Sura Najm--- Continued

Vision of the prophet SAWS
The prophet is said here to be looking at things nobody has seen although the Angel had appeared to previous prophets and Maryam AS (S. Maryam Aya 16-17) and in addition he saw "lote-tree beyond which none may pass" and that something shrouded it (God does not give details as the details have nothing to do with instruction.) I would also not go into those details. One comes across all kinds of "explanations" in books of tafsir and hadeeth which are just exaggerations, imaginations etc. of the (respectable ) companions, but they were only human. So I would suggest ignoring these embellishments.
Vision, as you know involves the process of imaging in the eye stimulating the rods and cones of retina and stimuli carried through the optic nerves up to geniculate ganglia and then the optic radiations spreading into the "Visual cortex" (area 17) and its further connections to other areas of the brain. Appears simple but it becomes complicated when you consider how the images are recognized by the brain. In very simple words for understanding it I would say that connections with memory areas of the brain help in recognizing. That is where the "patterns" are kept telling us that is a dog or a man or who the person is. Now the prophet looks at the grand figure of the archangel Gabriel, a magnificent sight and he "speaks" to make the prophet understand who he is as the prophet is familiar with the voice ( from the cave of Hira). The awe and his powers are described and the prophet is mentally and physically prepared for these unususal sighting experiences. If now the hadeeth says, "he fell down and lost consciousness till the angel wiped his mouth of the saliva and brought him back to consciousness" (and Ibn-Kathir says it is a weak hadeeth), I feel somewhat uneasy why such things continue in the ahadeeth literature), we have to throw such descriptions out. It is on these weak stories the orientalists thrive on their biased opinions and label the prophet as "epileptic". I have avoided many other stories telling about "nervousness and depression" of the prophet S. when there was a break in the Wahi for some time (Futart-ul-WaHi) that "he would go on the mountain to make himself fall from it". That is not the personality of the prophet S. I know of. (How did they knw why he was going on the mountain?)
Anyway coming back to his vision I would draw your attention to two ayat.
"The prophet's heart (and mind), in no way falsified that which he saw."
Maudoodi says :
Dil nay uss main jhoot nah milaya.
Asad says similar things in English. Maulana M. Shafi in his "Márif-ul-Quran" says the same but in explanation makes the following statement:
"Aankh nay jo kuch dekha hay qalb nay bhi uskay idraak main koi ghalti nahin ki aur iseeghalti ko ayat main lafz-e-Kazdb say tábir kiya hay" ( Whatever was seen by the eye, the heart also did not make a mistake in understanding. That mistake has been alluded to by the word "lie")
This comes closer to understanding the meanings, although all mufassireen have done their part in explaining and written at length about it.
That is the "Heart" I had mentioned above as "figurative" heart. What the prophet S. saw with his eyes and recognized the grand figure of Jibreel AS.
The second aya is "Sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong"
Pickthal says, "The eye turned not aside nor yet was overbold".
M.M Shafi says, "Behki nahin nigah aur na had say badhi"
Maudoodi says similar things.
The fact is that the prophet is in the unseen world and lot of "Unseen" objects are in his view. Both Mauddodi and M. Shafi explain that in such a situation where you are looking at strange things you are likely to "look around" in amazement and wonder and curiosity. The prophet S. was aware of his position and nearness to Allah and kept his calm and high deference and would not "look around", so the "sight did not turn aside or go overbold" (overbold is better alternative than go wrong for "Tagha", just like Shafi's "had say nahin badhi"
There is no doubt that these are extra-ordinary words and God Almighty has used these inimitable expressions for us to understand clearly what WaHi is and the next few ayat bring out other aspects why God has chosen here to describe the process of revelation.
Let me first give you a brief summery of the story which is well recorded in sahih ahadeeth that explain the contents of this Sura mubaraka.
The Story of Satanic Verses
First the next ayat: (19 to25)
"Afaraitum-ul-Laata wal-Uzza" ( Have ye seen Lat and Uzza?)
wa Manatath-thaliat-al-ukhra (And another, the third (goddess) Manat)
a-lakumuzd-zdakaru wa lah-ul-untha (What! For you the male sex and for Him the female?)
tilka izdan qismatun dhiza (behold, such would be indeed a division, most unfair)
in heya illa asmaa-un sammaitumooha antum (These are nothing but names which ye have
wa abaa-o-kum ma anzala-Allahu biha min devised ye and your fathers for which Allah
sultanin, inyattabi-óona illadz-dzanna wa ma has sent down no authority. they follow nothing
tahwal-anfus, wa laqad jaa-ahum-minr-rabbi but conjecture and what their souls desire,
him-ul-huda even though there has already come to them guidance fron their Lord.
um lil-insani ma tamanna (Nay! shall man have (just) anything he hankers after?
falillahil-aakhiratu wal oola (But it is to Allah that the End and the Beginning belong)

As I said before this was the revelation during early period of prophethood when he recited the sura in the Haram sharif and at the end he went into sajdah (prostration) and all the Muslims as well as the non-Muslims followed suite. (Maybe the non-Muslims later realized that they made a mistake) The Mushrikeen or the non-Musl;ims started saying that,
"we also performed sajdah because we heard the prophet saying (after thalitha-tal-ukhra) something like this:
Tilka ghuraniqat-ul-óla, wa inna shafaáthunna laturja" . So we thought he has come back to our deen now."
(meanings of this--- these are highly regarded goddesses and their intercession is definitely accepted)
These words they claim, and unfortunately some well-known Muslim scholars (Maudoodi gives the names of Hafiz Ibn Hajr, Abu Bakr Jassas, Zamakhshari and Ibn Jareer) agree that the prophet did "utter" and later "cancelled" (mansookh).
The best and worth reading discussion on these "Satanic Verses" is given by Maudoodi Rahemahullah in discussion of Ayat 51 and 52 of Sura Hajj (22nd sura) Basically what Maudoodi says is that the verses dont fit in the rest of the picture which is against the goddesses or their being highly regarded and secondly the Mushrikeen were overwhelmed by the power of the passages and in that awe performed the sajdah.
The ayat of sura 22 are:
"Never did We send an apostle or a prophet before thee, but, when he framed a desire, Satan threw in some (vanity) into his desire: but Allah will cancel anything that Satan throws in, and Allah will confirm (and establish) His signs: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom"
Now, if you see why Allah SWT has mentioned all these things related to WaHi, it starts making sense in which it is shown
That the Messenger Angel has extra-ordinary powers and is strictly faithful in discharging his duties (ameen) and cannot be ättacked"by anybody including Satan during the performance of such duties.
The prophet is extremely careful in listening and seeing. (see my "human being" aspects of the prophet I wrote before on November 7th.
Moreover I would like you to see the verses of S. al-Haaqqah 69th sura (aya 44-45-46:
Änd if the apostle were to invent any sayings in Our name, We should certainly seize him by his right hand and We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart"
These are extremely harsh words God has used against the prophet and how then anybody can dare interpose any words in His sacred and well-guarded message to corrupt it.
I have given very brief account but surely you can look it up for more knowledge. So you can see that the "Satanic Verses"were a known catchy phrase already known to Muslims before Rushdie embarked on his propaganda against Islam under the guise of "freedom of speech".

Surah Najm--Continued

Wahi, the revelation of God to us through Muhammad S..
In this process we have The messenger from God, the angel Gabriel (Jibreel AS), the receiver, human being, Muhammad S. and the message itself unaltered, uncorrupted, sacred, protected by God himself and therefore God has granted the power of protection to the angel against all creation (including the Satan).
The best definition of this Wahi, I found in the Bible and I quote (from King Jame's Version): Deutronomy 18, verse 18
"The prophet I shall raise from the midst of their brothers like you; and I shall indeed PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, and he will certainly speak to them all that I shall command. (capitalization is mine)
You cant say it better. That was for "Nor doth he speak of (his) own desire, it is naught save an inspiration that is inspired.'"
Next Ayat from 5 to 10:
"'Allamahoo shadeed-ul-Qawa" (he was taught by one mighty in power)
"Zdu mirratin fastawa" (Endowed with wisdom, for he appeared in stately form)
"Wa huwa bil ufuq-il-ála" (while he he was in the highest part of the horizon)
"Thumma dana, fatadalla" ( Then he approached and came closer)
"Fakaana qaba qausain-e au adna" (and was at a distance of but two bowlengths or even nearer)
"Fa-auHa ila ábdihee ma auHa" (So did Allah convey the inspiration to His servant, conveyed, what He meant to convey)
Maudoodi (rahemhullah) translates as :
"Usay, zaberdast quwwat walay na taleem dee hay
Jo barra saheb-e-hikmat hay
Woh samnay aa kharra hua
Jabkeh woh balaai ufaq per tha
phir qareeb aaya aur ooper moallaq ho giya
yahan tak keh do kamanon kay baraber ya us say kam fasla reh giya
tub uss nay Aallah kay banday ko wahi punhchaai jo wahi bhi usay ponhchani thi
Asad (rahemahullah) renders it :
" something that a very mighty one has imparted to him
(Angel) endowed with surpassing power, who in time manifested himself in his true shape and form
appearing in the horizon's loftiest part
then he drew near and came close
until he was but two bow-lengths away or even nearer
And thus did (God) reveal unto His servant what He deemed right to reveal"

From my quotes of different ways of translation I think you get the concept or essence better.
Mufassireen explain the meanings of the two words "shadeed-ul-quwa and Zdu mirrah" which convey the extra-ordinary powers both physical and intellectual of the angel Gabriel (Why the Almighty has chosen to describe the powers of this angel? especailly at this location in Qurán, needs your attention).
Then again Asad's translation (of Fastawa) manifested himself in his true shape and form,
gives clearer understanding although somewhat lengthy, but all other mufassireen basically say the same thing in explanation.
Of course there are other comments about the "bow-lengths" which if you ignore the literal meanings you can easily guess that he came near at an arm's length (in our language) to talk.
A point I wish to clear up here (and is important)--- I am taking these verses depicting the power etc. of the angel and am ignoring the other understanding that these words indicate God himself. (there is alot of discussion about this "contraversy") I am not going to discuss that here because as you can see I am not accepting that but you may accept the alternative I have mentioned and I wont argue with you. I have taken Ayesha RA's understanding when she quotes the aya of Qurán, ""No vision can grasp Him..."(S. al-Anám aya 101) "la tudrikuhul absaar...."
Getting back to the powers of the angel Gabriel, God has also given the same in Sura Takwir and I am going to give you a long quote here from that sura as it conveys alot of what I am saying:
Ayat 19 to 27"(S. 81):
" verily this is a ord of a most honorable messenger (Jibreel AS)
endowed with power', held in honor by the Lord of the Throne
with authority there, (and) faithful to His trust
and (O people!) your companion is not possessed,
and without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon
Neither doth he withold grudgingly a knowledge of the unseen
nor is it the word of the satan accursed
then whither go ye
Verily this is a message to (all) the worlds."

