12th of Zdul-Hijja

Many Hajjis spend this day in Mina as before, perform the stoning of three Shaitans (Always starting from the great, then go to middle and finally to the little. For sacrifice today would be the last day option.
Now if they wish they can end their stay or continue for one more day (Option given by Allah SWT in Qur'an). The condition is if they are still in mina and sun is set then they MUST stay for the 13th day and do final day of stoning after which ALL Hajjis will finish and leave Mina. If they are leaving they must leave by 'Assr time.
Continuing the Journey, they go back to Makkah-al-Mukarrama from mina. The traveling is by buses, by cars, on foot (Very wide roads constructed for that purpose) and many of you will remember the TUNNELS that the Government had developed for cutting short the distance of walking. Tunnels have good air circulation propelled by large fans.
They will stay in Makkah for the last Tawaf of Hajj (Each tawaf has seven circumambulations, each one beginning from the black stone. Then those who are staying more days in Makkah will perform the tawaf-el-Wida' (Parting tawaf) and then leave.
I have NOT described ALL the performances/arkaan or rituals but only made some comments about some of the rituals and tawafs. Please do not draw a conclusion that I have missed out some aspects. I would be glad to answer questions (To the best of my ability) if any, and would certainly welcome your comments.
I am going to take the option of 12 days and finish my note on Hajj for this year. Would wait for the Hajjis to come and tell us their first hand information of this year. There was lot of rain early on I am told and rain is rare in that part of the country (It was heavy, so I am waiting to learn from the hajjis)

11th of Zdulhijja

Today you complete if you have not completed the things of the 10th day but if you are done you continue your stay in Mina where you get up in the morning and about Zawal time go for stoning of Shataan.
This is a symbolic stoning but people think there is real shaitaan hiding behind that column. In actual fact the column is there to make sure the stone falls in the appropriate area wherein it must fall to be counted. Some would throw their shoes also and you find a heap of thrown slippers or flipflops around that shaitaan. That is unnecessary burdon for the Saudi Government to collect and throw away somewhere else or send it to Haram Shareef for "recycling" Many slippers are thus available free during these days.
Why the stoning?
May be because Ibraheem AS when he was carrying his son for sacrifice the Satan tried to dissuade him and he threw the stone at him three times---BUT really speaking Muslims do it because the prophet Sallah-o-alaih-i-wasallam did it.. The rest of the day you have prayers and takbeer, a special gift of Allah for us we as Muslims make this takbeer-glorify Allah after every salat in loud voices in all the Muslim world. So we say
Allaho Akber x3 La ilaha illallah allahoakber wa lillahil Hamd, repeating ususally three times after each salat. This takbeer begins after Fajr salat on 9th day and the last takbeer is recited after 'Assr salat of 13th Day of ZdulHijja
Keep tracking we are not done yet the Hajjis most important and most difficult performances are done but just one or two more days to go and he/she will be free to go home.

EID DAY--Yaum-un-Nahr

Hajis travel next from Arafaat to Muzdalifa where they spent the night
1. resting
2. Paying, of course
3. Collecting pebbles, getting ready for "stoning of Satan"
At Dawn this am they departed from Mudalifa after Fajr payer and this is going to be the busiest day. First thing is stoning of Great Shatan. Everybody wants to do that the same time and that causes problem. Anyway that done (throwing each pebble with allah-o-Akber seven of them) they move back to Mina where they visit the slaughter houses (Camels, Cowes, Sheep. Goats and lambs all available, take your pick, say bismillah Allah-o-akber on the knife and the man will do it for you in a second. Thousands of animals are sacrificed there and elsewhere all over the Muslim world, so everybody gets to eat meat today. They try to get all meat to all the poor people who cannot afford.
In other parts of the muslim world they do their animals and they are done,
Happy Eid-ul-Ad-Ha
Hajjis have more to do, they can come out of Ihram take a shower if they can after cutting the hair ---Halaq ==shaving the head, or with machine and qassr ---cuting with scissors shortening to more than 50% of the existing crop. Now they are out of Ihram, they can use toothe paste, soap and cut nails etc. and use perfume.
Then they must go to Makkah and perform Tawaf (Circumambulation--seven times-- around K'abah) and then get back to Mina before sunset. This is called Tawaf Ziyara.
Yes that is a lot to do. If you could not do all things in one day you can do it the following day
You stay in Mina and daily perform stoning of Satan with the collected pebbles seven of them for each of the three Satans
Great one. Middle one and the third "small one"
Keep tracking my dear, there is more to come. The Journey is not over yet.

