Ghalib, the Divine Poet

Whatever one writes is expression of one’s self. Ones experiences; occurring through mind or enjoying vicariously and filtered through thought process, take the shape and form with pen. Every creative artiste had been, is and shall be having paranoiac tendencies. He is quite efficient and capable to see through the present; jumping at will in the unknown layers of future and slipping quietly and unintentionally into the lanes of past. That is what imagination is! And how can one be a creative artiste without being imaginative?

Poetry just dawns. The metaphors, thoughts, similes and emotions just appear out of nowhere. And whatever just happens can be termed nothing but Divinity. To me, Ghalib was a Divine poet. All his creations were addressed and directed towards God; some directly and others in a subtle hidden way, which you know only after reading between the lines. A ghazal penned down by him begins:

Un ke dekhe se jo aa jati hai munh pe raunak,
Vo samajhte hain ke bimar ka haal achha hai.

Look at his state of separation, from Him! He does not say, when I meet Him or see Him, the expression used is; when He observes me, I get filled with happiness, contentment and exuberance. God being above everything; has been made the source of his well-being. The next couplet goes:

Dekhiye pate hain qushak buton se kya faiz,
Ik brahman ne kahe hai ke ye saal achha hai.

He questions the self as to what joy will I receive from the lifeless images, idols of Gods and Deities? Because, prediction of an astrologer goes to declare this year as a good year for him. A good year to Ghalib meant; not the materialistic possessions or any worldly achievements but the grace and joy he'll receive from the Almighty who is in this world in the shape and form of lifeless images. Then, Ghalib penned down:

Hum ko malum hai jannat ki haqeekat lekin,
Dil ke khush rakhne ko Ghalib ye khyal achha hai.

Normal practice of blessing someone has been with reference to jannat (heaven). In Hindus, even today, the departed soul is referred to as Swargwasi (having abode in the heaven). To me it seems that he expressed his awareness of heaven and then goes to complete; not a bad thought to keep one happy. Here, he seems to be one with God to write of his awareness of various myths with which a normal man lives and dies. In the above three couplets of a Ghazal by Ghalib, I felt his passion, love and knowledge of Super-Soul expressed beautifully.

Mother, I salute thee!

Mother, I salute thee!

Dear all I would not have a care, if they took away my pen and paper, for I have dipped my fingers, in the inkpot of my heart, I would not have a care, if they sealed my lips shut, for I have secreted my voice, in every link of every manacle.

Please accept my hearty regards an earnest appeal to the Nation for the Nation Let us celebrate 15^th  August 69^th Independence Day by donating blood, love, and peace a real patriotism let us come on celebrate 15^th  August Independence Day.

I am praying God bless you all whatever you want in your life coming time brings all the contentment in your life and our acquaintance union is more brace and reach to supreme heights.

I want to acknowledge that since a decade some personnel from Urdu academia are always threatening by bounce letter to kill me at every opportunity. Kindly pray for me that God keeps me safe from their evil act. I pray to holy God that all your good deeds will be cause of your happy life in both worlds. I also apologize, if inadvertently, I hurt you in past.

Better than the entire world, is our Hindustan,
We are its nightingales, and it (is) our garden abode

Mother, I salute thee!

Difference between Good and Bad

Difference between Good and Bad

Good and bad are integral elements of our life and remain with us throughout. What is good for a person may be bad for another and so it is a subjective issue and nothing is absolutely good for all (and vice versa). There are good and bad in every aspect of life, and it is hard to escape from anything without being judgmental and categorizing it as good or bad. On the whole, a society sets the norms for good and bad and guide people in their lives. But people never try to delve deeper to analyze the differences between good and bad and accept things at their face value. Let us take a closer look.

Why does a class teacher refer to a student as good in front of all others and another as bad? It is to let all students know what is good and what is bad, and encourage them to become good. So they get appreciation and admiration of those who matter. The same principle applies to adults in life later on as there are norms and laws to deal with bad behavior. While some people exemplify good behavior and they are treated as model citizens, there are many who face the wrath of the administration in the form of sentence of prison and financial penalty when they exhibit bad behavior, which is not acceptable to the society.

We become accustomed to the bifurcation of good and bad in all aspects of our life and unless we decide or finalize something as good or bad, we are not comfortable. In fact, we make stereotypes for this very purpose and categorize people around us as good or bad to sort out our friends and those whom we do not like. In fact, there are qualified people who indulge in this very exercise, to earn a living. They separate the good from the bad to let others know and deal with things accordingly. Because of the efforts (or shall we say subjective liking and disliking) of some people, we are helped in no uncertain means and know beforehand what is good and what is bad for us.

