I’m saying all this because this is exactly what is happening in our society. Whatever that is happening in Waziristan right now, or districts of Lyari in Karachi, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, or Palestine, how does it effect us? Do we think about them for more than two seconds? Do we even care about them more than posting a picture of it, or updating our status about it on facebook? Does it effect our lives in anyway? I don’t think so. We keep on living our lives the way we are living them, full of distractions and entertainment and we think we can bring a revolution without sacrificing our lives, careers, luxurious lifestyles just by clicking and wasting away in front of our laptop screens. We are not willing to do more than that and we believe we are doing sooo much.

Revolution, change and every word related to it looks nice and everything but the reality is much more brutal. The situation in our homeland and in the Muslim world is almost out of control. We have people who would sacrifice their lives for their leaders, but they will not unite under the one banner of Pakistan, let alone Islam. We should be ashamed of ourselves for not even feeling a pang in our hearts for those who are dying in streets everyday by stray bullets, target killers or by drones. How can we feel for the Muslims of other countries when we don’t care about the people who live around the corner from our own houses.

Do we feel for the kids that die in Waziristan by drones? Or the families that are lost in that beautiful valley of Swat? Or those who are a target in Karachi? Or any other part of Pakistan? If not how are we supposed to call ourselves alive when we are no better than the dead.

When you read classics, you get the idea that dark skinned men are all touched by devil and it’s a white man’s burden to ‘de-calibanize” them, to teach them the way of life as the white race is the supreme and chosen race and the rest needs to be their slaves in order to be a part of the civilized world. I mean remember how Macaulay thought the Eastern Education system is all rotten and therefore, education (the English style) should be implemented in the East which resulted in the first ever department of English in Calcutta. The whole idea of making us more civilized by teaching us their literature and language as if whatever the Indians were doing before that was killing flies.

Anyway, back to where I was. So, this team of English/American people with white skin (one was black, maybe just to ensure that the film wont give rise to racist riots), will save the day! White man’s burden all over again!

The book, Umpire of Illusion, draws upon all these factors that have been fed the general population that the world needs US to solve the issues of the rest of the world. Having all the technology and warfare equipment, when they meet the enemy in the front lines, they realize how courage does not come from the movies that they have seen. And when they come face to face with reality, they get all roughed up and surpass the boundaries of humanity and ironically adopting cannibal ways, such as raping them (unarmed civilians), keeping part of their bodies as trophies, killing for no reason and not even sparing children and women when they move from town to town. And when these stories come to light, one wonders if they really are civilized and if they themselves are not right in the heads, how are they supposed to do things right for the country that they have bombed and destroyed?

As Edward Said argues in Orientalism that now the imperialists use power as the last resort, one might understand the need for the movies like The Avengers. Because these movies are watched by the educated class of the Orient and are a very good way of spreading the message of how the world will always need the Americans (superior race) for saving the world and all that crap. And since the brand culture has taken it’s roots in the East and now is a huge tree, and everything American and European is ‘the best’, even if the tag says, ‘made in china’, the brand ‘Marks and Spencer’ makes it all classy and amazing.

And by the way, I haven’t watched the movie but I bet it’s just as stupid as any other super hero movie.

I guess kids his age are like a mirror, reflecting you in the best possible way. Two days ago he was standing on his chair in the kitchen, saying, “chamcha nahin lo. marongi!”

And when we’re mad at him, he’d make the cutest faces that just wipes away the anger and we’d just want to hold him and hug him and shower him with kisses. And trust me when I say that he’s not distracted easily. Time and again we see how people tell us that don’t use the word “No” too much in front of your kids, distract them but it doesn’t always work and you’re forced to say (or most of the time yell), “NO!!!”

Anyway, with all the bitterness and harshness and bad things in the world, there sure is these sweet things which make life bearable and add beauty to it!

 Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds, that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope. (Surah Al-Kahf, Verse no. 46)

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Companions were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) when a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked him about the exact date of the Hour. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) however proceeded with his speech to the audience. Some of the audience thought that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) heard what the man said but disliked his question and some others thought that he did not hear it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) finished his talk, he said: “Where is the one who asked about the date of the Hour? The man informed him of his existence. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then said: “If the trust is betrayed and neglected, then expect the coming of the Hour”. The man further asked about the trust and how it can be wasted or betrayed. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When the matter is entrusted to those who are unqualified to implement its duties, then wait for the Hour”

(Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Hadiths no.59, 6496)

Anyway, how embarrassing it is for a Prime Minister of a country to have been asked by the interviewer to look her in the eye and answer the question… and he wont even give up his stupidity. How is it democracy when the whole country wants you dead and rotten in the grave and being tortured everyday, every second, every minute and in every possible way and how we want the pain to escalate soo much as to make him an example for everyone to not to follow in his footsteps. But then have we not the examples of Firaun, Nimrod, and others, if we ever had such understanding, we would never be where we are today… sigh.

I know it’s hard for us to keep a straight face and not get angry but if we live a life of indifference to all that is going on around us, wont we become the people who should be condemned, for not being able to feel the pain for our brothers, for not doing anything and when there are learned people out there, why being stuck with these bafffoooons.URGH!!! How I want to pull my hair watching his interview. And I keep wondering where the hell they come from?

Anyway, I read this amazing blog written in response to the interview. Click here to read it!

The other thing I was wondering was the school system. In Pakistan, parents wake their two and a half year old kids early in the morning for school. But how many parents would wake even their teenagers for fajr prayers as religiously, as they wake them up for school or college. How many of us realize that we have prioritize school or other things over namaz for our kids since their childhood, since their toddler-hood! I’m thinking too much on these lines these days, maybe because of Dawood. Anyway, I was just wondering what was the educational system before the colonial system took over. There were medressahs and belief and Truth was the basis of educational system. Do we want nursery rhymes and fantasies to be the basis of our educational system? I’m thinking of homeschooling Dawood for the first few years atleast inshAllah if Allah gives me enough strength.

I know the post is filled with too many things jumbled up together. Almost 2 am. Finally I had time to write something. Naeema, khush ho jao!

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious).[Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you if only you know.The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allâh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr (Allâhu Akbar; Allâh is the Most Great] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.

The Holy Quran ( 2:183-185)

May Allah SubhanahuwaTa’ala shower His blessings upon us during this month and forgive our sins and keep us on the right path for the rest of our lives. Ameen.

In the past men were handsome and great (now they are children and dwarfs), but this is merely one of the many facts that demonstrate the disaster of an aging world. The young no longer want to study anything, learning is in decline, the whole world walks on its lead, blind men lead others equally blind and cause them to plunge in the abyss, birds leave the nest before they can fly, the jackass plays the lyre, oxen dance. Mary no longer loves the contemplative life and Martha no longer lover the active life, Leah is sterile, Rachel has a carnal eye, Cato visits brothels, Lucretius becomes a woman. Everything is on the wrong path.

- Umberto Eco. The Name Of The Rose.

Anyway, last night we visited this huge bookstore in Riyadh. And it was like a dream come true! Just imagine looking at those thousands of mouth watering books and the glossy title pages or hard covers or even paperbacks stacked neatly in shelves after shelves after shelves. And all you want to do is to forget everything, and sit on the floor in the midst of all those books and just read till eternity. *sigh*

All this drooling over books in the bookstore reminded me of the time when we were in our Masters final year. In our first semester we were supposed to write one research paper. The class was divided into two groups and the incharge of our group decided to take us down in the basement of the main library of ku. The basement is one hell of a place. It has thousands and thousands and thousands of books! The smell of old paper, the shelves filled with such wisdom, such life, and such calmness that one can spend hours there without paying heed to the passage of time. Our professor asked us to stay close because cellphones don’t catch signals there and if we were lost, we might be lost forever. But seriously, that one basement is the most awesome place in the world.

How can one forget the book fair at KU and the cheap prices they offer. And the expo center book fair! I remember spending eidis at such bookfairs and the frustration of my mum as we(me and my siblings) would come home with shoppers of books, and she would say,’ye kahan rakho ge?’ Well.. I guess all our mothers have the same concerns. Hehe.

Anyway, since Dawood gets hold of everything first, I need to sacrifice my sleep in order to read those books that I’ve bought. I know all of us have crazy reading habits and even after having a baby I keep getting caught in those whirlpools where you just can’t stop reading. I remember one time my father threatened to actually tear and burn one book when he caught me reading in the candle light at around 2 am. Well, I didn’t stop reading I went downstairs and read the rest in the light from my brother’s cell phone! he he.