Thanksgiving/Arafat

Happy thanksgiving to all including those who are on Hajj and they will be the ones who will be offering thanks to the one and only God in Arafat grounds today for having been forgiven for their all sins and those not on Hajj are at home offering their prayers as usual ans thanking God for having given them the purities and nicities of life.
Hajjis travel again today fron Mina for their second stop--Arafaat grounds. where they offer two prayers together Dzuhr and 'Asr and then start prayers for themselves for their family for their friends etc. all the human beings' needs of this world--- from Zawal time till sunset time standing in prayers singly and in groups 3 to 5 million of them in vast grounds with no b uildings except one masjid. nothing between Man and God. You can almost feel the angels running around gathering all the good prayers of the believers for their Lord to present to The Almighty
Lord! these are your believers who came from far and near tired and humble in humble attires, so Lord accept their deeds and their prayers and the vastness of the Almighty's mercy spreads to all and He is forgiving and merciful as always.

Let the Journey (Hajj) Begin

Muslim Pilgrimage is time oriented--ONLY at this time of the year. A Lesser pilgrimage-Umrah- can be peformed any time of the year except during these days 5 of Hajj beginning today, the eighth of Zdul-Hijjah. The number of people performing Hajj this year are ther today and after Fajr Salat in Makkah-al-Mukarramah they bathed, cleaned and took off their clothes to wear two unsewen pieces of cloth, women however donned clean clothes sewen and fully covering themselves except for face:
They put on the "Ihraam" and made intention of Hajj.(Tamattu')
Those who had Ihraam already and made intention for Hajj only (Mufrad) joined them.
This is Yaum-ut-Tarwiyyah
Journey has begun --first stop Mina-- a camp outside Makkah in Mina where they are spending about 24 hours praying (five salats, starting from Zduhr until the Fajr of the next day after which---march again) resting relaxing before the day of Hajj (9th). My friend who performed Hajj before I did, told me
Mina is like a huge camp of picnic. Yes it is.

Sunday Surkhi-Divorce "celebration"

Headings of main news are not very attractive these days (except Palin & her book) so I hit another side-news
Divorce being "celebrated with a "Divorce Cake" cutting. Allkinds of imaginary (Free at last or bride with a knife on the back of the outgoing husband etc.) being expressed for such Cakes.
However, it reminds me of divorce in Islam.
Sura Baqara, for instance---"Divorce is permissible twice; after that the parties should either hold together on equitable terms or SEPARATE WITH KINDNESS......" (Verse 229)
"When ye divorce women and they fulfil the term (Iddah) Either take them back on equitable terms; OR
SET THEM FREE ON EQUITABLE TERMS...." (V.231 )
"There is no blame on you if ye divorce women before consummation or the fixation of their dower; But BESTOW ON THEM (A SUITABLE GIFT) .........." (V. 236)
"For divorced women maintenance should be provided on a reasonable scale. This is a DUTY on the righteous." ( V.241)
In other words the teaching tells us we should part without bickering and fighting that is so common (I know we have terrible things that caused us to divorce and this and that, all very understandable)
AND THAT THE WOMAN SHOULD BE GIVEN A PARTING (and befitting, according to what he can afford) GIFT BY THE MAN
That is the way I see it. Tell me if my understanding is wrong.

