جے سوہنا میرے دکھ وچ راضی ، تے میں سکھ نوں چولہے پاواں

Research in Pakistan

Pakistan has many state-of-the-art research facilities; just look at the numerous advertisements of cooking oils and tooth pastes.

He believed in God

"He believed in God, that it was his conviction that no man was so guilty that God would not forgive him, but in order for that to happen a man must repent and in doing so become like a child whose heart is open and ready to embrace all"

~The Stranger, Albert Camus

Mitti payii atolave koay na hosi mit

Buddha hoya sheikh Farid, Kamban laggi dayh

Je so varya jeevna, Bheetan hosi khayh

Dekh Farida jo thea darhi hoi bhoor

Aggu neda aaya, pichaa rahya door

Farida kothe mandap mariaa, ayt na laaye chit

Mitti payii atolave koay na hosi mit

Farida bhanni gharhi savanni, tutti naagar lajj

Azraeel farishta kai ghar nathi ajj

Farida bhanni gharhi savanni, tutti naagar lajj

Jo sajjan bhoye bhaar thay, say kio aave ajj

Kandi utay rukh-ra kichrak bannay dheer

Farida kachay bhanday rakhiye kichar taai neer

Farida daryave kanne baggla betha kayl karay

Kayl karainde hanj nu, achintay baaj paaye

Baaj paye tis rab de kaylaañ visriyañ

Jo mann chit na chayte san so gaale rub ki-aa

~Baba Farid
External Link for translation

Jaach mainu aa gayee

Jaach Mainu Aa Gayee, Gham Khaan Di,

Hole Hole Ro Ke Je Bharchan Di,

Changa Hoya Tu Paraya Ho Gayo,

Much Gayi Chinta Tenu Apnan Di,

Shiv Kumar Batalvi

Love and Correlation

"Where do you think love is? Think about the person you love the most and you are A and the other person is B. Which graph signifies love? It is (I believe) is the graph on the right top because if you are looking for a perfect relationship, there is no such thing and in fact it is the wrong thing to look for. You are looking for yourself in the other person … it is noisy, there is tension but hopefully the relationship is positively inclined."

Gautum Kaul, Introduction to Finance (University of Michigan)  

The coward does it with a kiss

“Yet each man kills the thing he loves

By each let this be heard

Some do it with a bitter look

Some with a flattering word

The coward does it with a kiss

The brave man with a sword” 

― Oscar Wilde, The Ballad Of Reading Gaol

This is Love - Yasmin Mogahed

"...human love they seek was not the destination. Some form of that human love, can be a gift. It can be a means. But the moment you make it the End, you will fall ... You will give your life to reaching a ‘destination’ of worldly perfection that does not exist."

"The lesson you’re taught is that the story ends at the wedding, and then that’s when Jennah (paradise) begins. That’s when you’ll be saved and completed and everything that was once broken will be fixed. The only problem is, that’s not where the story ends. That’s where it begins. That’s where the building starts: the building of a life, the building of your character, the building of sabr, patience, perseverance, and sacrifice. The building of selflessness. The building of love."

"If it is love that you seek, seek it through God. Every other stream, not based in His love, poisons the one who drinks from it...when you do love, you will give to the creation—not for what you can get in return from them. You will love and you will give, but you will be sufficed from Him."

This is Love by Yasmin Mogahed

When Memorization Gets in the Way of Learning

"What separates memorization from learning is a sense of meaning. When you memorize a fact, it's arbitrary, interchangeable--it makes no difference to you whether sine of π/2 is one, zero, or a million. But when you learn a fact, it's bound to others by a web of logic. It could be no other way." 

When Memorization Gets in the Way of Learning by Ben Orlin.

Before Midnight

Did not even know that "this" was out and then to find it hailed to the very first position on the summer's best movies' list at rotten tomatoes ...

Mud (2013)

A beautiful little fool

Is that the best thing they can be or is that the best thing they can make the world believe?

It's curtains...

Whoever stands up (in worship) in the nights preceding the two Eids expecting rewards from his Lord, his heart will not die when the other hearts will die. (Ibn Majah)

The love of books...

You need to see this if you love (and I mean really love) books...

Red wedding, take a hike!

