Out of Balance !

Many people, including my mother and people I am close to, often state the need for "balance" in life.

I have often heard statements such as,

"The key to life is balance",

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." (Albert Einstein ),

hmm....this word makes alot of sense but can this word "BALANCE" give us a feeling of complete freedom from anything that might considered as imposed on us...???

Many times I started but never finished to find the perfect balance in my life.

hmm...but tell me...please do tell me....what is it I am trying to balancing here???

Between a little bit of good and a little bit of bad ?

In practical life we do need to balance every activity, "We need to maintain a proper balance in our life by allocating the time we have. There are occasions where saying no is the best time management practice there is".

Of course, we should balance our food intake, our activity level, commitments etc....hmm...after all it does not look nice to be in office by midnight everyday...or dinning out everyday...or playing cards all day long with friends and not even thinking of wife alone at home..hmm...

But there are so many other things on which we don't have any authority or power to balanced them.

Allah....has made me a woman....a daughter....a wife and may be future mother as well and I don't want to balance the role HE has assigned me.

I mean I cant be thinking...hmm...." Oh... I have spent too much time being a blessing to my beloved husband this week, I really should cut back on that ! "

I wouldn't never ever tell my child , " I am sorry, I know you are crying and need attention, but I have been taking care of you too much today so need to be balanced."

Instead I readily would throw myself into what my loved ones requires and being the very best daughter, wife and mother I wouldn't say a word about balance. Because may be this is what ALLAH wants me to do at that time.

Even our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) go beyond his power and strength to brought back ALLAH's faith in people.

Even our migration from India to Pakistan and the leaving all our life's saving behind would sometimes be considered as out of balanced but that was the need of time.

So when in need its ok to be out of....BALANCE....hmmm.

Position Holder !

Stand up for this Champion

He is "Naveed Asif" from Nahranwali village Okara who scored 919 marks in Matric and got second position in BISE Lahore.

His school was 7 KM away from his house and he used to walk 7 KM everyday to go to his school.

Here are his words :

“Me and my mother were really terrified when BISE Lahore team reached our home late at night before announcement of the result.

Actually a few days ago, our cow was stolen at night owing to which we were terrified”.

“You may think it ridiculous but I always said to my mother that I wanted to be like Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” he said.

“Quaid-e-Azam is a role model for me."

He seated at stairs after receiving his medal and later Mr. Shahbaz Sharif offered his seat to him.

He couldn’t find any seat in Alhamra hall to sit in a function which was arranged to honour position holders.

If I were Perfect !

This thought came into my mind when I was on the Bangkok trip with my colleagues to attend a workshop.

We, three girls were sharing one room and every morning we leave our messy room...me...I always forget to make my bed... forgot to put my wet towel on the rack so that it can dry... my slippers could be found in a way that if one is the north corner of the room then other must be found on the south corner.

Every evening when we came back exhausted and tired... we found every thing on its exact place... Room service always made our beds behind us...clean and put everything on its exact place. I was so spoiled that I didn't even sometimes recall that if I left my slipper departed like India and Pakistan how and when and who has united them again....hmm

I have wished so much recently that I could find a way to have a spotlessly clean...organised and well decorated home. Serve delicious and elaborate meals on time three times a day to my beloved husband...spend necessary time on Internet while at same time not in anyway neglecting my relationship with my MAKER.

I wish I could get out of bed every morning at 5 a.m. to a clean home. I wish I could shower...dress...and fix my hairs before my beloved husband wakes up. I wish I could spend a solid hour of interrupted time reciting QURAN before I begin my day.

I wish I could have the house all perfectly cleaned and in order by 7 a.m, every morning. I wish that the laundry and dishes magically washed themselves and put themselves away.

I wish that I never said an unkind word or had an unkind thought. I wish that I would never disappoint my mother in law. I wish that I could spend all say everyday playing with my nieces and nephews. I wish I were never tired and had a endless energy all the time. I wish I could live on three hours sleep or less every night.

hmmm....long list of wishes....and instead....

