Curbing Crimes against Humanity Suhaib Ashraf I am living in a world whose concepts are no longer clear to me. Crime against humanity, an offense in international criminal law, adopted in the Charter of the International Military Tribunal (Nürnberg Charter), which tried surviving Nazi leaders in 1945, and was, in 1998, incorporated into the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
I am living in a world whose concepts are no longer clear to me. A world where the criminal walks free and the victim is called a terrorist. A world where killing a one-year-old kid is permissible. A world that has left me baffled about what is right and what is wrong. No one can believe that any person with any religion or any mercy in his heart would split a pregnant woman’s belly and take the infant out then kill it; kill children one by one in front of their parents; smash heads with axes; or, burn the living. Only a criminal with a heart harder than a stone which has no mercy would do such acts. It is not even possible for a sane person to believe that such a person is a Human. This is a fact that can’t be denied. Killing of innocent people in communal and sectarian violence is nothing new in any country. A majority of the perpetrators of these horrific crimes enjoyed political patronage and were aided by an indifferent law enforcement agency. The criminals escaped prosecution and punishment, Crimes against humanity are criminal acts that are directed at an identifiable group of people. Genocide is an example of a crime against humanity. Crimes against humanity are criminal acts that target a group of people based on their religion, ethnicity, or some other trait, which is not a direct result of something that group has done. One of the most common crimes against humanity is genocide, which is the murder of a large portion of the population. Genocide is often either condoned, or carried out by the government. While history looks back to Nazi Germany for its example of crimes against humanity, the truth is, many modern conflicts see some combination of displacement, torture, sexual violence, and death against civilians. In fact, the number of civilian deaths in modern conflicts far exceed that of armed combatants. The brutality of violence committed against civilians sickens the rest of the world, as women are forced into sexual slavery, children are abducted and used as slaves; political rebels or dissenters are killed or imprisoned, Human rights defenders and put behind bar, tortured, and murdered. All this because the targeted people happen to be members of the “wrong” group. This may be due to their religious beliefs, ethnicity, social class, or political beliefs. Those perpetrators had deviant ideologies, turned away from the values of humanity, never cared for the good of others, and acted in complete disregard to the devastating consequences of their deeds (such as terrorising people, maximising risk of foreign intervention, deteriorating the country’s reputation, and discouraging domestic investments, which require stability and security). It is the duty of everyone in this world — leaders, politicians, and citizens — to mobilise and combat such erroneous ideologies. Scholars and intellectuals have a particularly important role in refuting the malicious thought that seeks to plunge society into chaos and turmoil and to implant intimidation and insecurity into Human’ lives. I ask Allah swt, Exalted be He, to protect us and all humanity from evil and tribulations. Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com
Syed Mustafa Ahmad Reading books is an attribute of the civilized nations. Since a long time, it is the book that has been with those who want to progress in the real sense. The developed personalities have the virtue of reading books. They know this fact that behind anyone’s victory, the books have played the greatest role. If they become the richest persons in the world, they never leave the bond of books. William Bill Gates has one of the best libraries at his home. He always likes the company of books. So, it becomes clear that it is necessary for every person to like books as they like air, water, clothes and food. But in the present times, this is not the case. The already crumbled system of reading culture, has become the target of new threats like internet. Internet is the hub of libraries. However, internet is full of distractions that makes it possible to get deviated quite often. Apart from Internet, there are many causes that has made it possible to abhor reading books. In this article, let us try to know some of the causes. First is that we don’t know our purpose of living. We have no aim. Our only concern is to fill our bellies, have bank balances, rituals and customs, etc. When this is the condition of any country, nation or state, they automatically have no liking for learning. However, if they learn, their learning is be of no value. Their only concern is paper degrees. They get these by hook or by crook. They won’t think of learning beyond the academic books. It is a pity that they don’t even learn their academic books; but go on rote learning the things so that they pass the examination. An Israeli student reads 40 books in a year. In Jammu and Kashmir, this trend will take years. Hence, we lag behind. Second is educational system is not compatible with learning. Here, donkeys rule the roost. Intellectualism has lost its way in the dreary desert of dead habitation. People hate those persons who buy and sell books. They call it madness to read books. They, instead, want to follow materialism. Big houses, cars, colourful clothes, etc., are the main motives of life. Reading a book is not their in their domain. They don’t have time for this. They want to spend their precious time in useless talks and chats but never bother to open a book and read some pages interest. Third is internet. The world is at finger tips. Why to carry a load of books instead of keeping it in a single device? Internet promised us that every kind of knowledge is there. Indeed, it is. But the poison it has brought with it is overlapping its benefits. There are millions of libraries on