Azab-e-yaad-e-maazi

"Tumhara dil nahi kerta hamari zindagi phir 20-22 baras peeche chali jaaye. Wahi college ke din hoN. ....KhwaboN khiloN ki jaagir ho. Na rishton ka gum ho na duniya ke bandhan.... Be-fikri ke din hoN aur mehfiloN ki raataiN ho" 

"Nahi mera aesa bilkul bhi ji nahi chahta" 

"kiun?" 

"Maaazi ke kuch arse ka - aik aik lamha main ne jis barzakh (hell) main guzara hai - sirf mera khuda jaanta hai. Jub perdes main be-yaar-o-madadgar tumhe shohr 'iron rod' se itna marta ho ke tumhe 'rib factures' ho jaye aur 'renal hematoma' bun jaye aur itne 'bruises' hoN ke chehra pehchana na jaaye. Phir dusri shadi ho aur woh tumhare ma baap aur bhai ke saare paise jahez main le ker tumhe raat 11 baje ghar se nikal de. Kubhi tum 'Detroit' ki sardioN main sarak kinare aik suit case le ke khare ho. Tumhe poora mahina dost ki gaari main raat so ke guzarni pare - aur aahista aahista aik aik tinka jama ker ke jub thora sa qarar aaye magar baalon main chandni jhankne lage - to - nahi dil nahi chahta ke maazi laut ker wapas aaye"

Modern Sufi

Sufi ki sab se achhi taa'reef (definition) Ashfaq Ahmad ne bayan ki hai: "Jo shaks dusre insaanoN ke liye aasani (comfort) paida kare wohi Allah ke raste ka musafir aur sufi hai".

Zaroori nahi Allah ke sufi aur baba log sirf jangal bayabanoN main rehte hon. Woh insaanoN ke beech - 3 piece suit pahen ker far far angrezi bol ker clean shave bhi hote hain.

Mera Khayal hai ke agar aaj ke daur main sufi hote hain to Allah ke sab se bare Auliya koi "Economist" honge. Aaj ke daur main insaan ka sab se bara masla gurbat (poverty) hai. Saari bimariaN isi bhook, piyas aur aflas ki paidawar hain

- Globally the uneven distribution of wealth -

A true "Economist" try to find ways to make quality of life better for humans.

Jese aap ne Grameen Bank wale us Bengali Baba - Professor Muhammad Yunus ka naam to suna hoga! - bus Allah wale log aese hi hamare aas paas rehte hain

Story of 3 Fishes

(Maulana Rumi ki is hikayat ko samjhane main mujhe aadhi umer lag gai - What a wise sufi he was)

"This is a story of the lake and the three big fish that were in it. Some fisherman came to the edge of the lake with their nets. The three fish saw them. The intelligent fish decided at once to leave, to make the long, difficult trip to the ocean. He thought, "I won't consult with these two on this. They will only weaken my resolve, because they love this place so. They call it home. Their ignorance will keep them here."The wise fish saw the men and their nets and said, "I"m leaving."

The half-intelligent fish thought, "I've lost my chance to escape. He mourns for a while, and then thinks, "What can I do to save myself from these men and their nets? Perhaps if I pretend to be already dead! I'll belly up on the surface and float like weeds float, just giving myself totally to the water. To die before I die." So he did that. He bobbed up and down, helpless, within arm's reach of the fishermen. "Look at this! The best and biggest fish is dead." One of the men lifted him by the tail, spat on him, and threw him up on the ground. He rolled over and over and slid secretly near the water, and then, back in voyaging to ocean.

Meanwhile, the third fish, was agitatedly jumping about, trying to escape with his agility and cleverness.The net, of course, finally closed around him, and as he lay in the terrible frying-pan bed, he thought, "If I get out of this, I'll never live again in the limits of the lake. Next time, the ocean! I'll make the infinite my home."

Moral of the story: False sense of comfort - makes one blind from reality till it hits on the face and sometime its too late.

It is the same concept as described in world's bestseller "who moved my cheese" (I strongly recommend you all to read this. Its a small book you can finish in an hour but an extremely important read).