Note in this passage the words used Ämeen"(faithful) and 'held in honor by the Lord of the throne" and you can see the emphasis God has placed on these aspects of the power of the angel. This is very very relevant to Wahi (and its preservation and protection from any adulteration or alteration and of course you know the famous aya
Ïnna naHno nazzalnal-Zdikra wa inna lahoo la-Hafizdoon" (S. 15, aya 9, We have without doubt sent down the message and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption))
Getting back to S. Najm (Ayat 11 to 18)
"Ma kazdab-al-fuadu ma ra-a"(The (prophet's mind) and heart in no way falsified that which he saw)
afatumaroonahu ál ma yara ( will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?)
walaqad ra-ahu nazlatan ukhra (For indeed he saw him at a second descent)
índa sidratil-muntaha (Near the lote-tree, beyond which none may pass)
índahu jannat-ul- mawa (Near it is the Garden of abode)
ízd yaghshas-sidrata ma yaghsha (behold the lote-tree was shrouded in mystery unspeakable)
ma zagh-al-basaru wa ma tagha (his sight never awerved, nor did it go wrong)
Laqad ra-a min ayat-e-Rabbih-il-Kubra (For truely did he see of the signs of his Lord the greatest- also translated by others "the greatest signs of his Lord").

Vision of the prophet is described, the wonderful sight of the angel and whatever else was there at the lote-tree and garden of Abode. Also note that mention is made of "second time" sighting. The prophet saw the angel in his true angelic shape and form twice, once at the "horizon" and again at he "Sidratul-Muntaha"--- these are the added verses here which came after mérajunnabi (year 620, the main sura being send down earlier in the year 614, see my previous note).

Here I must discuss the vision of the prophet and his "heart". I shall be referring to mufassireen but basically I have to take up the medical scientific aspects. God has used the words like "Fuad-plural af-eda" or "Qalb, plural Quloob" in the same way we in our ordinary language use it like:
memorizing by heart
or giving my heart to my beloved
etc. and we dont mean the lump of flesh but most of it means the "intelligence"
I am going to call it "figurative heart" or "allegorical heart".
I shall take up the prophet's "Vision" next time IA.

Medical profession, how I chose.

Well, I have to go back to my village school where I finished my 8th class (Vernacular Final exam) I had scored well but not extra-ordinary. I was only 12 and may be hardly 4 foot and a couple of inches or so. I was poised to go to either Gujrat (Zamindara High school) or to Lahore (My older brother was in Lahore in MBBS classes. It was decided I was too young to go away from home. There was another reason. The school (D. B. Middle school Kakrali) was being elevated to High school level and the head master was reluctant to give me "school leaving certificate(Said, he did not want to lose a good student)
My "fate" maybe? I ended up staying in the village--That was 1946. Then started Pakistan-riots and Kashmir struggle etc. etc., no teachers were willing to come for many months". So some 'substitute teachers'' dragged the 9th class courses. Ultimately in the 10th class we had a BA, BT head master (Master Abdul-Aziz) and a second master who was MA (math) about whom I wrote some blog before (Master Bashir Ahmed Shah, who had announced his being the promised Ïmam Mehdi") and there was a science teacher(Master Abdul-Lateef). Kashmir trouble and "mujahideen"trouble (have written some before about that) interfered with our teachings etc. so when we appeared in our Matriculation exam, none of the students got First division, my position being 3rd. in class, just (high second division). Suffice it to say I was far from being educated and was thoroughly "paindoo" with so poor general knowledge that I did not know what to do in future.
Bhaijan Meraj had started his House Surgeon's job (in Mayo Hospital, after graduating MBBS) when I arrived in Lahore for starting my college. He asked me what did I wish to do, doctor?, engineer?, professor?, Lawyer? etc.
I had no clue but since everybody was a doctor (My two older brothers and my brother-in-law, a Vet. doctor) I thought maybe Engineer will be a good Idea. So when I went for interview to Government College Lahore (A great institution indeed, now a university), the principal was no other than "Pitrus", a well-known writer and highly educated erudite scholar. Now imagine me a tiny 4 ft. 11 inch with glasses on my face and not very robust health (inspite of having lived in the village, that is another story, will tell you later IA) and standing (actually sitting) before that scholar who had thick glasses on his face and looked all the more overwhelming with a serious look. I must have been very nervous. I remember he asked me about non-medical science subjects and I could not tell him the difference between medical and non-medical, or something to that effect.
The next day I went to see results of the interview--- I was not (not surprisingly) selected.
So my brother took me to Islamia college Lahore (Railway Rd.) and was with me for the interview with the Principal, Prof. M.D. Taseer, again a well-known erudite scholar and poet (Pitrus was more a writer, known for his "city of colleges"). Taseer's most well-known verse is:
dawer-e-Hashr mera naama-e-ámaal nah dekh
in main huchh perdah nasheenon kay bhi naam aatay hain"
(O! King of the final day of gathering, dont look at my 'document of deeds', it contains names of some 'veiled persons")
Anyway he looked at me and cracked a joke
ÿeh to mujhay kursi peh baitha nazar he nahin aata" (I can hardly see him sitting in the chair--trying to boost my morale from my short stature). As I would later find out he indeed was a jovial person and could make any gathering filled with laughter
Well. I was admitted as "non-medical F.Sc. student"
On the third day I was to go and pay my dues, but before I went there, all the friends of my brother (all doctors) made fun of me
"You! engineer?, just look at yourself; can you lift up a hammer?"(of course, as I said I was not physically very impressive) "You better go and change your subjects, you would be OK if you become a doctor.
So, I went and told the cashier what my intention was and he said it would be OK he'll accept the dues for that and he gave me my application form and I changed from non-medical' to medical in my own hand.
Allah Allah khair salla.

Jum'ah Journal- Sura Najm-2

Having understood the first verse, let us go to the second (Bear with me please these are important aspects and I cannot abbreviate more)
"Ma dzalla sahibukum wa ma ghawa"
"Your companion is neither astray nor being misled" (Yusufali)
"Your comrade erreth not, nor is deceived" (Pickthal)
"This fellow man of yours has not gone astray, nor is he deluded" (Asad)
"Tumhara rafeeq na bhatka hay na behka hay" (Maudoodi
The English translators of Maudoodi's "tafheem" mention gone 'astray' and 'deluded' also.

"Zdalla" indeed means going astray from the true path (not knowing it)
"Ghawa" is translated as 'deluded' actually also has same meaning (Dictionary) that is going astray, misguided or to misguide, lead astray, seduce, tempt lure etc. (Urdu speaking readers are familiar with (aghwaa). This also seems to suggest "going astray knowing that it is not the right path"
Anyway, "Deluded" is a 'loaded' word in as much as the physicians know its use. the understanding is not a problem that the prophet S. is referred to as "your companion" which indicates they know him well, he is not somebody from outside or unknown that is talking about things which appear to you to be 'out of their understanding'. So he is not gone astray but he is in complete possession of his senses.
Next:
"Wa ma yantiqu 'anilhawa, in huwa illa waHyun-yooHa"
"Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than ainspiration sent down to him"
(Yusuf Ali)
"Nor doth he speak of (his own) desire. It is naught save an inspiration that is inspired" (Pickthal)
"And neither does he speak of his own desire. That (which he conveys to you) is but a (divine) inspiration with which he is being inspired" (Asad)
The understanding is that the divine inspiration or revelation is not the word of the prophet S. but the Author is God himself. This is extremely important to grasp firmly as the meaning of "Wahi" about which I would have more to say but here I shall only mention from (Because it clarifies better) Maudoodi's "Tafheem-ul-Qur'an" translating to the best of my ability from Urdu.
He divides his (the prophet S.) speaking into three categories (my understanding, nt actual translation)
1. Speech related to the explanation of Qur'an, his instructions, his preaching etc. This was therefore essential to his mission so this speech must be devoid of error. He would therefore speak his own words but with God's inspiration(words of the prophet such as we also see in Hadeeth-e-Qudsi but the Maulana is implying all those things he would teach in his words (these can be termed as "Wahi-e-Khafi" but I am trying to avoid confusion here.)
2. Second, the speech with his companions on matters related to 'iqamat-e-deen' or making God's word supreme. Such would be occasions when he would discuss matters with the companions and may also ask (like at Badr confrontation) them their opinion. The companion reportedly asked him "is it God's guidance" for us or is it your own thinking"? And when he said it was his suggestion, the companion said "Ibeg to differ" and suggested to stop at another location which was strategically better for the Muslim Army. There were occasions where hisplan was corrected by God by a clear "Wahi" (If you will recall Sura "'Abasa").
3. third is 'the ordinary everyday' speech of a person like dealing with his family or visitors or on other 'mundane' matters. Though the prophet S. never even jokingly told a lie.
The speech that is clearly being differentiated here is what was being sent down as "revelation" which was not "his words" but God's exact words.
It is easy to understand here that if under any circumstances the prophet S. says something that is contrary to or likely to be misquoted in his mission, it would immediately be "corrected" (so to say) by the Angel Gabriel coming down with words from God, the "wahi", most of which is "recited" by us (the Qur'an) and is called therefore "recited wahi" as opposed to non-recited wahi (which includes almost evrything plus "hadeeth-e-Qudsi"-- the saying of the prophet S. beginning with, "God has told me......"

I'll stop here and wait till next week to see if I have made clear my point or it requires further clarification. So please feel free to criticise, or ask questions, and be objective. I am not good in summery writing and miss important point.

