News Kashmir Magazine

CREATIVE DEBATE AND NOISE: WHAT TO CHOOSE?

By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Debate can be defined as to argue about a particular subject, in a formal way. Debate has been the salient feature of a civilized society. Any innovative thought is thoroughly discussed. The pros and cons of a thing are taken into account. There is no status quo in that society. A solid truth is reinterpreted according to the nature of time. However, it doesn’t mean that truth doesn’t remain the truth at all but the approach, understanding, behavior, etc., found in a particular period, may be different in another period. So, it is creative debate that removes anomalies, if found in a society. But on the other hand, we have noise. Some debates are no debates at all. There only is noise and noise. Nothing good comes out from those debates. The audience feels suffocated. They abhor the word “ debate’ and don’t want to discuss it in their lives.       If this is the case, what is the way to be followed to have a creative debate. In order to remain aloof from noise, what are the salient features that are to be accepted in order to have a creative debate. What is the difference between a creative debate and noise? When we call any discussion a creative debate and when not. Where is the creative debate organized? These are some prerequisites that come in a person’s mind when he wants to differentiate between the two terms. Here, I will try my best to make it clear that what is the creative debate in reality. Moreover, the main focus of my article will be about the conditions required for the creative debate.     First is that with the passage of time, the change is felt in every domain of life. Social life, economic life, political life, moral life, etc., go through a change. The obsolete thoughts give space to new ones. In this transition, there is necessity of changing our outlook. It is here where the need for the creative debate emerges. There is a deliberation about the past and the present. Those things that were true in the past and are relevant to the present, are taken into account. They are preserved and the future course of action is taken accordingly. Those things that are no longer relevant to the present, are discarded. If this is the situation, where the history of any nation is sieved, there are cent percent chances that this society will progress far and wide. But on the other hand, if the past only is the condition for the future, there are cent percent chances that this society will fall headlong into the pit of abyss. Like in case of the Muslims, they have the best Constitution in the world, i.e., the holy Qur’an. Its principles are unalterable. They are compatible with the society. It is for all ages. But the Qur’an itself wants from us is that you should make decisions according to the principles of this book, but the present world should be kept in mind. The ongoing circumstances should be pondered over and accordingly the decisions should be made. But sometimes, the orthodox people are not in a position to accept bit and called it blasphemy. At this point of time, it is difficult to carry out the creative debates.       Second is that we should be in a position to learn from others. When we have this feature, we will have the creative debates. A prejudiced mind never learns anything. He or she won’t be in a position to replace his or her obsolete thoughts with new ones. Hence, it will hamper the smooth functioning of the creative debates. The Muslims learnt philosophy from the Greeks while the world learnt hygiene, equality, Scientific temper, broad mindedness, etc., from the Muslims. It is a give and take method. But the problem starts when a nation exaggerates in many domains, without looking at the world outside. Every event leaves an effect on history. But the essential thing is that good principles from each other should be learnt, discussed and followed.       Third is that we should not judge a book by its cover. On the ground level, a thing looks filthy. But when we remove the layers, the thing comes to the surface with its splendor. This is the biggest fault in the modern times. We see a group of people by its outward appearance and never bother to learn about them deeply.  If we take an example of coal. A piece of coal is black in color. But among the pieces of coal, there lies diamond. Same is the situation in the present world. We have to find reasonable persons among all the communities so that the ground is prepared for effective debates. There are persons who have this capacity but due to many hurdles, they don’t come to the surface. They hate the same noise that has occupied each and every corner of the world. Without these persons, nothing good will availed of. So, this is one of the most important factors in this regard.      Fourth and last is that the common people should be prepared for this. They are not ready. Their minds are barren. They are biased and partial. Their minds are stuffed with some different material. That should be erased. A new initiative has to be started which can lead to new ideas. People generally take noise as a debate. But they should be taught that there is a wide gap between the creative debate and noise. Noise is made by the half intellectuals. They know things superficially. They have no hold over things. Hence, it may provide some boost to the creative debates.      In the light of above discussion,  we should be ready to learn everything that is good according to the divine principles. Take everything that is good for humanity. The principles that bind us together, should be welcomed and the things that disintegrate us, should be abhorred. We have miles to go in order to make this place fit to live. It still is full of challenges. Let intellectualism prevail and the society differentiates between the creative debate and noise.

MANNERS  ALWAYS ARE OBLIGATORY
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad

