The other side of blocking Facebook in Pakistan

It's been around a week since Facebook is blocked by official orders in Pakistan.

Here are few of my personal observations and ideas regarding this important decision that created a sort of change in our life-styles.

What is Facebook? Of course, a social networking site.

There are so many other websites, some ever better, less fussy, and even older and more mature than Facebook, but it is considered one of the top sites among other social networking site. Almost everyone has a profile there. Every Local TV channels, brands, local/international celebrities, hobbyists, etc. have their fan pages there. It's an age of Technology, and it's practically impossible to meet and interact with so many friends and acquaintances all the time, so we need a platform to enjoy our social lives in this virtual world.

Making a Fan-page or Group on Facebook is easy. You just need to come up with some topic, and create a group, and then you can invite you friends and that's how the members in a group grow. For that reason, so many pages/groups are created just to be different and then to attract more fans. Then, there's a feature of "Report" with every group, that if some content is against Facebook's policies, people can report it to Facebook management and then they can review it and take action, if applicable. According to their rules, hateful contents, violence, racism, anti-religion, nudity, etc, [All the basic "Morality" topics] are not allowed.

Someone there created a page that started this issue.

A lady came up with an idea that the members should be asked to draw/illustrate the Holy Prophet of Muslims and post them on 20th May, 2010. That page was titled something like "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day". People with like minds started joining it and the members grew.

In Muslim's religious teachings, it's forbidden to draw and depict the faces of Prophets, out of respect and to differentiate from Idolatry. Muslims certainly do not appreciate things like these, especially when their most beloved religious personality is not respected the way he deserved. Creation and mention of this Facebook page created a reaction against it.

First it was a privately created group, and some people joined it. Some Muslim came to know about it and they, for spreading awareness, or for condemning it, joined or shared its link to their other fellows. And then this network started growing. Muslims started sharing this group, and then this personal group, that could have been ignored earlier became to obvious to ignore. That private underground activity took the form of a serious Global Event. Then, others created groups against that page, and then Facebook feed was filled with so many condemning groups. Then many people reported that group but Facebook admin didn't delete it promptly. Many people didn't consider that it's a commercial age and others only go for things someone advertises. There are thousands of Anti-religion sites over the internet, but does anyone protest against them? No, because no one bothers to go there and share its link to anyone. If everyone has adapted this behavior in the start, that reaction could have been minimized. 

Then a point comes that why should Muslims allow anyone to humiliate their personalities like this? Why should they ignore the activities against their religion? But, on the other hand, why should Muslims give much importance to someone who's not ready to accept them? If someone hates your ideas, let them stay in that hatred, while you gather the facts and choose some constructive way to give your peaceful message. If someone doesn't know about your Prophet, and believes only few misconceptions, then you can also invite them and introduce them to that Personality. The respect and position of your Ideal Personalities cannot be tarnished by creation of any Facebook groups. You simple cannot make everyone around to respect and believe what you do. Some people do make fun of you, just like you make fun of others.

In a situation like this when the offensive content is hidden, and you need to search for it specially to view it, otherwise, it doesn't hurt, why take the pain and look for things all over the internet to see if there's something that we don't like? And then, cutting the entire country from using internet isn't a solution. Personally, I do not accept the decision of blocking this entire website along with around 800 other websites, because that is such a weak and impractical solution in the long run. I'll write about this, and some more possible solutions in my next blog.

---

PAC-MAN is permanent on Google! Play it free!!!

Now you can play Google's exclusive Free PAC-MAN online on this URL:

google.com/pacman/

Google is so kind to offer it here on PAC-MAN's 30th anniversary.

Google Rocks!!!

[Src: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/pac-man-rules.html]

---

Pacman is 30 years old, and Google is happy about it

So, when the old school Pacman turned 30 this day, Google celebrated it in the form of an interactive doodle...

The "I'm feeling lucky" button has been changed to "Insert Coin"

It's a Google's version of Pacman, having the maze making the word "Google" in it.

