Being an idealist; Curse or a Gift?

This article has been published in Monthly Laaltain magazine and can also be read here.

The people who are driven by passion always (or may be most frequently) end up in alienation by society and in loneliness. I always wondered why is that so? How come brilliant minds like scholars, sufis, scientists, writers, artists and great musicians end up in such an agony. Still I found most of them contended. It seemed like societal norms did not apply on them. So the agony part was always doubtful. I was told that they become narcissists and hence they lose the balance that social adjustment requires. I tried to study the private lives of these people. From Aristotle to Russel, Voltaire to Neitzsche, Einstein to Edison and Planck, Faiz Ahmed Faiz to Dr. Abdus Salam and Eqbal Ahmed, Muneer Niazi to Michael Jackson.

ملالہ کا ڈرامہ – سازشی نظریے

پوری دنیا کے ٹی وی، اخبارات اور نیوز چینلز پر چلنے والے آج کل ایک رجحان کی ہی بات کرتے ہیں جس میں ہماری قوم گھری ہوئی ہے۔ ڈرامے کا مرکزی کردار ٹین ایجر ملالہ یوسفزئی نے انجام دیا، ڈرامے میں نام نہاد طالبان عورتوں کے حقوق اور تعلیم کے لیے آواز اٹھانے پر ملالہ کو گولی مار دیتے ہیں۔ طالبان سے منسوب تمام کہانیاں محض افسانہ ہی تو ہیں حالانکہ طالبان تو اس روئے زمین کے سب سے معزز اور امن پسند لوگ ہیں۔ کالی پگڑیاں باندھنے والے ان خراسانیوں کے بارے میں پیشین گوئی کی گئی ہے کہ یہ اسلام کے رکھوالے ہیں اور بس چند برے لوگوں کی وجہ سے ہی بدنام ہیں جو کہ سی آئی اے، را اور موساد کے اہلکار ہیں۔ 

Green House Effect of US-Taliban talks

Comments on the article by Hussain Haqqani in NY Times today.

Agreeing to Haqqani, I guess US is aiming for short term goals over here. Adding to the same, the next battleground of Taliban ideological warfare will be Pakistan and it will be source for their ideology dissemination and manpower recruitment. No matter how much we reject this but TTP and other Taliban groups like Maulvi Nazir and Haqqani group in Pakistan have clearly expressed several times that they consider Mullah Omar as Ameer-ul-Momineen and their Jihad is the extension of Afghan Jihad against US supported democratic (Democracy = Kafirana Nizam) country, Pak Army and people of Pakistan who elected this government.

Cut the crap - 1

When I get up in the morning, usually it’s this annoying sound of alarm. Three alarms that I have set on my phone. One rings at 7:50 am, second at 8:15 am and third at 8:30 am. I am obsessed with this grammatical structure that I wrote the missing “AMs” with the last two times and capitalized the one in this sentence. So much that I corrected the previous sentence when Word gave an error with green underline and I am still thinking about the word "structure" in that sentence that whether it is rightly put or not. “Composition” came to my mind as an alternate. But I really don’t care for this one at least. Let it be like his even if it is wrong. Anyways, I don’t want to search google if “anyway” is right or “anyways” is right and whether these two should be inside commas. Hell I care, because I don’t want anyone to understand what I am writing either. Why the hell this cursor frantically moves many tabs ahead – errr?

Bloody Self-Righteousness Syndrome

This self-righteousness is the reason that others get offensive to you. This self-righteousness of yours is the reason that others attack your faith. Do you realize, how much hurting is it when somebody judges you due to your faith? You can realize this only when you are in the same situation. When somebody makes a movie or writes a book, how much is it hurtful to you? You never realize that same is true for others when you break their idols, call them inferior, kafir, don't reply to their salutations the same way. This is because your ego does not accept that you are inferior to somebody else.

