ANOTHER OASIS IN DRY LIFE

ANOTHER OASIS IN DRY LIFE

Scorching weather, dryness with the sun blazing above your head in the desert, no navigation tool, throat begging for a drop of water, eyes becoming stones, all you want now is a miracle as soul longing for an oasis in the middle of nowhere. Aforesaid situation depicts desperate times and, in such a scenario, an oasis is a relief to a dying body.      

“Faith is like seeing a huge snow-covered hill in sandy, hot Sahara Desert.” -RItchpen

The month of Ramazan is upon us just at the right time, it is a chance given to us to repent on our filthy sins. Ramazan is the most blessed month of the Islamic calendar year and is observed by the Muslims. It is a month in which Allah Almighty shower his countless blessings.

The Prophet ﷺ said: 

“When the month of Ramadan arrives, the doors of mercy are opened.” (Sahih muslim:2496)

We are surrounded by the horrific pandemic and it’s been several months that we are being locked down in our caves. We are all feeling the heat and it is our profound wish to get out of these embroiled conditions. It is certainly not the vacations we wanted; it is not vacationing at all.

The timing of Ramadan is very delicate, it seems that Allah Almighty wants us to turn back to him and ask for forgiveness. It is our chance to turn Allah’s anger into mercy. There are two options for us to avail, first is to grasp the chance that is provided to us in the shape of Ramadan, or drive further on the path on which we already have driven for so long.

Being Muslims, our faith becomes tender and could be easily bruised, we are only seeking for worldly and materialistic solutions without involving divine power on our side. Materiality may seem an oasis to us, but in true sense it is just a mirage. We can buy a million-dollar bed to rest but could not buy sleep at any cost.

We have got one month to eradicate bad deeds and to get to the shore of bustling cities once again. We have got one month to trade our transgressions with prosperity. We have got one month to remove our rust and get new shiny armor and we have got one month to make our lives worthy. Being humans, we can make mistakes and even blunders, but we always tend to redirect ourselves to our Lord. This is what makes us superior, powerful and human.

The month of Ramadan is an oasis in the desert, it would be very shameful for us to get killed because of thirst, when the water is right in front of us. Brothers and sisters, we need to rediscover our true nature, the initiatives which are embedded in our DNA. We need not only to preach good actions but we need to show others by our acts.

Let’s cash this blank cheque and buy everything we want. This looks fictional and unrealistic, see this by your heart, you will find everything in it. Because we are trapped in the desert and oasis is on the other side of a sandy hill.

                                      (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)

MEDIA NORTH EAST WEST SOUTH

North East West South (News) is like binoculars to us, by which we can see the world and assess the situation. In current times it is very essential to keep ourselves updated, it is an important ingredient in making decisions and a crucial element in building a narrative. Media is responsible to transmit the news and has numerous arms to do so.

Almost 80% of households in the world owns TV set with thousands of news channels. Media has deepened its roots in every corner of the living world and is just a click away. Besides print media, social media and the internet are also pre-eminent.

Before newspapers, in the early 16^th century, pamphlets emerged as a source of news in Europe, inspired by religious controversies. Soon pamphlets became a major tool to spread the words. Another notable venue of news was coffee shops, people used to gather in coffee clubs to heard and discuss current situations. In Muslim communities, mosque remained headquarter of news and meetings, it was like a parliament to them, where they announced and made strategies. 

The newspaper became common in the 17^th century and since then it is one of the authentic sources. 21^st century came with a revolution in the media industry, as everything started to digitalized, electronic media took birth as a might. Nowadays it is very easy to access the news anywhere and anytime. As news is a freshly received and noteworthy information about recent times, past news is only junk or memory. According to Edward Abbey:

“Nothing could be older than the daily news, nothing deader than yesterday’s newspaper.”

Anything we don’t know about is news. when such news does not come with credibility, rumors take place. Media has a responsibility to deliver credible news, but when this authority is misused to attain personal advantage or delusional undertakings, problems arise. Every government owns a national television channel and the Private media industry is also regulated by such governments. Governments manipulate media tools in building favorable situations for them and hostile mentality for foes.

