News Kashmir Magazine

Salute to Sikh community
RAMEEZ MAKHDOOMI

Amid the heartrending scenes of wars in Middle East from Iraq, Syria to Yemen and Libya and Rohingya carnage by Burmese authorities to the pain of Kashmir one has seen humanity getting butchered to core in recent times, leaving this world nearly a meaningless place to exist.
In the ongoing upheaval since past few days Kashmiris are facing threatened but one community that has healed humanity is Sikhs , From discounts to free coaching and medical treatment offers, Kashmiri Muslims are showering their affection on “Sikh brethren for their bravery.”
Across all the social media platforms, the Sikh community is being applauded for sheltering and helping Kashmiri Muslims under attack from mobs in different parts following the deadly Pulwama bombing on February 14 that left 40 CRPF men dead. The community of Sikhs rose above religion and caste, by setting up free kitchens and accommodation in Gurudwaras for Kashmiri students and general public, after their dwellings were pelted by stones and hundreds of vehicles set ablaze.
A local Kashmiri trader stuck in Jammu had stated , “The Sikhs have made it easy, like always. They make us believe that humanity exists. Our vehicles were set ablaze and stones are thrown on our rented rooms after the Pulwama attack ,we had no food, no accommodation, our Sikh brothers came forward and arranged langar, open Gurduwaras for us

Humanity voices may be in minority currently But as it is said Every cloud has a silver lining same has been the case here too with Khalsa aid and Sikh community at forefront in these places rendering a helping hand to humanity and rendering valuable services to those in dire needs irrespective of their colour, creed or religion.
The Khalsa Aid working on the Sikh principle of “Recognise the whole human race as one” has warmed the human hearts with its great work.
In Iraq Yazidi villages had been occupied by extremist fanatics , grown men in their community killed, and older women bussed away to empty land; they were considered useless. Since 2016, Khalsa Aid had seen trickles of Yazidi girls and young women have managed to flee their captors and return to the local community. But most return in the clothes the extremists forced them to dress in. Shopping for new clothes was the last thing they could imagine, let alone afford.
So, Khalsa Aid decided to act with an innovative approach: to give each one a budget to pick exactly the outfits they wanted, after months or years of violent brutal oppression. “We wanted to give the girls the freedom of choosing the clothes themselves” – Kanwar, Khalsa Aid project coordinator had stated . Each trip also offers a social outlet for a group with whom psychological trauma is rife.
Be it Kashmir or Iraq, Yemen or Burma the Sikh community and Khalsa Aid have risen to the occasion to heal the wounds of suffering humanity . As a Kashmiri we are all indebted to the efforts put in by the Sikh community in ensuring the safe return of people of kashmir to their native land amid all challenges .

Make Pacification not conflagration
Showkat Ahmad Dar

“”War does not determine who is right -Only who is left””…..
Look around you. Observe the Globe you are Functioning in.
Can you feel the Pulsation of a thousand despondent hearts?
Can you discern the Trepidation for tomorrow in the looks of
people? Can you envisage the Yells of a thousand mothers
who are losing their children each day?
Now ask yourself, is this the place where you always wanted
to live? Is this the place where each child expects to grow up
when they open their impeccable eyes and see the world for
the first time? Are you able to look in the eyes of those
children without the feeling of penitence for this reality full of
evil, which they have to face? Is this what we have prepared
for them throughout centuries and years? We cannot deny the
simple truth that we were the ones who have been constantly
shaping this reality. But another simple truth is that it is not too
late to change something. We can make this world a better
place if we try. So why not to create good instead of evil? Why
not to make peace instead of war? Why not to spread love and
compassion instead of hate and arrogance? No one is born
with evil within. We are born, filled with love towards everyone
and everything around us. But instead of just following our
hearts full of light, we keep feeding ourselves with darkness
over and over again. When did we stop to judge people by
their personality and started to consider the color of their
skin? What urged us to acknowledge someone as an enemy
just because of the place they were born in? Isn’t Earth the
only place all of us were born in? Are the borders that
someone has drawn on the map powerful enough to build in
our souls the borders of prejudice, alienating us from each
other? Yes, they are! As long as we let them be. As long as we
teach our children to let them be powerful enough. When the
world and this life are nearly destroyed by the evil and hate we
spread, we would hardly care about the power we have
towards others. We would hardly care about the God others
are praying for, as long as those prayers can give us a hap to
survive. So why won’t we stop caring about it right now, at this
very moment? Why won’t we start making this world an out
shine place by creating peace and commiseration? And finally,
why won’t we earn the right to look at our children’s eyes with
the feeling of pride for the world we have built for them? Think
about these questions and, no doubt, you will find the
answers. Because the answers to those catechizes are
entombed deep inside each one of us. And we will find out
those answers as soon as we disband the dust of noxious and
distaste from our hearts…
“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war”.