In the present world, it is quite clear that a majority of the Muslims, are not morally or ethically uplifted. In one of the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Prophet said that Akhlaaq are obligatory for 24 hours. However, we have been preached that apart from Kalimah, we should offer Namaaz, give alms, remain on fast and go on pilgrimage, if conditions are fulfilled. If a sane person ponders over all these basic things, all are subjected to some conditions. If the conditions are not fulfilled, there are chances that any action may be called null and void. But in case of Akhlaaq, there are no conditions. They are obligatory through out the life. Whether one prays or not, he or she has to be morally uplifted in order to get closeness of God.        The above thing makes it clear that how much Akhlaaq are important. Without Akhlaaq, there is no guarantee that we can be called as true Muslims. But the question that is of utmost importance is that what are the reasons that make it possible to oversight more obligatory things than obligatory things? In the coming lines, I will discuss some causes in concise manner.       First is lack of knowledge. We are not enough educated to understand Islam in its original form. Nevertheless, we know a lot but we know partial things. Prophet Muhammad used to pray that God, show me the truth in its original form and the evil in its original form. This supplication encompasses a lot of lessons for us. It trains us that a mere translation of the Quran and Hadith are not enough. The origin of any verse and Hadith has to be seen. Moreover, all the verses of Qur’an must be inter related and the period of the world should be kept in front so that everything becomes crystal clear. Our irony is that more than 90% people don’t know the Arabic language. Furthermore, understanding Quran and Ahadith have been made so difficult to understand that it needs so many disciplines to be mastered over so that understanding of Islam is possible. This hard and fast rule is responsible, apart  from the role played by some immature and emotional maulvis, who have very narrowly understood Islam and its teachings. Quran is a guide. It has come to let us know why we are here and what to do here. Sunnah always has source from Qur’an. In other words, Sunnah is the practical translation of Quran. But this treasure has been hijacked by Muslim Jurists. Every Jurist has inclination towards a particular thought. He or she reads Qur’an and Sunnah; but still the particular thought doesn’t leave him or her. In this way, Qur’an and Sunnah is reduced to beliefs. Everyone tries his or best to align himself or herself with a particular ideology. If anyone doesn’t align with him or her, he or she is declared deviated. In this manner, the grand edifice of Islam is reduced to some hard core beliefs and the world of Akhlaaq falls into oblivion. Religiosity takes place of Deen( the complete way of life). Respecting like minded persons is followed in letter and in spirit while humiliating opposite groups is also religious deed. Hence, the result is that those things that are the cause of some punishment at some times, take lead over those things that are always welcomed by Islam.       Second is materialism. We honor those who have money to have a comfortable life. Moreover, we respect the rich in order to get something tangible from them while those who do some low class jobs,  are never taken into account. It is opposite of Islam. In the historical books, it is written that in the court of a Persian King, a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad walked on the rare or precious carpet with his mule. All the courtiers were amazed at his bravery. He responded that we have been taught by Prophet Muhammad in such a fashion that we live here; but we have something better that this waiting in the life Hereafter. What does it mean? It means that a majority of the Companions of the Prophet were poor but they got the statuses that no rich can think of. However, in the present world, it has become the futile norm to respect those who have material access while denounce those who are devoid of these. It is a clear violation of Islam. And hence, the result is that we are at the lowest rung of the ladder of Akhlaaq.     Third and last is imitation. We blindly imitate others. By imitating others, we have forgotten our basics. The Western world is not fully wrong. It has some best things to offer. But we cannot go on following them, without looking over good and bad things. Their cultures have a lot to offer to us but they have some loopholes that must be discarded. Ours position is that we imitate them without looking at the pros and cons of a thing. We think that the West have progressed. We have no recourse but to follow them. It is a fallacy to a large extent. Europe went through the “dark ages”. They were enslaved by the illogical rules and regulations. But today, Muslims are going the darkest ages.  In this way, the West lead us in technology and morality. But they have some apparent loopholes that defame their picture. They don’t respect old people the Muslims do. They have less respect for women than the Muslims. These apparent things are forgotten by us when it comes to following them. Hence, the result is that today, the West are right in saying that we are not morally uplifted. Have we shown them the character of Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Usman, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Hussain,etc., We must not have been where we are.!       In short, we should weigh everything the way it needs to be weighed. On the Day of Judgement, the most important deed will be of character. So, let us build our character first and then radiate the light of good character in every direction. Are we ready?

Opinion ,23 November,2020

                       ANT-PACED JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

 Now, should we treat women as independent agents, responsible for themselves? Of course. But being responsible has nothing to do with being raped. Women don’t get raped because they were drinking or took drugs. Women do not get raped because they weren’t careful enough. Women get raped because someone raped them.” ―( Jessica Valenti)
Rape – Just few days back in KANPUR: A seven-year-old girl was raped and was found dead with her liver extracted. Where the hell we are leading? Is this not the shame for whole society? Rape is one of the more appalling things that one human being can do to another, and yet there is no other crime about which our society is so ambivalent. That must change.
Rape is a heinous crime – which is increasing day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute and second by second. Thinkers are thinking to reduce the crime; Philosophers making another philosophy out of it yet the rate of the crime is increasing by increasing rate. Punishment for the rape cases are much lower than the harm caused. In Indian court, the person freely walks in the society for months and years together, because of the ant-paced judicial system where we get hearings after hearings.
 The effects of rape can include both the initial physical trauma as well as deep psychological trauma. Although rape victims commonly report injuries and issues with their reproductive health after the sexual assault, rape doesn’t always involve physical force. The most common and lasting effects of rape involve mental health concerns and diminished social confidence.
Aftermath of Rape:
The aftermath of rape involves a cluster of acute and chronic physical and psychological effects. It’s important that victims receive comprehensive care. This only adds to the psychological impact of the rape on the victim. Victims of extremely violent rape, or those who were assaulted repeatedly or at a very young age, may need treatment for the rest of their lives. Is this not really breathtaking? 
Increasing crimes is what we are witnessing these days. Criminals have come up with various strategies of committing crimes to which unfortunately our judicial system is continuously failing.
When a crime is done to a person and when the victim goes to register a complaint, the first thing our police personnel do is to deny taking the complaint. Even if they take the complaint, they file it in such an easy manner that the criminal can easily escape even if he has done a grave mistake like rape. When a victim is raped the police files the complaint of “sexual assault” or “attempt to rape” and when the victim is assaulted sexually or attempted to rape, these “kind” men advises not to file the case and get compromised as the career of the criminal will get destroyed. These people have soft hearts towards criminals and stone-hearts towards innocents.
When the victims force to file a strong case against the criminals these people have a very good strategy to harass them by taking counter case from the criminals and lay false charges against the victims. In this way the victim is harassed double. In some situations, the victims are unable to tolerate injustice and even go to the extent of committing suicides!
For any crime to get reduced or stop we ought to go to the root cause. Know the reasons why it is happening. Be honest in accepting the reasons and endeavour to solve the problem logically. When you bring your emotions, feelings, sentiments and passions in between the solutions, you will never stop the crimes that are prevailing. You fail to realize that the crime gains momentum due to your behaviour towards the particular problem.
The only solution for this problem and to defend the honour of women – “the jewels of the society” is to the hang the culprits. Please no more TAREEK PAI TAREEK. 

Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

16 November,2020 Issue

TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM VS MODERN CURRICULUM
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Curriculum has been defined in many ways according to the need of the time. Before some decades, traditional curriculum was in dominance. It was also called bookish curriculum. It focused on books, exams, discipline, fixed time tables, paper degrees, law and order,etc. However, it was against the individual differences. Same kind of syllabus was for different children. Philosophy students were taught Urdu while English students were taught Hindi. In place of practical, theory dominated every part of  society.       But with the revolution in information technology, the need for the modern curriculum has arisen. The present age is the age of AI, robotics, Quantum mechanics, etc. Innovation is the order of the day. Men have started to colonize other celestial bodies. There are chances of life on Venus as well. The calculations that used to take thousands of years, are done in few seconds. Men have surpassed the speed of light. Gene scissors are in the market to protect us from lethal diseases. Carcinogenic diseases are controlled. In this way, there can be no liking for the traditional curriculum that only choked the sane voices. Let us contrast both curricula in some detail.      First is that the traditional curriculum is about books. Books are more important than children. Education is imparted in specialized buildings. There are strict teachers and management. There are fixed classes in a day. Teachers prepare what they have to teach in a particular period. They try their best to complete the syllabi. They, by hook or crook, complete their syllabi and prepare students for examinations while the modern curriculum is child-based. All the focus is diverted upon a child. His or her differences are known in the beginning. His or her psychology is understood so that teaching or learning becomes easy and fruitful. Here, a child is free to learn according to his or her taste. There are no specialized buildings for this curriculum. A child learns everywhere. He is trained in such a way that every experience becomes learning for him. He looks at animals. He doesn’t dread them. But he wants to know how it is created. In case of cow, how she gives milk. How she is mother. In cases of beautiful landscapes, he or she tries to know its Creator. This is the best characteristic of the modern curriculum.       Second is that the traditional curriculum is exam-dominated. Children, from the very beginning, are frightened that they have to pass with flying colors. They are in constant fear that if they don’t get a distinction or a position, they will be treated harshly. They, instead of reading textbooks, find short cut ways to get good marks. In this way, they become addicted to the hand made notes and guides prepared by some unknown persons. They learn questions and answers without knowing their crux. They become good in rote learning. In this way, the marvellous brains are lost in quagmire of nothingness. However, in case of the modern curriculum, there is no space for exams. A child learns different subjects and skills at the same time to be the master of those subjects or skills. He or she is expert in dealing with his or her subject because he or she likes to learn those very subjects. There is no thrust upon them. They learn what they learn. They use their creative powers to go against the views of their teachers. Children don’t believe blindly. Curriculum teaches them to criticize.      Third and last is paper degrees. In the traditional curriculum, degrees matter the most. A teacher without a particular degree is deemed unfit for teaching. However, he or she may be expert in his or her subject but she or he does not possess the required degree, he or she is unfit for that very post. But in case of the modern curriculum, there is no need for paper degrees. A rickshaw puller can be an engineer. A newspaper vendor can be the teacher of Bill Gates. Jack Ma, the founder of Ali Baba, can be the source of inspiration for those who have doctorates in many subjects. Jack Ma knows the real worth of life. He teaches his customers that while studying, I have known how to live real life. He inspires more than the so-called intellectuals of the bygone curriculum.       In short, there should be such kind of curriculum that can know the individual differences in  children. Until and unless the individual differences are unknown, we cannot think of any progress. Let us embrace the curriculum that makes child a child. I request parents and teachers to embrace only that curriculum which is reasonable. Hope good sense prevails!

16 November,2020 issue

Imraan Ibn Farooq sets example despite adversities in life 

Writes Ayesha Omer
(The writer can be reached at journoAish@gmail.com)

