Logging life

Then they said: Our Lord make the distance between our journeys longer. And they wronged themselves. Wherefore We made them by words and dispersed them with a total dispersion. Verily herein are signs for every persevering, grateful persons. [Saba: 19] سورة سَبَإ سو وہ کہنے لگے کہ اے ہمارے پروردگار ہمارے سفروں میں درازی کر دے اور (علاوہ اس ناشکری کے) انہوں نے (اور بھی نافرمانیاں کر کے) اپنی جانوں پر ظلم کیا سو ہم نے ان کو افسانہ بنا دیا اور ان کو بالکل تتر بتر کر دیا بے شک اس (قصہ) میں ہر صابر و شاکر (مومن) کے لیےبڑی بڑی عبرتیں ہیں۔ (۱۹) In 1950s, the sub-urban culture started in the United States. The American dream of owning a home with two-car garage is a suburbian dream. When you have money you moved out to the suburbia, away from the hustle-bustle of the cities. But since it became so fashionable to move out of the city that soon banks moved in to finance this dream and we all now know the result of that. Other problem was longer commute hours because the work continued...

Al-Ahzab O ye who believe! Guard your duty to Allah, and speak words straight to the point; (70) سورة الاٴحزَاب اے ایمان والو الله سے ڈرو اور راستی کی بات کہو۔ (۷۰)

Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation. (Al-Ahzab: 56) [translation: dariyabadi] سورة الاٴحزَاب بے شک الله تعالیٰ اور اس کے فرشتے رحمت بھیجتے ہیں ان پیغمبر پر اے ایمان والو تم بھی آپ پر رحمت بھیجا کرو اور خوب سلام بھیجا کرو۔ (۵۶) [tarjuma: Thanwi]

Gujarat government has made many claims about vibrant Gujarat. Recently, it has also made claims that Muslims in Gujarat are in much better condition that many other states of India. When Narendra Modi’s newspaper ad in Bihar was found to be using image of the UP Muslims , BJP spokesperson claimed that facts about minorities of Gujarat remain the same. He said his party is ready to debate the data. It is time to test the facts and see how Gujarat fares in the light of public data. 1. Muslim population of Gujarat: According to Census 2001 figures, Gujarat has 4.59 million Muslims out of total state population of 50.67 or 9.1% of the population. Total Muslim population in India, according to the same census data is 139.2 million, therefore a total of 3.32% of Indian Muslim population live in this state. Closest state to Gujarat in terms of Muslim population and their share in total state population is Rajasthan with 4.79 million Muslims (8.5% of total). Of the top fifty districts...

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind of today is not the same organization that Abu Ala Maudidi launched in 1941. Starting with the aim of establishing Islamic governance, its purpose and role in India has slowly changed to the Jamaat becoming a champion of secularism and democracy. Its detractors will say that this apparent change in Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) is just tactical, but researcher Irfan Ahmad’s extensive ethnographic fieldwork, archival research, and data analysis, published as “Islamism and Democracy in India: The Transformation of Jamaat-e-Islami,” proves that the JIH belief in secularism and democracy is “deeply ideological.” The Jamaat began its life as an isolationist organization, it was an idea chosen by journalist-turned-Islamist-ideologue Maududi who made attainment of an “Islamic state”-the main goal of this organization. Striving for the Islamic state meant that Jamaat members could not participate in democracy, seek government employment, or even study in universities as the...

Stereotyping is an oversimplified image or representation. One image is meant to represent all members of that group or community. It helps in identification but offers no individuality or scope for diversity that exists within that group. When you see news stories about Muslims on TV it is often accompanied by images of burqa clad women and men with cap and beard. In both cases visuals are selected carefully that suggests to the viewers that Muslim women have no personality of their own and men are extremists. However, stereotyping can also be a positive experience, a Muslim man with beard and cap and lovingly embracing his daughter can be a moving experience. A Muslim family eating together can reinforce the family values that Islam lays so much emphasis on. With the easy availability of digital cameras, these are the images that Muslims have to create themselves. The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, May 24rd, 2010 Another positive use of stereotype is to show that Muslims also e...

"There is nothing surprising in a Muslim or a Pathan like me subscribing to the creed of nonviolence. It is not a new creed. It was followed 1,400 years ago by the Prophet all the time when he was in Mecca.” - Badshah Khan A hundred years ago, a young Pathan of just 20 years of age, established a modern school to bring education to his people. Concerned about poverty, ignorance, and violence around him Abdul Ghaffar Khan started his first school in Utmanzai in Frontier Province in 1910 educating boys and girls. It was a successful venture that led to the establishment of several other schools. Pathans loved it and the British Raj did everything they could to stop it. Quite a contrast to what is happening today in the region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, home to millions of Pathans. Today in the same region Talibans burn the schools and American Greg Mortenson is busy building schools. Pathans are proud people, they have been farmers, traders, and artists for generations but due...