Day 14
By chance I’ve been watching random crash courses on planets, brown dwarfs (cool almost-stars), moons and what not and in almost every video the host is excited about the prospect of planets/moons with water having life on them. Like Europa, Titan, this other moon whose name I don’t remember seem like big possibilities to him because they have flowing water under their surface(not to mention volcanoes that erupt water)
Hence the current scientific belief is that for life you need water, just like this Ayat tells us. Not like science is the standard for comparison but nevertheless, it’s intriguing which is exactly the purpose of the Ayat. For us to marvel at and wonder. The Quran wasn’t revealed to give us scientific discoveries or details but to inspire us to look around in awe, no matter what our educational background. Hence this Ayat speaks out to every human, on multiple levels relative to their understanding of the world.
Note: Ayat means verse from the Holy Quran.
Chaand Raat Party’16
The decor for the Pre-Chaand Raat party this year. ^^
‘Chaand raat‘ literally translated to ‘Moon night’ is what we Urdu-speaking Muslims call the last night of Ramazan when the moon is sighted, signalling the end of the holy month. Ramazan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to dusk and it is a very spiritual time for most of us.
The month of Ramazan can be of 29-30 days depending entirely on the moon. For the past 2-3 years it’s been for 29 days.
Everyone is usually busy on the actual chaand raat with preparations for Eid ul Fitr (the first couple of days of the month following Ramazan i.e Shawal), the three days of celebration after the month of fasting, or with family members who are coming back from ‘itekaaf‘ (voluntary seclusion from society to pray and strengthen personal faith, to be closer to Allah during the last 1,3,5,7 or 10 days of Ramazan) and so we usually have the party for friends and family on the night of the 28th of Ramazan at aftar time (the time when Muslims break their fast at dusk).
Iman and I did the decor in a night with some motivating helpful ideas from Pinterest. 🙂
‘Eid Mubarak’ or ‘Happy Eid’ is the greeting (accompanied with hugs and kisses) that is used on the three days of Eid. ‘Almost Eid Mubarak’ is a weird kind of joke, no one says that just to clarify. xD
What’s the point of heaven? >.<
I just had the most beautiful thought! The story behind it is kind of embarrassing but I’ll share it with you…….It’s not that long and you might not find it embarrassing but I do. I still do.
Since a couple of days I’ve been wondering what the point of heaven is……….see it’s embarrassing. Who wonders that? I felt scandalous of the thought but I couldn’t help thinking it. I’ve been stuck at home for a while now because of holidays and I can’t wait to go to university. So now you’re wondering how can someone not get it? It’s heaven. You get to do what you want…… Well that was the problem…..we get chances in this life to do what we want as well, and after a while it gets boring doesn’t it? You’ve always wanted to play a video game say ‘Naruto’ and you finally have the time. So you play, you play for hours, you play for days. But you get bored of it afterwards. I was wondering along the lines of, say you like to study, in heaven there’s no point of studying. Say you want to travel, there’s no where to go really. Say you like food…..how long exactly can you keep eating? I believe in Allah. I believe in hell and I believe in heaven. I just didn’t get it. The heaven part.
I felt stupid and I felt dumb. I felt like an idiot and a bad person. I still feel guilty. And I just had the sweetest beautifulest thought that just made me smile inside and out. It’s so utterly simple and so obvious.
If Allah can make this world, and we enjoy some of it to varying extents, can’t He make it for us if we wished it in heaven? Can’t He make it better? Can’t He make us, not bored? If we enjoy this, we’ll enjoy heaven even more. It’s not impossible. Allah has does it before and he can do whatever he wants. If we want our memories erased and to go on adventures, whatever, He can make it happen. Anything, ANYTHING beyond our wildest dreams. The answer is so simply elegant. ❤
I just wanted to share that…..though it was hard to write……
P.S if you know me, and you are reading this. Please, never, NEVER mention it to me. EVER. Please and thank you!
This life is promised to no one
You laze around, do what you want, occasionally feel guilty, comfort yourself that you’ll change, that you have plenty of time to make amends, to repent, to ask for forgiveness, but who the hell gave you that insurance? I don’t think any of us can be sure that we’re going to be alive tomorrow. You can’t even guarantee that your next breath won’t be your last. We view ourselves as the heroes of our lives, we watch movies, tv serials, drama’s that show us that heroes don’t die until they’ve done all they wanted to in life. But that’s not true, people die all the time, suddenly, without warning, with their dreams still on hold, the dreams and hopes that die with them. What about them? Is it really that impossible that you won’t be one of them?
We plot and we plan our futures, but what about the here and now? These moments, they do count, and they won’t come back. The here and now, that’s what will decide what will happen to you after you die. We forget, we’re humans and we forget. I’m ashamed to admit that I often shrug at my own carelessness, I sometimes skip namaz(prayer) and I regret it so much. I hope I won’t forget, I’m going yo try my best not to forget, to not be lazy. I mean is our will power really that weak? That we can’t get past our own laziness, our own desires. Are we no more than mere animals? Governed by our instincts, our drives, our emotions.
We can change, with time we can change. Our fate, our future both in this life and the next is entirely up to us. If you fall short, you have no one to blame but yourself. The journey is tough, but be patient, Allah (God) is Just.