“I think continually of those who were truly great….. The name of those who in their lives fought for life,,,Who wore at their hearts the fire’s center.Born of the sun they travelled a sort while towards the sun,And left the vivid air signed with their honour.”
Greatness has always been a mark to aim at. In these rudderless days, when we are misguided by small and fumbling minds, it is not only inspiring but also imperative to “think continuously of those who are truly great.”    Soldiers on forgotten fields of battle, scientists in makeshift laboratories, stubborn idealists fighting to save a lost cause, teachers who would not be intimidated, tireless doctors, journalists  running to cover a story at the risk of their lives some time, the anonymous army of dreamers and doers- all these by their very living fought for everyone. They sacrificed the hours of ease for our casual comforts: they gave up safety for our security. Glorifying the heroic spirit of man, they added to our stature. Out of the shaken world which surrounds us. Spender reminds us of the unsung champions, the struggles and pioneers who were inflamed with a burning belief in humanity, love for work and passion. It is these fire-bringers, children of the light—“born of the sun”—who brought light out of darkness, faith out of confusion, and leaving “the vivid air signed with their honors”, conferred upon us their heritage of hope. All of us have got some dreams and desires in our minds; something that we wish to happen in the future or someone that we desire to be. But often these dreams are left unfulfilled. All credits to that simple yet strong trust on the fate one has, people lack the major factor to achieve their goals, that is hard work. A mere fixation of a dream in the mind does not work. This needs to be backed up with a strong dedication in the mindset to conquer the goal. An optimistic attitude and perseverance for the cause of achieving the goal is the key factor behind success. This is what most people lack in them and thereby fails in the itinerary of their dreams.But today what I am going to share with you is not a story of a successful business tycoon or actor or a politician but a true inspiration for those, whose dreams are shattered with the thoughts of being disable, poor, and not fit for any job, and for those who want to achieve something in life on their own but are not able to establish their own road to success and also for those who thought success comes for free (only dreaming about success) Inspiration that everyone need .A perfect vision is what every goal demands. A true estimation of the pathway one has to follow to achieve the target can yield great results in the long run! All successful people in this world are great dreamers. But the fact that makes them winners and not the others is the amount of perseverance they had towards their dream, and the amount of hard work they had to do in order to achieve that. One of the best examples of this determination and enthusiastic passion and love for work, (our inspirations) is Imraan-ibn-Farooq, recently passed out student of Masters in Convergent Journalism in Central University of Kashmir. A resident of Al- Bustaan colony of Durhama Baramullah next village to the hometown of Late Sujaat Bukhari Sahab. Done his graduation from Degree Collage Baramullah, dreaming to become a true journalist, a helping hand and an inspiration to thousands of people, he started his journey of hard work from early childhood, as life has never been normal for him to conquer his dreams. In early childhood he once had nose bleeding at up to that extend that he was about to fall unconscious one day.  His parents moved from pillar to post to get him to hospital in Srinagar at the earliest. Three hours later, he was diagnosed with Hemophilia at SKIMS. He couldn’t fathom what was happening. All he could see was the crestfallen face of His mother. He asked her, “What is the matter?” She had no answer. On enquiring consistently, he was faced with the revelation. He comes to know that he had Hemophilia. He felt as if somebody pushed him from the edge of a cliff. Something was terribly wrong, yet of course he was so far unaware of what was in store for him. Later on, he came to know that Hemophilia means that his blood lacks aSpecific protein that forms part of the coagulation system. If this protein is present in insufficient quantity, or not at all, the coagulation cascade in the blood is interrupted. Blood coagulation cannot function efficiently. Minor internal injuries can cause major bleeding into the muscles orJoints. Doctors immediately gave a blood transfusion followed by FFP (fresh Frozen plasma) this helps in coagulation of blood. With each passing day, he was recovering eventually bringing smiles on the faces of his family. With grave concerns about his future, they were both happy and Sad at the same time. He had two choices: either give in to the infirmity, or decide to fight the Weakness. He chose the latter. In the course of achieving a dream, one might face a multitude of negativities and oppositions. But the real trick lies in the manner in which the person tackles those oddities and marches ahead in his mission. But the journey till here has never been easy. He might still have vivid memories of neighbors and relatives pitching in the black magic angle. While coming to enquire about his health, they would add to the anxieties of his innocent family members, gullible enough to fall for such nonsense. Here society plays a major role in making a little problem an obstacle in ones life. Schooling was equally arduous. He was same as the other children in the school, yet quite different. Playing the same games like others was not possible, as it included the risk of getting hurt. Once, an injury in his footWhile playing cricket at school made him realize his weakness. The swelling in the ankle joint made him cry in excruciating pain. Though his home was not very far from the school, yet he could not take a single step. All his efforts to muster up his courage and walk were in vain. It wasthen that his elder sister, who studied in the same school, reached the Spot. She took him in her arms and rushed home. The incident, though small, continued to haunt him like a nightmare for a long time. All this