Aik sufi hikayat

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi once got a visitor. Maulana asked: "How's life going?" Guest said, "If I get I be thankful, and if I don't I preserve patience". Maulana said: "So do dogs of Baghdad too" So guest said: "How are you going?" Rumi replied: "If I get I do charity, and if not I stay grateful" .

ایک دفعہ مولانا جلال الدین رومی کے پاس ایک مرید آیا

 "مولانا نے پوچھا "کیسی گزر رہی ہے ؟ 

"مرید بولا، "مل جائے تو شکر کرتے ہیں، نہ ملے تو صبر 

"مولانا نے فرمایا "ایسا تو بغداد کے کتے بھی کرتے ہیں 

"مرید بولا، "آپ کی کیسے گزر رہی ہے؟ 

"آپ نے فرمایا، "مل جائے تو صدقہ کرتے ہیں، نہ ملے تو شکر

On 'human tendency to take loved ones granted'

I am sharing below two pictures. First one is a painting, and was very emotionally steering for me. It titled, “Room in New York” (1932). Artist is Edward Hopper (here). Second one, is a photograph. I don't know its origin.

It tells me that humans, though a social animal, tend to take other humans, particularly loved ones as granted. I don't see any change when I see people glued to their smartphones in gatherings.

On 'losing stuff'

"Cheezain khoti nahi hain, bus woh hamari zindagi se chali jaati hain"!

Rabindranath Tagore's 'Unending Love'

(What a beautiful narration. As Faiz said

gar aaj tujh se juda hain to kal baham honge 

ye raat  bhar ki judaaii  to  koi baat nahin )

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…
In life after life, in age after age, forever.
My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs,
That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms,
In life after life, in age after age, forever.

 Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, its age-old pain,
Its ancient tale of being apart or together.
As I stare on and on into the past, in the end you emerge,
Clad in the light of a pole-star piercing the darkness of time:
You become an image of what is remembered forever.

 You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount.
At the heart of time, love of one for another.
We have played along side millions of lovers, shared in the same
Shy sweetness of meeting, the same distressful tears of farewell-
Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever.

 Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you
The love of all man’s days both past and forever:
Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life.
The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours –
And the songs of every poet past and forever.

On "raising grandkids"

Unfortunate or fortunate, it is a norm in the western world for young immigrant couples to bring their parents here to help them in child care of their kids, as childcare is costly in western countries. Generally, it is stereotyped as a bad thing that older grandparents are getting abused.

But everyone does not have the same view. One Grandma (Dadi) made the following comment to me: "I know, my son and daughter-in-law view me as a money saver, but for me, this is a chance to raise my grandkids with important values. Also, they are learning their cultural language. Child care services don't raise kids; they babysit them on an hourly basis. I feel honored, privileged, and happy to raise my grandchildren properly. There is a difference between babysitting a child and raising a child."

*

Aashura: The Jewish Connection!

(link to full article at the end)

"...........

The story goes as follows: When the Prophet arrived in Yasreb ( present day Madina), he saw Jewish people observing fast on the tenth of the month. He inquired and was told that Jews observed that day for the deliverance of their people from Pharaoh by fasting for one day. Prophet declared that as Muslims were closer to Moses then the then-day Jews, Muslims would observe fasting for two days. So the tradition of fasting for those two days started. In the second year of Hijri, the Ramzan fasting became obligatory and thus the Aashura fasting became optional. ....

Here is what I could gather. The Jewish tradition of celebrating the freedom from Pharaoh is Passover, and that is in the month of Nisan, the first month the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month or eighth of the civil year. The Passover is celebrated on the 15th and not on the 10th of that month. They eat unleavened bread and there is celebration with wine, four cups to be precise. There is no fasting except for the first born, as they may have been dead in Pharaoh's Egypt.

