Tag: ISLAM

Have we done enough this Ramadan ?

On July 2, 2016

Ramadan is about to be over. Saying it went off like a rocket would be an understatement. every year, ritualistically, we look back and ask ourselves, Have we done enough this Ramadan ? Whether we’ve done justice to this blessing bestowed upon us by Allah ?

And then hope that we may get another year to do more. Allah might be laughing at our “Future Plans”.

The best prayer is the one where we feel It’ll be our last. But our prayers are filled with our plans for “what-we-will-do-after” finishing prayers instead of submitting ourselves to the all Merciful Allah.

All those who have fasted know this for a fact that not eating is the easiest thing to do in Ramadan. A fast is not just about controlling our hunger but a fast is supposed to be for the eyes, for the ears and for the tongue.

This month is also supposed to be about Charity. How much have we donated ? Could we have given more to the poor ? Is giving the minimum prescribed Zakat and Fitra(Sadqa-al-Fitr), enough ?

There are still few days left for this blessed month to be over. Hence, let’s all try and make use of it. May Allah bless all of us and accept our prayers. Aameen.

Pray for the World

By farooq

On November 14, 2015

In Politics & Social Issues

As the morning dawned, and my twitter feed was abuzz with Paris, scrolling down woke me up from sleep. Another terrorist attack. Another after Baghdad, Beirut and countless other Middle Eastern countries who have been the target of violence by ISIS.

I was sad, angry and feared for what might come next. No, not from ISIS but the backlash. I was guilty too. My first instinct was to tweet or put up a Facebook status to condemn it. Tell the world about how “Terror has no religion” and free my conscience like the countless other Muslims out there on Social Media. Yet, before doing that itself, I was feeling guilty.

No, not because it was the “Islamic State” terrorists and the fact that I’m a Muslim too, but something else.

I feel guilty that it has become a “regular” news for me to see Middle Eastern countries being torn apart and thousands being killed and yet it doesn’t bother me much, unless there is media coverage. I know, like many others, people are dying. Yet, this Paris shooting affects me more and pushes me to write something than those innumerable ones in other countries with less white population. I am guilty.

It’ll be a pretty lame excuse to say,” Why the world is selectively outraging over this?”, because it defeats the purpose. We can argue that there isn’t media coverage given, but if we wanted to raise issues, who is stopping us? But the truth is, unless it truly affects us, we don’t give a damn.

There have been countless bombings in Middle Eastern countries by people whom we do not refer to as Terrorists. Superpowers who actually created and harbored these organizations for their own benefit, forgetting the fact that it can come back to bite them. Or that was the intention all along?

I don’t even have a count of the number of people who have suffered. Can you imagine the “Islamists” killing Muslims? The number is more than Non-Muslims. And yet somehow these are the people with whom the world associates Islam with. Not with the Muslim victims, many of whom are seeking shelter away from their homeland, people who are driving them away, and who have somehow started representing “Islam” for the world and many of its’ Islamophobics.

There is no point in telling that “I condemn the violence” in those many words, because the people who understand, “that for terrorists, it doesn’t matter which religion you follow”, won’t need it.

People who understand that “Terror has no Religion”, won’t need your condemnation. Those, the ones who need, won’t try to understand this.

One cannot imagine the pain of the people who have died. Apart from expressing solidarity, we cannot do anything. Do a little symbolism by sharing pictures, changing facebook DPs and then we’ll get back to our lives. People who created these monsters wouldn’t want this instability to end.

Terrorism has this habit of uniting people together into condemning it, but it is that vicious circle of terror which refuses to end. Apart from praying, we just cannot do anything than remain mute spectators.

This poem was being circulated on Social Media and wanted to share this as well. Pray for the World by Karuna Ezara Parekh

So, let us pray for the world to save us from monsters who do these heinous crimes as well as the ones who create them.

“Whoever kills a an innocent Human, it is as though he has killed the entire humanity” ~ Quran.

The closet Sanghis

By farooq

On October 15, 2015

In Politics & Social Issues

While Facebook pages never get tired of sharing anti-Pakistan content as cater to a select “audience” which orgasms on content like this. It’s appalling see how even “educated” people share things like these. The only thing this does is, add to the stereotype, bring in more hate and continue to paint a picture far away from reality.

Of course, there’s no point in arguing with idiots, but these idiots help create more of their kind. The obsession of anything to deal with Pakistan, the zeal to see “wide-eyed” sensationalized news and to show glaringly show their Islamophobic feelings, becomes apparent so often.