Jum'ah Journal- 10 days/Nights of Zdul-Hijjah

God says, (Sura Al-Fajr) "Wal-Fajr wa Layaalin 'Ashr...." (Swear by the day break and ten nights) referral is to first 10 days/nights of Zdul-Hijjah (12th Islamic month) and another explanation is that the referral is to the last 10 days of Ramadhan. (May be Allah SWT has placed these words puposely in such a way that more than one meanings can be derived, for the benefit of us)
The fact is both are extremely important from Islamic point of view. Islamic books and tafsirs tell a lot about the significance of these ten days/nights; ahadeeth (sayings of the Prophet SAWS) may be weak but we talk about the 10 nights of this month at present. Like the prophet says about these nights each one is like that of Lailat-ul-Qadr. That means each of these days should be spent in prayer and takbeer and saying other words of Allah's praise etc. and the ninth day (the day of Arafah) fasting is more recommended. Fajr the daybreak is considered to be referring to the day break of the tenth day of Zdul-Hijjah which is the day of sacrifice (Yaum-un-Nahr in Arabic) the day of Eid-ul-Ad-Haa.
To me quite apart from all the recommendations these ten days make me go to Hajj "in spirit". I feel I am there with all the other Hajjis
Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (I am here O Allah I am here)
The answer to the call of Ibraheem AS, who is ordered by Allah SWT... The Qur'an tells us (Sura Hajj 22nd, Aya 27)---"And proclaim the pligrimage among men...."
I thought of that at my Hajj standing on the 2nd story looking down at the huge crowds circling around the Ka'aba with hum of Muslims praying. I thought when Ibraheem AS was asked he must have felt (5000 year ago), nobody around there, no human beings---hmmm who should I call--- But you see these are prophets they just do what God tells them to and so he made the call and Muslims are coming in huge crowds saying
"labbaik....." (I am here) So now if Inraheem AS comes to see what his call has done!!!!
"Wa Azddin fin-naasi bil hajj......" (And proclaim the pilgrimage among the men...)
Muslim has reported a hadetth from Umm Salama RA that Rasoolullah SAWS said "whoever wants to make a sacrifice he should not cut his hair or nails after seeing hilal of Zdul-Hijjah until he has made the sacrifice"
Many Muslims therefore do that (It is a recommendation) but when I do I feel as if I am with the Hajjis, even though I personally do not perform the sacrifice but have someone else do it in my name (This is allowed also)

"The Healing of America"

I sometimes enjoy CNN Washington Journal.
T.R. Reid wrote this book (see the title) and was interviewed this am that I listened to partly.
Very knowledgeable fellow on health matters. Good grasp on world wide systems of health, good questions from the callers.
Slowly it is becoming clear that it is the Capitalistic materialism driving the Insurance companies to make money from the riches of the sick America. Any other suggestions are dubbed as
Socialistic
Too much Government
and so on.
The Insurance companies, like the big corporate management/over seering/monitoring health-care conpanies (Masqurading as quality assurance also)
are there basically to make money. Their financial assessments CANNOT go into red. Practicing physicians not infrequently would treat many poor patients without
the expectation of being paid. That Insurance companies are a problem, is not questionable any more.
I am not saying that is the only problem with American health care system but try compare the system with the following story I wrote previously:
I was standing in for a sick physician (North England) and got a call in the evening about abdominal pain. The person calling with a background noise I could hear people drinking and rejoicing. I was suspicious but I went to see the patient anyway. The caller was a proprieter of a Pub. He took me inside to see his relative who was indeed in pain. I diagnosed burst appendix, called the sugeon on call made the arrangement for immediate transport of the sick to the hospital who was operated soon thereafter. Nobody talked about insurance, no bills sent to the family from me, from the surgeon, or from the hospital or the Ambulance company etc.
You are all familiar that many people go to India for excellent care for cardiac bypass sugery and all inclusive expenses are still significantly less than if the surgery was undertaken in the USA.
I am not saying Obama has given the people the complete treatment that this system requires but something has been done and may be this trend will continue to go futher in order to tame the monster of healthcare expense in this otherwise great country of ours, a healthy America.
Keep talking of alternatives and improvements in the system, whic supports the rich people to get the best treatment and discourages the poor to get any treatment. We have a long way to go.