 The tradition which coincides with fasting is Yum Kippur. It is on the tenth day of Tishrei, the first month of the civil year. Jews observe fast on that day, 25 hours to be precise. But it does not coincide with the deliverance from Pharaoh's terror. It is a day to repent sins and relates to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. However the day is the same day when Moses received the second of his tablets of Ten Commandments.

 I tried to get old calendar dates. Muslim sources claim that Prophet entered Madina on July 16th, 622. This was the beginning of a new month, perhaps a month or two after Muharram. That is how the Hijri calendar was started ; backdated to that day during the time of the second caliph Umar. This date coincides with the first of Av, the fifth month of the Hebrew year 4382. The day of Yum Kippur came two months later in September or so.

...............the most likely Jewish holiday Prophet Muhammad noticed was Yum Kippur and not Passover. The story fits nicely with Yum Kippur: fasting, solemn affair, the tenth day of the first month of the year. Perhaps it was not Passover, where there is celebration and is on the fifteenth of the month. Moreover Passover is always in the Spring, and not in the month of July or soon after. ............. A day to reflect and reconcile."

Link :::: http://ghareebkhana.blogspot.com/2017/10/aashura-jewish-connection.html?m=1

On 'purpose of literature'

A Cute definition of Love

While browsing through everyday newspapers, I went through the following article, which is not very significant (as put by one of my friend - article is nothing but CV of two chefs), the groom gave an interesting definition of love.

“I love you, not for what you are, but what I am when I am with you.”

If desired, click at They Have No Reservations (About Each Other)


It remind of chacha Ghalib: (as if mashooq says)

mat pooch ke kya haal hai mera tere peeche  
tu  dekh ke   kya   rang  hai tera   mere aage

BuzurgoN ki choti choti baataiN

Hamari dadi ki aik baat pehle bhi is blog pe likhi thi, jo main to bhool gaya tha magar meri first cousin ne yaad dila di thi ke: " jis ghar main roz khana pakta hai - wahan khud ba khud - barkatain nazil hoti haiN, aur pyaar khulus ka raj ho jata hai. Jis ghar main chulha thanda par jaaye wahan nafrataiN aur tanhaiyaN dera daal leti hain."

Ab yaad aata hai ke, aik din dadi ne thande chulhe pe khali degchi rakh di. 
Main khee khee ker ke hasne laga aur dadi se kaha: 'Dadi ye kiya ker rahi ho?'

Dadi ne jawab diya: "Chulhe ko kabhi akela nahi choRte. Thanda bhi paRa ho to bartan rakh dena chahiye. Yun barkataiN qaeem rehti hain".

Ye woh umar thi hum baRe mantaqi aur giyani ban ke phira kerte the. Main ne dadi se kaha: "Dadi agar khali bartan se chulhe jal paRte to koi mehnat mazdoori na kerta".

Dadi ne jawab diya: "Dafa ker teri ye kitabi baatain. Hume hamare tareeqe se jeene de. Chulha apna rizq khud maangta hai. Us pe bartan par jaaye to chulhe ki aanch ziyada der thandi nahi reh sakti". 

Main ne maathe pe haat maara aur bawarchi khane se bahir nikal gaya.

Magar umar ke is hisse main aake sochta hun - Hamare buzurg bhi kese the! Zindagi ki mushkil se mushkil gutthi saada se aik jumle se suljha dete the. Apne purkhoN se jo suna, us pe pakka yaqeen kiya aur zindagi ke pul-siraat se sab ko sambhal ke guzr gaye....

 - aur aik hum hain - nafsiyaat, umraaniyat aur riyaziyaat  ki beesyoN kitabain parh ke bhi samjh nahi paate ke ye sab kuch kiun aur kese hota hai. 

Yaqeen ki woh kesi hiddat ya vibration thi - jo ghar ke chulhe ko to kiya - rishtoN ko bhi garmaaye rakhti thi - aur har taraf muskurahatoN ka raj rehta tha.

On sufism

"Sir! Sufism ki koi 'objective and easy definition' to ho gi?

