Hey friends,
I am not going to be blogging.
Mansur
ps. In case you panicked that I am closing down my blog, dont! I am traveling to Pakistan from the 30th October till the 10th of November, and will be extremely busy in that short period of time as I have loads of things to do on my checklist. So blogging will be really hard to do so.
pss. To those who are fasting, I hope you have a happy eid!
psss. Please pray for me as I will be also be volunteering my time for the on-going relief efforts in Pakistan.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Women Have It Easier in KSA!
Hello friends,
Too often we hear that women are deprived of their rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with issues like driving and voting at the foremost. Aren’t you sick of hearing time and again how some people claim it is difficult to live as a woman in Saudi Arabia? I know I certainly am! However, living as a single male bachelor in Jeddah, I can assure you that in the Kingdom, women have it going a lot easier than people think otherwise. Many times it is equally frustrating to be a single bachelor in the kingdom than it is to be a woman.
So, ladies and gentlemen, with the help of my friend Xena, here is a list, if not ‘the’ list of why it is easier to be a woman in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
1. Women have the freedom of being driven everywhere. No parking hassles. No driving in the crazy traffic that is in Jeddah. They can go around anywhere, everywhere, at the summon of their driver.
2. Recent news indicate that a cinema will open in Riyadh. Who gets to go first? women and children! How unfair for the men!
3. At certain fast food outlets, women have a separate queue lines, which is so much better than the regular queue line because women’s line is almost empty so their turn comes fast!
4. Shopping malls are almost entirely dedicated to women’s needs. Check out any mall: 90% of the shops are catered towards women!
5. Many of the places are families only. So if you are a single woman, you can get in anytime any place, but a single man will often be found standing outside. These places include restaurants, shopping malls, theme parks etc.
6. Women are supposed to wear the abayas, which means they can wear anything underneath and just cover themselves up. I know of some females who have worn anything from a skirt, to shorts, to tight jeans to pajamas and go out in the public in their abayas. Also, in Jeddah, head covering is not mandatory, so it’s not as restricted as people living outside of KSA make it to be.
7. Women have it easier at the shops, where the salesmen are drop everything to attend to the female customers, whereas the male customers will not have much attention paid to.
8. A woman will get more telephone numbers or blue-tooth messages from the men, and not vice versa.
9. Female students are not required to do physical sports in school. (This is controversial because as some make students will tell you, they wish to skip sports, but since obesity is on the increase, all students are required to do sports)
10. If you are out on the street driving, and come to a check-point, having a woman with you is a bonus because the police officers will never stop you. As a single man driving, they will often stop you and ask you for your documents. A woman will never be stopped.
11. Last but not least, women have the luxury to ask their husbands, fathers, brothers to do all the paperwork for them. The women can stay at home while their husbands, fathers, brothers etc have to do all the paperwork for them, whether it be at a ministry, company or a bank. How tough for the men!
So, before anyone tells me that women are deprived and oppressed, I think living there will actually show you how much easier it is for women to live there. I have lived there and I have seen how much more importance and preferential treatment women are given.
What do you all think? Do you have any more ideas to add to the list? Do you disagree? What should be removed from the list? As far as I am concerned, the number of females I have to talked to who have lived in the Kingdom, agree with me that women have it easier than the men. Whether they have it better or not is another story!
Mansur
Too often we hear that women are deprived of their rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with issues like driving and voting at the foremost. Aren’t you sick of hearing time and again how some people claim it is difficult to live as a woman in Saudi Arabia? I know I certainly am! However, living as a single male bachelor in Jeddah, I can assure you that in the Kingdom, women have it going a lot easier than people think otherwise. Many times it is equally frustrating to be a single bachelor in the kingdom than it is to be a woman.
So, ladies and gentlemen, with the help of my friend Xena, here is a list, if not ‘the’ list of why it is easier to be a woman in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
1. Women have the freedom of being driven everywhere. No parking hassles. No driving in the crazy traffic that is in Jeddah. They can go around anywhere, everywhere, at the summon of their driver.
2. Recent news indicate that a cinema will open in Riyadh. Who gets to go first? women and children! How unfair for the men!
3. At certain fast food outlets, women have a separate queue lines, which is so much better than the regular queue line because women’s line is almost empty so their turn comes fast!
4. Shopping malls are almost entirely dedicated to women’s needs. Check out any mall: 90% of the shops are catered towards women!
5. Many of the places are families only. So if you are a single woman, you can get in anytime any place, but a single man will often be found standing outside. These places include restaurants, shopping malls, theme parks etc.
6. Women are supposed to wear the abayas, which means they can wear anything underneath and just cover themselves up. I know of some females who have worn anything from a skirt, to shorts, to tight jeans to pajamas and go out in the public in their abayas. Also, in Jeddah, head covering is not mandatory, so it’s not as restricted as people living outside of KSA make it to be.
7. Women have it easier at the shops, where the salesmen are drop everything to attend to the female customers, whereas the male customers will not have much attention paid to.
8. A woman will get more telephone numbers or blue-tooth messages from the men, and not vice versa.
9. Female students are not required to do physical sports in school. (This is controversial because as some make students will tell you, they wish to skip sports, but since obesity is on the increase, all students are required to do sports)
10. If you are out on the street driving, and come to a check-point, having a woman with you is a bonus because the police officers will never stop you. As a single man driving, they will often stop you and ask you for your documents. A woman will never be stopped.
11. Last but not least, women have the luxury to ask their husbands, fathers, brothers to do all the paperwork for them. The women can stay at home while their husbands, fathers, brothers etc have to do all the paperwork for them, whether it be at a ministry, company or a bank. How tough for the men!
So, before anyone tells me that women are deprived and oppressed, I think living there will actually show you how much easier it is for women to live there. I have lived there and I have seen how much more importance and preferential treatment women are given.
What do you all think? Do you have any more ideas to add to the list? Do you disagree? What should be removed from the list? As far as I am concerned, the number of females I have to talked to who have lived in the Kingdom, agree with me that women have it easier than the men. Whether they have it better or not is another story!
Mansur
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Shorobat Il-Jereesh (Saudi Wheat Soup)
Hey friends,It is with much excitement I am posting this post. It's been long over-due and I think it is fitting that I am posting this in the month of Ramadan. So Mr. Kashif, many apologies for taking ages to get back to you with the recipe, which I finally found at Soup Song, which has a section on Ramadan Soups.
According to your description, I believe the soup you are looking for is called Shorobat Il-Jereesh (Saudi Wheat Soup). To save you the time, I am posting the recipe down below.
-----From Soup Song website-----
Much better than it sounds! This soup, which traditionally breaks the fast during the month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, is stuffed with tomatoes, meat, and bulgur (which is a terrific chunky wheat grain), and is fragrant with cinnamon. Besides breaking the Ramadan fast, it's a filling and hearty soup for brisk days--a natural lunch for kids and adults alike. Serve hot to 4-6 people.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3/4 pound beef or lamb, cut into bite-size cubes
5 cups water
6 tomatoes, peeled (10 if from a can), pureed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
Garnish: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and toss in the onions.
Fry for a few minutes, then stir in the meat cubes and fry on all sides.
Pour in the 5 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender--about an hour.
Pour in the pureed tomatoes and season with cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
Add the bulgur to the soup, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the bulgur is tender.
Pour the soup into a tureen, sprinkle with cinnamon, and carry to the table.
-----------
Have fun Mr. Kashif. If any one of you tries this out, let me know how it was.
Mansur
Monday, October 17, 2005
Quote
Hi friends,
A quote to ponder over:
Woman was made from the rib of man. She was not created from his head to top him. Nor from his feet to be stepped upon. She was made from his side to be close to him. From beneath his arm to be protected by him. Near his heart to be loved by him. --Anonymous
Mansur
A quote to ponder over:
Woman was made from the rib of man. She was not created from his head to top him. Nor from his feet to be stepped upon. She was made from his side to be close to him. From beneath his arm to be protected by him. Near his heart to be loved by him. --Anonymous
Mansur
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Adoption?
Hello all,
The recent earthquake in Pakistan has created a situation where there are 100s of little babies and children whose parents have been killed. Although these babies are too young to comprehend the full extent of the destruction of things around them, they are indeed parent-less. Because of this situation developing, adoption has been on the increase. There are talks of babies and infants being adopted by families. That is a very good thing, because right now in the rehabilitation phase, the survivors need all the love and care they can get. They need to know that people are thinking about them and are genuinely concerned for them.
I got into a debate recently with a friend, who was saying he would never adopt any kids. He argued that if he could have his own kids biologically he would not see the need to adopt kids at all.
“Only those who cannot have children should adopt,” he told me.
“But don’t you see you the humanitarian gesture in adopting children? Don’t you see this an amazing chance to help a child out?” I asked him.
“yeah, that’s right in its own place, but I would rather have my own kids, and anyways, I can always give donations and charity to support the kids.”
Unfortunately his attitude is not an uncommon one. While there are many who jump at the opportunity to adopt a kid, there are equally as many out there who would choose not to. Adoption can be a very personal and emotional issue for the kids when they grow up. I know a family in Jeddah who have an adopted daughter. I don’t know if the daughter knows she is adopted or not, but I cannot imagine what would go through her mind when she is told she is not the parents’ biological child but an adopted one.
