Monkey’s day out
A few months back, the appearance of the ‘Monkey-Man’ that assaulted many had caused an outcry not only in the region where it was discovered, but rest of the world as well.
Critic
Valentine’s Day: The Cupid Conspiracy
It is not in my capacity to elaborate the obsession of western civilization with the ancient Roman past, especially its past pagan legacy. Thanks to globalization, the ‘land of sunset’ is more appealing in the eyes of ‘land of sunrise’. What is western is synonymous with what is global and is not much different from the colonial effect of the middle ages.
Sneezing vs. Yawning
A thought dawned upon my mind about two mundane things which we all do (and as such there is nothing philosophical about it). Some of the results on comparison were funny and some strange.
Pilgrimage to a Moneywise Shrine
The clamor of money was in the air. The visitors had come with their choice made: Deposit or Withdrawal. This two-fold phenomenon was evident on each face. The paper bits in their hands spoke of the basic economic term: want.
The smile of Agony
How am I to behold the volcano of anguish and anger? This fume that is being emitted, spreads far and wide, knowing no bounds. Frustration enfolds every vein of mine. Nothing but curse and mistrust. And what can I say about this hell at heart?
Sweet since Night One!
Before Ramadan began, in a light-hearted moment I told my love that when in paradise, I would be in the joyful company of hoors. she replied in an indifferent tone, ‘That’s ok. But make sure you don’t spend too much time on the PC or else they would go away”.
In the light of Sura Al Noor
A few years back, when mind was not as much ripe, I had a chance to get hold of Imam Gazzali’s work, Mishkat Al Anwar. It was too ‘heretical’ for me then to accept the deeply mystical ideas expounded in it. And years after… attending a Tafsir gathering, I realized new meanings for the 1400 years plus revealed verses.
Unique pearls on the shore of Islam
Dr. Allama Iqbal testifies to the above fact in the following words: I went to Italy and came across a gentleman called Prince Caeteni who was fond of Islamic history. I asked him why he was interested in it, he replied “Islam turned women to men” (i.e. – Islamic faith instilled great faith and enthusiasm in the hearts of its womenfolk that they became equal to men).
Transforming solar energy to neural electric impulse on our taste-buds
The sun may be burning in scorching summer days and Man, an advanced form of creation, find it difficult to travel from home to office, even in air-conditioned cars. Yet the primitive date fruit embraces the merciless heat rays and ripens itself so that it becomes tasty for the man who eats it. A wonderful mechanism indeed to convert solar energy to neural electric impulse on our taste-buds! Well done, o Merciful Creator!
Cheese, Cartoons and the Holocaust
The most fascinating aspect in this whole episode that attracted me was that even professing but non-practicing Muslims were showing their enthusiasm for the boycott. Muslim friends and colleagues, who had no business with fasting in the month of Ramadan or attending the congregational Friday prayers, were persuading and promoting practicing pious brothers and sisters to boycott Danish makes. Boycott emails were forwarded religiously and leaflets distributed devotedly.