"Haan! Bilkul hai - jo banda kisi dusre bande ke liye asani paida kare woh sufi hai!"

"To sir kiya Allah ko manne ki shart nahi"

"Mere bachhe! sufism ke raaste pe - eeqaan aur be-yaqini - La aur Ilaha - haan aur nahi - kaaba aur kalisaa - hast aur neest - emaan aur kufr -  ka pendulum chalta rehta hai. Aahista aahista gird saaf hoti jaati hai, us se ziyada ghabrana nahi chahiye - aur naa hi us pe dhiyan dena chahiye. Allah ko manne ki shart se ziyada baRi shart us ke bandoN ko nuqsan na paunchane ki hai. Bus yahi "objective and easy definition hai".

"to phir Sir! banda kiya kare?"

"Kuch na kare! mun band rakhe! - khamoshi sirf apni nahi, dusron ki bhi hazar balayain taalti hai - apne 'profession' ko ibadat samjh ker 'practice' kare - namaz, roze ke rituals ho jaaye to sone pe suhaga - aahista aahista - kaam, krodh, lobh, moh aur ahnkaar, bhaag jaate hain - pendulum ther jaata hai - darya saakit ho jaata hai - aur phir kisi raat - man-o-salwa aese utar aata hai, jese 'iqra' wali raat utra tha - jese shabe qadar wali raat hota hai - bus aik  'nanosecond' hai, jis main sab kuch ho jaata hai - qari khud quran ban jaata hai". 

Saari sufism is aik jumle main hai: "Aur Rehman ke bande to wo hain jo zameen par ahistagi se chalte hain aur jab jahil  unse  baat karte hain to woh kehte hain salam."

Paani pe chalne, hawa main uRne aur aag main jalne se baRa maujiza hai - Zameen pe aahista se chalna! - wahiN se noor ke saare chashme phootte hain"!

Life!

Following is the story of not an ordinary woman. I don't want to spoil your suspense while you read this story. It is such an actual event of one remarkable human Life and teaches us that sometimes, no matter how sad we are, we have to carry ourselves and keep moving - with nothing but just trust in Life itself. As Forrest Gump says, "My mama said Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

Indeed, Life is a fine balance!

The Week My Husband Left And My House Was Burgled......



Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-maryclaire-king/brca-marriage-testing_b_17908074.html

Insha Ji and Qateel Shifaii

When Insha ji wrote "Insha ji utho" - it became an instant hit and found popularity across the subcontinent when it was sung by Ustad Amanat Ali Khan

Less known is a poem written in reply by Qateel Shifaii - It's below (sung by Salman Alvi here)

یہ کس نے کہا تم کوچ کرو، باتیں نہ بناؤ انشا جی
یہ شہر تمہارا اپنا ہے، اسے چھوڑ نہ جاؤ انشا جی

جتنے بھی یہاں کے باسی ہیں، سب کے سب تم سے پیار کریں
کیا اِن سے بھی منہہ پھیروگے، یہ ظلم نہ ڈھاؤ انشا جی

کیا سوچ کے تم نے سینچی تھی، یہ کیسر کیاری چاہت کی
تم جن کو ہنسانے آئے تھے، اُن کو نہ رلاؤ انشا جی

تم لاکھ سیاحت کے ہو دھنی، اِک بات ہماری بھی مانو
کوئی جا کے جہاں سے آتا نہیں، اُس دیس نہ جاؤ انشا جی

بکھراتے ہو سونا حرفوں کا، تم چاندی جیسے کاغذ پر
پھر اِن میں اپنے زخموں کا، مت زہر ملاؤ انشا جی

اِک رات تو کیا وہ حشر تلک، رکھے گی کھُلا دروازے کو
کب لوٹ کے تم گھر آؤ گے، سجنی کو بتاؤ انشا جی

نہیں صرف “قتیل“ کی بات یہاں، کہیں “ساحر“ ہے کہیں “عالی“ ہے
تم اپنے پرانے یاروں سے، دامن نہ چھڑاؤ انشا جی

Think!