Kabhi laut aayein to poochna naheen dekhna unhein gour se
Jinhein raaste mein khabar hui, keh yeh raasta koi aur hai (salim Kausar)

Boss, Bread and Butter

"Why you refused promotion?"
"I don't want to be a boss"
"Why?"
"One thing you may have to do sometime as a boss, is to fire someone. And for me, taking away someone's bread and butter is the worst thing to do".

Qari Sherullah

(In last few weeks, we had posts/comments on father-daughter relationship - Here is one story from mazi ke dareeche)


Qari Sherullah agar dande na maarte to khud ki qasam hamara kubhi bhi 'khatme-Quran' na hota.

Abbu ne Qari Sherullah ko khuli chutti de rakhi thi ke jitna chahe maare peete magar bus aik baar mera aur bhai ka 'khatme-Quran' ho jaaye. Main ne aur bhai ne Qari Sherullah ke khub dande khaye.....Us umer main hame Allah mian se to dar lugta tha magar Namaz, Roze, Quran pe dil maail nahi hota tha.

Yun to Qari Sherullah ka kaam 'auto-tyre' ka tha magar unka 'business' unka beta dekhta tha. Unki beti hamari umer ki hogi aur hamare saath hi quran parhti thi. Qari Sherullah apni beti se bara piyar kerte. Uski koi baat na talte. Us ki zid ke aage maand par ke ghar pe VCR bhi lagwa liye, bus is shart ke saath ke sirf purani hindustani filmaiN dekhi ja'ain gi. Hame bara gussa aata ke - hum ko danda aur beti ko halwa?

Hamara 'khatme-Quran' huwa - mithaii bati, milad huwi aur hum ne sukoon ka saans liye ke chalo Allah mare Qari Sherullah se jaan chuti. Ab har dopher khub cricket khelaiN ge.

Aik raat ko mohalle ke nukkar pe bethe hum larke gap laga rahe the ke - Qari Sherullah 'video' ki dukan se aik bharti film ki video le ker baramad huwe. Hum larkoN ko dekh ker jhenp se gaye. Hum lurkoN ko bus mauqa chaiye tha - Allah de aur banda le! - Hum sab ne unpe woh awazaiN kasi ke, parwardigar ki tobah!.... ..Kisi ne kaha - 'Haye meri Rekha',... koi bola - "siri devi ke thumke', ....Mujhe yaad hai - main ne awaz khenchi "Rajesh Khanna, kha le ganna".....

Ab sochta hun to yaad aata hai ke Qari Sherullah ki aankhon main aansu dubduba gaye the...

2 roz baad mujhe unki beti 'Safoora' gali main mili to kehne lagi: "Tum logoN ne mere abbu ke saath theek nahi kiya. Abbu ne to aaj tuk kubhi koi indian film nahi dekhi. Bhai ghar pe nahi tha, main ne zid pakar li ke, abbu bus film dekhni hai. Abbu meri zid ke aage haar gaye. Aur apne saare asooloN ko balaye taak rakh ker na jaane kin qadmoN se 'video' ki dukan tuk gaye - magar tum logoN ne woh zillat di ke poori raat sajde main gir ker rote rahe. Allah tum logoN se is ka hisaab zaroor kare ga."

Kuch dinoN baad Qari Sherullah hamara mohallah chor gaye...

Ye beti ki mohabbat bhi ajeeb cheez hoti hai. Qari Sherullah to beti ki mohabbat ko sir aankhoN pe bitha ker sarkhuru ho gaye magar mera zameer aaj bhi hisaab ke dar se betha jaata hai.

Qayamat ke roz Qari Sherullah to mujhe 'khatme-Quran' karane ka sawab le ker jannat main daakhil ho jaayaiN ge - magar main na jaane kese khud ko hisab ke azab se bacha paun ga!

Philosophies of Rule

(As described by a friend)

I found 2 philosophies to rule in history

"Divide and Rule" - as practiced by British
"Provide and Rule" - as practice by Americans

An act of kindness

Mere ghar se thore aage bachhon ka aik elementary school hai - jis ke saath aik chota sa park aur jheel hai - jahan sham ke waqt log 'walk' aur 'jogging' kerte hain.