Terrorists-a look at the unsuccessful demands

Today I wanted to express my thankfulnes to the Almighty for what He has provided us with but instead I must comment on what is tearing my heart.
For more than three decades now we have been searched and humiliated when boarding a plane. It all started with "hijacking" of the first plane to demand this or that. There have been terrorists attacks on tall buildings, hotels, railway stations, buses, mosques (while praying) and other variety of institutions all over the world since then. Some were just acts of 'revengeful retaliation' and some were associated with demands. The history of demands has not been favorable (Success in getting the demands fulfilled) , yet we continue seeing these acts of terrorism with a variety of demands.
As of this time we are not sure what the demands of the Mumbai terrorists are.
It seems unlikely these young men who have been brainwashed to eliminate the fear of death from them are likely to be successful in anything except perhaps worsening the India-Pakistan relations or worse still, instigate retaliatory attacks on innocent Muslims in Gujrat state or other areas of India where Hindu extremists will be inflamed (May God forbid that)
Neither the proponents of "War on terror" have had much success in frightening the extremists, not the extremists have had any success in getting anything except worldwide condemnation and yet the folly is perpetuated for political and other gains all over the world.
I am in tune with remarks of Deepak (Interview with Larry King Live last night) Chopra.
We indeed need to get globally united for stopping these inhuman acts, no matter who supports them. It is clear by now to all that Osama Bin Laden died some years ago, yet the Afghanistan suffered and Iraq suffered. So what we killed Zarqawi, did that strike a blow to 'terrorists' or made them more proud and firm in their resolve?
I am just an ordinary American Muslim and unable to do anything more than just let my frustration out in these words. Frustration against Muslims as much as against the leaders of my country (USA).
God help us.

Jum'ah Journal and Sunday Surkhi--update on Ali

Ali who was struck down with fulminating viral myocarditis in May has now done three months of cardiac rehab after his d/c from hospital. Doing well, Al-Hamdulillah, and well on his way to full recovery for eventual normal activities. Was just given OK for driving.
Yes it is miraculous ending indeed. When you look at the whole series of events that connected and were placed in a strategic line for the life-line of Ali you cannot fail to realize all this could have happened without the Powerful Hand of The Providence, the Almighty planner.
I was away for "celebration of Grateful for Ali day", so Jum'ah and Sunday missed. Here is what I am writing on the guest book of Ali Husnain Yunus (and I read it out for the gathering).

"dust-e-qudrat main teray marz-o-shifa, merg-o-hayat
mairay Maula teri zat-e-la shareek-o-lazawaal
Too nay bakhshi ik hayat-e-nau Ali Husnain ko
teri rahmat, teri qudrat ya Khuda-e-zul-Jalal
Teri hamd aur shukr tera sad hazar-o-sad hazaar
Too hi sunta hay du'ain too hay Shafi ba Kamaal."

(In your hand is the power of causing (giving) illness and cure, death and life
My Lord your person is without equal (or partner) and without decline
You granted a new life to Ali Husnain
(it shows) Your Grace and your Power O God with Grand majesty
We praise Thee and are grateful; to Thee a hundred thousand times
You are the One to grant prayers' acceptance, You are the Perfect Curer"

Kakkaji--4th and last part

He lived his whole life (with us) as if he is a "servant" but his authority in our family was that of a "Barri boorrhi", and his love was for everybody in the family like that also; he would scold children and love them. Many people of his generation in Saugor would eat a roti with a bulb of onion (roasted in hot ashes) and he would still do it once in a while (in Pakistan) although he had all good things to eat with us. He took pride, or felt satisfaction and purely out of love inserving everybody, never failing. day or night, cold or hot weathter or raining hard, I dont remember he ever swerved from his routine.
First thing he wakes up, wuzu and Fajr Namaz and tilawat-qur'an and would prepare the breakfast. he knew everybodies likings and dislikings. He called my son Hassan by his second name Minhaj (the name of my deceased, younger brother) and he knew whenever we go home from America he would prepare Zarda for him (Hassan called it "yellow rice") . He had his own respect and love in the village and wherever we lived. He could predict exactly what my brother would like at what time.
He would always remind us of what my father or mother would do in such and such situation. Although he was unable to go for Hajj (Despite my requests to go with me) I have performed Umrah and tawafs for him. He only complained of the pains he would suffer sometimes in back or chest (broken rib) and we would give some pain medication. Soon after coming from India in early 1948 he and my father were arrested by "Azad Kashmir" forces that had sprung up in the fight for Kashmir and after three days they were released as there was nothing against them (That is a different and interesting story, why and how it hapened). Although my father was OK but Kakkaji suffered "zad-o-kob" in the hands of the 'sipahis', although he was saying his namaz and reciting Qur'an etc., they considered him Hindu. he always had chest pains during winters following that.

First of Jan. 1994 he fell in the morning while making wuzu but recovered and was not hurt. Did not complain. Bhaijan Meraj's daughter (also a doctor) was home. Next day the same thing happened and he lost pulse, while Anjum tried to unsuccessfully revive him. He is buried alongside my father and mother's graves.
Bhaijan Meraj himself lived only one and a half year after him but when I went after Kakkaji's death I found my brother sad, like I had never seen him before in his life. I went to the grave with him and he said "Chalo kuch phool laylo kakkaji kay liyay" and he was choked. He was visibly in pain and I actually saw tears in his eyes. Bhaijan Meraj was a very strong man with a big big "hoslah" for I remember he was the one doing everything at my father's death. My oldest brother Dr. Siraj was there but had a 'weak heart' and was unable to do much other than sitting with the constant traffic of people coming for T'aziah. He was "paralysed" with grief. And of course I was not much help either.
May Allah bless their souls and reward them all with Jannat-ul-firdaus.
May Allah bless their souls in Jannah.

Sunday Surkhi-Obama

Comparing with other president-elects Obama beats them all in popularity and votes.
he is progressing fast. Incidentally O ba ma means---Ba=with and ma=us (Persian)
I wonder, however, how is he going to meet the standards he has set for himself and the parameters others have established for him.
I do not know whether I would like to be in his shoes.
How can he say anything or recommend anything that may be even remotely considered beneficial for Muslims? Everybody will jump at him
See! he IS a Muslim or Muslim-lover.
How can he sit and talk with "Rogue-nation" presidents. That is not "American" according to Bushiology. He may face blames like "talking to Terrorists is like being friends with terrorists-- we knew he is terrorist-sympathizer." That is not acceptable
Leaving Iraq may be interpreted as "American defeat" by many. "How can our forces be defeated?" naah that is unacceptable.
And how is he going to undo all the lies and fibs that have been fabricated and spread among the American people who have become confused as to what is the truth and that is not.
Then He has the first African American President and has to outperform every President gone before him as that will be his responsibility so carries the weight of the whole race with him. It is like--- Armstrong's first 'small step' and a huge leap of the mankind--type of thing for him.

He , on the other hand, opted for not changing his name, that was courageous and assertive conduct. It makes a powerful statement of 'truthfulness'. Maybe he has 'true grit' after all.
May be he is prepared mentally to face these most extraordinary challenges.

Jum'ah Journal - Late entry/Sura Najm Introduction

Bad weather (probably, though just raining is not bad ) interfered in my access to internet for several hours yesterday.

I am going to start with introduction of my thoughts on Sura Najm and will write more every Friday insha-Allah.
Najm, in Arabic means several things other than Star. Quote from the dictionary:
najama--to appear, come in sight, rise (star), begin, commence, set in;
to result, follow , arise, ensue, proceed, derive originate spring ('an or min--from)
Najama Qarnuhu---to begin to show, to observe the stars; to predict the future from the
stars, to practice astrology, TO PAY IN INSTALLMENTS.
Nujum (plural of Najm) which may mean stars (Like Nujum-as-cinema--film stars), installments, partial payments
Anjum, a celestial body, a star or lucky star, constellation, asterism
Also 'herbs', herbage, grass

As you read further you will appreciate why I wrote 'Installments' in capital letters

The background of the sura gives many interesting aspects but I wish to highlight the following
1. Time of revelation: Actually two parts, most of it was revealed in the 5th year of Nubuwwah around the year 614 and some verses were added in the year 1620 after the extraordinary experience of "m'iraaj" of the prophet PBUH.
2. This is the first Sura in which ayah of Sajdah appears and the last verse is associated with sajdah of the prophet PBUH and all the followers who were there, including the mushrikin (a most interesting thing and a story of "Satanic verses" followed, will relate it later).
3.It was revealed while he started speaking one day to all the people Muslims and non-Muslims gathered around the Ka'bah. His speech was this sura itself..

The above points will be expanded more in description of events as I proceed now.
Let me begin with translation of the first ayah of this sura mubarakah
" Wan-najm-e-izda hawa"
"By the star when it goes down" (Yusufali's translation)
"By the star when it sets" (M. Faruq-e-'Azam Malik)
"By the star, when it descends" (Marmaduke Pickthal)
All Urdu translations are pretty much the same
Qasam hay sitaray ki jab woh ghuroob hua (Maudoodi)
Qasam hay sitaray ki jab giray (M.M.Junagadhi, M. Shabbir Usmani)
But here is one different:
"Consider this unfolding (of God's message), as it comes down from on high" (Muhammad Asad's
Message of Qur'an)
Now this one requires further explanation as he gives it himself, so I quote:
Or: "Consider the star when it sets"--an interpretation which for some reason has the preference of the majority of the commentators. However, almost all of them admit that the term najm derived from the verb, najama, 'it appeared, began, ensued, proceeded--denotes also the unfolding of something that comes or appears gradually, as if by installments. Hance this term has from the very beginning been applied to each of the gradually revealed parts (Nujum) of the Qur'an, and thus to the process of its gradual revelation or its 'unfolding' as such. This was, in fact, the interpretation of the above verse given by Abdullah Bin Abbas (as quoted by Tabari); in view of the sequence, this interpretation is regarded as fully justified by Raghib, Zamakhshari Baydawi, Ibn-e-Kathir and other authorities. Raghib and Ibn Kathir, point to the phrase "Mawaqi-an-nujum" in S. 56 v. 75, which undoubtedly refers to the step by step revelation of the Qur'an.
As regards his rendering the adjurative particle 'wa' (as Consider), he has the following explanation; Rendering "Kalla wal-Qamar" as "Nay, consider the moon", he says:
"This is the earliest Qur'anic in stance of the adjurative particle "wa" used in the sense of a solemn oath-like assertion- a calling to witness, as it were-meant (as in the expression "By God) to give weight to a subsequently stated truth or evidence of the truth: hence I am rendering it here and elsewhere as "consider"."

Asad , a scholar of Christian and Jewish Scriptures in addition to that of Islam, I pay attention to him.