Showkat Ahmad Dar from Handwara is civil services aspirant with four post graduation to his credit.

 

Badar Bashir

Once upon a time a king told his subjects to dig up a well and when they did it, the king asked his subjects to bring a glass of milk and pour that into this well before the sunrise, as people dissipated towards their homes, a person thought since everyone is going to get a glass of milk why not I bring a glass of water instead. He brought a glass of water and poured that into this well and went back home. After the sun rose and king came to see the well, to his amazement he found only water in the well. The reason was that everyone had thought that every other person will bring the milk. Same is the case with our duties we think that other person is going to do the job while we sit back and inhabituate the layback approach. Same approach has plagued our government institutions and with each passing day they enforce the worklessness into their habitat of inactivity.

The fundamental question is, why are the government employees so prone to strikes, why do they show lack of diligence in their duties, why do they ask for more when their institutions are languid and less-performing. Why do they desire more when they deserve no more. Why are they so arrogant even after being caught for the dereliction of duties.

Its an evident fact that if a process involves government institution for its completion, the completion in itself becomes a constant struggle, eventuality of a petty document becomes a dream and in near future we sigh! Finally it’s done and even plan a party for the success that we had anticipated for its completion.

Work culture? Yeah! It’s the culture which we have to follow from our contemporaries and who are the contemporaries, they are the same species following us. When did we have culture at first? Never. We always followed comforting ourselves and in that process we have made fraternity of government employees specifically working for each other’s requirements. Where shall a common man go? Everywhere until he finds peace. It’s said that human needs influence human behaviour and its easily discernible what they need because their behavior heralds their need.

Even a rational non-working active employee In governments holds that they have less value, their value is the derivative of diligence they show towards work and what is worse is the inoculation of herd mentality which was the legacy, is the legacy and will always be a legacy until we learn the benefits of morality behind working. An easy example to measure all the people of the state should be measured from its educational institutions and the predicament is that, that they are worst hit by undeserving people and the products they create are equally worse and when they get employed, they spoil things in a same way their teachers have spoiled them.

Karl marx once said the production of too many usefull things results in too many useless people. the more useful things we are blessed with the more useless we become, further we spread that uselessness and brag about it in a most unsuitable way.

Nonetheless there are still people who work for the upliftment of culture and values, the people owho are service motivated. The prerequisite is to inculcate moral education among people and reduce the information deficit that they have, that they cant procceed and progress without adulation and chicanery. The more they work themselves the more they build themselves the more they build themselves the more society progresses. Being diligent in one’s own work is a sign of greatness that  is yet to come.

 

 

 

 

By Javeed Ali

 

 

 

 

 

In this materialistic world a person who wants to support and spread the truth is not allowed to do so by those whose foundations are based on falsehood and deceit. Any voice of realism is being muzzled by those who survive on fabrication and falsification.  A cry for an oppressed soul is being trampled under the boots of oppressors. An opinion for peace is being eroded by those whose strategies are based on wars and deaths. An appeal for justice to marginalized and disadvantaged people is being caged by those who claim to be the defenders of human rights. A right of religion is being trammelled by those who create and groom terrorists. Discrimination in the name of caste, creed, religion or colour is being perpetuated by those who own and run corporate media.

