Of threads and needles..

Today I am going to make a confession. I hate sewing. I have hated it since I first set my eyes on a sewing machine.  I often dust my house (despite being allergic to it), do the dishes and laundry. I can cook and I can bake. But somehow I just cannot get the hang of sewing. From the impossible task of hurling thread into the ever-shrinking needle-eye to the distressing scissor work, I loathe every inch of this exercise.

Why this sudden outburst you may think? Well I have had my fair share of listening to what girls should and shouldn’t do. And its time I put my foot down on such absurd ideas.

I could have come over my misfortune of not liking this most favorite sport of all time, if I was not ridiculed for it time and again (yeah thats true!). People, specifically aunties :D, will raise their brows upon knowing my interests and think it their utmost duty to save me from going into ruins. They confide in me the secret of their successful lives: ‘Of all things, stitching and sewing is really important for girls to know. It will be useful after marriage.’ (Yeah right!)

Ironically, I got a toy-sewing-machine as a gift when I was six (by one of those aunties ofcourse) and not only once but twice! So you see, this is a long termed conspiracy which is hurled at us at a young age. The idea is to make the girl adept at stitching before she starts spelling.

For some, it doesn’t matter if this skill is put to practice. They are the ones who learn this art just for the sake of it, and to avoid being an ‘outcast’. Some others think that stitching by oneself is a highly noble task and hiring someone else to do this tedious work is a sin. Well, I don’t really mind this attitude only if they keep it to themselves and not impose it on others.

Stitching is an art and is only entertaining if someone himself likes to do it. If they do not, then in no way should they be forced to do so, especially if they can afford a tailor to save them the misery. 😀 I think its just that we have made our own set of absurd rules which can neither be broken, nor changed. They try to shove it down your throat whether you like it or not.

Mindsets are difficult to change. One thing is for certain though, I will remain as stubborn as they are. 😀

Golden Rules to Start a Day :)

1. Today I’ll NOT strike back:
If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind…I will not respond in a like manner.

2.  Today I’ll ask Allah to bless my ‘enemy’:
If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask Allah to bless that individual. I understand the “enemy” could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker, or a stranger.

3. Today I’ll be careful about what I say:
I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.

4. Today I’ll go the extra mile:
I will find ways to help share the burden of another person.

5. Today I’ll forgive:
I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.

6. Today I’ll do something nice for someone, but I’ll do it secretly:
I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another.

7. Today I’ll treat others the way I wish to be treated:
I will practice the golden rule – “Do unto others as I would have them do unto me” – with everyone I encounter.

8. Today I’ll raise the spirits of someone discouraged:
My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling life.

9. Today I’ll nurture my body:
I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods. I will thank Allah for my body.

10. Today I’ll grow spiritually:
I will spend a little more time in salaah and dua today. I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today. I will find a quiet place (at some point during the day) and contemplate on the purpose of life!

(Written by anonymous)

I am not dead. Yet.

This is why I never intended to be a blogger! (As I have mentioned in my very first post on this blog), I am really bad at committing (for my own good atleast). Despite my absence here, I did read a few blogs now and then, specially Musafir-e Dasht, Alhamdolillah and Amar Bail. Would have loved to comment but seriously didn’t get enough time. 😦 Was looking forward to Aadil to update his blog!

I am not sure if anyone is even reading this 😛 but still I’m promising (yet again) to not ignore this poor thing. Thanks for bearing with me. 😛

A dua for my Muslim sisters and brothers..:)

O Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. (Ameen)

Little Bloggy’s Birthday

Today my blog turns 1, so I thought a post was due atleast this day, despite the fact that I have been totally ignoring this poor thingy since months now. Hell, this is my first post for 2010!  Not that I am a hopeless case, I was just too busy tending to other things, and will probably remain so in coming days.

The weather has started to change over here. The springs in Karachi are so short lived you hardly notice them. And even when you do, its already gone.. leaving you with hot dry air to inhale, giving you watery eyes and headache! Okay so I would not be ungrateful and will also mention how pleasant early mornings and evenings are in Karachi in summer.

Anyway, I would just share a piece of poetry for my blog on its b’day! With hopes of coming up with some posts later on inshaAllah. (:

Rasta nahi milta..!!!

Munjamid andhera hai..

Phir bhi ba-waqaar insaan…

Is yaqeen pay zinda hai….

Baraf kay pighalne mein…

Pau phatne ka waqfa hai…

Uss kay baad sooraj ko…..

Kaun rok sakta hai…!!

