Narcissist in Workshop

Ever attended those behavioral trainings? Team building, motivation, creative ideas, synergy thingy? Did you observe the following?

- You don't need trainings/ workshops and the rest are idiots.

-Someone 'will' arrive late.

- In trainings/ workshops, there will always be a loudmouthed person who objects to concepts and subsequently "no use" mantra.

- Does the trainer hate you? He does not give you the attention you deserve.

- Either the trainer is very enthusiastic or is a good actor.

- (what the trainer is saying) Thats obvious.

- The number of shapes and figures on your notebook starts to decrease as time passes.

- Tea breaks rule!

- I'll rather take tea alone instead of standing with those guys.

- To pee or not to pee?

- There is always an argument taking place when its lunch time.

- This guy will doze off.

- The trainer introduced this exercise just to stretch the training till 5!

- Why does that 'girl' end up being the member of other group?

- Why can't they (the participants) do it right in a group exercise?

- During a group exercise, you have a good idea but the morons do not get it.

- (in case your group did not win) I knew it. This was bound to happen.

- (morning) Why does 'that' guy show off so much? we already know what he is so enthusiastically telling.

-(afternoon) somebody shut him up!

- I have a headache.

- Damn. Have to lie again in the appraisal form.

- The workshop was 'ok'.

that too...

...


Me: whats on TV..
I : nothing much..
Me: whats up..
I : my daughter left today for my parents home..
Me: ok. so what..
I : I mean...
Me: You miss her?
I : I did not say that!
Me: haha! You miss her don't you!
I : Nooo! I never said that!
Me: Did you talk to her?!
I : she is only 10 months old! how on earth can I talk to her!
Me: oh come on! every parent does talk! whatever gibberish that may be!
I : well.. I...
Me: well I what? Did you or did you not?!
I : yes I did..
Me: See! I said so...
I : So what?
Me: How did you feel?!
I : Well.. I .. I felt ok
Me: lier! bakwas!
I : Moron! what lie!
Me: How did you really feel?! heart beat normal? cried?! voice trembled?!
I : well.. I.. had some problem with my throat...
Me: ah ha! your voice did tremble!
I : It was something wrong with the throat!
Me: admit it your voice trembled!
I : Alright! Alright! what the hell! yes it did...
Me: and you cried?!
I : No!
Me: come on admit it! do not be a sissy!
I : sissy?! would I be a sissy if I cried or not telling about it?!
Me: you'd be a sissy anyways so spit it!
I : what the hell?!
Me: so?
I : well my eyes.. kinda.. welled up..
Me: So you cried?!
I : I do not like crying! yes they did well up..
Me: uh huh!
I : what uh huh?!
Me: I remember you used to say why does my father act like that whenever I leave somewhere!
I : yeah .. he somehow.. could not bid farewell to me that easily...
Me: So now you know why your father's eyes looked funny whenever you went somewhere!
I : Yeah I know now..
Me: aulad aulad hoti hay my son!
I : yup ...
Me: give me the tv remote you idiot..


....

I See Thy Soul …

she calls out to the man on the street
Sir ! can you help me?
its cold and I do not know where to sleep
is there somewhere you can tell me?
he walks on, doesn’t look back
he pretends he can’t hear her..
starts to whistle as he crosses the street..
seems embarrassed in being there !..
Oh ! think twice..
Its just another day for you me in paradise !

-genesis

I switched off my car’s stereo player and parked the car in the parking lot. Its one of those winter days when you just feel that nothing is going to stop the cold from hugging your body if not the soul. Without having an iota of respect for the protection you have on yourself, she just creeps in as if the beloved had always had his hearts door open for her.

I had to get out of the car now. The car’s heater had also been switched off and now I felt a bit afraid to face the hostilities of the environment out there. “oh how warm is my car …” I mulled and opened the door. I checked myself again for I did not want to be the lonely sole out there that needed love from cold.