Kul sham main 'drive' kerke ghar ki taraf aa raha tha ke - main ne dekha, aik 'old chinese couple' jinki umer 70 ya 80 baras hogi -school ke aas paas- walk ker rahe hain aur unke haaton main aik theli hai - aur unhe jahan koi kachra (trash) nazar aata hai, woh use utha lete hain.

Ye aik bari aam si baat thi magar main bara impress huwa. Na to unka ye amal kisi sarkari daftar se 'acknowledge' hoga - na'hi unhe 'community association' ne aesi koi zimedari saunpee hai - magar chunke woh apne 'neighborhood' ko saaf suthra rakhna chahte hain unhon ne is umer main bhi aik choti si zimedari khud hi utha li !! Sach hai insaan naik amal ke liye kabhi burha nahi hota.

aap ko nahi lagta - ye bohat bara amal hai? - Mujhe aesa lagta hai...

Aik Sham

Kul shaam, main apni beti ko park main le gaya. Wahan khelne ke baad woh, wahiN mere seene pe sir rakh ker so gai. Shaam Dhal rahi thi aur Aasman pe poora sunehri chand tha. Meri zindagi main shayed is se ziyada shireeN aur taskeen bhara lamha pehle kubhi na aaya ho. Faiz sahab bohut yaad aaye

Shaam ke pech-o-kham sitaron se
Zeena-zeena utar rahi hai raat
Yoon saba paas se guzarti hai
Jaise keh di kisi ne pyaar ki baat.
..........
Shaane-baam par damakta hai
Meherban chandni ka dast-e-jameel
Khaak mein ghul gayi hai aabe-najoom
Noor mein ghul gaya hai arsh ka neel.
...........
Dil se paiham khayal kahta hai
Itni shireen hai zindagi is pal
Zulm ka zahar gholne wale
Kamran ho sakenge, aaj na kal
Jalwagahe-visaal ki shamayein
Wo bujha bhi chuke agar, to kya
Chand ko gul karen, to hum jane.

Bachpun aur Jawani ka Shahr

Hum jis shahr main apna bachpun aur jawani guzarte hain - woh hamari ragon main aese rach bus jaata hai ke us ka zahar maut ke aakhri lamhoN tuk tarya'q nahi paata. Shifaa nadarat!

My father was unable to get Bombay out of his system and I could not get Karachi out.

Aaj USA main barsoN guzar jaane ke baad bhi, khawaboN main - Karachi ki galiyaN, mohalle aur chobare mera peecha nahi chorte....

Baqol Ghalib
Ibne maryam huwa kare koi
Mere dard ki dawa kare koi

Is that true for you too?

Trust

Zindagi main khun se bhi bara aik rishta hota hai - 'Bharose ka rishta' (trust). Jub ye tootta hai to sab se ziyada takleef hoti hai - jese kaanch ka koi glass haathon main toot jaaye aur bohat si choti choti kirchiyaaN andar ko dhans jaaye - aur insaan bus hateli khol ke halke halke raste khoon aur un pe lagi kirchiyooN ko dekhta reh jaaye!

Emotional Intelligence

(Following is a classic example of having Emotional Intelligence)

"Tumhe apni 'Saukan' pe gussa nahi aata?"

"Us pe Gussa kiun aaye?
Mera saara dukh to khud mere apne shohar ki bewafaii hai.....
Woh na hoti to koi aur hoti".

Aik choti si nazam

Gurbat

Parenting

Parenting should be a privilege, not a right!

Aik Jhoot

Zindagi main aksar insaan ko mushkil faisle kerne parte hain - Aur kubhi kubhi jaante boojhte jhoot bhi bolna parta hai. Mere aese hi aik faisle se - aese hi aik jhoot se - main ne apna aik behtreen dost kho diya - faisla aap khud kijye! 

"I met Masud on the very first day of Medical School. Since then, we have spent the next nine years together every day. We did lectures, exams, practicals, and all fun (masti) together. After finishing my MBBS, I came to the USA. I obtained a residency spot, but it was still seven months before I started. I decided to go back to Karachi for those months. Masud left for the USA before I arrived in Karachi.

