Sporting Spirituality : Squash

Bismillah.

( note: this article should be useful even if you don't play squash)

After a 2 month lay off ( re: ankle injury), alhamdaulillah, I am back on the squash court again ( though I bruised my forehead today! there is a ball mark on it!).

I have been reflecting on what I should be thinking at each moment ( as a Muslim) on the squash court. Because essentially, the events on a squash court do represent what life is all about. Its about trails and tribulations-and how well you deal with them. And if you are a true Momin, if you are a true Muslim and if you are a true Mohsin, you should know that success or failure in those trails and tribulations will only bring you closer to Allah SWT.

Of course by stating the following I make no claim to be doing what I am saying, but in fact I am saying what I should be doing and also pointing to the reality of what I don't do. May Allah help me realize what I say. Allahumma Ameen

Shukr:
Well, recently when I re-entered the squash court after a long lay off, I realized how much I had been missing and how ungrateful I had been about playing the game. The game is good physical exercise, helps one sleep better and also a great stress reliever. So the first state when one enters the squash court should be one of thankfulness to Allah for giving us the ability of playing squash.

Intentions and Goals:
When one enters the squash court, one should be clear as to what one's intention is. Your intention in all permissible actions should ( ideally) be that it is for the sake of Allah. Why is it for the sake of Allah? How can you intend that? Well that intention is related to your goal. The goal is to get fit, that one sleeps better and ultimately the goal is that one does all of this so one can worship ALlah better. So goals and intenetions for playing squash, are both that you do it for whom?You do it for Allah.

Kibr/Pride:
You might enter the court and already think your better then your opponent. While it is good to have confidence, the confidence should not be expressed in a derogatory way ( even internally) to your opponent but know that all ability you have is due to Allah SWT and he could take that ability away form you at any moment so you better be thankful for it and also not be proud of it because that ability is not yours. It is a gift from Allah. And what is the best way to express thanks for a gift. It is by not saying Alhamdaulillah wa shukrillah verbally but also to use the gift to the best of one's ability while not looking down at others because of it.

Hasad/Envy:
On the contrary the other player could be better then you. However you do not enter the court thinking that he is better because of himself . In fact, you know it is Allah who has given him this gift. Instead of asking Allah to decrease him, you ask Allah to increase you, so you can compete with him for His sake.

Rida/Contentment:
Once you start the game, you should be content with the general proceedings of things. As in: you should be regretful for past points and games. Things happen for a reason and if you lost a point, your job is to move on ( after learning form your mistake) but not to negatively lament at your fortune.

Leave that which does not concern you:
Your opponent will try his best. You watch out for him but you dont watch out for him to the extent that you lose focus of what your doing yourself. You keep playing and only focus on the other player to the extent that it affects you.

Dhikr:
There are many opportunities before, during and after game where you can make numerous dhikrs. It can be a simple as a Bismilah. Or it can be Alhamdaulillah after a great shot. Or it can Subhanallah after a great shot by your opponent.

More Shukr:
No matter what part of the game we are in, we should make sure that we are in a state of thankfulness. Know that even being on the court is a blessing. And playing a game and being able to exercise is a blessing. In a few years you will struggle to walk. So make use of your time and resources the best you can for His sake and be thankful for everything that you have so that he may reward you and increase you.

Dua:
If you lose a point or if you want something to happen in the match. You might have a strategy to achieve what you want to achieve i.e. the means. However, it is important that you precede the strategy or plan with dua and sustain it with dua and end it with dua. The one who makes dua knows that its a win win situation. At the very least Inshah Allah you will be reward in the hereafter for just making a dua!

Tawakul/trust in Allah:
While taking the means, make sure that you trust in Allah and not in your ability. What was meant to miss could not have hit and what was meant to miss could not have hit. Your job is to hit the squash ball and try your best, the rest is all upto Allah. You will see sometimes you or your opponent will get lucky bounces or breaks. That is by the will of Allah like everything else that happens on the court. So don't be over awed, no matter what happens. Trust in Allah!


End Result:
Don't be haughty if you win. Know that it is Allah who bestowed you with the win. He could make you lose all your ability at the very moment you display your pride. It is he who gave you the ability so thank Him and thank Him for letting you thank Him. Thank your opponent for giving you a good game because it takes two to play a squash game and who so ever has not thanked people has not thanked Allah.

On the other hand, Don't be distraught if you lose. Instead take lessons from your loss and know that at the very least you will be rewarded for your noble intention and noble aims/goals. . Don't be bitter and go congratulate your opponent for a good game. Moreover, Inshahallah make dua that you get more chances. Inshaha Allah it might be that you will win against another opponent on another day or that you will win against the same opponent on another day, if Allah gives you Tawfiq. Also your intention/ goal was to stay fit for His sake, so you did actually achieve your goal by getting some exercise. And inshahAllah, the Rahman and the Raheem rewards you for it.


May Allah help implement what I say cause I only say it through his will and I can only implement it through his will. Allahhuma Amen!

Sh Faraz: 2 Principles of excellence

At last week's halaqa, Shaykh Faraz mentioned two hadiths which lay the basis of the two principles of excellence:

1."...........Be avid for that which benefits...." (Related by Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurayra – God be pleased with him)

Din reflects: Benefits being from this world and the next world. But we should keep in mind that the benefit of this world are at their best when they are a means for the next world. How do we do that with normal worldly actions? We do that via intention.

2. "From the excellence of a man's Islam is to leave that which does not concern him." [A sound (hasan) hadith, transmitted by Tirmidhi and others]

Din reflects: That would include lowering one's gaze in public and not looking to see what all others are doing, unless one can benefit them or oneself. It would also entail avoiding pointless gossiping about others or tale bearing. "Oh, so and so is doing such and such"......"Oh guess who had a fight with whom". Or even having thoughts about what others are doing when it is of no benefit to oneself. Its about maximizing one's benefit by focusing on things that matter for one self in this world and the next.

Episodes of the Pious: Imam Junayd's student

A student from the Attaining Good Character course on SunniPath, wrote this assignment about one of Junayd's students ( printed with permission from the student):
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Bismillah.

Alhamdaulillah, there are many lessons one can learn from the pious of the past. The knowledge they had was realized into actions, which in turn transformed their states, which in turn transformed the states of those around him.

One such person we read about recently is Abul Qasim al-Junayd. The following biography is taken from Sections x51 of Reliance of the Traveler ( Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Revised Edition, 1994, Amana Publications):

Abul Qasim al-Junayd ibn Muhammad ibn al-Junayd, Abu-al-Qasim al Baghdadi. Imam of the Sufis, he comprehensively joined between law and way, outward and inward, one the most renowned mystics of Islamic History and at the same time an outstanding scholar of the Sacred Law in school of Abu Thawr. The historian Ibn al-Athir described him as the “the Imam of the World of his time”. Junayd once defined Sufism as “dissociating the beginingless eternal from that which originates in time (ifrad al-qadim ' an al hadith),”and on another occasion simply as |the experience (al-dhawq),” both of which are typical of his succinctness. Though he left few written works his sayings are preserved among the Sufis yo whom he remains an important authority of the path. He died in Baghdad in 297/910 (Al-A\lam(y136), 2.141; and n).

