Why Do You Wear That Thing on Your Head?

I get this question often, and I am glad I do, because it gives me an opportunity to explain the reasoning behind a piece of cloth that covers hair, also known as a hijab. There is no "right" way to wear one; many times, people of different cultures cover their hair in different fashions. Furthermore, the word hijab does not specifically refer to a scarf; a better synonym for the word would be modesty. Wearing a hijab means being modest, which includes both the inside and the outside. Intentions are what matter the most. Also, contrary to popular belief, in Islam, men also have to wear a "hijab," but with different requirements because men and women are equal, but obviously not the same.

I decided to wear a hijab when I started high school as a token of acknowledgement for my religion, but I quickly realized the reasons behind why my religion encourages wearing a hijab and I now know that it is one of the best decisions I ever made. I find it to be empowering and liberating. I feel like when people talk to me, they talk to me for the thoughts and ideas inside my brain instead of the the physical and visible outside of my being, which makes me feel more respected. I don't become subjected to degrading and objectifying gazes like the half naked models on billboard ads or magazines do. The other reason I wear a hijab is because it gives me an identity. The best example I can relate this idea to is my skin. I am brown which is something I cannot change; I was born that way. It is not something that I can rip off or paint over. It is what it is and I am proud of it! That is also how I feel about my religion. It is something I do not want to change and I am proud of the fact that I am a Muslim; wearing a hijab lets the world know that too.

I would like to end with a quote by Tawakkul Karman, the first Arab woman winner and the youngest winner of Nobel Peace Prize. The quote is in context to a question she was asked about her hijab:

“Man in early times was almost naked, and as his intellect evolved he started wearing clothes. What I am today and what I’m wearing represents the highest level of thought and civilization that man has achieved, and is not regressive. It’s the removal of clothes again that is regressive back to ancient times."

Salam [Peace]. 

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Wonderful Kwanzaa, as well as an amazing anything-else-I-am-leaving-out. I also wanted to share a fun fact in this post. Did you you know that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was born on December 25th? It's true! He was born on Christmas. I learned that today and I found it interesting, so I decided to share. The picture below is one of him juxtaposed with the Pakistani flag.

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

Asalaam-O-Alaikum [May the peace and blessings of God be upon you].

I Need Your Help!

Please help me out. Please take a few seconds out of your busy lives to read this post. That would be great.

Referring back to Islam & the Role of Education, while Islam promotes education for all, this idea is not implemented in Muslim countries like it should. In fact, many areas use Islam as a basis to discriminate against women in attaining an education. Ironic, isn't it?

One of these places is Afghanistan. For quite a while, education for girls was banned in many areas of Afghanistan. I don't think I need to explain the consequences of such a large portion of a population being uneducated.

This is where the help comes in. I am currently working with a great teacher at Fort Defiance High School, Ms. Bruce Hemp, to play a role in ending this inequality. Ms. Hemp is using her connections to send school items overseas to a small girls' school in the northern Helmand province of Afghanistan. Here are some of the pictures of the school and the children that will be benefiting from this cause that she shared with me.

As you can see, the school has no benches or boards or any of the items that we would find to be a given in a classroom. Anyone out there that wants to directly contribute, you can sponsor a chalk board for $45 or a bench for $50. Just think about how many people you would be helping with just a few dollars, and this includes the shipping estimate for these items! Also, I would love for people who want to write letters to these children to contact me. Just comment below if you are interested in either of these options and I will get back with you.

Allah kay Hawale [Leaving you to God].

You Don't Celebrate Thanksgiving, Do You?

I have been asked some variation of this question many times. Yes, I do! Why wouldn't I? Thanksgiving is an American holiday, not a religious one. Now comes the next question: "You aren't American, are you?" Yes, folks, I have most definitely have been asked this question. Despite the fact that I've lived in America since I was a few months old, received all of my education in America, and have an American passport, because I don't look like a typical (read middle class Caucasian Christian) American, I can't possibly be one. Look at the picture below. What do you see? A typical Thanksgiving dinner.