caused a bizarre unease in him. He had to bear the Stares of his fellow students, as they came to know he had this ‘strange ‘disease. Although it is not a big deal now, medical science has improved and there is vaccine available to every patient, some need high dose some simple are some are even those who don’t need any vaccine just have to look after their health.) But that time it was not normal and this was an unusual kind of ‘discrimination’ he faced. Even the teachers were informed about it, lest they hit him sometime and add to the woes. At times, there were long spells of time when he was stuck within the peripheries of his home. Things he has experienced in the Years past have reinforced his belief that life with ‘hemophilia’ would never be normal.It was depressing and distressing. Mostly he passed his school exams with low grades. But as they say, there is light at the end of the tunnel. He made a resolve to befriend books and work hard. That was perhaps the only way to turn the tide in his favor. That would be his ticket to a dignified life. Disability exists only in the mind; it was time to overcome it.Twenty years have passed, and his life continues to be an aberration. Conditions were about as adverse as possible. Storms had damaged the little caravel; the Pinta had lost her rudder; the crews of all three vessels were threatening mutiny, and probably Imraan’own confidence in what seemed an insane enterprise was wearing. But he had set his course in the direction which his own institution and logical intelligence led to believe was the right one, and with dogged courage he kept on going. The words are not especially comforting  ones, but these are days when the world is less in need of supine comfort than of high gallantry and faith in an inner integrity. During these times of distress, doubts and weariness, people may well be inspirited by the words of this great hero of life, “Disability only exists in mind; and it’s time to overcome it”. Today, he feels fortunate enough to be pursuing “Masters in convergent Journalism”.  He aspires to be a good journalist and contribute to investigate the truth and for setting an example for the welfare of people fighting any kind of disability. Through this, he wish to speak for him and for those whose disability never stops them from achieving their goals. A strong determination can lead any man to combat all the difficulties in his path and give his best for his goal, it is not the goal you set that matters, but the hard work you do for the same. Not a single dream can be achieved without putting in the necessary efforts. It is, therefore, wiser to give the best output from one’s side in order to achieve the dreams rather than blaming the luck in the later phase. Not a single dream is unachievable unless it is backed up with perfect passion. It is one of the most common follies to assume that success always comes first and success should be the only outcome of any endeavor. If you look at it objectively, you will be amazed at why people should think that any accomplishment can come without any failures? It is humanly impossible to ensure that every step in any achievement will always be successful and lead to ultimate success. Determination to achieve success and the fortitude to withstand and learn can only ensure success in the long run. Imraan Ibn Farooq has now started working as a Managing editor for “KHABAR URDU” & has worked for Roznama wadi-e- Kashmir, & this is only his beginning of having the fruits of the tree he planted with hard work, patience and determination. Not only this he is running Multiple face book pages, Imraan Farooq Page, DW Media with 2.4k followers and more than 10k views in just 2 months, and also Peace news .He is also a you tuber and want to share the best content one need in these times .And for those who have almost forgotten the sweetness of their religion and humanity, is in dire need of golden thoughts. He owns 2 you tube channels “Pacific creators”, & “journo Imraan”. Despite this he is helping many new you tubers in editing and managing process, their videos and share the best content. And inspiring new youth to join him in search of truth and fair content for betterment of society. He is inspiring many new ideas and people with differently able specialties to come forward and make their future bright. He is owner of a webpage www.dwmedia.co.in  and tries to bring the best. Here I remember a Quote of Robert Louis Stevenson, “Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day.” One of the most appalling comments on our present way of life is that half of all our hospital beds are occupied by patients with nervous and mental troubles. And a principal cause is that too many people allow themselves to collapse under the crushing burdens of accumulated yesterday and fearful tomorrows. Here is the problem: You and I are standing in these split seconds at the meeting place of two eternities-the vast past that has endured forever and the future that is plunging on to the last syllable of recorded time. We often try to do so; and in the process, we wreck both our bodies and our minds. The answer is to live for today .Of course; it may be a part of today’s work calls for reviewing the past, or planning for tomorrow. But there’s no excuse for doing so with pain or regret. Instead of we should get the fact and push on from there. Today is the only time we can live. Let’s not turn it into a physical and mental hell by aimless worries about the future let’s also stop fretting over the blunders we made yesterday.              Remember how a walking trip always seems shorter if we concentrate. Not on the total distance to our destination, but just the distance to the next milepost. In the same way, we should concentrate on living within today. Then better tomorrow will inevitably follow. Same in today’s inspiring tale where dreams come across a milepost to reach his destination and the glories ahead. Being a journalist Imraan is happy to serve his passion and also living a live within the shades the Deen (Islam).                “He that loses wealth loses much;                  But he that loses courage loses all,                  Just as tall trees are known by their shadows;                  So are good men known by their struggle.”