Here the question is not that you do not consider your's superior. Everybody does. Do that. But keep it to yourself. Don’t make it impact the lives of others. Don’t make your own ego affect others. Don’t make your superiority kill anyone else. Keep it to yourself. It is your personal matter and it is the other person’s personal matter.

At least, you should realize that it is a bloody personal thing of other person and he/she is responsible for that, NOT you. You have no right to judge anyone else. You have no right to judge if someone is right or wrong.

The Battles of (Ir)Rationality

Last week I shared an article of Greenwald, which was in reply to Sam Harris and Dawkins "irrational Islamophobia" and alongwith it the emails exchange between Sam Harris and Greenwald on RSOP, when he retweeted Murtaza Hussain's (A toronto based columnist) article on Sam Harris and Dawkins attitude. This is Dawkins infamous quote which spurred a debate in liberal as well as atheist circles,

"Haven’t read Koran so couldn’t quote chapter & verse like I can for Bible. But often say Islam [is the] greatest force for evil today."

This one is in continuation to that. The question is, is new-atheism synonamous to Islamophobia? This is what Harris says about it,

"There is no such thing as “Islamophobia.” This is a term of propaganda designed to protect Islam from the forces of secularism by conflating all criticism of it with racism and xenophobia. And it is doing its job, because people like you have been taken in by it."

Here is a reply of Sam Harris to Greenwald (courtesy: Faraz Talat) and here is Greenwald's email exchange with Harris. This is Mortaza Hussain's article. Another similar article written by Nathan Lean is here.

Mortaza has this to say,

"Just as it is incumbent upon Muslims to marginalise their own violent extremists, mainstream atheists must work to disavow those such as Harris who would tarnish their movement by associating it with a virulently racist, violent and exploitative worldview"

In addition, here is Nathan Lean's concluding paragraph.

"How the New Atheists’ anti-Muslim hate advances their belief that God does not exist is not exactly clear. In this climate of increased anti-Muslim sentiment, it’s a convenient digression, though. They’ve shifted their base and instead of simply trying to convince people that God is a myth, they’ve embraced the monster narrative of the day. That’s not rational or enlightening or “free thinking” or even intelligent. That’s opportunism. If atheism writ large was a tough sell to skeptics, the “New Atheism,” Muslim-bashing atheism, must be like selling Bibles to believers. After all, those who are convinced that God exists, and would otherwise dismiss the Dawkins’ and Harris’s of the world as hell-bound kooks, are often some of the biggest Islamophobes. It’s symbiosis — and as a biologist, Dawkins should know a thing or two about that. Proving that a religion — any religion — is evil, though, is just as pointless and impossible an endeavor as trying to prove that God does or doesn’t exist. Neither has been accomplished yet. And neither will."

Relating to the Dawkins episode, this account is shared by Asad Masood with this comment "a few months ago Peter Higgs called Dawkins 'almost fundamentalist." This story by Alok Jha, published in The Guardian can be read here. Thanks to Asad, he provided another story by Nigel Farndale on the same.

However, in my opinion not only these new-atheists, especially Sam Harris are consciously or unconsciously beginning to develop Islamophobia but extremists, western salafists and modern Islamists like Anjem Ch. and Hizb-ut-Tehrir also hide behind "Islamophobia excuse" to justify their weird attitudes and self-righteous ideologies.

FEMEN Redefining Feminism: A Potential Threat to Patriarchy, Orthodoxy and Hollow Liberalism

There is this news: bare breasted women standing against women oppression. Amina Tyler and FEMEN sparked a new debate in the international community when this Tunisian girl Amina, being a FEMEN activist, posted her topless photos on her facebook page against misogyny. Starting from three girls 6 years ago, the girls have been joining them from all over the world, especially during last few months. After the uproar created by Aalia Al-Mahdy of Egypt, Amina has started a new episode of uproar and debate on the methods and forms of activism and protests. Golshifteh Frahani of Iran and Veena Malik of Pakistan spurred similar responses. Not to forget Manal Sharif from Saudi Arabia who was arrested just to dare taking a picture (of course covered) behind wheel in protest to the law against driving of women there.