The following incident relates to one of Junayd's disciples and the impact his teachings had on his students. (Episodes from Tadhkirat al-Auliya’ (Memorial of the Saints) by Farid al-Din Atta Translated A.J. Arberry, Omphalokepis Publications, Iowa, 2000):

The shaikh Jonaid had a disciple whom he loved above all the others. The other disciples were moved to jealousy, a fact which the shaikh realized by his mystic intuition. “He is superior to you in manners and understanding,”he told them. “That is what I had in view; let us make an experiment, so that you may also realize it.”Jonaid commanded twenty birds to be brought to him. “Each of you take one,” he told his disciples. “In a place where no one can see you kill it, then bring it back.”

All the disciples went off and killed and brought back the birds—all, that is, except that favorite disciple. He brought his bird back alive

Why did you not kill it?” Jonaid asked him.

“Because the master said it must be done in a place where no one can see,” the disciple answered. “Wherever I went, God saw.”

“You see the measure of his understanding!” Jonaid exclaimed. “Compare that with that of the others.”

All the other disciples begged God’s forgiveness.

Alhamdaulillah, we learned in Lesson 4, that we as believers should have sincerity in intentions, words and deeds. The above incident shows how a truthful person knows that, truthful is not only being truthful in front of people, but also being truthful when we are alone. So if we say that we will -or wont -do something, the purpose and aim should not be to do it so others see it but it should be because Allah sees it, regardless whether we are with people or without them.

May Allah make us of those who use this knowledge to improve our actions which in turn inshahAllah raise our states. Allahumma Ameen!

Quotes from Drops of Wisdom

Recently, I browsed through Drops of Wisdom, a collection of wonderful inspiring quotes (definitely worth a visit). Here is a few we liked among many others:

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Its about You, Your Lord and the Grave – nothing else matters. [Shaykh Nuh Keller]

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Sometimes in order to help He makes us cry
Happy the eye that sheds tears for His sake
Fortunate the heart that burns for His sake
Laughter always follow tears
Blessed are those who understand
Life blossoms wherever water flows

Where tears are shed divine mercy is shown
- Rumi

_____________________


al-Imâm ash-Shâfi'î said to one of his students: "Do not speak about things that do not concern you, for indeed, every time that you speak a word, it takes control of you and you do not have control of it!"

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"…It is unimaginably different, and unimaginable, eternal bliss. Worry about getting there: then, you'll have no worries…" [Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (may Allah increase him) giving a description of happiness in Jannah in a QnA on SunniPath]

__________________________________

Heres a beautiful story that Mawlana Ar-Rumi tells :
Once a man was making duaa and he was doing ill-hah, like begging Allah. A
cynic passed by and he said to him, "how long have you been asking?"
The man replied, "for many many years."
"have you recieved an answer yet?"
The man replied, "no."
"Then why are you still asking?"
Then Rumi said, the man fell into a confused sleep-because the cynic had put
shak (doubt) in his heart. Then the man said in his sleep he had seen
Al-Khidr, and Al-Khidr said, "why did you leave your supplication?"
he said, "because i realized i had been doing it all these years and i never
got the answer."
and Al-Khidr said, "dont you realize? the supplication was the answer."
_____________________________
For more quotes visit Drops of Wisdom

RIS EVENT: Islam and the Environment

Alhamdulillah, quite excited about this upcoming event inshahAllah! :-D

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The youth organizers of the largest Muslim gathering in Canada, RIS Convention, are organizing a public lecture entitled "Faith and the Environment" on May 17, 2008. The lecture will be held at the Medical Sciences Building at University of Toronto (St. George Campus) from 6PM - 9PM. This lecture is part of RIS's Revival Series that is committed to engage its participants with relevant and challenging issues facing us in Canada.

Environment has been a focus of our discussion in Canada for last many years but has taken a main stage over the recent past due to alarming signs of Global Warming and Natural Disasters. The theme of the event is chosen to reach out to a diverse audience, including the religious community, to educate people on the importance of preserving our environment and providing awareness of how religion, and more specifically Islam, promotes this concept.

The evening panel will include distinguished speakers Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Mr. Hakim Archuletta. Both speakers have been chosen based on their expertise on this subject. Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr ((http://www.nasrfoundation.org/bios.html) is a professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University and one of the leading experts on Islamic science and spirituality. Mr. Hakim Archuletta (http://www.hakimarchuletta.com/biography.html) is an expert in homeopathic medicine and has worked within the healing arts profession for over 30 years.


Public Lecture information

Venue:
Medical Sciences Building
McLeod Auditorium - University of Toronto
St George Campus
Toronto, Ontario

6:00PM TO 9:00PM
May 17, 2008

Registration: $10 per person for the public lecture

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One Day Intensive Program information

Venue:
Living Arts Centre
Mississauga, Ontario

10:00AM TO 4:00PM
May 17, 2008

Registration: $15 per person for the one day intensive program


We invite you to take part in these unique programs and help spread information about it to friends and family. Details are attached and are also available on our website www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com

Please feel free to contact us at revivalseries@revivingtheislamicspirit.com for further assistance. We look forward to seeing you at these programs.

To register and for more information please visit:
www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com

There are limited seats for these events, so please register at your earliest convenience.

Habib Ali's analogy on Rizq

Taken from Habib Ali's transcribed lectures ( in the book " Wayfarers to God"). On Page 133 of this wonderful book, he describes rizq with an analogy:

Allah has given us a task and He is aware of our needs. Can you imagine Allah Jalla Jalalahu entrusting us with a task whilst neglecting to guarantee our sustenance?If someone were to represent a company or an institution- a big company in the eyes of the people of the world-in his own country and abroad-in order to conclude a business deal, to make a bid, or for research purposes, would the representative bear the burden of the expense? No, because he is confident that his large, wealthy company-in his eyes-will provide him with a ticket, living expenses, travelling expenses and will also reimburse him for his entire journey. He will travel with very little worry about expenses because he is confident that his company, as long as it has contracted him to do this task, is duty-bound to fulfil his needs. SubhanAllah ( Glory be to Allah), such is our certainty in creation- who have no ability whatsoever to benefit themselves, or to keep harm at bay- such is the strength of certainty in our hearts that no room is left to worry about expenses. This is because a component, able company has given us a task. What then, do you think of an Able Lord possessed of Absolute Ability? The Sublime Jala Jalalahu, Who gave us tasks in our life? Can you imagine Him setting us a task whilst failing to supply the necessary resources? It is incumbent upon you to have this understanding, as opposed to such fear of poverty enters your heart, or doubt in Allah's promise of rizq.

