YES! “SHE” SPEAKS

Hibernation

May 6, 2008 · No Comments

I get really annoyed when bloggers hibernate on me. But it’s my turn to abandon blogging. Not that i update this thing regularly anyway but Yep, I iz  officially out. Je Fini, Au revour. But wait remember me in your duas, I’ve got exams, and as usually i’ve left it to the last day. Well quite literally, next twenty days are going to be difficult so i really need your duas, support and your smile would help as well (I’m not fond of frowners!)

Anywho I will be back end of May. I leave with this note “Be careless in your dress if you must, but keep a tidy soul.”

Peace and Love

Magda.

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Students welcoming the Future

April 5, 2008 · 5 Comments

I am sure that many of us are now moving on in our lives, moving past things that may seem rather different to how we may have planned. Needlesstosay, different seems frightening but nonetheless equally stimulating. I mean who wants to live the same life, same job, same thoughts, and same opinions.

Invariably life is such, things change, amend and alter and we too change accordingly. As many question and challenge their future plans and their choice in studies, others continue studying something they hate with vengeance, lucky ones attend lectures with passion, love and intellectual stimulation which builds hope for the future.

Whatever our situation may be, our road map is still in our hands, for some of us who think that tolerating one’s studies is suffice and enough of a reason to continue, let me tell you now, it really isn’t! I personally do not wish to merely “tolerate” my studies, field of studies or my future for that matter. It takes a little more than a kind of sullen tolerance, a passive form of hostility, a shaky truce.

It is the quality of true engagement with every aspect of our lives, including our education, of which Malcolm X once referred to as “our passport to the future.” How can we attain passion for a field that we cannot even begin to appreciate. Surely if we cannot be bothered to turn up to our lectures, there’s no hope of us ever turning up to work, or putting a skill that we cannot be bothered to learn into practice.

For some of us deriving this passion will take a lot more than just turning up to lectures, it is only through deep thought and contemplation that we as students are able to identify the true value of our studies, and really there is no point of studying something you hate. If you hate to learn about it, what hope is there for its practice. There’s a good old saying that if you pick a field that you love, you will never have to work a day in your lifetime.

Let me illustrate a problem of my own I’ve always mastered the excuse “I’m tired, I have no energy,” I have always used this excuse as a defense mechanism to excuse myself from studies, until someone very wise once said: “If you loved the book you were reading, you wouldn’t be tired, you’d be stocked up on energy.” And that my friend is so true, ironies upon ironies. It’s funny how I would use my lack of energy as a defense mechanism and at that point in time get my ultimate favorite book and read it until my eyes would drop, actually it would drop and I’d go and flush my face with water so I could finish the book. And then it occurred to me, imagine if I had to read the books I love in my studies and it was embodied in every thing I did.

Again, I don’t want to merely tolerate my studies, I want to thrive for it, strive for it and want it in every possible sense. It is this active and open-mind to what fascinates us at the deeper level, through both our phenomenal commonality and our dazzling individuality that enables us to affirm what we want to do with our lives and how we wish to welcome the future. And it is quality of active engagement with oneself that distinguishes our thoughts, our zeal and our destiny.

Einstein once passionately argued: “Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything he learned in school.” It’s taken me a while to actually understand the idea; it certainly is food for a thought. The challenge before us is to go beyond the babble of our insecurities, fear of incompetence, instability in change etc. Just because you feel comfortable in a field, or you know your stuff it doesn’t mean you have passion for it. It is up to us to think and ponder over what steps we wish to take, discover what we want, the universal principles of loving what you’re doing rather than just doing it for the sake of doing it.

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Isn’t it about time, students started studying?

March 27, 2008 · 2 Comments

Are you a student who questions whether that lecture that you had the other day is the same lecture that you’re supposedly meant to have mastered to understand the question that you’re reading while attempting that exam paper, or at the very least understand the questions without having to ask Trish or Paul the definition of every word that you’re failing to comprehend at this precise moment and you’re thinking to yourself… Why Oh Why? Are you a student who spends more time thinking about what to have for lunch than what reading to prepare for the next lecture? If so, then you probably need to take a trip down the library now and again to restore that sense of student-osity and learn to appreciate the value of studying.