I am just ME....hmm

My house is often messy and always in need of some type of cleaning. I am always behind in some area. I never get to spend as much time playing or reading as I'd like.

I am forever behind on the ironing. My beloved husband comes home some night and find me exhausted...the house is messy...dinner is only a figment of my imagination and I am still in my bad mood.

I often say and do things to my mother and mother in law that I regret later. I fail in some area on an everyday basis and can easily become discouraged and overwhelmed.

Yes.....most of the time....I wish.... I were PERFECT.

But...then....I realize that if I were perfect...

I'd never have anything to trust ALLAH about.

I'd never need anyone to pray for me.

I'd never need anyone's help.

I'd never have to cry out to ALLAH for mercy when I'd failed yet again.

I'd never need comfort from the QURAN.

And I'd never know the depths of God's grace and mercy to one so undeserving as me.

hmm...so the bottom point is....its ok if I am NOT PERFECT....hmmm.....beside we have our PERFECT ALLAH to take care of our unperfectness...hmm

I am the TRUTH !

hmm...when I took today's SOIS session on revision of Republic of Rumi...it gave me sight....

There are rules for every being living or non-living in this world.

Allah put all these things in rhythm and make rules for each of them. They all are bound to them and can not make exceptional move.

Only human has this quality to wonder and to think beyond the rules. Basically I think Allah has never made any rules for human...except one to stay away from tree and which human broke long long time ago.

Now we are in continuous search of what we were and how we were made...in this search we search for our MAKER and rule of our being.

Like Shafique Sahib said that all of us are only looking at the forms of the things not the reality and while by chance if anyone watch the reality get unite with our MAKER.

When we become free we start looking at things as they are not as they were presented to us.

How we can be free of that illusions of being captive in a cave ?

By overcoming the contradictions of ourselves. "Whatsoever you see is a secret of the self. Self affirmation brings non-self to light".

Once freed from contradiction self start marching towards selflessness. Because when free from cave one will first want to see himself to explore how his reality is.....hmmm

And my reality is MY MAKER...so looking at my real self means we are looking at our MAKER.

And this is not the rule....so I am basically wanderer looking for something and not sure where I will find it....

How many of us has started this journey....like SIMURGH....thousands....billions....or may be more than that....but how many of us can get to the point of seeing ALLAH in oneself?

And that's the point where all the SUFI get united...as they all followed the same rules....

We heard....about....

Rhazes, Mansour Al-Hallaj, Abu Shakir, Ibn al-Rawandi, Tabrez and Rumi.... and finally Iqbal...

Why they all reach the same destination....?

Because their way and rules were same...like people mark the trees not to forget the path in the jungle....

these Sufi's make path for every other human and they want human to follow...only if we have ability and will to follow...hmm....

Nostradamus !

Nostradamus, the author of the famous Centuries, was an unusual man for his time (1506-1566).

Nostradamus wrote messages from the past to the future in the form of short poems consisting of four lines each called Quatrains. In his lifetime Nostradamus completed a total of 942 quatrains, which he organized into groups of 100 quatrains called Centuries. However one century only has 46 quatrains.

His followers say he predicted the French Revolution, the birth and rise to power of Hitler, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He also predicted other events, such as the Great Fire of London (1666) and the exile of Napoleon to Alba.

Famous Fulfilled Prophecies of Nostradamus are:

a) Death of Henry II
The Death of Henry II from a jousting accident is one of Nostradamus first and most famous fulfilled prophecies.

b) The Fire of London

On Sunday morning, the 2nd September 1666, the destruction of medieval London began with one simple spark. In five days a cataclysmic fire destroyed the city of Shakespeare. An area of one and a half miles by half a mile lay in ashes; 373 acres inside the city walls and 63 acres outside, 87 churches destroyed (including St. Paul’s Cathedral) and 13,200 houses. Although the blood of the just in the quatrain was demanded of London, only six people died.

c) French Revolution

On July 14th, 1789 the people stormed the walls of the Bastille, the prison that stood as a symbol to the detested monarchy. This was a precursor to the revolution that shook France, and to the rise, and fall, of the guillotine, that stood on the banks of the River Seine.