My brain clock told me it was part of the early morning … well it seemed a bit different, as there were indications contradicting it. Certainly, the constant rains and clouds cover were having an effect on me. There were people going here and there, although not that much in number. There were no birds, neither going east nor singing praise hymns for God … at least this is what I have heard. or is it some other way it happens?

The rain had stopped half an hour earlier. The clouds above my head were congregating again as if they never wanted to be separated. Congregating to tell their part of the grief ridden stories and then letting them flow in tears, maybe they want us to feel the same when everything gets soaked in them.

Well, I suppose I was right because I was welcomed by the bone-chilling breeze that kissed my forehead. I placed my head firmer in my body. Perhaps I wanted to have the assurance that it was there and not fallen somewhere due to numbness. I walked briskly, eyes on the ground, to my destination … my friend’s store. As I walked, I watched my reflection in the standing water that got lost due to ripples created by my feet. Maybe I was concentrating more because I did not want to look into the eyes of cold. I had my eyes grounded as if she will not see me … or was she really that interested?

Wait … where did my reflection go? The ripples have already been created … strange … wait … what is that ? small feet ? … whose feet are they? A pair of small feet had my reflection rippled ?

She was a kid, a child. “she is 9, no no she’s 7, perhaps 8…” She is barefoot. SHE IS BAREFOOT ?? why on earth is she barefoot? In this cold ?. I tried to look deep in her feet for the blood. Although I could not get a clear look due to the layers formed as the feet had not been washed but I bet there was no blood. How could the blood survive in such cold feet?

I raised my head more, as if I were the privileged one to have my head held above the rest, or in this case above hers. She was wearing a thin clothed dress. Dress? Rags would have defined it better. Her uncombed and dirty hair gave a reflection of trees that are left alone in autumn when their protection, the leaves, are taken away. Her hair seemed wet. Maybe an effort had been made to nourish the trees for leaf bearing or did she remain under the protection of the clouds above? Perhaps the wetness of her hair was due to the tears of the clouds when they were cajoling her…

Oh look at her, isn’t she pretty? the cuteness of a child is all over her face like an angel. But it somehow gets hidden by those dirty lines that run across her face making unread statements. Its like the sun who is covered by the clouds above. Perhaps the sun is there somewhere with all its brightness ready to lit up the whole world, but I cannot see that.

Her eyes said something to me … what was it? … Sorry, I could not hear … I looked deep down her eyes to ask again. Ah ! I cannot hear it, its so low … like a whisper. I searched her eyes. I felt as if I was being devoured as a whole. Why is that? were they in search of something? perhaps they were unnourished. I tried to hold on to myself but I was not being successful. I tried to get hold of something else but it was so dark in there … where did the lights go? … wait … What’s this? A broken dream perhaps. What is it doing in here? … I feel like I am drowning, drowning in the flood of darkness. HELP ! HELP ! no one is listening. How can one listen? My voice seems to echo back to myself, its like I am enclosed somewhere and there is not let out. Has my voice taken the shape of hers? whispers ? …. so silent .. Someone is coming … what is that? why is there so cold? Where is my breath?? I cannot breath … someone is choking me to death …

A Flash …

I was back to myself. “please give me some money. Please. I have not had something to eat since yesterday. Please help me for God sakes…”. What? What did she say? she was asking me something … her small, numb from cold hands were shaking mines as if trying to tell everything that there is .. but am I prepared to listen? Or am I deaf? Do I have the courage? Why cannot I listen? Am I not a human being? Have I not been blessed with everything by God? Is she a human being? Perhaps not … she has not been provided with everything….

“please give me some money so that I can eat something …” is she really asking me that? perhaps she is … perhaps she thinks that I am sent by God to help her? How could she think like this? Does she know it? Is God that close to her?

I searched my pockets .. no not here, wait wait, yes ! … there is something ..a Rs.2 coin? Look at myself …I was the one that had his head held high ….. A Rs.2 coin, what worth is it?

I gave that to her …. Suddenly, there is a whole range of activities on her face. Her eyes have lit up as shining stars. Like the sun given way by the dark clouds. She at once grabbed that coin and ran away !