 

 

 

There are some God-fearing individuals in this world who advocate and uphold the cause of suppressed and subjugated people. One such soul is Marzieh Hashemi. She is a journalist, anchor-woman, documentarian, presenter, voice-over artist and an analyst who is vocal for Muslims, Women Rights, African-Americans and other oppressed people in the world. She is critical about the American foreign policy and regime change plots. Marzieh is against the police brutalities towards black people in the US and she is also against the US–backed wars all across the world.

 

 

 

Marzieh Hashemi was born in an African-American Christian family as Melanie Franklin on December 21, 1959 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. During her journalism studies in Louisiana State University, the 1979 Islamic Revolution happened in Iran. She took interest in the events occurring in Iran at the time and researched about the Islamic Revolution and the life of Imam Khomeini (R.A.).  She was very inspired and finally converted to Islam in 1982 at the age of 22. She changed her name from Melanie Franklin to Marzieh Hashemi and married an Iranian. Marzieh worked with a number of Islamic magazines and newspapers. She was an activist in number of community organisations working for social justice and was confronting Islamophobia menace in the US.

 

 

 

In 2008 Marzieh moved to Iran and began hosting programs on Press TV. She has worked on numerous documentaries depicting the miserable and repressed condition of underprivileged people across the world. A strong proponent of the Palestinian cause, Marzieh also supports other oppressed people of the world. This is the main reason she is being harassed by the US authorities when she visits her relatives there. There is no doubt that it is her activism that has led to her unfair arrest. If Marzieh was like other government-fearing journalists she would be enjoying her freedom right now. If she wasn’t such a strong advocate for Palestine she would be considered harmless. Perhaps if she didn’t work for Press TV none of this would have happened. Her arrest, subsequent harassment by authorities, removal of her hijab. All of this would never have happened if Marzieh remained silent. Only those who speak the truth are targeted. That is a fact.

 

 

 

On 13thJanuary 2019 Marzieh was arrested by FBI agents in America when she was about to board a flight from St. Louis Lambert International Airport for Denver, to visit her ailing brother who is suffering from cancer. She was then transferred to Washington DC where she was handcuffed and shackled in an FBI detention center. Her Hijab (veil) was forcibly removed against her will and she was mistreated. Marzieh was given a short-sleeved T-Shirt in which her mug-shot was taken without her headscarf. After two days of her arrest, she was finally allowed to call her daughter. This was when she revealed the inhuman treatment meted out to her. Marzieh was given pork instead of Halal food which she refused to consume and has only eaten pretzels and bread. She is being held under custody without any crime or charges and is being treated as a criminal. Her family members and friends are very concerned about her health condition and they have demanded her immediate release.

 

 

 

US authorities have violated the religious and human rights of Marzieh Hashemi. They have also violated international laws and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which advocates freedom of opinion and expression. Marzieh Hashemi is being humiliated and tortured as she is the voice of the oppressed. Now it’s the moral obligation of each one of us to raise our voice against the tyrannical and wicked regime of America, that has illegally detained a 59-year-old veteran journalist who is also a mother and a grandmother. She is being intimidated as she has challenged the hegemony of imperialistic powers. It doesn’t matter that Marzieh is an American citizen, what matters is that she is against the system. And that is an unpardonable offense.

 

 

 

Let’s all join our hands and start a massive campaign on social media and press for her release. Already some journalists and human rights activists have started an online hashtag campaign such as #FreeMarziehHashemi and #Pray4MarziehHashemi. Journalists, writers, activists, intellectuals and other professionals should use their energy and platform and urge the International community to pressurize the US authorities, so that they release Marzieh Hashemi from this illegal imprisonment immediately.

 

 

 

May Allah Almighty keep Marzieh Hashemi in good health. Ameen

 

 

Barr. Saadatu A. Mohammed Esq.

A very cold morning in the holy month of Ramadan, i was asked by my Principal to appear

before the Court of Appeal Judges Kaduna division to move an Application.

I was confused for a minute, because i was new and terrified of the court, those judges

intimidate even the most Senior Lawyers in the Land, let alone myself.

