News Kashmir Magazine

Opinion 28 December, 2020 Issue

“Everything comes to an end”

By Suhaib Ashraf Bhat.
“Every container pours out what is in it. If your heart is good, it will only pour out khair- goodness”.Allah swt created the creation to worship Him, worship gathers together within its scope knowledge of Him, turning to Him in penitence, loving Him, and being sincere to Him. Through performing his dial. do hearts find tranquillity and through seeing Him in the Hereafter will the eyes feel bliss. There is nothing that will be more beloved to the servants than seeing Him on that Day and there is nothing that is granted them in this life greater than faith. Mans need of Him in worshipping Him is greater than his need of Him in His creating, nourishing and sustaining him, because worship is his object and source of fulfilment. There is no correction, no success, no felicity, no delight without worship and whoever turns away from the dhikr of his Lord,”His life will be a dark and narrow one and on the Day of Rising We will gather him blind” [Ta Ha (20:124)].The Messenger of Allah swt Muhammad Salalahualihwasalam narrated from his Lord that He Said: “I am as my slave expects Me to be.Ahmad bin ‘Umar al-Qurtubi Rahimullah said:“It is said that His Saying “I am as my slave expects Me to be” means if one expects an answer when he supplicates, his repentance to be accepted, something repugnant to be repelled from him, his deeds to be accepted that are performed with their proper conditions…And this is supported by his saying: “Call upon Allah while you are certain that you will be answered.” Likewise, it is incumbent upon the one who repents, seeks Forgiveness, and does good deeds to exert himself in fulfilling his obligations while he is certain that Allah will accept his actions and Forgive his sins, as Allah has promised that He will accept any truthful repentance and righteous deeds. So, whoever performs such a deed and believes and expects that Allah will not accept it and that it will not benefit him, this is despair from the Mercy of Allah, and is from greatest of the major sins. Whoever dies upon this will be delivered to that which he expected.” ‘Al-Mufhim li ma Ushkil min Talkhis Kitab Muslim’ (5/267)Whatever you do, however you do everything will come to an end. So when you do a good deed or action, you should not look at whether the person deserves it or not and hence do the action without expecting anything in return. Allah swt is the most Generous, and He rewards you for your actions. You stood firm with someone in their hard times, You did your best to help them in every way, Don’t forget, this too will end. its not necessary that person will always remember or be thankful for what you did for them. Let it be still and it will gradually become clear. And if this is only for sake of Allah swt then surely you will be rewarded.In the story of the woman who gave the dog water, she showed her care for this animal when it was thirsty, and she did something good not expecting anything in return; this is something that Allah swt loves! She didn’t do it to show off, to be praised or to gain any benefit in this dunya. So, whatever you do, do it for the sake of Allah swt.
Our skin is soft, but our heart is cruel.
Ya Allah, our hearts are aching now. Ya Allah, things are going so hard, Ya Allah it sometimes appear that we are not able to bear it now, Ya Allah have mercy on us, Ya Allah, Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness.Aameen.
Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

