Your Name in Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Courtesy University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology- My name in Egyptian Hieroglyphs is this!



Hmm. A Horned Viper, An Arm :p Reed Leaves and Door Bolt! Man I am confusing!

Check My Other Posts on Egyptology

- Nefertiti - The Most Beautiful Woman in World
- The First Monotheist - Akhenaten
- King Tut
- Hatshepsu - Woman Pharoh with A Beard!
- Cleopatra - The Last Pharoh

What Makes Relationships Sustainable?

I was in conversation with a friend of mine. We were talking about some other group of people when she stated that "my relationship with them is now normal becasue they do not have a stake involved with respect to me". Now this made me ponder and I did not like what conclusion my mind was trying to draw :|

Are relationships 'interests' based? Is all that talk of love, compassion nothing but just another word of "protecting ones interest'? Every relationship starts based on the feeling of love and care. I agree to that otherwise no relationships would develope. Yes you can argue that not every relationship initiates on the feeling of love e.g. two business partners who although have a relationship but not out of love but to 'further their interests'. And we cant really put sustainability factor in this situation. What I am talking about are the relationships built on the foundation of love. Father and son, mother and daughter, siblings, husband and wife(?), lovers...

Consider for example a son and a father relationship. Pure love eh? Right. Everything is going ok between them. A dispute arose between the two, suppose, a property dispute. The father and son dont see eye to eye on this one and in the end the son is thrown out of the home. (yeah quite exaggerated and quick but this happens).

You can say that since a 'negative' element was introduced in the relationship of love so it ruined everything... but can it be said that 'threat level' of negativity rose to such an extent that it prompted the father to 'protect' his interests? Was the underlying feeling between the two of 'threat maintenance' to a possible maximum? Is love just a cover up?

Ok how about saying that a relationship consists of both elements - 'love' and 'threat maintenance'. Does the latter outweigh the former? Countless incidents of love and sharing are equalled by just one negative act e.g. being unfaithful.

What makes relationships sustainable? Love and compassion for the other OR maintaining that negativity threat to a lower level? Is the glass half filled or half empty? Are they one and the same thing?

Am I nuts?! What the hell am I saying?! :p

Can a Woman be an Imam?

There are couple of very interesting pictures posted on buzzvines, one of the blogs syndicated by Bloggers.pk. You can check them here and here. (If they have not edited them out yet)

One of the pics shows a woman, as imam, leading a prayer session which includes men as well. Interesting questions have been raised that whether a woman can be an Imam or not. Can she lead the prayers? Whether women should stand behind men in rows and that whether they should or should not intermingle in mosques.

I have always believed that Islam is the property of Allah and not humans.. so muslims better don't trespass!

Let me start off with an excellent verse that forms the basis of my argument.

6:114 - Say: "Shall I seek for judge other than Allah? - when He it is Who hath sent unto you the Book, explained in detail." ...

Now if Quran is 'explained in detail' as God puts it.. then we should find in it whether a woman can be an Imam. hmm. Unfortunately there is no such info in Quran.

So what does that mean? Did God forget? Did He commit a mistake? typo?

20:52 - He replied: "The knowledge of that is with my Lord, duly recorded: my Lord never errs, nor forgets,-

There goes the erring and forgetting portion. OK. Then probably Prophet Muhammad would have said anything about it if God did not mention it right?

10:15 - But when Our Clear Signs are rehearsed unto them, those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, Say: "Bring us a reading other than this, or change this," Say: "It is not for me, of my own accord, to change it: I follow naught but what is revealed unto me: if I were to disobey my Lord, I should myself fear the penalty of a Great Day (to come)."

But prophet is saying that he only follows what God has revealed. Further the prophet is being warned here not to change anything and recite whatever that has been revealed.

Ok then what? How about I say that such and such thing is in Islam and such and thing not? This thing is 'haram' and that thing is 'halal'. Religious scholars keep doing that after all...

6:150 - Say: "Bring forward your witnesses to prove that Allah did forbid so and so." If they bring such witnesses, be not thou amongst them: ...

So if I say that a woman can not be an imam, then I would have to bring something as evidence that God said that. Which of course I do not have. Similarly, if I say that God said that a woman can be imam! Hell! I don't have an evidence for that either!