Even though i had a sleepless night, i was up as early as i could for my epic journey. Upon my

arrival, my case was No.11 on the causelist.

As i waited patiently for my turn, i watched with enormous fear how Senior Advocates were

being drilled and tossed around like a football. Few minutes later, case No.11 was called, my

mouth was as dry as the desert, as I stood up to speak i almost choked…

…..S.A Muhammad Miss is my name, i whispered in a very low tune. I became even more

terrified when My Lord gazed at me, but as i advanced i spoke evidently well if i may add.

They acknowledged that i was new and able… “Application is hereby granted–call the next

case”…

I stood up like a champ and took my leave.

That is my life as a Nigerian Lawyer.. Every session is a fight you just have to find a way to win….

By Javeed Ali

 

Undoubtedly, there is no day as beautiful as the day of the birth anniversary of the impeccable and ideal personality in the whole Universe. The day which illuminated the whole World.  The day which annihilated the foundations of ignorance. The day humanity regained its humanism. The day oppressed and persecuted found their saviour. The day female folk who were being buried alive found hope of survival. The day unjust and tyrant rulers were challenged. The day life got its meaning. The day all the creatures of the universe were rejoicing and merry-making.  The day Allah Almighty gifted His best creation to humanity.

Yes, undoubtedly, it’s the day whole humanity should remember and celebrate. Allah Almighty says in Surah Yunus, Surah No. 10, Verse No. 58:

“In the grace of Allah and His mercy, in that they should rejoice; it is better than (the wealth) that they gather”

In this verse, Allah Almighty says that we should be happy when we receive blessings and mercy from Him.  Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) is celebrated to express our happiness and blessedness on the day of arrival of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) on this earth.

Allah Almighty says in Holy Quran:

“And remind them of the days of the Allah.” (Surah Ibrahim, Surah No. 14, Verse No. 05)
“And remember when your lord proclaimed, if you will be grateful then I shall give you more and if you are thankless then my treatment is severe.” (Surah Ibrahim, Surah No. 14 and Verse 07)
“Then remember the bounties of Allah and wander not in the earth spreading mischief.” (Surah Al- A’raf, Surah No. 07, Verse 74)
It is quite evident from the above verses of Quran that we should remember and express our gratitude for the bounties which Allah Almighty has bestowed upon us. The greatest of all blessings for whole humankind is the arrival of Rahmatal-lil’Aalameen (SAW) on this earth as revealed in following Quranic verses.

“O Mohammad, We have not sent you but as a blessing for all the worlds.” (Sura Al Ambiyaa, Surah No. 21, Verse No. 107)
Certainly did Allah confer [great] favour upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.   (Sura Ale Imran, Surah No. 03, Verse No. 164)
“Truly you are of a magnificent character” (Surah Al-Qalam, Surah No. 68, Verse No. 04)

Indubitably, the Prophet Mohammad (SAW) is the greatest mercy and blessing of Allah Almighty and Allah says in Quran:  “And publicize well the favour of your lord”  (Sura Al Duha, Surah No. 93,  Verse No. 11).

Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) is a way to aware world about the greatest personality of all times and also sends out the message that Islam is the religion of peace and amity.  Moreover, salutations are sent to Prophet Mohammad (SAW) as is commanded in Holy Quran.
“Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O believers, call for Allah’s blessings on him and salute him with all respect.”   (Surah Al Ahzab, Surah No. 33, Verse No. 56)
Some people argue that the way Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) is celebrated, it goes against the tenets of Islam. Yes, we agree if any act which is being performed during the celebration of birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) goes against the teachings of Holy Prophet and Quran then same should be strictly avoided like mixing of opposite genders, improper Hejab (veil), indiscipline, hindrance in traffic flow, unnecessary use of PA System (Public Address System), abominable activities and so on.

Allah asks the Prophet, Peace be upon him, to remind his Nation that it is essential for those who claim to love Allah, to love His Prophet: “Say to them: If you love Allah, follow (and love and honour) me, and Allah will love you” (Suran Aale-e-‘Imran, Surah No. 03, Verse No. 31).