Tunisia is a country where minister of women affairs defends the nursery where a 3 years old girl was repeatedly raped by the caretaker. The Minister Sihem Badi shifted the blame to the family of the toddler instead and hinted that the caretaker will not be punished, after his arrest few days ago.

Hypocricy Marathon of New-Atheists and Islamists

Just came by this news yesterday. Where, University of Leicester is investigating the enforcement of gender segregation in a public address by Hamza Tzortsis, an Islamic Speaker. University showed its concerns on the handwritten posters directing "brothers" and "sisters" to separate sections of hall. The spokesperson of Hamza Tzortzis has this to say in response to Daily Mail UK.

"Genders are sometimes informally segregated at events. But signs do not intend to ‘enforce’ separation - and that there are rarely any problems if non-Muslims chose to ignore the advice on where to sit. It is a little bit of a storm in a teacup. It is down to a bit of a misunderstanding about the way that Islam is perceived."

Our friend brother Abdullah Al-Andulasi and his Muslim Debate Initiative, does not understand the point and has something like this to say,

Getting high on Muslim Conversions in West

Today in RSOP, a guy, religiously very passionate posted some text (his own thoughts or maybe some copy paste stuff) that there is a 25% rise in the Muslim conversions in France last year. Well to many of my friends and readers of this blog, it will be exciting enough, really cool and a big deal. But before we get high on this, there comes a reality check. Let's have it and ask ourselves some serious questions. 

1. Are these converts Shia, Sunni, Ahmedi or Wahabi? I hope as soon as they'll learn about this confusion and whether they are accepted as Muslims by their other new brothers in faith, they'll get bamboozled. 

2. In Europe and US, people are free to think and act and they like experiencing these kinds of spiritual adventures for soul searching. They keep on switching religions from one to another; sometimes becoming hippies and enjoying drugs and sex or sometimes budhism just for the sake of an experience of spiritual meditation. Sometimes they become Muslim too. It would be great to have a research on, "How many do sustain this faith after being converted?"

 3. How many are leaving Islam in this age when they are being confronted by some disturbing questions in the modern world. Like slavery, polygamy, women rights, inheritance issues, extremism, fundamentalism in Muslims and so on and so forth. Probably, it might be a propaganda of some "Western Islamophobes." But really can we give it a try to ask the question that how many those our brothers of less faith are being fooled out by these "Western Islamophobes?"

4. How many are leaving Islam due to the atrocities done to them by their very own kind (brothers in faith), in Middle East, Egypt, Libya, Syria and in Pakistan, or being called non-Muslims. For instance, Ahmedis, Shias, Barelvis and All others after the puritan movements are in full swing under the command of Islamist groups like Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Al-Shabad, Al-Ikhwan, Hizb-ut-Tehrir etc to enhance the effect.

Instead of getting high on their conversions, a well-needed self-check will help us out of this foolish narcissism that we feel when people get converted to our very own faith in the another corner of the world. Besides, it is not a big deal.

Thy Love is Divine...

That embrace was very serene,

When I was in a dream,

Through that time memorable,

That I envisaged; all I treasure.

Hazara Shia Genocide - Protest Updates from Islamabad

Right: Irfan Khudi Ali, Left: Ali Abbas Zaidi
Courtesy: Ali Abbas Zaidi (http://ow.ly/gLfEQ)

10th of January, 2013, Thursday night was catastrophic for the Hazara Ethnic Community of Quetta when in a dual bomb blast atleast 100 Hazaras were murdered in cold blood. As usual Lashkar-i-Jhangwi accepted the responsibility. A well known peace activist Irfan Khudi Ali from Hazara community was among the deceased. The corpses were completely mutilated due to bomb blast and the unfortunate relatives of the deceased had to collect their body parts. Irfan was buried without an arm.