I'm attaching a screenshot of it, in case Google replace it again with the regular logo.

---

Youtube Blocked on Orders of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority

Dear Valued Customer,

Micronet has blocked access to www.youtube.com in
compliance with recent orders of Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for containing
blasphemous material and no-action by Youtube to
remove the objectionable hate material from its web
site.

This access would remain blocked till further
orders by PTA.

Best Regards

Manager
Technical Assistance Center
Micronet Broadband Pvt. Ltd.
Islamabad

[That's the email I received from my ISP, and that's perhaps the second time YouTube is blocked in Pakistan by official orders]

---

Facebook Blocked on Orders of Lahore High Court

Dear Valued Customer,

Micronet has blocked access to www.facebook.com
in compliance with orders of Lahore High Court passed today.
Facebook has been holding a competition to draw caricatures
of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and has not removed the
objectionable hate materials despite thousands of emails
from Pakistani facebook community.

This access would remain block till 31 May 2010 or further
orders by the Lahore High Court.

Best Regards

Manager
Technical Assistance Center
Micronet Broadband Pvt. Ltd.
Islamabad

[That is the email notification I received from my ISP, Micronet]
So that's the first time Facebook has been blocked in Pakistan.

---

Punjabi Poem "Ambri" [Mother] by Anwar Masood, with English Translation

A very well-known poem [Nazm] titled "Ambri" [Punjabi: امبڑی. English: Mother] written by a very renowned Poet from Pakistan Anwar Masood. Although, he is widely known because of his humorous poetry, but he has also written some very serious pieces. This poem is probably among one of the most serious works by him.

I'm sharing a video of Anwar Masood reciting his famous poem "Ambri", with a short description in the start, taken from a TV program. I have attempted to translate this entire video, including the poem in English for those who don't understand Punjabi. Please note that this translation is not literal.

[Anwar Masood speaks]

"You have said something really nice in the start about this topic [i.e. Mother], and it surely is very hard to talk about it.
It took Ten Years to write me this poem. I was in Pindi Gheb that time, and one night this poem asked me to write it. And then I attempted to pen it down. I realized it afterwards that this poem was sort of revealed entirely upon me in this complete form and composition.

This poem is a true story, and the names of two student in this poem are real as well.
One boy is named Bashir, while his other class-fellow is Akram.
Bashir was late in the class, and the schoolmaster, called "Munshi", asked for the explanation why he was late.
Here, I'm telling it in front of all the audience that I was the schoolmaster in this poem."

[Schoolmaster asks Bashir]

You are so late today, Bashir!
Even when your village is quite nearby.
You'll surely get some severe beating as punishment,
As you have almost missed two periods.

[The student, Bashir, replies]

Dear Sir, please listen to my reason first.
Akram has really did the worst today.
He beats his mother, and beats real harsh
And this rascal has crossed the limits today.
He thrashed her till that butter-churning-staff broke.
But when some people gathered from nearby
He picked up his books and ran to school.

Sir, his mother then came to our home
Her face was full of bruises, her hands were swollen much
Her eyes were wet with tears, and lips were bleeding too.

She asked me "O sweet Bashir!
Please do me a favor today, dear!
Take this lunch to my son Akram
As he was cross with me and went without it"

She has cooked these special "Paratha" [bread] for him
And egg-pudding prepared with such care.
She has carefully wrapped his lunch
And handed over to me.

She was repeatedly saying this to me
"Please hurry up dear
Please don't be late.
My son must be fainting with hunger.
That poor soul went to school without eating"

She handed me the lunch
And I headed towards this school.
This Akram has really did the worst today...

---

Earthquake in Pakistan- 8th October 2005

• God must be Crazy... Sure He is. But People, there's a God inside everything. Make Him Alive!!!
• What's done is done; And what's happening, can we try to make it better?
• If you can't help the Sufferers, No need to watch TV either.
• It could happen to YOU - Every Life is a Single Soul.
• Do you really Love Someone???
• ...