The above verse quite emphatically says that if we claim to love Allah then we should love Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and follow Him by letter & spirit. We cannot get away from our religious and moral obligations by merely celebrating the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (SAW). It should make us more pious and religious. It should make us morally perfect and it should revive our ethics and religious ethos.

Holy Quran stresses on the importance of unity and peaceful co-existence. “And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not divided” (Surah Aali’Imran, Surah No. 03, Verse No. 103).

Religious gatherings like Hajj pilgrimage, Arba’een (the fortieth day of martyrdom of Karbala martyrs) and Milad procession serves as an important platform to forge unity among the Muslim Ummah. People from different places and sects get together and it greatly helps to sort out mutual issues and confront the common enemies of Islam and humanity.

Imam Khomeini (R.A) had declared the week between 9th and 17th Rabi al-Awwal as “Haft-i-Wahdat” meaning “the week of unity amongst Muslims.” Muslims all over the world are urged to get together and celebrate (Eid-E-Milad un Nabi) the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for the whole week. Sunnis and Shias are two arms (Bazoo) of the Islam, Imam Khomeini (R.A.) has said.

Celebrating the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) is one of the ways to express our love and gratitude to our beloved Prophet (PBUH) so as to attain perfection in our faith but its not enough until and unless we follow and obey Prophet Mohammad (SAW) in every sphere of our life in its true spirit . If we claim that we love Prophet Mohammad (SAW) more than our lives then we should always make sure that we never indulge in any act which should be the cause of disappointment to Allah Almighty and Prophet Mohammad (SAW) then only these religious gatherings, congregations and parades will serve their purpose.

May we live and die as the true followers of Prophet Mohammad (SAW). Ameen

-The author is a freelance writer and can be reached at javeedaliofkashmir@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Lois Tarikabor

It’s the 1st of October and I’ll tell you straight up that my feelings are not right. I searched within me the whole day looking for the progress to celebrate in my country. I thought to myself that slow progress is still progress but then again I questioned, progressing and “de-progressing” if there’s a word like that, can that be any progress at all.

I’m done fully criticizing the “leaders” of our nation, their corruption and their greed all carefully fine-tuned underneath their manifestos.

 

Nigeria is the president who thinks the country his serving lacks the equipments he needs to save his health and spends much more when he spends our 3rd world currency in a 1st world country.

Nigeria is the young boy hawking on the streets with no education, Nigeria is the road side Akara seller that has to give her husband whatever stipend she makes at the end of the day. Nigeria is the yahoo boy who gives himself the excuse that he had no choice and the Lagos girl who sleeps under the bridge at night and is a happening girl during the day.

 

Nigeria is the razz bus-conductor that strives to make a living, Nigeria is the young girl whose mother sends to the street to beg for money hoping she doesn’t suffer any harm. Nigeria is the people living in the slumps and water fronts that become the Niger delta militants. Nigeria is the aba boy that the government has refused to empower to help in reviving our economy.

 

Nigeria is the Igbo mother that refuses to let her daughter marry her Yoruba lover and vice-versa, the Hausa man that believes leadership is meant for his people because they got a “leadership trophy” from the colonial masters on the platform of being the easiest tribe to penetrate.

 

Nigeria is you and Nigeria is me. Before our government officials occupied political positions, they were in the cycle of common civilians. I refuse to use the word “leaders” because Nigeria politics has indeed thought me that leadership is different from occupying a political post.

 

What are you doing to better the life of your fellow Nigerian? Aren’t you tired of the daily criticisms? Or the never ending uprising matters?

 

Well…

Happy independence to the Nigerians fighting to survive, to the Nigerians still in inward mental slavery of colonial domination, to the Nigerians who have fallen victim of the canker-worm called corruption and to the praying Nigerians who still believe and hope in a better Nigeria someday.

(The writer  is student of International Law and diplomacy can be contacted at theloistalk@GMAIL.com. She is a lifestyle blogger based in Nigeria .)

Courtesy : loistalkblog.com