Kakkaji Jannti -- 3

                              "Kakkaji and I"

Kakkaji lived in our house and worked like a 'servant' as he was always bringing groceries and stuff, helping my mother and sisters in cooking and whatever he could do, but he was not employed as servant and he never had much 'needs' anyway. Gradually he was "provided' everything by us including money if he needed but no "salary", that is why nobody considered him as servant or treated him like that.
He had his own place in our home to put his "charpai' and sleep separate from us always even after coming to Pakistan. Will talk about his habits etc. later but here I wish to talk about some of his relationship with me.
It started with my primary school years. He was finishing his Primary classes when I was starting so my mother had asked him to accompany me to school (same School, called Parao School) It had 4 classes of Urdu and 4 classes of Hindi. Kakkaji was in "Hindi School" and I, of course in Urdu School.
Kakkji was making some money rolling 'bidis" and what I enjoyed going with him and coming back from school was peanuts that he could buy with a paisa or even "dhela" (Half paisa) as they were still in currency. and he would share the peanuts with me (my fav.)
I was about 10 years old when my family moved (according to the plans of my mother) back to Panjab except me because I had to finish my sixth grade before leaving. So for about 4-5 months I was to be looked after by Kakkaji in our Saugor home where my older brother was also present with his children. I would find Kakkaji loving as well as as strict disciplinarian, if not more, as my mother herself.
My mother may have given some instructions to Kakkaji but I was to follow exactly his orders or else.
I was given the orders in no uncertain terms "suraj dhalay peh tum ghar aaogay" (Must be back home at sunset) "warna main tumahin kaan say paker ker laaonga" (otherwise I shall bring you home holding you by your ear".
As it happens sometimes you get late when playing and time passes. So I saw him coming in my playfields after sunset one day towards me.
"Oh no! , I thought." But it was too late I was given the exact treatment that had been 'ruled' but he was not harsh in holding my ear.
On the other hand I was given bath by him daily (despite my protests and ensuring him I was old enough to take bath myself) and at bed time "meri tangain dabatay thay until I was asleep (against wishes, ignoring my protests, so that I had to fake sleep sometimes)
Out of love he wanted me to have milk in a bowl (katoray main, we did not have glasses at home), but did not want other children to see so he would call me in a room and give me the bowl of milk (Incidentally I did not like to drink milk) which I had to finish in front of him, or else. (May be mother told him or maybe he wanted me "mota taghra" when I get back to Panjab.
He always loved me like that and when I went back home from USA he told me
"Bhaiyya sari umer angraizon say lartay rahay aur tum phir unhin amin ja ghusay" ("Brother" always fought against the English and you have joined them now) Remember he called my father brother. All white people were "English" to him. (My father was very active in Politics,was a provincial leader of Congress, to get rid of the British Raj)
Later, I had wanted very much to take Kakkaji for Hajj but he kept saying (dakter jaingay to unkay sath jaonga" (If "Doctor" goes I'll go with him) He called my older brother "doctor" even though I was also a doctor. He loved all the children of "Bhaiyya and bhabi" so he thought it would be impossible for him to leave "Doctor" for a few days. My bhabi (May Allah award her Jannah) did not know as much to "look after" her husband as Kakkaji did. I remember how much Bhaijan Meraj (Allah unhain Jannat main jageh ata fermaiay) was grieved on the death of Kakkaji (so was everybody else in the family).
He developed severe arthritis of knees and started walking with a limp so I talked with him to come to America with me (or come to England with my sister, apa Shakila) to get surgery. He refused saying "Jo paisay wahan kharch karogay mere janazay peh laga dena"
My own children remember him well and my son (JAG's writer) Hassan learnt the alphabet of Hindi from Kakkaji (during one visit) and developed more knowledge of Hindi on his own (Shauqiyya) so much so that he taught Hindi for a year as "Assistant teacher" to the professor of Hindi-Urdu" in the Un. of Chappel Hill. He can read and understand Hindi more than I can (See my Hindi Blog).

Subday Surkhi-Kakkaji jannati part 2

Panwari (Pan seller) is not a very rich individual so a Hindu, by tradition, would be hard put to provide 'Jahaiz' for seven girls. One can sympathize with him and then when the 8th child born to his wife was a boy, one can feel how happy he would be. Right?
Well not necessarily because his wife did'nt make it after the childbirth. He was not only sad but perhaps also nervous about the "shigoon" of his male child.
As it turned out the male child, Ram Pershad, had other 'problems' when he grew up. for instance, he played with girls more than with boys. Did not behave like boys. Then on top of that he would be less enthusiatic about Divali or Dusehra and more at ease and actualy happy with Choti Eid and Bakara-Eid. In fact he would don clean and new clothes on Eids and my older sisters with whom he played tell me that he would also try fasting in Ramzan. These things enraged his father even more who would beat him up frequently.
Our mohallah was mostly Hindu and only a few Muslim (including ours) homes. He was a frequent visitor in our home but after he was 11 or 12 his visits decreased. Like so many of youngsters of those days (and also "not-so-young" people) in our city (saugor) he started 'making birri' (rolling up the leaves in the Birri shape and) earning up to a rupee by the evening (Sitara Chhap Birri was very popular in those days) The owner of the company was a Muslim, I remember as his son was a classmate of my older brother.
Ram Pershad had attended school for 4-5 years to learn basic Hindi (Since I was very young when I started school my mother asked him to accompany me to the school (Same School) and thus one or two years of School must have 'overlapped' with me starting and he finishing (more about the School later.)
Briefly speaking, his father arranged for Ram Pershad's marriage when he was barely 15 or 16 (nothing unusual) but the 'wife' did not stay with him for more than two days and left him
Allah SWT had not designed him to be a full man. His father had, out of desperation, escalated the physical abuse of the young 'man' so he was spending more time with our family and in fact, defying his father he accepted Islam and declared it so because HE wanted to be MUSLIM SO BAD and actually moved in with us.
Why and how Allah SWT placed so much love for Islam in his heart, I do not have any inkling. So are His plans and only He knows about them better. As I think about this question today I am forced to think that Allah had made him "non-man" and Muslim, so that one day when there is nobody to care for my disabled sister he would do it and that is why also, Allah placed so much love in Kakkaji's heart for his adopted (willingly) family. Mind you, I find it hard to say "adopted" because nobody in my family considered him to belong to any other family than ours. Occasionally he would go to see some of his sisters who had been married and settled in some other (nearby) village or town.
At the time of his puberty he must have gone through a mental storm of "sexual-identity" as expected and I do remember an episode of "opium" poisoning which he survived but as he became a Muslim and started living with us, accepted as such, he had no further 'identity' problems. He learnt Qur'an and Namaz from my mother and once learnt, he was regular in namaz and daily morning tilawat, till his last day.
Next I wish to talk about 'Kakkaji and I' as I had my own relationship with him, May Allah reward him Al-Jannah.

Jum'ah Journal-The Human Being

I am sure you all (Muslims) know about these ayat but I wish to make some comments.
S. 20th (Taha), aya # 113 and 114

"And thus We have sent this down-An Arabic Qur'an-and explained therein in detail some of the warnings, in order that they may fear Allah or that it may cause their remembrance (of Him). High above is Allah, The King, the Truth;
Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in Knowledge."

and S. #75, Al-Qiyamah, Aya # 14 through 20

"Nay, Man will be evidence against himself, even though he were to put up his excuses
Move not thy tongue concerning it (the Qur'an) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect and to promulgate it: but when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated.) Nay more it is for Us to explain it (and make it clear).
Nay (ye men) but love the fleeting life."
Now, all exegetes say that these verses indicate the human aspect of the prophet(and it is true) when The Author (Allah SWT) indicates to the 'receiving' human being not to hurry in reciting when trying to "learn" the verses from the reciter (Jibreel AS) who Allah is calling him as "We reciting"
I feel uneasy about the word "Promulgated" (Yusuf Ali's) but prefer Asad's rendering (of fa-inna Alaina jam'ahu wa Qur'anah)----"for behold it is for Us to gather it (in thy heart) and to cause it to be read (as it aught to be read)"
I have chosen the ayat before and after (the verses that suggest Allah's instruction to the prophet) which stand out clearly (almost) out of sequence. As if Allah SWT is revealing the wahi and then suddenly starts "instructing" the prophet, "dont hurry or worry that you will forget because Allah SWT will not make you forget it. Just follow it as it is being revealed". This is no doubt about the human aspect of worry of the prophet related to this situation of "wahi".
Asad however makes another point that I will quote from his "The Message O f The Qur'an"
After making a point about both passages (quoted above from the two Surahs) he goes on to say...."but both have also a wider import inasmuch as they apply to every believer who reads, listens to or studies the Qur'an; in 20:114 we are told not to draw hasty -and therefore potentaily erroneous- conclusions from isolated verse or statements of the Qur'an since only the study of the WHOLE of its message can give us a correct insight. The present passage (of 75th Surah) on the other hand lays stress on the need to imbibe the divine writ slowly, patiently to give full thought to the meaning of every word and phrase and to avoid the kind of haste which is indistinguishable from mechanical glibness and which, moreover, induces the person who reads recites or listens to remain satisfied with the more beautiful sound of the Qur'anic language without understanding or even paying adequate attention to-its message."

As you can see this man (Asad -Leopold Weis) has a special insight into the meanings of Qur'an. His genius is not just that he was an accomplished writer-Journalist but also he was well-versed in the Christain and Jewish Scriptures. I love the way he makes his points. May Allah grant him Al-Jannah

History created on 4th November 2008

I was a witness to the times when Pakistan came into existence on 15th August 1947.
I am here now on 4th of November 2008, in USA watching and participating in the history making election and of a Non-white man being elected President of USA.
African Americans were brought to America as slaves about the year1619 or so. More and more were brought and used as workers for developing America what we see today.
1865, (Abe Lincoln) saw slavery officially ending here (15th Amendment to the constitution)
1965, we see "Voting rights act" being passed for the constitution, somewhat of a starting point of the African Americans to participate in United States Political process (Although there was something like "Black men voting rights in 1870).
33 years later first African American elected to the highest office in the States. To me this is an achievement not only for the Blacks but also for the whites, for they have come a long way too.

Whatever may be the circumstances, conditions reasons or whatever, the fact that Obama has become the president speaks out the wonders of the democratic process. It is a terse reminder for the Muslims who were told by their prophet (Not exact hadeeth wording) more than 14 centuries ago:
"Obey your leader even if he is a black man" And remember he (PBUH) appointed a young man (Usama Bin Zayd) as the chief commanding Officer of the Islamic forces, son of an ex-slave.

