Loyalty
The Teaser behind the Luster
It’s been a while I have met my friends. It’s been a while I have chosen to take a drive for myself. It’s been a while I have gone on a vacation. It’s been a while I have witnessed, recognized and admired the people I love, the people who are always there for me and the people I somehow started to take for granted and
it’s been a while I have met myself.
If I had read the above words somewhere, I would have told myself that yeah sure, I know the gesture these words are trying to make and that I certainly do not do that. But it’s been a while that I have told myself the truth.
We all very often come across a legacy someone genius minded graphic designer left us over the internet. It’s a picture comparing a straight line and a curvy line stating the difference between the ideal and actual road to success. Viewing that picture some, including me, remark that oh yeah we already do that. It’s been a while I have caught me lying to myself like that.
Our primitive evolution probably had a lot to do with the physique for the purpose of their mere existence. When apes and Homo-Sapiens would have lived together, body language, expressions, acts of kindness and aggressions might have been the key parameters of survival. They must have left us the heritage as well. When I see the luster of success on a face, I tend to tell myself the sweet lie that people achieve success, fame, power, calm and satisfaction with just a pinch of luck.
When a person aims higher, a spell gets enacted out of nowhere, takes his hand and guides him through the journey of success, fame and glory. And the luster of the appearance, acting, makeup and appearance of the being makes me completely forget about the legacy an anonymous legend has left us. We have buried the philosophy under the mountain of Scientology but the rules are absolute, nature doesn’t change, light doesn’t vary its speed and principles do not bend themselves.
The Touch of a Destiny
At times, destiny and fate are not considered as one. One can surely very uniquely distinguish fate from destiny. It would be just a matter of some delicately placed synonymous words and there you will be standing with two different definitions in your hand. At a later time, someone else would define luck as the third stake holder of the market. But we all are aware of the essence of these words. We all are well familiar with the feelings these words convey. It one of those things when people have different names for the same thing in different geographical regions.
It is one of those things when people refer to the Divine by different names, namely Allah (in Islam), Jesus (in Christianity), Bhagwaan (in Hindi) and certain other terminologies are present in different religions. It is just a matter of delicately placed synonymous words and there you will be standing with the two different definitions in your hand.
But we all are aware of the essence of these words. We all have experienced it in our lives at one time or another. We all have listened to the religious myths and we all have believed/disbelieved those at one time in our lives or the others. In one way or another we all are waiting for that glorious end to arrive and reach us, like when watching of the movie, you just keep watching so to end it. We all know the essence of these things.
We are the people of the new era and we can write destinies with our own hands. We manipulate the stars, we talk to the skies, we challenge the horizons, we construct history, we foresee the future, we prepare for the unexpected, we dream what we want and we do what we desire just because we are the people of the new ear and we can write destinies with our own hands.
We have long left the stone-age customs behind us. We have long forgotten the older religions. We are well equipped and perfectly capable of controlling each and everything. We are the people of a global village who can fly to mars. Why shouldn’t we claim to write our own destinies with the inks of our intellect?
I used to be one of those believing that my destiny doesn’t lie in the mere pattern of the lines in my hands. I used to be one of those setting very high targets. I used to be one of those enjoying a high sense of achievement when a difficult task is successfully completed. But in some scenarios, I realized that no matter how much effort I put in, the situation remains the same. In some scenarios, I realized that while achieving all the things, I was just there in the right place, at the right time when a click of destiny pulled me upwards. I realized I am not the one controlling systems and humans.
When you’re very tired from a losing race, it’s then you start the analysis. It then you truly evaluate the underlying factors behind your previous success. It’s then you start questioning your abilities. It’s then you tell yourself to have been a fool for taking that illusion as reality when the reality was something else. It’s then the reality comes to you and tells you that He is sitting up in the skies, watching you very closely, Who can limit you any moment He desires or can take you upwards anytime. It’s just He, who has been in command in the previous ages and in the ages we are to embrace next. At times, He tries you make you realize his presence via your successes and when you don’t realize that, He can turn the table around any time He wants.