While I was still in Karachi, enjoying each moment of my life's most precious last "off work" time, one day, I received a frantic call from Masud's father to come and see him. When I visited him, there was a massive "palpable mass" in his abdomen. I knew from that moment - he had some cancer. It turned out to be a renal cell carcinoma with distant metastasis (stage IV).

His parents requested me - not to disclose this to Masud on my return to the USA, as he may abandon his quest for residency. I obliged. Masud asked me on my return about his parents, and I flatly lied - ke sab log theek hain.

His father died a few months later. Masud is now a practicing oncologist in the USA but has not talked to me in years. Sometimes I miss him too much.....He always is the first person to wish me Happy Birthday. I haven't celebrated my birthday in the last 15 years".

Kubhi kubhi kamina bohat yaad aata hai...saali ye sauhbat-e-barham!

*

Welcome Spring USA

Ye 21 March ka din tha aur shayed sun(year) 2003 ka zamana...I was driving from Duluth Minnesota towards Chicago.......Ye woh waqt tha jub 9/11 ke baad poore america main 'muslim community' main aik khauf-o-hiras pehla huwa tha.....

Main subah sawere fajar ke waqt hi chal para aur jald hi wisconsin ke sabzazar ilaqon main daakhil ho gaya. Ab bhi kahin kahin peechli sardioN ki barf pari nazar aa rahi thi. Subah subah 'state route' pe kafi 'fog' thi. Shomiye-qismat 2 aik ghante baad mera tyre flat ho gaya. Us ilaqe main cell phone bhi out of network tha ke AAA ko call kerta. Main ne gari aahista aashista 'highway' ke 'shoulder' pe park ki aur paidal chalta huwa aik chote se 'town' main daakhil huwa. Hari bhari wadioN main ghire bus koi 25-50 khubsurat makanat the.

Main ne aik roadside sandwich shop pe ruk ker 'public phone' se AAA ko call kiya. Intezar kerte huwe main yunhi 'yellow pages' dekhne laga. Mujhe local clinic ki 'ad.' pe aik pakistani sa naam nazar aaya. Bari hairat hui ke is weerane main aik Pakistani doctor kiya ker raha hai. Main ne 'clinic' ka number dial kiya. 'Answering service' ne mujhe direct doctor se connect ker diya. Jub doctor shahab ko pata laga ke, main is waqt unke ilaqe main kuch mushkil main hun to unhon ne kaha: "aap wahin rukain, main aata hun".

Doctor shahab tashreef laye to kuch lamhoN ke liye main chonka....He was in grey 'shalwar kurta'....sir pe namaz ki kaali topi thi aur koi aik foot lambi darhi thi....kehne lage:" Main ghar se nikal hi raha tha. kuch photo copies kerwani thi".

Main ne kaha: "aap ki bari himmat hai. In dinoN main bhi (9/11) - rural USA main - yun apne religion ko openly express ker lete hain. Wahan to sharoN main bhi log - despite in community ghetto, are fearful of expressing themselves as muslim".

UnhoN ne bara khubsurat jawab diya: "Koi kuch kahe - despite all political things going around - still America is a country - where we muslims can practice our religion with more dignity....Meri Darhi ke bawajood - rural wisconsin ne mujhe job di. Mujeh aur meri family ko green card ke liye sponsor kiya. Kahin aik lamhe bhi mujeh ye mahsoos nahi huwa ke - mere saath mazhab ki wajah se - 'discrimination' - ho raha hai....... Now I feel integral part of Rural USA. I am planning to stay here, built my practice and raise my family for many many years"....

This is so true. Rural USA which is the real soul of USA, never discriminated against muslims - and many many muslim families have become integral part of rural USA over years.

Thank you and welcome spring - my home country USA.

Nisar main teri galiyon ke aye watan

Bohut dinoN baad aaj Faiz shahab ki nazam "Nisar main teri galiyon ke aye watan" bhaut yaad aayi.