So what should be done? It is very simple actually... keep the opinions to yourself! No one has the right to say that such and such thing is Islamic or unislamic or this is haram or this halal. If anyone does that.. recite to him the above verse! No religious scholar is smarter than God! And that includes Dr. Zakir Naik as well! He has no right to brand things islamic or unislamic.

So if you are not comfortable with offering salat with women - do not offer salat with them! And if you are ok offering salat with them or they being the imam - suit yourself! But keep the judgment for later!

6:164 - Say: "Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than Allah, when He is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is towards Allah: He will tell you the truth of the things wherein ye disputed."

Its His religion. Let Him decide who was wrong or right on the day of judgment!

Also Check These

Rape and Adultery Differentiated

Islam & Women Protection Bill

Moonshine - Part Deux

*subject to the appearence of moon.

I hate this statement. It appears before the dates mentioned on the calendar on which I have to visit my home. Every year this happens. Damn it... why on earth can not we sight this stupid moon. One has to have tickets arranged, leaves managed. Every year my leaves get sandwiched - if I leave on the final day then I have to bear extra ticket fare. See My Post of last year - same issues.

The place where I am visiting.. usually has 3 Eids. Another absurdity.

Morons. One does not need to the 'sight' the moon to celebrate Eids. Its no where in Quran.

10:05 - It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light, and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.

Its just a measure to know when Hajj or Eid whatever will take place. One can use any measure to know about the new moon. But we wont. Why should we? Stupid is as stupid does.

Prophets and Miracles

In my last post I had ended with a piece that it appears that Prophet Muhammad was not given any miracles - apart from Quran that is. I had asked whether not giving miracles to a prophet reduces his stature?

We all know that prophets in their times were given various miracles/ signs to support their cause of spreading the message of One God and other reasons like fighting tyranny. Jesus could spoke as an infant, could heal the blind and talked to the dead. Moses was given various miracles in his fight against the pharoh. So why not Prophet Muhammad?

The answer lies in this verse perhaps.

20:133 - They say: "Why does he not bring us a sign from his Lord?" Has not a Clear Sign come to them of all that was in the former Books of revelation?

Quran refers at several places that the disbelievers should ask for the advice of people of the book if they have doubts regarding the authenticity of this scripture. According to Quran, those that are true 'believers' in the followers of the other scriptures readily see whether Quran is a true scripture.

17:107 - Say: "Whether ye believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration,

People from previous generations have been given sign/ miracles but they still chose not to believe.

8:54 - (Deeds) after the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them": They treated as false the Signs of their Lord: so We destroyed them for their crimes, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh: for they were all oppressors and wrong-doers.

Quran says that all the signs/ examples/ miracles are already in knowledge of the disbelievers. They do not need any new miracles. If they want to believe then the previous ones do the same good. But its of no use...

6:111 - Even if We did send unto them angels, and the dead did speak unto them, and We gathered together all things before their very eyes, they are not the ones to believe, unless it is in Allah's plan. But most of them ignore (the truth)

So we come to know that Prophet Muhammad was not given miracles. But does this in anyway reduce his stature?

Of course not. He was the final prophet of God - the seal of them. Only God knows who was the best amongst them but for the followers... the proclamation is straight. There is no distinction between the messengers.

2:285 - The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."

Check My Previous Posts:
- Planet Mars and Islam
- Moon Split - The Miracle?

Moon Split - The Miracle?

As a muslim you must have heard about the miracle attributed to Prophet Muhammad that he split the moon in two halves in reply to the critics of his prophethood. I am not concerned whether you believe in it or not. What I am writing here alludes to what Quran tells us about miracles given to Prophet Muhammad.

Interestingly, Quran does not inform us that Prophet was given the Miracles - apart from Quran only. Quranic tone is very different. Quran tells us that Prophet Muhammad was just a 'bearer of good news and warner' and the last Prophet at that. He knew nothing about the future nor knew about the unseen.

7:187 - They ask you about the hour, when will be its taking place? Say: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord; none but He shall manifest it at its time; it will be momentous in the heavens and the earth; it will not come on you but of a sudden. They ask you as if you were solicitous about it. Say: Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know.

7:188 - Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah please; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no evil would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.