This is when i get back to wondering about the beauty and authority of saying of ALI (RA):
I HAVE RECOGNIZED ALLAH THROUGH THE BREAKING OF MY INTENTIONS.
When I Fell in Love with Her !!
It was back then,
When days were brighter
When nights were lighter,
When time was wonderful
When hugs were tighter.
It was back then
When moments took me high
When the distances were to overfly,
When her sound echoed in my heart
When my shadow was in her eye.
It was back then
When, with her, my life begun
When only we were there and there was none
When I fell in love with her
When I said ‘Together we are one’.
Polluted Asia
Air pollution is the concentration of very small size particulate matter in air which is responsible for various respiratory diseases, some of them prove deadly to several persons of the society. Generally the air pollution level is high in urban cities. Recently WHO published a report on air pollution and it wasn’t very surprising to know that Pakistan is leading the world in this area followed by various Asian countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Egypt and others.
The primary responsible stakeholders or air pollution include industrial revolution, increased birth rate and lack of awareness regarding the air pollution in under-developed countries. There is one other stakeholder that needs to be mentioned separately and that is the behavior of people. This behavior includes the behavior of people living inside these countries and additionally the behavior of nations intruding these areas.
As far as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran is concerned, the last factor plays a vital role. Afghanistan has been the land of unexpected, thrilling, unexpected and unpleasant adventurous incidences since the pre-historic era. At times Russians intrude the land, then talibans come forward to take hold and then USA strikes are observed later and in recent years. Whenever I hear the news of a bomb explosion, I wonder how much environmental damage would it have caused. The air strikes, use of armor, collapsed civil structures, drones, transportation carbon emissions and the list goes on.
Islamic Democratic Pakistan has always been enjoying the benefits of it geographical location. But when you accept something, you have to accept the entire package. The environmental issues are getting worse day by day in the country regarding every sort of environment including political environment, educational environment, social environment, economic environment, industrial environment and now hats off to the country, it has become a legendary leader in atmospheric environmental pollution as well. And the people of Pakistan whether be the industrialist, politician, military representative, researcher, bureaucrat, or a mere bloody civilian all have contributed great efforts to take the country to the verge of disaster in every aspect of life.
The same circumstances and the same behavioral attitudes prove true for other under developed Asian countries. When I write, it sometimes seems to me that I am an anti-states or anti-europe person because I take time to observe the outcomes of foreign intrusions with less a distance but the fact of the matter is it is not the outsider that causes the damage, it’s always the insider. Because devil always lies inside the chest.
The Blood Moon
It was October 8, 2014 and the Muslim community of planet earth was celebrating The Festival of Sacrifice. Animals are sacrificed each year at the occasion of Hajj in Saudi Arabia and throughout the world wherever Muslim Community is located. Hajj, which happens to be the largest gathering of human beings in one place peacefully performing religious obligation is itself a miraculous ritual. After that Muslims all around the world perform the sacrifice of animals and the festival lasts for three days. It is during these days when the moon turned red.
If we were living in ‘stone age era’ I would have postulated that enough animal blood has been shed to obey and please the Lord and the moon turning red is witnessing the approval of it. But being the survivals of 21st century, we all know that it has its own scientific reasons which need not to be discussed right now. The good thing is that we can declare ourselves as survivors and witnesses of the blood moon unlike several who have become a part of history as being the animals of sacrifice on the festival.
Speaking of the religious rituals, history is full of the bloodshed in the name of religion to please certain gods, goddesses and supposedly supernatural powers. In my very own country, people are very inspired by the idea of human bloodshed and they can’t find enough pleasure to make circumstances suit for the sacrifice of human beings. During these three days of the festival, along with the sacred blood of animals, comparatively less worthy and filthy blood of human beings was also shed to please the oldest and the strongest of all the antique gods, the human ego.
Four women slaughtered under the shed of ‘honor killing’ because of being involved in some sort of so called illicit affair. I wonder what sort of ‘honor’ gets restored if you murder the persons involved. In one incident a father murdered his own daughter in the name of ‘honor’ declaring himself of having slaughtered the most admired and high ranked of all the animals. Yeah this definitely would have satisfied his ‘god’ and the mood definitely would have witnessed the approval of his sacrificial spirit.