Nisaar main terii galiyon ke ae watan, ke jahaaN
chalii hai rasm ke koii na sar uThaa ke chale
jo koii chaahane waalaa tawaaf ko nikale
nazar churaa ke chale, jism-o-jaaN bachaa ke chale
Hai ahl-e-dil ke liye ab ye nazm-e-bast-o-kushaad
ke sang-o-Khisht muqayyad hai.n aur sag aazaad


You can listen whole poem here read by the great Zia Mohiyuddin

Saving the Yolk

What a great piece of art!


(I was in discussion with one of my friend about - why people stay in marriages despite knowing its broken beyound repair. He shared this pic with me. To save the yolk ! I was also unable to ignore the chosen background of high rising arch.....)

3 Mardon wali aurat

"Waqt ke dhare ne mujhe 3 mardon main baant diya. Jis shaks se mohabbat ki aur jise dil diya woh na mila. Ma baap ne jahan shaadi ki woh bamushkil chati (6th grade) pass tha - main usse 'faraz' ka koi aik shair bhi kiya share kerti - bus use apna jism hi diya. Aur jis shaks se main ilmi guftago ker sakti hun - the person who intellectually vibrates and understands me - woh khud mere shahr main nahi rehta."

zaroorat

"Duniya main is se ziyada achhi koi baat nahi ke kisi ko aap ki zaroorat nahi. Kiunke kisi ki zaroorat insaan pe bara bojh daal deti hai - aur insaan ko bara kamzor ker deti hai...... Ye to achha hai ke ab tumhe meri zaroorat nahi"

Siri Ram urf Rahimtolla

A tale from friend

Koi kehta: "Oye! Siri Ram chai le aa". Koi kehta: "Oye! Siri Ram ja zara bhag ke pao bhaji le aa". Aur koi kehta: "Siri Ram, zara ye chithi post office dal aa."

Siri Ram yun to Bombay main hamare ghar ke saamne factory main mulazim tha magar saari building ke logon ke kaam 'free' main ker deta. Sham hoti to hamare ghar ki gallery main beth ker khirki se 'doordarshan' ke program dekha kerta, aur raat gallery se pare charpai daal ker so rehta. Main Bombay main Kandivali main rehti thi.

Aik din main subah subah uthi to Siri Ram topi pahen ke namaz parh raha tha. Main ne dil main kaha: "Ya Allah! ye kiya majra hai".

Main ne awaz di: "Are O Siri Ram - tu janam jaat ka hindu - ye namaz kiun parh raha hai?"

Siri Ram ne jawab diya: "Hamar naam ab Siri Ram nahi bulke Rahimtolla (rehmatullah) hai. Raat Nabi Mohammad hamar khwab main aaye the aur ye naam de gaye".

Main samjhi, yunhi is ka dimag chal gaya hai. thori der main theek ho jaaye ga magar woh sach ka muslman ho gaya tha. Allah jane kahan se us ne fatar fatar Quran ki aayatain bolna shuru ker di !

Mujhe america ka student visa bari mehnat ke baad mila. Meri september 12, 2001 ki ticket confirm thi aur aik dum se 9/11 ho gaya. Mere abbu ne ticket cancel kerwa di aur phir aik mahine baad ka naya ticket liya. Main bohat dari hui thi. Musalman hone ke naate yahi khayal tha ke america main enter nahi hone dain ge. Siri Ram urf Rahimtolla ne aik din mujh ss kaha: "Are! likh diya gaya hai. Tu zaroor jaaye gi bulke wahan biah bhi rachaye gi magar mushkil ye hai ke wapas India aane ke liye tere mian ki ijazat maangti phire gi"! Us ne mujh se kaha: "Jub tu wahan officer ke saamne jaane lug to ye do duain parh lio" Mujhe Siri Ram ki baton ka koi yaqeen to nahi tha magar immigration officer ke saamne jane se pehle main ne dono duain parh li aur aram se USA main enter ho gai....

Baqol Siri Ram - mera biah bhi rach gaya. Ab mere abbu bister-marg pe pare hain magar mera mian mujhe India jaane ki ijazat nahi deta. Main ne Amma se kaha: "Siri Ram se kaho Dua kare". Siri Ram kehta hai: "Ye to likha tha magar hum phir bhi Dua karain ge. Betiya se kaho har cheez apne waqt se hoti hai".

You always argue about religion with me. How you will explain Siri Ram to me?