[Some lines about the event that killed around 79,000 people.
Originally written on 11th October, 2005.]

---

My Phobias and other annoying things...!!!

My Phobias... Hey, I don't even know what this term actually mean in Psychology...

I take Phobias as Fears, or rather "Holes" "Voids" in a person.

As a human being, I too have many. The thing is that I realized many of them and controlled them a lot. That's the most interesting part...

According to my rules, there are two solutions of overcoming your fears:

1. Avoid that thing, if possible.
2. Try to learn to live with it, steadily.

Insects:

Those legged creatures are too annoying, especially when they crawl on your body. I used to fear them a lot when I was a kid. But gradually, I have changed my habits. And now I take these things so ordinary that still I like to catch insects, bugs in my hands. These include Ladybirds, Mantis, Grasshoppers, Crickets, Ants, butterflies and moths, spiders, bees, wasp... still looking for cockroaches.

Heights:

It's not that strong fear, but still, I don’t feel comfortable being on the edges of high roofs and looking down. Maybe, it's a fear of falling. So I don’t usually peep from the roofs.

Certain People:

I don’t feel comfortable sitting in the company of elder people, people having narrow [mental] vision and people wearing Army Uniforms or formal dresses.

Quarrels:

I don't like being into places where people fight, especially physical beating. Similarly, I don’t like wars, neither watch news of this sort. I think that most of our cases can also be solved peacefully.

Accidents:

I always wish to stay away from any big accident or mishap, fire, drowning, road accident, etc.

Vehicles:

That phobia is somewhat still here. I hate vehicles. I always wish to have those old chariots days, or just bicycles around... but we can't help it, these fast moving vehicles are a must. Still, I haven’t practiced driving and not intended to. I guess, I'll do it somehow if I ever try.

Bus...

[Originally written on Aug 25, 2005]

---

Which road do I take, Cat...???

From the Book by Lewis Carroll "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".
Although it's a children's story... but it contains so many lessons of life and I personally in love with this entire piece of writing.

One passage about "Goals" says:

"One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.
Which road do I take? she asked.
Where do you want to go? was his response.
I don't know, Alice answered.
Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter."

~ Lewis Carroll [Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]

It's Simple...
When you don't know where you want to go, it doesnt matter which path you choose. A definite Goal is necessary for taking decisions.

---

PEPSI - What's in a name...?!!!

This term "Pay Each Penny, Save Israel" is quite common in many countries as the origin of that cola drink name Pepsi.

Wow... So ingenious!!!

I've been barking saying since ages that it's mere a propaganda. This cola drink got its name from Pepsin Enzyme in Stomach... Peptic Acid.

I think this idea is only common is Pakistan. I'm quite sure that people outside Pakistan don't have any info about "Pay each penny..." stuff.

As I have already mentioned the association of Name PEPSI with Pepsin Enzyme in stomach, some reference to support my point:

"Pepsi-Cola was first made in New Bern, North Carolina, in the early 1890s, by pharmacist Caleb Bradham and was originally called "Brad's drink". [...] As Pepsi was initially intended to cure stomach pains, Bradham coined the name Pepsi from the condition dyspepsia - stomach ache or indigestion. It was later named Pepsi Cola, possibly due to the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts used in the recipe. The name was trademarked on June 16, 1903."

And,

"In 1893, pharmacist Caleb Bradham (USA) created a beverage called "Brad's Drink" intended to alleviate the ailment caused by peptic acid* unbalance in the stomach. Five years later this beverage became officially known as "Pepsi Cola" due to the association with peptic acid."

[*Peptic Acid - Found in Human Stomach that helps in Digestion]

So I'd like to know any official saying from someone about this "Pay Each Penny..." name. Also, Pepsi-Co has some other products as well, such as Mirinda, Frappuccino, Slice, Sierra Mist, Tropicana Twister Soda, Mountain Dew and many more. Does anyone know the origin of these words?!

No! They are only brand names.

And let me quote someone's comment:

>> in US PEPSI n Coke r used to clean blood spots frm the road after accidents ... tht means it is tht much acidic ..