  

 

 Lest, fear not for this is not a lecture, I’m in no position to speak, actually this post is a little counsel I’m writing to myself.  Okay so let us imagine that you’re exactly in the same position as I, just over eight deadlines within the next month and just as many exams to accompany the coursework. Where to start? Well I was going through a similar predicament a week or so ago. But fortunately I was blessed to have someone give me a kick up my backside and as fortunate as I am. I feel obliged to give that same kick to you.

   

It’s roughly April and we’re 10 months into University, two months left give or take to get our acts together, for some of us who have tried everything, except use our logic and actually start studying. Perhaps it’s about time we used that logic and get down to business. Despair not, it’s never too late to start! I started just the other day and I’m really starting to value my education, my lectures and just generally what I’m paying £3,070 for.

  

            

I mean if I could count the hours I’ve wasted, worrying about my deadlines and exams, you’d probably shoot me, shoot, I think I’d probably shoot myself. The reality is that sometimes it’s far easier to dwell in things rather than get them done but what will dwelling do. In fact not only will it waste time but the negativity and anxiety just makes it harder to bare.  From this moment, I pledge that I will start valuing my education, strive for it and work for it, instead of thinking of all the possible outcomes of failing. I’d suggest you do the same.

  

 

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Out beyond ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

March 10, 2008 · 5 Comments

  

We all experience personality clashes; at times it can seem an indescribably fierce force, even with our very own siblings.  At times our inability to express ourselves in ways intended often means it leaves addressee of our idle talk confused, leaving us misunderstood, misread or even perhaps misconstrued. What hurts is the aftermath… The knowing that it all came out terribly wrong, the anticipation of thoughts of what exactly   the other is thinking,  the prolonged moments of silence. It’s happened to us all; we’ve let our emotions take a toll on us. Sometimes in my cranky state I have a tendency to have a go at a lot of people, who in essence mean more than words can express. 

 Someone once told me that the recipe for disaster is two stubborn, impatient and adamant people living together. And I’m a critic of my own self first and am the first to admit that there are many flaws in my character. I have a lot on my plate at the moment, I’m broke, studies are not going according to plan and I’m becoming restless, impatient, and just generally struggling.  

Rumi (raheemullah) once said: “Out beyond ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” I guess that’s where patience and perseverance with others comes into play. Because at the end of the day I heart you. And this heart hurts others too, so it’s okay for you to hurt me, because I’m sure I’ve hurt you along the way.    

Maybe I just need her. Need to be with her. I miss her so! And have been deprived of her for far too long. The only remedy; my mother of whom I’ve deprived myself . Perhaps this is a sign from Him. A sign that I need to reflect on her and focus my priorities on serving her. After all paradise lies under her feet!   May He most high forgive me for my shortcomings as a sister to my siblings, a daughter to my parents, a student to my teachers and most importantly as a forgetful servant to Him. Aameen  

Remember this forgetful, inconsiderate, careless, negligent servant in your duas. 

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Prefer a broken neck to another broken heart?

February 24, 2008 · 7 Comments

I love my solitude and grow tired and frustrated at the world; so devoid of passion and zeal. It seems, with such oblivious minds unable to fathom the boundless depths in meaning expressed with sincerity, command and devotion, spoken word just isn’t so openly spoken. 

 A poem I recently heard had left me deeply inspired, so inspired that I had to listen to it over and over again, until I was left impenetrably moved and in deep thought and contemplation. For those who have listened with heart, mind and ears intact will appreciate its invaluable passion and message. But for others unable to contemplate the innate message, I feel for thee. Like seriously, feel for thee!

The poem, entitled “She said that she’d prefer a broken neck to another broken heart” by Amir Sulaiman. A narration of distant memories of how a man so deep in love with his upbringing, that his counsel to another is based on this love. It’s almost as though the poem is a love letter to his mother, yet a reminder and counsel to future mothers. A reminder that motherhood and manhood go hand in hand. It is the love, compassion, zeal and sincerity that really makes the poem what it is. 

A message repeated throughout the poem; attaining love for the Divine is more important, fulfilling and rewarding than any other love.  “Having love is even more important than having a lover.”     It reminded me of something that Maya Angelou  once said: “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.”  How profound? Food for a thought: be so lost in love with Him that no one is able to reach you without reaching Him. “He’s gotta truly love love before he can truly love me.”   How can one who lacks something give it to another?