1/4 towers of Faisal Mosque
One of the towers sourrounding Faisal Mosque
Shifa Inter-Scholastic Tournament 2013
Background flex of the stage
The Shifa Inter-Scholastic Tournament 2013 held in Faisal Mosque was awesome! Granted that yes there was a little mismanagement, mostly technical difficulties, but I have yet to attend an event were there weren’t any difficulties. Having organized an event myself I know that you can’t foresee everything.
It was delightfully refreshing to see so many people so enthusiastic about Islam. The competitions were stimulating and the people friendly to no limit. The SIST team was so co-operative, they listened to every problem, big and small with patience and tried their best to fix them. Most events I go to, the people are too busy trying to be everywhere that they don’t respond well to complaints or difficulties. They tell you they’re sorry and that there’s nothing they can do about it now.
They refreshed the participants’ memory about the teachings of Islam while at the same time allowing them have fun. There was Islamic jeopardy, art, calligraphy, short filming, tajweed (recitation of Quranic verses with the proper pronunciation), debates, journalism etc. I took part in journalism and jeopardy, though I was only serious for journalism.
People came from all over Pakistan and the Youth Club along with the SIST team had arranged for Islamic speakers to hold seminars from 3:30-8:00 for both days i.e. 9th and 10th February 2013. My favourites were Imran Mansur and Kamran Kiyani, the others were great too but these two really grabbed my attention and kept it. They’re speaking style wasn’t he typical boring monotonous type. It was full of energy and thought provoking. The theme this year was ‘Six feet below and beyond’ i.e. death, life after death and its inevitability. Everyone who attended sat in rapt attention during any and all speeches, not something too common. People normally doze off and chatter amongst themselves. Time flew as lecturer upon lecturer took the stage and gave us all things to ponder about, to question our habits and our hobbies.
My badges and team card
I plan on trying my best to go next year too and to take lots of people with me. People should host more events like this so that the youth can get involved and get back on track. We just need people to remind us in a way we understand.
Use your brains people
People…..Muslims….. What are you doing?! What do you hope to accomplish by burning your own buildings, destroying your own cars and wrecking havoc in your own country? Is this like a new kind of emo thing except on a larger scale? Because you do know your not hurting anyone but yourself?
Islam is a religion of peace. And how are you showing it? If you want to make the people who made the video and the people who allowed it to be published pay then stop cutting yourself and instead just boycott YouTube and demand the American government for justice. I mean how can they say that degrading women is sexist, calling someone black is racist but disrespecting Islam is free speech?
YEAH its Chaand raat
Ok so today is CHAAND RAAT =D hmmm I guess you could call it Eid eve…..its like Christmas eve but better! Lol thats my opinion. But the sad part is I got a sore throat and the flu……I swear of all the days the sickness could pick it picked the most inconvenient one….right on the bulls-eye. But I’m working through it.
Today we’re making lots and lots of cookies….gonna stay up and put mehndi/henna on myself and my cousins. My brothers getting back from the mosque today and tommorow we go to the village. I’m pretty excited. I can’t wait…though I’m not sure why…. Ok so on eid basically you go round peoples houses, relatives and friends, and you have lots of fun. Haha and for most kids and teens the best part is probably the money you get from your parents, aunts and uncles. Its cute watching little kids count their money and compare how much they got with other kids.
Last night my cousins and I had a competition…art competition just for the fun of it and the theme was eid. Well the cousins I live with are small but it was still fun. The picture I’m posting is the one I made.
I’m going to miss Ramazan. Its the month when you feel all religious and good. When you feel closer to Allah or God. It encourages you to change for the better and you learn how to abstain from stuff like food and drink. You realize the hardships that the less fortunate face on a daily basis and that breeds a sense of compassion. To me, Ramazan is like the start of a new year a time when I resolve to be a better person a better Muslim.
I hope my throat and flu clears up……………Gotta go…..kids want me to put mehndi on them…..EID MUBARAK TO EVERYONE! =)
Conclusion
Lol statistics say that most people have the best brainstorms in the shower…….this isn’t the case with me. My smart smart brain thinks of all the most important things when I’m trying to go to sleep. Brilliant innit? Anyway it was in one such thinking session that I was just pondering over life in general. On how hard it is to apply to universities,on how hard life is after marriage,all the responsibilities I need to fulfill and how much hardships I’m bound to face…….the thing is…..I might never get into the university of my dreams,my marriage might be a total failure, and in general nothing may work out as I wanted…..pretty depressing. BUT there is one thing I know for sure,with the utmost certainty and that is death. Yes I know I will die someday and since I’m not an atheist the one thing I can do that I am 100% sure I’ll be rewarded for is my good deeds.
Then you might think…..well even life after death you can’t be sure to go to heaven or hell…. that’s true but working towards it is much more worthwhile. Cause all good things in this life will come to an end but if you go to heaven that won’t ever come to an end. Doesn’t it make it worth it? Plus what does God ask us in return for heaven? To be good to people no matter what religion or beliefs they are from, to be compassionate, generous, selfless etc. Basically have the moral values that we should already have.
So yeah now I’m going to try my best to make a good life after death my priority and everything else second. Yeah I’ve always wanted to go to heaven but like come on…..I wasn’t as serious as I am now. Everything else should come second. So life can do whatever it wants to me I’ll try my best to take it and make it my way,but I’l do it the right way,with honesty,justice and compassion. =D My aim will be to help those around me, make their lives better and to get rid of my selfishness. And I through hardships I’ll remind myself that I know God never gives anyone more strife than they can bear.
Me,my weird thoughts and I 