Hafiz Shirazi says

Hamare lafz hi hamara kirdar ban jaate hain

Tom & Delma

Elderly couple married for 62 years die together while holding hands

Their first date of sorts happened when Tom had to “just move his car.”

“They drove around two, three different blocks or whatever and they came back and they parked and he said he reached over and he grabbed her hand and he said, 'I don't know what made me do it.'

Three weeks later, they were married. Two daughters soon followed, then grandchildren and then great-grandchildren. It was a life filled with love and laughter.

Then, in April of this year, Delma fell ill and did not recover. A few days later, Tom too fell ill. “We got him over to the nursing home with Mama. They had pushed their little beds together and Mama was laying right there, facing him. She was asleep and Daddy goes and he reached over there and he grabbed ahold of her hand and he just laid there with her, and it was so sweet,” Nichols said.

 Not long after, Tom died. Delma followed, not even an hour and a half later. Their lives ended the same way their relationship began – holding hands.

Read real life love story from Texas here:

https://www.click2houston.com/news/after-62-years-of-marriage-couple-dies-together-while-holding-hands

On 'Muslims & Dogs'

(Thanks to uncle for sharing this article with me from Ingrid Mattson)

"...I have long felt badly that many Muslims fear dogs as a result of negative experiences and that they resort to confused religious reasoning to shun them.....Whatever the implications of this report, there is no doubt that the Qur’an is positive about dogs. The Qur’an allows the use of hunting dogs, which is one of the reasons the Maliki school makes a distinction between domestic and wild dogs – since we can eat game that has been in a retriever’s mouth. But most compelling is the Qur’anic description of a dog who kept company with righteous youths escaping religious persecution. The party finds shelter in a cave where God places them in a deep sleep; the Qur’an (18:18) says:

 You would have thought them awake, but they were asleep And [God] turned them on their right sides then on their left sides And their dog stretched his forelegs across the threshold

This tender description of the dog guarding the cave makes it clear that the animal is good company for believers...."

Link here: http://ingridmattson.org/article/whats-up-with-muslims-and-dogs/

Core reason

Somebody yesterday said a beautiful thing. And, I think it is true and makes a lot of sense.

"The core reason societies, countries or civilizations go down, is because at some point rich and elite stop carrying for the poor and downtrodden masses".

2 Opposed Ideas!!

This is coming from one of my most favorite authors

Horse Whisperer

There was a long period of time in history where horses continued to be considered an integral part of human living. Not only they were the fastest mode of transportation and communication, but they were also used as a weapon in wars, loyal companions as friends, and source of highest pride. It was considered art to handle them. (if you ever get chance, watch Robert Redford's movie horse whisperer -  here)

This was an interesting article came out 2 weeks ago:

"There was real fear, real danger and real potential for consequences," Beckerman said. "Grant (owner of the ranch) showed the power of love and kindness, of trust and establishing boundaries. The experience reinforced my beliefs about the downside of anger, confrontation and aggression."

Link: What executives can learn from a horse

Url: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/success/executives-horses/index.html

Aehsan aur Shar - 3

Previous posts are here: Aehsan aur shar-1, Aehsan aur shar - 2

Lately, I start liking Quora. It is fastly getting a popular website to read unusual queries from life and answers from experts. While reading following Q/A, I recalled our posts from Aehsan and Shar.

Q: How do you feel about all restaurants being required by law to serve all the food to the homeless that they would have otherwise thrown out?

A: Very bad idea. There are several restaurants, bakeries or stores who tried exactly that. Instead of throwing all the food away, give it to the poor and the homeless. It never ended up well. I was witness to one such story. A local bakery started to give away stale bread once per week to poor. First the people were grateful, but after a while they started to consider the free food as obligation of the store. That bread is not a stable supply -- sometimes there is a lot left over, sometimes none at all. But the people expect to get their share all the time; there were scandals, threats and fights when there was not enough for everyone. Queues started to form before closing times scaring away paying customers. Final straw was when the bakery got vandalized by beggars who did not get their share and decided to take it out on the shop because they did not get enough. After the repairs were done, the practice stopped. Owner contacted a local farmer and gave him all the leftovers to feed the pigs - at least they would not ruin his bakery.