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

These are the things that make me feel alienated in this country, the things that make me feel like maybe I shouldn't be American, because I certainly am not seen as one; I get treated like a second class citizen all the time. Sometimes I feel like there is something wrong with me; who I am is not enough. I have to fight off the stares and the comments everyday. I continually find myself having to defend my beliefs, which are just not accepted. Nevertheless, I know one thing for sure: I will not give up. I will continue to look up at the sky and remember the big goals. I will continue to fight off stereotypes and try to educate people about who I am and what I believe in. I will continue to smile, and look at the bright side, and I am thankful for being given the patience to do so.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.


Salam [Peace].

The Political Influences in the Great Partition of India

I wrote this paper last year for my English class, but I think that it is relevant and I wanted to share my views of the Partition of India through a political film. I attempted to uncover the truth of the entire situation. I hope you enjoy!

__________________________________________________________________________________

August 14, 1947, midnight: one of the world’s largest countries received freedom, but at the price of partition. Should it be considered a price or a gift? The Muslims of India did gain their own sovereign state where they were free to practice their religion openly and potentially without the influences of Hindu practices. Muslims finally had a country they could truly proclaim to be their own. They would no longer have to be treated as second class citizens. Even India reaped some benefits, including population decrease which really helped the county stand up on its feet faster after freedom and stimulated economic growth by opening up more jobs. Nevertheless, the political ideals and actions of Louis Mountbatten, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah indicate the hastiness, immorality, and overall injustice of the Great Partition of India. 

     

First of all, British officials, two to be exact, decided the fate of an entire subcontinent over lunch. The carelessness about the future of India resulted in one of the darkest events in history: the violent and uneven division of India into the separate countries of Pakistan and India. The main representative of the British Empire, Lord Mountbatten was the Viceroy (royal official) for India. He worked with Sir Cyril Radcliffe to formulate the borders of the two new nations. According to the notes of Christopher Beaumont, private secretary of Radcliffe, “Mountbatten not only bent the rules when it came to partition – he also bent the borders in India’s favor” (Alastair). Beaumont also said that “he was ‘deftly excluded’ from a lunch between the pair [Mountbatten and Radcliffe] in which a substantial tract of Muslim-majority territory - which should have gone to Pakistan - was instead ceded to India” (Alastair). Furthermore, the British also wanted to divide India so that “they could easily establish intelligence and military base in Pakistan to stem the tide of revolution which by then had become a certainty in China” (Ali). These misdoings were supported by the fact that Lord Mountbatten was friends with Nehru as well as Gandhi to a lesser extent, who were both affiliated with India. Furthermore, thinking from a political standpoint, India was huge amount of territory with rich history beginning with some of the oldest civilizations in the world, and Britain most likely thought it advantageous to prevent the threat of a major power rising in South Asia. The divisions of provinces like Punjab, Bengal, and Kashmir between the countries due to Mountbatten’s decisions caused turmoil and madness so great that words cannot do it justice. Although the Partition caused an estimated death toll of about one million people, the casualties were considered wonderful when compared to the rape of an uncountable amount of women and consequently the destruction of their lives, as well as fires that consumed homes, lands, hopes, and dreams (Alastair).
     

Speaking of Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru was an Indian statesman associated with the Congress League. A strong supporter and follower of Gandhi, Nehru worked towards independence from the British diligently, but he differed from Gandhi in his uncompromising attitude, even at the brink of separation. His socialist tendencies, including a strong central government, were not well taken by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a supporter of a weak central government who was also a member of the Congress League, causing a clash between the two and subsequently causing the formation of the Muslim League by Jinnah (Ceeby). Furthermore, major Indian political leaders, Nehru included, might have desired unity in the public which they may have thought only existed through religious segregation. Overall, this political strife trickled down through the web of human connections until it caused the formation of a plague of hate in the hearts in the general population of India.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim politician often associated with the Partition and the formation of Pakistan. Originally a member of the Congress Party, after disagreements with Nehru, Jinnah formed the Muslim League which did not receive much support when compared to the Congress Party. Jinnah had great doubts and fears for the future of Muslims in India. Due to political underrepresentation, 

     

Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the leader of the defeated Muslim League asked for the formation of a coalition Congress-Muslim League governments in some of the provinces. Nehru denied his request. The subsequent clash between the Congress and the Muslim League hardened into a conflict between the Hindus and the Muslims that ultimately led to the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan. (Ceeby)

