Dead?

Something happened that made me wonder; we live in our own little bubbles. We, in this age of global village , live lives as if we are all islands, disconnected, not effected and certainly not moved by whatever that is happening outside the boundaries of our little homes. We talk about change, and “tsunamis” and “revolution” yet we are not willing to sacrifice even our time to the very cause we think we believe in. Or are we?

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.

The Avengers

What is wrong with the super hero kinda movies is that they show that the whole world is under attack, and no one else gives a damn about it except for, of course, Americans. They have the best technology, the best character and the best people and they have super heroes (people who are mutants and have super powers and are holier than the rest of the world, who only care about the well being of others and would sacrifice their lives- they don’t die though- and will save the world). Anyway, so only Americans can and will be able to take the rest of the world out of this misery and chaos and whatever. And the rest of the world looks up to them as if they are gods and are only hope.

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. 😀

Sweetness

“Mamma! Amootu.. Mamma! Amootu!”
It took me a few seconds to realize that he was referring to the Du’a of going to bed. It was an amazing feeling. This was a week ago. Today, it was “hasanatan” and “zidni” from two separate Du’as. I have no idea how to thank Allah for giving me this privilege of actually seeing him say all this.

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)

A Leader?!

I know everyone’s been calling the Prime Minister with bad names but I guess let us not make him the reason for the angels on our left shoulder to write something. I know it’s hard but it all boils down to the fact that, we, in fact have sunk to this level where we wont raise our voices against all the zulm that’s been inflicted by those in power. It’s certainly is near the end of times as been indicated by the Ahadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

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!