Keeping Bad Company

Suhaib Ashraf Bhat
Friendship and companionship are important things.  A good friend is one who accepts your shortcomings, but at the same time guides and supports you.  A good friend is one who accommodates your faults but corrects them where possible.  A good friend is one who will love and forgive you for the sake of Allah swt. It is important to choose your friends carefully.  Prophet Muhammad Salalahualihiwasalam warned the believers about this too.  He said that a person would be influenced by his friends, and he warned that everyone should look carefully at those they consider to be their friends. What we can understand from this is that it is easy to be influenced by the people around us.  It is easy to take on their mannerisms and qualities without even being aware of it.  If these are good qualities then it is a good thing but what if the people you consider friends have pushed you away from the remembrance of Allah swt?  This could be a disaster, and Allah swt warns about it in the Quran.
“And (remember) the Day when the wrong-doer (oppressor, polytheist etc.) will bite on his hand, he will say: ‘Oh!  Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger.  Ah!  Woe to me!  Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a friend!  He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (the Quran) after it had come to me.’” (Quran 25:27)
Unnecessary companionship is a chronic disease that causes much harm. How often have the wrong kind of companionship and intermixing deprived people of Allah swt’s generosity, planting discord in their hearts which even the passage of time-even if it were long enough for mountains to be worn away-has been unable to dispel. In keeping such company one can find the roots of loss, both in this life and in the next life.
A servant should benefit from companionship. In order to do so he should divide people into four categories, and be careful not to get them mixed up, for once one of them is mixed with another, then evil can find its way through to him:
The first category is those people whose company is like food: it is indispensable, night or day. Once a servant has taken his need from it, he leaves it be until he requires it again, and so on. These are the people with knowledge of Allah-of His commands, of the scheming of His enemies, and of the diseases of the heart and their remedies- who wish well for Allah swt, His Prophet salalahualihiwasalam and His servants. Associating with this type of person is an achievement in itself.
The second category is those people whose company is like a medicine. They are only required when a disease sets in. When you are healthy, you have no need of them. However, mixing with them is sometimes necessary for your livelihood, businesses, consultation and the like. Once what you need from them has been fulfilled, mixing with them should be avoided.
The third category is those people whose company is harmful. Mixing with this type of person is like a disease, in all its variety and degrees and strengths and weaknesses. Associating with one or some of them is like an incurable chronic disease. You will never profit either in this life or in the next life if you have them for company, and you will surely lose either one or both of your religion and your livelihood because of them. If their companionship has taken hold of you and is established, then it becomes a fatal, terrifying sickness.
Amongst such people are those who neither speak any good that might benefit you, nor listen closely to you so that they might benefit from you. They do not know their souls and consequently put their selves in their rightful place. If they speak, their words fall on their listeners’ hearts like the lashes of a cane, while all the while they are full of admiration for and delight in their own words.
They cause distress to those in their company, while believing that they are the sweet scent of the gathering. All in all, mixing with anyone who is bad for the soul will not last, even if it is unavoidable. It can be one of the most distressing aspects of a servant’s life that he is plagued by such person, with whom it may be necessary to associate. In such a relationship, a servant should cling to good behaviour, only presenting him with his outward appearance, while disguising his inner soul, until Allah swt offers him a way out of his affliction and the means of escape from this situation.
The fourth category is those people whose company is doom itself. It is like taking poison: its victim either finds an antidote or perishes. Many people belong to this category. They are the people of religious innovation and misguidance, those who abandon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and advocate other beliefs. They call what is the Sunnah a bid’ah and vice-versa. A man with any intellect should not sit in their assemblies nor mix with them. The result of doing so will either be the death of his heart or, at the very best, its falling seriously ill.One of the most important things we must do, which sadly many people neglect, is that we should avoid bad company. 
We should seek out pious friends who fear Allah swt and who have the qualities of humility, charity, compassion, modesty and knowledge.  If we sit with them we will always benefit and they will be a means for us to get closer to Allah swt.
Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

November 9 issue,2020

 THE INSTITUTION OF FAMILY IS  ON THE VERGE OF DESTRUCTION

By Syed Mustafa Ahmad

Now and then, I come across families that were happy once but now yearning for cooperation and love. In this way, family assumes importance in shaping the personality of an individual. Without family, it is  impossible that a true personality is made. Family has a long history. That is why its importance has never been underestimated. After wandering for thousands of years, a man settled at a particular place and began to live a social life. He began to recognize other persons like him. He made relations with different people and among themselves ( his father, mother, sister, brother). Slowly and steadily, they began to know the importance of living together. With this recognition, came the concept of family. Family totally was a new experience for him. He now began to feel secure among his family members. His emotional maturity began to develop. He began to love human beings. In this way, the glorious revolution came in the society when the foundation of family was laid. Now, all the fears were the things of the past. There was something to look at in the times of despair. There was no aloneness. There was sharing and caring. So, a different mindset was prepared for the future generations.      The man keep embarking on this path for quite a long time. But suddenly this journey came to halt. The family system lost its way somewhere. It was not like a bolt from the blue. It was the rot of many decades that came to the surface. There are many causes responsible for this. So, let us know some basic causes.      First is mad race for materialism that has made it possible. The lust for money has made it possible that a person only is about money. In the past, a single member used to earn while others used to be depended upon him or her. But in the present, when the conditions become awry, the members who don’t earn, are looked down. They are humiliated. They, if being intellectually efficient, are sidelined because they don’t have money in their pockets. In this way, the bond of love and affection becomes  the soft target of materialism. The result is that the happy-living families are  disintegrated into number of nuclear families.       Second is that imitation has become the order of the day. We look at others and follow them blindly. In movies and dramas,  we come across people abandoning the joint families and preferring to live in the nuclear families. In this way, the structure of the joint families crumbles everyday.        Third modern age. Modern age has provided us with every comfort. Diseases are cured but it has given rise to a different type of division of labor. Now both a father and a mother go to work. Children are sent to schools. New lifestyle has become common everywhere. In this way, a nuclear family is preferred over a joint family.       Fourth is that the old people are understood as a useless burden. They are only fed and washed. In this way, the joint family systems are broken into many nuclear families. The old parents, who have nurtured their children in the best possible manner, are thrown out to others’ hands. In our village, a mother has become a burden for two sons. She has been living with her daughter for two years. It is a collective shame for us. She says,” I did what I could for my children, particularly the two sons. Now, they don’t want me. They call me a useless burden. My basic needs are unfulfilled. I crave for my sons’ faces. They hardly come to me. They want me to die. I am fed up with this life. I want to die. I cannot tolerate this humiliation. “.      Fifth is is that we have no counsellors, who can teach those persons who always are ready to live in a nuclear family. If they had been here, I think the situation would not have come to such impasse. At the time of intense conflicts in a family, anger and revenge prevail. After some time, there only is regret. At this situation, expert counsellors can prove fruitful. They can advise them that it is bad to split into a number of families, for petty things.        Sixth and  last  is that we have lost touch with the actual world. As we have not been able to understand the real motive of life, we feel suffocated. We are misfits in a society. we don’t  want anyone to come near to us. We want to live in isolation. In this manner, the whole concept of family has come to standstill.       Let us hope that the family system in particular and the joint family system in general is revived. We are social human beings. We should live side by side. Living in a society is beneficial. Let us ponder over it. 