the internet but more than this there are the things that divert a person’s mind. Games, apps like Tik Tok, gambling, video making, etc. reduce the chances of learning anything new. It has also affected our health. Suicides have increased. Mental depression is on rise. Social distancing has increased. Alienation is the order of the day. Imitation is on rise. Money earning has become the newest trend. Craziness is the art of everyone. So, it has marred our society. Fourth is the lenient approach of the government. They themselves are ignorant and uneducated. They can’t do anything in this regard. They need power, money and fame. Their only concern is promises that are to be broken. They know that politics is about coming and going. Why should I use my mind in this hectic job of inculcating the spirit of reading culture? It is better to enjoy the years that are in my luck. Why to take this extra responsibility? But they don’t know that it is their main responsibility to acquaint the masses about the world and themselves. But they will waste money and time in futile pursuits; rather than in this good endeavor. It means that we have not still produced the ideal statesmen. Statesmen like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Voltaire etc are rarely found. They were, are and will be voracious readers. They left, leave and will leave a long last effect on the masses. Fifth and last is that we themselves are not interested. We hate books. We are impatient. We become bored when reading a book. We want something delightful. We want something charming. We want something attractive. We want something colourful. But it is deception. The charm lies in reading and imitating the best minds of the world. Steve Jobs, William Bill Gates, Jeff Bezoz, etc., share their experiences of lives and make us aware about the real motive of the temporary life. In the backdrop of the above lines, it becomes clear that in order to progress in this world, reading culture should be our first preference. Other things should follow it. From home to the market, every one should be awaken that reading culture is as important as oxygen. A labor should be in a position to read a book. All great authors should be read at the earliest. The need of the hour is to leave leniency and embark on the path of reading culture. Reading rooms should be available at in nook and corner of country. Then, there are the chances that we may go forward in this endeavor. Hope good sense prevails! By : Syed Mustafa Ahmad.Syedmustafaahmad9@gmail.com
“Lesson from the life of Musa Alihisalam”By Suhaib Ashraf Bhat
Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, “Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us.” So when he came to him and related to him the story, he said, “Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people.” (Al-Quran 28:25).Why did Allah swt mention the way she walked?The sense of shyness and humility we get from this woman is something for the Muslim to reflect on. In an era where such shyness or introversion is seen in some quarters as a possible manifestation of anxiety, lack of self-confidence, or even a social disorder, taking a moment to reflect on why Allah swt chose to mention this noteworthy trait of these women is of great benefit. A simple “Google” search reveals the characteristic of shyness being associated with apprehension, awkwardness, low self-esteem and so on; characteristics that any individual of integrity would want to avoid. But as Muslims, do we see shyness in the same way? If Allah swt chose this word to describe this woman as she walked towards Musa (Alihisalam), did He mean it in a complimentary or blameworthy manner? Is it bad to be shy?! A saying of the Prophet Muhammad Salalahualihiwasalam sheds light on the matter, where we are told that “shyness does not bring anything except Good.“ Elsewhere we are told even more emphatically that “shyness is a branch of faith!” Furthermore, we hear that the exalted character of the beloved Prophet Salalahualihiwasalam was described to be “more shy than a virgin in seclusion.” In an age where arrogance, immodesty, brashness and sometimes outright disrespect can be often looked upon fondly by some, the sincere Muslim remains firm in the knowledge of what characteristics please his creator. The young Muslim boy who emulates his favourite footballer’s ‘cocky’ traits, or the young Muslim girl who sees the ‘prettiest’ women on TV as those who wear very little and show far too much, or even the highly qualified Muslim academic who holds an esteemed position, or the affluent and successful Muslim businessman who is blessed with great riches and wealth, must remember that modesty and humility is an honour for the true slave of Allah swt. Never should a Muslim feel that being humble will hamper their progress in this pretentious world. Rather our focus is on our hereafter, attributing importance to that which will lead us to gardens of bliss and delight. Social vices such as outlandish dress sense, vulgar language and sexual openness and obscenity unbecoming of human beings, all combine to make that ‘shy’ trait even more difficult to hold on to. Very rarely does the media present to us a humble role-model for us to look up to and learn from. Shyness is slowly unfortunately becoming that ‘black sheep’ characteristic. Amongst all of these tribulations, the Muslim holds firm to his faith, and the characteristics it brings with it. The Muslim is humble yet firm, concise yet polite, modest yet confident, and shy yet totally and utterly content. As related to us by the best of all creation, Prophet Muhammad Salalahualihiwaslam “if you do not have any shame, do as you wish.” Look at your heart. As related by Ibn al Qayyim (Rahimullah) “the strength of one’s modesty and shyness relies on the strength of one’s heart.”May Allah swt grant us the blessing of embodying these beautiful traits and save us from that which incurs his wrath upon us. Aameen.Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com
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
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
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