I was still there … hey ! my reflection is back …. I think I should go where I have to go, my friends shop. She must be happy right? Or does anyone care?? The clouds are about to shed their tears ….

-1999-

Quacks On Air - Religious Ones

Have you ever seen a program on Haq TV, called Fiqh un Nissa hosted by a young lady all wrapped up in black and only her eyes revealing? I like her you know :p .. notwithstanding the solutions she provides to the female callers regarding sharia. The solutions usually.. are not easily digestible by soul like me. But she.. builds in me a sense of.. curiosity! :p (Note: I have no intention whatsoever to disrespect her because of her opinions!)

The other day, she was discussing something related to 'Mehrem' and 'na mehrem' (acquaintance and non-acquaintances). The usual practice is that when you leave for Hajj or Umra, you are not allowed to go alone if you are a woman. You must have someone alongside you either husband or someone as 'mehrem' in form of brother, father, son(?) and whatever that comes under the category of 'mehrem'. I honestly do not have a clue because I think this 'mehrem' thingy is just a restriction on women. Here is the definition that I got..

The term “Mehrem” means a male relative who is religiously banned from marrying that subject woman under any circumstances. In Islam, a Mehrem is a female’s father, brother, son, maternal or paternal uncle, grandfather or nephew. A blood relation or a suckling relation makes the subject man a “Mehrem” i.e. a son( brother, father, uncle) by birth or a suckling son(brother, father, uncle).

So she was telling a caller that she (caller) cannot go alone for Hajj because its not allowed and she'll be committing a disobedience to Prophet Muhammad as he prohibited so. (lovely) So the solution she provided went like this. She can marry a person! Now that her husband will be alongside her so she can go on Hajj! After she is done performing Hajj, she can take divorce from him! (whoa!) If she thinks he will not let her go so easy, she can write for a right of divorce in marriage contract! (please tell me that I heard it wrong)

Man O man! Why do I like her so much?!

Being a person associated with religion somehow gives you a clean chit to do anything and say anything you like especially when it comes to Islam and that too if you are in Pakistan. I remember when Womens Protection Bill was at the height of its implementation, Qazi Hussein Ahmad's daughter (Rahila Qazi?) was in a discussion panel being hosted by Talat Hussain of Aaj Tv. When he asked her where is raped mentioned in Quran, she said it is mentioned in Quran and quoted 24:33

24:33 - And let those who do not find the means to marry keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His grace. And (as for) those who ask for a writing from among those whom your right hands possess, give them the writing if you know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you; and do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to seek the frail good of this world's life; and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

and I was like.. what the hell. Where does it mention rape?! Nobody told her that she was wrong! and people must have believed her because she was in burqa and was daughter of a religious scholar/ politician! they would not believe me!

P.S: To find the exact meaning of 'mehrem', I searched Google and the search came up with this.

1. *MEHREM: Someone who has to accompany you and your lover when going out, usually the girl's brother or friend, just to make sure there's no funny business. (Foreigners Guide to Egypt)

2. Allah told us muslima's in his book, not to dance in front of not mehrem men. Not to sing for not mehrem men. To cover your body and hair for the not mehrem. (Ruby on Oghnia.com)

3. C) Call the non-mehrem "brother" so this prevents the shytan from coming in between. .... Ask Allah for forgiveness, and stop chatting with any non-mehrem. (Sister Area - Chatting: Footsteps of the Shytan)

Al Aqsa Mosque - The First Qibla?

Was Al Aqsa Mosque the first Qibla of muslims?
Tell you what.. I do not think so! I get a different response from Quran.

First, to describe the historical significance of this mosque, I quote from wikipedia.