6:50 - Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): I say not unto you (that) I possess the treasures of Allah, nor that I have knowledge of the Unseen; and I say not unto you: Lo! I am an angel. I follow only that which is inspired in me...

The disbelievers of Mecca did ask Prophet Muhammad to show them miracles so as to believe in him.

6:109 - And they swear by Allah with the strongest of their oaths, that if a sign came to them they would most certainly believe in it. Say: Signs are only with Allah; and what should make you know that when it comes they will not believe?

Whether God grants a Prophet with a miracle or not that is His wish - not the prophet's. If God deems fit then He will grant a miracle to a prophet. When it came to disbelievers of Mecca - it just did not matter. According to Quran, they were just not being honest.

6:111 - And even if We had sent down to them the angels and the dead had spoken to them and We had brought together all things before them, they would not believe unless Allah pleases, but most of them are ignorant.

Now coming to the attributed miracle of Splitting of the moon. There is chapter in Quran Al-Qamr (The Moon) and the first verses state..

54:1 - The Hour is nigh, and the moon is cleft asunder.
54:2 - But if they see a Sign, they turn away, and say, "This is (but) transient magic."
54:3 - They reject (the warning) and follow their (own) lusts but every matter has its appointed time.

To most of the translators of Quran - these verses refer to the time and the sign that Day of judgment will be very close. Many refer to these verses as evidence of Prophets miracle.

The interesting thing is that Chapter Al-Qamr was revealed in Mecca and was revealed as the 37th Sura in order of revelation. Chapter 6 (Al-Anam) too is a Meccan Sura but has the revelation order of 55. So Sura Qamr was revealed before Sura Anaam and disbelievers are still asking for miracles from Prophet in that Sura. why would it be so if the miracle of splitting of Moon had occured?

These are the issues that I think needed to be highlighted. There is just one more thing which will be highlighted in the subsequent post and which is that whether all of the above indicate somehow that Prophet's stature has been degraded as compared to the prophets who were given miracles?

I'll write about it in the next post.

Also Check These Posts

Prophets and Miracles

Planet Mars and Islam!

Moon Split!

Ok here is an other one related to my theme of recent postings. I am sorry but I "do" have to talk on it. I got a forwarding in which it was stated that 'muslims' have graphical evidence that supports the miracle attributed to Prophet Muhammad that he split the moon in two halves in reply to the questions posed on him by the people of Mecca regarding the authenticity of his Prophethood.




If anyone has a least bit knowledge of astronomy - he/ she would tell you that "the evidence" can be anything but a sign of split. You can see the craters formed on either side of it.. they seem deeper than the split-line. Secondly, the split-line is very small! The image which has been provided is a zoomed in one on one of the areas of Moon. If you zoom-out of this pic somehow.. you will not be able to see the line!

A rocky celestial body like earth, moon, Mars, Mercury... the surface has various features. Mountains, ridges, canyons, craters and albedos. Check the surface of one of the moon of Jupiter - Europa.



See any markings? appear similar? to me they do at least.
Finally. See this image of Moon. I got it from somewhere I cant remember. Credit to anybody to whom it belongs :| sorry



This is a very detailed pic of almost half of Moon. And I for one can't see a split line in it. You can clearly see the crater Copernicus, Mare Tranquillitatis and Mare Serenitatis.

This also brings us to another aspect of this post. Did moon Split occur? hmm. Very tricky one. I'll be giving my opinion in next post.

Check My Other Posts:

- Moon Split - The Miracle?
- Prophets and Miracles
- Planet Mars and Islam!

Planet Mars and Islam!

No seriously! Mars does figure in Islam! one way or the other! As I wrote in my previous post that one receives a forwarding in email regarding motion of planet Mars and the closest ever proximity of it to Earth, one also gets an other email for the 'believers' that the motion of Mars is explained in Islam already! Go figure!

But first the text of that email...

Sunrise from the West

(Nasa's Report):

The science of astronomy states that the speed of planet Mars has been decreasing in its course toward the eastern direction in the few past weeks to the level we notice the "waver" between the east and the west and on Wednesday the 30th of July the planet movement stopped going toward the eastern direction..

Then in the months of August and September...Mars changed its course in the opposite direction to the West- and that until the end of September..which means the sun will rise now from the west on Mars!!

