Fireflies in the Garden

Here come real stars to fill the upper skies,

And here on earth come emulating flies,

That though they never equal stars in size,

(And they were never really stars at heart)

Achieve at times a very star-like start.

Only, of course, they can't sustain the part.

-Robert Frost

image credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilcreek/

Ali (A)

One name has ruled the hearts of Arifs, Saints of all times, and even has been a ray of hope for polluted hearts such as mine. Name of Ali (A) makes Darwaish spin in axis, Sufis lose themselves and Mystics chant … ... Aik wird hai dam dum Ali Ali .

Ali (A) is for whom Lal Shehbaz Qalandar said:

Haiderium Qalandram Mastam
Banda e Murtaza Ali Hastam
Peshwa e tamam Rindanam
Ke Sag e Koo e Shier e Yazdanam!

Translation:

I am Haideri (relating to Haider), Qalandar and Mast (intoxicated with inspiration)
I am a slave of Ali Murtaza
I am leader of all saints
Because I am a dog of the lane of "Allah's Lion

Who is this Ali (A)?
Ali ( The exalted one) is also called Ailya, Haider, Murtaza , Asadullah, Shair e Khuda( Lion of Allah), Wajahullah( Allah’s Face), Yaddullah ( Allah’s hand), Lisaan Ullah ( Allah’s tongue), Aain ullah( Allah’s eye), Ameer ul Momineen ( master of the faithful), Imam ul mutaqeen ( Leader of the pious), Abul Aimma ( Father of Imams), Mushkil kusha ( solver of difficulties ), Fatah e Khaiber ( one to conqueror of Khaiber), Budh Shikan ( destroyer of Idols), Babul ilm ( Gateway to the city of knowledge), Abu Turab ( father of sand) ,Sa’aqi e kosar (one who will quench the thirst of believers from the stream of Kauthar), Qaseem e Jinnah o Naar ( Divide of Eden n Hell), Wali Ullah (Friend of Allah), Nafs e Rasool saw (Part of Rsasool saw) etc.
Ali (A) was exclusively born inside Ka’abah and He is the first martyr in the house of God during prayer.

Ali (A) opened His eyes in Rasool e Khuda (saw)’s arms. He was married to the most pious lady of all worlds, leader of all women of Eden; Daughter of Prophet (saw), Fatima tul Zahra (S). His sons, Hassan (A) and Hussain (A) are Leaders of the youth of Heaven.

Ali (A), as a solider, protected Rasool e Khuda (saw) and steadfastly fought on His signals. He had the special role of protecting Rasool e Khuda (saw) when most of the Muslim army fled from the battle of Uhud.

Ali (A) is the one for whom “Zulfiqar” (sword) was sent form Allah through Hazrat Jibraeel (A) during the battle and it was said:

"There is no brave youth except Ali and there is no sword which renders service except Zulfiqar."

Ali (A) was the Prophet (saw)’s Alamdar (bearer of the flag). He was the one who slept on the bed of Prophet (saw) on the night of Meeraj. Quran praises Ali (A) saying:

“And among men there is who sells himself (soul) seeking the pleasure of God; and verily, God is affectionate unto His (faithful) servants.” -Chapter 2 verse 207

Ali (A) is the one for whom Prophet (saw) said: “Man Kuntu Mola Fahaza Ali un Mola”

"Ali is with Haqq (truth) and Haqq is with Ali - O Allah (SWT) turn Haqq in the same direction in which Ali turns”

“Looking at the face of Ali is Worship”

“O Ali ... I love the person you hold dear… and I hate the person u dislike.”

“O Ali Your fight is my fight, your resolution is my resolution... My fight is Allah’s fight, and my resolution is Allah’s resolution. The one who resolves with you resolves with Allah.”
“Nobody knows Allah except me and Ali. Nobody knows me except Allah and Ali. Nobody knows Ali except Allah and me."

“It is Ali who will distribute heaven and hell among mankind."

“Whoever wishes to see Adam in his knowledge, Noah in his piety, Ibrahim in his forbearance (patience), Musa in his strength, and Isa in his worship and devotion should look at Ali ibn Abi Talib."
“I am the city of Knowledge and Ali (A) is the gateway.”