What would she feel? Would she feel she is not connected to her parents? Would she feel distanced knowing she is not their real offspring? Would she have a desire to find out if her real parents are still alive? Would she wonder if she has any brothers or sisters out there? This and many other questions would be at the forefront of an adopted child. But then, should an adopted be told anything at all? When is the right age?
I personally myself have already told my parents that I will adopt children. My parents were a bit hesitant about it, but I am determined to adopt a child when I am married—(the whole thing also depends on what my wife’s viewpoint will be on adoption) but having said that, I have a deep desire to adopt a child. I want to give a parent-less child out there an opportunity to have a better life than the one he/she may be leading in an orphanage.
Mansur
The recent earthquake in Pakistan has created a situation where there are 100s of little babies and children whose parents have been killed. Although these babies are too young to comprehend the full extent of the destruction of things around them, they are indeed parent-less. Because of this situation developing, adoption has been on the increase. There are talks of babies and infants being adopted by families. That is a very good thing, because right now in the rehabilitation phase, the survivors need all the love and care they can get. They need to know that people are thinking about them and are genuinely concerned for them.
I got into a debate recently with a friend, who was saying he would never adopt any kids. He argued that if he could have his own kids biologically he would not see the need to adopt kids at all.
“Only those who cannot have children should adopt,” he told me.
“But don’t you see you the humanitarian gesture in adopting children? Don’t you see this an amazing chance to help a child out?” I asked him.
“yeah, that’s right in its own place, but I would rather have my own kids, and anyways, I can always give donations and charity to support the kids.”
Unfortunately his attitude is not an uncommon one. While there are many who jump at the opportunity to adopt a kid, there are equally as many out there who would choose not to. Adoption can be a very personal and emotional issue for the kids when they grow up. I know a family in Jeddah who have an adopted daughter. I don’t know if the daughter knows she is adopted or not, but I cannot imagine what would go through her mind when she is told she is not the parents’ biological child but an adopted one.
What would she feel? Would she feel she is not connected to her parents? Would she feel distanced knowing she is not their real offspring? Would she have a desire to find out if her real parents are still alive? Would she wonder if she has any brothers or sisters out there? This and many other questions would be at the forefront of an adopted child. But then, should an adopted be told anything at all? When is the right age?
I personally myself have already told my parents that I will adopt children. My parents were a bit hesitant about it, but I am determined to adopt a child when I am married—(the whole thing also depends on what my wife’s viewpoint will be on adoption) but having said that, I have a deep desire to adopt a child. I want to give a parent-less child out there an opportunity to have a better life than the one he/she may be leading in an orphanage.
Mansur
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Missing Home!
Hey everyone,
Fellow blogger Jo says she misses home. I wrote about how I miss London months ago. Today I miss Pakistan and want to be there. Is the grass always greener on the other side? Why don't we miss the place we are away from while we are in there? Do we take it for granted while we are there?
I miss Jeddah too. Time and again, I feel like going back home in Jeddah, and just chilling out. Driving down Tahliya and Sari streets, as well on the corniche. Enjoying the relaxed pace of life. But at times it's funny that when I am in Jeddah I wish I were elsewhere, like in Dubai so I could go to the cinemas and nice restaurants. You can call me a nomad because I still don't know where I want to settle. Where is "home?" Lahore? Jeddah? Dubai? Anywhere? (Deep down I know the Earth is not my final home, but my final home will be up above with God- so I am only referring to my place in this world when I talk about settling down.)
My brother and his family is settled in London. My parents will soon be leaving Jeddah after 28 years there and move to Pakistan. I know I will going to the UK to do my Masters. So when I finish my Masters, that will be the crucial point when I know where I will settle.
I don't feel settled in Dubai. I am living here, but I don't feel like I can stay here for a longer time. I have this urge to move out, travel the world and find a place where I know I can settle in comfortably.
Mansur
I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
---Mark Twain
Fellow blogger Jo says she misses home. I wrote about how I miss London months ago. Today I miss Pakistan and want to be there. Is the grass always greener on the other side? Why don't we miss the place we are away from while we are in there? Do we take it for granted while we are there?
I miss Jeddah too. Time and again, I feel like going back home in Jeddah, and just chilling out. Driving down Tahliya and Sari streets, as well on the corniche. Enjoying the relaxed pace of life. But at times it's funny that when I am in Jeddah I wish I were elsewhere, like in Dubai so I could go to the cinemas and nice restaurants. You can call me a nomad because I still don't know where I want to settle. Where is "home?" Lahore? Jeddah? Dubai? Anywhere? (Deep down I know the Earth is not my final home, but my final home will be up above with God- so I am only referring to my place in this world when I talk about settling down.)
My brother and his family is settled in London. My parents will soon be leaving Jeddah after 28 years there and move to Pakistan. I know I will going to the UK to do my Masters. So when I finish my Masters, that will be the crucial point when I know where I will settle.
I don't feel settled in Dubai. I am living here, but I don't feel like I can stay here for a longer time. I have this urge to move out, travel the world and find a place where I know I can settle in comfortably.
Mansur
I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
---Mark Twain
Friday, October 14, 2005
Earthquake in Pakistan- My Thoughts
Hello friends,
As days pass by, I get a clearer and better understanding of the scale of the devastation that the earthquake has caused to my home country of Pakistan. I watched President Musharraf's speech to the nation last night, and somehow I have a deep admiration for him now, for the way he handled the disaster and coordinated the relief efforts.
The earthquake struck Saturday morning, 8th October 2005, at 7:55am local time, with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. It shook all the villages in the Northern Areas in Pakistan, as well as the major cities of Islamabad and Lahore. My extended fmaily members, including my grandparents live in Lahore, and thankfully everyone I know are all right. But, I feel ever so strongly for all the people who had to endure and suffer the devastating impact of the quake.
As I hear more and more stories from the survivors, my heart sinks deeper and deeper. Why them? Why did so many school children have to die? What fault was it of theirs? The latest official figure stands at 21,000 dead, and more than 50,000 injured. When I think about that figure, 21,000, I cannot fathom the sheer immensity of that number. 21,000 men, women and children. Some of the villages, that have been nested away deep into the mountainous areas have been eaten up by the earth. It's as if someone came with a bulldozer and razed everything to the ground. Some villages have lost an entire generation. There are school children buried under their school. There are tourists buried under the hotel they were staying at. There are families, parents, grandparents who were caught under the debris.
There are men crying over the deaths of their children, which I think is one of the hardest thing a parent has to bear: to bury their own children. To see bodies being wrapped in white cloths, ready for burial serves a stark reminder that death can strike anytime. I don't know if anyone else feels the same impact in their hearts, but really for the first time in my life, I feel so much of the pain and anguish all my countrymen and women are going through. I just start weeping watching all these people, caught up in the mountains, with no relief aid in sight, begging for a single drop of water. I simply wish I had the power to airlift all of these people.
According to President Musharraf, the sole reason for the delay for the aid to reach the smaller villages that were cut off were because of a shortage of helicopters, and blockages of roads due to landslides. But aid is slowly pouring in, but as everyone is saying, it's the case of Too Little, Too Late. It hurts to see people die this way. It hurts to see that more lives could have been prevented had action been taken quicker.
However, despite all the gloomy situation, the huge number of deaths, there have also been some miracles. A mother and daughter were rescued four days after the quake. Another women and her mother were rescued as well. An old man survived drinking rainwater that was trickling down through the debris. It's sheer miracles that there are still people being found alive five days after the quake. Hope is indeed a great thing, and it must be given an opportunity to float.
International aid is pouring in, and still more is needed. Money, food, blankets, medicines, tents and other materials are coming in large numbers. I am so proud to see the Pakistanis act in a unified manner, where everone has dropped their differences and are united to help one another, because deep down in our hearts, we know we are Pakistanis and there is an invisible brotherhood that links us all. The Pakistani community outside of Pakistan have performed tremendously well. Large numbers of expatriates Pakistanis have flown into the country, to volunteer and to help out with the relief work. Large numbers of doctors, nurses and psychiatrists are flying to the country. International rescue teams were there within the first 24 hours.
Having said that, the only issue they are facing now is not knowing where to channelise these people who are coming in to help out. While their action is truly commendable, there have been some problems of delegating the work, so now it has been suggested that people travel to the Northern Areas if they are registered with a governmental or a non-governmental organizations. With better organization, the efforts of the volunteers can be better utilized to the maximum efficiency. Even my reaction initially was to catch the first flight to Pakistan, but I realized that for me to just get there and not know what to do next would only add to the problem. There are loads of people there, and these people know how to do their jobs. They are trained to handle such kind of crisis situation.
The sole focus now is on Resuce and Relief. The survivors are being resuced, and others are being treated. They are being airlifted from the hill top areas to the bigger cities to be hospitalized. It is truly heart-wrenching to see young children with severe injuries and broken arms and legs. What have the children done to deserve this? The second phase involves Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, which includes the re-location of the survivors and the rebuilding of the damaged villages. It will be a long and ardous task for everyone involved.