Sunday Surkhi-Unconventional ندیا کے پار

That is it is not a "surkhi" in its normal sense. The news has been very unpleasant so I decided to try a departure from the "surkhi" path.
"Wuthering Heights" and "Nadiya kay par" (ندیا کے پار ) which is my most fav. movie (1949?)
What is common to these two very different movies?
Here is my report. Now many English (meaning movies or films in English or "Holywood") movies are taken as a whole or in part in some Indian (Urdu/Hindi movies of "Bolywood") Like for example Film "Jadoo" جادو was a Bolywood version of "Loves of Carmen" (Movie starring Rita Hayworth). In addition to the whole movie theme, Rita's dance and song with those hand trippets (I dont know what you call them) creating that critit-like sounds is copied by the Jadoo heroine Nalini Jaiwant نلنی جیونتincluding its tune. And there are other scenes for example I can recall a movie, "Love in the Afternoon" starring Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn in which the last scene when Gary is going away in the train and Audrey is following walking and then running to be picked up by the hero, and in his arms, eventually. Very similar scene you have in the Bolywood film, جب جب پھول کھلے" jab jab phool khilay " starrring Shashi Kapoor when he is leaving the heroine in Bombay and on the train as it moves away on the platform the heroine starts walking and then running begging the hero to take her with him until the platform is about to run out and the hero catches hold of the running heroine into his arms.
Now here, in Wuthering Heights (The only novel of Emily Bronte, sister of more well-known Charlotte Bronte, published in 1847, filmed 1939 and was nominated for best picture of that year) the large house of the hero (Heathcliff-played by Sir Laurence Olivier) recieves a stray traveller in a snow storm and gives him the room reluctantly for overnight stay. He happens to have experience of the ghost of Heathcliff's beloved Kathy. He gets frightened and is then told the story of the, unfortunate love affair of Heathcliff and Kathy.
Nadiya kay par ندیا کے پار, A doctor who does not find a boat to cross the river in a storm and rain; comes into the village of fishermen who let him stay reluctantly in the room of the heroine and hero (Kamini Kaushal and Daleep Kumar کامنی کوشل اور دلیپ کمار ،playing Phulwa پھلوا،اور کںور and Kunwar) and the poor doc gets the freightening experiences of the ghost and then is given the story by the villain. The last scene of Wuthering heights shows hero and heroine 's shadows walking in the snow in "the heights" and in ندیا کے پارNadiya kay Par the shadow of the boat of hero and heroine makes the last scene--the boat in which they drowned in the middle of the flooded river's whirlpool. (May be these coincidental similarities? but...)

Late Jum'ah Journal-Backlash of Fort Hood

I guess there will be for some time to come lot of talk, speculation blaming this and that and anger etc. in media as well as private talks everyhwere. National Geog. News published to day the interview of Anwer al-Awlaki recorded by them on 9/11 at that time. Then also read the statement given by the same man (Now in Yemen) calling Maj. Hasan a hero and condemning all Muslims living in America as hypocrites. It is hard to believe that he is the same man and he makes no mention of his previous stand.
Then there are non-Muslim soldiers shooting episodes that lately have been recorded due, at least in part to the psycholoical problems that do exist and are getting worse. If a Christian soldier or a Jewish one does the same thing there are no backlashes seen whereas when a Muslim does it, no matter how disturbed he is he will be connected to some Imam and vague relationship with al-Qaeda will be forged out. So I am confused what and who to believe.
I have become suspicious in my old age because of such things I have experienced. For example, I still canonot believe Blair and Bush's statements of weapons of mass destruction. I cannot understand why Iraq was invaded by us with such obvious lies. Saddam could be removed by any drone or other more focussed instruments of localized destruction that have been mastered by us and Israel has adequately demonstarted their efficacy.
I do not believe there is crusade against Islam because it has no purpose, no goal, no gain and Muslims own nothing of importance---Oil?-- but all major Western powers are almost " co-owners" and can twist the arm of any Muslim country to keep the oil flowing. I see no Muslim country having any power. Pakistan has nuclear--yes but can they use it all? Who is being threatened? Or, is it just a percieved threat.
I am confused when I see the reality and I pray that this country USA may find a real leader to take it out of this mess we are in. As I see it, this is the only country which can do something to improve the lot of oppressed downtraden poor and hungry people in the world. There is no doubt this is the only country that has all the powers to do such good and the people here are known to be good at heart, compassionate. I am not ignoring extremists but are found in every country and every nation but the good people are ones who win in the end. Maybe this is my just wishful thinking. Sad, very sad

Sunday Surkhi- Ethics and WMA

World Medical Association (WMA) chairman Dr. Blachar completed his (1yr) term. He was aslo chairman of IMA (Israel Medical Association) and there was an unsuccessful campaign worldwide to force him to step down as chairman because his IMA had acted unethically (Israel doctors participation in Palestinian prisoners tortures in violation of the standards accepted by WMA and human rights etc.)
Specific examples were provided and a petition was sent signed (including mine) by more than 700 physicians from around the world but WMA took no action.
The convener of this campaign Dr. Derek Summerfield tells us now that WMA issued a statement to Iran for the same thing--torture of prisoners under the watchful eyes of doctors.
He wonders why Israel cna get away without mentioning and why Iran is warned?
Well, this is the going thing these days started by USA, say nothing to Israel if human rights are violated and throw all mud at Iran--you are our friend and if you do otherwise you are our enemy--nothing in between--. Everybody wants to be friends with USA at the expense of anything and so support Israel and oppose Iran, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Pakistan etc. etc.