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (A) was the only one who declared 'Saluni, Saluni Kabla an Tafkiduni' - 'ask me, ask me, before you do not find me amongst you.

Dr. Alama Iqbal said:
"Har Ke Dar Affair Garden Bu Turaab;
Baaz Gardaanad Ze Maghrib Aaftaab
(In spiritual exaltation, if anyone can achieve the status of Bu Turaab, then he will be able to cause the sun to rise from the West.)"'

Ali (A) is the heart of love and reverence; center of hatred and revulsion. His devotees love him passionately and His enemies hold equally intense grudge against Him.

Ali (A)‘s love and devotion roots in the hearts where God lies. He was blessed with companions like Mesam e Tammar, Ammar e Yasir, Owais e Qarni, Hani, Malik e Ashtar and many more who gave their lives but remained faithful to Ali (A).

Ali (A) encountered worst people as enemies too. But it is pleasantly alarming, that Ali (A) became their identity… the very person they wanted to erase from history.

Ali (A)‘s door of wisdom is open for all. I wonder what is in Ali (A) that the whole world is chanting his name… Hindu poet Devi Roop Kumari couldn’t also resist saying:


Nisaar e Murtaza hoon...Punjetan say piyar kerti hon
Khizan ji s per na aaye uss chaman say piyar kerti hon
Aqeeda mazhab e insaniyat me kab zaroori hai
Main butt parast hon. ek budh shikan say piyar kerti hon

Ali (A) is whom I Love... I pursue.

Note: I have been intensely restless to write something for Mola e Kainaat, Ali (A), but found my self drowned in the ocean of love created by His lovers…. I accept that I don’t have words…I have tried to collect few pearls from this divine ocean. And have realized that until we lose ourselves to these depths we can never find the Truth.




Collection of Sayings and Duas: Nehjul Balagah, Nehjul Asrar, Sahifa e Alwiya

image credit : www.sistani.org

A Wake Up Call

Sometimes in life, you need a shock treatment to wake you up. This morning proved to be a wakeup call for me.

Previous night’s joviality from a friend's wedding was still fresh in my mind when I began the day with the excitement of Halwa Pori breakfast with friends and a wedding of another buddy planned for the night.

After setting out the table, I decided to quickly make Sher Khorma for the guest, with a maid by my side who was cooking parathas. During a casual talk, she started to weep. She shared that she wanted to visit some syed peer this evening. On my display of curiosity to know the reason, she said that her husband is jobless. She further said that she left her children sleeping today, and dint cook breakfast either. I wondered why dint she cook anything. She looked at me with tears flowing down her cheeks and replied,

″I swear, there was nothing to cook.″

Her tears drowned me in the filth of my own contentment. Her words pierced my heart. And her distress left me paralyzed and speechless.

She continued to work leaving my eyes fixed on all the food stacked in cabinets, a refrigerator packed with fruits, meals of all kinds and so much extra that was just there to delight… and her hands... that were rolling paratha for someone else while her own children were asleep with an empty stomach.

An echo of my father telling me stories about Ahl e Bait AS e Rasool SAW, and the three days when they had a fast and on all three nights they gave away all that they had to a hungry beggar.

Every single thing that I ever read about Imam Ali Ibn Hussain As and Imam Ali As, that they used to carry bags full of food and used to secretly deliver it to the doorstep of the poor every night, flashed back. My head bowed down in embarrassment in front of Rasool Allah SAW remembering that he said that you are not momin if your stomachs are full while your neighbors sleep hungry.

Her tears were a slap on my face. They exhibit my ignorance, my selfishness, my ego. While I was busy showing off my love for God... talking about ISHQ… I overlooked the ones whom He loves the most.

I found myself isolated in a fort with walls of ego that are plastered with contentment of being right! Thick curtains of ignorance have darkened the surroundings. Any beam of light that enters, gets lost in the hollowness of the adobe.

Her tears did crack a wall. They will stay with me every time I eat. It now scares me to spend hundreds on just a meal for my own self… for the sake of enjoyment and not to survive. That same money can give such families enough food to last for two days.