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
Successful and Healthy Marriage Suhaib Ashraf Bhat Abu’d-Darda’ (may Allah swt be pleased with him) said to his wife: “If you see me angry, try to calm me down, and if I see you angry I shall try to calm you down, otherwise we cannot live together. Love is a decision to be committed to another person. It is far more than a fleeting emotion as portrayed on television, the big screen, and romance novels. Feelings come and go, but a true decision to be committed lasts forever—and that is what defines healthy marriages. What you have to do is treat your wife kindly. Part of kind treatment is listening properly to what she is saying and responding properly. Being right is not limited to men; it may be your wife’s view that is correct and her suggestions and advice may be good. What is preventing you from letting her express her views and discussing them with her in a friendly manner? Marriage is a decision to be committed through the ups and the downs, the good and the bad. When things are going well, commitment is easy. But true love is displayed by remaining committed even through the trials of life. Honesty and trust become the foundation for everything in a successful marriage. But unlike most of the other essentials on this list, trust takes time. You can become selfless, committed, or patient in a moment, but trust always takes time. Trust is only built after weeks, months, and years of being who you say you are and doing what you say you’ll do. It takes time, so start now—and if you need to rebuild trust in your relationship, you’ll need to work even harder. Although it will never show up on any survey, more marriages are broken up by selfishness than any other reason. Surveys blame it on finances, lack of commitment, infidelity, or incompatibility, but the root cause for most of these reasons is selfishness. A selfish person is committed only to himself or herself, shows little patience, and never learns how to be a successful spouse. Give your hopes, dreams, and life to your partner. And begin to live life together. This is a simple call to value our marriages, treat them with great care, and invest in them daily. Remember how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) listened to the advice of his wife Umm Salamah (may Allah swt be pleased with her) and adopted it in a matter of great importance. That was during the well-known Treaty of al-Hudaybiyah, when she suggested to him that he should go out and not speak to anyone among his Companions until he had slaughtered his hadiy (sacrificial animal) and shaved his head. Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) did as his wife (may Allah swt be pleased with her) suggested and there was a great deal of good in that.On the other hand ,Remember that the consequences of harsh attitude towards your wife may backfire on you; she may refuse to give you any advice so long as you do not accept what she offers you and is forced to agree with you even if you are wrong. Thus you will be depriving yourself of a great deal of good and beneficial advice. It suffices us to say to you: This attitude, in which you insist on your opinion, do not admit your mistakes and do not acknowledge that your wife could be right is the very essence of arrogance, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) defined it. It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah swt be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “No one will enter Paradise who has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart.” A man said: What if a man likes his garment to look nice and his shoes to look nice? He said: “Allah swt is Beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting truth and looking down on people.” Narrated by Muslim, no. 91 What is meant by rejecting truth is denying it out of arrogance and pride. Looking down on people means scorning them and thinking little of them. Don’t you see that this is the essence of what you are doing with your wife? Are you content to have this attitude and hence this fate may be yours? Do not forget that she is your life partner and the one who is helping you to raise your children and organise your household. So it is not appropriate to close the doors of discussion to her. You should not be too proud of your opinion and or feel that you do not need to discuss with her and hear her opinion. Do not neglect the words of your Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him): “The best of you is the one who is best to his wife.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 3895; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami‘, 3314. Over and above that, do not forget the words of Allah swt (interpretation of the meaning): “And live with them honourably” [an-Nisa’ 4:19]. Discussion between the spouses increases the love between them and strengthens the bond between them; it also helps to reach the right decision in matters of married life and household and family affairs. We all have weaknesses and relationships always reveal these faults quicker than anything else on earth. An essential building block of a healthy marriage is the ability to admit that you are not perfect, that you will make mistakes, and that you will need forgiveness. Holding an attitude of superiority over your partner will bring about resentment and will prevent your relationship from moving forward. It is not the attribute of the wise and mature man to insist when he is in the wrong that his wife should be the one to apologise. Rather he is the one who should hasten to admit his mistake, apologise for it and ask his wife to forgive him. And her duty is to apologize to her husband if she is the one who is in the wrong. It is in this way that married life takes a correct course and lasting love and compassion are strengthened between the spouses. Abu’d-Darda’ (may Allah swt be pleased with him) said to his wife: “If you see me angry, try to calm me down, and if I see you angry I shall try to calm you down, otherwise we cannot live together.” May Allah swt bless you all and make your married life full of blessings.