Amazing! isn't it?

If possible, we should try to take the Habib Ali courses being offered on SunniPath, which are based on Habib Ali's recorded talks, ably supplemented ( in live sessions) by his student Shaykh Abdul Karim Yahya. The courses are being offered this summer ( staring June 3, 2008):

Journey to Allah Part 1
Journey to Allah Part 2

Seeking Perfection

The following post has been written by a person full of imperfections.

Perfection is very attractive. We like to seek perfection in others. Many have sought perfection in people, only to be let down later. The problem is not with the individual whom perfection was sought from, but the problem is the the one who sought perfection. If we think that people we like or look up to, will be perfect, then we should stop ourselves right there-- and check.

The first check would be to look at the mirror and see if we are perfect ourselves. The answer is almost certainly n0. We make mistakes. We have imperfections. We slip. We fall. How can we then expect perfection from others, no matter where we think they stand or where we think they should stand.

So should we seek perfection form ourselves.?Perhaps we should. We should hold ourselves against the highest standards (i.e. the Sunnah). But again we should not be down and self defacing when mistakes happen. We fall, we learn, get up again and keep walking the straight path.

We see some people who are very negative about others are also negative and self defacing about themselves when they make mistakes. So there is a balance. Hold yourself to a higher standard. But don;t despair when you fall cause there has to be some good in it. As Shaykh Faraz says on SunniPath:

When He gives us blessings, our duty is to be grateful to Him.

When He sends us hardships, our duty is to be patient.

When He tries us with sin, our duty is to repent.

When He gifts us with acts of good, our duty is to thank Him.

Expect nothing from others. If you can help them raise their standard then do something, otherwise keep doing what your doing and work on yourself to raise yourself ( in the sight of Allah, not of others)

The Islamic concept of Tawba is beautiful in that sense since it acknowledges the possibility of a mistake and gives us a means of returning to the One who matters. The One who is the One who is actually perfect.

Allah.

Shaykh Faraz Halaqa

For those of you around Toronto:

Living the Light;Understanding the Qur'an & Sunna

With Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Wednesdays 7PM

Shalimar Community Center -3024 Cedarglen Gate

(Dundas just East of Erindale Station Rd. Mississauga)

Topics being covered : (1) Understanding the Qur'an: Tafseer ; and (2) Understanding the Prophetic Example: Commentary on Nawawi's Gardens of the Righteous


All welcome.

Monthly fees: $20 (Individuals); $40 (Family)

(No one will be turned away due to lack of funds)

Handout provided upon registration.

For details & directions email: rabbanihalaqa@gmail.com

Directions: Go North on Cedarglen Gate from Dundas. Take immediate left. Drive to end of lane. You'll end up in an open-air parking lot. The Shalimar Community Center is straight ahead. Cedarglen Gate is West of Mavis, just East of Erindale Station Rd.

Shaykh Zahir's zero second Adab Class

At a program this weekend, Sh Zahir was scheduled for a class on "Adab". However due to circumstances he could not hold the class in the morning and instead had a class in the afternoon. So anyways, at the start of his afternoon class, he said, that even though the class this morning was canceled, there was an adab class that happened in his absentia. . He said that when he did not show up in the morning we should have been:

1. Patient.
   
2. Assume only the good about the Shaykh in his absence.
3. All of us should have made dua for his health/safety/etc.

And all said and done, he said, now that he had showed up and we know that he is okay: we learned that: collective duas are answered! He said thats the best adab class you'll get. :-)

Alhamdulillah he did go on to cover a part of Imam Haddad's "Good Manners" text :) in the afternoon.

May Allah SWT preserve our Shuyukh! ( and their good humor!)

5 years of SunniPath

My reflections on SunniPath's role in my life are posted here.

SunniPath has been a cornerstone of my life since 2004 with it’s Q & A service and it’s online Academy....................READ MORE HERE

Shaykh Faraz: Ibn Rajab on what made Prophet's (peace and blessings upon Him) character great

In this lecture titled " Being a Real Man" ( from the Radical Middle Way website) Shaykh Faraz quotes Ibn Rajab on what made the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon Him) character great. Ibn Rajab listed five matters and said that the Prophet's ( peace and blessings upon Him) character was great because he:

1. Full filed the rights of others
   
2. Avoided harming people
3. Acted with people with excellence (i.e. positive, cheerful and with full attention yet was firm as and when required)
   
4. Responded to good of others with the good or that which was better (while also appreciating the good others did)
5. Responded to wrong of others with nothing but the good. (Shaykh Faraz said this is the most difficult of the five).
   

May we gain the desire of learning and implementing the above. Allahumma Ameen.

Salawat on Him ( peace and blesssings upon Him).

Din reads: Nutrition Action Newsletter

I recently heard Sh Nuh recommend this newsletter ( called Nutrition Action) in one of his talks. Having browsed though their website, I found many useful articles. You can access the site here. The selective archives are at this link.

The articles I have really liked to date are:

• You Are What You Drink-Editorial by Michael Jacobson
• Lost in Translation --Special Feature ( eating real vegetables/fruits instead of juices, etc.)
  
• Ten best and worst foods

You can subscribe to the magazine through this link

From "Who" to "What"

For every task we do in our lives there is usually a "who" to it and a "what" to it.

When one assigns tasks in a team we should make sure that the person "who" is assigned with a task is capable of doing "what" he or she is supposed to do. Many a times half way through a task the focus of people can become "who" should have done it rathar then "what" we are doing as a team. While the "who" is important to define, one shouldn't be caught up in it so much so that one is distracted from "what" one is doing as a team or an individual. The best teams I have worked in are ones where when the"who" disappears the "what" still gets done. At the end of the day you do want the people "who" could have done better to learn, but one shouldn't make them look bad or embarrass them but instead help them so the "what" can be done and perhaps if required, someone ( suitable) could sit with the "who" later to tell them "what" they should/could have done.

Another connection between the "who" and "what" is that one does "what" one is doing based on "who" else is doing it. So when the "who" else disappears, the "what" one is doing also dissipates. So the motivation in that task was really "who" and not something higher or noble.

At the end of the day, "who" should we be doing "what" for?

Allah.

Iqbal: Sitaroon sey agay jahan Aur bhee hain ( Beyond the stars, there are yet other worlds)

A very uplifting "ghazal" written by Allama Iqbal ( translation is below)

The original is on this website. And here is the translation:

Beyond the stars are yet other worlds:

There are yet more trials of love ahead!

These extensive vistas do not exist in the void of lower life:

There are hundreds of other caravans here!

Do not be content with this world of colour and scent:

There are yet other gardens; other nests!

Why grieve if this one nest be lost?