A lot of people were initially talking about the earthquake as a message from God to the Pakistani people. Certain people are saying that the earthquake was sent as a punishment to the people to repent and turn away from their sins. I have a huge issue with this, because I want to know what the 500+ children, mothers, fathers, grandparents living in mostly conservative Muslim dominated areas had to repent for? No doubt this is a "test for the nation," and indeed our whole life is a test. This is a trying time for everyone directly and indirectly affected by the quake, because it seems incomprehensible to us. How do we make sense of an earthquake like this? How do we make sense of an earthquake targetting a part of the world that is full of conservative Muslims, including the Afghanis?
One important thing I think we need to realize is to not let our emotions get the better off us. It is very easy for us to get emotional and live in fear that God is punishing the Pakistanis. I watched the scientific and environmentalists talk and debate about this earthquake. According to the the United States Geological Survey, there are approximately 15,000 earthquakes ranging from 4 to 9 on the Richter scale each year. Scientists had also predicted that Pakistan and Indian are on a the Indo-Eurasian geographic plates that was ripe for a major quake. This quake in Pakistan was long over due. So, when we know there are 15,000 earthquakes each year, are we to assume that God is sending a message 15,000 times to the world?
I have always maintained my belief that God is control of the world, and everything that happens on this planet happens by His leave. That is very comforting to know because with God, everything is perfect. He has a plan for each one of us on this planet, and He sees the bigger scheme of things.I believe that we are experiencing these changes in the climate of this earth because of the demographics of the world: over-population, pollution in all forms, deforestation, desertification, global warming, rising ocean waters, melting ice caps and so on. We are ruining this planet that we think we own, but in reality has only been loaned to us, which we have to pass to the following generations that come after us.
May God continue to watch over the affected areas in Pakistan, continue to shower His grace, mercy and love to each of the survivor who are facing this intense test of life. May God continue to give them encouragement, and support. May the aid reaches everyone as fast as it can. May no more innocent lives be perished. May God also give strength and energy to all the people who are volunteering, who are aiding in the relief work. May God bless the nation of Pakistan.
Mansur
As days pass by, I get a clearer and better understanding of the scale of the devastation that the earthquake has caused to my home country of Pakistan. I watched President Musharraf's speech to the nation last night, and somehow I have a deep admiration for him now, for the way he handled the disaster and coordinated the relief efforts.
The earthquake struck Saturday morning, 8th October 2005, at 7:55am local time, with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. It shook all the villages in the Northern Areas in Pakistan, as well as the major cities of Islamabad and Lahore. My extended fmaily members, including my grandparents live in Lahore, and thankfully everyone I know are all right. But, I feel ever so strongly for all the people who had to endure and suffer the devastating impact of the quake.
As I hear more and more stories from the survivors, my heart sinks deeper and deeper. Why them? Why did so many school children have to die? What fault was it of theirs? The latest official figure stands at 21,000 dead, and more than 50,000 injured. When I think about that figure, 21,000, I cannot fathom the sheer immensity of that number. 21,000 men, women and children. Some of the villages, that have been nested away deep into the mountainous areas have been eaten up by the earth. It's as if someone came with a bulldozer and razed everything to the ground. Some villages have lost an entire generation. There are school children buried under their school. There are tourists buried under the hotel they were staying at. There are families, parents, grandparents who were caught under the debris.
There are men crying over the deaths of their children, which I think is one of the hardest thing a parent has to bear: to bury their own children. To see bodies being wrapped in white cloths, ready for burial serves a stark reminder that death can strike anytime. I don't know if anyone else feels the same impact in their hearts, but really for the first time in my life, I feel so much of the pain and anguish all my countrymen and women are going through. I just start weeping watching all these people, caught up in the mountains, with no relief aid in sight, begging for a single drop of water. I simply wish I had the power to airlift all of these people.
According to President Musharraf, the sole reason for the delay for the aid to reach the smaller villages that were cut off were because of a shortage of helicopters, and blockages of roads due to landslides. But aid is slowly pouring in, but as everyone is saying, it's the case of Too Little, Too Late. It hurts to see people die this way. It hurts to see that more lives could have been prevented had action been taken quicker.
However, despite all the gloomy situation, the huge number of deaths, there have also been some miracles. A mother and daughter were rescued four days after the quake. Another women and her mother were rescued as well. An old man survived drinking rainwater that was trickling down through the debris. It's sheer miracles that there are still people being found alive five days after the quake. Hope is indeed a great thing, and it must be given an opportunity to float.
International aid is pouring in, and still more is needed. Money, food, blankets, medicines, tents and other materials are coming in large numbers. I am so proud to see the Pakistanis act in a unified manner, where everone has dropped their differences and are united to help one another, because deep down in our hearts, we know we are Pakistanis and there is an invisible brotherhood that links us all. The Pakistani community outside of Pakistan have performed tremendously well. Large numbers of expatriates Pakistanis have flown into the country, to volunteer and to help out with the relief work. Large numbers of doctors, nurses and psychiatrists are flying to the country. International rescue teams were there within the first 24 hours.
Having said that, the only issue they are facing now is not knowing where to channelise these people who are coming in to help out. While their action is truly commendable, there have been some problems of delegating the work, so now it has been suggested that people travel to the Northern Areas if they are registered with a governmental or a non-governmental organizations. With better organization, the efforts of the volunteers can be better utilized to the maximum efficiency. Even my reaction initially was to catch the first flight to Pakistan, but I realized that for me to just get there and not know what to do next would only add to the problem. There are loads of people there, and these people know how to do their jobs. They are trained to handle such kind of crisis situation.
The sole focus now is on Resuce and Relief. The survivors are being resuced, and others are being treated. They are being airlifted from the hill top areas to the bigger cities to be hospitalized. It is truly heart-wrenching to see young children with severe injuries and broken arms and legs. What have the children done to deserve this? The second phase involves Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, which includes the re-location of the survivors and the rebuilding of the damaged villages. It will be a long and ardous task for everyone involved.
A lot of people were initially talking about the earthquake as a message from God to the Pakistani people. Certain people are saying that the earthquake was sent as a punishment to the people to repent and turn away from their sins. I have a huge issue with this, because I want to know what the 500+ children, mothers, fathers, grandparents living in mostly conservative Muslim dominated areas had to repent for? No doubt this is a "test for the nation," and indeed our whole life is a test. This is a trying time for everyone directly and indirectly affected by the quake, because it seems incomprehensible to us. How do we make sense of an earthquake like this? How do we make sense of an earthquake targetting a part of the world that is full of conservative Muslims, including the Afghanis?
One important thing I think we need to realize is to not let our emotions get the better off us. It is very easy for us to get emotional and live in fear that God is punishing the Pakistanis. I watched the scientific and environmentalists talk and debate about this earthquake. According to the the United States Geological Survey, there are approximately 15,000 earthquakes ranging from 4 to 9 on the Richter scale each year. Scientists had also predicted that Pakistan and Indian are on a the Indo-Eurasian geographic plates that was ripe for a major quake. This quake in Pakistan was long over due. So, when we know there are 15,000 earthquakes each year, are we to assume that God is sending a message 15,000 times to the world?
I have always maintained my belief that God is control of the world, and everything that happens on this planet happens by His leave. That is very comforting to know because with God, everything is perfect. He has a plan for each one of us on this planet, and He sees the bigger scheme of things.I believe that we are experiencing these changes in the climate of this earth because of the demographics of the world: over-population, pollution in all forms, deforestation, desertification, global warming, rising ocean waters, melting ice caps and so on. We are ruining this planet that we think we own, but in reality has only been loaned to us, which we have to pass to the following generations that come after us.
May God continue to watch over the affected areas in Pakistan, continue to shower His grace, mercy and love to each of the survivor who are facing this intense test of life. May God continue to give them encouragement, and support. May the aid reaches everyone as fast as it can. May no more innocent lives be perished. May God also give strength and energy to all the people who are volunteering, who are aiding in the relief work. May God bless the nation of Pakistan.
Mansur
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Absolutely Devastated!
Hey everyone,
When the Americans suffered through the tragedy of 9/11 attacks, I did relate to their feelings 100%. I sympathized, but not entirely. When the tsunami struck Indonesia and killed so many innocent people, I sympathized, but then, I did not relate to the people. Today, as I read and hear more and more about the devastation that the earthquake has created in Pakistan, I am absolutely devastated personally. The figure has risen dramatically overnight from 1000, to 20,000, and is expected rise further. The damage has been done, and now survivors are being sought.
These people who are affected my own countrymen and women. I identify with them. I identify the places and towns. I know Islamabad and Balakot, another hard hit city in the Northern areas. I sympathize with the men, women and children there because I know the conditions they live in. While I may not know and experience the extent of the damage, I can understand what they might be all doing through.
One of the most bravest scenes I witnessed was to see so many people volunteering to bring out the surviviors from the collapsed apartment towers. To see so many men form a line, working cohesively and collectively, just made me proud to be a Pakistani. To see that there is no looting or killing of innocents like there were when hurricane Katrina struck the US, I was so encouraged to see the Pakistanis help their brothers and sisters in peril. As we all know, survivors, if any, under the debris have about 72 hours to live, beyond which one is declared dead. There are miracles stories, and there have been cases of peopel suriviving beyond the 72 hours.