The poet continually projects the struggles in women today. When asked for solutions, his counsel to another is shaped by his experiences with his mother. “She asked me how I survived, by Allah it was my mother…And the stuff I saw her endure, I never wanna see my wife endure. So I know being a man is more than being male, and I’m focused on doing it right.” It is that linkage to his mother as the centrality to his being, the mention of his mother brought a tear to my eye. Love is certainly the bond that binds the hearts.

When I think about my childhood, I don’t think about poverty. I remember how she hugged me, kissed me, taught me, loved me.” Humble beginnings of poverty to happy endings of grounded foundation;  struggles accompanied by discipline in thought that one is able to re-emerge oneself through his upbringing.  Learn from life’s experiences as a means of better understanding the state of another. 

 The poem ends as it starts “And I know you prefer a broken neck to another broken heart, Broken parts that litter the night sky like stars. But remember, even the beauty of birth leaves its own scars. And know that you will find your home, right where you are; We will find our homes right where we are.” 
 
No other love can replace the love of a mother. All praise be to He most high for giving me such a beautiful, caring and giving mother! A mother who is there, a guardian in times of need, a mother whom I have found my home with, an irreplaceable bond; unique and divine in its own right. May He most high grant us all that home and give us the strength, magnitude and will to provide that same level of love, compassion and mercy to our future generation. Aameen. JazakAllahu khaire to brother Amir for that much needed reminder! Keep reading →

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The last whale song

February 13, 2008 · 5 Comments

The survival of the fragile marine population is again under threat. Whales are among the most critically endangered species on earth. Some whales are now so endangered they could become extinct within a decade, scientists say. More frighteningly it is said that the 21st century will perhaps see the end of this species above the Equator. Permanently getting rid of the some of the world’s greatest animals so that future generations cannot admire them seems incredibly selfish and pointless. Evidently we can benefit much more from studying and protecting whales than from killing them for minimal benefit. Ocean inhabitants, including whales, are a precious resource for the entire world. One must sincerely appreciate and understand how the termination of this population impacts all of the world’s citizens.

Continue reading…

part 1

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part 2

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part 3

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part 4

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“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity”

February 5, 2008 · 6 Comments

How can one attempt to reduce a revolutionary 6000 word masterpiece of literary precision without diminishing the essence of its meaning? Here’s my attempted edited version of George Orwell’s masterpiece entitled ‘Politics and the English language.’ After reading you’ll start to realise like I did, why it’s hard to make sense of anything in our time. Ironically simplicity is one of the hardest things to teach, yet Orwell manages to do so with uncanny consistency.

Certainly there is no success in writing effectively unless one writes with simplicity. Orwell counsels to make sense and meaning to what is being said and then formulate the prose, he says to feel or picture the thought before applying its literal definition. Every word spoken can be trapped. Words are just as imitable as identity and can be twisted by those savvy enough to do so. Nonetheless it is clear that propagandas have the power to adapt and marginalise in ways that have undoubtedly surpassed Orwell’s wildest imagination. Yet we as individuals have the power to make a difference through exposing the content of our imaginations with sincerity. Here goes…

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“Palestine don’t you cry…

January 30, 2008 · 3 Comments

We shall never let you die!” An echoing articulation of compassionate ambiance as thousands of British populace protested opposite Downing Street in London on Saturday 26th January, residence of Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The demonstration prompted by the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip due to the 20-month-long siege illustrated a community upholding the inherent human dignity and decorum, calling for Israel’s brutal illegal siege of Gaza to be instantly lifted.

The struggle for liberty for such a long time by a people is both a poignant sight to the human spirit and fatal to the universal hope for freedom. Palestine: suppressed painstakingly and progressively ruined. The human catastrophe deliberately inflicted on Gaza by western policies over the past two years is one of the great crimes of the century so far. How long can this inhuman treatment continue unchallenged by international leaders?

How and why did we get here? Above all: how do we get out of here? In the wise words of Eli Wiesel: “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” Without a doubt, it takes more than just a protest to answer and make a difference, but protesting is the very least that we can do.

Palestine Medical Relief Society (PMRS) said: “The distressing urgency of the current crisis should not prevent us from seeing the bigger picture. The Gaza Strip has been under siege since January 2006. Israel’s policy of collective punishment is not new, but it has now reached such extreme levels of inhumanity that it has finally provoked a reaction from the world.”