There are yet more places for clamor and complaint!

You are the royal falcon; soaring is your pursuit:

Before you are yet other firmaments (to soar up to)!

Do not lose yourself by being enmeshed in this day and night (i.e. in serial time):

You have yet another Time (as pure Duration) and yet other spaces (to conquer)!

The days are gone when I was alone in thin gathering:

Now here I have confidants as well!

Back on the Road: Lessons from the Road Part 2

Sh Abdul Hakim Murad says: " The companion before the road, and the road before the destination. But without the destination there is no road, and without the road there is no companion."

I continue my series "Lessons from the road" Life goes on and the wheels of my car keep turning. And so I keep reflecting on how/what I can learn about life from driving.

The best car

The best car isn't the one which is the most expensive. The best car isnt the one which is most economical. Those may be factors to consider but no matter what one drives, the judgement of how good the car is has to be based on where it is going. The best places that you an go to locally on a regular basis is the local masjid. Where are you headed in your life? If your on the highway and someone asked you where you were going, what would you say. " I don't know" or say"just to the next exit and then I'll see". No! Typically you would know where your going.

Other lane better?

Many times one ends up in the wrong lane. Such that the lane slows down to a standstill, such that one feels that one couldn't have made a worse decision in one's lane-choice. While one may learn from the decision ( and may choose differently if given same circumstances in the future), one should not regret being in the lane one is in because Allah has placed you there and that was meant to be. What hit could not have missed and what missed could not have hit.

Give room for mistake

We can get too close to cars ahead of us, such that we don't give the person ahead of us a chance to make a mistake. And if h/she does make a mistake then you both may get harmed. Always give those around you, some room for mistakes....

Generalize

Sometimes we see a person ahead of us make a mistake. When and if we get a chance most of us like to see who the driver was. And if it's a woman. We might say "oh women". If its a youngster then " oh these kids". if its a a certain race then we may say " oh that race" I think we should be deeper then that and judge a group of people on more then just one incident.

What can you drive

A person with a normal license cannot drive a truck without training. One needs to know that one needs training and also to know whom one can learn form. No matter what the topic is, one has to learn from one's teachers.

Needs and aims

If your planning a long road trip you need to know what you need ( how much gas, money, food, time) to get where your going. One needs to know what one needs to get to where one wants to be.

Indicators

If a person in front of us has a left indicator on but does not turn, would you trust them the next time, if they have the same indicator on? If someone indicates something by words but does not practice through deed, how much would you trust them? Can others trust you?

Sabar in traffic jam

You need patience in a traffic jam. You cant force the issue. Again your stuck where your stuck because that was meant to be. now deal with it ( legally). Don't start reversing the car on the shoulder or doing something silly. Same thing in life. Do the best you an but if you get stuck don't start doing something atrocious to get out!

Compete if someone goes ahead of you

Sometimes we pass people on the highway and they increase their speed as you pass them because they don't want to be slower than you. I guess in life, it depends on what your competing for and who you are competing with. Some things are worth competing for and there are others which are not. Make your own call.

Big picture

In the same token, if someone wants to pass you because they want to go faster then you let it be. If its a 2 hour journey, getting there 5 minutes late is not worth your life. Or is it? Keep the big picture in mind so you don't get distracted by things that may not matter.

Leave at right time so get there on right time

If you want to get somewhere at the right time then you have to leave at the right time. So to archive your goal of punctuality you need to seek the means of punctuality.

Long journey more provisions

You need more provisions on a longer journey so you don't run out of gas, food, etc. on the way. You need to plan your journey according to it's length.

Best way middle way

On a 3 lane highway, I always find the middle lane the most balanced. One can increase one speed or exit though lanes on either side and one is probably safer too because one avoids the highway entering and highway speeding cars. Islam is the middle way...

When lanes merge make room

Give way to others when 2 lanes are busy and they are merging into one. One leaves one's immediate/personal benefit to let the other through, to keep the traffic flow going. Live and let live.

Decisions you make

At the end of the day, its your car and the decisions you make while driving not only affect you, but also have impact on those around you on the road. Are you willing to face the consequences and responsibility that your decisions entail?

The signs are not the destination

The highway is full of signposts but would we get anywhere if we got hung up on these signposts? The signs of Allah in this world point us to him. Us getting distracted by the signs ( such that we only seek the signs in themselves), is a matter of grave concern.

Ready for the bad times.

You should have a spare tire in your car because, even if you think its unlikely you might get a flat tire. In the same way we should have a reasonable plan for things when they don't go according to plan.

Till it's gone

Have you woken up in the morning, having planned your day, gone to the car and found that it doesn't start. Its only then that you realize what you took for granted. It only then that you realize what you weren't thankful. We should be thankful to Allah and the people around us for what we have because before you know it, it may be gone to never to return. If there is ( next worldly) good in things around us, then we should strive for them.

The colors of life....

For those who have experienced watching Black and White TV know that color on TV makes the image much closer to reality.

Just like that in our own lives, treating people and situations in different colors makes it easier and better for everyone involved. The problem is that life isnt simple. Life is not always like math, where if its not A, it has to B. Its not that someone can only be totally good or totally bad. The irony of this is that we like to be judged as per our own realities ( in color) but like to simplify our judgments when it comes to other people are around us ( black or white?).

We see the colors we look for in another. If you look for black and white, you will find those ,but if you look for other colors you will see those in others. The colors you see might not be perfect but who said everyone has to perfect. Plus perfection is subjective. Sometimes we build our images of what good is ,or, that good is supposed to be how we are and anything different is bad.

I think its the nature of society today that we are so busy with ourselves that we don't always have time to judge others properly. What may make the problem worse is that we don't admit that we don't know enough about a person ( or the situation) to form a proper opinion.

Last but not least we should see and seek good in others around us. If you look for good in a person, you will find it. If you look or bad in a person, you will find it. It is pertinent that we focus on the good and always start with the good( even if you criticize someone).

The strength of Prophet Muhammad ( peace and blessings be upon him) was exactly in this. He always saw good in the people around him and we can see the affect he had on the sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them). He was a mercy to mankind and we should have mercy towards those around us.I will end with his ( peace and blessings be upon him) words:

635. 'A'isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whenever kindness is in a thing it adorns it, and whenever it is removed from anything, it disfigures it." [Muslim]

Turning to the Prophet ( peace and blessings upon him)

Havent had the best of days lately. Alhamdaulillah, however, over the last couple of days Allah paved a way for me towards the learning/thinking of the sunnah whenever I felt sad. One thinks of all the difficulties one has and compares it to the challenges that the Prophet ( peace and blessings upon him) faced in his daily life. There really is no comparison. How did he deal with his challenges?