"The historical significance of Al-Aqsa Mosque is further emphasized by the fact that Muslims used to turn towards Al-Haram al-Sharif when they prayed. As it was the place at which Muhammad performed the first commanded prayer after Isra and Mi'raj, it became the Qibla (direction) that Muslims faced during prayer and continued to be so for sixteen or seventeen months"

Qibla is the direction in which muslims pray, it is currently The Sacred Mosque in Mecca. When Prophet Muhammad went on his Ascension to Heaven trip (mairaj), his first stop was Al Aqsa Mosque where he led the congregational prayer of Prophets (albeit the fact that there was no mosque in Jerusalem at that time!) Thus Al Aqsa mosque became the first Qibla for muslims to pray and later they were directed to pray towards the current Qibla. You must have heard the story related to it as well. While in prayers, the verses to change the Qibla were revealed and Prophet and the people observing the prayers turned towards the new Qibla. Basically stating to change the direction from Al Aqsa mosque to Masjid ul Haram, The Sacred Mosque.

When we start reading the Quran, the events turn out like this. The Qibla did change from one direction to the other.

2:142 - The fools among the people will say: "What hath turned them from the Qibla to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both east and West: He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight.

It appears it was a test for the believers.

2:143 - ... and We appointed the Qibla to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (From the Faith). Indeed it was (A change) momentous, except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah Make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.

Now the Prophet is being told that he and the believers are to face towads the qibla that they like i.e. The Sacred Mosque.

2:144 - Indeed We see the turning of your face to heaven, so We shall surely turn you to a qiblah which you shall like; turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your face towards it, and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do.

Did you see it? The last direction is towards the Sacred Mosque. 'Before' that it must be Al Aqsa Mosque. So in the test, the muslims were given a new Qibla (Al Aqsa Mosque). Basically it goes like 1) praying towards Sacred Mosque then 2) Test: Now face Al Aqsa Mosque and then 3) Face again towards Sacred Mosque. The Sacred Mosque was then rendered as the final direction towards which muslims all over the globe face and pray.

This proves that Al Aqsa mosque was not the first Qibla of muslims rather Sacred Mosque was. Sacred Mosque was used as the first Qibla. It was this place where Prophet Abraham was given the religious rites and was called the 'first muslim'.

2:125 - And when We made the House (at Makka) a resort for mankind and sanctuary, (saying): Take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood (to pray). And We imposed a duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, (saying): Purify My house for those who go around and those who meditate therein and those who bow down and prostrate themselves (in worship).

2:128 - "Our Lord! make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Thy (will); and show us our place for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

I know nothing much of a discussion but I thought to share what 'we think it was' and 'what it really was'. Correct your history. Or correct mine if you want to.

Referral...

I have been quoted. And I dint like it!

This month I had assumed the role of Gandhi of sorts and I was preaching No Hate! No Hate! (although Gandhi preached non-violence) and in comes a referring site where I am quoted (correctly) but in a way that furthers the authors point. Here is the link under the section "Islam Respects Non-Muslims" and I quote

I will start with a bit of current news from a Muslim blog called Think Islam. To this blogger's credit, he speaks out about the destruction (again) of Buddhist statues by Muslims. Read the post here . Here are a few quotes from his piece:

I say it again. We are sick. Really. Unfortunate thing is that these people are our own people. They are part of the society. This mentality really exists. Medresshas (not all) do preach hatred. I am supposedly a 'sunni' because I was born in such family. I used to study Quran in mosque just like an average pakistani child. Trust me. I used to hear some really nasty things about shias! and non-muslims... we were supposed to stay away from them too! but perhaps not as bad as shias! Good lord they were devils

The site contains content against Islamic concepts and is divided in various sections just like in which I am quoted. It contains the usual muslim-bashing and is another carrier of hate-waves.

Regarding the piece that I wrote, I wrote it when militants in Swat attempted to blow up a statue of Buddha. If you remember, when Taliban blew up the Bamiyan Buddha there had been a huge up roar in Pakistan and muslim world in general that what Taliban did was wrong, totally against Islamic and humane spirit and the result of their myopic understanding of Islam. The sentiments expressed in my blog post regarding statue of Buddha in Swat resembled almost the same.