Link: https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-feel-about-all-restaurants-being-required-by-law-to-serve-all-the-food-to-the-homeless-that-they-would-have-otherwise-thrown-out?ch=8&share=5561e8c8&srid=xfJv9

Maran-MuRi (Nursing Home ki aik jesi - aik aur kahani)

Main ne aur meri biwi ne saari zindagi mehnat ki. 
5 bacche bare kiya. 
Bulke bachhon ke bacchon ko bhi bara kiya.

Main plumber tha, meri biwi school teacher. 
Pehle paise jama ker ker ke baRe bete ko Amrika bheja. 
Phir teen betion ko parhaya likahya aur beeha ker Canada, Qatar aur London bheja. 
Sab se chote bete ko NED university se engineer banaya.

Kabhi na makan banwaya na koi daulat burhape ke liye jamaa ki

Sab bachhon ki shadi ke baad aik ke baad dusri aulad ki auladon ki babysitting ki
London, Canada, Qatar aur Amreeka ke beech football ki tarah - 

~ umar guzar gai
Meri umar 80 baras ki aur meri biwi ki umar 75 baras ho gai.
Bimari aur burhape ka choli daman ka saath hai

Mere diabetes ne mujeh bistar se laga diya
Meri biwi ko 3 mahina pehle stroke ho gaya

Wahi huwa jo is perdes main hota hai

Main shahr ke aik kone pe aik nursing home main 
- meri biwi shahr ke dusre kone main dusre nursing home main... 

Dusre ma-baap ko ab bhi ye mashwara dete huwe zaban laRkhaRa jaati hai ke
 - burhape ka koi sahara bacha ke rakhain - Apni maran-muRi ki hifazat karain
kiunke apni hi aulad pe harf aata hai

Wese perdes main aulad  bhi majboor hoti hai, un se bhi koi gila nahi 
- dekho hum dono mian-biwi ke pass - aakhri waqt kaatne ke liye - ye iPad aur wifi ki service bhi hai.

Religions and Real-Estate

When we travel, we meet interesting people with interesting background. A couple of nights ago, I was sitting at a coffee shop - enjoying my favorite cappuccino. (Unfortunately, I only enjoy coffee if I am away from the USA).

As I was minding my book and my leisure time, I met a person who joined my table. This individual was a professional accountant and an auditor, who specialized in accounting for churches and religious institutions (never heard of it). He said an interesting thing:

"Religions are the biggest real estate mafia in this world."

Now pondering on this statement for the last two days, I have no concrete answer - and tend to agree with it.

Cosmos and us

So true!

Yaad-maazi

Amrita Preetam in her classic way

Khayal

Log aksar rawani main khubsurat batain keh jaate hain. Kal kisi ne yunhi kaha:

"Har achha khayal darasal qudrat ka irada hai"

(Every good thought is actually a universe plan)

Ashabe-Kahaf (1 and 2)

A poem - Noorul Huda Shah

One of the very genuine writers left in Pakistan. My loose translation afterward.

People!
Count your steps
(and) walk slowly
Gazed downwards
 (to be assured)
You haven't killed anyone
You haven't smashed anyone
Wear shackle of boils in legs
Cautiously
Look behind
(again and again)
Who is chasing you
is judging your steps
(he is) no one else but
the All-Mighty

(I will theme this poem as 'insaan' ka apna zameer')

On Eid ul Adha (Linguistic roots)

Following came to me in a forward. It is written by a person named Abdul Khaliq Butt. I enjoyed it. it is worth sharing.

لفظ ’عید‘ کا مطلب ہے ’جو بار بار آئے‘۔ اسی سے لفظ ’وعدہ‘ اور ’وعید‘ بھی ہے۔ ان دونوں لفظوں میں لوٹ کر آنے کا تصور موجود ہے۔ چونکہ خوشی کا یہ تہوار ہر سال لوٹتا یا ’عود‘ کرتا ہے اس لیے ’عید‘ کہلاتا ہے۔

رہی بات ’ اضحیٰ‘ کی تو اس کے معنی ’قربانی کے جانور‘ کے ہیں۔ دراصل یہ لفظ ’اُضحٰیہ‘ سے نکلا ہے جو عید پر ذبح کی جانی والی بکری کو کہتے ہیں۔ یوں عید الاضحیٰ کا مطلب ہوا خوشی کا وہ تہوار جس پر جانور ذبح کیے جائیں۔