He did not complain at all and his character towards those around him did not change---in good or bad times. For example:

636. Abu Hurayra said, "A bedouin urinated in the mosque. The people moved towards him and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Let him be and pour a bucket or pail of water onto his urine. You were sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult.'" [al-Bukhari]

Imagine what we would do if someone started doing that in the masjid today?

And another example:

606. Al-Aswad ibn Yazid said, "I asked 'A'isha, 'What did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do in his house?' She said, 'He would serve his family. When it was time for the prayer, he would go out to the prayer." [al-Bukhari]

How are helpful we in our houses? And are we busy as the Prophet ( peace and blessings upon him) was?

In difficult times, one of the best things one can do is to send salawat upon the Prophet ( peace and blessings be upon him). One can read about his seerah. One can read his sayings. One can read/listen/watch lessons on his life/character. All of the above truly humbles one into being thankful for what one has and shameful for being sad despite all the blessings.

May we all strive the best we can to achieve noble goals through noble means (i.e. sunnah) with noble intentions. And may we not lose hope when we think we have failed. The best of hopes is in Allah SWT and it is he who grants/judges sucess and failure. Our job is to strive (our best) and the results are in his hands!

Practical Adab

Perhaps the best 8 minutes I have spent this year was watching this interview of Sh Naquib Al Attas where he defines Wisdom, Adab and Knowledge:

Wisdom is knowledge of the proper places for things; and adab is conformity with that knowledge.

Amazing isnt it? Before listening to this, adab to me meant being "nice". But based on this definition I think you can say that you can be nice and yet have no adab; and vice versa.

So a fake smile to someone, when you dont feel that way is not proper adab. To say what others like to hear from you, when you dont really mean it is not proper adab. To not take the proper means to achive something is not proper adab. To say the right things at the wrong place and right things at the wrong time is not proper adab. To be in prayer and not really being attentive is not proper adab. To have clutter all over the house when there are places assigned for those things is not proper adab. To be driving, changing lanes and cutting someone else off is not proper adab bcause at that moment the proper place for you was your own lane. To know that you have sinned and not make repentance is not proper adab. To promise something and not fulfil it is not proper adab. To promise that one will be at a certain place at certain time and not be there is not proper adab. To not lower your gaze when you should is not proper adab. To let others harm your next worldly interests is not proper adab....

To learn proper wisdom, knowledge and adab, you have to read about and learn from one example: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). May Allah grant us all proper adab.

Dua (Sh Abdul Aziz on Deenport)

A cool document from Deenport, authored by Sh Abdul Aziz Ahmad:

My favorite part from it:

Certainty that the prayer will be answered
One should pray with attention and certainty in your heart that Allah – Exalted be He - will answer you supplication. The Messenger, upon him be peace said:

"ادْعُوا اللَّهَ وَأنْتُمْ مُوقِنُونَ بالإِجابَةِ، وَاعْلَمُوا أنَّ اللَّه تَعالى لا يَسْتَجِيبُ دُعاءَ مِنْ قَلْبٍ غافِ لٍ
لاهٍ"
Call on Allah with certainty of an answer and know that Allah the Exalted will not answer the supplication from a heart that is inattentive and oblivious.
(al-Tirmidhi on the authority of Abu Huraira)

Islamica: 4 Keys to Success

I have posted this before but this is something that myself and others need to be reminded of. An article by Sh Faraz on 4 Keys to Success:

Guaranteeing Success by “True” Conditions

by FARAZ RABBANI

The idea of striving for success is a central theme of both the Qur'an and Prophetic teachings. It is something ultimately sought by every human. But how is success achieved?

Shaykh al-Islam Shabbir Usmani, one of the great Muslim scholars of the 20th century and a leading voice in the Independence Movement in the Indian subcontinent, said we can understand from the Qur'an and Prophetic teachings that, if the following four conditions are present, success is guaranteed.

The Four Keys

1) One’s intention must be true;
2) One’s goal must be true;
3) The means one takes must be true; and
4) The way one takes the means must be true

How are these four conditions made “true”?

READ ON TO FIND OUT

What is my state: solid , liquid or gas?

Anyone who has taken basic chemistry knows that there are three basic states substances exist in : solid, liquid and gas.

I was wondering the other day that if I ever had the choice would I want to be like be? Solid? Liquid? or Gas?

A solid is very concrete, however it cannot take the shape of the container it is put in. It may break if you put too much pressure on it. It is basically very stubborn and unable to qucikly adjust to varying conditions.

A gas on the other hand is too fluffy and might just flow away without anyone even noticing. In fact a gas may harm others without them knowing it. SOme gases might not do anyuthing for a long time but might explode all of a sudden if you put a mtch in them.

As for liquid:it flows. Flows towards it's goal if you give it the right slope. It can also flow around obstacles. It can adjust to varying conditions. It can turn into gas and solid if conditions require it to be and can be a liquid again at room temperature. It can react with liquids and gases as required. It can acquire a lot of good substances and yet still retain it's essence.

Needless to say-I would choose to be a liquid............

Benefits of a emotionally stable Begum

A guy at my masjid usually tells me "No wife, no life".I guess it is sort of scientifically proven now!

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Whether a man is recovering from cancer or helping his spouse to deal with cancer, how his wife is coping emotionally will play a key role in his physical health, a new American Cancer Society (ACS)-funded study shows.

"Regardless of your status as a caregiver or a cancer patient, gender matters," the study's first author, Dr. Youngmee Kim of the ACS's Behavioral Research Center in Atlanta, told Reuters Health.......................

.............................................Women tend to have friends beyond their husband, whom they can rely on for emotional help, but a man's spouse may be his sole emotional resource. "If their wives are psychologically distressed, that means their wives are not emotionally available," she added.

READ ALL

Organically Halal in Mississauga

A local brother ( BlossomPure) sells halal organic meat in Mississauga. He actually has contacts with local farms where one of his workers goes and slaughters the animals himself.

I bought the meat couple of months ago and found the brother to be very helpful. The meat quality/cutting and packaging were also well done. The taste of pure organic meat is memorbale and delicious. I highly reccomend the shop and it's products. Some articles on Organic/Halal food:

10 Reasons to go Organic - by Ysanne Spevack.

Excerpts from the Islamic Teachings on Animal Welfare - a PDF file written by Al Hafiz B. A. Masri.

Fatwa on Stunning Animals - a range of fatwa from scholars on the topic of stunning animals before slaughter.

Five Reasons to Buy Organic Food - by Stephen White.

Hamza Yusuf: Consumption of Meat - quotes from Sheikh Hamza's talk "The Science of Shariah".

Organic Food - by Marius Bezuidenhout.

Stunning Animals: Halal or Haram? - a logical and legal enquiry into the issue of stunning animals.

The Conditions and Actions of Halal Slaughter - what makes meat halal?

The Demand for Organic Milk - by Kiran Patil.

The Forgotten Sunnah: Compassion to Animals - hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) on showing kindness to animals.

