Hello, everyone!

Considering all the pandemic curse that we all are struggling through day and night, I hope to find you all in the peace of mind and safety of health. Spring is around the corner but it’s like we don’t even have time to think about the transitioning weather as we used to do in the normal routine. This time, I would’ve been putting all the winters clothes back into the closet and taking my summer outfits out with mom, but who cares? While checking the time on my phone screen, I realized that it is the DEFENSE DAY today. A long-awaited event whose preparations started from the day-one of March. I and my peers stood eagerly on our department’s roof watching the flypast rehearsals, yet in a moment, it’s gone. Nobody’s talking about it and I cannot see even a single post about the day. It’s like every link, every bond, every loop that had kept us connected for so long has vanished all of a sudden and all that prevails is individuality. All we care about now is our own safety.

This reminds me of how uncertain everything is and how ignorant we all have been while we had time. In planning our life-time achievements, we forgot what we had at that moment. While looking for more and most, better and the best, we lost what we needed to cherish the most; our friends, beloved, family, teachers, liberty, independence to breathe free, nature, evening strolls, meet-ups with cousins and fam. In my lifetime experience, I have never seen such a morose situation before. This situation could be best described as a feeling where everything is there as it used to be yet we are not able to feel them in their place. It is as if we wake up one morning and all the calendars become white, blank pages hanging on the walls, all the mobile phones lose track of time, dates, schedules, events, and planners where all we are left with are memos and diaries.

*Nostalgia joined the chat*

*You removed Nostalgia as the participant*    

Don’t you feel like there is something that is depressing and killing us more from the inside than the fear and melancholy of this pandemic virus? Regret! Regret that we could’ve been a bit more considerate towards ourselves and a little more forgiving towards the other people around us? Tell me you are not missing your class-fellows even the ones you don’t like personally? Don’t you feel guilty about your stubborn attitude towards life? How life gave us chances to learn, grow, be a better person, help others, be wild and free, but we wasted them either overthinking about tomorrow or mourning over the past. We are too unforgiving and too harsh when it comes to our own past or that of others, and too curious about what tomorrow will bring. We have failed as a human race. Cruelty is a common practice, arrogance over worldly things is a status symbol, show-off over nothing, making others feel bad about their own-selves, belittling others, violence, suicidal thoughts, mockery, injustice, lies, murder, animal violence, terrorism, rape of emotions and bodies likewise, accusations, accusations, and accusations! When would we stop and realize that it is we who need to change ourselves individually and not others.

#Judgeothersforwhotheyare went viral in 24hrs on Twitter.

When would we aim the cleansing gun towards ourselves instead of firing the mud balls at others? We need to emerge and behave as the superior race on this earth. We have a responsibility not to take care of ourselves and our fellow-beings only, but all the animals, plants and other creatures that are breathing around us. A patch of grass in the shade is dependent on humans to quench its thirst by watering it. Don’t go too far, just remember the Australian wild-fire. How scared those kangaroos and Koalas were as they hugged their human rescuers just because they were too scared of the fire, being unable to figure out whatever was happening. Moreover, where have all the hate and differences led you? All around the globe, people are struggling and suffering likewise. It is a global dilemma that teaches us to give up on our differences because no matter what, one thing will always remain common in us; Flesh and Humanity. We all are born the same and we die the same death, so what is all this arrogance about? Let’s just break this I-am-right-and-you-are-wrong glass wall that we have constructed between us and utilize your time in something eternal; something that would leave your marks on the earth even when you have ascended to the heavens.

#Judgeyourselfandbeabetterperson broke all the previous hashtag records on twitter by going viral in a blink on Twitter.

Now that we have so much time to pamper ourselves, do self-care, focus on self-development, pray to God, meditate, eat healthy at home (unlike regular days where we have to eat junk from cafeterias), write journals, feel the inner voice that we have been suppressing all our lives. Carpe Diem! Live in the moment and try to make the best out of it. Live, Breath, Inhale and Love yourself while you still can. Talk to your family, Laugh, Share and Care for your loved ones. Stop thinking about what could’ve been done or what could be done tomorrow. We have time, yet here we are, again looking forward to when things would get back to normal. We are in a haste, we always have been! And this is our tragedy, “Impatience” is surely our fatal flaw. Stop! Be patient! Bow down your stiffened necks a little bit! Persistence is the key and we will get through this together, fresh and new.

What matters the most is when the sun will shine brighter again, and we will get out under the deep blue sky once again, lets make sure the pandemic inside our hearts is the one that is actually gone, and we come out clean; forgiving, considerate, humble, responsible, contributing and positive than ever. Lets make a vow and sanitize our hearts from this ‘Myocardial Pandemic’ once and for all!

