Introducing Students’ column

I am introducing a new column to my blog and that’s called Student Life. I will be writing posts about my own personal experiences as a student and will be interviewing students from other professions as well. Plus I want to write about any events that happen for students (especially in Pakistan and U.A.E.). If anyone interested would like to post about this topic, feel free to e-mail me at najma.aijaz@hotmail.com

Samuel Johnson
Your aspirations are your possibilities.

Najma Aijaz, 23/02/2012 

Pakistani Bloggers: Pakistan Blogs

Pakistani Bloggers: Pakistan Blogs. I found this blog just now through google and I am having so much fun reading what other Pakistani bloggers have to say. It’s something I can relate to. The topics they discuss, be it political or relationships.  I am glad I found it.

Najma 23/02/2012

Perfumes of Arabia

Perfumes are very popular in the Arab world. Back in 2009 my roomie, Sahar,  was from Sudan.  She was very fond of scents.  She used to lit Oud in the evenings and I began liking it. It used to make me feel lighter.

Oud 

Fortunately I have brought Oud with me here in Pakistan. I haven’t used it as yet. I am waiting for a special moment. It’s only now that I am here I realize there are so many little things and details that I know of the Arabic culture. I mean obviously I am born there but it’s only now that these things seem different to me, because they aren’t here. People rarely know stuff called Oud.  Plus here, like my neighbours, use Agarbatti on special occasions. But it’s not the same. I don’t like Agarbattis! 

Agarbatti

Anyway, this isn’t what this post’s about. I used to travel everyday to school and then to college passing by The Perfume Roundabout in Fujairah. I used to think it’s called The Perfume Roundabout because there are perfume shops near by but recently I saw it’s pictures on facebook and realized this is not the reason! And I thought I was observant about things.  I remember I used to wonder why it’s made this way:

It’s only a few days back I ‘noticed’ that the hand is sprinkling perfume! This is what Arab people often did at their place. They used to use the above object and sprinkle it on people and their homes. Beautiful isn’t it?

The Perfume Roundabout as it looked at night during the UAE 40th National Day celebrations:

Najma Aijaz, 21-2-2012

Weekly Photo Challenge: Down

The first image that came to my mind was when I was ‘about’ to diveeeeee. I looked down and felt so excited.

The second image that I thought of was how when parents look ‘down’ at their kids either lovingly or when scolding them. I found this funny image on google :

Najma Aijaz

 

Shaikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi , U.A.E.

Last year during Eid Al Adha holidays I went with my family to visit The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, popularly called the Grand Mosque by local residents. It’s said to be one the most beautiful in the world-  initiated no less by the late president HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is fondly thought of as the father of the UAE.

Natural materials were chosen for its design and construction due to their long-lasting qualities, including marble, stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics.

An equally impressive interior design complements the Mosque’s awesome exterior. Italian white marble and inlaid floral designs adorn the prayer halls and the Mosque’s interior walls have decorative gold-glass mosaic features, particularly delicate on the western wall. The main glass door of the Mosque is 12.2 metres high, 7 metres wide and weighs approximately 2.2 tonnes.

The 99 names (qualities) of Allah featured on the Qibla wall exemplify traditional Kufi calligraphy, designed by the prominent UAE calligrapher – Mohammed Mandi. The Qibla wall also features subtle fibre-optic lighting, which is integrated as part of the organic design.

I remember praying here (pic below). Since it was quite hot outside so coming in this room for prayer was pure bliss. We prayed here our Asr prayer:

The best thing I found about the mosque were it’s chandeliers. In fact, one lady (a visitor too) at the mosque told me they were the largest chandeliers in the world. Now, I am not sure whether it’s true but anyway I don’t mind believing that I saw the world’s largest chandelier . The Mosque features seven 24-carat gold-plated chandeliers which were imported from Germany, all designed with thousands of Swarovski crystals. The largest of these chandeliers, which hangs from the main dome of the Mosque, is considered the biggest in the world; it measures 10 metres in diameter, 15 metres in height, and eight-to-nine tonnes in weight.