My heart breaks to see such devastation, yet it also rejoices to see all the men and women drop their differences and unite to help each other. The Pakistani and the Indian soldiers atthe Kashmiri border are sharing resources instead of bullets. They are reconstructing instead of damaging. I hope every one realizes in the midst of all this that wars and battles over Kashmir is insignificant, and that everyone fares better when they work together and accept and tolerate better. If everyone can unite together for the better in times of devastation, why cannot they get along otherwise?
My heart is indeed very heavy as I read about the 200 young soldiers who were killed along with their leader. I am sad when I read about school children caught inside their classroom screaming and crying for help, and in another city 250 school children who were killed instantly. Despite all the anguish and difficulties being endured by the people in Pakistan, there are some success stories of people being pulled out from the debris. There is still hope and hope is very important to maintain.
I would like to end with a short prayer for the people of Pakistan, since I feel so intensely and so deeply for them.
Dear God,
I want to lift up to You the nation of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, as the men, women and children deal with such a devastation in their lives. God, I pray that You give your support and encouragement to all the survivors as they try to make sense of what happened. I want to pray for the families who have lost their loved ones, be it one family member or entire families, God, I just pray that You give them patience to deal with such an immense loss. God, even I don't understand why such things happen where a large number of innocent people are killed, but I trust that You are in control of the world, and that there is reason for all this which we may not understand right now.
God, I want to continue to pray for the people, for their safety and that they get all the medical supplies, food and shelter to them. I am so thankful international countries have pledged assistance and monetary aids. I am thankful that channels of communicataions are being opened so aid can reach the more deeply affected areas. I am so thankful aid agencies and volunteers rushed to the scene to help out the wounded people. I am thankful all sorts of medications, food supplies and tents are being distributed. I am thankful for all this because You made it possible.
God I think about the young boy, who is carrying his 5yr old sister whose face is ripped off seeking for medical help. I pray some doctor out there reaches to him and her and treat them. I pray that the screaming children buried under the debris are rescued and that no more children are perished. I think about the mother who is wandering out there alone without a family, forced to spend the night out in the open. I think about the father whose wife and children just perished. I think about the child who just realized his parents are no more. God, I pray You touch the hearts of all these people and show them Your mercy, grace and love. I trust God you will do that.
Most of all, God, I pray that people turn to you with a renewed faith, with a revivalism of sorts in their belief in You. I pray that even those who are not in the country take this opportunity to commit deeply their faith to You. As we are in the holy month of Ramadan, God, I pray that we are more diligent in prayer and fasting, and sincere about it. I pray for patience, encouragement, mercy, grace and love to be poured out on all those who are affected, be they in the country or abroad.
Amen.
Mansur
When the Americans suffered through the tragedy of 9/11 attacks, I did relate to their feelings 100%. I sympathized, but not entirely. When the tsunami struck Indonesia and killed so many innocent people, I sympathized, but then, I did not relate to the people. Today, as I read and hear more and more about the devastation that the earthquake has created in Pakistan, I am absolutely devastated personally. The figure has risen dramatically overnight from 1000, to 20,000, and is expected rise further. The damage has been done, and now survivors are being sought.
These people who are affected my own countrymen and women. I identify with them. I identify the places and towns. I know Islamabad and Balakot, another hard hit city in the Northern areas. I sympathize with the men, women and children there because I know the conditions they live in. While I may not know and experience the extent of the damage, I can understand what they might be all doing through.
One of the most bravest scenes I witnessed was to see so many people volunteering to bring out the surviviors from the collapsed apartment towers. To see so many men form a line, working cohesively and collectively, just made me proud to be a Pakistani. To see that there is no looting or killing of innocents like there were when hurricane Katrina struck the US, I was so encouraged to see the Pakistanis help their brothers and sisters in peril. As we all know, survivors, if any, under the debris have about 72 hours to live, beyond which one is declared dead. There are miracles stories, and there have been cases of peopel suriviving beyond the 72 hours.
My heart breaks to see such devastation, yet it also rejoices to see all the men and women drop their differences and unite to help each other. The Pakistani and the Indian soldiers atthe Kashmiri border are sharing resources instead of bullets. They are reconstructing instead of damaging. I hope every one realizes in the midst of all this that wars and battles over Kashmir is insignificant, and that everyone fares better when they work together and accept and tolerate better. If everyone can unite together for the better in times of devastation, why cannot they get along otherwise?
My heart is indeed very heavy as I read about the 200 young soldiers who were killed along with their leader. I am sad when I read about school children caught inside their classroom screaming and crying for help, and in another city 250 school children who were killed instantly. Despite all the anguish and difficulties being endured by the people in Pakistan, there are some success stories of people being pulled out from the debris. There is still hope and hope is very important to maintain.
I would like to end with a short prayer for the people of Pakistan, since I feel so intensely and so deeply for them.
Dear God,
I want to lift up to You the nation of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, as the men, women and children deal with such a devastation in their lives. God, I pray that You give your support and encouragement to all the survivors as they try to make sense of what happened. I want to pray for the families who have lost their loved ones, be it one family member or entire families, God, I just pray that You give them patience to deal with such an immense loss. God, even I don't understand why such things happen where a large number of innocent people are killed, but I trust that You are in control of the world, and that there is reason for all this which we may not understand right now.
God, I want to continue to pray for the people, for their safety and that they get all the medical supplies, food and shelter to them. I am so thankful international countries have pledged assistance and monetary aids. I am thankful that channels of communicataions are being opened so aid can reach the more deeply affected areas. I am so thankful aid agencies and volunteers rushed to the scene to help out the wounded people. I am thankful all sorts of medications, food supplies and tents are being distributed. I am thankful for all this because You made it possible.
God I think about the young boy, who is carrying his 5yr old sister whose face is ripped off seeking for medical help. I pray some doctor out there reaches to him and her and treat them. I pray that the screaming children buried under the debris are rescued and that no more children are perished. I think about the mother who is wandering out there alone without a family, forced to spend the night out in the open. I think about the father whose wife and children just perished. I think about the child who just realized his parents are no more. God, I pray You touch the hearts of all these people and show them Your mercy, grace and love. I trust God you will do that.
Most of all, God, I pray that people turn to you with a renewed faith, with a revivalism of sorts in their belief in You. I pray that even those who are not in the country take this opportunity to commit deeply their faith to You. As we are in the holy month of Ramadan, God, I pray that we are more diligent in prayer and fasting, and sincere about it. I pray for patience, encouragement, mercy, grace and love to be poured out on all those who are affected, be they in the country or abroad.
Amen.
Mansur
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Earthquake....!
Hey everyone,
I am sure you all caught the news of the devastating earthquake that shook three countries: Pakistan, Indian and Afghanistan, with the Pakistani-administered Kashmir region being the worst hit. It certainly is devastating, with the current figures at 806 at the time of writing, and looks set to rise into the 1000s. A series of aftershocks, including one of 6.3 magnitude and four more at 5.4 or above, shook the region, creating new panic among residents.
The quake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, but some reports are claiming it was higher at 7.8. The epicentre was 80km (50 miles) north-east of Islamabad. My hometown of Lahore also seems to be affected, as reflected in various comments left by people in Lahore:
The tremors in the morning were really terrifying. There was again a 2 minute aftershock felt to be the same as the morning some 15 - 20 mins back. We hope people remain safe all within. Mustafa Rana, Lahore, Pakistan
I was asleep in my first floor room and woke up when I felt a swaying and shaking movement. The quake grew in intensity for a while and then started subsiding; it lasted almost 7 minutes. We are still experiencing after shocks and I can only imagine the panic they must be causing in the harder hit areas.
Amera Salman, Lahore, Pakistan
I was in the bathroom this morning in my home on the outskirts of Lahore at about 0845am when the walls and floor started to shake. My senses sharpened up and I readied myself to leap underneath a door frame if things should start to collapse. A very long thirty seconds later and the ground returned to its usual stable self. And this is in Lahore, I can only imagine what it must have been like in Kashmir.
Jude Heaton, Lahore, Pakistan
It was the worst earthquake in the history of Pak. Once in 1986 a strong earthquake came but this was the worst one. All the houses were swaying.
Hamza Sohail, Lahore, Pakistan
I remember the 1981 earthquake at Lahore to be the most dreadful, today's one was the most horrifying, if it could lasted for another 5-10 seconds, Lahore could have been wiped out.
Jamil Irshad, Lahore, Pakistan
There are loads of other eyewitnesses account. I remember when I was in Lahore back in 1993, when my siblings and I experienced a brief moment of being caught in an earthquake. It was in the afternoon, when I was on the bed, my sister on the sofa and my brother in the tv lounge. Suddenly, my bed was shaking, and I did not realize it till seconds later. My whole bed had moved inches away from the wall, the fan was swinging and the sofa had also moved away from the wall sufficiently enough. It was a scary moment, and I cannot imagine how much more scary it would have been for the people in the hardest hit areas.
Villages have been wiped out. Emergency supplies are being distributed. There are 1000s of volunteers helping the army and soldiers remove those caught under the rubble. I pray the poeple of the affected region find the patience to deal with such a gargantuan loss. Let us all be aware of the devastation Mother Nature can give to this world. Let us be more aware that there is someone much more powerful than us on this world, and that is God.