Life is a constant journey where we all are gypsies, traveling here and there in search of one destination; Peace of mind. We all are seeking the contentment of heart and spiritual awakening so that we could see the unseen, witness the miracles and create wonderful things. On this spiritual journey, we are bound to move forward with the caravan or else we get lost into the darkest woods; unreachable. Those who stick together tend to see the breath-taking starry nights and conquer the mountains. This is society, and this is how it works. We all need someone special or a bunch of sweethearts to make our journey a worth-while experience. 

Someone to toast in the moments of glee, lend a shoulder for shedding tears and hands to keep yours warm in the frosty nights. We all are different and sometimes we feel destitute and abandoned by society, however, there is always that someone special that is meant to be yours. The one who will own your flaws and accept you as it is, will bring the best version out of yourself and make you believe in your dreams. Even if a huge crowd is not your type, you have to stay put and stand tall. Make moves, speak to strangers, smile back and start conversations. 

In our society, a vivacious diversity of natures could be seen. We are introverts, extroverts, neuters, soft-spoken, and chatterboxes. On this scale of variety, it is as great to have them all around us as an exotic collection of birds inside a cage. For instance, if I look at the people surrounding me, I can see numerous types of students. There are a lot of students who are not good speakers because they are introverts. Similarly, some cannot write efficiently because they are amazing spokespersons. Nonetheless, both are the refined form of their own identity. The students that are shrewd are bloomed with talent that need not be wasted by being monotonous, in fact, they can turn out to be amazing critics and philosophers if polished accordingly. 

Next time, if you find people who differ from you in any way, talk to them. Ask them to tell you something about them, something new and interesting. What their perception about life is and what inspires them to be who they are. Most of us spend our lives contained in the shell of our own perceptions, thoughts, and beliefs. We absolutely neglect what we can do better and that is the reason why most of us fail to reckon the true purpose of our lives and expertise. 

Last night was darker than usual. Devouring my heart, it pierced all of my energy into pieces as I stood in the window of my kitchen, after washing all the dishes and drying the washbasin. I have no clue for how many minutes did I stand there wondering if something is wrong with me or is it really a depressing night. When I turned back to enter the dining room, something pulled me back and I glanced at the window once again. My heart was beating faster than normal so I turned on the light that lit up my balcony but that light highlighted the darkness in the street even more. The main reason for turning on the light was to make sure the passers-by might be able to see the path in darkness. Like people, all the lamp posts were in deep slumber thus making it very dark for the people to walk carefully in the street at night. There is also a possibility of the porcupine or pigs movement in our streets which could be quite a dangerous experience.

The night brought upon me sheer gloominess and hit me hard like anesthesia of depression. I prayed silently for all the poor people in this world. All the families and lonesome kids, naked infants, and jobless adults. Every night, when we follow our skincare routine or are even brushing our teeth with a minty toothpaste, many young girls are being raped in the darkness, many kids are being killed by their own parents just because they can’t feed them. So many men cry while looking at their adorable infants starving for a drop of milk. 

Many beautiful girls stand by the road-side to get a rich-bait so that they can eat bread in the morning.

This world is a beautiful place to live in, but a gruesome nightmare at the same time. Most of us are able to protect ourselves from the harsh side of this cruel world by surrounding ourselves with four walls, a roof, and a neverending warmth and love of our parents. Our fathers, however feeble or old, are that lock on the door that nobody can ever break open. Our mothers are that blanket of warmth that can never let us catch a cold. Our siblings are that painting on the wall that always brightens up our day even if the sky is grey. We have no clue how lucky we are and how many blessings God showers upon us. It is not that we God loves us more and less to them, but because he chose us for a mission. A mission to make this world a better place. Be the light in somebody’s darkest night because God could have made you from one of them.

Dearest Fear,

I have been encountering you in many fields of my life. Sometimes in the form of boogey-man beneath my bed, another day, when my eyes were closed while shampooing my hair, I felt there is someone behind me, watching with long nails ready to pierce through my ribs. 

“Fear is a constant feeling of horror that clings to our ribs throughout our lives.”

This feeling dominates in the times especially when we are alone and depressed. I can bet that each and every person on this planet has a different definition of fear. For me, it could be a ladybird entering my brain through my nose, for someone else, it could be losing their loved ones, rejection, mockery, disrespect, defamation, heights, depths, water, buildings, earthquakes, and what not. 

Despite the fact that fear feels so so real, and even at times it deems to take us inside our graves. However, fear is just a delusion that one can easily overcome by one and only “Encounter.” If you fear something, keep this thing in mind that it is just a misinterpretation of reality. That nothing about fear is real, you are living, breathing and conscious. You can beat any danger, any trial, any challenge. All you have to do is to believe in yourself and be confident. Fear fades like a vulnerable flame of the candle that can die with a single blow of courage. And after that, nobody can stop you from achieving your goals.