We are the people of a third world under-developed country and whenever some undesired incidence takes place, we turn our heads towards West and States and our tongues can’t get tired of admiring values in those developed countries. We quote the wonderful and magnificent systems of those areas of the world, we take pride of boasting about a few visits of those countries telling the stories of how disciplined people are over there. How much respect is delivered to the animal called ‘Homo-Sapiens’ and after that we start cursing the system here and the people here, totally keeping ourselves apart from the system because of those couple of visits to the developed countries.
But I was really glad to find out that the officials of States are as much dominated by the spirit of sacrifice as the barbarians of the this third world developing country. They also presented their sacrifice at the festival to celebrate the occasion and to show off their unity and appreciation of the Muslim Community. Like the residents of Pakistan, like the father who slaughtered a prestigious animal this year, they also sacrificed about a dozen of Homo-Sapiens during these days of the festival. Unlike the barbarians, their method of performing the ritual is very advance, they do it via drones. And I do not need to mention that whoever gets killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan, was born a militant and a threat to mankind.
But I have a slight objection at the Americans, why do they sacrifice our ‘animals’, why don’t they bring their own animals for slaughter. The Great Britain, always bearing a very high rank amongst the noble and sophisticated nations removed my objection. They sacrifice their own children for the rituals of witch hunting. The figures of children murdered for the reasons of witch hunting are getting higher. I guess it’s not just the barbarians playing the game, some ‘white collar’ nations are also interested in the festival for their own reasons, after all they all have their own lens of watching this world and it’s totally their democratic right to do so.
I would have been wrong to postulate the mood turned red because of ‘animal’ blood shed of the Muslims, it probably witnessed the approval of the bloodshed of humans of the entire planet earth.
Watching this little clip called ‘reality’ from the lens I’m wearing, I am getting certain about the Christian myth that these lunar eclipses are the sign of the ending days of this planet.
WORDS
It’s true
That I love you,
Trust it, and why would you
These are just words, unworthy, undue.
How to make you believe me
You and I are meant to be we,
Through my eyes, can’t you see?
Inside this heart, full of love, there lies a sea.
For you, I’d wait and wait
Till approaches that moment in my fate,
When you arrive back in time or belate
Till the end, for you, I’d wait.
Lifelong Independence
Today on 14th of August 2014, it’s the birthday of Islamic Democratic Pakistan. They say that the country was founded 68 years ago on the very same day. They say that the nation got free 68 years ago on the very same day. They say that a new country was born, which was much more than just a piece of land, 68 years ago on the very same day. They say that the foundation of Islamic Democratic of Pakistan is based on the rigid structure and traditions of the marvelous Muslim Society and of the supreme religion, Islam. They say to the new generation that we all are breathing in a free, fair, peaceful and prosperous society which wasn’t so about 68 years ago.
History for the struggle of freedom is full of the list of martyred for a new country, is full of the sacrifices people made for the establishment of the country, is full of the struggle of millions for a separate homeland, Is full of the emotions connected to the vision for a new country, is full of the dreams people had when talking about this land and that history for the struggle of freedom is written on the pages of time with the blood of the Muslims when the Muslim nation dreamed of becoming a separate and independent ‘nation’.
This is the history as we have been taught throughout our lives, this is the history that is repeated every year on Independence Day, debates are held every time refreshing the memories of ‘nation’ about the past and this is the history we are supposed to remember for the rest of our life. There was a vision behind the establishment of Islamic Democratic of Pakistan which had its unique aroma that made the ‘Muslim Nation’ prominent amongst other nations of sub-continent. Muslims had their own social and cultural values, Muslims had their own ways of living this life, Muslims had their own complete religion to follow and Muslims had their own morals. This vision enabled the Muslims of the sub-continent to achieve a separate country.