Being Acidic doesn’t mean that this thing is unfit for food consumption. Lemons and Oranges are Acidic [Contain Citric Acid] but they are so good for health. Vinegar contains Acetic Acid. Also, all these cola drinks contain almost same ingredients. If Pepsi is Acidic, then please note that Amrat Cola and Mecca Cola are Acidic as well. In the end, it's all about Commercialism. Many local brands want people to use their low-quality drinks, so they create propaganda like these, blended with some religious and emotional factors, just to increase their own market.

---

[Originally written on Aug 8, 2005]

References:

Soda Museum - The History of Pepsi Cola

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepsi-Cola

http://peace-action.inbyron.com/p-pepsi.html

---

The term "Tons" in Air Conditioning...!!!

Many people wonder what is this Tons in Air Conditioning, like you hear them say they have got a 1.5 Ton AC installed in their room...
It's often funny when someone says that "Tons in Air Conditioning is actually Weight of that A.C unit..."

People usually argue about it... and prove this with stupid examples that Ton is a unit of weight and like.

The term TON is actually referred to the cooling capacity of that A.C.

Proper definition is:

TON:

The unit of measurement for air conditioning system capacity. One ton of air conditioning removes 12,000 BTU's [British Thermal Unit] of heat energy per hour from a home. Central air conditioners are sized in tons. Residential units usually range from 1 to 5 tons.

And

... A "ton" is defined as the cooling capacity of one ton US (2000 pounds or 907 kilograms) of ice melting in a 24-hour period. This is equal to 12,000 BTU per hour, or 3.5 kilowatts. Residential central refrigeration cycle air conditioners can be 1 to 5 tons (3.5 to 17.5 kW).

So that's a little piece of knowledge...

:-)

[Ref: http://www.acdoctor.com/air_conditioning/glossary.htm]

http://www.answers.com/topic/air-conditioning]

[Originally written on June 22, 2005]

---

STRINGS: Live in Concert, at PNCA Islamabad

I came to know through some of my acquaintances that there's a Strings concert coming up on Tuesday evening [6th April 2010]. I liked some selective songs of Strings but never watched them perform live. Since, I got this chance, I thought it's better to avail it. I, with my friends, went at the venue which was PNCA, i.e. Pakistan National Counsel of the Arts.

We were told that the time is around 6pm, but it would be better if we reach there at 7. Since we had to pick some friends around in hurry, we got somewhat late, and on our way, there were those Islamabad Police checking random cars. Hard Luck!!! There, they asked for our IDs, and then the papers of the car, which we forgot at home. And there that police started behaving in a typical way, discreetly asking for some "favor". We are in fact not in any mood to give some cash to them. "Hamaray liye phir Aap kia kar saktay hain?!"


Since we told them that we are going to a music concert and we already spent Rs.2500 on tickets, which we actually did, and that made them think that if these guys can spend this much on that event, they sure can do something for us. So they just started beating about the bush and wasted our time with very useless inquiries because we told them we're getting late. Their topics ranged from having a war with India, the importance of learning Kalma by heart, style of beard, nature of jobs of the father, people calling fake references when they're caught by police, etc. Anyways, they finally released us after around wasting our 30 minutes on the road. Then we rushed to the venue cursing those policemen, ran inside, and here's what we saw...

Hall was nicely decorated, sponsored by Warid Glow written in a large size on the backdrop, and there were that Bilal and Faisal, collectively known as Strings performing "Sar kiye ye pahaar". We joined the crowd and started enjoying the show. Then came Anjaane, then another song I wasn't familiar of but it sounded something like Alvida.

Since they were late in starting that event, and the hall management wanted then to finish at 9 pm, so it was really hard for them to perform even more songs. Faisal told us that management is pushing them to end this at 9, while we only had 5 minutes to 9 that time. Faisal said they'll perform 4 more songs, but they were able to sing only 2 after that.