And this weird phenomena of the opposite movement called "Retrograde Motion" Most scientist state that all the planets will go through the same once at least and our planet Earth is one of them. Planet Earth will move in the opposite direction some day and the sun will rise from the west!!

This might occur soon and we are unaware!

The rise of the sun from the west is mentioned in the hadith and this is the major sign of the day of judgment, most if not All, the minor signs have occured. Wake up.

Our beloved messenger Mohamed (Peace Be Upon Him) said:

"One of the signs of the hour..the sun will rise from the west, where no longer tauba (forgiveness) will be granted" !!

And the strange thing..most of our Shariah scholars mentioned that the rise of the sun from the west occurs only once..on that day..thewest..then again from the east..and continues until Allah wishes..and this is similar to what is happening to Mars..it stops, then it changes its course of direction for a short period of time..then returns to way once it was.

Check the following link:

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/mars_retrograde_030725.html

I don't know but reading this made my marbles follow a retrograde motion! For heavens sake. Retrograde motion of Mars is an optical phenomenon. Mars does not actually start to go in reverse! It appears to the human eye to be reversing back becasue of the relative motion of Earth and Mars around the Sun and the Earth being in the inner orbit as compared to Mars!

Even if one follows the link that has been provided in the text - one can read all about it (update 4th September 2012: The link no longer works. Follow this one). But No! we muslims will take for granted anything as being true if it has been labeled under the tag of 'Islam'!

First we keep ourselves ignorant about science. The we love to place Islam and Prophet Muhammad in it! and guess who gets mocked? I just request people out there not to put Prophet's name and keep placing Islam in everything not even remotely related to them.

And I really do not like people branding Prophet Muhammad as 'local hakeem' or astronomer with a very poor knowledge suggesting herbs to remedy certain ills or explaining motion of planets. Really I do not.

Muslims should be the ones respecting Prophet Muhammad. They on the other hand provide sufficient material otherwise.

Also Check the following posts.


- Moon Split - The Miracle?
- Prophets and Miracles

Two Moons in the Sky!

Every year around August I receive an email forwarding (and most probably you would have too) that mars will be closest to Earth in gazillion years so do not miss the chance of watching it. There will be two moons in the sky!

Hell No! nothing can be farther from the truth! Mars was at its closest in August of 2003! Every year people keep asking me questions.. is it true? and every year I keep telling them no its not the case!

And its not Two moon in sky! When I watched Mars in 2003 - naked eye of course cuz I do not have a telescope :( - it was this brilliant orange kinda star! still no better than Venus! Damn Venus is very beautiful and bright in evenings!

So next time if you find this sort of mail in your Inbox.. delete it!

Man I love the sky :)

P.S: I am writing this after 2 months cuz I realized my blog was missing my interest elements of Astronomy and Egyptology! Better late than never!

Check My Other Posts:

1 - Prophets and Miracles
2 - Moon Split - The Miracle?
3 - Planet Mars and Islam!

Movement For The Independence (MIND)

MOVEMENT FOR THE INDEPENDENCE (MIND) OF JUDICIARY, MEDIA, CIVIL SOCIETY

First Grand and Unified Peaceful Protest In Islamabad

Of

All the sections of the civil society

Lawyers, students, journalists, traders, transporters, doctors,
engineers, businessmen, professionals, NGOs employees, human rights
activists, government servants , retired soldiers, politicians,
housewives, labour unions and Conscientious citizens

November 14, Wednesday
3 30 p.m.
Aabpara Chowk

In the form of
FLOWER AND BLACK BAND SHOW

__________
Kindly share.

Protest in Holland Against Musharraf

Pakistani community is getting more active in protesting against Musharraf and his military dictatorhip. People in Pakistan and their non-resident brothers feel the same pain. Students and ordinary folk alike - they joined in the protest to show solidarity with the people of pakistan who are being subjected right now to the whims of a single person.

Protests in Holland



(Translation: Wake up Europe! Musharraf is the problem - not the solution!)



Protests In Front of International Court of Justice

Asma Jahangir's Arrest Orders

This is a picture I received in mail that contains order to arrest Miss. Asma Jahangir- renowned human rights activist of Pakistan.

I do not know whether it has been shared already or not. Thanks to who-ever it belongs to.

p.s: I have no idea about the authenticity of this image.