d) Emperor Napoleon

He also describes him as a man of ‘fire’, or of war, rather ‘than of the blood’, or of royal lineage. The ‘Piuses’ of the third line are the Popes Pius VI and Pius VII, who were both imprisoned by Napoleon as is implied by the last line.

e)World War II and Hitler

f) The exile of Franco

g) Louis Pasteur

h) Charles De Gaulle

i) The Kennedy Assassinations

With the predictions of 9/11 and death of Lady Diana with the exact date. Nostradamus astonished all the world. After 9/11 most of the world think of him as a prophet who wrote letters to the future people and handed those letters to his son.

In 1994, Italian journalist Enza Massa was at the Italian National Library in Rome when she stumbled upon an unusual find.

It was a manuscript dating to 1629, titled: Nostradamus Vatinicia Code. Michel de Notredame, the author's name, was on the inside in indelible ink.

This manuscript, never published by Nostradamus, was handed down to the prophet's son and later donated by him to Pope Urban VIII. It did not surface again until now, almost four hundred years later.

Some of the paintings reveal new prophecies, while others are eithergenerally indecipherable or linked to earlier quatrains, but not indicated. Among the paintings are a Pope with the body of a dog, female priests, clergymenbeing attacked and a black-skinned pope.

This picture took my attention as it shows a moon with stars and the rise of apoclpse.

hmm....the below picture is very much related to today's world condition. As all are fighting and making other people suffer and draggind out of their homes and countries.

Question is:

Was he a real prophet?

hmmm....

Idol Breaker Tradition !

At the trial they asked him if he was responsible for breaking the idols.

Smiling , he told them to ask the biggest idol which was not broken.

Ibrahim said maybe it’s the idol who did it since he has the axe. The people replied:

“Ibrahim you know well that these idols don’t speak or move”.

Now Ibrahim said to them: “Then how could you believe these are god?”

This is may be the starting of smashing/demolishing/destruction of idols by Muslims.

Islam is the ultimate power yet no intention of destruction.

But when MY MAKER decided to give the non believers a lesson...no one in this universe can stop HIM.

Only HE chooses the one who would do the job for HIM.

Once it was Ibrahim, then our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who breaks all the stone gods present in the KABB'A.

And the legend goes on and on....with Mehmood Ghaznavi who after the 17th attempt on Soomnath finally claimed to be among the (idol breaker) but-shikan.

However, Ghaznavi's indulgence to become an idol breaker has raised so many questions in my head. I believed Ghaznavi had his own axe to grind.

Islam is not barbaric religion it does gives space to other religions too.

To follow the tradition not necessarily always gives you the popularity of but-shikani. Which happens with the Taliban. On 6 March 2001 The Times quoted Mullah Mohammed Omar as stating, "Muslims should be proud of smashing idols. It has given praise to God that we have destroyed them."

Islam cant be proud of destruction of inheritance or culture.

As always happened, we manipulated the whole but-shikan tradition and use it to gain wealth or popularity or sometimes just to show our strength when not needed.

Re-think Rubbish !

hmm... I saw the two people good in terms were talking about their childhood with childhood carelessness about their surrounding and people they come out with.

It was an evening walk with my brother in law with family after the lunch... along came my beloved husband. Husband was asking childish question to my brother in law and he was answering like a father to him. I liked the way two brothers were showing affection to each other.

Brother in Law was talking about how he struggled in America to get a job and a house and how he went to Canada after 9/11 and he again worked for his future from zero point.

"But you know....there you can find a destiny. If you are hard worker and keep up the good reputation you can succeed." He said with smile on his lips and shine in his eyes. I can feel the calmness of achievement in his voice.

One of his boy was eating a burger.... a road side ban kabab... for which I was not agreed to give to the new comer in Karachi but the father insisted. He said "Don't worry bhabi...he will survive...lol"

When the boy ate the burger he asked me where to drop the trash....hmm...I was about to say...drop it where ever you like...but than as I remembered that they are not locals I clear my throat and said...hmm....we will find a dustbin soon and you use it than...OK?