These are the people who are “the Closet Sanghis”, the Indian Islamophobia affected class.

Iis not amusing to see your timeline filled with status updates which read, “There is a powercut at my place, why isn’t the PM speaking”, “There was a robbery in my neighbourhood, why Isn’t the PM speaking” and many other similar ones. Of course the idea behind this is to mock at all the outrage over how everyone, except the 31%, has been crying relentlessly asking a statement from the Modi.

This is that part of the population, which couldn’t muster up the courage, unlike those BJP leaders who visited Dadri to pacify the mob who lynched a 50-year old man on the rumors of eating beef. They had to keep their voices down and wait for something a little “grey” to put their thoughts out to the world.

(Image courtesy: dnaindia.com)

Meet the group, which is more dangerous to the idea of India than the RSS. At least they are open to what they want to do in India. The closet Sanghi, even though sympathizes with RSS and wants almost the same things like them, but is a little afraid to blurt it out. Perhaps, suffers from the “Log kya kahenge” Syndrome”.

To add to their problems, a list of eminent writers have been returning their Sahitya Academy Awards in response to the communal propaganda of the government. Arguments as silly as, “Why didn’t you returned it in ’84?” or “Why didn’t you do it “in the year when BJP cannot be blamed” ? have surfaced all throughout the Social media. Not just that, one of the writers from Punjab had to face the obnoxiously irritating Sambit Patra on why she didn’t returned the award in ’84 ? All she could reply was, she got the award in 2002.

While Chetan Bhagat seems to be making more sense to the Closet Sanghis now-a-days, the list of authors andpoets across the country continue to add their names to the list of writers who are showing their protest.

Of course, you can question the intention of these writers. You have the right to protest or speak what you feel like. No one can stop you from doing that.

But how come your hypocrisy comes to light when the same is being done the other way round ?

Why cannot the citizens of this country question Modi on not speaking up on important issues ? Now, don’t say that he has “better things to do”. Tweeting “get well soon”wishes and trying to take jibes at political opposition shouldn’t come in that category. Or is that the only thing he is good at ?

I doubt we would have even heard him speak if it was not the Bihar Elections!! His mouth has been programmed to open only when he is at a political rally, giving speeches to NRI’s-cum-taking potshots at Indian political opponents, or giving pre-decided interviews to select news channels. Not ready to face reporters out in the open yet ?

I’m not expecting him to answer anyways. After years of the Horrific 2002 riots in Gujarat, all he could come up with was, “If a puppy comes under you car, you of course feel sad”. No points for guessing that the victims of Gujarat were the puppies.

For Dadri, he wants people not to blow it out of proportion, when all he needed to do was come out and condemn the incident just when it happened. But then, why expect him to Not play to the Sanghi gallery ? Even the Closet Sanghis wanted it.

Get off your high Horses

By farooq

On June 7, 2015

In Politics & Social Issues

From not getting a job to being denied a rented apartment, discrimination in the civil society have existed for ages. The only difference is, victims were not outspoken. To think only the “backward” and not so “broad minded” would do this, was what people who turn a blind eye to issues like these, might have thought or at least portrayed.

Religion, caste, etc apparently are considered something only pushed by the “hardliners”. People with better things to worry about like “development” have bigger things to ponder about, right?

And to think of our cosmopolitan cities being part of pushing religious agendas forward, is something totally absurd. Unfortunately, it isn’t.

Be it directly pointing out, like the incident in Kolkata where a bearded Muslim was termed as “terrorist”, or simply not accepting a job application as the Mumbai Company’s policy is to not accept Muslim candidates, or subtly hinting around responses like these. This mindset is deeply entrenched in our society for long and is passed on from generations like some sort of treasure.

Speaking from personal experience, religious based discrimination have been seen first-hand. Remember this one time in Bangalore, when I was on the lookout for a flat in my bid to move away from the PG. The very cheerful land-lord, a young 30-something guy, told me about the place in a very excited tone. After some five minutes of talk about where I worked and stuff like that, while showing me around he asked my name.

You know how some people are great at hiding their displeasure and keep it to themselves? Well, this one wasn’t the type. Name reveals your religion and asking a name is much easier than asking your religion, right? Not just his tone changed but he also asked me in a very visibly rude tone, “You’ll be cooking Beef here? Because it is not allowed.”