21 Grams

This is 'supposedly' the weight lost by the body the instant a person dies. So somehow indicating the aspect that 'soul' weighs 21 grams.

Death is a very uneasy business. Unfortunately, if there is a death in your family or a dear one - then there is certain uneasiness which does not make you rest at peace.

An auntie in our neighborhood died. May God rest her soul in peace. The coffin (there is no coffin as such but a bed on which the body is placed and is moved by being carried on peoples shoulders) was being carried by 6 people and I was one of them.

Apart from reciting 'shahada' - I was thinking... a dead body is heavy. I mean really heavy. 6 people were carrying the coffin but they had to be switched and took turns. The poor soul who died was a weak physique woman, frail. She must have not weighed much when she was alive. But this was certainly not the case.

This is one of those things that really intrigues me. What is it that makes body weigh so much after soul departs from it...

With due respects to the people who left this world.

p.s: I like the movie though. My kinda movie. Slow.

Emperor Musharaf's New Clothes

12th October 1999 - "Have to hear this guy! whatever is going on is unbelievable!"
3rd November 2007 - "What the hell does he want to say now?!"

The above equates almost what I had in mind.

Mr. Musharraf.. whatever you are selling.. we are'nt buying it. Whatever credibility you had.. has been lost. I was perhaps the biggest supporter of yours - now I dont give a damn to the explanations you give.

You are not the saviour, you are not indispensable, you are not infallible.

The common man may not come on streets... cuz they are too busy trying just to survive. My friend asked a bread maker (tandoor wala) that emergency has been imposed. He replied "Will it lower the prices of essentials?"

Please do not consider us idiots. Nawaz, BB, you - all of the same category. Just your interests to safeguard.

It sucks really. By the way.. you are not wearing anything.

Pakistan - Cricket Cheats

Remember that Oval Test which Pakistan 'forfeited', the first in 129 years of cricket? Well the ghost is back. In that Test Match, Umpire Darrel Hair had accused Pakistan of ball tampering, awarded penalty to Pakistan without telling what had happened to the bewildered Pakistani team. When Pakistani team refused to come out on field to protest the incident, he called off the match citing forfeiture by Pakistan! Lovely incident.

English Coach Duncan Fletcher has been musing in his autobiography regarding Pakistani cricketers which actually portrays his mentality. "England staff used binoculars to monitor Pakistan players they suspected of ball tampering during last year’s forfeited Test at the Oval". Fletcher writes that the England coaching staff were, “interested in what the Pakistanis were doing with the ball.”. Basically he considers Pakistani cricketers as cheats.

He further elucidates.. “Using binoculars, we began examining the Pakistanis closely in the field because we thought we had picked something up.”


And now the icing.. He added: “We could not understand how they were able to get it to reverse swing so early in the innings. With the lush outfields it had been a problem for us all series".

Asshole has branded the whole Pakistani team as cheat just becasue "they could not do it"?! Who the hell he thinks he is? In early 90's when Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram out English cricketers to smithreens by the deadly fast bowling and lethal yorkers - The english press had called us Cheats! Morons! ALan Lamb and Ian Botham sued Imran Khan in courts for that!

When Michael Atherton was caught using dirt in his pocket to tamper the ball in South Africa - nothing happened much. He was not a pakistani I guess otheriwse hell would have broken loose.

And surprise surprise.. they use the same "cheating methods" to beat Australia in Ashes in 2005! Dunacan Fletcher was the coach! and then they were titled Officer of the British Empire - OBE! wtf.

Hospitality

We Pakistanis are hospitable. Really. If you happen to be the one who visits the dear ones on occasion of Eid.. you must be knowing it. I do not know how my bladder can retain so much liquid! Every home you go.. they'll treat you with stuff to eat and drink! hey its festival time and why not! but not to the extent of ruining digestive mechanism of a human being for heavens sakes!

The other day, a relative of ours came to our place. The guy is old. Since he came after a long time so he was treated! Man he was treated! check what was on table for him... Pairra from Mardan (a very famous Mardan delight), some dessert that my mum made, dry fruit, dum-pukht meat! tea, cold drink! All sorts of assortments that had no relevance with the "timing of the serving". The old chap really really had a tough time. He could not refuse, he could not eat (no teeth either, artifical ones yes!) I was sitting with him and was 'only' thinking of what he would be going through.