The Increase in Online Organic Food Services - by Mark Marris.

Why is Organic so Expensive? - understanding the time and effort that goes into quality animals.

Why I Stopped Eating Halal Meat - by Muhammad Ridha Payne

Why go Organic? - the health benefits of eating organic meat, fruit and vegetables.

Consider an Organic Lifestyle - what is involved in an organic lifestyle?

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New Sh Faraz videos on Radical Middle Way Website

Click here to watch

The value of...

I have been thinking about how we value different things. How we prioritize these things, determines how we act towards the object/person we value.

The value of your gaze is reduced when you use it for something that it should not be used for. The value of your job should ideally be less than the value of your relationships with your family. The value of people from whom you gain beneficial knowledge should be higher then others. The value of acting on the knowledge you gain should be higher then the knowledge itself. The value of giving something should be higher then gaining something because in the end giving will result in more gaining ( even if we don't know it). The value of your friends should not be based on what they have but rathar on what they are (internally). The value of something good is lost if it is not used in a good way (i.e. with proper adab). The value of a a car is not how it looks but on where it is going (masjid?). The value of your marriage is higher when you use it as a means rather then as an end. The value of what you preach is higher, when you say what you mean, and mean what you say-when you do what you say. The value of a smile is the happiness it brings to another's heart. The value of our deeds is only as good as what we intend. The value of intellect is reduced if we use it on useless things.

The value of what we should value is determined by knowledge. The most valuable of knowledge is knowledge of deen (our beliefs, sunnah, etc).

And why should we value everything we value? For the pleasure of Allah.

Salikah: Branch 6 - Belief in the Last Day & the Hereafter

Salikah on the 77 branches event last weekend.

Bismillah. AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,Alhamdulillah, The Razi Institute's 77 Branches of Faith program held this past weekend at the University of Toronto was wonderful -- insha'Allah, some of you also attended. The Shuyukh all compliment each other very well -- Sh. Talal, Sh. Ramzy, Sh. Faraz, Sh. Jamal, Shaykh Zahir and his wife, Ustadha Saima...the dynamic between them all was one of wonderful reverence and utmost love for one another, with a shared concern for the ummah. READ ON

Mulla Nasirudin joke: The pot

A funny joke with a message.

The Pot

Nasrudin borrowed a pot from his friend. The next day, he gave the pot back to the friend, and also gave him another smaller pot. The friend looked at the small pot, and said, “What is that?”

“Your pot gave birth while I had it,” Nasrudin replied, “so I am giving you its child.”

The friend was glad to receive the bonus, and didn’t ask any more questions.

A week later, Nasrudin borrowed the original pot from the friend. After a week passed, the friend asked Nasrudin to return it.

“I cannot,” Nasrudin said.

“Why not?” the friend replied.

“Well,” Nasrudin answered, “I hate to be the bearer of bad news…but your pot has died.”

“What?” the friend asked with skepticism. “A pot cannot die!”

“You believed it gave birth,” Nasrudin said, “so is why is it that you cannot believe it has died.”

i.e. we are happy to "gain" benefit from others without thinking about it, but think a lot more when we "give".

14 to 16 March: Living the 77 Branches of Faith

Upcoming Weekend Event

Dish washing and the heart

You would think there is no connection between dish washing and the heart but I think there is.

Most people do wash dishes at home. You know that the longer you leave the dishes in the sink the harder the stains are to remove. And if you leave them even longer they may become permanent. We need to wash these dishes soon after they become dirty, otherwise it has bad affect on the dish. If you really care about the dish and it is precious to you then you should wash it soon

In the same way, we need to reflect regularly ( every night?) and try to forgive anybody who (we think) has wronged us.

As the hadith goes:

The Messenger a of Allah was seated in a gathering with the Sahabah when he looked towards the entrance and said, “A man of Paradise is coming.” At that instance someone who seemed to be very ordinary entered the mosque where they were seated. A Sahabi was curious as to why the Prophet said this, so he followed the man to his house. This Sahabi told the man that he was a traveler and stayed as a guest. For three days the Sahabi saw nothing unusual, so he finally told the man what the Prophet had said and asked him what was so special. The man thought for a long time and said, “There might be one thing – before going to sleep every night I forgive everyone and sleep with a clean heart.”

Abdul Hakim Murad: Qualities in prospective spouse

Sh Abdul Hakim Murad in his CD set "Remembrance of the Hereafter and the Afterlife" was asked about what qualities one should seek in a prospective spouse:

"I think to some extent that depends on the individual. Different people need different kinds of spouses. In terms of generalization, one should look for someone who expects to be judged on the basis of what they mean, rather then what they do. That is to say somebody for whom the outward practices are present and adhered to punctiliously. But for whom religion is really a matter of becoming better.

For many of us now these days, we are so much occupied with being right that we don't have time for God any longer, thats typical of the kind of decadent inversion that I have been describing. If religion in internalized and becomes a matter of the heart, we are going to possessed of those virtues that are going to make a successful marriage and will turn someone into a delightful partner because in marriage you need sabar, you need rida, you need Ithaar ( that is to say putting some body else before yourself)-you need all of the quranic virtues. And those only come naturally (and hence will be present at times of crisis and difficulty rathar than at times of ease and convenience), if one has made substantial progress in the process if tazkiya.

So one should be looking for a spiritual person as well as the more obvious things---somebody who is attractive. if its a husband, somebody who has good prospects-somebody who ideally shares one's native language because nowadays there are so many pressures on relationships that the added complication of subtle misunderstandings due to not having the same native language is something one has to be very wary of. The parents should ideally be keen on the match as well. Its a very regrettable sort of marriage that can only take place when one implictly burdens oneself with the sin of disobeying one's parents."

All Things Pakistani: The menace of dowry

A good exposition on the cultural practice of dowry in Pakistan. Reminds me of a contention by Sh. Abdul Hakim Murad: "Marriage: pay and display? Or the primacy of privacy?".

I wonder what the historic roots of dowry in India are? Anyways do read this article:

Among the many things that need to be revamped in the mainstream Pakistani society dowry would probably be one of the major ones. Sure no harm in giving the bride gifts on her wedding for her home and personal use but with the growing number of girls start staying unmarried simply because the parents don’t have the money to meet the ‘demands’ of the groom’s family, then it is a quandary that needs to be looked into. READ ON

the best job

...the best job is one you enjoy doing while your at work, but forget about when your at home...

Stepping into the next row

Many of us ( muslims) have expirience of praying in congrogation. When everyone stands up (during iqamah) and space comes available in the next row, what do you do?I look left and right for 2 seconds and step right in. Why?

Well Why should I be shy? There is more reward ( Inshahallah) in standing in the first most rows then in the back rows. I remember respected Egyptian bhai in school telling us the same thing. When space becomes available in the row in front of you, why do you ask others to to step in, step in yourself.