نور الغات والے مولوی نور الحسن کے مطابق ’عید الاضحیٰ‘ لکھنا درست ہے۔ اس عید الاضحیٰ کو ’بقرہ عید‘ بھی کہتے ہیں۔ ’بقرہ‘ عربی میں گائے کو کہتے ہیں اور اس عید پر گائے بھی قربان کی جاتی ہے شاید اس لیے اسے ’بقرہ عید‘ بھی کہہ دیتے ہیں۔

بے شک اس عید پر ’بکرے‘ بھی کٹتے ہیں مگر اس رعایت سے اسے ’بکرا عید‘ کہنا درست نہیں، ورنہ یہ سلسلہ چل نکلا تو ’دنبہ عید اور مینڈھا عید سے ہوتا ہوا اونٹ عید‘ تک پہنچ جائےگا۔ پھر جو غدر مچے گا اس کا تصور آپ خود کرلو۔

جانور ذبح کرنے والے کو عام طور پر ’قصائی‘ لکھا جاتا ہے، جب کہ بڑے محقق لکھ گئے ہیں کہ درست لفظ ’قسائی‘ ہے، جو قساوت یعنی سنگدلی سے نکلا ہے۔

ہندوؤں میں گوشت فروش کو ’کھٹیک‘ کہتے ہیں، شاید اس لیے کہ وہ جانور کی گردن ’کھٹ‘ سے اڑا دیتا ہے۔ واللہ اعلم

گائے سے یاد آیا کہ اسے سنسکرت میں ’گاؤا‘ کہتے ہیں۔ اسی سے ’راؤ‘ کے وزن پر ’گاؤ‘ اور ’رائے‘ کے وزن پر ’گائے‘ ہے۔ اس کی ایک تخفیفی صورت ’گؤ‘ بھی ہے۔ اسی ’گؤ‘ سے ’گوپال‘ یعنی گائے پالنے والا اور ’گوالا‘ یعنی گائے والا کی ترکیبیں بنی ہیں۔

چونکہ حرف ’گ‘ اور ’ک‘ اکثر موقعوں پر ایک دوسرے سے بدل جاتے ہیں لہٰذا ہندی کا ’گاؤ‘ انگریزی زبان میں Cow (کاؤ) ہوگیا ہے۔ اس صوتی تبدیلی کی ایک مثال لفظ ’نکہت‘ بھی ہے جسے ’نگہت‘ بولا اور لکھا جاتا ہے۔

عربی، فارسی اور اردو زبانوں میں اکثر موقع پر حرف ’ن‘ کے ساتھ ’ب‘ آجائے تو ’میم‘ کی آواز دیتا ہے۔ اسے عربی کے ’منبر‘ اور فارسی کے ’گنبد‘ میں دیکھا جاسکتا ہے۔ اس بات کو ذہن میں رکھتے ہوئے اب لفظ ’دنبہ‘ پر غور کریں نام کا مطلب خود ہی ظاہر ہوجائے گا۔

لفظ ’دنب‘ کا تلفظ ’دُم‘ ہے، چونکہ زیرِ بحث جانور کی دُم خاصی چوڑی چکلی ہوتی ہے لہٰذا اس نسبت سے اسے ’دنبہ‘ پکارا جاتا ہے۔

دنبے ہی کا ہم قبیلہ ایک مویشی’ بھیڑ‘ ہے۔ اس کے نر کو بھیڑا اور مینڈھا کہتے ہیں۔ یہ بات ہمیں بہت بعد میں پتہ چلی۔ خیر سوال کیا جا سکتا ہے کہ پھر ایک خون خوار (خون پینے والا) جانور کو بھیڑیا کس حساب میں کہتے ہیں؟

عرض ہے کہ بھیڑیا چونکہ بھیڑوں کے گلوں پر حملہ آور ہوتے ہیں لہٰذا بھیڑ کی نسبت سے اسے ’بھیڑیا‘ پکارا گیا ہے۔

Social media, echochamber and populism

Now I am getting convinced that social media has done more harm to human societies than good.