"The survivors in Damascus are confronted on a dark night as the victorious Abbasids sweep into Syria and invite the Umayyad nobility to a "feast of reconciliation." ... The feast is to be held in the Umayyad palace, and everyone gathers ... The dinner is made up of the victors and the defeated ... when most are lulled by wine and food into the quiet of evening, the secret orders goes out among the visitors, and the terrible swords begin to do their duty. The Abbasids mercilessly slaughter every man, woman, and child of the Umayyad court, from cooks and servants to the wives of the harem, the sons and daughters, the cousins and retainers .... Nurseries, bedchambers, and kitchens become pools of blood, and the stones of Damascus ring out with a sound no one should ever have to hear ..."

~Morgan, M. H. (2007) Lost History. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society.

A good book can make your mouth water for at least the promise it holds...

A country going to/gone to ...

Anchor: Who discovered that the Earth revolves around the Sun?

Audience

1) Newton
2) Einstein
3) wait for it .... Abdul Qadeer
4) Galileo ... phew

Random Verses

کشتہ  عشق کو عیسیٰ  نفسوں  کے  آگے 

موت  آجایے  جو جینے کا  خیال  آیے 

(احمد جاوید )

موجیں خوں سر سے گزر ہی کیوں نہ جایے 

استاناے  یار  سے  اٹھ  جایئں  کیا ؟

(احمد جاوید )

ایمان کی سنجیدگی

 ایمان کی سنجیدگی  یہ ہے کہ تم ہر لمحہ اپنے آپ کو الله کے حضور میں سمجھو 

شیخ  

معبود اور محبوب

ہم نے معبود نہیں بدلا بلکہ محبوب بدل لیا ہے - الله ہمارا معبود ہے لیکن دنیا ہماری محبوب ہے -  

شیخ

The heart beats faster and louder and you wish for a reciprocation of rythm from the one right next to you. 

If the world is thrown at your feet; don't embrace it. Don't even lift it up ...

The Waiting Room

He had hidden his face partly with the cashmere muffler but those salt and pepper hair and inquisitive eyes were enough to give up his identity. It took only a single glance by the incoming stranger to recognize him. There was plenty of room in the waiting area but the stranger took a seat on his right side making it possible to observe him directly. The stranger shifted uncomfortably in his chair as he vexed to initiate a conversation.

It is a queer feeling watching someone in person whom you have seen all your life on television. What made the entire situation even more interesting was the premises; the stranger never expected to find someone of this person’s caliber to be sitting comfortably in a place like that without a hint of the usual security which accompanies such people. The stranger even hesitated to take out his cellphone from the inner pocket that it might be considered a suspicious move and some undercover agent might pounce on him from somewhere.

The television at the far end of the corner was turned on. The picture tube was probably malfunctioning as the corners of the screen were hazed with green color. A famous political talk show was airing; how apposite! It was not very uncommon for this person to be a part of this show every other day. On that particular day, another member of his massive political campaign was a part of the expert panel on the show.

After a while he casually glanced at the stranger. It was exactly what the stranger was waiting for; he stood up and extended his hand.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Sir”

The person nodded appreciatively; shook hands and then again focused his gaze on the television.

Bummer!

He needed to initiate a conversation; feeling drawn into the power vortex.  

While keeping his eyes on the television, the stranger remarked; “A poor Christian girl would be bullied for her alleged blasphemy but an imported cleric would be hailed as a messiah even after irrevocable proof of him issuing certain tickets.”

The trump card was played. After all they were sitting in a waiting area and as is the case with these waiting areas; sooner or later one of them had to leave.

Now the stranger had this person’s attention and the conversation began. He had hit the right spot as after that there was no stopping the other person. They had a healthy discussion on the political scenario and it left the stranger kind of perplexed. He never expected such a person to be so normal.

‘Baba’, a girl with disheveled hair and slightly stoned eyes called the person sitting in front of the stranger.  The former stood up immediately. It was time to leave. The stranger intentionally ignored the father and daughter. His instincts told him that this must be something sacred as it portrayed the sheer human side of this larger than life person.

They shook hands and parted while the stranger kept sitting there waiting for his turn. He felt sorry but at the same time he feared the initial pull he felt towards this person. It kind of dawned upon him as to why it becomes so difficult for political workers to disagree or even criticize their own political movement. The aura of power can neutralize rationality as one feels the urge to bask under the warmth of privilege. 

Just for a change...

The maid holds the child while the couple eats their food. Why not for once the couple holds the child while the maid eats food first or like in a family gathering where women take turns ...