Kakkaji- A jannati person-Part 1

Before getting into discussion I have some points to make
First, the name
In my city of birth Saugor (Maddhya pradesh) Kakka is the same as chachcha (chacha or uncle fathers brother) and of course addition of "ji" is for respect as he was older than me.
Second, His original name was "Raam Pershaad" born in a Hindu family and converted to Islam (Called himself Shamshad Khan) at the hands of my father (therefore he called my father "Bhaiyya", the respectable word for brother). That is the reason we called him "Kakka"
Third point. Kakkji is a unique person
It is difficult for me to talk about this aspect. He died in Jan. 1994.
Allah SWT is  the creator and has His own plan. I would only say that Raam Pershad was a "woman" in the body of a man. I refer to my friend Mystic's blog for the Human touch or Woman's touch, which has prompted me to talk about Kakkaji for he indeed had the "woman's touch" with which he loved us all (All the children of Bhaiyya and Bhabi and their grandchildren.)
I will describe some of this love he had for me, for instance, some other day. My first purpose is to describe his love for my youngest sister (died in 1984 or thereabout).
I am aware of this "story' being so very personal and has my emotional attachment but some points are worth making as they are educational and instructional.
Some circumstances (will explain later) made Shamshad live with us as a family member and he "migrated" with my father to Pakistan and lived with us till his death, May Allah grant him Al-Jannah.
Kakkaji was a 'typical barri boorrhi' (بڑی بوڑھی) of our family and was devotedly attached to us but more so to my youngest sister looking after her who developed "retardation" soon after birth (mentally challenged) and required complete care during her last years of life, My brother had a room constructed for her to live within his family. She had gradually become unable to walk or look after herself. Kakkaji "nursed" her, fed her and did everything for her.
Nobody else in my family could that job (out of my sisters for example, who all were in their own homes married and settled.) Emotionally she was a drain on my mind as well as my brother's, (Also a physician) so much so that when I went for Hajj in 1981, I prayed to Allah to relieve her of her and our misery permanently. She died in 1984 and when I visited home (my brother's home was "my home") after that and was hardly getting off the vehicle to go inside, Kakkaji got hold of me and said, "Chalo meri baitee say milo pehlay" (Come and see my daughter first) and took me to the graveyard.
The way he looked after her was great "ihsaan' of his on our whole family and we all felt so indebted to him though he never made any claims other than the love and all of us showed him the same unwavering love for him that he had shown all his life toward us (Bhayya aur bhabi ki nishanian). Sorry! my eyes are wet.
Will write more next time insha-Allah as there are more lessons in his life story.

Sunday Surkhi--Different

Musa (my nawasa), now 2 & 1/2 yr old expressing himself boldly needs to be talked about more, as the only "surkhi" these days is Elections.
he was standing in front of the open fridge and looking at a Juice bottle that he was not familiar with as he is usually given apple juice or orange juice. His "ammi" was next to him and trying to keep that juice away from him (Prune Juice) .
Realizing that he demands "I want that juice Ammi".
"No, you dont drink that one, it is not good for you"
"I want it because it is diffferrent". You would love to hear that the way he says it
He was out all day with his father today and on coming back home declares to his mother
"Mama! I went hiking today with baba"
Masha-Allah his vocabulary and ease with which he delivers his sentences is so enjoyable.
The bubbliness of his cousin Issa who is only two months younger is the other enjoyable part. He has started talking now and his vocabulary is going to catch up but he is more "Urdu" oriented. He would show his excitement physically and verbally when he will see or hear the voice of his Dadi or Dada, "Dadi!!! Dadi!!!" or "Dada!! dada!!!" and will not hide his excitement He tends to speak more Urdu words than English. and freely mixes them at his own convenience. So you have to be attentive when he speaks.
I dont know what is the excitement he is pointing to his cousin in that picture but it depicts their closeness and friendliness so clearly and I love it, dont mind sharing with all of you.

Jum'ah Journal- "Halloween"

Different people have different ideas of "celebrating" this strange cultural event. Some take it to be Satan worship, na'oozdubillah and I cant imagine what may urge some persons to do such a thing and still call themselves Christians or Jews or whatever. I mean, not even an atheist would go down so low.
Anyway, others consider this event for calling "spirits" or frankly Jinn Bhoot etc. etc.
There may be something out there though I have never had the pleasure of seeing something or experiencing it.
If you have read "Shahab-Namah" you would be familiar with his experience of the "spirit of a Hindu lady". I was quite surprised but have no way of confirming or refuting that experience, when I read it.
To keep the ill effects of such "spirits" the following is advised.
Reciting Al-Hamd Shareef and "Mu'awwazdatain" (the last two surah's of the Qur'an)
Some have suggested "T'aweez" of the following ayat
"And say, "Omy Lord! I seek refuge with Thee from the suggestions of Satans
And I seek refuge with The , o my Lord! lest they should come near me"
(Aya 97 and 98 of sura Al-Mominoon 23rd sura)
Basically these verses teach us to shun evil and stay far away from it.
May Allah keep us and all children safe and happy all over the world whether Halloween or Guy Fawks day (British culture somewhat similar in celebration although on 5th Nov. and then there is bonfire like holi of Hindus) or anything else.

A flash-light and Bus travel

This is a true story. (And this can only happen in Pakistan or may be India)
Kahuta is a small place and was even smaller when this happened.
A very good friend of mine traveled to Pindi (Rawalpindi) for a day's visit. He was posted (after graduation from medical school) in Kahuta and the best was to travel from Kauta to Pindi was Bus. Pindi is a city situated in a valley and all approaches to this city must go through mountainous tracks. It is a scenic type of view with a winding road but the roads at that time were not very wide and barely two vehicles could pass each other.
On the way back the bus started off as usual without any problems.
However, at sunset, the driver discovered that the headlights were not working. In fact there were no lights and (the road was winding going through the mountains) the Bus had to slow down depending on the visbility of the driver.
Our lives were in his hands (Ya Allah rehm ker)
"Anybody has a light or "torch" or "battery" (meaning a flash-light) or something?"
Sure enough somebody had a torch (flash-light) which was promptly handed over to the "conductor" who helped the driver avoid the dangerous turns of the road in that remarkable glow of the flashlight. There were other buses or trucks that some time will pass and light up the road for a bit (thus generously saving the battery of our flashlight).
It took longer (Longest evening of my life, my friend says) to get to Kahuta but we did reach safe and sound. (Jis ko Allah rakkhay uss ko kaun chakkhay)

Sunday Surkhi- Powell and Prejudice

I missed the "powerful statements" of General Powell but 6 million others did listen to him crossing the Party lines to support Obama.
"So what if Obama was a Muslim?" ( A Journalist "brown" made similar comment earlier)
USA has had "Pearl Harbor" experience before, when the Japanese Americans became the target and many Journalists mention these things suggesting that American Tradition is against such "prejudices", as they have learnt over a long period of time the racial prejudice.
Strictly speaking this racial or any other prejudice is universal and occurs in one form or the other everywhere. I think it is quite human and you may term nepotism also a form of prejudice.
Without going into these details of types of prejudices, let me just make some comments in its favor. To a certain extent it is not objectionable and even desirable but it becomes undesirable when the rights of deserving persons are ignored (or even usurped)
Like we remember the signs, "Indians and dogs not allowed"
"Negroes and dogs not allowed"
These are things of the (not so distant) past.
If there is equally qualified white and Non-white and a person in the selecting position prefers white, may not be "objectionable" and in the same situation if the selecting Authority is non-white and he selects non-white (and non-white being in minority) that may be "desirable"
I cant give any better examples but I only wish to make the point. When I came to "States" almost 40 years ago, I felt there is less prejudice here, than England, as Enoch Powell (another but different Powell) had made statements there (around 1966-67) creating a wave of prejudice against Pakistanis and Indians. Not that there was no prejudice before that but it was "milder"
I had similar experience in Pakistan, prejudice against me because I was "Panjabi" (Even though I was born in Saugor in C.P. India) and so I think many of you may have gone through such "prejudices" in your lives that may or may not hurt.
But when "Muslim" is considrered to be equal to "terrorist", the prejudice is life threatening.
So such statements on the media are comforting to some extent specailly when made by such prominent Americans.
I would have liked McCain to make some statements (better than what he did) for "Muslim Americans" when in his audience somebody yelled "Muslim" (for Obama I understand), "Kill him".
I guess both sides have remained very cautious in making any commnets for or against Muslims but General Collin Powell making such statement makes a very powerful argument for America, so hats off to Collin Powell.

Late Late Sunday Journal-Insurance

Dictionaries do not explain what this word (Insurance) means. The Urdu equivalent of "beema" does not tell much either. In and "sure" does not match up to anything, so I am lost.
What I have all my life understood from this "insuring" process is that your life or property or health, whatever you insure with a company that will keep taking your money as "premiums" and will use it as it likes make money from it further etc. etc. but in case something happens to your "insured" thing the company will provide the necessary money for repair or loss etc.
The company takes money from so many people but not every one will have damage to the property (case of life and health is different so "premium" is more in those cases and age at which you get it insured matters for obvious reasons). These "premiums" are calculated on the basis of possibilities and probabilities, risk chances etc.
BUT when something does happen to, say your property, they may have some conditions nefore they provide for the repairs. Let us say they are a nice company like:
"Nationwide is on your side"
They pay their share and all is good. Then comes the time for next premium and we find that the company "turns the eyes" away (jisay urdu man "tota chashmi" hetay hain) and may tell you no more premiums (No, that does not mean your insurance is free now) what it means is no insurance
"Nationwide is NOT on your side anymore".
Why?
Sir, we cannot "recover" the funds back from you even over the next 40 years.
You what?
And what about the previous 20 years of "funds" (premiums) that have gotten into your hands from 200 other people in addition to ours and they have not had anything happen to their properties?
We could have been putting away the same "funds" in our own bank for the chance happening and use it now, so what is the "Insurance comapany" for? Just to collect "funds".
Or, I dont understand the meanings of "insurance".
Well, yes I am free to go round shopping with other comapnies.
And, of course you all know that "life" insurance is actually "death" insurance. Life is in His hands and "every soul will taste death". But that is another subject.

Jum'ah Journal

I guess those of you who have seen my photo at less than one yr. of age and now in the last blog you cna judge my age.
At this age truely I am reminded of what Yaqoob AS (Israel) and what Ibrahim AS wished for the children. No doubt that it is the eemaan which is what I would like my children and grandchildren to hold on to and also pass it on to the subsequent generations. All other things are "worldly" and one way or the other God Almighty will grant them as we always pray for these things daily.
"And Abraham enjoined upon his sons and so did Jacob;
"Oh! my children what will ye worship after me? They said We shall worship Thy God and God of Ty Fathers of Abraham, Ismail and Isaac; the one true God, to Him we submit" S. Al-Baqara, A.137.