PEACE AND ITS HISTORY Syed Mustafa Ahmad The concept of peace has the distinction of always having been relevant, whatever the age and time . It is inseparably entwined with the issue of human existence. Peace basically means harmony. It not only is among nature’s creations but between nature and man as well. With the passage of time, the concept of peace has gone through many changes. The concept of existence has widened to embrace global existence while isolated nationalism was discarded in favor of the independent existence. In the present circumstances, the need of peace has increased manifold. In the present, we are facing a lot of problems. Global warming, human rights violations, gender disparity, ethnic cleansing etc., are the evils that are looking us into our faces. These problems have the potential to set the ground for a ferocious war. Today’s age is the age of innovation. Nuclear arsenals can be disastrous, if not used properly. So, in this situation, the necessity of every kind of peace can hardly be overlooked. It should be clear that a war is not a sign of a civilized nation. But we will our best to look into this concept through different angles. In the onward march of civilization, the biggest threat to peace has been an inclination towards aggressive nationalism. Man was pitted against man since progress was linked to a particular regional identity, narrowly defined by physical borders. It is called regionalism. It was only after the two World Wars and the dropping of two atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that it began to dawn on us what lack of peace meant. The destruction left by the “ hot wars” made us to think that it was of no use for the sake of a particular region. The mutual coexistence could be a better option. In the process of things, the “ hot wars “ were replaced by a Cold War. The World was divided between two superpower rival camps. The USA on the one side and the erstwhile USSR on the other side. It lasted for 45 years. This Cold War like the previous two wars, threatened the World peace on a large scale. The concept of deterrence stopped them from engaging in a hot war. The arenas of the Cold War like Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, etc., made it clear that Europe was again heading for a collateral damage. It is only now that we have begun to grasp the fact that peace is not merely lack of war but p positive concept in itself. It is multifaceted and includes political, social, economic components and all other issues involving man. It is a holistic concept that can’t be fragmented and viewed. The League of Nations was formed to promote the World peace. But it spectacularly failed in achieving this. It must be noted here that both the World Wars we’re fought for the sake of peace. The First World War was fought for “making the World safe” and the Second World war was fought” for implementing President Wilson’s 14 points”. It was after the Second World war that we achieved limited success in managing peace by the setting up of the UNO. Although it has been dominated by the big powers, it has done some commendable work in giving every nation an equal voice. There is one country- one vote principle in the General Assembly. It has also realized its goal in resolving certain conflicts during the Cold War like the Korean War. But overall the UN in the present conditions have failed to resolve many issues. The Palestine issue, the Kashmir issue, the Rohingyas, The Tamils, the Arab Spring, etc., to name few. Some issues among the above-mentioned problems can set the whole World on fire. We are witnessing it with each passing day when a nuclear power country incites another nuclear country for a war. In between, the helpless nations become the soft target. Until and unless, the grass root problems are not addressed, the achievement of global peace is a distant dream. Issues like poverty, global warming, female infanticide, genocide, loot of free market economy, fascism in the garb of democracy, etc., should be addressed on a war footing basis. For this to happen, everyone has to come forward for the sale of beautiful and tendering nature. If global peace is to be achieved as an objective, we must discard piecemeal measures and go to the root of the problem. It is the world divided into the ‘ haves’ and ‘have nots’. Until a balance is achieved between the two, there will always be disequilibrium and hence, a threat to world peace. The distribution of wealth and power is in favor of the industrially developed nations and until we redress this anomaly, there will continue to be disruptions in peace. The industrially developed Nations must develop their responsibilities towards developing band under developed nations. The under developed nations must also inculcate a culture of self-help rather than expecting anything from the international organisations. Cultural invasion must be restrained since it breeds a sense of insecurity among minority communities and religions. Fundamentalism of extreme type should be stopped at any cost. It is this mindset that proves very destructive for the global peace. Superpowers must also give the temptation of mistaking their interests for the