The Illuminating Verse!

Since the past one month this verse (part of the verse basically) remains somewhere at the back of my mind somehow, and every mention of نور or light (electricity load shedding even) makes me think about it. The verse is as given below:

Surah Al-Nur verse 36: "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth"

The word نور exists in Urdu, Arabic and Persian. In Arabic it means light, In Urdu it means روشنی (light), تجلّی (transfiguration, manifestation), رونق (Beauty, Gorgeousness)

When we look up the Persian word 'نور' it means light and glory. 'النور ' 'The Light' is also one of the names/attributes of Allah the Almighty.

Light as described by English dictionaries is an entity that stimulates sight makes things visible. Physics suggests it as energy or particles called photons. But the light being mentioned in this verse requires 'vision' rather than 'sight'. Light as a natural agent also requires us to have sight, similarly Allah's light (نور) also requires something from us i.e. vision!

In the spiritual world 'light' is precisely referred to as guidance and 'darkness' (ظلمت) as absence of guidance or "ہدایت" This light is not just illumination or brightness but energy as well! positive energy. So this light has a broader meaning than just illumination, it means that in order to make sense of anything in our world we need to absorb this Noor (نور) according to our capability and willingness. Just like in order to see anything around us we need the light of the physical world similarly through Allah's Noor we can make sense of the things going on around us. Light travels in a straight line for the spiritual path to seek Allah's light we also need to tread the straight path (صراتِ مستقیم)

Light in the broader sense can be understood in three contexts:

1. The light around us
2. The light that is absorbed, i.e. we contain
3. The light that is reflected (ضیاء) (As by the Prophets and spiritually exalted people and through His holy books)

The light around us
A Momin (مومن)  must strive to absorb & retain this light through thick and thin, that is why the color of the flag of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.W. was black! because it absorbs all light, all shades of the light. We require a lifetime to absorb and retain this light. Reminds me of a quote by Rumi:

"The wound is where the light enters your soul"

Well basically this depends upon the person, the wound can also be the place from where the entire light could exit as well! tough and trying situations would have different impact on two different hearts. So a willing heart might find light from any source experience or happening while an unwilling heart might chose to dwell in darkness. But its always around!

The light we absorb
Shown in our thoughts and actions.

Also in Mathnawi it is stated:

The light which shines in the eye
is really the light of the heart.
The light which fills the heart
is the light of God, which is pure
and separate from the light of intellect and sense.
Mathnawi 1:1126-7

The light that is reflected

Allah's light is manifested as divine guidance, Holy books, Prophets, spiritually exalted people who tread HIS path and so on.


Further references of The Light:

Al-Baqarah verse 257 says that there is no coercion in religion, Allah has sent His shariyah to distinguish between right and wrong. and in the very next verse Allah says that:

"Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve - their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein."

So the believers are promised Allah's help to move out of darkness into the Noor (The light)

In Surah Tauba Allah says:

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah insists on perfecting His light though the unbelievers are averse thereto. (9:33)

Hence this light is always there around us, willing hearts can absorb it and reflect it as well. Allah explicitly states that no human activity can put this light out, this is an affirming statement for us Alhamdulillah.

This light is the bigger purpose of life, this light is happiness, this light is the real beauty that we need to develop in ourselves and find in others, this light is the objective of life, this light is the destination. This light can be absorbed & retained with total surrender. Only then we can actually 'reflect' the light to others. Just disliking darkness is not enough to travel towards light we need to tread the 'straight path'.

Looking forward to corrections and suggestions!

Fearless brave hearts

I have read at a number places that the fear of failure is worse than failure itself. In fact we have to hold on to faith in two situations first when we have a fear that something wrong/bad might happen and secondly when something wrong/bad actually happens and we might grieve if we don't hold on to faith.

Talking about 'fear' and 'grief' this verse has been my childhood crush basically, back then I read it superficially in my Islamic studies book and thought very high of the people who have no fear and never grieve! though of them as some very brave and bold people:

This verse somehow reminded me of an instance of Iqbal's poetry:

Aaeen-e-Jawanmardan, Haq Goyi-o-Bebaki

Allah Ke Sheron Ko Ati Nahin Roobahi

Men bold and firm uphold the truth and let no fears assail their hearts:
No doubt, the mighty Lions of God Know no tricks and know no arts.