گمنام لوگ

لوگ ہلالِ شام سے بڑھ کر پل میں ماہِ تمام ہوۓ

ہم ہر برج میں گھٹتے گھٹتے صبح تلک گمنام ہوۓ

ان لوگوں کی بات کرو جو عشق میں خوش انجام ہوۓ

نجد میں قیس یہاں پر انشا خوار ہوۓ، ناکام ہوۓ

کس کا چمکتا چہرہ لائیں کس سورج سے مانگیں دھوپ

گھور اندھیرا چھا جاتا ہے خلوتِ دل میں شام ہوۓ

ایک سے ایک جنوں کا مارا اس بستی میں رہتا ہے

ایک ہمیں ہشیار تھے یارو، ایک ہمیں بدنام ہوۓ

اس سے بہاروباغ کی باتیں کرکے جی کو دکھانا کیا

جن کو ایک زمانہ گزرا کنج قفس میں رام ہوۓ

انشا صاحب پَو پھٹتے ہی تارے ڈوبے، صبح ہوئی

بات تمہاری مان کے ہم تو شب بھر بے آرام ہوۓ

انشاً۔۔

انشا صاحب پَو پھٹتے ہی تارے ڈوبے، صبح ہوئی
بات تمہاری مان کے ہم تو شب بھر بے آرام ہوۓ

Eid Greetings II

A message I received today:

Patience, courtesy, selflessness, discipline and spirituality are virtues learned only through acts of sacrifice. Feel prestiged to be a follower of Islam.. a religion with character building tradition and soul enlightening festivals!

Eid mubarak to everyone! May we be able to feel the true essence of this great Eid.

The song of my heart

An unfinished song

chants along

some broken lines

with guilty chords

obscure lyrics

rhythm forgotten

the fading music

dim, yet audible

barely alive

breathing for life

looking around

for a familiar echo

the slightest whisper

for the dying song

is all it desires

I wonder how

my heart ceased to be

in sync with the tune..

Tuesday Trackback: Yeh kaun loug hain?

I am linking to a post made by a friend on PakFellows Blog. A great poem by Amjad Islam Amjad. No more comments though. The poem itself says a lot.

Also, I think I’ll be trackback-ing many more posts in future.

——-

یہ کون لوگ ہیں جسموں سے آگ باندھے ہوے
کے موت جنہیں آپ دیکھنے کو آتی ہے
خود اپنے شہر کی سڑکوں پے چل نہیں سکتے
گھروں کے ہوتے جنہیں بے گھری ستاتی ہے

کبھی بہار کے قاصد، کبھی ہیں دہشت گرد
جو چاہے انکو تری زر گری بناتی ہے

ڈرو غضب کے خدا سے کے اسکی ایک نظر
پلک جھپک میں پہاڑوں کو یوں اڑاتی ہے
کے یہ سب نخوت و حشمت، تمام شان و سپہ
غبارِ خاک میں تبدیل ہوتی جاتی ہے
نہیں یقین جو آتا تو مُڑ کے خود دیکھو
تمھارے جیسوں کو تاریخ کیا سکھاتی ہے

Source

In solitude, where we are least alone

Khawaja Shams-ad-din Muhammad Hafiz Shirazi is one of the greatest Persian poets. This is Daniel Ladinsky’s translation of his farsi poem called “Absolutely Clear” :

Don’t surrender your loneliness
So Quickly.
Let it cut more deep.

Let it ferment and season you
As few human
Or divine ingredients can.

Something missing in my heart tonight,
Has made my eyes so soft,
My voice
So tender,

My need of God
Absolutely clear.

—

A few weeks ago I was suffering from a terrible bout of loneliness. I was too stubborn and bitter at the time to reach out to anyone. Reading this poem though made all the pain melt away and instantly lifted my mood. We all just look at the wrong directions I guess.:)

Believe in Pakistan!

As much as one doesn’t want to believe, the enemies seems to be going further and is penetrating right into the heart of the country. Hitting  students has been the worst blow to young and tender minds who shall be the strength of Pakistan tomorrow. How do you explain to a kid why their school is closed? Because some maniac out there wants to kill you and we would not be able to protect you when he does. (only Allah will!) How would an eight year old feel about it? What is he acquiring in his initial learning stages? Ten years down the road, how would he feel about Pakistan? What does he imagine his country as?

The answer lies in HOW we are going to show them the picture. We talk about gruesome attacks and what a pitiful condition we are stuck into. We rant about the  indecisiveness of our leaders. We curse foreign invasions. But is this about all that makes up Pakistan and Pakistanis? Are we going to tell them how tough we have always proved to be. How we have pulled through critical times before when there seemed no end to it.  This time would be no different inshaAllah! The enemies of Pakistan shall not triumph. We need to do our duties confidently and keep faith in Allah. We should embrace our differences and keep united against all that is to come. We will educate ourselves and our youth no matter how many bombs they throw in our yards. We will carve a peaceful and people-loving image of Pakistan that it truly is! After all isn’t it amazing that amongst all this bombings and chaos, Edhi wins a prize for non-violence! Let not our children get disheartened at what they are seeing today. Teach them patience, hardwork,  love and persistence and then see how nations can rise from ruins.

I am going to quote some verses from Quran which I have been thinking over before writing this post.

وَلاَ تَهِنُواْ وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الاٌّعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers. [3:139]

إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ وَتِلْكَ الأيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَاء وَاللّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ

If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allâh may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allâh likes not the Zâlimun. [3:140]

وَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَيَمْحَقَ الْكَافِرِينَ

And that Allâh may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers [3:141]

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allâh tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are As-Sâbirun (the patient)? [3:142]