Jinnah’s Fourteen Points added to this separation. The Fourteen Points articulated Muslims’ requests for the political setup of India after independence. Jinnah’s Points were rejected or rather ignored by the Hindu majority government. All of these events and many others accumulated until Jinnah could no longer compromise and a demand for a separate nation for Muslims was made (Nazariapak). But, despite the fact that the most prominent Muslim politician in India wanted a partition, not all Muslims agreed with him; in fact, religious Muslim leaders, collectively known as Ulma-e-Karaam, were strongly against the Partition. Furthermore, even as late as one year before the Partition, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs all lived in peace (BBC News). Roedad Khan, a Muslim, remembers “Hindus and Sikhs were living side by side, you know, living with us[…]Whenever there was any wedding in the family, I remember Hindus and the Sikhs bringing sweetmeats to my father, you know[…]We live very happily, very happily[…] ” (BBC News).

Overall, the Partition was a most definitely a mistake. Jinnah, Nehru, and Lord Mountbatten all ended up determining the fate of millions of people who had little say in the matter. It can also be concluded that if some of the political ties and attitudes of all three of the individuals had been different, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh would be united today. Furthermore, the problems of Pakistan since 1947 clearly indicate the foolishness of Partition. The British withdrew from India leaving only hatred and tension behind. It almost seems like the India-favoring Mountbatten set up Pakistan for failure. Dividing Pakistan into two sections, East and West Pakistan, that did not meet caused much difficulty and the eventual break of East Pakistan from its other half into the new country of Bangladesh. Leaving the area of Kashmir divided between the countries caused much violence between Pakistan and India that continues on today. Poverty runs rampant in both Pakistan and India, as does corruption. There is a lack of unity within the countries which mirrors the sudden lack of unity caused in India in the Pre-Partition Era. Families that were torn apart during the Partition still thirst for one just a glimpse of a long lost husband, wife, mother, father, daughter, son, friend.

Notes

British India (United, Before Partition)


Independent Pakistan (East & West) and India

Current Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh

Works Cited

Ali, Asghar. "Nehru, Jinah and Partition." TwoCircles. Two Circles, 14 Aug 2009. Web. 15 Apr 2011. 

BBC News, , Prod. The Day India Burned. 2007, Film.
"Jawaharlal Nehru." Ceeby. Ceeby, n.d. Web. 15 Apr 2011.
Lawson, Alastair. "Partitioning India Over Lunch." BBC News. BBC News, 10 Aug 2007. Web.
"Map of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh." Our India Story. Web. 29 Apr 2011.
"Map of Pre-Partition India." As Sunnah As Saheehah. Web. 29 Apr 2011.
Partition of India 1947: Division into India and Pakistan. N.d. Photograph. Vivian Folkenflik. Web. 22 Nov 2011. "Quaid-i-Azam's Fourteen Points (1929)." Nazariapak. Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust, n.d. Web. 15 Apr 2011.


Asalaam-O-Alaikum [May the peace and blessings of God be upon you].

Education in Pakistan

Here is one side of education in Pakistan ...

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

and here is another side.

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

Notice any differences? I do. The gap between the rich and poor in Pakistan is far and wide, as these pictures show. The education system in Pakistan makes me want to cry. Does the Pakistani government not realize that education determines the future of a country? First of all, there are two different mediums in Pakistan, English medium and Urdu medium. The differences between the two are immense. English medium schools are private and, as the name indicates, teach in English. Urdu mediums schools are government-operated and teach in Urdu. The quality of education is much better in English medium schools than in Urdu medium schools. Many children who go to government schools are illiterate even after attending classes. This divides Pakistani children into two different spheres before they are even old enough to realize the unfairness of what has just happened to them. To make matters worse, English medium schools are immensely expensive, so only the rich can attend, which prevents the impoverished to even hope of a better tomorrow while making achievement of goals easy for the rich. While there are cases of success rising from the poor masses, this situation describes the general society of Pakistan - divided by a strong brick wall that is too high for anyone to climb to reach the other side.

What is even worse is that many of English medium students end up going overseas for higher education, and quite a few end up staying in Western nations, causing a brain drain in Pakistan.

So in this situation, you would think that the rich, educated people, so patriotic for their country and so driven to help others, would contribute aid, money, resources, effort, or time to help the impoverished break down the brick wall, right? Wrong. Despite their education, which should have at least given them some common sense, they believe that the impoverished deserve this; they are kami and kamins (pejorative terms describing blue collar workers) and their low-standard, dirty selves should never intermingle with the upper class. Now I am definitely exaggerating, and I know of many exceptions, but you get my point.