What the author of the site did (check the author-highlighted portion) was that he used my words to further his point that 'Islam tells you to hate other people'... What he did not mention is the I being a muslim am denouncing this act wholeheartedly. A muslim is talking about act of a fellow muslim which I as an author felt were totally against the spirit of my religion Islam.

The author of this site also did not mention at all the condemnation that poured from around the Islamic world when such acts happen and instead focuses on his point that Islam teaches hatred. When is this hate going to stop?

Check My Other Posts:

1. Statue of Buddha in Swat.
2. Lord of the Medieval

The Australian Grand Prix

Man! Formula 1 is getting addictive! What a start to the new season! Australian Grand Prix was a drama! Last year it ended on a nail biting 1 point difference with Kimi Raikonnen of Ferrari taking the title from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and this year... things indicate I wont have my fingers remaining till the finale!

Kimi Raikonnen was like.. nuts! He went twice off track! and still managed to stay on course! How often does this happen in Formula 1?! Ask Toyota's Timo Glock. He only once veered off track and the car was put to smithereens. Kimi, once making his Ferrari eat tons of gravel, still managed to stay on track. After having all this luck on his side he still could not finish the race as the engine gave up when only 5 laps were remaining!

And what was wrong with Rubens Barrichello of Honda?! First he overshot the 'Stop' sign and drove a mechanic and fuel hose along with him! then exited the pit lane when the lights were red! rendering him out of the championship points.

The race started off with disaster! First corner saw 5 cars being sent out of race as they collided amidst a mish-mash of carbon fibre and rubber! I will be watching the next race with a helmet on it seems!

Lord!

Muslim or Kafir?

When I wrote 'I Hate You' post, the main idea behind it was the visible and disseminated hatred that various sects of Islam have for each other. It also related to the inter-religious acrimony in general. People of a certain faith always believe that they are the 'correct ones' and they will be ones holding the victory flag on the day of judgment. As the Quran states...

2:111 - And they say: "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if ye are truthful."

Our multiple-sect-muslim-brethren repeat the same mantra. Why cant they learn from Quran? Do they have the evidence that only they will enter paradise and no one else?

2:112 - Nay,-whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good,- He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Sunnis and Shias (and their sub-sects) all out do each other in claiming that they are the best! for what? We keep branding other sects as 'kafir',that they are not 'muslims'. Do we know what a muslim is? Why would only '1 sect out of 72 sects' will enter paradise?

Quran is very clear when it comes to judgment criteria.

2:62 - Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Where did it state that a person has to have a certain tag of sunni, shia, ahmadi, deobandi, jew, christian on his/ her head to be rewarded exclusively on judgment day? Of course this is not the case. The whole debate is not about who believes in which Prophet.. its about whether you believe in God as the Only God.

31:13 - Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing."

So if you keep trying your level best to declare everyone non-muslim (ahmadi/ qadiyani as the case in point) ... I am sorry but this does not matter at all. Prophet Muhammad was the last Prophet. He was not the 'first muslim'. He did not found Islam. Prophet Abraham is considered to be the first Muslim...

22:78 - And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims

And we are advised to follow religion of Prophet Abraham.

2:130 - And who forsakes the religion of Ibrahim but he who makes himself a fool, and most certainly We chose him in this world, and in the hereafter he is most surely among the righteous.

So we should all strive to be better muslims, do good deeds. Direct our energies to make muslims a better member of societies instead of focusing who is a an infidel.

Peace.

Check Out My Other Posts:

1. 'I Hate You'
2. 5 Pillars of Islam Given to Prophet Abraham

Halal Food

Recently a friend of mine went on a foreign tour. Before going there, we had discussions regarding food - what to eat and what not to eat. One thing is for sure.. muslims are damn serious when 'halal' food is concerned and they, either residing in non-muslim countries or on a visit to such countries, remain extra careful. Whether the animal was properly slaughtered (zabeeha), whether God's name was pronounced before slaughtering the animal, that it should not be pork. Things like that. Not that I mind it :p

The trouble starts when say you are in a restaurant and order food, no one knows whether its 'halal' or not. When you buy meat and it does not have a 'halal' sticker on it! When you are invited over to a non-muslim friend's place and your mind starts playing games on you regarding food! Do you tell you friend that you wont eat this food?! Do you ask him whether he pronounced God's name on it?!