26th January had been declared a day of international solidarity. Supported by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Palestinian Forum in Britain, British Muslim Initiative, 1990 Trust, Friends of Al Aqsa and Stop the War Coalition. It is hoped that other concerned organisations will be joining and/or supporting this campaign the sole aim of which is to prevent a total humanitarian disaster in the densely populated Gaza Strip. Somehow it is no surprise that the coverage of this protest, despite its newsworthiness, did not make it onto the BBC or Sky News. Amongst the protestors were British Muslims, non-Muslims, Arabs, non-Arabs, Christians, all faiths and no faiths.

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Heath’s passing - A heartfelt reminder

January 24, 2008 · 9 Comments

  Heartfelt for some and a reminder of death for others, Hollywood actor, Heath Ledger’s death after ‘an overdose of antidepressants’ has spread all over front page news. Google the story and you will get thousands of updates after just a day of the release.  ‘Heath Ledger - the name short for “Heathcliff’ - is an actor who had grown in stature, in sensitivity, in feeling and in creative intelligence.”  

Not that I compel the sympathy or feel completely devoid of compassion that I feel the need to nitpick over the mourn. But rather feel somewhat indebted to express the colossal frustration stemming within vis-à-vis the witlessly diffused journalists who engage in the incessant hearsay about how his life ended, the implications and his motives. Whether this was intentional or accidental overdose of pills, what will a prolonged coverage of the possibilities on national television achieve?    It seems that the media’s apparent incapability to see beyond Hollywood and its anguish for acumen affirms the reality that the medium of news is void of real exposure of the bona fide tragedies prevalent worldwide.

 Need I remind you or myself of the tragedies in Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, and the injustices existing in countless nations?  The lack of exposure and jargon of hard news is rather shocking, I mean how absurd? There are millions dying, suffering and tormented around the world, warlords claiming to spread peace through killing and dishonouring pollutes. Meanwhile we sit and listen to news reporter’s rage and rant about the death of one man, while children globally are victims of mass destruction; children who wake each day with abundant gratitude and hope of living another day, surely the latter must take precedence. 

 Instead of using the media as a means of analysing the death of Heath, why can the media not just leave the family to mourn in peace and utilise the medium of journalism as a means of unfolding with vividness the injustices taking place worldwide?

The news of anyone passing away is always sad. Reminds us yet again that death can come at any moment. “What is the greatest riddle to man? That he sees death all around him yet he thinks he won’t ever die himself.” Perhaps in the very least let’s hope that Heath’s death remains a continuous reminder to us all. Another example of how Hollywood can eat their young. Even when it seems that they “have it all,” they have no internal peace. Evidently, there must be more to life. 

Heath said in an interview before his passing “Acting is also a form of escapism. You put on costumes but what you’re escaping from most of the time is life, the social world.” But whatever he was trying to escape we’ll never really know.

Renowned boxer, Muhammad Ali Clay once said: “This life is not real. I conquered the world and it did not bring me satisfaction.”  And on another occasion when asked about his illness, he said: “God gave me this illness to remind me that I’m not number One; He is.” The perceptible echelon of humility demonstrated by this humble being has an astounding voice of its own.

“Deprivation hurts you….
only because of your incomprehension of God in it
When He gives, He shows you His kindness;
when He deprives, He shows you His power,
and in all that, He is making Himself known to you
and coming to you with His gentleness.

~Hikm of Ibn Ata’allah

 Heath’s life is a testament to the reality that every being is in need of a deeper meaning of inner contentment, contentment that can and never will be attained through striving for material treasures. We as individuals must always seek a clear life goal and purpose, a rationale which illustrates the proper way to live. The inner dimensions of totality, the path to purpose, meaning and happiness; the path to the source of truth and real power; the path that puts everything is in its proper place. Ultimately, that internal warmth and comfort: a fitting metaphor for wholly putting on our covenants.

 (NB: my condolence goes out to the family, his wife and his daughter.)

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Is Islam good for London?

January 21, 2008 · 9 Comments

The promise that 21st century’s new epoch of tolerance and co-existence would subsist irrespective of differences in race, gender or creed is continuously reiterated by world leaders. A new era of human rights, liberty and freedom to think do or say whatever you wish. In turn, the media continues to irresponsibly question whether or not Islam can contribute to British society – the most recent study being compiled by the Evening Standard entitled “Is Islam good for London.”