Sadly and shamefully people are completely unaware of the tragic condition of Hazaras in Balochistan. They even don't know who are Hazaras. Senior journalists from Islamabad even, confuse Hazara Ethnic group of Quetta with Hazara Division of KPK. Let me clear it here that both are entirely different things. Hazara is an ethnic community and more than 0.5 Million of them are settled in Quetta since last 200 years. There are many prominent Hazaras whose services to Pakistan can never be forgotten. General Musa Khan was a Hazara. More on Hazara People can be learnt from here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazara_people.

Thy Love is Hypocrite - Editorial

Originally published in The Rationalist, Vol 1, Issue II, Oct-Dec, 2012

After the success of our inaugural issue of “The Rationalist Pakistan”, the first online magazine of Pakistan that seeks promotion of “rationality and humanism“ based socio-political discourse , here we are with the second issue of our e-mag. With over 1500 online subscribers of the first issue and a very good response from all over the world, our spirits are very high. But we are aware that without continued support of all our readers and like-minded people we cannot achieve our desired levels of success. We want to remind our valued readers again that RSOP is a purely charitable organisation and this magazine, from contributors to the editors, is the product of selfless voluntary work. This in itself is an admirable novelty as the e-mag brings together shared dreams and dedications of all rationalists, whether they belong to Pakistan or not. The ability to rise above our narrow country specific identities is a giant leap towards a better tomorrow shaped by feelings of mutual respect and tolerance. A tomorrow, where humanism reigns supreme and where the flowers of various faiths and identities add colour to the vase of one world and where discords and hatred give way to concerns for human dignity.

Movie Review - The Devil Inside

Since the advent of 21st century, the world has moved away from superstitions and heading more towards rationality. However, still there are conscious efforts being made to divert people from rationalist behavior. This movie, "The devil inside", is a similar futile attempt in this regard.

Released by paramount pictures this january, the story revolves around the life of a girl who investigates the condition of her mother who is being held in a psychiatric institute in Italy. Tracing back her childhood memories, one finds out that her mother committed three murders of her family members, while possesed by a demon. The girl investigates the reality of exorcism and after believing, involves two exorcists to free her mother. The mother happens to possess multiple demons and during the exorcism one of the demons transfer to the priest's body, eventually causing his death.

Gravity hills - supernatural forces at work?

Originally published in The Rationalist, Vol I, Issue I - http://rationalistpk.org/2012/06/gravity-hills-supernatural-forces-at.html

Gravity hills are the places where due to the surrounding perspective and absence of a reliable reference point, a slight downhill slope appears to be an uphill slope. Hence, when a ball is rolled or water is dropped or a car is freed of gears, all of them seem to move uphill - against the gravity. Recently, and even more frequently people at facebook and through emails started sharing the youtube videos of Wadi-i-Jinnat (The valley of Ghosts). Very learned fellows with scientific backgrounds showed offensive belief in the presence of supernatural forces in the valley, especially when it was located in Saudi Arabia (hence increasing the probability of existence of supernaturals).

Editorial - Quarterly, The Rationalist Pakistan - Vol I, Issue I, June-Aug, 2012

Originally published in The Rationalist, Vol I, Issue I, Jun-Aug, 2012 - http://rationalistpk.org/2012/06/miracle-of-water-spring-under-obls.html

The influence of online social media has significantly presented its importance in the second decade of 21st century. The twitter and facebook lead revolutions in middle east have shook the world. Moreover, big guns tweeting directly on a common person's computer updating him every second is another example of revolution. The communication had never been so effective in human history.

Osama Bin Laden's Spring

Originally published at http://rationalistpk.org/2012/06/mythbusting-osamas-spring.html

Surprise happens, when gushing water oozes out from OBL's compound in Abbottabad. But this is not the surprise. The surprise is that the local residents calls this a miracle. A miracle which happens because according to them innocent (yes, you read it right, innocent) people were killed there. Now I wonder which myth do I do bust here. The myth of innocence or the myth of non-sense. Let's stick to the later one as it is related to an indigineous and unknown phenomenon.