Sunday Surkhi- birthday

There is no doubt in my mind this has been the best birthday gift for me, memorable enjoyable and everything-able.
A man surrounded by children and grandchildren, admittedly not a whole lot of them but to be thankful to the Almighty who gave me that opportunity for this get together with the willingness of everybody in the pictures to travel and spare this time just for me.
My dear children I am grateful to you all.

Parents and children
and their children

Blasts in Lahore

Sometimes I look at "dawn" and I saw yesterday and was very disturbed to say the least.
1953, I lived for a year or so in Garhi Shahu, so am familiar with Chauk but of course the shops are new. News indicate there were three blasts 20 minutes or so apart in three different areas in the chauk. One shop was beauty shop others were juice shops. the beauty shop person said they had recieved threats earlier "stop 'couples' coming in your shop or else we will bomb" or something like that.
Two children and seven other persons were injured (Dont know how bad), but the children could have died.
This is AGAINST ALL ISLAMIC TEACHING and must be severely condemned by the people as well as by the Government. The person/persons responsible for these blasts must be caught and given appropriate punishment. These people are against Pakistan as well as against Muslims and are AGAINST ISLAM also. Although I am against what Musharraf did to Lal masjid but what the students were doing in the nearby community (against ills, I agree) was wrong. The teacher should have been brought to punishment not the whole masjid and the number of students. Kiya ho gaya hai musalmanon ko?

The Professor

He was not a university type professor but he was master of Ulum-e-Nujoom wa Qiyafah. He knew my chief and many other chiefs he knew as he had "tiched" them and had a testimonial from all big shots of Pakistan some professors, some High court Judges or Lawyers and such well-known officials and politicians (Pakistan and India- I am talking about 1958 experience).
He suffered from chronic cough and was admitted in our ward mainly for symptomatic treatment. He had his own way of pronouncing and calling names like, he would call all nurses as, "miss bawa" and called my friend and colleague "Anarkali Doctor" because some association with Anarkali. He called me Dr. Behaaj.
One day he proceeded to demonstrate his "powers". He gave us a slate on which we wrote something after we had gone into other room and came back to him and to our surprise he was able to write it down exactly what we had written.
So what is this "tiching". He would catch hold of a finger , mostly little finger just for a moment and then will tell you about what will happen to the person. This process was called by him as, "tich kerna".
I was tiched also (no charge) and most of what he said turned out to be true such as when I would go out (of country) hwereas at that time I had not thought of leaving Pakistan.
I dont know what happened to him after he was discharged, how long he lived etc. but I and my friend (Anarkali wala doctor) still remember him.
This is the truth, the whole truth and I have no clue as to how his "qiyafa" worked, was it just a talent he had?

Jum'ah Journal. "Shasha Eid concept"

It was a very difficult Ramzan in my village Kotla. I was "young" enough to Fast in June-July of Punjab, with only airconditioning or cool place being under the shade of a tree near a well with the sight of cool refreshing water of the well in sight presenting an inviting gesture for the dried up tongues of the rozay-dar who must wait till the sunset time.
No ice was available then or the last "lorry" from Gujrat bringing a big piece of Ice to be sold immediately and I would wait my turn to get a piece for home in a couple of Annas.
We would fill up a cool glass of water and sit and wait for the "AllahoAkber" sound of the nearby masjid's Moazzin at Mahgrib.
It was a happy Eid after full Ramzan and( inside) I was happy it is over but I found the next day my mother and father fasting again. I was surprised, why again and it is still so hot and they are old. Mother told me,
" Yeh shasha eid kay rozay hain" and sure they completed the 6 fasts of Shawwal.
These (6 fasts of Shawwal refered to as shasha-eid) are optional and whoever completes them in this month gets the rewards as if he/she fasted the whole year. Good thing is they dont have to be completed in 6 days, you can spread them out two or three a week to finish before the month of Shawwal finishes. I usually fast mondays and thursdays.
May Allah accept all your Qiyam, Siyam and Sadaqat etc. and all good you have done in this month and rewards for you and your family.

Jum'ah Journal--Yaum-e-Azadi Mubarak

I know it is too late for Friday but I want to explain Yaum-e-Azadi.
Exactly 63 Islamic years today, we celebrated the real Azadi from British Rule. It was indeed Super Friday because:
It was Jum'at-ul- Wida' of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak of the year1366 Hijri ((15th Aug. 1947).
It was 27th of Ramzan (Then in the newly born Pakistan, just a few hours old.)
No, neither the British knew it nor their "collaborators" (like Pandit Nehru and his well recognised "friendship" with Lord Mountbatten) and perhaps not even the Muslims that:
The new country Pakistan will be born on "LAILATUL-QADR" (may be we should call it "Super Duper Friday?") about the importance of which you Muslims know as Qur'an clearly states:
"It is better than one thousand months". (Sura 97 of Qur'an Majeed)
And so it was, just four minutes before (or whatever number of minutes) the "midnight"hour the paper was signed for a free land for the Muslims in India, called "Pakistan",
Uss Jumay ko meray Walid nay Jumay kay b'ad tamam gaon walon kaysath milker duain mangee theen,
Pakistan ki "salmiyat" (Solidarity) aur Paeindagi (Longevity) kay liyay.

I think Allah SWT was trying to tell us something on this remarkable co-incidence, (As it is this Jum'ah here in USA being 26th, so give and take one day makes me remember the original coincidence) that "this is no ordinary Muslim country We are granting it to you and it should be "sacred", so take good care of it and make it an examplary Muslim country for other Muslim countries to follow". I was a budding teenager, and that's the way I thought then, knowing very little of the politicians who only thought that everything in the new country is up for grab, Position, Property, Paisa aur hukoomat. And see now what have they done to it and are still after the same PPP (Mind you the PPP as a party had not been born then) and the same "hukoomat" but infact are after destroying it. Should we think Zardari-Palin encounter as a Joke? Sharm kay maray hamari to aankhain ooper nahin utha sakteen.
Allah Pakistan per Rehm karay aur bawojood Zardarion aur "Shareefon" kay issay Qaaim rakkhay. That's why in my blog on 14th Aug this year I said Pakistan Paendabad is more a prayer in my heart than a 'slogan'
With slight change of the original
Na samjhogay to mitt jaaogay nadan Pakistan walo
Tumhari daastan tak bhi na hogi daastanoon main

Jum'ah Journal--Biotechnical parenting-iii

Considering Surrogate motherhood as biotech. parenting-ii
About IVF (presuning you all know what it is) there was fatwa of Al-Azhar issued in 1980 (just two years after the birth of the first "test-tube" baby in England).
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi a respected Islamic leader in the USA (well qualified in Islam) who has been Chairman of "fiqh Committee of ISNA" had this to say in answer to the question of "Is IVF allowed in Islam?"
After describing the process of IVF he says "Based on the principle that Shari'ah came to protect the lineage or 'nasab' of the people and thus it is HARAM to marry a woman during her "iddah" or to have an intercourse with a woman who is carrying another person's pregnancy the Muslim Jurists have allowed the use of in vitro fertilization only between the legally married couples during their marriage. Thus IVF is permissible as long as the semen and ovum are from a couple who are legally married and the fertilization takes place during their marriage, NOT after divorce or death of the husband."
Several articles appeared after the fatwa. However I wish to post here a summery of agreed upon statements
1. Baby (in case of rape or resulting from Illicit Sexual intercourse) belongs to the mother who delivered him/her. he-she is considered to be "laqit" or an illegitimate child.
2. If the marriage contract has come to an end because of divorce or death of the husband, medically assisted conception cannot be performed on the ex-wife even if the sperm comes from the former husband.
3. An excess number of fertilized embryos can be preserved by cryopreservation. The frozen embryos are the property of the couple alone and may be transfered to the same wife in a successive cycle, but only during the duration of marriage contract.
4. Multi-fetal pregnancy reduction (or so-called selective abortion) is only allowed if the prospect of carrying a high-order pregnancy (i.e. twins, triplets or more) to viability is very small. It is also allowed if the health or life of the mother is in jeopardy.
5. All forms of surrogacy are forbidden.
6. Establishment of sperm banks is strictly forbidden for such a practice threatens the existence of the family and the race and should be prevented.
7. The physician is the only person qualified to practice medically assisted conception in all its permitted varieties. If he performs any of the forbideen techniques he is guilty, his earnings are forbidden and he must be stopped from his morally illicit practice.

Jirgah Decisions and Islam

Haftay bher say soch raha hun likhun ya nahin
Der hay aur qalam kanp raha hay likhtay huyay.
Pehlay woh hadees apni zaban main sunata chalun jo yad aarahi hay
Aik naya Musalman Baddu ayaa aur Nabi sallahualaihi wasallam ko apna gunah bata ker muafi chahta tha.
Kaha kih Uss ki aik baitee thi yehi koi char panch saal ki jo usay bahut chahti thi aur woh bhi usay chahta tha magar usay marnay kay liyay lay giya aur behla phusla kay kunyain main dala woh chillati rahi abba jan mujhay kiyon dal rahay hain muhjay nikal lain
Main mumkin hay marnay ka tariqa sahi na likh raha hun aap mainsay jo yeh hadees jantan hon meri ghalti muaf karain aur drust ker dain.
Kehnay ka matab yeh hay kih usnay baitee ko mar diya.
AnHuzoor (S) suntay rahay aur issqarad royay kih aapki reesh mubarak ansuon say ter hogaiy.
Hazrat Umar na reh sakay aur usko dantnay kagay kih too nay anhuzzor ko itna rulaya.
Anhuzur nay usay bataya kih Islam say pehlay walay gunah muaf ho jatay hain magar yeh dil hila dainay wali dastan thi.
Aap logonay Balochistan ki kahani parrhi hogi jahan panch auratoon ko Zinda gaarr ker mara giya tha aur bhi is qism ki rongtay kharray karnay wali kahanian suni hongi Jaisay masalan jirgah nay faisla kiya kih larrki ki shadi Quran majeed say ker di jayay