The nice little boy kept the ban kabab rapper in his hand with his other hand busy pointing out our lovely...unicorn...fast and furious type of buses.

"Did you ever ride on them? " He asked me. I said with confidence "Yes...lot of time...when ever I like to punish myself for not being a good person. And its a quick way to remember Allah too..hmm."

And with these conversation our journey goes on and on....but we didn't find any dustbin anywhere during our walk.

I know there is been alot of establishment during few years in Karachi and they are also keeping all the streets and roads clean but there are still so much to do.

It is not our habit which makes us drop the trash everywhere...where ever we liked. It is also lack of trash bins on every roads or streets. If you are coming from Gulshan-e-Iqbal to Bahadurabad through Stadium Road(even though the Stadium road contains the Cricket stadium which is the place where so many people gather time to time which means trash time to time) but....how many trash bin you can find on the road....none.

Which ultimately left us only one choice...hmm.

By the way I am not RE-thinking Rubbish only this time.....I always think rubbish.

Nick of time !

When death tells a story, you really have to listen.

I used to think that the episode of struggling of Rashid Minhas Shaheed with his instructor and finally never letting him take the plane to India is controversial and lot of time claimed that the Nishan-e-Haider award was politically motivated and perhaps the young Pilot Officer never deserved it.

I know I had been so cruel and was totally blind.

I once read that to become hero just pretend that you are not afraid.

But when death comes in front of us how many of us who claim to be a hero would react?

Me....I am sure it will be a hard time for me...hmm

No one just to prove his courage....faith...loyalty and patriotism would take his own life. When he already had gained so much in his life and had a bright future in front of him. He by every means would get the chances to prove himself if only he could get a chance to live longer.

Even than lot of us could face the death and stare in its eyes without fear but sometimes death don't need fearless....it needs NICK OF TIME people. Who can make decisions and scarifies their lives with intention to save some other human or to save their respect...dignity...loyalty or promises made to oneself that even death would not made one do that.

It is not about why and what the instructor wants....it was all about Minhas self respect....patriotism....loyalty to his country and his sense of taking things straight forwardly.

What wrong is wrong and he cant let it happened or at least he tried to stopped it. And in this course of reluctance he faced death.

He was alone...young and inexperienced yet he was fearless...intelligent and loyal.

What makes him a hero in my eyes is his decision in the time where there was no time at all.

I searched alot about his early life and his sources of inspirations but couldn't find them on net.

I am happy that KHURRUM ALI SHAFFIQUE SAHIB.....

of Society of Iqbal Studies (SOIS) with the collaboration of Al-fatha Academy (founded by Ibn-e-Safi) is publishing a life history of Rashid Minhas Shaeed (Nishan-e-Haider).

The book would be in market and leading book stores on 23 March 2010.

hmmm.....

Lady Govida !

This English countess is legendary for her naked ride on horseback through Coventry, a town in central England.

A parade in homage to her, called the Govida Procession, has been held every seven or eight years since 1678 as part of the Coventry Fair.

Variations of her legend have been frequently mentioned throughout the ages in literature, poetry, painting and music.

The earliest source of her story is the Chronica (1057) by Richard of Wendover.

According to the tale, Lady Govida made incessant please to her husband Leofric, the Earl of Mercia or Leicester, to reduce Coventry's heavy taxes.

Aggravated, Leofric promised to drop all the taxes except those on horses if she would ride nude through the crowded marketplace. After she did just that with her hair unbound so that only her legs showed, her husband did repeal the taxes.

Later accounts modify the story in that the townspeople were ordered to stay inside with their windows shut.

A peeking citizen named Peeping Tom, who has sort of become the original patron saint of voyeurs, was subsequently either killed or blinded.

While there are skeptics who doubt that Lady Govida even ever visited Coventry, it is a known fact that she and her husband started and funded a monastery there.

hmmm.....no ofense but I am affraid that with the contemporary situation in Pakistan's economy we all soon will become Lady Govida and even than would not find our Government happy.

Ahh....the rise in monthly expenses....hmmm.....