28 December, 2020 Issue .

Women in the Age of Digital LiteracyBy Syed Mustafa Ahmad

With the advent of science and technology, the need for skills have got more importance. Being a literate in the present context, is not enough. Literacy has now changed into digital literacy. Digital literacy is important both for men and women. A skilled man or a skilled woman is of utmost importance in the age of information revolution. In our country, the need to impart digital education to women in particular and men in general can’t be overlooked. Among 130 crores of people, half are women. They, unlike men, are exploited at every stage.  Their social life, economic life, political life, moral life, etc., is miserable. They lack everything. But the most important thing they lack is literacy. It is a conspiracy to let them remain backward.  Their enlightenment will shake the mindless rituals of the society. They have been taken for granted since time immemorial. The books of morality are full of pages to give humanitarian approach to the women folk. Everywhere there is a hue and cry that women should be empowered. But when it comes to reality, there is nothing. There, in fact is barbarity. However, the desire to help them to empower has gained momentum. Now to some extent, the people at the helm of affairs have understood that why it is in the best of interests to give them what for actually they are entitled. Nevertheless, it will take centuries to get a concrete shape. Here, we look at the innovative approach of Facebook with the Government of India to empower the exploited group of our society, women.       Basically, digital literacy has been defined as the ability to of individuals and communities to understand and use digital technologies for meaningful actions within life situations. Any individual who can operate computer/ laptop/ tablet/ smartphone/ and use other IT related books is being considered as digitally literate. Recently, Facebook launched the ‘ We Think Digital’ programme in partnership with the’ National Commission for Women(NCW) and Cyber Peace Foundation to provide digital literacy training to 1,00,000 women across states.      The programme seeks to provide digital literacy training to 1,00,000 women across seven states in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Bihar. Its objective is create digital leadership amongst women and help them use technology to empower, enable them to make smart choices and be secure from online risks. Starting from the state of Uttar Pradesh, the programme will be expanded to other states including Assam, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Bihar throughout the year. The programme will focus on digital literacy and citizenship, addressing issues around privacy, safety and misinformation.      The status of digital literacy among women can be understood by this fact that digital gender gap in India is huge. Less than a third of India’s total internet users are female that is 29%. Globally in developing countries, the number of women using the internet is 12% less than men. The reasons for low digital literacy amongst women are manifold. The first among them is social conditioning. Women , often didn’t make use of ICTs meant to empower them because of several obstacles such as lack of  self confidence, low self-esteem, illiteracy, averseness in use of modern technology resulting in low exposure and awareness. The second cause is affordability. Mostly due to poverty and lack of resources, they are unable to afford computer and internet services readily. Given that women on average earn 25% less than men globally, high internet prices discriminate disproportionately against women. The third reason is digital skills and education. Women face several barriers such as lack of competence in use of equipment, lack of training facilities, etc. Yet, the country is making slow progress on providing digital literacy training and Internet access in public institutions at large scale. The fourth cause is grim situation in rural sphere. Women in rural India face multiple issues for gaining digital literacy, such as lack of education, awareness, accessibility and often restrictions because of their gender. The fifth is online safety. Mostly, police and courts are still not equipped to handle ICT mediated violence and harassment cases, Legislation to protect the privacy of data and communication is also not implemented in true spirit, bringing an overall aversion from the digital services.      The process of digital literacy and digital inclusion is significant for women because of accession to financial services. Knowledge of and access to these digital services such as mobile money services can empower women to start small businesses and give them greater control over their money and savings. This has positive implications for their communities as women globally reinvest about 90% of their income into the households. For example, M-Pesa mobile money service in Kenya has gained much traction in development circles M-Pesa , as it has lifted 2% of Kenya’s households out of poverty. The results are most compelling for female beneficiaries. Another advantage of this process is increasing activism and participation in campaigns against gender inequality. Women’s ability to connect and mobilise via social media and the internet is increasingly vital to the success of campaigns against gender inequality. For example, #Delhi GangRape resulted in anti rape provisions being built into India’s Criminal Code. #Sendeanlat(‘tell your story’) has generated national discussions on violence against women in Turkey. #metoo movement, brought the issue of workplace sexual harassment to the fore globally. Apart from these, access to information, connection and liberation. The internet means access to a wealth of information. Women’s ability to communicate with each other freely, regaining a sense of agency in their own education as they teach themselves new skills. For example, it may be deemed an appropriate when girls and women ask questions regarding sensitive subjects like reproductive health, sex, religion, politics and social norms. Internet has a wide range of resources that can provide women with information about their health and well-being. Moreover, it gives access to educational resources. The biggest benefits of being digitally literate is that there is a plethora of free learning resources online. From YouTube videos to educational apps, one can use these platforms to supplement the education, to learn new skills, etc. Furthermore, digital literacy helps women to fight social discrimination through digital inclusion. A study on mobile phone ownership and usage by women in India, found that households where  women had mobile phones reported lower tolerance for domestic violence and higher women’s autonomy in mobility and economic Independence. Last but not the least, it helps to counter Cyber threat. With the advent of laptops, smartphones and online learning, there is an urgent need to give girls the tools to be safe in this online environment, as new challenges, such as cyberbullying, make it critical to equipment girls with the relevant skills and awareness. There is a wide range of avenues that is available if we only implement it in letter and spirit.       Thus, we must see “ digital gender divide” as “ digital gender opportunity”, as it will present a tangible opportunity for women to tackle long-standing challenges of gender inequalities, including access to employment, income, education and health services.REFERENCE: VISION IAS NOTES 

Opinion 21 December, 2020.