9 November issue

IslamophobiaSuhaib Ashraf Bhat 

Free speech or Fire speech?

Lets first talk about what is Islam?Islam is based on humanity, The Islamic view of humanity is filled with mercy and compassion, and it cannot be otherwise, because the Islamic religion is the last of the religions that were prescribed by Allah swt, may He be exalted, and He commanded all of mankind to enter this religion. He revealed this religion and sent it down to the most compassionate of mankind, Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him). This is confirmed in the Book of Allah swt, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)”[al-Anbiya’ 21:107]. 
Islam advises us to treat neighbours kindly, even if they are not Muslim.
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah swt have mercy on him) said:
I say: based on that, kind treatment of neighbours is enjoined and is recommended, whether they are Muslim or not. And this is the right thing to do. Kind treatment may be in the sense of helping or it may be in the sense of being kind, refraining from annoyance and standing by them. Al-Bukhaari narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “Jibreel kept urging me to treat neighbours kindly until I thought that he would make them heirs.” And it was narrated from Abu Shurayh that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “By Allah swt, he does not believe; by Allah swt, he does not believe; by Allah swt, he does not believe.” It was said: O Messenger of Allah swt, who is that? He said: “The one whose neighbour is not safe from his annoyance.” This is general in meaning and applies to all neighbours, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) affirmed that the neighbour should not be annoyed by swearing three times and stating that the one who annoys his neighbour is not a believer in the complete sense. Concerning that Allah swt, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Allah swt does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily,  Allah swt loves those who deal with equity” [al-Mumtahanah 60:8].
It is not part of Islam to force the non-Muslim to enter this religion, because sincerity is one of the conditions of accepting Islam. And Allah swt, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“There is no compulsion in religion” [al-Baqarah 2:256].
Facebook on October 12 announced it would remove all content that “denies or distorts the Holocaust.”This expansion of its hate speech policies is a response to ‘the well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people’, said the company but when it comes to the Islam they will not ban any content which hurt Muslim’s sentiments.  Muslims across the world have reacted furiously to French President Emmanuel Macron’s defence of free speech after a French school teacher who had shown his pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (Salalahualihiwasalam) was killed. It’s not the first time we are seeing rise of Islamphobia across the globe and when Muslims reacts to it they are called as extremists. Islamophobia is created when a person doesn’t properly understand what Muslims do or believe, and that the best way to combat it is to have a better understanding of Muslims and Islam. Nowadays the media, in all its forms and with all its tentacles, has the ability to easily construct a negative image of Islam and Muslims.  Creating news and opining instead of reporting has given people the ability to choose the channel that agrees with their views.  Thus whole populations are no longer exposed to other viewpoints.  There is nothing that encourages them to understand and empathize with the situations and lifestyles of diverse cultures, or even with their neighbours who have opinions that are different to the ones they hold dear. When you add social media to the already volatile mix, we find that Muslims endure daily racial slurs, degrading photos, intimidations, and harassment campaigns.  The structure of social media and each platform’s reliance on algorithms means that those with extremist views are able to connect to each other with ease.  It also means that deceptions about Muslims often live on even after being exposed.
Islam is a religion of more than 1.8 billion people, from widely diverse cultures, and consequently they cannot be lumped into one homogenous package. We must stop saying or thinking that everyone in this package (that doesn’t exist) is violent or threatening. We must start to separate vigilance in regard to terror from Islamophobia.  The media refers to “Muslim migration” with terms like, pests, plagues, and deluge.  This must stop. 
In conclusion, people across the globe must learn to look at their media in a different light.  We must learn how to separate the truth from the fiction, and the facts from opinions.  We need to choose our news outlets wisely and try to watch or read from across a wide array of viewpoints and understandings.

The writer can be emailed at : Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

                   What caused me to lose my love and passion for the Lord?”

Suhaib Ashraf Bhat 
One cause of spiritual apathy is sin in the believer’s life. There are several causes of apathy and before dealing with the problem we have to pause and find out the cause. There are several ways of finding out the cause and dealing with apathy. 
Some of these causes are: a weak relationship with Allah swt, laziness in worship, keeping company with careless people, being distracted by this world and its delights, and not thinking about the end of this world and the consequences of being ill-prepared to meet Allah swt. 
As for how to treat the Muslim who has been afflicted by apathy in worship, there are several ways of doing so including the following: 
1 – Strengthening his relationship with his Lord, by reading the Qur’aan and pondering its meanings, realizing the greatness of Allah swt by seeing the greatness of His Book, thinking about the greatness of His names and attributes and actions. 
2 – Regularly offering naafil prayers and persisting in doing so, even if they are few, because one of the greatest causes of the Muslim becoming apathetic is when he starts to do acts of worship and does a great deal in the beginning. This is not the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) and is not what he advised his ummah to do. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah swt be pleased with her) described his actions as ongoing, i.e., not interrupted or infrequent. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) told us that, “The most beloved of actions to Allah swt are those which are done persistently, even if they are little.” If a Muslim wants not to be afflicted by apathy, then let him strive to do a small action persistently, because this is better than doing a lot infrequently. 
3 – Striving to keep company with righteous and active people. A man who is energetic (in worship and Islamic activities) will make you more active and lazy people do not like active companions. So look for active friends who strive to memorize Qur’aan, seek knowledge and call people to Allah swt. Friends like that will encourage you to worship and will show you the way to good things. 
4 – Read books that tell the stories of active people so that you will have good examples in your journey towards Allah swt. 
5 – To make du’aa’, especially in the latter part of the night. The one who turns to his Lord and seeks His help to remain steadfast in worshipping Him and to worship Him well will never be let down.
May Allah swt make things easy for us.  Aameen 

