News Kashmir Magazine

  While you are trying to help them, make sure they don’t destroy you.

 Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

“Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.” (Khalil Gibran)The basic foundation for success in social relationships is love for people, and being kind and polite towards them. Man is a social animal and to live and survive in life, humans have to interact and rely on each other. This is the reason why humans have the gift of being born with relationship and throughout their lives they go for new relationships or try getting rid of the ones that don’t contribute positively to their lives. One of such relationships that humans value greatly is friendship. Friends are an integral and important part of life as they contribute heavily in what a person makes of his or her life. This is the reason why Islam also speaks about friendship. Islam acknowledges the importance of friends in one’s life, therefore, it emphasizes on the selection of right friends. The lines below discuss the importance of friends in the light of Islam and what different criterions should a Muslim follow pertaining to the matter of making friends. Being kind to people in word and deed, and all kinds of doing good. This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and anxiety. By this means Allah swt wards off worries and distress from the righteous and immoral alike, but the believer has the greater share of this, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allah swt makes it easy for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and hope of reward. Allah swt says (interpretation of the meaning):“There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or Ma‘roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah swt, We shall give him a great reward.” [al-Nisa 4:114]Life’s trials show us our true friends & help us to be grateful to God. My father always used to say, hardships and empty pockets will teach you millions of things which no college or university can. Yes papa, You are right.This is how life teaches you. So friends don’t ever forget Advice is easy, what is difficult is accepting it, for it is bitter in taste. I am not advising anyone of you as all of you know much more than me, But its just my conclusion, Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel anger at their onset, nor will he be distressed or disheartened. More-ever, World is not permanent, It is the test you will go through due to it, With hardship comes ease’ The ease will overwhelm the hardship. just be patient and remain Positive..
In Quran, Allah swt says: “And (remember) the day when the unjust one shall bite his hands saying: O! Would that I had taken a way with the Messenger! O woe is me! Would that I had not taken such a one for a friend! Certainly he led me astray from the reminder after it had come to me. Ah! The Evil One is but a traitor to man!.” (25:27-29)
There are a variety of things that become clear from this ayah of Quran. The first thing that becomes clear is the fact that Allah swt acknowledges friendship as a factor that is important to the life of a person. Therefore, making friends is not something alien or out of Islam, rather friends are acknowledged as a relationship in Islam. The second thing that becomes clear from this verse is the fact that the kind of friend that one has have a great role to play in what a person gets in the life hereafter. Those who get paradise will definitely have their friends as their partners because they all contributed in the life each other and followed the path of righteousness. On the other hand, the ones who receive hell as a reward of their deeds will complain about their friends and lament upon the fact that it is following their unrighteous friends that has resulted in this plight of theirs; therefore, it is imperative that a Muslim has righteous friends.Pertaining to the righteous friends, Allah Almighty says in Quran:“Friends on the Day will be enemies one to another, except al-Muttaqun (i.e. those who have piety).” (43:67)From this ayah it is clear that on the Day of Judgment there won’t be any friends, rather it would be such a situation that friends would turn into enemies. At such an instance, only those who are pious would remain friends of each other. Therefore, if one is to make friends, then he or she should make friends who are pious, because such friends don’t just remain friends in this world only, rather they remain friends in the world hereafter as well and help each other out.Reminds me the couplet of Molana Amir UsmaniJo marhalon mei sath thai woh manzilon pai chut gaye, Jo raat mei lutai na thai woh dopahar mei luth gaye, Magan tha mei ki pyaar k bouhat sai giit gavonga, zuban gung ho gayi, galai mei giit ghut gaye, kati huvi hai ungliyan rubaab dhundhta hon mei.
In the period of sufferings real character of the people are revealed and exposed. The masks are down while the ugly faces are open to humanity as whole but don’t forget “No sadness goes on and No joy lasts forever”.You can be damn sure that the people who are there for you when you most need help are the ones that really do love you. It’s easy to love someone when they’re happy and breezing through life. It’s more difficult when that person is so stuck in pain they barely have any love to give. Remember that the people who really, truly, unconditionally love you, will still have love to give to you, even if you’re temporarily unable to give it back. Secondly, struggle doesn’t make you who you are as much as it tends to reveal who you are. When you’re truly in a state of desperation to fix something, your real self will start to emerge out of necessity. Pay attention to this. There are great lessons to be learned from seeing what you do and who you are in the most trying times.And the poet said,This was no friendship, to forsake your friend, To promise your support and at the end Abandon him-this was sheer treachery. Friend follows friend to end. When sorrow comes one’s true friends are found; In times of joy ten thousand gathers around.Verily, Allah swt shows you true face of people in a most mysterious way.

Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: THE BIGGEST THREAT

By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Environmental pollution can be defined as the addition of some unwanted substances in the environment, which are harmful for both living and non living. It can also be defined as the decrease in the level of the life-living gases that result in the rise of some other unwanted gases, which ultimately cause the environmental pollution. It is not a recent phenomenon. But it is the process of many centuries. In recent years, it has kept a brisk pace.  The previous decade witnessed some of the hottest years of the century. It is visible in the decreasing of the ground water level in India, flooding of many areas, the bushfires of Australia, the melting of glaciers in the fragile Himalayan region, the thinning of the ice in Antarctica, the extinction of species, the vulnerability of species, the huge storms, the spreading of deadly diseases, etc. There are many other examples that only suggest that the situation is going from bad to worse. But the point I want to discuss is that if a man is the crown of humanity, why can’t he solve this problem? And more importantly than this is that what are the causes responsible for this global problem. Let us try to know more about this.      First is industrialization. The heavy machinery creates havoc in the environment. The chimneys produce the toxic gases. The effluents or the hot waters from the industries go into the seas. They destroy the ecosystem of the marine life, which eventually disturb the ecological stability or balance of the environment. Moreover, the other wastes produced by the industries are dumped without any scientific watch. It also plays with the delicateness of the environment. Delhi is a good example of this. The dumping site is as big as a mountain. It kills animals, human beings, spreads diseases, wastes energy, litters the landscape, etc. In our valley, we also witness the same situation. There is no planning on the part of the government to decompose the wastes in a scientific manner. In Israel, the majority of the wastes is decomposed in a scientific manner. But we can’t do it?      Second is deforestation. Deforestation results in rain deficiency on the one hand and droughts on the other hand. It is being reported that a large part of the Amazon forests is cleared due to continuous felling of trees. In our valley, the smugglers are hand in glove with the government in looting our precious resources. Everyday we come across the news that smugglers are caught red-handed in this and that part of the valley. It has given rise to the loss of the habitats of the wild animals. The end result is the human-wild conflict. Recently, many wild animals were seen in the human habitations due to our greed and narrow-minded approach. Overall, the continuous felling of trees has brought a lot of harm to the environment. Trees keep the ecological balance of the environment. When they are cut ruthlessly, there are cent percent chances of the environmental pollution.      Third is the continuous rise in the plying of vehicles on the already narrow roads. Every day,  new vehicles appear playing on the roads. First, the roads are not so wide to drive comfortably. The result is that many lives are lost. The fuel used in the majority of vehicles is non-renewable. It means that it won’t last forever. Moreover, these vehicles produce the toxic gases that disturb the environment on the large scale. Acid rain is a good example of this. Slowly and steadily, the ground is prepared for the environmental pollution.      Fourth is that we waste energy. The bulbs are on without any purpose. The taps drip through out the day and night. The vehicles are washed with the drinking water. The engines of the vehicles are not stopped at the red light. Food is wasted on most of the functions. Mobile phones are on without any purpose. The televisions and radios are talking through out the day and night without any listeners. Refrigerators, washing machines, vaccum cleaners, etc., are on without any real purpose. There are many examples like this  which suggest that there is some leniency on our part. In short, the above discussion has one thing in common that is all the things destroy the environment in one way or other.       Last is that we are unaware about the importance of the environment. We take things for granted. We don’t have such kind of mindsets that may help us to ponder over the diversities in the environment. We never bother to respect the endowments bestowed upon us by the Creator of the universe. We come to senses when it is too late. This approach of ungratefulness is very dangerous. It is necessary to have compassion towards the environment. It pays and will pay if we remain little bit diligent.      A lot of damage has been done. Now, there is need to carry out the mission of the real construction. We have to remain careful in not destroying the environment further. There  is an urgent need of this mindset. We can’t be so complacent. Let us pledge that every person at his or her individual level, try his or best to protect the environment.
By: Syed Mustafa Ahmad .Syedmustafaahmad9@gmail.com.