Lets see what God states..

6:118 - You shall eat from that upon which GOD's name has been pronounced, if you truly believe in His revelations.

There are two main topics of discussion. 1) Whether Quran suggests that God's name should be taken when slaughtering the animal OR 2) Quran suggests that God's name should be taken before you eat! Normally muslims take the former situation as an obligation and the latter as the preferred thing to do. Mores of sorts.

When it comes to the question 'how the animal was slaughtered' then there is no information regarding that in Quran. Muslims slaughter the animals in a particular way. To quote 'The ‘slaughtering’ is to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck causing the animal’s death, but without cutting the spinal cord.' Since there is no information from God regarding how the animal should be slaughtered so the choice is yours. If you think that medically its fit to eat the animal as slaughtered in the above manner, good for you. It wont become 'haram' if you ate an animal slaughtered in another way.

Now the big question is what does Quran suggest regarding taking of God's name on food.

6:121 - Do not eat from that upon which the name of GOD has not been mentioned, for it is an abomination. The devils inspire their allies to argue with you; if you obey them, you will be idol worshipers.

This is a clear injunction regarding food. Do not eat from anything on which God's name has not been mentioned. So the butcher most probably would have taken God's name and then slaughtered the animal. Very nice so far. The problem arises when you are not in an Islamic country or when you do not know whether the source of this food has taken God's name. This becomes extremely cumbersome for muslims because every effort is being spent to know the source of the food. I do not think that is so feasible. Why would God make it so difficult for muslims when they have to visit a non-muslim country or when they reside there?

There is an other view. An opinion says that since the verse uses the word 'eat' so this implies that you do not have to worry how the animal was slaughtered or whether God's name was taken on it, you just pronounce God's name before 'eating'! Sounds logical enough. But the counter argument given, and I quote "What it would mean then is that if we eat edibles without pronouncing bismillah before doing so, we will be committing clear transgression. In other words, even while eating rice, sweets, or anything, if the ritual is not adopted we will be sinners". Now God would not make life so miserable for muslims like this too! And honestly I keep forgetting saying Bismillah (In the Name of God) before eating my food!

So what is it actually? Lets probe further.

6:119 - Why should you not eat from that upon which GOD's name has been mentioned? He has detailed for you what is prohibited for you, unless you are forced. Indeed, many people mislead others with their personal opinions, without knowledge. Your Lord is fully aware of the transgressors.

So what is prohibited?

16:115 - He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Verse 2:173 states the same. "I" think the answer to this lies in this verse. It states "Any food over which the name of others than Allah has been invoked". Any offering made to an entity other than God is prohibited. Its not about normal meal that you eat but rather the specific meal made as offering to gods or meal that has some religious significance to it.

Consider the following verses...

6:136 - Out of what Allah hath produced in abundance in tilth and in cattle, they assigned Him a share: they say, according to their fancies: "This is for Allah, and this" - for our "partners"! but the share of their" partners "reacheth not Allah, whilst the share of Allah reacheth their "partners" ! evil (and unjust) is their assignment!

6:138 - They said, "These are livestock and crops that are prohibited; no one shall eat them except whomever we permit," so they claimed. They also prohibited the riding of certain livestock. Even the livestock they ate, they never pronounced GOD's name as they sacrificed them. Such are innovations attributed to Him. He will surely requite them for their innovations.

6:139 - They say: "What is in the wombs of such and such cattle is specially reserved for our men, and forbidden to our women; but if it is still-born, then all have share therein. For their (false) attribution, He will soon punish them: for He is full of wisdom and knowledge.