When the tsunami struck Indonesia, every jumped out of their seats claiming that God is sending a message. When Hurricane Katrina struck, everyone said it is a message to the Americans. Now, President Musharraf himself said that this earthquake is a "test for the nation." Is this quake a message to the people to stop the daily bloodshed in Kashmir? Is this a message to the Pakistanis to better themselves, especially in light of the recent "gay marriage?" I don't know. I am not sure. People will speculate on it. One of the most haunting images I saw was when a live program being telecast recorded the earthquake. The sets were swaying from side to side, all the while the host and the two guests were chanting Allah-o-akbar over and over. They were scared and it showed. Moments like these reminds us all of the One who created us all, and in times of despair we all turn to God.
However, I do want to end on the note that while the whole earthquake may seem senseless to some, who may also be asking "why bad things happen to good people," I firmly believe that God is in control of the world we are living in, and He is running it. We have to comfort in this fact: while there may seem to be disorder, God is keeping everything under His control and in order. To all the people who are affected by this natural disaster, I say to them: keep hope!
Mansur
I am sure you all caught the news of the devastating earthquake that shook three countries: Pakistan, Indian and Afghanistan, with the Pakistani-administered Kashmir region being the worst hit. It certainly is devastating, with the current figures at 806 at the time of writing, and looks set to rise into the 1000s. A series of aftershocks, including one of 6.3 magnitude and four more at 5.4 or above, shook the region, creating new panic among residents.
The quake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, but some reports are claiming it was higher at 7.8. The epicentre was 80km (50 miles) north-east of Islamabad. My hometown of Lahore also seems to be affected, as reflected in various comments left by people in Lahore:
The tremors in the morning were really terrifying. There was again a 2 minute aftershock felt to be the same as the morning some 15 - 20 mins back. We hope people remain safe all within. Mustafa Rana, Lahore, Pakistan
I was asleep in my first floor room and woke up when I felt a swaying and shaking movement. The quake grew in intensity for a while and then started subsiding; it lasted almost 7 minutes. We are still experiencing after shocks and I can only imagine the panic they must be causing in the harder hit areas.
Amera Salman, Lahore, Pakistan
I was in the bathroom this morning in my home on the outskirts of Lahore at about 0845am when the walls and floor started to shake. My senses sharpened up and I readied myself to leap underneath a door frame if things should start to collapse. A very long thirty seconds later and the ground returned to its usual stable self. And this is in Lahore, I can only imagine what it must have been like in Kashmir.
Jude Heaton, Lahore, Pakistan
It was the worst earthquake in the history of Pak. Once in 1986 a strong earthquake came but this was the worst one. All the houses were swaying.
Hamza Sohail, Lahore, Pakistan
I remember the 1981 earthquake at Lahore to be the most dreadful, today's one was the most horrifying, if it could lasted for another 5-10 seconds, Lahore could have been wiped out.
Jamil Irshad, Lahore, Pakistan
There are loads of other eyewitnesses account. I remember when I was in Lahore back in 1993, when my siblings and I experienced a brief moment of being caught in an earthquake. It was in the afternoon, when I was on the bed, my sister on the sofa and my brother in the tv lounge. Suddenly, my bed was shaking, and I did not realize it till seconds later. My whole bed had moved inches away from the wall, the fan was swinging and the sofa had also moved away from the wall sufficiently enough. It was a scary moment, and I cannot imagine how much more scary it would have been for the people in the hardest hit areas.
Villages have been wiped out. Emergency supplies are being distributed. There are 1000s of volunteers helping the army and soldiers remove those caught under the rubble. I pray the poeple of the affected region find the patience to deal with such a gargantuan loss. Let us all be aware of the devastation Mother Nature can give to this world. Let us be more aware that there is someone much more powerful than us on this world, and that is God.
When the tsunami struck Indonesia, every jumped out of their seats claiming that God is sending a message. When Hurricane Katrina struck, everyone said it is a message to the Americans. Now, President Musharraf himself said that this earthquake is a "test for the nation." Is this quake a message to the people to stop the daily bloodshed in Kashmir? Is this a message to the Pakistanis to better themselves, especially in light of the recent "gay marriage?" I don't know. I am not sure. People will speculate on it. One of the most haunting images I saw was when a live program being telecast recorded the earthquake. The sets were swaying from side to side, all the while the host and the two guests were chanting Allah-o-akbar over and over. They were scared and it showed. Moments like these reminds us all of the One who created us all, and in times of despair we all turn to God.
However, I do want to end on the note that while the whole earthquake may seem senseless to some, who may also be asking "why bad things happen to good people," I firmly believe that God is in control of the world we are living in, and He is running it. We have to comfort in this fact: while there may seem to be disorder, God is keeping everything under His control and in order. To all the people who are affected by this natural disaster, I say to them: keep hope!
Mansur
Friday, October 07, 2005
Friday Depression....
Hey everyone,
Every Friday, I get depressed, especially in the evening. Last Friday was awesome because of the Treasure Hunt Drive, but in the evening I got depressed. It's been a habit of mine to get depressed on Fridays. No amount of hanging out with friends, eating out, watching movies, reading books will bring me out of depression. As if by magic, on Saturday morning I am perfectly well. The worse time for me during the week is Friday evening. It's horrible, horrendus and absolutely depressing.
Mansur
Every Friday, I get depressed, especially in the evening. Last Friday was awesome because of the Treasure Hunt Drive, but in the evening I got depressed. It's been a habit of mine to get depressed on Fridays. No amount of hanging out with friends, eating out, watching movies, reading books will bring me out of depression. As if by magic, on Saturday morning I am perfectly well. The worse time for me during the week is Friday evening. It's horrible, horrendus and absolutely depressing.
Mansur
Thursday, October 06, 2005
I Have The Secret.........
Hello everyone.
I have the secret to losing weight...well, it's not a secret anymore since I am disclosing it here. I know everyone claims to be doing one thing or another, but I have finally found something that is working for me. It is not a new diet. It is not something where you don’t eat a particular thing. I actually got inspired by this book that I saw on television called French Women Don’t Get Fat. I applied the French way of eating and it actually works. So, what is it?
There are three parts to it.
1. You need to eat only half of what you would normally eat. This is something that even my personal trainer told me when I was going to the gym last year. This really works for me. For example, if I were to eat a 1/4 Pounder, I would choose to take a small cheeseburger. If I ordered pasta, I would eat half of it and take the other half home for next day. If I made Chinese at home for one person, I would split it up into half, and eat the other half the next day.
2. You need to eat your food slowly. Eat your food as if it were your last meal. There is emphasis on chewing your food minimum three times before swallowing it. Sometimes when we are very hungry, we eat really fast, without even chewing it properly. You need to chew it as many times as you can, and then swallow. Take your time to eat your meal. COOL FACT: It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full. So, whatever food you are eating, within 20 minutes you will begin to feel full. So for example, if I am having 1.5 slices instead of the usual 3 slices of pizza, and I take at least 20 minutes to eat my 1.5 slices, I will feel full- so no need for the other 1.5 slices. (Normally, I would eat 3 slices as fast as I can.)
3. Exercise is important. You don’t have to slog it out at the gym. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Thankfully I live on the 3rd floor so it’s not a bad walk. If you live on the 24th floor, get out at 20th floor and walk the four floors. Walk over to your shopping market, or restaurant if they are close to your home. Try to walk as much as you can.
In addition to this, you need to make healthy choices. I can afford to have a pizza meal for dinner, but I balance my diet by having bran flakes for breakfast. I can have chocolates for snacking, but I need to have at least one kind of fruit as well. I can drink all the diet cokes, but I also need to drink milk or juice as well. Introducing healthy foods into your diet will be beneficial.
This technique of eating doesn’t ask you to not eat anything. You can eat anything you want to, from that juicy steak to that delicious chocolate cake, but remember, eat half of what you would normally eat, and to balance your favorite foods with the more healthy ones.
I have been doing this for about two weeks, and I am telling you IT WORKS! As we are in the month of Ramadan, there is a lot of emphasis on eating for meals in the morning and evening and dinner. So one has to be responsible and sensible in what one eats, and to not over indulge into eating.
I already live on one meal a day (I cannot imagine eating two full meals a day—I will fall sick), and my issue is that I make unhealthy food choices, and then not burning it off. I become lazy. I also over indulge in chocolates and chocolate milk. But hopefully, with this new plan, I shall be able to lose my weight around my stomach!
Mansur
I have the secret to losing weight...well, it's not a secret anymore since I am disclosing it here. I know everyone claims to be doing one thing or another, but I have finally found something that is working for me. It is not a new diet. It is not something where you don’t eat a particular thing. I actually got inspired by this book that I saw on television called French Women Don’t Get Fat. I applied the French way of eating and it actually works. So, what is it?
There are three parts to it.
1. You need to eat only half of what you would normally eat. This is something that even my personal trainer told me when I was going to the gym last year. This really works for me. For example, if I were to eat a 1/4 Pounder, I would choose to take a small cheeseburger. If I ordered pasta, I would eat half of it and take the other half home for next day. If I made Chinese at home for one person, I would split it up into half, and eat the other half the next day.