I don't know how anyone could possibly believe this and I am glad that I live in a country that gives everyone access to solid education and always encourages those with potential, instead of standing in their way. Anyone living in America should feel very lucky to have access to great education. Even if it is not perfect, it is more than many ever receive.

Khuda Hafiz [May God Keep You Under His Protection].

Eid Mubarak

Happy Eid-ul-Adha to everyone in the world! If you don't know what Eid is, please click on the word "Eid-ul-Adha" to go to the Wikipedia page that explains it to you. Eid-ul-Adha is to Muslims as Christmas is to Christians. Here are some pictures of how Eid is celebrated in Pakistan.

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

Allah kay Hawale [Leaving you to God].

My Fellow Americans

I beg you to please watch this video so that you can get a tiny glimpse into my world. Please. I stumbled on it on YouTube, and at first I thought the voices used in the back were recorded and put in, but they are actual excerpts from YouTube videos of public figures. Also, if this video moves you to do so, please visit this website and check out some of the background; you can even take a pledge if you would like. Make of it what you will. I hope it allows you to see from a different point of view.

Salam [Peace].

Islam & the Role of Education

The first word of the Quran to be revealed after Bismillah to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was:
                                
                                 ''Read''


Many verses of the Holy Quran also discuss the equality of men and women, such as Surah an-Nisa 4:1, which talks about how men and women are created from the same soul to mutually benefit each other instead of saying one was created for the other.

I know that many of you are just about ready to stop reading this post because you are not Muslim and do not believe in the Holy Quran. I implore you to keep reading, because I am not trying to impose my religious views on anyone, but, rather, I am trying to logically deduce a conclusion to clear up misunderstandings.

I could give many more examples from the Quran to back up my argument, but I think these will suffice. Islam  promotes education very much; it is thought that the Prophet said for one to seek knowledge, even if he had to go to China. In the context of the 600s AD, going to China from Arabia was a huge endeavor. Furthermore, Islam treats men and women equally and there is no verse that says women are not allowed to obtain an education. Therefore, it can be concluded that Islam promotes education for women.

To the West, I have this to say. Do not blame a religion for acts committed by its followers. Such judgement can never be correct. Islam does not want women to remain uneducated. In fact, it values education as a fruit of enlightenment and understanding. In early Islamic history, there are various accounts of women obtaining an education. There are also many accounts of women leadership and activism, with the Prophet Muhammad's own wife, Aysha, as a prime example. Furthermore, recent examples of women leadership in Muslim countries, such as the late Ms. Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, further enforce the importance of the inclusion of women in various fields. Keep in mind: the USA, renowned for its freedom and equality, has yet to have a female president. So, think before you criticize.

To the East, I have this to say. Stop using Islam to support your unequal and backward thinking about women. Where does it say that women are supposed to remain uneducated? In fact, didn't Islam stop such treatment of women that occurred in Arabia in the pre-Islamic era? Uneducated mullahs need to stop enforcing a religion that they do not understand themselves. Please master your understanding on your beliefs before thinking you have any authority to tell others about your religion. Don't sour the reputation of Islam. Muslims are already misunderstood enough as it is. Help, don't hurt; prevent, don't cause.

Allah Hafiz [May God Keep You Under His Protection].

Ideals Can Be Implemented Through Action

This song, Kya Derta Hai by Shehzad Roy, is much lighter that the previous one. While it is a little silly, the message that is trying to be promoted is extremely important. In a country like America where no one would think twice about stopping at a red light, it can be hard to grasp the idea of life functioning in a world where nobody seems to listen to rules and policies that are for the order and safety of society. Pakistan is not short on technology such as stoplights, but I, myself, have seen the total disregard of their presence by its citizens because there is absolutely no enforcement; driving becomes a free-for-all and can be quite dangerous. In a country where its leaders are criminals themselves, how can we expect crime to stop? Therefore, while we Americans can criticize the government all we want, we should be thankful for even the simplest things, such as the ability to call 911 whenever we need help, because we are much better off than the majority of the world. Furthermore, if we truly do want some sort of change in any aspect of the government, or for that matter, in any aspect of life, we need to stop complaining and start doing, because if everyone looks at the next person to get the job done, the job will never be completed.