“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.”                                                                                                                       -Adolf Hitler

In 21st-century fifth generation warfare tactics introduced and reinforced by powerful nations to control the people. A nation that cannot be invaded with power, now is miserable before this strapping lash. A bullet could not enter in every house but media can, it is a trap, and people are falling for it unknowingly. Governments are tying media to its chair like a puppet and make it bark against her rivals. Media is no more just an industry but a cartel and a mafia.

Misleading, defamation, projecting wrong information, and miscarriage are now very common and trendy in the media industry. But, when any journalist comes forward to speak against it and conspiracies generated by the government, he/she is bashed and banned to do so.

In talking of media, it would be unfair to not incorporate social media and its outcomes. Social media is becoming an entertainment source, it is used by every other person in daily routine. Everything comes with pros and cons; social media platform is filled with fake news with no proper source. Exaggerating usage of smart devices and social media could be very hazardous in alarming situations. Regulations should be introduced for its users to control misleading information.

In the end it is an individual and collective responsibility not to create panic and baseless information through media platforms. Debunk such elements which are doing devils work. Do not believe in every news, because every news is not just news.

                                                                                                          (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)       

CATASTROPHE AND THE SHIFT IN MIGHT

Catastrophe gives many a chance to rise from the ashes and tumble others into the black pit. Opportunity lies in the chaos and one should hold its nerves to apprehend it. As a coin has two sides, adversity comes with two faces. It is oddly true; it is all about adopting the situation and exploring the best out of it.  

The world economy is shrinking to its worst amid COVID-19 (coronavirus). Mighty industries are now on their knees and at the brink of collapsing. The pandemic outbreak, which originated in China, is affecting monetary sectors from every possible direction. According to Bloomberg:

“Coronavirus Could Cost the Global Economy $2.7 Trillion.”

Traveling industry, hotel industry, food chains and stock markets facing a constant decline in their business. International sporting events are either being canceled or postponed. The economy is following the economic cycle and this cycle will bring the crippled economy to its former glory. As one side of seesaw lifts the other side, this ongoing recession will result in the boom of many other businesses. But the game is no more conventional, where we would be reviving the economy by towing it in a different direction. This economy now needs a different dimension rather than direction. 

Governments are financed by big enterprises, in return governments support them by making amiable laws and a friendly business environment. United States of America is named as a superpower of this globe and is backed by numerous gigantic monetary fishes, but China being her competitor was emerging like a dawn and a lethal threat to her crown. As government monetary arms are now being cut short by the COVID-19, will there be room for any third party to jump into the circus of superpowers? Will the world will be seeing a new crown holder after this pandemic or USA will continue to reserve this throne?

Coronavirus outbreak raised countless question marks on the existing system, one of them is, will this catastrophe result in a shift in might or this dark cloud will not affect the power ranking of the countries? Let’s dig deep into it and discover more angles of this likely scenario. USA is facing a record-high unemployment trend in the past few weeks, which will shrink business operations on her turf. It’s an undeniable fact that this virus will affect our lives at least for the next ten years, which means it will not be a piece of cake to recover such a dent. This will benefit many other awaiting eagles to step into a hunting ground to claim their economic territory.

After World War II and during the Cold War, the USA and the Soviet Union dominated world affairs. At the end of 1991, when the Soviet Union dissolved, only the USA emerged as a superpower. USA is ruling for more than seventy years and now she is threatened by an unseen foe. The war against this virus is very delicate, but it could cost superpower a setback. Post to this chaos a new era will begin and time will project the answers of such speculations. For now, this risk is floating over superpower and change in might is in pipeline.        

    

                                                                                                           (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)

A WORLD IN NEED IS A WORLD INDEED

Every country in this world has its laws and legal procedures. They need to be followed. If any person does not follow them, then he/she could face consequences and maybe end up in jail with heavy fines. The point is, every community needs a place of detention where culprits are entertained.