2. You need to eat your food slowly. Eat your food as if it were your last meal. There is emphasis on chewing your food minimum three times before swallowing it. Sometimes when we are very hungry, we eat really fast, without even chewing it properly. You need to chew it as many times as you can, and then swallow. Take your time to eat your meal. COOL FACT: It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full. So, whatever food you are eating, within 20 minutes you will begin to feel full. So for example, if I am having 1.5 slices instead of the usual 3 slices of pizza, and I take at least 20 minutes to eat my 1.5 slices, I will feel full- so no need for the other 1.5 slices. (Normally, I would eat 3 slices as fast as I can.)
3. Exercise is important. You don’t have to slog it out at the gym. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Thankfully I live on the 3rd floor so it’s not a bad walk. If you live on the 24th floor, get out at 20th floor and walk the four floors. Walk over to your shopping market, or restaurant if they are close to your home. Try to walk as much as you can.
In addition to this, you need to make healthy choices. I can afford to have a pizza meal for dinner, but I balance my diet by having bran flakes for breakfast. I can have chocolates for snacking, but I need to have at least one kind of fruit as well. I can drink all the diet cokes, but I also need to drink milk or juice as well. Introducing healthy foods into your diet will be beneficial.
This technique of eating doesn’t ask you to not eat anything. You can eat anything you want to, from that juicy steak to that delicious chocolate cake, but remember, eat half of what you would normally eat, and to balance your favorite foods with the more healthy ones.
I have been doing this for about two weeks, and I am telling you IT WORKS! As we are in the month of Ramadan, there is a lot of emphasis on eating for meals in the morning and evening and dinner. So one has to be responsible and sensible in what one eats, and to not over indulge into eating.
I already live on one meal a day (I cannot imagine eating two full meals a day—I will fall sick), and my issue is that I make unhealthy food choices, and then not burning it off. I become lazy. I also over indulge in chocolates and chocolate milk. But hopefully, with this new plan, I shall be able to lose my weight around my stomach!
Mansur
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Absolutely Sickening...
Hey everyone ,
As I was watching Geo TV, the Pakistani news channel, there was a report on the first "gay" marriage in Pakistan. We just entered this month of Ramadan, and here is a news report that a 42 year old man married a 16 year old teenager in the remote Khyber region bordering Afghanistan. I checked out the news online, and even BBC news reported it.
'Pomp and show'
A local Urdu-language newspaper said the elder man, named as Liaquat Ali, had taken a local boy called Markeen as "his male bride".
The paper said the boy's impoverished parents accepted 40,000 rupees (£380) for their son's hand in marriage.
"The marriage was held amid usual pomp and show associated with a tribal wedding," it said.
Malik Waris Khan, a prominent local politician and former federal minister, confirmed to AFP that the marriage had taken place.
"I checked the report with people in Tirah Valley and they confirmed it," he said.
All I can say is that I am absolutely sickened by this news. The boy's parents know about it. The whole village celebrated with "pomp and show." I am sickened that people feel they compromise on such beliefs to get money.
Mansur
As I was watching Geo TV, the Pakistani news channel, there was a report on the first "gay" marriage in Pakistan. We just entered this month of Ramadan, and here is a news report that a 42 year old man married a 16 year old teenager in the remote Khyber region bordering Afghanistan. I checked out the news online, and even BBC news reported it.
'Pomp and show'
A local Urdu-language newspaper said the elder man, named as Liaquat Ali, had taken a local boy called Markeen as "his male bride".
The paper said the boy's impoverished parents accepted 40,000 rupees (£380) for their son's hand in marriage.
"The marriage was held amid usual pomp and show associated with a tribal wedding," it said.
Malik Waris Khan, a prominent local politician and former federal minister, confirmed to AFP that the marriage had taken place.
"I checked the report with people in Tirah Valley and they confirmed it," he said.
All I can say is that I am absolutely sickened by this news. The boy's parents know about it. The whole village celebrated with "pomp and show." I am sickened that people feel they compromise on such beliefs to get money.
Mansur
Accidents in Ramadan...
Hey everyone,
Remember how I warned you to stay off the streets in Dubai pre-iftar time? Well, here is what happens. According to Gulf News: Accidents rise. Police were not able to send their patrol to all the scenes of accidents. When will people learn? Always take a box of dates and a bottle of water if you think you will be stuck in the traffic! Learn to be patient, and calm, and considerate of other drivers out there!
Mansur
Remember how I warned you to stay off the streets in Dubai pre-iftar time? Well, here is what happens. According to Gulf News: Accidents rise. Police were not able to send their patrol to all the scenes of accidents. When will people learn? Always take a box of dates and a bottle of water if you think you will be stuck in the traffic! Learn to be patient, and calm, and considerate of other drivers out there!
Mansur
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Blogger Blocked?
My friend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia tells me that Blogger is blocked in Saudi Arabia and that she cannot access her blog, nor visit other blogs. What's up? Does anyone know anything about this?
Mansur
Mansur
Reading the Quran
Hey everyone,
Since everyone is in a religious mood because of Ramadan, I wanted to share with you about the Quran that I am reading. I have read the Quran in its entirety thrice in Arabic in the presence of an Islamic scholar. Somehow I wished I had read the translation back then too, because I was clueless each time I read it in Arabic.
There are two translations that I am reading now. Since I don't know Arabic that well, I cannot understand the Quran when I read it in Arabic. Even reading it in my mother tongue Urdu, I get lost. So I understand best when I read it in English. I have had gone through several different English versions, but not all of them appealed to me. But, there are two that are wonderful to read.
One translation is by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, published by H&G International. It is entirely in English, and reads like a novel. There is no Arabic text in this version. It is also not entirely in old English language, so none of that Doth, Thou and Thee kind of words slow you down. It actually is easy to understand and easy to grasp.
The other translation that I am reading is by Mohammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik, who has published his translation at the Institue of Islamic Knowledge in Houston, Texas. This translation is in simple English with absolute no old English langauge and uses a new revised translation. The best thing about this translation is how there is a synopsis of each chapter at the beginning. So for easy reference, you can browse through the brief summary of each chapter, and then going to the page number. Then, another cool thing is that at the beginning of each chapter there is background information, and a detailed summary. The concept is lifted off the study Bible, and I think it is a great concept. It is fun to read, easy to understand and easy to grasp. This translation is also very good for those who have never read the Quran, or for new Muslims.
Like I said, not all translations work for me. The ones I have mentioned above actually speak to me the most. I know for a fact that since 9/11 the language has been softened in the translation. I mean, in one of the earlier translations, the verse on wife-beating would say that as a last resort a man is allowed to "beat" his wife. In the newer translations, they have added a clarification, "beat (lightly)." Someone also gave me a copy of the Quran last year in Jeddah and when I checked it out, all the places where Allah is mentioned, it was in red. I knew immediately they had taken this concept of highlighting Allah in red from the Bible, where if you actually read some of the translations, Jesus' words are in red, or the word Lord is red.
So how do I read the Quran? I read it like I am doing a manuscript study. Seeing a lot of people revere the Quran to the point of wrapping it in a cloth and placing it on the highest shelf, I knew something was wrong with that. The Quran is the manual for life. It is meant to read and understood, not simply be read in Arabic and then place it away. So, I take out my highlighters and notebook, and I read one chapter, and if a chapter is too long, I break it down. I make notes. I highlight those verses that speak to me. I make notes of people, places, events and times. When I do all this, I actually understand the Quran on a deeper level as opposed to reading it in Arabic, or English, and then not doing anything about it.
Mansur
Since everyone is in a religious mood because of Ramadan, I wanted to share with you about the Quran that I am reading. I have read the Quran in its entirety thrice in Arabic in the presence of an Islamic scholar. Somehow I wished I had read the translation back then too, because I was clueless each time I read it in Arabic.
There are two translations that I am reading now. Since I don't know Arabic that well, I cannot understand the Quran when I read it in Arabic. Even reading it in my mother tongue Urdu, I get lost. So I understand best when I read it in English. I have had gone through several different English versions, but not all of them appealed to me. But, there are two that are wonderful to read.
One translation is by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, published by H&G International. It is entirely in English, and reads like a novel. There is no Arabic text in this version. It is also not entirely in old English language, so none of that Doth, Thou and Thee kind of words slow you down. It actually is easy to understand and easy to grasp.
The other translation that I am reading is by Mohammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik, who has published his translation at the Institue of Islamic Knowledge in Houston, Texas. This translation is in simple English with absolute no old English langauge and uses a new revised translation. The best thing about this translation is how there is a synopsis of each chapter at the beginning. So for easy reference, you can browse through the brief summary of each chapter, and then going to the page number. Then, another cool thing is that at the beginning of each chapter there is background information, and a detailed summary. The concept is lifted off the study Bible, and I think it is a great concept. It is fun to read, easy to understand and easy to grasp. This translation is also very good for those who have never read the Quran, or for new Muslims.