I was glad that I didn’t liked the place. I didn’t made a big fuss out of it that time. Just like I never do when someone from office or during my years at college, wishing Happy Independence day” on 14^th August itself or would jokingly refer as terrorist”, “Jihadi” when wearing anything remotely religious, or even sporting a little stubble. I doubt what will happen when I’ll end up growing a beard!!

It is sad to see people being so openly discriminating others, but governments or laws cannot change the thinking. One cannot blame the change in Government for this scenario completely, this has been here for long. Of course, those voices are more empowered now.

Pointing out mistakes or wrong-doing in others is easy. You can brush this issue under the many rosy carpets of the “Idea of India” where we all live in harmony. Don’t be a defensive Indian in turning a blind eye to these issues. I’m pretty sure you’ll encounter many idiots for whom their religion or caste is supreme. Stop them right there, because the idea of one being superior often leads to looking down others as inferior.

Get off those high horses or religious or caste, and learn to speak up. If you think there won’t come a time when situation is reversed, then you’re seriously mistaken. History bears testimony to this. The oppressor-opressee shifts have went on for ages. Unless this mindset is not changed, expect someone else to use this to oppress you in future. There are no dearth of idiots on either side.

PK: The Muslim Story

By farooq

On December 29, 2014

In Movies & Entertainment, Politics & Social Issues

PK.

To take the message of PK (or even OMG!!, which was a far better film than PK) in the context of just one religion is confining it to a tiny circle.

True that the movie focused mainly on how Hinduism has been ransacked by Godmen and traditions which are more aimed at money-making than spiritual, but look closely and you find it in every religion.

All religions in their most authentic forms without the time-induced “traditions” being added for the sake of uniformity, for politicization, and more importantly, convenience has diluted them. To speak about any other religion other than Islam would be wrong. First, because of the ideological difference and second, because I know comparatively more about my religion than the rest. Comparatively, is the word here.

When you notice people thronging mazaars (Sufi Shrines like Ajmer), it is the general tendency to associate it with Muslims and Islam. The question arises, whether it actually is or not?

Islam is a monotheistic religion. Muslims only believe in the concept of One True God, i.e. Allah and any associations or comparison is not part of it. So, to put it just, you are to ask for all your needs from Allah. Through all your prayers, you communicate with Allah, place your needs and desires before him, and expect him and only him to fulfill it. It is that belief, a true connection gets established. Everything depends on your intention and your belief that it is only Allah who can fulfill it.

There is a sizable chunk of Muslims, who visits mazaars, (Indian Subcontinent) and tries to bridge the connection through the saints to speedily make their desires and needs fulfilled. I have heard many Muslims term this as zarriya (pathway) to Allah, and the saints do sifarish (recommendation) for these prayers.

Now, many (includes many of my close relatives who might frown upon me saying this) follow this path. While there are others, who consider this as shirk (Establishing partners with Allah). I can go and express my views on this, but for now, it is not relevant, and for many, it will be difficult to comprehend.

These mazaars are a place where you buy some sweets to be put up for niyaaz (or fateha) inside mazaars. Practices range from placing a chaadar (piece of cloth) over their mausoleum (burying place of the saint). Some even say, they are not dead and have just put up a veil from the world. Although Islam clearly mentions “Kullu nafsin, zaikatul maut” meaning every living being has to taste death.

Now, are these part of Islam? In my opinion, it is not. But people still do it. Muslims still always follow these practices.

I don’t even want to add about terrorism and its misinterpretation of Jihaad.

As a Muslim and a believer, should I not try to bring out these practices which are not part of my religion but are being followed or people are being made to follow by the so-called moulanas ??

Now, consider the same situation for the plot of the movie PK, which focuses largely on the Hindu side of the story. Of how the religion has ended up being connected to a “wrong number” by these babas.

Is your protest driven by the fact that it is a Muslim Aamir khan portraying PK. Why single out PK, when you had Paresh Rawal playing almost the same and even more serious character in OMG!!?

Believe me, writing this line about Aamir sounded ridiculous to me. But then have heard many points to this very angle for the film’s plot.

If you protest that your religious belief about Hinduism has been hurt, then I’ll stand by you to make sure that PK or for that matter any other movie doesn’t do so again. But if your protest is based on why Only Hinduism, then please little re-think and view the whole issue in the larger context.

Religion doesn’t need Godmen but people who become men of God and form a connection with the Almighty. Who is it in your case? The God or these Babas or maulanas?