Sadness and DepressionSuhaib Ashraf Bhat.Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety, these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy. There are religious means of achieving this, and natural and practical means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers; although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on others.The name of failure is enough to put us off it and strive for success, regardless of the material gains that a man may attain as the result of his success, because failure is a word that implies shortcomings and loss, and success is a word that implies perfection and praise. Failure and success are two sides of the same coin, although they may seem to contradict one another at first glance. But in fact they are interconnected if you think about it, based on experience and real life.You might often come across a conversation pertaining to things like “sadness is shaytan’s doing” or that “a believer never gets sad” or even that “sadness is an indication of weak or incomplete faith”. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could be further from the truth. Statements like these only escalate the process of drowning for individuals who suffer from depression, anxiety or hopelessness. It is of the utmost importance that people ought to know the difference between sadness and depression; sadness is a typical human emotion and depression is a much more damaging and longer lasting condition of hopelessness, despair, and dejection. Sadness is a part of what makes us human. No living soul is unfamiliar with it; even our Prophets faced multiple episodes of sadness. For example, Yaqub (Alahisalam) wept until he lost his vision and even our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) experienced bouts of sadness upon the loss of his wife and uncle. Hence, sadness is not a sign of weakness in any form. To experience sadness is to be human. Having strong faith, or Imaan, does not render a believer to be an exception to the emotion of sadness. Depression is majorly defined by a sense of hopelessness- in yourself and in the world around you. It is rooted in a sense of sheer helplessness where you feel like nothing is in your control. But that is the truth; nothing IS in your control. It is in Allah’s (swt) control. Take a moment, embrace your lack of control over your circumstances, and know that the one in control is the best of planners and loves you more than you can imagine. Surrender your attempts to control your life, leave it up to Allah (swt), and trust His plan for you. Sometimes, the human mind is unable to understand Allah’s (swt) ultimate wisdom behind every single thing that happens to us. However, by accepting that Allah (swt) is in control and welcoming His plans for us ultimately leads to the enrichment of our mind, body and soul.Steadfastness of heart  and not being disturbed about the imaginary things that bad thoughts may bring to mind. For when a person gives in to his imagination and lets his mind be disturbed by these thoughts, such as fear of disease and the like, or anger and confusion stirred up by some grievous matter, or the expectation of bad things and the loss of good things, it will fill him with worries, distress, mental and physical illness and nervous breakdowns, which will have a bad effect on him and which causes a great deal of harm, as many people have seen. But when a person depends on Allah swt and puts his trust in Him, and does not give in to his imagination or let bad thoughts overwhelm him, and he relies on Allah swt and has hope of His bounty, this wards off his worries and distress, and relieves him of a great deal of mental and physical sickness. It gives indescribable strength, comfort and happiness to the heart. How many hospitals are filled with the mentally sick victims of illusions and harmful imagination; how often have these things had an effect upon the hearts of many strong people, let alone the weak ones; how often have they led to foolishness and insanity. It should be noted that your life will follow your train of thought. If your thoughts are of things that will bring you benefit in your spiritual or worldly affairs, then your life will be good and happy. Otherwise it will be the opposite.Have great hope in Allah swt, and do not let the Shaytaan cause you to despair of the vast mercy of Allah swt which He has guaranteed for His believing slaves. You need to increase your hope and trust in Allah swt Who forgives all sins, and who accepts the slave who seeks His protection and refuge, for He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving and the Most Loving.  You should increase your good deeds, upholding the ties of kinship, etc. The sadness which we feel also happens to others, for it is something natural. How many people were examples followed by others and had a great deal of drive and ambition, then they lost their drive and ambition for a long time, then it came back to them by the grace of Allah swt. Remember the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him): “Everybody has his time of energy, and every time of energy is followed by a time of lethargy. But if a person tries to follow a moderate path, then I have hope for him, but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the street), then do not think anything of him.”(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2453; classed as hasan (sound) by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 1995). 
What is meant by “Everybody has his time of energy” is eagerness for a thing, energy and the desire to do good.What is meant by “every time of energy is followed by a time of lethargy” is tiredness, weakness and lack of movement.“But if a person tries to follow a moderate path” means that the one who has energy does his deeds in moderation and avoids going to extremes when he is feeling energetic and avoids being negligent when he is feeling lethargic.“Then I have hope for him” means, I have hope that he will be successful, for he can continue following a middle course, and the most beloved deeds to Allah swt are those which are continuous.“but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the street)” means, if he strives hard and goes to extremes in doing good deeds so that he will become famous for his worship and asceticism, and he becomes famous and people point him out to one another,“then do not think anything of him” means, do not think that he is one of the righteous, because he is showing off. He did not say, “do not have hope for him,” as an indication that he has already fallen, and he will not be able to make up for what he has missed out on. Think about this hadeeth, and relate it to your own situation and the situation of others: you will see a clear similarity. This hadeeth clearly states that man goes through a stage of incomparable eagerness and great focus and ambition, and then suddenly he becomes weak and loses that focus and eagerness and ambition. When he reaches this stage, he must strive even harder to do obligatory duties and avoid haraam (impermissible) things. If he does that, then there is the hope that he will succeed and progress, but if he falls into haraam things and stops doing obligatory things, he will be lost and doomed.Don’t ever forget that Allah (swt) will never burden you with something that is beyond your capacity to deal with. Even on days when you feel as if you cannot take it anymore, know that you can survive it- for Allah (swt) knows us better than we know ourselves and whatever trial you’re facing in your life, know that He also gives you the strength to handle that trial.
Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