Like I said, not all translations work for me. The ones I have mentioned above actually speak to me the most. I know for a fact that since 9/11 the language has been softened in the translation. I mean, in one of the earlier translations, the verse on wife-beating would say that as a last resort a man is allowed to "beat" his wife. In the newer translations, they have added a clarification, "beat (lightly)." Someone also gave me a copy of the Quran last year in Jeddah and when I checked it out, all the places where Allah is mentioned, it was in red. I knew immediately they had taken this concept of highlighting Allah in red from the Bible, where if you actually read some of the translations, Jesus' words are in red, or the word Lord is red.
So how do I read the Quran? I read it like I am doing a manuscript study. Seeing a lot of people revere the Quran to the point of wrapping it in a cloth and placing it on the highest shelf, I knew something was wrong with that. The Quran is the manual for life. It is meant to read and understood, not simply be read in Arabic and then place it away. So, I take out my highlighters and notebook, and I read one chapter, and if a chapter is too long, I break it down. I make notes. I highlight those verses that speak to me. I make notes of people, places, events and times. When I do all this, I actually understand the Quran on a deeper level as opposed to reading it in Arabic, or English, and then not doing anything about it.
Mansur
Monday, October 03, 2005
Happy Ramadan...
Hey everyone,
Happy Ramadan to you all. May this month be a meaningful and blessed month to you and your family. May God reward you for your prayers, and bless you as you fast during this month.
Daily Production Line
(Starting from Top Right corner, moving towards left then down ending at bottom right corner...
Sleeping--- Work--- Sleeping--- Breaking of Fast--- Televsion---Breakfast!)
Mansur
Happy Ramadan to you all. May this month be a meaningful and blessed month to you and your family. May God reward you for your prayers, and bless you as you fast during this month.
Daily Production Line
(Starting from Top Right corner, moving towards left then down ending at bottom right corner...
Sleeping--- Work--- Sleeping--- Breaking of Fast--- Televsion---Breakfast!)
Mansur
Height of Stubborness
Hey everyone,
As I was crossing the road in front of my house today to get to the other side, I stood on the hard shoulder. Now, we all know the cars are not supposed to be using the hard shoulder as a driving lane. I don't understand why cars use it.
So, I just stood there while there was a break in the traffic so I could cross. All the while cars coming down the hard shoulder were forced to slow down and get back into the proper driving lane. I know what I was doing was dangerous and could have gotten myself hurt or killed, but I felt like teaching a lesson to the drivers who are doing something illegal. Taxi drivers honked at me. Buses flashed lights at me. Other cars were forced to slow down, and look at me as if I were a crazy person. Only once did I take a step backwards to let a bus whiz past by me, missing me from probably inches. I was at the height of my stuborness at that particular moment.
I have my bouts of being stubborn, especially when it comes to arguments. I don't take anything at face value. If someone tells me something which is debatable, I take their statements as just a statement, and aim to seek the truth about it. I am sure you must have seen my bouts of stubborness here on my blog too when I posed the article on Islam and Music, as well as Free Will and Predestination.
I think it is very important to seek the truth out, instead of taking someting at face value. If I believe in something very strongly, I stick to it. It would take a lot to convince me otherwise. I have my sets of beliefs and values, and I stick by them. This doesn't necessarily make me inflexible or rigid. I am most flexible, and am willing to listen to all sides of the arguments, but then I form my opinion after I do some searching. That's my stubborness!
I think all Taurus are like this. They are stubborn bulls. Even my mom is a Taurus, and at times she can be stubborn about things. Are there any other Tauruses out there who are stubborn about things?
Mansur
As I was crossing the road in front of my house today to get to the other side, I stood on the hard shoulder. Now, we all know the cars are not supposed to be using the hard shoulder as a driving lane. I don't understand why cars use it.
So, I just stood there while there was a break in the traffic so I could cross. All the while cars coming down the hard shoulder were forced to slow down and get back into the proper driving lane. I know what I was doing was dangerous and could have gotten myself hurt or killed, but I felt like teaching a lesson to the drivers who are doing something illegal. Taxi drivers honked at me. Buses flashed lights at me. Other cars were forced to slow down, and look at me as if I were a crazy person. Only once did I take a step backwards to let a bus whiz past by me, missing me from probably inches. I was at the height of my stuborness at that particular moment.
I have my bouts of being stubborn, especially when it comes to arguments. I don't take anything at face value. If someone tells me something which is debatable, I take their statements as just a statement, and aim to seek the truth about it. I am sure you must have seen my bouts of stubborness here on my blog too when I posed the article on Islam and Music, as well as Free Will and Predestination.
I think it is very important to seek the truth out, instead of taking someting at face value. If I believe in something very strongly, I stick to it. It would take a lot to convince me otherwise. I have my sets of beliefs and values, and I stick by them. This doesn't necessarily make me inflexible or rigid. I am most flexible, and am willing to listen to all sides of the arguments, but then I form my opinion after I do some searching. That's my stubborness!
I think all Taurus are like this. They are stubborn bulls. Even my mom is a Taurus, and at times she can be stubborn about things. Are there any other Tauruses out there who are stubborn about things?
Mansur
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Happy Ramadan!
Hey friends,
Once again the blessed month of Ramadan will be descending upon us. The tentative date is the 4th of October, and it all depends on the sighting of the moon. I am sure we all have our wonderful moments of Ramadan. I for one certainly miss the Ramadan we would have in Saudi Arabia.
Growing up in Jeddah, the period of Ramadan took on a whole different schedule for us kids going to school. We would get up in the morning, have our breakfast and pray the fajr prayer. School hours would be reduced, and we would be home earlier than usual. Many times my friends I would bring in "Ramadan" excuse notes for our sports class. The main gist of such notes was: please excuse my son from swimming today as he fears he will swallow water thereby canceling his fast, or, please excuse my son from participating in sports today as excessive time in the heat will make him extra-thirsty and dehydrate him. We all knew we were ok, but it was just an excuse to not play sports.
Iftar time, the breaking of the fast, would be a fun time. Dates, Samosays, Rooh Afza, Pakorays and so on. After praying the Maghreb prayer, the kids would settle in front of Channel Two, to watch Full House (which would be heavily censored, with some episodes lasting as long as 10 minutes) followed by America's Funniest Home Videos. All the shopping or going out would happen after the last prayer is finished.
Somehow, growing up over the years, these sweet moments changed. Ramadan just isn't what it used to be for us kids growing up in Jeddah. Ramadan is becoming more and more commercialized. Just like the Christians complain about how Christmas has been commercialized, I think there will come a time when the Muslims will cry out to stop commercializing Ramadan. I have observed Ramadan in Dubai since 1998, except for the year 2004, and each passing year made me see Dubai observing Ramadan more as an opportunity to make money than to observe the real tenets for fasting.
So what is Ramadan essentially? Ramadan is that time of the month which God has set for the Muslim to unite in fasting and prayer, in remembrance of those who are poor, hungry and needy. By restricting our intake of food, water, smoking and avoiding all sexual acts if married, we are supposed to experience what it is to feel like the under-privileged. Not only this, fasting has several spiritual dimensions to it. It is meant to discipline us. It is meant to help us develop a routine of prayer and meditation on the Holy Quran. It is meant to bring us into line with the Quranic teachings on developing a Muslim character and personality. It is meant to make us aware of the needy and suffering Muslims around the world. It is meant to bring us back in line with what being a Muslim is about, and encourage us to carry what we learn in Ramadan over the course of the year till the next Ramadan.
So what's happening to Ramadan? Why aren't people doing what they should be doing?
1. For starters, let's witness the pre-Ramadan rush at the supermarket. A week before Ramadan begins, we have all these supermarkets giving full page ads showing their discounted prices on all basic food stuffs. The madness that you see just days before: long lines, shouting and screaming at the cashiers, arguments between people over stuff running out and so on. All the characteristics of patience, humility, calmness, decency are vanished for a couple of days. Not only this, once Ramadan progresses, it is a bad time to be out on the streets in Dubai as the iftar time nears. No one driver will spare you. They will all be rushing like mad drivers in an attempt to get home on time to break the fast. Somehow, people think if they don't break their fast at home it will be invalid. I don't understand why they don't carry a box of dates and bottle of water if they know they will be caught in the traffic. The pre-iftar is the best time to see all those characteristics of patience, decency and seving others vanish into the air. Instead you see anger, rage, rash driving, cursing and so on.
2. Also, Dubai has a sudden boom in "Ramadan Tents," which are basically places in hotels and restaurants which serve Iftar and dinner. They are very fancy, luxurious and often expensive. Some places can cost as much as 300-400 Dirhams per head for iftar meal. There are some middle range tents as well, and often time you see families in these tents from the minute they break their fast all the way through dinner, to shisha smoking playing games, watching tv and other activities. You hear of people talking about scheduling their day around dinners. "Oh, we are commited to Intercontinental on Thursday, and on Friday we have to go to Jumeirah Beach Hotel..." Lavish iftar and dinner parties are thrown, and the pictures are splashed in the newspaper for the country to see.
3. Ramadan is also a time when the charity organizations are very active. They know people will give and donate more, so these organizations are out there in full force. Sometimes I begin to feel like that these organizations take advantage of the generosity of the fasting public. It's like as if they are thinking: hey guys, everyone is fasting, let's pitch this advertising scheme so they feel sympathetic and we get more money. It's exactly like what the hotels in Makkah do when Ramadan is here: raise the prices of the roommate obscenely high because we know the people will choose to stay no matter what.