While studying the history, I used to tell myself that there were ‘Muslims’ in sub-continent in older times, I used to tell myself that there was a ‘Muslim Nation’ in sub-continent in older times, I used to tell myself that there used to be a ‘vision’ for the establishment of Islamic Democratic Pakistan and I used to tell myself that there was once a Pakistan and that one day we all will migrate to that newly established fort of the Muslim world namely Islamic Democratic Pakistan. It was very unfortunate and shocking to realize that I have been living in the same country. I never found things like vision, justice, peace, prosperity and freedom in the piece of land we live in. I never witnessed the practice of the true spirit of religion rather I could never find the ‘correct version of religion’ in this piece of land. I never noticed the practices of cultural and religious values, I never witnessed the rule of law, I never witness justice being awarded on equality and impartial basis and I never witnessed the aroma of being a part of one so called ‘nation’.
Even today, overflowing with the brotherhood of being a part of a single magnificent Muslim nation, one political party is having a long march against the government towards Islamabad, the capital of Islamic Democratic Pakistan. A leader of a religious sect is holding a Revolutionary March alongside of the same political party towards the same destination. Most magnificently the govt. of Islamic Democratic Pakistan, the representatives of the Muslim Society and the rulers of the Muslim Fort are doing all they can do to suppress the rebellion. State police has been set up against the opposition, cities have being sealed, roads have been blocked with containers, any sort of movement is prohibited, and people have been dying to reach out to pharmacies and hospitals.
And they say that the new generation is breathing in a ‘free air’, they say that Islamic rules and regulations have been practicing in this country, they say that Islamic Democratic Pakistan has its own aroma that distinguishes it from other nations, they say that cultural values can be seen very easily, they say that human beings are being respected in this newly founded country, they say that the vision behind the establishment of Islamic Democratic Pakistan is being fully practiced here and they say that this is the same country that was separately founded for the Muslims of the sub-continent, ending my search and quest of migration to a free, fair and square Islamic Democratic Pakistan in despair.
I wonder which revolution would prove be last one before Pakistan becomes Islamic Democratic Pakistan.
Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another. (And in our case, freeing this nation was one thing and the ownership of that freed nation was another.)
General Rules of Loyal Morality
Islamic Democratic Pakistan is a developing, progressing and emerging country, atleast this is what the statistics say and atleast this is what I have observed all through my life. Still there are a lot of set-backs and a lot of things need to be improved. One of the major set-backs in the country is the power crisis and as a result, we have electrical power load shedding at regular intervals. This is not pleasant undoubtedly but on the brighter aspect, people claim to have discovered their families during these hours of power load shedding more like the concept of ‘family therapy’ in well developed countries, we get this treatment of family therapy forcefully and for free.
During such a session, sitting with my family discussing random topics, there was a discussion on the people who have served Pakistan with their lives, with their properties, with their services, with their intellect and with their love. For instance, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, donated his entire property to the educational institutes but his granddaughter is living an unknown life of misery in the same country that he founded. Soldiers who get martyred and give away their lives for the country enter their names in the list of ‘golden people’ but the families remain in suffering behind them.
While discussion, I said something unintentionally that has kept my attention since that moment. I said that in order to live a prosperous life, one should not be so selfless. I have been wondering about the authority of this statement since that time. We have been taught about not being too selfish, we have been taught to have soft corners for others but a session just ended at a conclusion that we should not be selfless.
Theoretically this is not true but practically I suffered it when I became too selfless to fall in love with her and she couldn’t become too selfless to love me back and I suffered that. I became selfless when I assigned that much of my love, respect, devotion, affection, honesty and sincerity to her and she didn’t even acknowledge that and i suffered that. I became selfless when I waited for hours and days for her just to show up and she didn’t even care to let me clarify my stance and i suffered that as well. I became selfless and as the historical evidences dictate, the ones who become selfless are the ones who suffer in the end and so did I.
Yes, I posed a correct statement. One should not spend a selfless life. One should be very selfish and possessive about one’s life and one’s priorities because at the end of the day all that matters is the quality of this once awarded life that you spend. I never had a doubt about what I said about being selfless, rather what struck me most is the doubtful authority of the moral principles that teach us to have a soft corners for others, that teach us to live for others, that teach us to respect others and that teach us to return good when someone does good to you. I am afraid of the moral customs carved inside my character because I am afraid that this currency is no more the current currency of the world we live in today.
Umair Rehman 