It’s painful when our fort trembles down, in the same way as if someone lived in dungeons throughout his live and for the first times he opens his eyes that are sensitive to the light.

photo credit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nygus/

The Flight

The mystifying wind outside is stirring strange sensations within me.....

How should the soul not take wings

when from the Glory of God

It hears a sweet, kindly call:

"Why are you here, soul? Arise!"

How should a fish not leap fast

into the sea form dry land

When from the ocean so cool

the sound of the waves reaches it

How should the falcon not fly

back to his king from the hunt

When from the falconer's drum

it hears to call:"Oh, come back"?

Why should not every Sufi

begin to dance atom-like

Around the Sun of duration

that saves from impermanence?

What graciousness and what beauty?

What life-bestowing! What grace!

If anyone does without that,

woe-what err, what suffering!

Oh fly , oh fly, O my soul-bird,

fly to your primordial home!

You have escaped from the cage now-

your wings are spread in the air.

Oh travel from brackish water

now to the fountain of life!

-Rumi

For the Sake of Welfare

Rumbling train, trembling walls and shivering floors, were the few things that I noticed when I reached a private welfare school here in Karachi.

It was a fine morning; my heart was filled with excitement to visit a welfare center along with a group of O level students who wanted to spend a day for others. Sadly that feeling withered away as we reached the venue.

A slim door opened into a narrow, congested and a ceiling-less corridor. Right beside the door was a confine bathroom with a dented door. Facing it was a huge blue drum with a tap attached, beneath that an empty paint bucket was placed. On my right was a tall rack stacked with little dusty chappals. Some dead plants added to the depressing ambiance. 

As I took few steps inwards, it was heart rendering to see a whole row of tiny chairs with broken seats arranged adjacent to a wall. Classes were being conducted in room with partially covered ceiling and with walls encrusted with dust; students were settled on floor mats.

On one side of the picture was a tear jerking sight of innocent kids with little, bare feet, muddled hair, inconsistently uniformed and variably placed in classes without chairs, space and even without a proper roof and on the other hand was the discourteous attitude of the principal with volunteers who went to help them out. Well, I rather not go there.

Principal’s filled to capacity workplace, served multiple purposes. Besides being an office, it was a library, store room, dining room and even acted as a staff room. One door opened into a classroom, the other one into a small passage that could be called an exit. This passage was divided by a curtain into half; on the other side of the curtain was a filthy, fetid bathroom.

 While talking to the teachers, I made some astonishing discoveries. The teachers there had to go through a series of 2-3 year Urdu pronunciation program before they could teach students of KG! According to one senior and the most qualified teacher, she had to spend 2 years just to work on Urdu pronunciation and it was a tough course!

My heart sank and I felt I was sitting in an adobe whose base was so vulnerable, pillars too brittle; I felt the roof will rumble down anytime taking all of us with it.

Every second that I spent there made my heart heavier, partially, to see melancholy of young people; primarily, because misery was being imposed on them.

My pption of the scenario was at polarity with the common point of view. I was raged to observe that such welfare organizations are just portraying these chaste children as a symbol of misfortune, for me the organization it self was disparage in the name of “welfare”. It is no more than bandwagon.

I fail to understand the purpose of useless, broken chairs placed at the entrance when they have low desks and floor mats for the class. I can not comprehend the logic behind Urdu pronunciation course as compulsory for teachers of kindergarten. I can not grasp the purpose of such institutions. I can not foresight the future of students of such schools.

 If an organization is so impoverished and penniless, why in the world they open tens of branches all over the city with same pitiable conditions? Wont it be better to have only one center but with standards of education and teaching? A safe and pleasing place with uplifting milieu... There is no point of such schools if they can not provide something better for the kids.

I urge the government to fortify the educational standards and I request such welfare organizations to have an infrastructure and not to initiate such projects if you are already broke. It is a good thing for all of us to give something to others; every one should contribute, but let’s not embark on something with a hope to get funds.Please don’t play with the lives of these kids. They are going to so called schools but are they really learning anything? What ever people contribute dose it affect kid’s live at all? 

Let’s taste the bitter truth. It dose not!