Opinion 11 January, 2021

SELECTION OF LIFE PARTNER IN KASHMIR

Safura Amin
In Islam, marriage (nikah) is a legal contract between a man and a woman. Both the groom and the bride are to consent to the marriage of their own free will.  Nikah is concluded by guardian (Wali) of the bride and the groom but it does not give them a right to force bride and groom to enter into a nikah. According to Islam, the marriage is invalid without free consent. Modern times have brought about change in the quality of the marital relationship. With changing generations we find more and more information about what marriage involves and requires. When I asked my mother whether selection of life partner is easy she said,” The selection of life partner has gone through lot of changes. It is being modernized. The women who once had completely no role as for as the selection of life partner was concerned have now an important role in it” and I totally agree with my mother that the institution of marriage has undergone various alterations but women has important role in it is little  bit hard to digest. The rules governing selection vary widely from society to society. I personally feel love and compatibility are very important but in Kashmir the focus is always on caste, government employee, wealth, family status, physical beauty, Age, body shape, personal adornment and especially facial appearance are usually the focuses.Selection of life partner is the responsibility of the parents in Kashmir and children’s usually don’t interfere in such decisions and  in case if any kid says anything he/she is considered as rebel  and unfaithful  but our elders fail to understand that , selection of life partner is one of the most important  choices of both men and women. The possibility of happiness is low in marriage if they do not understand each other. Our parents take it as a mission which is named as “Proper match”. It was observed during research that most of the partners who were getting marriage late or were found unmarried in fact suffered from years in finding their proper matches. So proper match is a challenge in selection of life partner and I wonder whether such thing even exists. In spite of so many changes in our society, we find that the child is still so conditioned as not to think in terms of his own rights, his own pleasures, his own status and his own privacy etc, but to think in terms of family.Prof. Bashir Ahmad Dabla, in 2009, said late marriage phenomenon is increasing in kashmir due to poverty, unemployment, family status, poverty and socio-economic status, conflict, illiteracy, modernization impact, health abnormality, customs and traditions, caste consideration, dowry in different shapes, waiting for higher education and jobs, and the lengthy search for a proper match and 10 years down the line I feel nothing has changed in our society. This has brought negative ill-effects in Kashmir, like Psychiatric problems, suicides, drug addiction, pre- marital affairs, sex scandals and a spiral in divorces. That’s why in Islam marriage is considered half-faith completes which prevents the believers from the immodesty and immorality but in Kashmir we have made (Zina) cheaper but (Nikah) expensive. All the above factors have led to Postponing marriage in Kashmir and this trend has become so common that the percentage of women who are unmarried is now more than double what it was 10 years back. As per the census, 60 per cent of the total population in the state has actually never married, even after attaining a standard marriageable age which in old times was 22-25 years has now changed to 27 to 32. I personally request parents to be actively involved in the lives of their children, to guide and lead them properly recognizing their choices, preferences and desires and help them not force them to arrive at decision in their life.  Let us cherish our traditional and cultural way of doing marriage but let us not turn this into competition with others.   There is lot poverty and unemployment in Kashmir so it is completely fine if we don’t find a Government employee as a life partner, trusts me we can still go to heaven. Then comes “the caste “which is much different in Kashmir than the caste system in India, as caste system in Kashmir is based on occupations and is an obstacle in marriages. The caste and family background of the families is an extreme object for our parents in Kashmir that they will not compromise a bit over caste and family match but they fail to understand that all these factors are not key for successful marriage but a key to destroy lives of their children’s.  All I can say is let us follow  Islamic laws when it comes to selection of life partner or marriage indeed life will be blessed.  Let us avoid the unnecessary delay in marriage as it has biological, social and the psychological consequences.

11 January ,2020

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

4 January,2021 Issue

ReADING CULTURE HAS GONE

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

Opinion 28 December, 2020 Issue

“Everything comes to an end”

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

28 December, 2020 Issue .

Women in the Age of Digital LiteracyBy Syed Mustafa Ahmad

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

Opinion 21 December, 2020.

         Storms, Before Your Bear Fruits

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