And that I think is life. When a way or space becomes available in front of you, you step right into it. You should be aware of anybody else stepping in at the same time and you stepping on their toes. That doesnt mean you ask them to do it. You " do it", you dont just "watch" and hope or ask to see if someone else will "do it".

Abdul Hakim Murad illustrates this in one of his "contentions"

"Your career should be like prayer in congregation: if a space opens before you, step into it."

This goes beyond career ( in my opinion). Whenever Allah provides you a halal opening, you should walk right into it inshahallah ( while making dua and doing it with right goals/intentions and doing it in the right way).

I will end with the beautiful words of the Prophet ( peace and blessigs upon him-read durood sharif):

Be avid for that which benefits you. Rely on Allah and do not deem yourself incapable…”[Muslim 4816, Ibn Majah 76, Ahmad 8436]

Sh Faraz in Islamica: The Loss of Mercy — And Where To Find It

A must read ( short) article on mercy by Sh Faraz published in Islamica:

Through the Prophet's character and behavior
true gentleness and mercy can be seen manifest in action

by FARAZ RABBANI

Sectarian bloodbaths in Iraq ... suicide bombers blowing themselves up in parking lots of hotels, taking innocent lives...female madrassah students in Islamabad waving cane sticks at shopkeepers and vendors ... people being turned away from Islam from the harshness of many of those deemed "religious" ...

There is a loss of mercy and gentleness around. Yet we see anger and harshness abound, and one wonders what has gone wrong.

In reality, Divine guidance and Prophetic teachings are nothing but a manifestation of mercy-and any understanding of religion lacking in mercy is lacking in true understanding.

Our problem is that we fail to act on the implications of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) having been, "sent only as a mercy to all creation." [Qur'an, 21.107] The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself emphasized that, "I was only sent as a gift of Mercy." [Bazzar and Tabarani, from Abu Hurayra; sound] READ ON!

For the South Asian food eaters

The Toronto Star has an interesting series on "south asian" (aka desi) food. It talks about the nuritional value and so on. I think nutrition-wise our south asian communities ( muslims and non muslims) are very uneducated:

Paresh Patel never thought about the food he was eating until he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes this summer.

Since then, Patel (not his real name) and his family have made big changes in their diet - cutting back on sweets, eating less rice, choosing whole-grain options - while still enjoying their favourite desi food.

"South Asians are very fond of sweets and fried foods," says Patel, 42, whose name has been changed because his family wants to protect their privacy over his diagnosis. (READ ON]

Some more articles in the Toronto Star as well:

Strategies to cut diabetes risk

Revising the classics

Advice to take to heart

Northern Food Guide (PDF)

Southern Food Guide (PDF)

Beauty?

A fellow blogger Asma bajee posted a rhetorical question asking about beauty. I made some comments on her blog and have posted them here.

The the meaning of beauty is subjective and depends on who you ask and how they (”they” being those whom you ask) define it may sway you on whether you even want to be accepted by them or not. You don't even need to ask directly. You can know how they define beauty by observing how they interact with those around them.

Beauty for sure is deeper than the skin. However internal beauty is enhanced by outward beauty (but NOT vice versa). Outward beauty is not limited to how one looks but also on how one carries themselves i.e. the body language, the tone of the voice, etc.

We all love beautiful people who keep a cheerful face and talking to them makes us positive about life( and it's issues). Someone may look good but how they interact with you might make those "good looks" lose their light. We also love beautiful older people who have a youthful radiance on their face.

Essentially the expression of the inward beauty is through aspects of outward beauty or real beauty is inward beauty and outward beauty is only a means of expression of the inward beauty.

The best way to increase our beauty is by following the sunnah as a means to please Allah (SWT).

Sea, ocean, overlooking faults and the Prophet (peace be upon him)

Was at the masjid last night and one of the attendees was giving advice to a few of us. He was talking about forgiving others and overlooking their faults. He said our hearts should be like the sea unaffected by the little pieces of garbage that others might throw at us. The sea is so huge that one little piece of garbage does not affect it.

This reminded me of Habib Umer's counsel in the " Good Character" SunniPath course where he said we should strive for noble character. He said the noblest of characters was that of the Prophet ( peace be upon him) and his character was like the ocean. You stand at it's shore and you cannot see the other shore of it-such were his qualities.

May Allah make us of those who strive to learn and follow the prophet's ( peace be upon him) character.

Punjabi Wise Saying 6

Ik dar band tey sau dar khuley
If one door closes, dont be desperate, a hundred doors are open for you

So if there is something you seek then dont worry if it doesnt happen the way you want it to happen ( or when you want it to happen or it seems as if you are failing). Because the closure of one door means that there are other may have opened now.

In the end, if we have patiently preservered in a matter by taking effective means ( in an effective way), then we should know that the result is the the hands of Allah. The hopes we have should not be in the means but should be in Allah and know that the best of means is dua. The following ayah is quite fitting here:

"So with distress there is relief, Indeed , relief comes with distress. So when you are done still be prepared and direct your request to your Lord" (94:5-8 Trans: Cleary)

On "Love"

From a discussion on DP where I said:

I think when one loves someone for the sake of Allah, it is easier to be selfless and make the sacrifices that a relationship ( which could be with parents, relatives, friends or spouse) requires.

So loving someone would a means to getting closer to Allah and not an end in itself.

While emotions are inevitably part of love, the emotion behind one's intention and goal to please Allah through this love should be prioritized over the emotional feelings for the person we love.

May we love His creatures for His sake and seek everything for Him and from Him.

And then quoted Sh Faraz who said in Lesson 3a of SunniPath's Introduction to Worship ( Hanafi):

"We don't love the Ka'aba for itself.

Its like Majnun said when he was asked why would he go the neighborhood of his beloved Layla. Majnun was commonly known because he was madly in love. He would go and press his body against the walls of Layla's neighborhood and kiss the walls of her neighborhood. Oh Majnun (mad one), what are you doing? Majnun replied ' I pass by the houses, the houses of Layla-I kiss this wall and kiss that wall. it is not the love of walls that has taken my heart but rather the love of the one who dwelves within.'

Allah does not not dwelve within Ka'aba but he has made it a sign that we direct ourselves to. We love the Ka'aba and love all things which have some ascription to Allah SWT. Why do we love the messenger ( peace be upon him)? He is the Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him). Why do we love the Quran? It is the book of Allah. Why do we love the righteous? Because they are the ons who have directed themselves to Allah. Why do we respect the books of knowledge? Because they contain knowledge of the guidance of Allah. Why do we honor believers? Because they believe in Allah. Why do we treat all of the creation of Allah with respect? Because it is the creation of Allah. This is the way of the servants of the Merciful . May Allah make us of them."