Current synopses are indicating the same protocol, where whole humankind is detainee, our globe is a place of detention and the judge is Allah Almighty. On an everyday basis many are being executed by COVID-19 (Corona Virus). The houses we have built by saving our resources are now our cells. We all are being house arrested due to our negligence and inhuman undertakings.

As any lawbreaker, our detention will end at some point and we will be roaming again in our streets. Will we be the same individuals as before or better ones? It is the time to rethink and rewind our habits, so we can come out of cells as humankind and not criminal kind.

For now, our neighbor needs us, our community needs us and most important of all our world needs us. After all we are human beings and assisting one another is in our DNA. There must be a good seed in ourselves and it needs water to grow. This seed will grow as a tree by saving someone’s skin. What goes around comes around, this aid will help us out ultimately.    

Despite technological advancements in the health sector and the total number of gold reserves in banks, superpowers (USA, CHINA, UK etc.) seems feeble and fumbling. Danger of food stockout is ever so high due to unprecedented thin times in recent past. The planet earth may face a global economic recession, leaving millions of people jobless and helpless. So, survival is the main course now a days. First, we have to battle for survival and in next phase we will dealt with other recessions. The basic ingredient of survival is to stay united by maintaining social distancing.

How can we be of any assistance in a given scenario? The least we can contribute is by staying quarantined. If you have any spare money, you can buy someone living essentials or you can give them hard cash so they can meet their needs. If you are a paramedic, you can help your society actively by providing them your services or at least you can spread awareness. You can distribute food items to the poor families. Positivity is the biggest tool to strengthen your motive in desperate times. So, if you are a journalist/ activist/ blogger, you can proliferate positivity and knowledge. There are numerous ways to help if you intended to.

Now is not the time to be divided into areas, countries or continents. We must act as a body and must spend our energy to heal it. Start comforting others before your body gets cold. This plague is upon us all and time is not on our side. Every minute and second is crucial. Do not hesitate to contribute even it is very little to bestow. A penny, a loaf of bread, a piece of advice and a ray of positivity can make a difference. Because, 

A world in need is a world indeed.

                                                                                                           (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)

PEN OR SWORD

Thousands of years gone by and millions of researches came along, but still this question keeps boggling our minds, what the world needs most, PEN or SWORD? This topic is not only discussed on high tables but in the barbershops and other gatherings too.

Pen is something that portrays intellectualism and wisdom. On the other hand, the sword showcases power and authority with the force. Undoubtedly, words have the power to change the course of history and the world has seen this repeatedly. Human souls have sighted numerous amounts of episodes in its extensive history, in which herculean and powerful minds with greater ability to convey their messages had dominated the era.

In the 1500s when mighty Spain launched an attack on Britain, it was Queen Elizabeth I, who made a powerful speech

             “I myself will take up the arms and I myself be your general”

 which against the odds allowed Britain to seal the victory. When it comes to wise words, who can forget the role of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal in building youngsters’ character and morale. He wrote more than dozens of books on poetry and led the Muslim ummah, he showed juveniles and elders an alleyway towards triumph.

It would be very unfair if we hop over the accomplishments of warriors and jump to the conclusion. Alexander the Great ruled over 2 million square miles that stretched from Greece to the Indian subcontinent through his military force. The world has also witnessed one of the most bold and youngest warriors who responded to a letter, written by a woman from the dungeon. History books remembered him with the name of Muhammad Bin Qasim. He invaded Sindh in 712AD, at the age of 17.  

Some used to fasten peace with the pen and destruction with the sword, which is not just. In true sense, the pen and the sword are complementary to each other. To understand this, we need to apprehend a few important things. Do only warmongers have piled up military assets and vicious missiles or almost every country has them? Surely, these ferocious assets are held by more or less every country on the earth for defense purposes or when needed otherwise. So, to maintain peace, countries need authority and weapons to restrain the elements who want to terminate the peace. Pen can educate people when and how to use weapons and a sword can be the last resort. The pen has the power to hang a wrongdoer and a sword has the power to eliminate thousands of culprits. Pen is brain and the sword is muscle. It is not mandatory to use both things simultaneously but when needed.

