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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Sands of time


The sun of 2011 was set by vanquishing the stagnant, miserable and dim lights of indolence. The new sun of 2012 rose with the rejuvenation of passion and struggle. What lead the initiation of events in Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, marked a point in the sands off history, that whenever there is not enough light for people to see vividly they hope and struggle for the new sun to rise. Sand which trickles down from the narrow tight passages of trial and frustration lays down in the hourglass of nature, that is ready to repeat its course with the same outcome of serenity, attained after a lot of loss and repentance after its struggle.
It is wondrous that with the discreetness of outcomes of our actions which repeat themselves, we are unable to comprehend that what is necessary and what needs to be done. Many notable historians like Toynbee and Ibn e Khaldun have pointed out in history that when the characters of Nations and civilizations rot in the attic of vulgarism and disintegration of moralities takes place, there is a test for people and for civilizations. This predicament leads to a mass movement of people which decides their fate. This increases the pace of history itself and exaggerates its evolution. This movement of people is to undo the past condition and to rebuild the future on the sentiments of esteemed values which were buried beneath the sands of unconscious mind.
These actions, if, are unable to repair the damage of the past endeavors of people, are like sandstorms which disperse the civilizations to anonymity and annihilation. This is also incipient for new civilizations and they breathe fresh air for some time to again fall prey to the holocaust for inception of new life. This has happened with many of the civilizations of the past like Babylonian, Syrian, Hellenic civilizations.
With loss there is repentance, with repentance there comes faith, with faith there is taqwa, with taqwa there is responsibility, with responsibility there is opportunity, with opportunity there is struggle, with struggle there is satisfaction, and satisfaction leads to self righteousness and nafs e mutmainna. This is the way civilizations are built again on the sentiments of vigor and dignity. It’s when people decide to stand firm on ground, to do what is right and to demolish the whims and falsehoods of turmoil. It exalts hope in people and a spark to reignite the yoke of life.
It is uprightness and steadfastness that keeps the balance of universe. Without motion there could be no universe, no life and nothing like struggle would have existed in our lives. In reality, all these truths exist in our lives and these are integrated part of human mind and intellect which certainly cannot be overlooked or be forgotten. It just needs to be revived.
“Relieve yourself of the fear of others,
You are a power asleep; shake yourself awake”
(Allama Muhammad Iqbal)
In the Islamic world as well as other centers of the world social structure of our communities is at a decline, injustice is a norm, discrimination flourishes under capitalism, monarchy with a new hood of democracy is dominant, and people live astray lives in trying to find peace in the delusion of modern notions of society. The zeitgeist has stripped humans off of their religion and faith and has made the material world their supreme commander. Particularly in Pakistan people have become static in their lives, they have befallen in the hands of sloth and luxury. Action which was to endorse their existence, aims which were to keep them alive, and dignity which had to earn their rightful place in society is on the verge of extinction.
Although, we have managed to hold on to the mimesis of our civilization but procrastination, and inability to act, and a dignified character is missing from the souls of our people. Universe is a single truth, so as Allah and so as humans. It’s is the unity and constant change which ensures the existence of our life on the small grain of sand. We have today infinite number of reasons to make a divide among ourselves. It is the oneness of our religion which can unite the pearls in a single necklace of love.
But we are faced with venomous melancholia which forbids us to stand up for right and turn down evil by all our force, to adopt the path of righteousness and to put a halt on the wrong turns. We need to act, we need to volunteer, we need to work, and we need to actualize our selves. We need to revive our Islam, we need to wear our morals and ethics, we need to ponder over our own actions and we need to alter them for good, we need to inspire the lost dignity, we need to care for our brothers and sisters, we have to say no to our selfish desires, we have to work for others, we have to rejuvenate the spirit of selfless service for others, we have to adopt the character of our leader Muhammad (S.A.W), we have to do something or else the sands of time will wipe us out from the face of this world as they did to sixteen of the major civilizations of the past.
خدا تجھے کسی طوفا ن سے آشنا کر دے
کے تیر ے بحرکی موجوں میں اضطراب نھیں
On the question of aims by one of our teacher, blank faces of students were observed and they didn’t surely knew what their aim was and what is it that they are here for. The replies came out like this; I want to be an accomplished engineer; I want to be self dependant and would share the burden of my parents; I would go abroad for study and would come back to Pakistan to serve it; etc. There is a reason that we are Muslims and we need to work for that reason. Unfortunately we have taken our deen for granted and we are not willing to learn what it teaches us and what injunctions imply on us as the responsible young Muslims. A study has revealed that majority of the Muslims are 25 or under, a resource that is passing its lives with no aim what so ever. We were sent down to form the caliphate under Allah’s subjected rule. We were to be His representatives. But we are living our lives in a delusion with no meaning and purpose.
The reason of all this delusion and procrastination is that we are reluctant in acquiring knowledge and are hesitant about our fundamental beliefs and faiths. This ideological weakness and lack of true understanding of Islam has lead to this situation. It is observed that those people who are staunch believers of any idea transpire movement and revolt in people against the stagnated sands. We should relive our past and be confident about our future, we should always remember that we have a resource of true wisdom and knowledge with us and it can contribute to eradicate all the grave misconceptions faced by humanity today. We have to understand that our salvation lies in helping others not by ridiculing them, it lies in understanding others not by leaving them alone in the delusions of the society, our success lies in unity and not in discord. We have to revive the brotherhood, a fraternity which no religion on this earth provides with.
We should act, persevere and incept new horizons for our future while learning from the mistakes of our past. We should unleash the passion which is concealed in our hearts and tame this spirit for the fulfillment of Allah’s commandments only then we will be able to succeed in this world and in the world hereafter. Otherwise there will be chaos and discontent in our lives. Otherwise, hourglass of time will break free our sands and will disperse us in the preposterous winds of delusion.
خدا ےَلم یزل کا دست قدرت تو ، زباں تو ہے
یقیں پیدا کر اے غا فل کہ مغلوب گماں تو ہے

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