Duur was beautifully performed. Crowd enjoyed and sang with them. Then the final song was "Hai koi hum jesa". It was indeed the best song of the show. Crowd enjoyed it like hell, and everyone sang that catching phrase "Ay O Ay O Ay O Aa... Aa Ri Aari Aari O...". It was a really beautiful performance.

Band members were looking quite cool. They are in fact such nice and decent chaps, and this is the first time I was seeing them. The crowd was an organized one, and most of the people seems like from NUST. This even was organized by some Marketing Group of NUST students known as Incognito Cognition. But since they had not offered me a free pass of this event, so I'm not writing more about them...

Overall, it was a beautiful performance, although we wanted to enjoy it for some more time.

---

Poor Mars - Poor Earth...!!!

Oh No... Not That Mars Chocolate... It was about that Red Planet - Mars.

See what's been shared through internet:

!!!!!! NO ONE ALIVE TODAY, WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN !!!!

The Red Planet (MARS) is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history.

The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. By August 27, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot.

At the beginning of August it will rise in the East at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. by the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.

Mars is going to be a second moon of earth for a day.

So you can see the style of writing, especially those points I did in BOLD.
Some technical details and mathematical figures are enouogh to make it look real... and people thought it's true and they spreaded it all over... Because "There's no harm in spreading it"

That's why we should at least try to get something from any valid source. No Space Website, No T.V Channel said that... but FWD emails said that.

Anyway, then this specified date came and nothing happened, no one bothered to look for that "One in a life time sight" either...

I received this very email for consecutive 2 years...

"Giant Mars rumour is an internet hoax
Boffins amazed that people can be that dumb" *
*[http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=25788]

Yes, WE ARE DUMB, while talking about Spam eMails...

Those email guys should remove the "Forward" feature from their email systems...

[Originally written on Aug 30, 2005]

---

Google is now into Animals... Zoogle, maybe...

Great news for Animal Lovers & Android Fans
Translate your pet's speech into English on the go...

Really Amazing application for android!!!

Just visit the official page to get the application for your phone:
http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/landing/translateforanimals/

We all know Google is so Genius, so they really inspired us again, 
with their ever unique and creative 
April Fools joke...

---

Ricky Martin is... Umm... Not Straight...

And there's that hot news in Media where the Pop Star Ricky Martin says he's Gay...

Well, after this news, many fans are not feeling much happy and comfortable, and I'm still unable to find the exact reason of their disapproval...

To me, if there's some singer, and we like to enjoy his music, we should remain concerned with his music only. Personal life of any artist is separate from his Arts or Public Life. An opera singer can still sing in her high notes even if she's been divorced twice. An architect can design fascinating buildings even if he cheats his wife. Michael Jackson kept entertaining the audience with his wonderful performances even when he was accused and humiliated quite a lot of times by press.

We must only be concerned about these personal things of others when:

• Their Arts, or any kind of work, preach others and ask everyone to follow their personal life. If some singer is gay, it's his personal life. But if he asks everyone to be gay, in his song, then you have got a reason not to like him, if you're not comfortable with this.
• You have a very direct concern with that person, like if you are the wife of Tiger Woods, and you come to know that he has an affair with another girl. If you are just a Golf fan, then don't worry if he's dating another girl. He's not marrying you anyway...

So, we are only concerned with the Public Life of the Artists and other figures. How they use their personal life is their own life and choice, so it's always better not to peep anyone's bedroom...

"I started being really proud of the fact that I was gay even though I wasn't."

– Kurt Cobain

---

Push me... Please!!!

'Come to the edge', he said.
They said, 'We are afraid'.
'Come to the edge', he said.
They came,
He pushed.
He pushed them....
And they flew.

- Guillaume Apollinaire

This is one of the finest lines I've ever read. I really like the theme behind this. Sometimes. We are not aware of the things we can do until someone make us do that.

Yes, I have Wings... I have Energy... I just Need a Push!!!

[This post originally written on Sept 30, 2005]

---

Prophet Muhammad, Chakwal City, and Prophet Musa

"Did you go there yourself or only heard about it???"