Thus, we have good food and bad food, good and bad music, good and bad writing, good and bad films, good and bad actors, good and bad rulers, and so on. We are left on our own rarely. Perhaps food is one category where we decide on the basis of our taste buds what is good and bad, though even here there are nutritionists and doctors who keep telling us what to have and what to avoid. Similarly, when it comes to clothing, we tend to follow fashion as we are told what is good (in fashion) and what is bad (out of fashion).

الوداع اے ماہ رمضان الوداع

الوداع اے ماہ رمضان الوداع
شکریہ آپ کے آنے کا، ساتھ رہنے کا،بہت کچھ سکھانے کا ، بہت کچھ سمجھانے کا۔ آپ کا ہم نے استقبال بھی کیا، احترام بھی کیا۔ اب آپ جا رہے ہیں ،دل بوجھل ہے ،دکھی ہے۔آپ کی وجہ سے ہم جیسے کمزور مسلمان بھی شرما حضوری میں نیک راہ پر گامزن ہو جاتے ہیں۔ یوں بھی صحافی دنیا کی سب سے بد قسمت قوم ہے کہ جس وقت تروایح ہوتی ہے اس وقت وہ گوبر اور گئوموتر کی خبریں تلاش کر رہا ہوتا ہے۔ ہم صحافی لوگ ہمیشہ تراویح سے محروم ہو جاتے ہیں۔ مگر جو بھی نصیب ہوتا ہے اسے برتنے کی کوشش ضرور کرتے ہیں۔ آپ آئے تو بلاوجہ ہی ثواب کمانے کی خواہش پیدا ہوگئی۔ حرام خوری اور بدنیتی سے بچائو ہو گیا۔ رشوت خور مسلمانوں نے بھی کچھ نہ کچھ پرہیز ضرور کیا ہوگا۔ ابھی لوگ اتنے کم ظرف نہیں ہوئے ہیں کہ آپ کا ذرا بھی خیال نہ رکھیں۔ داعش اور دہشت گردوں کو بھلے آپ کے آنے سے کوئی فرق نہیں پڑا ہو ،لیکن مسلمانوں نے تو آپ کا لحاظ رکھا ہی۔ ماحول پاکیزہ ہوتے ہی بوجھل قدم بھی مسجد کی طرف اٹھ جاتے ہیں۔ مسجدیں بھی آپ کی وجہ سے آباد ہو جاتی ہیں۔غریبی اور غریبوں کا خیال بھی آجاتا ہے ،ویسے عام دنوں میں کون کس کا خیال رکھتا ہے ۔اب آپ جا رہے ہیں ۔ دکھ ہورہا ہے کہ آپ کے جاتے ہی مسجد یں نمازیوں کے ایک صف کے لیے بھی ترس جائیں گی۔ تمام طرح کی برائیاں ،آہستہ آہستہ پھر سے سر اٹھائیں گی۔ جس نفس کو ہم نے اس ایک مہینہ میں مارا ہے وہ کمبخت پھر سے جوان ہونے لگے گا۔ کیا ہی اچھا ہوتا کہ آپ ہمارے ساتھ ہمیشہ رہتے ،کیا کریں ہم مسلمانوں میں ایک مرض یہی تو ہے کہ ہم سارے فرائض اور واجبات صرف ثواب کے لالچ میں ادا کرتے ہیں۔ اس کے مقاصد اور فوائد پر ہماری نظر نہیں جاتی۔ جاتے جاتے بس یہی دعا کر جایئے کہ آئندہ برس جب آپ آئیں تو ہم سب کچھ اچھے بن کر آپ کا استقبال کرپائیں....الوداع اے ماہ رمضان۔ الوداع

The world is a children’s playground before me

The world is a children’s playground before me, Night and Day, this theatre is enacted before me

For me the flying throne of Solomon is a game, And only talk, the miracles of Christ before me

I acknowledge the face of the universe as only a name, The substance of reality is but superstition before me, Next to me, the wilderness is shamed into hiding in dust, The servile river grovels in the dust before me, Do not ask what my condition is without you Just look at your own comportment before me, True, I appear consumed by the niceties of adornment, but of course, An idol mirrors my reflection before me, Then witness the blossoming manner of speech, Just place a decanter of wine before me, I was presumed hostile where I am merely jealous, Why should I say do not take that name before me, Faith retards me, where idols lure me, Kaaba is behind me, the church is before me, I desire, my craft is to seduce the desired The beloved Laila insults the lover Majnun before me, Joy prevails, but union need not signal death, Yearnings of the dark night of my soul came before me, Tears of blood create oceans of blood, if only this were it, And yet, what unknown fates must I still behold before me, Even when hands have no movement, sight retains vitality, So leave the accoutrements of wine before me, He is my comrade, my confidant, my fellow carouser, Do not speak ill of him, Ghalib is good before me

Devils Are Chained in Ramadan: Why Do People Sin?