Suhaibhatt85@gmail.com

SOCIAL EVILS IN OUR SOCIETY

By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
There are many evils prevalent in our society. Some of them are attached with it since time immemorial. But some have recently entered into our society. The evils prevalent in our society are: dowry, drug addiction, domestic violence,  female foeticide, female infanticide, illegal abortions, corruption, gender inequality, racism, human trafficking, casteism, poverty, food adulteration, hoarding, etc., to name a few. All these evils adversely affect our lives. But some are more grave than others. Like female infanticide and female foeticide are against humanity and the natural plan. No one has the liberty to kill a living being especially a human being. It directly attacks the very survival of generations. But this sort of behavior is not the culmination of some days; but it has a long history that slowly and steadily prepared  ground for such a behavior that we see in our society. Here, I will throw some light over some causes.      First is materialism. Materialism is such a path that is to be treaded upon carefully. It has the potential of creating as well as destroying. But the experience shows that a majority of people are destroyed by the harmful side of materialism. They worship materialism. Humanity is humiliated in the pursuit of this. The destruction of the Central Asia, Myanmar, Syria, Kashmir, Africa, etc., to name a few has made it clear to us that when the crown of humanity acts against his or her capacity, the fate of the whole world is destined to be destructive. This destruction gives rise to a number of other crimes. Drug addiction, sex scandals, human trafficking, etc., happen in these areas because in the backdrop of failure of the government, might becomes right. Anti-social elements take place of morality and the result is that the society falls into an abyss of immortality, where from it is very difficult to come out.      Second is religiosity. Religions almost teach peace and comfort. There are some rare occasions when violence of very less magnitude is permitted. In today’s world, religiosity has taken the place of religion. Dowry system in Islam has been permitted on the pretext that the last Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH) gave his daughter Hazrat Fatima some household things, at the time of her marriage. The things discussed in the most authentic books show that they were some household things and nothing more like a cushion with date leaves. This incident is taken as a condition for forceful dowry. A girl is forced by her in-laws to bring the modern gadgets from her parents’ home. But the reality is that when a father according to his wish gives some things to his daughter as a heart’s contentment, it is legal. But when it becomes matter of life and death, it becomes religiosity and becomes a life-taking evil.      Third is that we lack scientific temper. Every religious and non-religious text stress upon this fact that a person should ponder over the creation of  Universe. The perfect design of the Universe will make a person realize that there is someone who is the most intelligent and the perfect designer. The diversity among the living beings, will allow him or her to appreciate his or her Creator. The diversity among the non-living things will also leave him or her amazed. The natural phenomena will force him or her to think that they happen due to natural causes. There is no human contribution in it. This kind of mindset is an asset for the whole humanity. In contrast, the superstitious mind never thinks like this. He or she fears the natural phenomena. The rainbow is something to be worshipped. The big trees on account of their size are to be called sacred. Animals are for the service of man but in a humanitarian manner, are worshipped without any solid base. God becomes happy when we help each other, regardless of colour, age, religion, etc. But what when we sacrifice human beings to appease gods, means that we are more nasty than animals. God hates violence but we kill each other on the pretext that certain people bring ill-omen and they should be killed instantly. This approach is quite dangerous and its fruits are quite bitter to taste.       Fourth is the lenient government. They actually are hand in glove. If they are serious, no crime will happen on large scale. The culprits should be dealt harshly. There should be no complacency in punishing the culprits. The culprits, due to many reasons, get  freedom without much pain. In politics, a ruler should be an embodiment of both mercy and dread. A ruler will rule according to the situations. The other side of him or her that is dread, is more important in the contemporary world. The language of love is not understood by  the majority of people. So, it becomes necessary to get them on the right track by the use of stick. I feel it is nice to punish the guilty so that others get a lesson. It will somehow bring down the graph of evils down.      And the last is gender discrimination. A girl and a boy are discriminated on the basis of useless things. A boy is generally taken as a source of pride while a girl as a source of shame. This mindset will not allow girls to live. The ways will be sought to kill them so that the shame they bring with them is ended forever. Our social structure makes it possible to distinguish between a boy and a girl. A girl is always looked with suspicion. Most of the times, boys get scot free while girls are subjected to different harassments for the same activity that is done by a boy. This inequality is found everywhere. From homes to the markets, the story is same. This atmosphere brings no comfort but only gloom and frustration. And we are eyewitnesses to this. No day passes without some girl raped, teased, molested, etc., due to prejudices. It is a long story of misery with no end in future.      We call ourselves modern but we still live in an orthodox manner. We have not understood the reality of a man’s creation. If we had known, we would have mended our ways. If someone knows it, he or she still follows others and the society becomes devoid of the ethically good persons that create so many problems for the society. Let humanity prevail.
By: syed Mustafa Ahmad.