Lyrics:
Tu dekhta hai, par bolta nahi.
Tu sochta hai, par bolta nahi.

Keh de-keh de rang badal na hai.
Dhalna hai, nayi taqdeero mein dhalna hai.

Tujhe jiska hai intzaar,woh tu khud hai mere yaar.

Uth baandh qamar, kya darta hai?
Phir dekh Khuda kya karta hai.

Seena taan ke chal, mat jhukk, par pyaare signal par toh rukk.

Verna log kahange, kahange, kahange, log kahange,

"Tu signal par kharra nahi hota, apne pairo par kaise kharra hoga?"

Halaat tujhe badle, tu halaat badal de yaar.

Uth baandh qamar, kya darta hai?
Phir dekh Khuda kya karta hai.

12 crore haath uthe jo milke saath,
Muskil din, mushkil raat ikk pal mein aasan ho jaye.

Badlenge yeh halaat, badlenge hum.
Kya sochta hai?

Uth baandh qamar, kya darta hai?
Phir dekh Khuda kya karta hai.


English Translation:
You see, but you do not say anything.
You think, but you do not say anything.

Say, say that you want to change colors,

Want to saturate, saturate yourself in new fates. 

The one you are waiting for is you, yourself, my friend.

Stand up, tie your waist. What are you afraid of?

Just see what God will do. 

Stand tall, don't stoop, but at least stop at a stoplight.

Or people will say, will say, will say, people will say,

"You can't even stand (stop) at the signal. How are you going to stand on your feet?"

Circumstances will change you; you change the circumstances my friend.

Stand up, tie your waist. What are you afraid of?

Just see what God will do. 

When 120,000,000 hands raise together,

difficult days, difficult nights will become easy in seconds. 

We will change the circumstances.

What do you think?

Stand up, tie your waist. What are you afraid of?

Just see what God will do. 

I could not find a translation for the lyrics of this song online so I had to translate it myself. Put simply, it is not easy to translate from one language to another, even if you know both well. Also, the speech the artist made at the end is not included in the lyrics, but it is just reiterating the same idea - the youth, in its vast numbers, can do anything if it works together.

Allah kay Hawale [Leaving you to God].

Working Toward Progress

The youth is so important in shaping the world. We can determine what the future is going to be like. This power that only the youth holds is especially vital in places like Pakistan, where the present is beyond terrible due to corrupt and ineffective leadership on both the small scale and the large scale. We need to realize, though, that unless change is brought to the current conditions of areas such as education, the youth will not be able to utilize their influence in future society and consequently, nothing will ever change. Pakistan needs change. I wanted to share two music videos, one in this post and one in the next one, that are meant to look at this topic of youth and hopefully provide a glimpse into the music styles of Pakistan as well. 

This first song is called Umeed-e-Sahar and it is by the Laal band. The lyrics of the song were actually written by a Pakistani poet named Faiz Ahmed Faiz whose work, at the time, was very controversial due to his support of communism. In the video, the main struggle is between a young man, whose mother is dying in an ambulance, and the police, who has blocked off traffic for the passing of some rich person, presumably a politician. And, yes, this does happen in Pakistan. Please take away some sort of a message from this video, whatever it may be, to apply to yourself in your thoughts and/or actions.

Lyrics:
Jigar dareeda hoon. Chaak-e-jigar ki baat suno.
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Alam raseeda hoon. Daman-e-tar ki baat suno.
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Zubaan bureeda hoon. Zakhm-e-guloo sey harf karo.

Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Shikasta pa hoon. Malaal-e-safar ki baat suno.
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Musafir-e-rah-e-sehra-e-zulmat-e-shab se,

Ab iltafat-e-nigar-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Umeed-e-sahar ki baat.

English Translation:

My heart is torn. Hear the wounds of my heart.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

I'm stricken with grief. Listen to my being soaked with tears.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

My tongue is dry and unable to talk. Talk to my gaping wounds.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

My feet are tired. Listen to the sorrows of my journey.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

From the one who travels in the dark desert of tyranny,
Hear him speak of the beauty of dawn.

Hope of a new dawn.

Salam [Peace].