Changethis: Humanize it

A great document on customer service from Changethis called "Humanize it". It really narrows down how we should treat our clients> While the document is talking about client service, I will argue you can apply the same pricniples to your social life/marriage/etc. Our entire lives are consisting of give and take relationships and if we do look at our social contacts as clients then we would probably use the same principles. Islamically, your relatives, friends, neighbors would all be your clients and your payments would not be expected this world but in the hereafter, so you would treat them well for the sake of Allah.

My favorite part in the document is:

Principle 2. To assist an upset customer,
transform yourself into Leonardo’s Itali an Mama:
“Oh my darling, look at what happened. Oh you skinned your knee on that walkway,
my little bambino; do let me kiss your ouchie.* Let’s watch a little TV.
Oh, and here’s some ice cream for you while I disinfect that awful wound!”

The reaction to complaints in conventional companies is nothing like that.

It’s: “Let’s sort out the facts of the situation. What was the angle of the cement sidewalk at time of impact, and were you wearing proper protective clothing per the user’s manual at the time your knee impacted the walkway?”

And:
“Were you exceeding the sidewalk speed limit?”

Read full document here.

Koonj: Divorcee

A must read poem by Bajee Koonj for people wanting to understanding the situation of women in Pakistan. While, one would like to think that these problems are limited to the poor uneducated classes of Pakistan, that is totally not the case. The expectations placed on the shoulders of women in most cases ( specially after marriage) there are idealistic and unrealistic. Anyways, go ahead and read this poem:

Divorcee

Hi there.
What happened to you?
He broke your heart?
Took you for granted?
Hurt your feelings, left you? Degraded,
dehumanized, derided you?

He treated you like dirt?
What’s new?

It’s your own fault, you know that, right?
Did you provoke him?

read the rest here

Do you want to understand Pakistan?

For those who want to develop a basic understanding about Pakistan in 45 minutes, the following is an excellent 2 part series recorded by Owen Bennett Jones of the BBC> I have the descriptions of the audios followed by the embedded audios themselves.

Pakistan has become the focus of intense global news coverage, since its former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was killed last year.

In this two part series Owen Bennett Jones, who lived in the country as a BBC correspondent, returns to look at the history of a nation where political crisis has become a way of life.

Nuclear armed Pakistan has been described as the most dangerous country on earth: what does its past tell us about its future?

Pakistan was created as a land where Muslims could live in safety.

But when the British split the sub continent in 1947 they left behind a nation that went on to suffer decades of political crises. Last year more than 750 Pakistanis died in suicide bomb attacks.

Why are Islamist radicals targeting fellow Muslims and why do they have any support in Pakistan?

Part One: The Dream Undone

Why have so many of the hopes and aspirations of Pakistan's founders remained unfulfilled?

Owen Bennett- jones discovers a nation split between powerful feudal families, the military elite, a religious establishment and tribal and regional forces.

The many crises that beset Pakistan from partition and independence in 1947 are explored, through the early military dictatorships, the wars with India over Kashmir, regional wars inside the country and the rise and fall of Benazir Bhutto's father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

He begins his story at the spot where Benazir was assassinated in Rawalpindi in December 2007.

In a bizarre twist of fate it was the same place where the country's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was killed 57 years earlier.

In Pakistan, history has tended to repeat itself in a cruel cycle.




Part two: Powers in the Land

Owen Bennett-Jones examines the rise of Islamist militancy in Pakistan, tracing its ascendancy under the devout dictator general Zia ul Haq, the man who overthrew and subsequently hanged Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

General Zia had a great hatred for the Soviet Union and felt threatened by the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.

With the aid of billions of dollars of military aid from Washington, Zia helped to orchestrate the downfall of the Soviets.

But in doing so he unleashed a radical Islamist movement that his successors have been unable to quell.

Owen Bennett Jones follows the failure of successive civilian administrations and the decision of current ruler Pervez Musharraf to align himself with Washington.

Musharraf's siege of Islamabad's Red Mosque in August of last year triggered a wave of suicide attacks.

In the wake of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and with elections slated for 18 February, the country risks being split apart.

Living the 77 Branches of Faith

Aslamaua aliakaum,

ALhamdulillah, "Living the 77 Branches of Faith" is being held from the 14th to 16th of March at University of Toronto ( St. George). The teachers for this program includes local ulema like Sh Ramzi. Sh. Zahir, Sh Faraz, Sh Jamal and Sh Talal all of whom are very learned and respected teachers. I recall the same teachers teaching at a previous event last fall ( Imam Nawawi's 40 hadith) and all of my friends whom I talked to, could not help but be awed by the knowledge (and it's delivery) from these teachers.

I hope to see you there!

Urdu Poetry: Khuda ke bastee: God's Own Land

I just started the english translation of the famous book " Khud kee bastee" ( God's own land). It is a novel about the life of every day people in Pakistan ( it is set in the 1950s but the same issues appear to be relevant today. I will review it once I finish it). Here is some poetry form the book's preface:

Khuda kee basti men khuda ke bandon pey kia guzri
Khuda par yaqin hai lekin khuda kee baste par nahee

God gave us our country, we toil and we plod
We cant trust our land , but we trust in our God

very moving specially for those familiar with the circumstances in which the the poor live in Pakistan ( and in other developing countries).

May Allah make it easy for the poor and May he enable us with the desire and sincerity to help them the best we can.

Sh Faraz Quote: The reality of what we do....

" The reality of what we do is why we are doing it" Shaykh Faraz.

Very profound. Thinking of what we are doing beyond the physical and on an intulectual and spiritual realm is quintessential to adding sincerity to what we are doing. The immediate thing that comes to mind is "intention". While our aim should be that our intention in each and every thing we do is that our actions are for the pleasure of Allah, there may be sub intentions which we might want to ponder about. So for example, you volunteer at an organization. One of your intentions for volunteering could be that you want to seek good company by volunteering. The sub-intention of good company would fall under seeking good company to get closer to Allah SWT.

Anyways please do think about what you are doing and why you are doing. it doesn't take that long, perhaps a few seconds. And if it is a long project that you plan to embark on, then it might be a worthwhile to sit down for longer and to think it through...

MUST WATCH : Story of Stuff (20 minutes well used)

This flash documentary was recommended by Akram's Razor and also by a very good friend. Its 20 minutes but it really drives the message home......i wont say more because you should not read this but instead should go watch it!

http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

PIctures in my cubicle.....

SunniPath Spring term begins!

Aslamaua aliaakum,

SunniPath's Spring 2008 term begins this week. I have been taking these courses for 3 years and alhamdaulillah have benefited from them great deal.

A wonderful online classroom interface helps students interact and learn from the teacher. For most ( if not all) courses there are recorded lessons, live sessions and online forums. The teachers are highly qualified , and at the same time are relevant to the western muslim .

Inshahallah take a look at the course list here and say Bismillah!

P.S. Here is a youtube video about SunniPath.