[Source of Poetry & its meaning]

The holy Quran says that they will neither fear nor will they grieve, which means that they will encounter tough situations but they shall not grieve, otherwise Allah might have said nothing shall happen to them that might cause them to grieve. 

Pretty recently I realized that this phrase ("on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve") repeats itself an numerous places, according to what I have researched it occurs at 13 places in different contexts. So I thought to explore how to become like someone who shall have no fear nor shall he grieve. These are the points I have extracted based on the verses mentioned later on.

• Accept guidance that comes from Allah in the form of Prophets/Holy Books (almost three verses emphasize on this) Those who have faith and keep correcting/reforming themselves. (i.e. they need not be perfect)
• Believe in the day of judgement and do good deeds, whatever your religion might be
• Submit yourself to Allah's will.
• Spend wealth for the cause of Allah (secretly & openly) without causing injury or insult.
• Those who do not fear to lose their life for Allah's cause.
• Be happy for whatever God has given you.
• Remain steadfast once you have accepted that ‘Our Lord is Allah’.
• Be Allah's friend (i.e. sincerity towards his religion, his people)

Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 39

"We said: ‘Go forth, all of you, from here. And if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoso shall follow My guidance, on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve.’"

[Adam and Eve had wronged themselves and Allah shows mercy on them and tells them to accept & follow  guidance whenever it is given to them so they will have no fear nor will they grieve]

Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 63

"Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve."

[Salvation does not depend on religion, it depends on having a clean and clear heart because there can be many people to whom the message of Islam has not reached properly]

Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 113

"Nay, whoever submits himself completely to Allah, and is the doer of good, shall have his reward with his Lord. No fear shall come upon such, neither shall they grieve."

[Here again in the previous verses Allah tells that Jannah does not belong to any religion it belongs to 'hearts']

Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 263

"They who spend their wealth for the cause of Allah, then follow not up what they have spent with taunt or injury, for them is their reward with their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve."

[The people who spend for the cause of Allah neither for reward nor to degrade or insult are being mentioned here, from this verse onward spending for the cause of Allah is explained until verse 275 after which interest is discussed]

Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 275

"Those who spend their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly, have their reward with their Lord; on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve."

Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 278

"Surely, those who believe and do good deeds, and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, shall have their reward from their Lord, and no fear shall come on them, nor shall they grieve."

[Here again the context is that Allah is against interest and promotes the institution of Zakat]

Aal-e-`Imran Chapter 3 : Verse 171

"Jubilant because of that which Allah has given them of His bounty; and rejoicing for those who have not yet joined them from behind them, because on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve."

[Those who have lost their lives for the cause of God have been mentioned here, & those are yet to join them are mentioned]

Al-Ma'idah Chapter 5 : Verse 70

"Surely, those who have believed, and the Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians — whoso believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds, on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve."

Al-An`am Chapter 6 : Verse 49

"And We send not the Messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners. So those who believe and reform themselves, on them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve."

["reform themselves" i.e. they need not be perfect individuals, should be on the right path]

Al-A`raf  Chapter 7 : Verse 36

"O children of Adam! if Messengers come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing My Signs unto you, then whoso shall fear God and do good deeds, on them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve."

[Those who accept guidance  and reform themselves]

Al-A`raf  Chapter 7 : Verse 50

“Are these the men about whom you swore that Allah would not extend mercy to them? To them it has been said, ‘Enter Paradise; no fear shall come upon you, nor shall you grieve.’”

[Those who were criticized for their right faith in the world will enter paradise eventually, they are mentioned here]

Yunus Chapter 10 : Verse 63

"Behold! the friends of Allah shall certainly have no fear, nor shall they grieve —"

[The context is that Allah knows everything everywhere, He knows whatever good or bad we do]

Al-Ahqaf Chapter 46 : Verse 14

"Verily, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then remain steadfast — no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve."

[Believing that 'our lord is Allah' is in itself a source of being fearless!]


