Random

I realized: It matters little what you believe unless you believe in it fully. Two very differnt cultures in contact generally cause less friction than two similar ones. Fight against injustice and fight for justice are not the same thing.

Read Full Post »

Muharram: A Brief History

It all started with claims of Khilafat (Caliphate). He was ill, and death drew near. When Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked to choose a successor (leader) of the Muslims, he refused. When death took this great soul, Muslims were left leaderless. It is said that at the time when Muhammad died, [...]

Read Full Post »

Please Support Ehdi

I have stumbled upon a great personality, the kind Pakistan badly needs today. Abdus Sattar Ehdi (sometimes Abdul Sattar Ehdi). An ordinary looking bearded old man, he is the founder of Ehdi Foundation, that works for the poor and the deprived. He is said to have literally begged to run his foundation. Now there is [...]

Read Full Post »

Republic Day

Today’s India’s republic day. On this great day, let me talk about a great song written by Muhammad Iqbal. Many Indians, if they knew who wrote it, probably won’t sing it. Even though I feel he wasn’t that bad a guy; dishartened with the Congress’s visibly Hindu agenda, he reacted. He was one of those [...]

Read Full Post »

Not Funny

Coutresy, The Hindu. (Hindu has recently been voted the most unbiased newspaper by the Muslims.) In november I saw that a doctor has been beaten up by the colleagues of an armyman he was treating. I will post the details later, if I can find it. —- UPDATE: The news I was referring to: (translated [...]

Read Full Post »

Iran Awakening

I finished, almost simultaneously with Road to Mecca (because I was reading them in parallel) another book: Iran Awakening, by a renowned activist, journalist and in fact a Nobel Laureate, Shirin Ebadi. She has struck me as a particularly stubborn woman, who is not willing to give up an inch from what she has decided, [...]

Read Full Post »

The Road to Mecca

Born to a Jewish orthodox family, in an Austrian city, Asad’s story of growing up before and after his conversion to Islam is at the same time interesting and illuminating. His brilliant insights here and there on the leafs of his book, The Road to Mecca makes it a wonderful read. This is his autobiography. [...]

Read Full Post »

A Shayri

  Main to yuhi ho(n)sh kho baiTHa Tha Muskuraneki kya zarurat Thi, Mai(n) ho(n)sh mei(n) aane hi wala Tha Ke aap fir muskura diye. I am committing the ghustakhi of trying to translate it: The World blurred before me Even before you smiled, The outlines were reappearing And you smiled again!

Read Full Post »

Undercover Mosque

I have experienced the perils of trying to convince racists. My conclusion from that experience is that one should not pay much attention to them. Rather, one should concentrate on giving out positive message to others. Complains should be occasional, and only when absolutely unavoidable. One such situation seems to have come up. With Britain’s [...]

Read Full Post »

Astronomy’s (Unknown) Past

Do you know of all known scientists, who is it that first proposed a round Earth, spinning and going round the Sun?

Read Full Post »