The psychological attestations from 'likes,' comments resonating similar view, suggestions on whom to follow and background play of profiling and grouping of humans is a dangerous phenomenon. It very quickly throws a human into an unseen cult, turning them blind to the outer world. These dangerous echo-chambers convince a group of humans that other humans are wrong.

These echo-chambers of social media are playing a considerable role in mass-shootings in the USA. Since the last ten days, I have a pleasure of watching Indians and Pakistanis going nuts over each other after new Kashmir events, losing all lines of decencies. Unfortunately, these social media, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms have put humans blind to humans on another side of the aisle/border.

Nothing concerns me more today than this form of cult-ness culminating into black nationalism and populism creating a digital neo-nazi within each individual. The sad part is that it is making humans to justify war, killings, and harm to other humans in their head.

You may browse many articles on this. Here is one https://bit.ly/2Dqli6c

We meet people for a reason

Log kehte hain: We meet people for a reason

Log hamari zindagi main aate hain, aur chale jaate hain - jese tum meri zindai main aaye
- magar ab tum ho bhi to kiya, na huwe to bhi kiya 
- pehle tum mere liye sab se ziyada zaroori the 
- aur ab be-maani ho!

Ab sochti hun - tum meri zindagi main do wajah se aaye 
- Aik to mera M.Phil mukammal ho jaaye
- dusre mujeh fajr ki namaz ki adat ho jaaye

Tum se wese hi library main mulaqat ho gai. Tum mujeh mere M.Phil pe mashware dene lage, jo khub kaam aaye. Main jo M.Phil se bilkul dilbardashta ho chali thi, phir aik naye josh se apni paRhaii kerne lagi. Tum jesa 'kathor dil' kabhi nahi deka. Main ne tumhe seduce kerne ki lakh koshish ki - magar tum shayed saari manziloN se pehle ki guzar chuke the. Ye anaa' ki haar thi ya kuch aur, main raaton ko be-khawab ho gai. Amma ki subah ki azan ka alarm bajta to main ne bhi fajr ki namaz paRhna shuru ker di.

Phir mera M.Phil mukammal ho gaya..

Saari namazain bhale qaza ho jaain magar insaan agar fajr ki namaz paRhna shuru ker de to rab  ke bohat jaldi qareeb ho jaata hai - poora din us ke naam ho jaata hai

- Aur phir tum mere liye be-maani hote chale gaye. Ab mere liye tum sirf aik 'existence' ho. 

Tum hi ne aik dafa kaha tha na: "Ishqe haqiqi main kamyabi ki bunyadi kaleed ishqe mazaji main nakami ka bunyaadi tajarba hai".

Sach kehte the tum!

Article 15

I was very impressed by how this movie was made!

From the title song (first scene) to end of the movie, the director kept the grip on the movie and never let it fall or stray away. This movie was a classic example of how people in rural areas of any third world country are at the mercy of the police,  politician and religious leaders mafia.

Kiya India, kiya Pakistan, Kiya Africa aur kiya shumali amrika

Poor men suffer at the hand of the class system - religious, cultural, social or economical

How courageously director addresses the religious class system in today's nationalist and unfortunately Hindutva India - made me actually surprised! It gives me hope for India. She is such a great country but unfortunately, it's fast turning into a fascist and a nonsecular democracy. Sometimes it makes me sad. I have witnessed religious extremism destroying the whole fabric of Pakistani society and mindset. I say in my heart - not again!

MulkoN ke batware hote rehte hain 
sarkarain badlti rehti hain 
samaj ke rang badalte rehte hain 
chehre badlte rehte hain 

bus nahi badalti to - gareeb ki qismat! 

Trailer with closed captions

Willful rebirth

Reincarnation itself is a very controversial subject. Few beliefs in it with vigor, few don't. Some are like me - agnostics.

I found it very interesting lately browsing articles, writeups, books, and videos - and particularly discussing with a spiritualist, I get connected while in Canada - a concept of willful rebirth!

Some people elevate themselves so high, and synchronous with the universe so well - that after death, they decide - if they want to get birth again, and where, and for what work they desire to help other humans.

While commenting on one of the posts: I recalled a Persian phrase which one of our school teachers used to say all the time: هر انسانی برای یک کار مقدر است

Every human is destined for one work in life. I assume some choose their role willfully!