4. Dubai, as well as Sharjah, will Ramadan Shopping Festivals, where you will find bargains galores. Dubai has late night souks, filled with stalls after stalls selling traditional items and other goods for those who go shopping late into the night. According to Time Out Dubai, most, not all, nightclubs will be closed, and alcohol will be served only after iftar. Some restaurants will have closed off sections to serve breakfast and lunch. Some may even do takeaways.
5. Office hours are reduced. Schools and Universities let the students go home early. I tell you, the people fasting in this part of the world have it a lot easier. Restaurants are closed. People are fined if they are caught eating or drinking in public. You work less hours. You sleep all afternoon. The whole environment makes it easier for you to fast because you don't see any food or drinks. I remember fasting in the States one year, and that was actually one of my best Ramadan because I was challenged. My university hours were regular timings. My friends would be having breakfast and lunch, I would see students snacking in class, all the while I would be fasting. When I fast here, I realize how much easy it is. Life slows down, people are less active, except in the evening when every is hanging out at the tents or a gathering.
6. The only "Islamic" thing I see during Ramadan here is the International Holy Quran Reading competition that Dubai holds, which is good and encouraging. But even this Holy Quran reading is a competiton, where it's mostly about the money awards. When you have one such event against 100s of Ramadan Tents, I question the perception that people of Dubai have of Ramadan.
7. The saddest thing for me is when every year I see newspapers reporting the same news: more food is consumed during Ramadan than is during the rest of the year. This is so ironic. My Christian friends would ask me: how come more food is consumed when the entire nation is fasting for most of the day. I guess, it's because people choose to fill their stomachs to the max in the morning, and then filling themselves to the max in the evening. So, they don't really feel the hunger pangs as such.
Let's be honest here. Dubai is a commercial city. It thrives on shopping and tourism. So I don't really find it strange that Dubai would choose to see Ramadan as an opportunity to make more money. There will be raffle draws and prizes being awarded in every shopping malls. That's the bottom line here: it's all about the money.
I am sure you all must be thinking why I am taking such a critical view of Ramadan. I am not. This is the reality, and while people may not speak about it, I think I am being honest about things here, instead of brushing it under the carpet. There is no denying the Ramadan is being commercialized, with all the shopping and "festival" like atmosphere in the city, what with all the lights and decor coming up like it is during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
And, oh, Happy Ramadan to you all!
Mansur
Once again the blessed month of Ramadan will be descending upon us. The tentative date is the 4th of October, and it all depends on the sighting of the moon. I am sure we all have our wonderful moments of Ramadan. I for one certainly miss the Ramadan we would have in Saudi Arabia.
Growing up in Jeddah, the period of Ramadan took on a whole different schedule for us kids going to school. We would get up in the morning, have our breakfast and pray the fajr prayer. School hours would be reduced, and we would be home earlier than usual. Many times my friends I would bring in "Ramadan" excuse notes for our sports class. The main gist of such notes was: please excuse my son from swimming today as he fears he will swallow water thereby canceling his fast, or, please excuse my son from participating in sports today as excessive time in the heat will make him extra-thirsty and dehydrate him. We all knew we were ok, but it was just an excuse to not play sports.
Iftar time, the breaking of the fast, would be a fun time. Dates, Samosays, Rooh Afza, Pakorays and so on. After praying the Maghreb prayer, the kids would settle in front of Channel Two, to watch Full House (which would be heavily censored, with some episodes lasting as long as 10 minutes) followed by America's Funniest Home Videos. All the shopping or going out would happen after the last prayer is finished.
Somehow, growing up over the years, these sweet moments changed. Ramadan just isn't what it used to be for us kids growing up in Jeddah. Ramadan is becoming more and more commercialized. Just like the Christians complain about how Christmas has been commercialized, I think there will come a time when the Muslims will cry out to stop commercializing Ramadan. I have observed Ramadan in Dubai since 1998, except for the year 2004, and each passing year made me see Dubai observing Ramadan more as an opportunity to make money than to observe the real tenets for fasting.
So what is Ramadan essentially? Ramadan is that time of the month which God has set for the Muslim to unite in fasting and prayer, in remembrance of those who are poor, hungry and needy. By restricting our intake of food, water, smoking and avoiding all sexual acts if married, we are supposed to experience what it is to feel like the under-privileged. Not only this, fasting has several spiritual dimensions to it. It is meant to discipline us. It is meant to help us develop a routine of prayer and meditation on the Holy Quran. It is meant to bring us into line with the Quranic teachings on developing a Muslim character and personality. It is meant to make us aware of the needy and suffering Muslims around the world. It is meant to bring us back in line with what being a Muslim is about, and encourage us to carry what we learn in Ramadan over the course of the year till the next Ramadan.
So what's happening to Ramadan? Why aren't people doing what they should be doing?
1. For starters, let's witness the pre-Ramadan rush at the supermarket. A week before Ramadan begins, we have all these supermarkets giving full page ads showing their discounted prices on all basic food stuffs. The madness that you see just days before: long lines, shouting and screaming at the cashiers, arguments between people over stuff running out and so on. All the characteristics of patience, humility, calmness, decency are vanished for a couple of days. Not only this, once Ramadan progresses, it is a bad time to be out on the streets in Dubai as the iftar time nears. No one driver will spare you. They will all be rushing like mad drivers in an attempt to get home on time to break the fast. Somehow, people think if they don't break their fast at home it will be invalid. I don't understand why they don't carry a box of dates and bottle of water if they know they will be caught in the traffic. The pre-iftar is the best time to see all those characteristics of patience, decency and seving others vanish into the air. Instead you see anger, rage, rash driving, cursing and so on.
2. Also, Dubai has a sudden boom in "Ramadan Tents," which are basically places in hotels and restaurants which serve Iftar and dinner. They are very fancy, luxurious and often expensive. Some places can cost as much as 300-400 Dirhams per head for iftar meal. There are some middle range tents as well, and often time you see families in these tents from the minute they break their fast all the way through dinner, to shisha smoking playing games, watching tv and other activities. You hear of people talking about scheduling their day around dinners. "Oh, we are commited to Intercontinental on Thursday, and on Friday we have to go to Jumeirah Beach Hotel..." Lavish iftar and dinner parties are thrown, and the pictures are splashed in the newspaper for the country to see.
3. Ramadan is also a time when the charity organizations are very active. They know people will give and donate more, so these organizations are out there in full force. Sometimes I begin to feel like that these organizations take advantage of the generosity of the fasting public. It's like as if they are thinking: hey guys, everyone is fasting, let's pitch this advertising scheme so they feel sympathetic and we get more money. It's exactly like what the hotels in Makkah do when Ramadan is here: raise the prices of the roommate obscenely high because we know the people will choose to stay no matter what.
4. Dubai, as well as Sharjah, will Ramadan Shopping Festivals, where you will find bargains galores. Dubai has late night souks, filled with stalls after stalls selling traditional items and other goods for those who go shopping late into the night. According to Time Out Dubai, most, not all, nightclubs will be closed, and alcohol will be served only after iftar. Some restaurants will have closed off sections to serve breakfast and lunch. Some may even do takeaways.
5. Office hours are reduced. Schools and Universities let the students go home early. I tell you, the people fasting in this part of the world have it a lot easier. Restaurants are closed. People are fined if they are caught eating or drinking in public. You work less hours. You sleep all afternoon. The whole environment makes it easier for you to fast because you don't see any food or drinks. I remember fasting in the States one year, and that was actually one of my best Ramadan because I was challenged. My university hours were regular timings. My friends would be having breakfast and lunch, I would see students snacking in class, all the while I would be fasting. When I fast here, I realize how much easy it is. Life slows down, people are less active, except in the evening when every is hanging out at the tents or a gathering.
6. The only "Islamic" thing I see during Ramadan here is the International Holy Quran Reading competition that Dubai holds, which is good and encouraging. But even this Holy Quran reading is a competiton, where it's mostly about the money awards. When you have one such event against 100s of Ramadan Tents, I question the perception that people of Dubai have of Ramadan.
7. The saddest thing for me is when every year I see newspapers reporting the same news: more food is consumed during Ramadan than is during the rest of the year. This is so ironic. My Christian friends would ask me: how come more food is consumed when the entire nation is fasting for most of the day. I guess, it's because people choose to fill their stomachs to the max in the morning, and then filling themselves to the max in the evening. So, they don't really feel the hunger pangs as such.
Let's be honest here. Dubai is a commercial city. It thrives on shopping and tourism. So I don't really find it strange that Dubai would choose to see Ramadan as an opportunity to make more money. There will be raffle draws and prizes being awarded in every shopping malls. That's the bottom line here: it's all about the money.
I am sure you all must be thinking why I am taking such a critical view of Ramadan. I am not. This is the reality, and while people may not speak about it, I think I am being honest about things here, instead of brushing it under the carpet. There is no denying the Ramadan is being commercialized, with all the shopping and "festival" like atmosphere in the city, what with all the lights and decor coming up like it is during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
And, oh, Happy Ramadan to you all!
Mansur
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