Pen and sword are the two elements of a bigger picture and these two elements have their own reach. One thing is for sure, the nation with one element in its arsenal will have less mobility and strength in the future. This discussion is everlasting and evolving. So, which course of action should we choose? The answer is, it depends upon the circumstances and events’ materiality. Choose wisely and choose both because you don’t want to lose the bigger picture.

                                                                                                           (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)

THE ONLY WAY IS A SPIRITUAL WAY

Let me take you a few months back, where we were enjoying every shred of happening. Roads were full of buzzing traffic and markets were flooding with opportunities. we were doing everything to our liking or at least that is what we were trying. Isn’t it fascinating how the course of time changes in a mere blink?

Our main query is, why it has to be this way! yes, I am talking about the current epidemic (COVID-19). Before highlighting the events that occurred in the past few months, especially after November 2019, I want to draw your attention to prior trends.

“O men! eat the lawful and good things out of what is in the earth, and do not follow the footsteps of the Shaitan; surely, he is your open enemy” ALQURAN [2:168].

There is a Roman saying “ignorance of the law is not an excuse (Ignorantia Juris Non-Excusat)”. We have divine guidelines to live our lives to the full but we are being utterly ignorant and this is certainly not an excuse. We all played our part to trigger this virus and there is a rock-solid reason behind this brutal pandemic.

Surely, we were enjoying but at the expense of others life. We were having fun but at the expense of making others miserable. We were dealing in hideous ways and we were eating by slitting others throat. This is simply demonism and there is no happiness for people at the expense of other people. In short, we have to mend our ways before it gets too late.

CHINA, ITALY, FRANCE, UNITED KINGDOM and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are the countries that are severely hit by Corona Virus and here are some of the main reasons behind it. China is infamous for eating forbidden animals, since 2009 China is conducting Lychee and Dog meat festival annually which spans about 10 days. Moreover, Chinese people are indulged in eating rats, bats and other nasty stuff and now they are trapped in their trap.

Adultery is common in European countries. Approximately 28 European countries legalized homosexual marriages. Molesting, human trafficking and drugs are becoming so habitual in such countries.

Who can deny this fact that the USA is wagering war all around the globe and has killed millions of innocent people? Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Iran and many other countries went through horrors and still felting war shocks.

United Kingdom has governed and ruled roughly half of the world. It seems pretty amazing but the fact is they controlled the world by snatching their lands and businesses. They controlled them by controlling their resources. This is economic terror and they used this strategy without being hesitant.

My point is that if you alter the divine laws then there would be unbearable consequences. There are many positive elements in the world too but when evil prevails more than good then it needs balancing and we are now going through this tough phase. It is very throbbing to watch the world suffer, but the only way is spiritual. Ask Allah Almighty for forgiveness and help. May the sanity prevail.

(ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)

AN ACT OF WAR IS A WAR ITSELF

Lets Start

Three alphabetic letters contain the power to ruin the whole world in a blink, if glued together for immoral wishes. Caution! These alphabets can make “war”.

We are living in that era, where the distinction between humans and animals is merely physical. It was not that always or was it?

We have a barbaric dream, that one day we will conquer this world by slaughtering. We have a dreadful dream to hoard money by illegal means. We have a ferocious dream to rule all races. Our dreams surpass Hitler’s dream. Our ambition is greedier than Pablo Escobar’s ambition and our vision is clearer than Genghis Khan. Our dream is an act of war and an act of war is a war itself.

This war theory is nothing to do with bombs, bullets or tanks. It is all about mentality. Deceiving is an act of war; injustice is an act of war. If our days and nights are corrupt then it is an act of war and an act of war is war itself.

In our world, being abnormal is normal stuff and being gentle is a symbol of weakness. As every night followed by light, we can glorify our chances to overcome this ill streak.

It is strange but true, that these three alphabets can make peace too. Let’s initiate corporal actions against our filthy acts. All we need now is an act of war because an act of war is war itself.

  (ABDULLAH HAMEEDI)