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we hope our efforts, which are purely for Allah’s Sake, meet your expectations.
It is well known that Satan has nothing to do with those who are committed to the true meaning of fasting. Such people are saved from the devil’s influence during the blessed month of Ramadan.
Although devils are chained during Ramadan, it is no wonder to see people committing sins in broad daylight because not all sins are committed as a result of Satanic whispers, but one’s evil soul or nafs may drive one to sin and even commit crimes.
In his response to the question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states the following:
Abu Hurairah, (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “When the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of the Hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)
It is clear from the aforementioned Hadith that putting devils in chains during the month of Ramadan does not mean that they cannot influence people who are not abiding by the laws of Allah.
The statement only means that as far as the believers who are observing the rules of Allah are concerned, Satan’s control over them is diminished. This month, with all of its many blessings and spiritual incentives, puts pressure on Satan, and therefore it acts as a kind of a barrier between them and it.
Moreover, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa committee, adds,
I would like to state that there is no contradiction between the Prophetic Hadith which states that devils are chained during the month of Ramadan and the reality that some fasting Muslims do commit crimes during the blessed month. The commentators of the aforementioned Hadith of Abu Hurairah state that ‘the devils that are put in chains during Ramadan’ are those who can’t approach those who sincerely fast for Allah’s Sake and who commit themselves to the high morals of fasting such as lowering the gaze and refraining from doing any harm to others.
Ibn Khuzaymah also states that ‘putting the devils in chains’ means that their activity during the blessed month is (only) reduced, and that is why some Muslims sin during the month of Ramadan.
Another possible interpretation of the Hadith states that sins that are committed through Satanic whispers are halted, as the devils are chained and they no longer tempt people to sin during Ramadan.
As to the sins that are committed by some Muslims during the blessed month, some commentators state that they are due to the evil souls that tempt some to sin and transgress Allah’s limits. Some also state that the devils that are meant are those from among the Jinn, whereas human devils are not chained.
It has become clear that the Hadith does not contradict the common reality if we tend to understand it with deep profundity. Religious texts are to be understood in a proper and sound way in order to avoid confusion in understanding religion.
There is a famous hadith commonly quoted by Muslims on Ramadan.  The hadith goes as follows:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1899)
According to this Hadith, the devils are chained.  The devils are what causes evil desires and actions.  By this logic: [the Islamic version of] evil is chained.
But is it really?
I lost faith in Islam during Ramadan of 2012 after a long period of doubt and critical examination.
Indonesian Police forces warn their local communities on rising crime rates (such as theft, prostitution and mugging) in Ramadan compared to the rest of the year. (Also try this article.)
Egypt has witnessed rising crime rates in Ramadan
Child trafficking increases in Yemen during Ramadan.
According to a study in Morocco, irritability increases in the month of Ramadan.

Keep in mind I did not even do a complete examination of crime during Ramadan worldwide.
If the popular hadith claims that devils are chained in Ramadan because of its purity how can there be crime and sin in the month of Ramadan?  If the sources of evil are chained, there should be no evil corrupting humans.  But while the sources of evil are chained, misdeeds [against Islam] still take place.
Zakir Naik attempts to answer this question by saying that the devils are not annihilated during Ramadan but restricted of their abilities.  He states how even though the devils are chained, they still have a commanding presence and lasting impact.  The devils use the other 11 months to corrupt human hearts and the lasting impact of these 11 months of corruption can affect people in the month of Ramadan.  Zakir Naik also says how the Shaytan’s whispers from the chained positions can be powerful and effective at a distance.
If the devils are chained, that means there is no force corrupting humans during Ramadan and they are exposed only to Allah’s light.  Is this exposure not powerful enough to dominate mere remnants of the devil’s corruption?  If the devils can whisper from their chained positions into human’s hearts, then are they truly jailed?  Doesn’t that mean that Allah’s imposed chains on the devils don’t work?  That certainly brings into question Allah’s perfection.
Let’s not forget that Allah has the power to annihilate them from existence, and demolish all evil; but doesn’t.  But okay, let’s leave this point alone (for now).
Crime rates don’t decrease while maintaining some presence during Ramadan.  If they did, then that would support the claims of Shaytan’s limitations.  In many cases (like the ones mentioned previously) they spike!  If they increase does that mean the devils’ powers are truly “restricted?”  It sure seems like a busy and successful season for them.
Contradictions.  That’s what they are.
Maybe we can consider the fact that not only are the devils not chained, but they do not exist.  Muhammad made a holy claim that is impractical in our reality.  Hopefully readers will begin to critically examine the relationship between Islamic metaphysical claims and the logical reality of the world.
On that note, Ramadan Mubarak!

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