Kiya yeh Jirgay walay log Muslaman hain?
Aur agar hain to inko koi samjhanay wala koi nahin ki begunah aur m'asoom larkian "Izzat" kay liyay qurban kerna gunah-e-azeem hay. 'arab kay Jahil to paida hotay he mar daytay thay magar yeh to jawan larrkiyon ko martay hain.
Sura Takweer main Allah ka kalam hay:
"Wa Izd-al-mauoodato so-elat bi ayye Zdanbin Qutelat"
"Aur baitee jeeti garr di gaiy say poocha jaayayga ki woh too kis gunah main mari gayi" (Allah unn marnay walon ko pochnay kay qabil nahin samajhta, aur uss begunah ko khitab kerta hay)
Pakistan main barray barray president aatay hain aur qanoon bantay hain ki aurat ki hifazat aur uskay hqooq ko mahfuz herna hay.
Laikin police bhi inn jirgay walon say derti hay
I am sure you know these things
Aapka dil dukhaya ho to muafi ka khastgaar hun. Magar jab say yeh kahani parrhi hay dil ro raha hay
Hairan hoon ki yeh musalman (Sahi baat yeh hay inn ko muslaman kehna nahin chahita, Allah mujhay muaaf karay) kaisay Allah ko jawab daingay

Power of Psyche-Human Experience

"Man is a social animal", we all know that. deprivation of social contact is a known "punishment" or "torture method" used in today's "correctional centers" when someone misbehaves, the warden will put him in "Solitary confinement" or in a "hole".
When a human child is born, he/she will require total care by the mother father and others and you are all very much aware of how psychology today teaches us about these early periods of development of the child along with physical mental and social developments. ( Harry Harlow experiments on mother deprivation of infant Monkeys and effects of surrogate mothers etc. - In particular "the mothers do much more than feeding the baby)

 Emotional and physical attachment of the child with parents or "Parent-figures" is of profound importance in the child development. Just see below, such 'deprivation' and its powerful effect.
I am not a psychologist but I guess every physician is bound to experience some psychologic problems in patients he deals with regardless of his specialty.
She was admitted in my Pediatric ward with "Failure to thrive" diagnosis or something like that. Chronologically she was aged 5 but physically and mentally she was way behind, coming up to about three years of age (weight, and height etc. was of 3 yr. old)
She had 'downy hair' all over her body, not emaciated but looking poorly developed. She would sit all day expressionless and look "lost", not pay any attention, not eat very much, like she was withdrawn, not unlike we see in adults the picture of severe depression.
She had no parents and was up for adoption.
I dont remember the history, who were her parents, when and how (or why) did they ended up "abandoning" her etc. but what a horrible picture of effects of parental deprivation
It was a small hospital and I started paying attention to her , trying to talk to her, play with her on a daily basis (Spending more time with her than with others). Within a week she started responding and nurses told me she has started calling me "daddy", was speaking normal and started eating regular. Her rapid visible physical and social emotional recovery were just amazing and the skin became normal in texture and hair growth. I enjoyed playing and laughing with her, seeing the little girl's happiness was so much of a reward for me (although I did not choose pediatrics as my specialty).
The nurse showed me the chart of her physical growth, I could not believe.
I dont remember what medications if any were given but I do vividly remember her progress as everybody else in the hospital appreciated that. It all started with the new "daddy", yes I enjoyed being addressed by her everyday as "daddy" (How much meaningful it was for that little girl, I cant imagine, but I know how I felt,--- "elated")
She was "adopted" after one month and she must have found a new "daddy" and "Mum". I have never forgotten that extraordinary experience as a young physician.

Jum'ah Journal--Suggogate motherhood

Basically there can be several ways of becoming "Surrogate Mother". It is not simply "mothering" a child of somebody else but actually the woman gives birth to a "child of somebody else".
It is not "adoption" either.
A woman agrees to accept artifial insemination to become pregnant and carry the pregnancy to child birth. The sperm can be from
a) husband
b) a male friend or a relative
to impregnate:
a) her own ovum
b) ovum of the wife of the sperm donor
c) ovum obtained from "Ova bank" and A.I. done with Husband's sperm or with sperm obtained from Sperm bank. Once the sperm and ovum are there Gamete can be produced either in the lab and new embryo implanted into the "hired" womb (when the "hired woman" does not or cannot get her own ovum impreganted)
With all these possibilities being available the "commercialization" process has flourished and has seen no boundaries despite all religious and ethical outcry. Now you have the free market where at your convenience are available:
1. Ova
2. Sperms (see my previous note)
3. and of course Children
State your price?
Well, you may think I am exaggerating but I am not.
I was going to Dubai in 2005 to speak on Islamic Medical Ethics in general in a medical conference and in the newspapers in my flights I saw the ads. (British Paper as I was going through London) for Ova and both for "selling" and "buying".
It all came to a head when a combination of a Lawyer and a Physician started doing Artifial Inseminations (Dearborn, MI) in 1986.
A patient of Multiple Sclerosis (Mrs. Elizabeth Stern) who was not infertile but wanted to have a child so she and her husband (William Stern) "contracted" with another woman (MaryBeth Whitehead) for "gestation" (becoming pregnant with Mr. Stern's sperm without intercourse, that is with A.I., and carrying the pregnancy to term) for a price all settled.
The baby ("Baby M"-Mellisa Stern) was born on 3/26/87.
The problem started when Mary Whitehead refused to give custody to Mrs. Elizabeth Stern, saying that she is the mother. (Mother emotionally too much attached to the baby)
Here I would like you to see the 2nd Aya of Qur'an in Sura Mujadelah (57),
"If any men among you "divorce" their wives by "Zihar" (Calling them "mothers"), they cannot be their mothers;
None can be their mothers except those who gave birth........"Noted, that the context here is different but the words are clear.
Any way to cut the story short, the Courts gave custody to Mr. Stern with visitation rights for Mary whithead The feeble (but probably practical) human judgement.
A movie followed that happening and I remember that "Bolywood" also produced a "doosri dulhan" (Shabana 'Azmi played the prostitute who agreed to become pregnant and give birth to the child. Then she realized her love for the child and gave up her "profession" and incidentally I was very impressed by her acting) although this is slightly different "surrogacy".
Needless to say that Islam does not allow Surrogacy of any kind, (Not even in the second wife of the Muslim husband-- though it may be debatable) except that of  Razaei type (Children using the same mother for Nutrition-Milk). The wife who gives birth remains the real mother, has all the love for the child and the emotional attachment.
The reason surrogate motherhood has become so "popular" inspite of religious and ethical objections, because there are Gay and single parents of all kinds seen who are ready to "buy" such things in today's society about which I will say no more as these things have since become more 'acceptable'. I thank God that none of my patients of Multiple sclerosis (or other such disabling chronic illness asked me to get involved in this process, Al-Hamdulillah.

The late, Warith D Muhammad.

The leader of the "American Muslim Mission" dies on 9th and the Muslims will definitely miss him. Inna lillah-i-wa Inna ilaihi Rajeoon.
May his soul rest in peace.
I had some criticisms (minor ones) about him but no doubt he was a good and considerate knowledgeable leader for the African American community especially who would embrace Islam.
Sure he was not as exciting a speaker as Luis Farakhan or Malik Shabazz but he was (single-handedly) instrumental in guiding a large number of "black Muslims"(Fifteen thousand followers of Alijah) to the right path. May Allah accept this gtreat accomplishment from him.
That is not a small thing brothers and sisters. He was recognised all over the world as a leader of Muslims of America and was indeed a spokes person for Islam in the "West". He called the group as "Nation of Islam in the West" (before taking A.M.M. title). Initially the African Amedrican Muslims considered themselves as a "separate Church" but he advised them step by step to become "universal Muslims" (part of the Muslim Ummah).
These Muslims have come a long way from the times of his father Alijah. Warith definitely showe great courage to 'separate' from his father's teachings and had to face his fahter's displeasure including monetary loss but he never wavered from his convictions of true Islam, the one that was realised by Malcom X also.
I feel that African American Muslims would be more free to join the rest of the Muslim Ummah, thanks to the continued teachings of their leader Imam Warith-ud-Din Muhammad.
The American media did not make big news of his death but they are too busy right now in the "Lipstick on the pig" controversy or politics. I cant blame them. This year has been the most exciting political year for the media and an historical one indeed. America is writing a new chapter in its history. How the result of elections will unfold the political landscape of America is something to watch.

Jum'ah Journal- Biotechnical parenting-1

With the exception of Jum'atul-Wid'a, I shall continue the journal insha-Allah and will set specific topics each Jum'ah.
At the outset, let me say what I shall NOT talk about and that is Abortion and Human cloning. Main discussions will be for genetic engineering and such methods in humans and how Islam looks at these technologies where to place restrictions and where to allow the technology.
First, it should be undersood that the primary purpose of the technologies used today for 'parenting' are needed to help persons who are unable to have a child by natural methods and also for therapeutic purposes (treating some diseases by, say, genetic manipulation). We may call these "Assisted reproductive technologies" for the childless couples and 'gene therapy' for the therapeutic methods (for prevention as well as management). Now, just to enumerate the five goals of Sharia:
1. Preservation and protection of (self) life.
2. Preservation and protection of mind (Intellect)
3. Preservation of faith (any faith of the peoples, not just Islam)
4. Preservation of ownership (of property etc.)
5. Preservation of Offspring (ability to procreate; main requirement of family structure)
(Shatibi -- in "Muaffaqat")
All rules and regulations of Islamic Jurisprudence are designed with the above goals in mind.
I will talk about ART (Assisted Reproductive technologies) only.
1. Artificial Insemination. This procedure involves using the husband's semen for impregnation of wife's ovum through intra-uterine placement. Whether the semen is from a 'Bank', frozen and thawed or fresh obtained and "treated" (such as concentration), the condition is that :
a) It must be from the HUSBAND only and from no other person
b) The process can ONLY be valid if the marriage is current. (meaning that for example frozen semen of the husband cannot be used after his death or after divorce)
2. IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) In this process, the ovum (or ova) is fertilized by a sperm in the Lab. (Husband and wife relationship conditions remain the same.)
Fertilized ovum is then transfered into the uterus of the wife for 'take'.
There are several difficulties in the process and many technological advances have been made for this method to be more and more successful. I am not describing technical details.
(My friend Dr. Hussam E. Fadel MD, FACOG, prof. in the dept. of OB-GYN in Augusta GA, has written an excellent account first appeared in FIMA year book 2002 Page 59)
Also please see Booklet on "Medical Ethics: The Islamic Perspective published by IMANA, (Islamic Medial Association of North America)-- 101 West 22nd St. Ste. 106, Lombard Il. 60148 USA.
When you see the goals of Shari'ah it is easy to understand why Islam is strict about the marriage and family and offsprings. No confusion should enter in the family structures as the laws apply to family members, we must know the definite members.
As you will see in the Tafsir books regarding the interpretation of Verse # 37 (....When Zaid had dissolved his marriage with her, We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that there may be no diffiluty for the believers in marriage with the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have dissolved their marriage with them...) and of #40 (Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the prophets: ...) of Chapter 33rd (Ahzab)
CLearly here Allah is defining "Childern" but this is not to say that the "adoption" is not allowed in Islam. One can see that it is vital to differentiate between the adopted and the real children for the laws and their proper application.
Next will talk about "surrogacy"