"Yes. I visited there to witness that blessed site myself"

"Amazing! It is a blessing from God, indeed. I'm also planning to pay a visit within few days"

This is the conversation between two men, sitting around me in a public transport, few days back, [Saturday, 20th March, 2010]. Of course, when people sitting at a distance from each other talk aloud like that, it arises curiosity among others. A women in her 40s asked:

"Hey brother, what's the matter? What are you talking about?"

And the man, who planned to visit replied: 

"Prophet's footprint appeared in Chakwal"

"The Holy Prophet???" The women asked with surprise.

"Yes!", the man nodded.

And then the man who has seen the actual place started to provide further details:

"This happened on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal. All the area was illuminated due to this. There was that blessed light [Noor] all over the place. Now, they have build a boundary around that footprint and placed a glass-sheet over it, and the divine light is not that intense now. People were gathered around there, hundreds and hundreds of them, just wanted to get a glimpse of that footprint..."


Before you proceed, you may like to watch the video clip of that so-called "Miracle". See below:

While this conversation was in progress, my mind suddenly recalled the tale of Moses [Prophet Musa] as mentioned in religions scriptures. Jews, Christians and Muslims all believe in this story. Even if you talk about the movie "The Ten Commandments", taken from the Old Testament, or the Glorious Koran, you can read the almost similar version.

So I took out my Android phone, started the Application having the translation of Quran, and re-read the mention of Moses in Chapter 2, i.e. Al Baqarah [The Cow].

Let me quote the translation: 

"And when We did appoint for Moses forty nights (of solitude), and then ye chose the calf, when he had gone from you, and were wrong-doers." [Verse 51]

And:

"And when Moses said unto his people: O my people! Ye have wronged yourselves by your choosing of the calf (for worship) so turn in penitence [i.e. repentance] to your Creator, and kill (the guilty) yourselves..." [Verse 54]

For those who don't know the details. When Moses went away from his people for 40 days [For worshipping in solitude], in his absence, a Magician created a calf in gold, with the power of speech. He told that this speaking calf is the actual God. Since, that was something extraordinary, people started to believe him and started worshiping that calf. Even when Moses returned with the message from God, the people refused to believe his words.

Now, why this story is mentioned in the Quran? No one among Muslims will worship a Golden Calf. Then why???

To me, it simply means that those who have weak faith will always fall for secondary and less important things, and hence, they will lose their faith.

Prophets and Saints are sent to this world to tell people about the acts of peace, love and humanity. They came here to tell people about God, how to reach God and how to recognize God.
Now, the condition of Muslim community, especially in Asian sub-continent is at its worst. If someone says that the name of Prophet or God is on so and so tree, they'll make that tree sacred, they will start praying there and all that useless activities. Our culture is now full of the names of God or Prophet on Trees, Clouds, Moon, on fruits, leaves, stones, Chapati, etc. Those things become sacred for them. They take it as a "Proof" that their religion is the true religion. Just a simple question for them: If suppose, they see the name of "Ram", the God of Hinduism, written on some of the fruit, would they start worshipping him leaving their own religion Islam?

If not, then it means that all these things are of no importance and must not affect the faith.

I really can't understand why God asked Prophet Mohammad to make a footprint in Chakwal in 2010...

Must be a very big mistake or misunderstanding we are having here. People have even made that icon sort of shape related to Prophet's footprint as a symbol of one of the sects. To me, it's no different than idol-worshipping. Islam never asked people to worship their Prophets or their symbols. Prophet spent 63 years in this world, and he must have walked on the very earth others walk. Does Islamic history tells anything like people considered that clay sacred where Prophet walked? If that's the case, then most of the clay of Makkah and Madina would have been covered by Glass boxes till now.

The story of Moses, in Quran only tells us that when your Prophet/Saint is away from you, stick to the path he showed you, and don't start worshiping the magic or the secondary things. Blessings come from following the right path and not by kissing the earth your saint walked on.