"Jis kitab se insaan main sochne ki quwwat na aaye, woh gadhe pe ladha bojh hi hai"

On "wapas aana"

"Aesa kiya huwa ke aik dam se barah baras ki judaii (separation) yun khatam ho gai"?

"Bus jab us ne phone pe thaki hui awaz main ye kaha ke - bohat thak gaya hun, wapas aana chahta hun - to barah baras ki saari nafrataiN, kadurataiN aur shikayataiN aik dam se dam toR gaiN.
Tum aksar kehte ho na ke - ' Har kisi ko zindagi main aik van-vaas kaatna paRta hai' - bas yun samjho mera van-vaas 12 baras ka tha"!

Plot Q1147

(woh jo buzurg kehte hain na: agar tumhari koi dua qabool nahi hui to samjho usi main tumhari bhlaii thi)

In 1998, there was an interesting movie made called "Sliding Doors". Storyline revolves around a girl who just get fired from her job and is now rushing to catch a train. And here you go! - movie bifurcates into two simultaneously running parts. In one, she catches the train before sliding door of train close - and in second, she misses the train as sliding door closes on her. (Trailer here)

So - many times in life things happen or they don't happen

Today, one of my friend who is very near and dear to me as he understands my psychological dyslexia, sends me a true story of a desi man, who accidentally won the biggest jackpot of UK's lottery - but then - life took an ugly turn.

"From an £18m win to an unmarked grave: How the life of Britain's first big lottery winner ended with divorce, a prostitute's love child and rejection by his community in a salutary tale for anyone who dreams of the jackpot.

Read yourself. (link).

As someone made an interesting comment at the end of the article: "People could have remembered him and sung his praises, (but) he was a weak man who succumbed to temptation and carnal desires.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4866834/amp/From-18m-win-unmarked-grave.html

The most important part of the body

(lately, It is getting hard to blog my own thoughts due to time constraint but indeed I am getting a lot of stuff which are better than my own writings. Another beautiful story I recieved)

My Father used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct Answer.-

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Daddy." He said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."

Several years passed before he asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told him, "Daddy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." He looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Father asked me a couple more times and always his answer was, "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."

Then one year, my mother died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My Father looked at me when it was our turn to say our final goodbye to my Mother. He asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?" I was shocked when he asked me this now.

I always thought this was a game between him and me. He saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson." He looked down at me and threw his head to my shoulder and hugged me. I saw his eyes well up with tears.

He said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder."
I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"
He replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is made for others and not for yourself. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.

The origination of this letter is unknown, but it brings a blessing to everyone who passes it on. 

On "Intuition"

MuhabbatoN Ka Safar

Though following video of Amitabh is an ad. for a company but indeed it is beautiful!

On Hafiz Jalandhri's "Krishan kanaiya"

I think following article is an important read for all the students of urdu literature.

When the man who wrote Pakistan's national anthem saw the divine in Hindu god Krishna

"...I want to share a very unique Urdu poem: Krishn Kanhaiya. This nazm is by Hafeez Jalandhari.
.... As its title suggests, Krishn Kanhaiya is a poem about the Hindu god Krishna. Today, the mere idea of a Muslim poet writing about a Hindu deity raises all sorts of emotions among different groups in South Asia: surprise, joy, curiosity, suspicion, anger.

 However, there is much more depth to Krishn Kanhaiya than meets the eye. This is no ordinary devotional poem. Jalandhari, ever a politically-minded thinker and writer, draws upon the mythology and persona of Krishna in order to produce a poem that is simultaneously devotional and political in nature..."

Link: https://www.dawn.com/news/1354704

On Baqr Eid!

"Sahab! Andar ke janwar ki bhi kabhi qurbani do"