Looking forward to comments, corrections & suggestions

Screen-Bound minds

If you read a book in continuity, according to my observation, the later half of the book finishes faster than the first half. Partly because you have become acquainted with the book and its subject and partly because your level of concentration has increased. Reading a book gives you mental stability. Further I used to wonder why to repeat a tasbeeh 'n' times? The answer is simple It gives us peace of heart and mind to tread the spiritual path. Peace of heart and mind is not just the requirement of spiritual path but also mundane success.

Unfortunately today most of us, no matter how busy, find ample time to a screen of screen of some sort. Be it an iPhone, iPad, tablet, android phone or laptop. This would decrease our level of concentration and mental stability. I would personally try my level best not to become a slave of the screen. Imagine yourself fully engrossed in a screen, you are lesser likely to listen to anything and pay attention to the surroundings.

No doubt Google can take us to scores of unverified data, but nothing can match the reading of a book, the joy of turning pages and placing book marks! Healthy habits are being taken over by clicks of all sorts. Placing those geographically close very far and those far away as 'all-day-in-touch'. Rather than being book-bound we see today more people are screen-bound.

Image Source

Playing games has its benefits no doubt like improving reflexes, logical thinking but not excess of everything is bad. Though I have no research backing on this but I feel that too much handheld devices can also limit the imagination of children as the bigger world is observed less and the screen of the hand-held device is observed more. Observation in turn is directly related with imagination.

Children are the suffering party. It is not just the 'character' that parents are responsible for, it's also the 'personality'. There is a chance of children too much involved in technology to become anti-social. Staying at home and playing a video game becomes a bigger charm than meeting and interacting with people.

These machines make them 'in-charge' at a very young age, which means their mind would eventually become unfit for being a part of team. I have written on importance of team work in another post. Machines would never make decisions and the user becomes in-charge of everything.

A touch screen has limited demands from the user and is extremely flexible and customize-able.So we are bound to think that the real world scenarios should adjust according to us. Because we are the ones who decide.

The response time is very fast this factors induce aggression. Because in the real world the response time is not as quick and your request is not always fulfilled! So children become short-tempered as they demand the same speed of processing from the people around them. Mechanic accuracy is not possible in the real world.

I wonder if these children who remain bound to screens in childhood would ever bother to read a book, to think, observe their surroundings, make new things and so on. I once asked my nephew if his dreams were touch-screen sort! select dream type, select color, select characters and go!

Actually its not the children who are addicted to handheld devices it's actually the parents! More screens at home is not a 'feature' its a serious 'bug'. Sure we should not turn our back towards technology related stuff but we do need to have some limits on it. We have to find a way out  between having techno-fright and being a  techno-freak! While we have other factors in our society to take us high up on the frustration graph we should avoid having more reasons to facilitate it.

[Link to read some valid research on the subject]

A reluctant read of 'The reluctant fundamentalist'!

I caught the sight of this book while rushing out of a book shop. Having read its title, I reconnected that there has been a movie made by this name perhaps and moreover its slim size tempted me to buy it. Besides its better to read the book than to watch the movie because the movie you create yourself is far much richer and customized. Further got to know that the book has been translated to over 30 languages.

My perception was that this has to be a story of 'Islamization' of a Pakistani American. But to my surprise It was nothing like that.

I must admit that I reluctantly started reading this book feeling little motivation to so. Firstly it was a unique read and first of its kind for me being a monologue. Secondly given the situation in Palestine, Google creating a game called 'bomb Gaza' and America supporting Israel, I loved the fact that an American remains muted throughout the book! an unknown sense of achievement!

Its a good book to read. To know what sort of feelings you go through being at a foreign place with turmoil back home. The whole book is about one evening the Changez has with this mysterious American in a cafe in Lahore. Two things go side by side: one being Changez's interaction with the american in the cafe and secondly the story of his life he narrates to him. He does a lot of hard talk at the cafe possibly leading to his death (not revealed at the end)

Given the story of Changez, a financial analyst by profession, one strongly feels that if someone who passes out of Princeton. And survives in American meritocracy based on his talent and skills often feels ashamed  and low in the 'American' Kingdom (owing to his nationality) then what to mention of the Pakistani workers at the grass root level. How might they feel?