interests of the world in general. Regional groupings can play an instrument role in standing up to big power dominance and promoting their own agenda of peace. The Non-Aligned Movement was the best exams let in this regard. It tried to mitigate the rivalry between the two super powers and put forth their own agenda of global peace, however that itself is mired by the paradoxes. SAARC, BRICS, RCEP and OIC can also play a decisive role in establishing to the global peace. Among them, SAARC has a large role to play, particularly in the South Asia. There are two nuclear weapons states in this group. They can act as a deterrence in the wake of any threat to the global peace. The change of mindset and living in a continuous mutual coexistence can help a lot. World peace and ecological stability are related since only peace can bring the focus back to preserving the earth, rather than destroying it. Both concepts appeal to the natural and stable instincts in man and are the two sides of sustainable development. Only if nations stop viewing each other with suspicion, they can divert resources towards creating a healthier environment, rather than simply defending a system and a way of life, which is no longer sustainable. Last but not the least, global peace is not a matter of policy. It is about survival. If we choose peace, we choose life and if we reject peace, we reject life. This painful experience has come to us after we have lost innumerable people. It is not too late to act. There is a change in the future. We can pledge that our actions should be in the direction of peace and not vice versa. We are hopeful that after a bloody battle, peace will embrace us. The only need is to be careful whatever we do. Before pointing at other person’s fault, we should look at ourselves. There should be a balanced world order. Inequality should be removed at the earliest. Let us walk hand in hand and make it our concern that we should be equal in the world of inequalities. Syed Mustafa Ahmad writer is based at Hajibagh near zainakote and can be reached at Syedmustafaahmad9@gmail.com.
By Sufaya Yousuf Begum zaffar Ali was born in 1901 to Khan Bahar Agha Syed Hussain Thakur, the Judicial Minister during Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule. She begun her career as a teacher in 1925 at the Girls MissionHighSchool (present day Mallinson Girls School). A staunch believer of women’srights, she went door to door to raise awareness regarding girls’ education in the valley and empower them through.Her speeches at public events inspired women who started sending their girls to schools.Begum zaffar Ali was the first woman matriculate of kashmir who went on to become Inspector of schools in kashmir. She was an educationist,women liberation activist, Deputy Director ofEducation and later a legislator in the Indian state of jammu and kashmir. She was associated with the activities of the All India women’s conference and was its Secretary before partition, but a chance meeting with Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his sister,Fatima Jinnah in kashmir, who would later visit the family for banquets, influenced her and she left the conference to concentrate her efforts in women’s liberation movement in the pre-independantIndia.Begum zaffar Ali was married to Agha zaffar Ali Qizilbash, a scion of an aristocratic Afghan family settled in kashmir. The couple had three sons, Agha Nasir Ali, a civil servant who retired as Labour Secretary of Indiain1977, Agha shaukat Ali, who joined civil services of Pakistanduring the partition of India in 1947 and Agha Ashraf Ali, an academician who retired as the Commissioner of higher education in Jammu andKashmir.As a chief inspector, she also introduced midday meals in school. Before her retirement, she was also appointed as the Deputy Director Education Kashmir for the relentlessness efforts in the matter of empowerment. She was also a member of the social welfare Advisory Board, Jammu and Kashmir.Begum Zaffar Ali also established a technical training centre for women of limited means in the valley, in the capacity of Deputy chairman of the advisory board. Between1977-82, she became a member of the legislative Assembly and tried tobring out various reforms for education and women’s emancipation along with other social issues. The policies she endorsed were by and large progressive and directed towards the uplifting ofwomen.Begum zaffar Ali died in 1999 at the age of 99 at the residence of her son Agha Shaukat Ali in the United States of America. Her grandson Agha Shahi Ali an award- winning kashmiri American poet, wrote a poem in memory of her which was included in the collection “ The Veiled Suite: the Collected Poems”. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma shri in1987.However, renounced the award due to what she termed the undemocratic policies of the IndianGovernment in Jammu and Kashmir. Begum Zaffar Ali will be remembered forever for her efforts in the enlightenment of women. Such kind of people are difficult to find. Jammu and Kashmir is lucky in producing such kind of personalities who live for others. The writer SUFAYA YOUSUF is Currently pursuing bachelor’s degree atsrinager
