Stories move from A to B to C and at the end,generally, everything is tied together nicely. But the news isn't amovie or a book. Stories rise and fall and rise again, and they usuallydon't do it in a linear, neat way." Click here to read more