His thoughts moved from a smile to actual sympathy for the victims of 9/11, He narrates:

"I stared at one-- and then other-- of the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center collapse. And the I smiled. Yes, despicable as it may sound, my initial reaction was to be remarkably pleased"

Erica's (Changez's love) father summed up Pakistan quite well (A pity though that the description is still relevant!):

"Economy's falling apart thouh, no? Corruption, dictatorship, the rich living like princes while everyone else suffers. Solid people don't get me wrong, I like Pakistanis. But the elite has raped that place well and good, right? and fundamentalism, You guys have got some serious problems with fundamentalism"

Two things mentioned about America regarding post 9/11 are worth mentioning:

"I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time I was struck by its determination to look back "

He further says to the American at the cafe:

"As a society you were unwilling to reflect upon the shared pain that united you with those who attacked you. You retreated into myths of your own difference, assumptions of your superiority.And you acted out these beliefs on the stage of the world, so that the entire planet was rocked by the repercussions of your tantrums... Such an America had to be stopped in the interest not only of the rest of humanity, but also in your own"

At a point someone made him realize that he was much like the janissaries. Janissaries were young christian children captured by ottomans and trained to be soldiers in Muslim army, they were said to be very ferocious and loyal because they ad no memories of back home to retain. This was the point were Changez reverts back to his fundamentals and plans to fly back home to regain his identity.

His disastrous, as they often are, love affair with Erica must also be mentioned, a perfect example of the fact that two incomplete people cannot complete each other, both had their own paths both having their own voids in them, the voids that got bigger when they got closer. Changez confused about his identity and Erica holding on to the loss of his boyfriend Chris. Though there was a lot of emotional connection at Chngez's end but they were not destined to meet. Changez kept on missing Erica to the very end of the book and their story painfully ended!

The story ends with a some thing metallic shining in the American's pocket, now its up to the reader what to make of it!

Hazrat Mosa A.S. & The Bani Israel

It was amazing to know that sixty percent of the Quran Narrates the story of Bani Israel, Hazrat Mosa A.S. and Pharoah (The cursed). When one thinks over this we find a number of logical and strong reasons behind this story occurring in the Holy Quran in chunks in numerous Surahs.

Slightly below mere names, this is what I think the characters of this story represent:

1. Hazrat Mosa (A.S) : Guidance from Allah

2. Bani Israel: The thankless 'mushrikeen' (those who ascribe partners with Allah)

3. Pharoah: A symbol of false Godhood (not literally relevant today), arrogance, misuse of power. In short this person is a result when power/authority is given to an arrogant.

What I conclude is that though this is an ages old story but whatever these elements of the story represent had to continue till the end of time. 

We all in our own circle of authority are prone to becoming a 'Pharoah' of that circle, as the circle of authority or influence widens we are more prone to this attitude. As we can see today how some powerful states are misusing their power to oppress the weaker countries.This is something that must be avoided that is why the Holy Quran repeatedly announces how Pharoah ended up and how the pious were saved.

The end of Pharoah tells us that how a 'mushrik' ends up like, arrogance or 'takabbur' is condemned in the strongest terms in this story. Pharoah was made a symbol for the generations to come. 

Like the Bani Israel, we all tend to become thankless no matter how much Allah blesses us with. 

And of course guidance of Allah is there as a permanent source in the form of Quran and Sunnah. Just like the Bani Israel started worshiping the golden calf when Hazrat Mosa A.S. went to mount Toor similarly the Muslim Ummah is indulging in so many types of shirk. Further Quran also says that Allah has sent Hazrat Muhammad S.A.W.W. as a prophet just like he sent Hazrat Mosa A.S. as a prophet to Bani Israel, so this suggests that there had to be similarities.

Another point that came to my mind was that indeed Allah shows miracles for those who truly believe in Him, and those who faithfully tread His path, no matter the difficulties ahead. Just like the passage that was created for Hazrat Mosa A.S. and Pharoah was shown his path to doom.

How to forget the golden calf of Bani Israel! We all might be having our own golden ones that we might be unknowingly worshiping. Our desires, endless worldly wishes, money, progeny, authority everything whose passion makes us blind is our very own golden calf!

In short this is a very deep story which remains relevant through all ages and like all parts of Quran this story must also be given attention and contemplation below the surface.