 As the Evening Standard asks, “Is Islam good for London?” In the interest of balance – let us deport the word Islam from the debate and ask: Is Judaism good for London? Christianity? Is Hinduism, Buddhism and as a matter of fact, is Atheism good for London? Doesn’t sound so rational now, does it?  This shouldn’t be about Islam, as a matter of fact, it should not be about religion. In a society that is supposedly tolerant of other faiths, the question seems rather deplorable, wouldn’t you agree? 

Extreme negativity is certainly the picture that emerges for many; as some are unable to fathom how any religion can make either a positive or negative contribution towards a city.  One might just as well ask whether vegans can positively contribute to society and then depict muddy conclusions that a non-vegan could possibly make a better economic contribution by eating more meat. As dim-witted as the example may seem, it’s almost as dim as the study.  A commentator left his thoughts on the matter, and if truth be told, his reflective statement is what has created the desire to write this piece.  Ian Barsley, East London, said: “Why not ask what fat cockneys like me bring to our lovely capital? Am I contributing anything or taking away more than I bring? Is my presence on the Tube every morning acceptable or am I just another one bringing my own thoughts, beliefs and feelings into a city where they are not necessarily welcome. I’ve probably got some opinions and beliefs that would make your hair curl but I’m not an obvious figure to be agonised over and discussed.”

  Profound words to say the least. It is comments like these that restore hope in Britain for many of us. Surely, each and every being should be probed according to their individual contribution to society, not according to their religious identity. If a felony has been perpetrated, then “so and so” has done it, not a person of a certain religious orientation. Those whom attribute and conform to religion should not have to worry about the actions of confused, callous and negligent individuals. As the old English proverb goes, “Every man for himself,” how can one focus on working tirelessly to contribute to the betterment of society if they are constantly being ostracised for the actions of a minute few? 

 This debate is a gloomy mirror image of British society, where liberty is no more than an expression. With Islam in the limelight, it is noteworthy to consider the impact this has had on British society. Perhaps this discussion should promote a time of reflection for the British: what defines being British, in our time?    

After discussing this issue with a non-Muslim friend who sarcastically noted: “Well at least they’ve realised the discussion is about religion and not race,” I was taken back and bizarrely enough the only thing that came to mind at that moment is a press conference I attended a while back where prospective Tory candidate Shaun Bailey proclaimed in his speech “Muslims are the new blacks.” And that statement has resounded in my mind for a while now. But has it really come to this? That this so-called Western liberal society has taken one step forward and 10 steps back? Whatever happened to what our forefathers fought for? Whatever happened to our dream? Our enact vision that our colours, our identities, our thoughts would not dictate how others may perceive us to be.   It is somewhat excruciating to see how the focus has shifted to Islam as the cause of the world’s entire problem. It’s like living in Europe in the 1930s and blaming all of Europe’s woes of the time on the Jews. Clearly all religions have been seen as unwelcome by its residents at first, Muslims are part of London like everybody else. One should not focus on what a particular religion contributes to society but rather ask if what each one of us brings is of any value.

 In the light of the question posed “Is Islam good for London?” let’s bear in mind that there are over 1.5 million Muslims living in Britain today, most of whom live in harmony and with utter respect toward their British fellow citizens. As a content British Muslim I affirm with certainty that Islam has undoubtedly been a positive force on this striking city and in some strangely Divine way, the anti-Islamic oratory that we are continuously assailed with, is actually drawing people into this noble faith, whose simple holistic message is the peace and salvation of mankind through submission to the Almighty. Lynne Ali, a female commentator said: “Thousands of Western women are donating their miniskirts to charity only to replace it with the Hijab, me being one!” 

I leave with a final excerpt from Christian socialist, Larry Mack who said: “There are many Christians, Jews and non-believers I know who share similar perspectives. The Muslims have reminded us of this essential societal value.”   In this frustratingly orchestrated climax created by the media; it is easy to succumb to such narrow-mindedness. Then again there’s a good old saying that nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide. And the decision is yours and yours alone: read, listen and learn. We hope that the Muslim influence can be a positive one in restoring some sense of correct moral conduct. It is necessary to mark mutual respect between each member of society, no matter what religion we attribute ourselves to. Muslims, Jews, Christians, all faiths and none, let us all join hands and better our understanding of Islam, re-evaluate and challenge stereotypes in others and  more importantly within ourselves.

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