Since it was the holiday season there were many tourists at the mosque. We didn’t really got much information about the mosque and just headed there randomly due to which we had to go through the same places of the mosque 5 times! The mosque’s quite big - The Mosque can accommodate up to 40,960 worshippers from its prayer halls and courtyard.

Najma Aijaz, 20-2-2012

Holy Moments from an Unholy Disaster

Reblogged from Bucket List Publications:

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Featured Writer: Marilyn Gardner http://communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com/ I am the first to admit that given the choice of a 5 star hotel or camping I will pick a 5 star hotel.  I tell friends that anyone who grew up in the developing world with a commode for a toilet and one bath a week would appreciate my love of luxury so it was with some surprise that I found myself so eager to work in flood relief in Pakistan. When I first heard news of the floods that began to spread their strength and turmoil …

The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed

I recently read The Perfect Mentor (Pir e kamil in urdu version). I read it in urdu version. The book here is Pakistan has gained so much popularity that it has been translated in English.
What is next to ecstasy?’ ‘Pain.’ ‘And what is next to pain?’ ‘Nothingness.’ ‘What is next to nothingness?’ ‘Hell! The place which has nothing ahead…… everything is left behind…… There’ll come a time when all this will make sense to you…… and you’ll never ask anyone what is next to ecstasy.’ Pir-e-Kamil has a message for everyone…. there comes a moment in life when one has to decide between light and darkness.. Even in light one needs to tread carefully because once in the darkness it makes no difference whether one can or cannot see. But sometimes there is a second chance, one may repent and trace back his steps to light. At this point the only solace is the voice that guides and leads to light, the voice of The Perfect Mentor.

The writer of this book is Umera Ahmed. Umera Ahmed is a novelist, short story writer and scriptwriter based in Sialkot. She did her Masters in English Literature from Murray College, Sialkot. She served in the Cambridge wing of Army Public College, Sialkot, as a teacher, before writing for the electronic media. She has authored 21 books so far, comprising novels, compilations of short stories and plays. Seven of her TV drama serials have received awards.

Here’s another excerpt from the book:

Salaar never before had felt as remorseful,as regretful,as he was feeling now about the dark chapter of his life.’Why?Why…..?Why did I come here?Why did I buy these women…….?Why didn’t I awaken to the awareness of sin?’he lamented,sitting by the roadside holding his head.And now……..now,when I’ve left this,so why…….why now…….this pain,why am I feeling it now?I know that I have to answer for all my deeds……..But Oh!God,please don’t hold me accountable here………….not in this manner.Don’t render to this bazaar the woman I love.’
He stopped crying—-the revelation dawned on him and that too,where,and how!
‘Love?’ he mumbled,unbelieving,gazing at the passers by.’Do I……….do I love her?’He had trembled.’Am I feeling this pain only because…………Is it remorse or something else…..?’he had debated.He felt as though he would never be able to get up from there.’So it isn’t remorse,it is love,which I’m chasing.’He felt almost lifeless.
‘Was Imama a thorn in my heart or an obsession?’The tears were still flowing down his cheeks.’And looking for this woman in this bazaar my feet had trembled because in the recesses of my heart I had placed her on a very high pedestal-a place,so high,that I couldn’t find her myself.

Najma Aijaz, 19-02-2012

Moon Games

Reblogged from Paris at my doorstep:

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What a fantastic idea! Love the creativity featured in this fun, whimsical project. These are all from the French book, Quatier Libre by Laurent Laveder and Sabine Sannier. It’s not available in English but they will ship to the States, info here. I find the pictures really playful but also melancholy. What do you think!

Reblogged from scottybeca.wordpress.com

So Far away…

My dearest friend Josna wrote a piece for me recently.  I have known her since class 3 at school. We are best friends, it’s only  now that we are geographically far. She is in Bangladesh as of now but resides in U.A.E. while I am in Pakistan.  

So far away… 

It is much the same everywhere,
the shining sun, the glowing moon.
And the countless stars I gaze at.