         Storms, Before Your Bear Fruits

By Suhaib Ashraf Bhat. (Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it. Khalil Gibran)If something bad happens to a believer, he either bears it with patience or panics. If he is patient he earns a great reward and accepts the will and decree of Allah swt, because he knows that it comes from Allah swt, so he feels content with it and accepts it. So what reason is there to panic and feel stressed?On the contrary, if he is not patient and he reacts to what befalls him of sin with panic and anger, and worry and stress, he will lose the reward that Allah swt has promised to those who are patient. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):“Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning” [al-Zumar 39:10]One of the salaf said: “Believers and unbelievers alike may have patience at a time of adversity, but only people of strong faith can have patience at a time of ease.” Therefore Allah warned against the fitnah of wealth, wives and children: “O you who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. If any act thus, the loss is their own.” (al-Munâfiqûn 63:9) “O you who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are (some that are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them!” (at-Taghâbûn 64:14)The enmity referred to in these aayat is not that which results from hatred and conflict, but that which results from love and care, that might prevent parents from religious duties such as hijrah, jihad, seeking knowledge and giving sadaqah.Trouble is inevitable in the life of this world; this is how Allah swt has decreed it and He has made it a place of trials and tests, and a bridge to the Hereafter. Even the best of His creation, the prophets, were never free of troubles. Life is never plain sailing for anyone, young or old. You may have reason to rejoice one day, then reason to feel sad for many other days; this is how it always is in the life of this world and this is how people are all the time. Who among us has not felt grief and sorrow as a result of the calamities we see befalling the Muslims, day after day? Who among us has not lost interest in this world and everything in it, because of what we hear or see? But when these feelings of sadness and loneliness or bad moods persist and prevent us from living a normal life or carrying out the duties that are required of us, or fulfilling the rights of others, or they cause us to neglect the blessings of Allah swt which He has bestowed upon us and fail to give thanks for as we should, at that point sadness moves from being something natural to being a case of weakness and sickness that needs to be treated. There is no greater remedy for that than patience and fearing Allah swt, and thinking positively of Allah swt, the Lord of the Worlds, putting one’s trust in Him, delegating one’s affairs to Him and turning to Him in all times of calamity. “And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him.” [al-Talaq 65:3]i.e., He will be sufficient for all that is worrying him in his spiritual and worldly affairs. The one who puts his trust in Allah swt will have strength in his heart and will not be affected by anything he imagines or be disturbed by events, because he knows that these are the result of vulnerable human nature and of weakness and fear that have no basis. He also knows that Allah swt has guaranteed complete sufficiency to those who put their trust in Him. So he trusts in Allah swt and finds peace of mind in His promise, and thus his worry and anxiety are dispelled; hardship is turned to ease, sadness is turned to joy, fear is turned to peace. Lets sincerely ask Allah swt to keep us safe and sound, and to bless us with strength and steadfastness of heart, and complete trust, for Allah has guaranteed all good things to those who put their trust in Him, and has guaranteed to ward off all bad and harmful things from them.
May Allah swt make things easy for us.  Aameen