Well, the reason that I am writing to you is that I got rid of one of my fears tonight.

You recognize this arched monkey climber? This is what I feared the most whenever I stepped inside any playground since my early days. Today, after 22 years of my life, I finally overcame this fear. I climbed halfway through it the first day, increased one rod the other day, hung like a monkey on the top rod on the third day, screamed to my sisters for help, felt like I am gonna seep through the gaps like a slime 😀 But finally, I was able to do it with a hard lump in my stomach tonight. I got it! 

What I actually did was that I made it very clear to myself that it is just a feeling that I can seep through the gaps. This has got nothing to do with the reality as I am big enough not to fall down 😀 It took me so long to make it through but once I completed the whole arch, I ran to do it again. And I climbed it three times in a row then.

Other than this, I recently got an interview call for internship from one of the summer schools. Now, I have this specific feeling of discomfort, awkwardness, and indecisiveness. I don’t know what to do, either to go for the interview or not, what would happen, what if they don’t like my answers, what if  I broke down there and if I had a panic attack, and much more is going on inside my mind at the moment. This fear can only be defeated by appearing for the interview and I am looking forward to that. Let’s hope for the best!

Heya beautiful souls, I hope you are living a fearless life with a lot of positivity and propagative activities going on around you. It is just a sweet reminder to believe in yourself and to conquer the dark territory of fear with that light inside you. The light of positivity!

Adios,

xoxo.

Hello beautiful souls! I am almost drowned in the flood of final exams as they are at the head. Nonetheless, I waited too long to publish this blog just to acquaint you guys with the Holy month of Ramadan, which Muslims celebrate with great pleasure and passion every year.

A month when the doors of heaven are opened, and of the hell closed. A month where all the devils are chained up and only goodness prevails and exists in its refined form.

So this is a very important month for the Muslims where there is legitly magic in the air kind of vibes, and they start feeling close to God and prostrate more at nights and in days. They have a spiritual attachment with this month and feel very much closer to God and their reality.  First of all, I will tell you some characteristics of Ramadan, after which I will tell you guys about the rule book of Ramadan that could be followed in order to extract the maximum blessings out of this Holy month (In the next blog).

Significance of Ramadan Kareem for the Muslims:

What is Ramadan?

The word “Ramadan” comes from the root of the Arabic word for “parched thirst” and “sun-baked ground.” Ramadan is by definition a time of sacrifice, where Muslims fast during the daylight hours all month, abstaining from all food and drink and other such practices. It’s a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on what’s important, and practice self-discipline. Unlike many other holidays, where people indulge, Ramadan is a time to show restraint.

Why do Muslims fast?

During the month of Ramadan, as a Muslim person deals with hunger and thirst while fasting, he or she is reminded of the daily suffering of those who are less fortunate and can further appreciate his or her blessings. Muslims use this time to reflect on their lives and how they can cultivate healthy habits throughout the rest of the year, and do away with any bad habits.

Ramadan is also a time for increased charitable giving and participating in family and community gatherings to strengthen bonds. Aid organizations, charities, and mosques often offer free meals to the public during non-fasting hours.

For Muslims, Ramadan fasting is not solely physical but involves emotional and spiritual aspects as well. Even if you aren’t observing Ramadan yourself, the month of Ramadan might be a good time to think about those less fortunate and have gratitude for the blessings you have in your life. 

What do Muslims do in Ramadan?

1 — SIGHTING THE NEW MOON OF THE LUNAR MONTH

Muslims sight the new moon with much eager and compassion when it comes to the Holy month of Ramadan Kareem. They climb up their roofs and search for the moon with a particular supplication, that they believe will lead to a prosperous month ahead.

2 — MUSLIMS WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO EAT

The morning meal before sunrise is called Suhoor. I’ve learned over the years that there are three types of people when it comes to having Suhoor:

1. those that eat breakfast items (usually some cereal)
2. those that have a full-on dinner, and
3. those that just sleep right through the opportunity to eat.

Many families that don’t have time to eat breakfast together throughout the year gather around the table as early as 4:30 to 5:00 a.m. to share a meal and get ready for their fast for the day.

3 — EVERY YEAR, THE MONTH OF RAMADAN FALLS ON DIFFERENT DATES

The lunar calendar is used to determine the exact start and end dates of Ramadan each year. Every year, Ramadan starts a few days earlier than the year before. This also affects the length of the fast and will mean a lot shorter fasts when Ramadan falls in the winter months.

4 — BYE-BYE TO THE LAZINESS, WORSHIP MORE TO EARN MAXIMUM POINTS:

Muslims recite the Holy Quran as much as they can and along with their regular prayers, they offer extra prayers to get the maximum blessings of God by pleasing him. The best part is that their sleep is also counted in worship. 