Almost everyone is here,
uncle, aunt, cousins, nieces and so on.
But I can’t find the peace I had.

On occasions I meet people,
who have loads to say.
Wish there was someone to listen to me instead.

Sometimes I sit talking to myself,
coz I know no one’s there to listen.
And most nights I lay crying on my bed.

Somehow I hope I could stop this pain,
that jabs at my heart & then the soul too.
This pain of being away from you, my friend.

Written by:  Josna 15th February 2012

Easy way of getting rid of ones bad deeds

I recently read a book named Noor e hidayat .  One article of this book was about how we can easily get rid of our bad deeds. As soon as I read this title on the index I soon began reading it and was amazed at what was written. The book is in Urdu so I won’t be able to  write it in the exact way, I will try to summarize. The way it’s written in the book is way more interesting and in depth. Nevertheless I am eager to convey it’s message.

The sign of forgiveness is that after you repent (tauba) for your bad deeds you stop doing them. What kind of tauba will it be if even after that the bad deed remains.

Hakeem Raham’ Allah says so rightly that Quran’s every ayat has this specialty of healing disease.

Surah Al Furqan 25: 70-71 was also written in the article and it’s said that the ayat explains that asking for forgiveness (tauba) will convert our bad deeds to good ones (hasanat) (rewards).

When a true believer will get to know this above statement, he/she will truly develop a desire in his/her heart to ask for forgiveness. No matter how the believer’s deeds are, he/she will surely develop at least the slightest desire in himself/herself to ask for forgiveness.

When Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala ) is saying with so much love that you ask for tauba and he will convert the bad deeds no matter what they are, to hasnat (good ones) then how can there be a momin who won’t have even a slightest of desire in his heart to ask for forgiveness?

After reading this ayat , our hearts which had the desire for doing bad deeds, now have the desire of asking for forgiveness. Has not the Quran healed then?

We are all drowned in our bad deeds as said by Hakeem Al Imat Rahma Allah so we truly need to apply this ayat.  No matter how good a muslim we are, we all have our bad deeds. Are you free from bad deeds? Could declare yourself pure?

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is sitting with his companions and he says ya kul lo kum khat ta oon (you all are wrong doer’s or with bad deeds). Imagine companions are sitting and he says this. We all know how great and pious his companions were.  So can we call ourselves as pure?  Pure is the being of Allah. Therefore, Tauba is essential for everyone of us.

Hakeem Al Imat Rahma Allah says when you do a bad deed, ask for forgiveness. You do the bad deed with so much concentration then can’t use your heart and tongue to say Astaghfar after that? 

Arif Billah Hazrat Arfi Rehma Allah used to say this as well repeatedly that after bad deed say aftaghfar. Keep committing the bad deed and keep saying Astaghfar (tauba). You just have to say it with your tongue and heart. And This is the easy way.

We all keep ignoring the righteous path considering how difficult it is to apply and we have all sorts of reasons. Committing bad deeds appear easy to us. No matter what it is, all this article was suggesting and saying again and again that if you can’t stop committing a bad deed then don’t. All you have to do this say Astaghfar after it.

Hazrat Arfi Rahma Allah says if you can’t get rid of your bad deeds then keep committing them but ask for forgiveness. Then he said which of them has more power over each other… the bad deed or astaghfar (forgiveness)? Who will win? He said bad deed is done by the human  and forgiveness will be granted by Allah (Subhan Allah) and therefore it’s limitless.  That’s why Astaghfar will be carrying more weight and you will get of your bad deed for sure inshaAllah.  He suggests that why don’t you start from now.  Whenever you ‘feel’ you have done some thing wrong, that you have committed a bad deed, then do tauba, ask for forgiveness. Why can’t you. Anyone can.. easily can. 

The article’s long and emphasized on asking for forgiveness repeatedly even if you keep committing the deed. It also says whether you do notice it’s good effects in your life or  you fail to notice it, just continue doing it.

May Allah ( Subhanahu wa Taala )  grant us the ability to ask for forgiveness and forgive us. Ameen

Najma Aijaz 15-02-2012