14 December, 2020 Issue

CARPET WEAVING AND ASSOCIATED DREAMSBy Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Carpet Weaving ( qaeleen kaem), from Yarqand, was a flourishing business in the past. It is said that it was the gift from those who helped to spread Islam in Kashmir. The book “ Kashmir Under the Sultans” written by Mohibbul Hassan tells that Sultan Zain-Ul-Abideen, who ruled from 1420-1470, brought different kinds of profession or occupation from the Cental Asia. Badshah( Zain-Ul-Abideen) had good contacts with outside countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. Today, we often listen about the Silk Route. The modern CPEC between China and Pakistan is a small replica of that grand route. It was the route that  brought Islam and handicrafts to Kashmir. This route also took Buddhism from Nepal to China. Abdul Gani Sheikh from Ladakh has written about the route in eleventh class Urdu ( JK BOSE).  Zain-Ul-Abideen was influenced by the traditions  of his ancestors like Sultan Shihab-Ud-Din and Sultan Sikandar. Sayyid Mir Ali Hamdani and his son Mir Muhammad Hamdani brought different professions with them in order to be self- independent. Sayyid Hamdani had written a book about the economic system in Islam that left a profound influence over people. Moreover, they  were aware of the physiography and the culture of  Jammu and Kashmir. In this way, it helped the native people very much. It  contributed about 9,000 crore to the state exchequer. It was a remedy for unemployment. It was a perennial profession or occupation that used to provide livelihood to those who could not go to school or were forced to abandon his studies like Adil. It was a privilege for some to be engaged in this profession with the charming things like  the warp and weft, knife, beating comb, shears, silk of different colors, etc. A lot of stories are associated with this business. Adil is one of them. It is full of nostalgia. Adil and his family were happy that they had a loom at their home. Adil was the third child among five. His two elder brothers were illiterate and hence labourers. Adil’s younger siblings were not highly educated. His sister was unmarried and was an Anganwadi helper. His youngest brother was working as a porter in a defense camp. Adil’s  ancestors were  famous for learning, particularly in Persian and Arabic. But Adil and his siblings were not so lucky in gaining any good knowledge. The heavens as well as their individual levels could not support them to achieve something concrete.        Agriculture was and is the main source of income at Adil’s village. His  father and his elders brothers were busy in agricultural.work while Adil took to Qaleen Kaem. When he was in the primary school, he was forced to abandon his studies. It is because in the 1980s, some so-called rich of the village brought the Carpet Weaving to the village.  As told earlier it was a craze at that time to be in this occupation. They were good in one respect that it would bring monetary benefits to the village and they would not remain idle at different places like margs( Meadows), charaaes( grazing lands), Wudars( Karewas), etc. But the misery was waiting for them after a brief lull. The village, being illiterate, had some hope of literacy when in the 1980s some students like Adil began to go to the local primary school. They were happy  because there was a lot of innovative things to do. Books were windows for them to look at different things and places. They felt pity over those who were busy in child labor. But they didn’t know that the misery that was more horrible than theirs, was waiting for them, with mouth wide open.         Adil was forced to abandon his studies. One day, as he was coming back for  lunch from the school, in the corridor of his home, his modest school uniform was put off forcefully by his father. He could not understand at that time what his father was doing to him. But one thing was crystal clear that the liberty of theirs was going to be snatched away. The local primary school contained spaces for both the school and the Qaleen Waans( Carpet Looms). He wept to his might but his father, being a hardcore person, did not feel pity over him. He was told plainly that your freedom was over. Now, you had to go to learn Kasb( Skill) so that you could live your life with ease. It was not a surprising thing for him because at that time, poverty was common. People didn’t know the value of education. They only knew that it was best to earn than to spend time and invest in educations. In history, we learn about the bonded labor. Carpet weaving too was like that. Innocent children were to sign a contract for a year or two through their parents. A small amount of money was given in advance to their parents as a goodwill gesture that you were investing in something useful. Yes, for their parents, it was an icing on the cake. They could see the face of some notes and cherish them in their hands. They could walk proudly for they had money in their dirty pockets.       As the building contained both the school and the looms, there only was the shift of rooms: from classrooms to Qaleen Waans. No, it was more than that. In classrooms, there was a new world in front of the students. They learnt that my Creator, you are my hope and never leave me in want while in new rooms, there were tight strings that hurt tiny fingers. In classrooms, a teacher would give some time to rest but in the new rooms, there was a lunch break of only 25 minutes. In the classrooms, there was a hope that one day would come when we would live like birds. There would be freedom  but their wings of desires were clipped before the flight.  Adil, after that day’s incident, woke up next day to prepare himself for the school but to his astonishment, he was gifted with some carpet weaving tools like a knife, beating comb, shears, etc.  In place of pencil, slate, and ink, he was to take iron and wooden tools with him. He was looking at them minutely but could not differentiate between the two. The former things needed freedom but no money; while the latter gave money but no freedom. Caught in this situation, Adil accepted his mother’s advice and with brimming tears, left for the same building but with a lot of differences. The rhyming sounds from the adjacent classroom would haunt him. He yearned to be among them, though they were done in number. But his heart longed to enjoy those illustrated books.  Days passed and he had to bow before his fate.  Carpet Weaving had come to destroy him.       Years passed and it took the shape of decades. Adil made this his occupation. Working under different teachers, he, at last, installed his own loom at his home under the tutelage of the teacher from Downtown area. For Downtown area was the hub of this craft. For 15 years, Adil worked for them. He helped his family with  as much as he could. Barring Fridays,  he was busy on his loom through out the year.      However, the long relationship came to a sudden end when he left working under the teacher. The reason was simple: no liking for quality, introduction of machines, government apathy, etc. His teacher could not keep pace with the mechanized-world.              Finding himself in this situation, Adil went to the same people who had snatched his childhood from him. For two years, he happily worked but before some months, when I went to meet Adil, I didn’t find him working on loom. I couldn’t believe that Adil who was always found working on his loom, was not there. I enquired about his whereabouts. His wife told me that his health is not so good.  Sitting on a loom  for almost thirty years has costed him his health. He had gone to do some labor work. I began to look at the loom.  It has scars. The scars given to it by nears and dears. I put my fingers into it and began to feel the spirit of Carpet Weaving. I was reminded of my childhood when my uncle used to teach me how to make carpet. Weaving a carpet needs some music. My uncle had hundreds of cassettes of different periods of both Bollywood and local types. Muhammad Raf, Kishore Kumar, Usha Khanna, Rajesh Roshan, Shailendra, Raj Kapoor, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Lata Mangeshkar, Jagjit Singh, Nida Fazili, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Nadeem-Shravan, Gulzar, Mahesh Bhatt,cetc., were and are still find there. In local sense, he has Rashid Hafiz, Gulzar Ganie, Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Abdul Majeed Ganie, Farooq Ganie, Misgar, Abdul Radhid Farash, etc. He also has some Panasonic tape recorders there to display the ingenuity of the Japanese.       Today, Adil hates to work on the loom. He doesn’t expect this craft to guarantee him a good life. He has two daughters. He is living separate. He wants government to intervene. He is hopeful that if government intervenes, there are chances that it may be revived. But according to me, it is buried under the Earth. No one is interested in taking up this profession. What is the fun of being engaged in such a profession that now is a source of misery and curse! I have seen Adil fighting with his wife over this profession. Yes, his wife was right in saying that if you could not afford to meet the basic necessities of life, you would better find some alternative. I think every carpet weaver has to find an alternative. Have they? The question remains.
By: Syed Mustafa Ahmad