Get the drift? So the prohibition is, in 'my' opinion, only for that food which is offering for gods and not Allah. Next time you are in a non-muslim country, do not fret over food and enjoy eating it. When a non-muslim friend of yours brings you food prepared in his home, eat it! This in no way is a suggestion that Gods name before slaughtering 'should not' be taken or not taken before eating! These are very good acts and should be done!

6:145 - Say: "I find not in the message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine,- for it is an abomination - or, what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah's". But (even so), if a person is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- thy Lord is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

God even still, makes things easy for us. You can eat it when forced by necessity, without willful disobedience and not transgressing limits!

Comments are more than welcome. I believe its a learning initiative.

Related Post

- Halal Pencil

'I Hate You'

We really hate each other.. when it comes to religion that is. I do not know what is it but when religion is involved, somehow the hatred level just shoots up. Ethnicity and religious factors, I guess, have killed more people than any other thing. In this post, I am more interested in religious hatred. This hatred could be intra-religious or inter-religious. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus.. it seems no body trusts each other. When it comes to Islam, Shia sunni are at each others throat. Talking of local scenario, it would be Deobandis against Barelvis. But Qadianis and Ahmadis are way on top of the list! Oh we muslims hate them the most I guess?!

What the hell.

Ok lets start with myself. I have a tag of 'sunni' on my forehead. I would like to call myself 'muslim' but.. forget it. When I was in school, the shias were the enemy number one I was told. Not my family but my friends - mosque ones in specific. I was told that I should not eat anything from a shia because they spit in it and then give it to sunnis to eat! No kidding!

Our school text books painted Hindus and Hinduism in a really bad taste. I still remember my history teacher saying "Hindus have a closed mentality which is obvious from their prayer areas whereas muslims are broadminded as you can see from mosques". How lovely. I also had a christian friend in school. He was my best friend. He lived near the school so on more than one occasion I went to his place and ate. Although the prohibition of eating applied on them as well but hey... I was hungry! When I was in class 8th, I told him to convert to Islam! He told me to convert to christianity! and I was like.. 'what the hell..what does one say next?!'. Never asked him again!

When inter-religious conflicts are taken in to consideration, then one can understand that 'fear' of being over powered by another religion does take effect. Crusades can be taken as an example. In todays world, Muslims fear that West in general and America in particular are after everything Islam and muslims. Further, when it comes to ethnic warring, one party is claiming sufferings at the hand of another because either the rights are being subjugated or the land perhaps is being taken. Perhaps the majority ethnic group is in control of financial matters and is not giving due right to other ethnic group. I mean, there is a reason to be feeling opposed. But in this case where various sects of Islam are concerned.. there is nothing! We just hate one another for our respective faiths! Don't we?! Or 'fear' working here as well?

In Pakistan things are really complex. There are so many sects and each does not have a liking for one another. In Northern Pakistan, Chilas and Gilgit are notorious for sectarian clashes. People used to burn down villages of opposing sects. In Parachinar, 100s of people have lost their lives. Shias and sunnis killing each other.. militant political wings of Sunis and Shias outdoing one another. for what?

One thing I fail to understand is that why we hate Ahmadis and Qadiyanis so much! So what if they believe in another person as prophet and do not consider Prophet Muhammad to be the last of all the prophets?! I still have my jewels complete in numbers and with me after hearing this! I mean if they are wrong, God will take care of them on Judgment Day! He will whip them or whatever after the results are in! No? What on earth is being taken from us for their beliefs?! I mean Christians believe in trinity. We muslims don't make fuss of that too much but when it comes to Ahmadis or Qadiyanis.. all hell breaks loose! Why? Dr. Abdul Salam, the only Nobel laureate from Pakistan in Physics, is not given his due share only because he was a Qadiyani.

Its not just within muslim world that hatred exists. I have been part of anti-islamic discussion boards and the hate was unbelievable. You could not hear a sane voice. Whether its publishing of cartoons or anti-islamic video by that dutch politician.. hatred seems to be at work.

Unfortunate.