Then, again, sometimes I think that perhaps these people are not to be blamed. They are simple and ignorant. They believe what others tell them. They offer prayers, recite Quran, but they never know what it means. Holy Book was sent to be read and understood, rather than to be used as an object of sacredness.

After that verse about Calf, the Quran also says:

"Then, even after that, We pardoned you in order that ye might give thanks." [verse 52]

So if people ask for forgiveness for their wrong acts, God forgives them.

May God help us all follow the right path!

Amen!

---

The Translation used in this article is taken from:

The Meaning of the Glorious Quran

Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthal

Copyright 1979
Asia Book Corp of America
157th St. Flushing, NY 11355, USA

Pleasure and the tongue

A Zen master was resting with one of his disciples. At one point, he took a melon out of his bag and cut it in two so that both could eat it.

While they were eating, the disciple said:
'Wise master, since everything you do has a meaning, perhaps your sharing this melon with me is a sign that you have something to teach me.'

The master continued eating in silence.

'Your silence obviously conceals a question,' the disciple insisted, 'and it must be this: does the pleasure I am experiencing in eating this delicious fruit reside in the melon or in my tongue?'

The master said nothing. The disciple went on excitedly:

'And since everything in life has meaning, I think I am close to finding the answer to that question: the pleasure is an act of love and interdependence between us, because without the melon there would be no object of pleasure and without my tongue...'

'That's enough!' said the master. 'The real fools are those who think themselves terribly intelligent and spend all their time trying to interpret everything. The melon is delicious, and that's enough, now let me eat in peace!'

- Paulo Coelho,  "Stories for Parents, Children and Grandchildren - Volume 1"

---

Life about Today... And Everyday...

Today I found out that there's so much in this life to observe, feel, understand and share...

Traveling back from work to home in a van, it was a variety I could see through the window of the last seat, that includes hundreds of different faces, each bearing an individual identity, different expressions and life stories, problems, issues and reasons of happiness, desires, dreams and fantasies. There were shops offering another variety of life. Some are selling, others are buying. Slaughtered chickens hanging, some are frying fish, welding, cleaning and dusting their shelves, having tea outside, changing tires, talking, looking for their ideal faces, cars of all types, road of variable quality, bicycles, carts, smoke and dust, waiting, arguing, laughing, and so much I don't even remember now, but this all made me think that I sure need to write volumes and volumes if I ever try to note it all down, which is practically not possible, as the more you go deep into things, the more complicated they become, and at one point, it appears to you that in fact, everything that you encounter is not much different from the other and they all seems like one--that is perhaps the Whole we all collectively make.

I love variety and variations. All these scenes I mentioned above were so rich and colorful. That is perhaps the life, the society, the community, the people, to which I belong. They are people for me and I'm "people" for them. Together we make a society. I'm an important part of it, just like everybody else. If I want my society to improve, I must improve myself. If I want my society to get rid of this age-old habit of lying and cheating, I must get rid of these traits, if present. I should try to inspire them to do things that benefit the society. Inspiring someone to do something is the best way. Be good, so others also want to be like you. And ultimately, our society, our lifestyles will improve. Seems quite idealistic, but it sure is practically possible. To change the world, you need to change yourself.

---

[Photo: Fox's Fruit candies over MacBook]

Relationships, Cars and Butterflies...

You don't have to worry about relationship issues all the time. Relationships are relationships, what else do you expect them to be?! Some are fast running cars, others are slow, some even refuse to run after sometime. But relationships are not cars, they are even worse if they don't run--Only if you worry about them... but relationships are relationships, not cars.

It's mid March––Spring. I just spotted a white butterfly, the first of this season. It was weary and must be looking for some place to lay eggs before it dies. They are beautiful creatures, who're never even able to see their babies growing during their lives. They propagate just for us. They have a short life, but they spread the beauty and color all around. We like them, but they are not important at all. For us, cars are more important...

---

[Photo: A car Hasnat used to own. Probably some 1970s Honda, in Lahore]