Why on earth do we go to such extent that we put people in such situation. If a person tells me that no he/ she does not want to have certain thing because he/ she just had it at another place.. I would not offer him/ her that thing. Perhaps I am too rude! 'budtmiz' me!

The Brazilian Grand Prix

What a cracker of a race! the Brazilian Grand Prix was the ultimate finale for a Formula 1 that could have been possible! for once I actually sat the whole 71 laps! Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedez) was in title contention with Kimi Raikonen (Ferrari) and team mate Fernando Alonso separated by few points. Drama of drama when Lewis's car stalled due to electronic malfunction ruining his chances of taking the title. This gave Kimi the chance but he was held up by team mate Felipe Masa as he took the lead. Alonso scaled up the charts so as to snatch the title. In the meanwhile Kimi stole the top position from Masa as he went for a pit stop and Alonso fell short to gain enough points. The result - Kimi won the championship by just one point! damn Formula 1 is good!

5 Pillars of Islam

Ok I have to mention something related to 5 pillars of Islam and the general 'awareness' levels regarding them. Unfortunately... we are kept 'illiterate' when it comes to religion.

You must have definitely heard about the story that Prophet Muhammad when on his ascension to heaven.. met various Prophets and finally the number of prayers was set at 5. Right? Wrong actually.

The Five pillars were not given to Prophet Muhammad. They were all given to Prophet Abraham.

2:128 - Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee and of our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship, and relent toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful.

People did the rites before Prophet Muhammad.

2:183 - O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil)

Prophet Muhammad was told to follow 'religion of Abraham'...

22:78 - And strive for Allah with the endeavour which is His right. He hath chosen you and hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of your father Abraham (is yours). He hath named you Muslims...

The tribe of Quraish was the keeper of Qibla. Remember Abraha? the one who tried to make his own Qibla some 50 years before the birth of Prophet? and for which 'Sura Feel' was revealed? This indicates that people used to observe Hajj before Prophet Muhammad was born.

Check My Other Posts:

1. Muslim or Kafir?
2. Travel Prayers - Salat Qasr

Let them eat cake

I was hearing Musharraf on PTV. Responding to a caller that poverty should be reduced... he said it is being reduced. That he has done this and that for poverty alleviation. He also said that he knew that people in rural areas were now "using motorcycle instead of bicycles, using 'Lux soap' (sort of luxury soap) instead of 'gaye soap' (ordinary soap), drinking Pepsi..'!!

I swear the first thing that came to my mind was the quote attributed to Marie Antoinette when she was told that ordinary folk had nothing to eat and she replied "Let them eat cake".

This is perhaps the most dumb statement I have heard from Musharraf. I like(ed)? this guy. For me he was the best thing that happened to Pakistan. Brave. Courageous. No holds barred attitude. He single handidly did the conferences, no aides. I went in appluase when he shook hands with Vajpayee in a SAARC conference.. what a knock out! How he held himself in India answering and handling Indian media. Just marvellous.

And now. What the hell is he doing? Awarding amnesty to the most corrupt of this country all in the name of reconcilliation. What a hog wash. I swear I think the elite of this country (rulers, feudals, military, mullah, bureacrats etc) consider ordinary Pakistani stupid. They really do. Are we?

Statue of Buddha

We are sick. really. Swat is in a turmoil. Government and local religious authorities are at odds with each other. And the result apart from killing of innocent people? Statue of Buddha.

Twice it has been the target. Some 'believers' I suppose are trying to knock it off from its place because it is a sign of idolworship. Just like the case of Buddha of Bamyan in Afghanistan. Why should an idol be present on the land of the faithful?

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!

Anyways.. No one from the NWFP government (purely Islamic Government I believe because mullahs rule there) has come up with even a denunciation.. let alone providing some security. (yeah yeah I know I am not talking about security for humans but talking of providing security for a statue). The Islamic Caliphate of NWFP is perhaps busy saving its own seat. This ancient relic circa 2 B.C will be no more. I hope I am wrong.

(Photo courtesy BBC)

Check My Other Posts:

1. 'I Hate You'
2. Lord of the Medieval