5 — NOT ALL MUSLIMS HAVE TO FAST DURING RAMADAN

Children and those that are ill, elderly or pregnant are exempt from fasting. Instead, they either make up the fasts at a later time or donate a meal per day they miss to those less fortunate. Children sometimes partake in mock half-day fasts and join in on the delicious meals. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection and isn’t meant to inflict hardship on those unable to fast. Muslims will often tell you that they look forward to this time of year; in fact, children can’t wait until they can join in on the fasting fun!

6 — THE DOORS OF HEAVEN ARE OPENED, AND THE DOORS OF HELL ARE CLOSED

Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, once said: “When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of the heaven are opened; the gates of Hell-fire are closed, and the devils are chained.” (Sahih Bukhari 1800) 

Ramadan, the month of fasting is no different than any other month as far as crimes are concerned. Sins and crime continue to take place in this month all around the world. Does this hadith mean the deviations in this month would not count? Does it mean that every sin in this month would be forgiven or does it mean that people cannot commit sin in this month?

I believe this hadith explains some key concepts of Ramadan in an allegorical manner. If we consider the language as symbolic, the hadith offers a logical and viable rationale for developing a strong conviction and appreciation of the Prophetic wisdom.

We can infer from the opening of the gates of heavens to mean that God makes our journey to the heavenly state of utmost peace and happiness effortless and accessible under His divine grace in the month of Ramadan. During this month believers have a month-long opportunity to change their lifestyle and environment to attain a higher state of self-consciousness. Such a journey would help them enjoy every moment of the month and qualify for uninterrupted mercy and blessings of the Divine in this life and the hereafter.

Closing the gates of heavens means that the Creator is eager and ready to forgive every sin committed by anyone if sincere repentance is sought. The month invites us to self-evaluation and identifying weaknesses in character followed by actions to better ourselves. In other words, forgiveness is the divine offering for this month. However, one must realize that repentance and forgiveness have to be done in a manner that is genuine. It means a person is conscious of wrong actions and is willing to change the lifestyle and never to repeat it. God says in the Quran:

 “Except those who repent, make amends, and declare the truth. I will certainly accept their repentance: I am the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful. 2:160

Chaining the devils means that God makes it easier in this month for people to control their behavior in the wake of all temptations, physical, social and spiritual. In a moment of high self-consciousness, an individual would ensure that he or she does not commit any act that would either defy the divine or reject his mercy. In other words, each believing person has to have a personal battle with one’s own ego, the biggest satanic whisper that sits in the sub-consciousness of each one of us.

Thus this month provides opportunities to earn the boundless bounties, limitless forgiveness and reigning one’s own ego. The more intense a person becomes in seeking these goals, the more beneficial the month becomes to him or her. 

7 — FASTS ARE OPENED WITH DATES

At the exact moment of sunset, dates are the traditional choice to open the fast, followed by a spread of foods that often varies by culture. This meal is called Iftar. While some plain Medjool dates are perfectly fine on most days, those hosting Iftar parties may want to get creative with the presentation of their dates, which features a luscious mixture of mascarpone cheese and whipping cream. 

8 — GRAND IFTAARS

Muslims break their fast by a magnificent Iftaar (the event of breaking the fast) which includes a wide range of food items, and sherbets (drinks) to quench their thirst and fulfill their all-day long hunger. Iftaar is considered to be the worldly present for them from God, while the bigger one will be given on the day of judgment.

9 — STREETS, HOMES, AND MOSQUES ARE DECORATED WITH LANTERNS AND BUNTINGS

Muslims decorate their streets and mosques with sparkling rainbow buntings and glittering lanterns that cast magic in the night. They do it as a gesture of welcome and affection for this Holy Month and to celebrate the happiness that God is distributing among them.

10 — HOME DECORATIONS IN RAMADAN

People decorate their homes with various sparkling decorations, lamps, lights, lanterns, candles, and buntings just like Christians decorate their fore places, walls, and homes with Christmas trees and stockings.

11 — THE MONTH OF RAMADAN CONCLUDES WITH A CELEBRATION CALLED EID

After 30 days of fasting, Muslims from around the world celebrate Eid. The day starts off with morning prayers and the celebration continues with friends, family and lots of food. Traditional foods vary by culture on Eid, but usually always include a delectable dessert.

Islam is a peaceful religion that teaches us love, tolerance, patience, and unity but sadly due to some filthy humans who are disguising themselves as one, its reputation is being stained. I know and wish that more and more people might come to get aware of this fact and respect every religion just like theirs. No religion teaches hatred, oppression, jobbery, superiority, and radicalism. Religions are all about love, and so we are!

Peace and love,

xoxo.