Portable adultery

I know sperm banks and ova banks have been around for many years and every now and again you see advertisements, like, for 'sale' or 'wanted' (in addition to babies being on sale under covert terminology). May be they serve some useful purpose for some "needy" individuals or couples and I would support childless married couples, in tapping all available bio- technologies of today, remaining within the moral bounderies. However a couple getting a sperm from a "bank" to get his wife impregnated is clearly adultry (What I am calling "portable") and I feel it is not only unethical but immoral. I see lot of programs on TV which would have been unthinkable in older days.
Would you believe that a remarkable athlete ( cant give you examples but you can stretch your imagination) can make 75 dollars for (donation of) each "Sample" of his spermatic fluid and 'TV' calculated for me, they can make 900 dollars a month. There is demand in the "market". Some "Single Parents" go to extreme lengths to try various athletes, like football icons or Gymnastics super performers and make up a 'family' of such extra-ordinary children (what a mother). You can pick and choose what you like, even a "Ph. D." Intellectually brilliant type" of "sperm" if so desired. I am sorry if it sounds abhorring to you but I am talking about an open TV program., not something theoretical or imaginary
Of course it is not necessary that the expected gene will definitely "work" but that is another question. I remember a joke:
Some beauty asked Bertrand Russell, "Sir would it not be nice if we have a child, he will have my beautiful body and have your brain for intelligence?"
He quietly replied, "What if he has your brain and my body?" I used to say a 'hindi' dialogue:
"hey, Bhagwan, kaisa jamana aa giya hay, phat jaay yeh dharti aur sama jaaoun man iss main"
Islam considers the lineage to be most important for family and society and therefore its dictates are clear; Qur'an tells us that "Zaid bin Muhammad" was wrong (adopted as son) although he (Zaid bin Haritha) continued under the prophet's patronage (S. Al-Ahzaab, Aya 40). and "mothers are those that give birth to the child". (S. Mujadila, aya 2) Please look up in the Tafsir books for more info. I shall write some of the things I have learnt in Islamic Medical Association (Of North America) on this subject more, to bring you upto date. Now that I have started this I may as well do the job properly.

Jesus marriage- na'uzdubillah

I know you have all seen and heard about Da Vinci code and all the discussions recently.
I was listening to it today again.
The scholars both ordained as well as just historians were talking.
What strikes me is the calmness with which every one answers questions and with no surprising expressions on the questioner's face and they are talking about "Son of God". (For them it is a whole lot more than a Prophet)
Indeed there is so much mysticism curiosity, exaggeration etc. included that everybody comes out confused at the end and no good explanations are offered about the holy grail, the painting of the Last supper, Mary Magdelene and the Knights Templer, Fair prince of France and a host of other characters in the "mythology" (Considering that no solid evidence is produced and all is conjecture and stretch of imagination of each writer). I am leaving out Magdelene's child or children and "Lineage" of Jesus with Kings and so on.
Then there were no violent demonstrations in the Christian world, no burning of the books and no significant "outrage" of the less educated Christians and no deaths. Yes there was some rhetoric.

Sunday Surkhi- Radical Islam?

This word is becoming more and more frequent and Seems to indicate the activities of destructive type made by those persons who use the name of Islam for such activities.
Do I need to go on ?
What actually I see is that all are taking this 'banner' using it as a facade for smearing real Islam. By now most people have been educated enough about what is Qur'an, who is Prophet Muhammad, what are teachings of Islam and what is the meaning of this word Islam, but everyone will say"O! I did not know that the real teaching of Islam was different" and play the "ignorant".
May be I am exaggerating or paranoid or deluded and many non-Muslims are in fact ignorant, but as I said there have been many opportunities of learning without much effort and so why would "they" still go on playing "the ignorant" card.
All the Chritian seminaries require learning about Islam and Qur'an before they are considered for being "Ordained" as pastors. May be the stuff they are taught is twisted or looked at from Christian point of view etc. still I consider a Pastor should know better. Some sundays I watch part of the "televangelist" programs which some of them are geared toward teaching morals but not all. It was one of such programs I opened up today and listened to the pastor's "mud-slinging" on Islam by calling it"radical Islam"'s teachings.
"They hate us and want to destroy Israel and America"
"If Iran (Radical Islamist) gets a hold of nuclear weapon, they are going to use it, against us"
The same Iran was "ally" under Shah but without Shah (Dictator) the Shia have become Radical Islamists. So when these Pastors talk about destroying Muslim countries, occupying them, subjugating them etc. whould we call this "Radical Christianity?"
Well, that reminds me of a recent article I saw and to get you interested in "radical Judaism", let me refer you to the article written by BBC's Erica Chernofsky reporting about Israel's community of "Ultra-orthox Jews". That makes a very interesting reading and they sound like "Taliban" minus their Suicide bombing and Jihadist's activities (so far).

Yaum-e-Azadi Mubarak

My fellow Pakistanis
Happy independence day
This picture of the top of our house in "Kotla Arabali Khan" (Dt. Gujrat, Pb) was taken in 2003 Would like you to look at the Chimney-like projection on the 'chhat', called "munder" (Pronounced as mon +day+r) and on its left side a conical projection of some building. Ignore the Minar of the mosque farther away and rest of the buildings.
Now this Munder has history but first the "conical" top of the small building-- is actually "mandar" of our village which has not been used since 1947.(All hindoos left).
I prepared a Pakistan flag with my own hands in August of 1947, calculating how much white part and how much green part , sew them together and then sew the hilal and star combination---all on my own so that I could fly that flag proudly on that day (15th of August 1947). I wish I could get the flag and tie it up on that munder before taking the picture but I do not have the original flag made by Wahaj now.
I know we do it now on 14th but for the first time it was on the 15th of August indeed and I was fasting (Ramadhan). I tied up the flag at 'sahar' time and then untied it for my father who was to speak to the villagers later about Ishraq time.
Kotla Arbali Khan is a small village located just about three miles from the border of Azad Kashmir. It was small then but now it has grown to more than its double triple size.
My father, the late Hakim Maulvi Charaghuddin performed that morning a"ceremony" of 'PERCHAM-KUSHAI', using my proudly prepared percham. He told the Muslims (about 9-10 of the major persons of the village) the importance of Azadi and the importance of safety of the non-Muslim Pakistanis in Pakistan by the Muslims (there were riots all over India). All Hindoos and Sikhs left our village safely taken by the Baloch regiment trucks and I have not forgotten my friend Faqeer Chand sitting in one corner of the truck with a sad face.
Pakistan Paenda Baad. (this is less of a slogan and more of a prayer in my heart)

Of Human Dress

Here is a compilation of verses from S. Al-'Araaf (7th). I think these are self-explanatory and really do not need anything more to tell us about the dress's what and why and how etc. These verses follow the story of Adam and Eve and I pick up from when Satan comes in:
20. "then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, in order to reveal to them their shame, that was hidden from them before: he said, Your Lord only forbade you this tree lest you should become angels or such beings as live for ever."
21. "And he swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser." (Note the swearing here to decieve the poor Man, who could not at that time imagine anybody could swear and tell a lie.)
22. " So by deciet he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shameful parts became manifest to them and they began to sew together leaves of the Garden over their bodies...."
The story goes on as you all know and after that:
26. "O! Children of Adam, We have bestowed raiment(Libaas) upon you to cover your shame as well as to be adornment to you
BUT the raiment of righteousness (Taqwa) is best"
27. " O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you in the manner as he got your parents out of the Garden stripping them of their raiment to expose their shame..........."

There is a clear relationship in these verses as you can see. I put the words in italics only for your special attention. I also made "both" in Italics because Christian teaching seems to suggest that Satan seduced Eve first who then got Adam to follow her thus making the "woman" to blame. Qur'an is clear about BOTH being responsible (and of course Qur'an also tells us they prayed both of them and were FORGIVEN)
(Translations from Modified Yusufali)

Sunday Surkhi-Indiscretion?

You have all heard it and all possible comments have been made for John Edward. Our NC 'hopeful' or one of the "wannabees", now eclipsed.
Somebody called it a "slight Indiscretion". Being kind to him and his family? Why?
Family specially his wife Elizabeth asks for privacy(I understand her painful predicament). How can a person running for the presidential nomination of the most powerful country in the world be private?
Somebody else made the correct statement. Both John and Elizabeth knew what he had done, then why they still opted for going into the presidential nominee campaign. That is a gross blunder, it reminds me:
I was in England in 1963 when John Profumo and a call girl (Christine Keeler) affair sprung up and ended up in great despair on the part of MacMillen's Government as he was at that time in a very important position (secretary of state). Not only he resigned but later the prime minister also resigned (on account of ill-health--I wonder if this affair had played a part on his health). I became acutely aware of the fact--keh Aik m'amooli aurat nay hukoomat ka takhta ulat diya. (The other thing I remember is the then Pakistani President Ayub Khan also in the same swimming pool as Keeler-probably a photo with some comments)
Well, I think all these persons in high positions must take control of themselves (they are in full view of the world and they dont have a privacy) from these "indiscretions", because in their case it is a huge blunder, not and indiscretion. Let the future "wannabees" take a lesson.

Sunday Surkhi/Qardh Hasana

I had a ten days 'vacation' from blogging.
Nothing specific--- although several things happened that needed to be reported.
While going through some other's blog (probably my friend "Mystic"), I came across the idea of "giving in the way of Allah" always helps.
My thoughts on this subject
Yes, you always get rewards here as well as in the hereafter, like "Qadhan Hasana" (Goodly loan)
Yes , I think sometimes Allah gives us more than our needs so that we can share with others and so certainly the 'poor' have a right on that "extra". We have a misunderstadning that "we earned it so we own it", but without His leave or His "Fadhl" we could not (He gives the brain, ability to do, ability to work hard etc.--all is His giving). Forgive me for the word Fadhl (Fazal in Urdu) because it has been used wrongly probably jokingly for "illegal income" in some circles and I am ceratinly not using it in that sense at all.
The Aya in Qur'an Surah Zariyaat, 51st sura, Aya 19:
"And in their wealth there is a due share for the beggar and the deprived" (Arabic words are better than English Lissaail-e- wal mahroom.)