Jum'ah Journal--Sympathy and Empathy

.۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ و خلق الا نسان ضعیفا" (Sura4, Aya 28)
.....And Man is created weak.
My full heartfelt sympathies with the unfortunate victims of the undoctorly and inhuman behavior of Major Malik Hasan.
The word Sympathy is described as "sameness of feelings or affinity between pesrsons-- agreement in qualities, harmony--mutual liking arising from sameness of feeling-sharing or ability to share another person's mental state or emotions etc. especially compassion for another person's sufferings or troubles." (Webster's Dic.)
Empathy is described as "the projection of one's own personality into that of another or into an object--intellectual or emotional identification with another". (Webster's)
Strictly speaking both words have one common aspect--COMPASSION which in Urdu we call "غم خواری-or -ھمدردی".
There is a fine line between the two feelings as you have guessed. I learnt to empathise with the patients during the one year I spent in training of psychiatry before taking up the love of my life--Neurology. Indeed I benefitted a lot from that experience.
A psychiatrist is in the "business of feelings and emotions" of the patients and he/she has to keep his own personality safe from being affected (which would be sympathy) in order to be objective in helping his/her patients and not losing the compassion. This is a tricky situation and walking on a thin line but essential for the psychiatrist because otherwise his/her goal to treat the patient's mental health is jeopardized .
I know all of us came out with "OMG, not again" when we first saw Dr. Hasan Malik's photo on the TV and all that media circus that goes with it including him being dead for many hours and then the Commander General coming on in the evening saying, "No he is alive" So much for the Journalism. But I understand that access to military areas can be limited and this mis-reporting can be forgiven perhaps.
It appears that this man has been trained by Army and he must have chosen Psychiatry as his line of action which is even more noble in my opinion for the kind of patients he wanted to help. How he turned into Mr. Hyde from Dr. Jeckle is beyond comprehension (but probably understandable)although they report he was irritated on deployment to Iraq, had some other attitude problems which seem to indicate he was unaware of his Muslim obligations or he was not fully aware of them. A Muslim physician is always ready to offer help to the patients no matter who and where and no matter he is remunerated or not because he is rewarded by Allah for the job and that he/she should always keep in mind.
The physician, however, is still human and that 'weakness' (S.4, Aya 28 above) is still there. I think that being overwhelmed may have caused the change - sympathising more than empathising -and he became a patient himself, only Allah knows the truth.
Although I had alreay decided for myself what I would pursue as my line of action I do remember one of the factors in NOT taking up psychiatry as my carrier was the headache I used to feel after my morning interviews with all kind of patients (general Psychiatry)
May Allah help us all, and give sabr to the bereaved families.

Sunday Surkhi--Pakistani Physicians association

I am frequently been told by the leadership of APPNA that it is a SECULAR association and that making Jma'at Namaz and saying Allah-o-Akber is NOT APPRO PRIATE in the meetings of the association. I did not think this has anything to do with the association but it has everything to do with Muslims, no matter where they are they do that because offering 5-daily prayers is part of their religion and I had always felt that SECULAR DOES NOT MEAN ANTI-RELIGIOUS. In the USA or any other Western country the state is considered secular and THERE IS FREEDOM OF PRACTICE OF RELIGION in these states (I guess that kind of ruling is what these association leaders are following)
So why do they object if the Muslims do such terrible things (like making Azan and Jamaat namaz)that hurt the non-Muslims of the Association so bad they may quit the association which would be very non-democratic or so they think.
One objection went so far to suggest that this is as bad as killing Christians (referring to an ancident in Pakistan where some local Muslims hearing that Christians had desecrated Qur'an copy (which was a lie) they took the law in their own hands and put fire to the houses of many Christains and nobody did anything (I dont know the whole story of the aftermath).
There are many Christians Hindus and Sikhs living in Pakistans and they hear Azan five times a day and also there is widespread namaz ba jama'at evrywhere but nobody has done anything about that either.
Does this sound equal? That is killing non-Muslims and Namaz and azan etc.?
Some educated MD (Syed Nadeem Ahsan, in the latest Journal of APPNA NEW JERSEY)living in the West thinks that way and wants to chide the Muslims for Namaz and Azan. As a aMuslim I would welcome the non-Muslims to do their pooja/prayer in their own way in the meetings of APPNA, and promise not to discredit them for doing so. I think that would be in keeping with being secular as wella s democratic.