RULES

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less from people but more from God.

THINK DIFFERENT

I write without inhibitions is what sticky sweet told me. But mostly I write for myself. Words that cluster in my mind and run on paper. They are in a rush to escape my mind. They want to be let free.
This semester my English teacher inspired me to write. As much as I am impressed by him, I also followed his advice. He told me you don’t have to be brilliant to write. You can improve once you start. And his weekly classes persuaded me to mark my thoughts. He made us read interesting pieces by authors. Poems that went beyond my understanding. He showed us videos that are still embedded in my head. Why do capable teachers leave and the unworthy stay.
I feel I learnt a lot this semester. My assignments just weren’t assignments. They were thought provoking and insightful. Being an art student I try to find meaning in my work. I argue with a lot of people about the varying degrees they attach to it. My aunt thinks that art is to be admired and appreciated. It is nothing but a pretty piece to be put in her drawing room. I tell her that art has served other purposes and history proves that. Dating back to the Altimira caves of Africa, art was a way of communication. The uncivilized made huge pictures of animals to overcome their fear of them. The Greeks and Romans made beautiful statues and buildings to mark their fortune. They made monuments to symbolize their power and supremacy. The mughals made miniatures to portray their lifestyle. Modern artists made paintings to display wars and political unrest. Some exhibited their strong emotions.
My brother constantly ridicules me that I will be unemployed once I graduate. I am aware that in today’s time, creative designing is something that only the rich can afford. The affluent have the money to buy designer products.
I agree with this to a certain extent but I want to play a constructive role in society. I don’t want to become just another designer or teach art somewhere. I want to make a difference for the people I work for. Two months back, we worked for an NGO. They employed women from rural areas who do embroidery. We had to design products for them that would be sold easily in the market. This way the NGO would understand why their goods are not being sold. I loved that assignment. It taught me so much and for the first time in my art school I thought I was making a difference to someone.
Another class graduated this year. And out of twenty five there was just one who attained a distinction. I was trying to understand why out of so many only she was given the award. And after seeing her work, I was convinced. It was something I could not possibly imagine. Such people impress me who think out of the box. They use talent intelligently.
It is Allah who gives such talents and abilities. In the end, it is him who we must thank for giving us a chance to make our mark.

the addiction

a few of my favourite books, just a few, i wish i could
upload pics of all them.

since i became a member of shelfari, i got a chance to own a library comprising all the books that i have read. it gave me such pleasure. i was so happy and addicted to shelfari that i didnt want to get off that site. i could discuss books with other people and realised that many shared the same craving. there were so many books that i leanrt about. i just wish the latest books werent so expensive. liberty is the only source of buying such books but the cost sometimes makes me keep them back on the shelf. i always enter the shop with such excitement but hate leaving empty handed. anyway i discovered some alternatives. mr old books is a great place to buy cheap books from. sometimes the popular ones that are new are also available.pirated of course. but that doesnt bother me that much. books are meant for everyone, not to cater a certain class.

the books that i really want to read are

the white tiger by aravind adiga

unaccustomed earth by jhumpa lahiri

the colour purple

sense and sensibility

some good islamic books

BIRTH

Today is the day Allah breathed life into my lifeless body. From his command came soul into my cadaver like light filtering through. Today is the day to be most grateful and obliged. Alhamdolilah, it is Allah who takes and gives existence. And today was the day he chose to send me to test and guide me.
There is no concept of celebrating birthdays in Islam. It is not only a waste of time but of money and resources as well. Rather, birthdays are like a reminder, an annual reality check. Are we doing what we are supposed to do? Are we thinking of Allah mian like we ought to? Are we grateful and indebted? Are we asking for forgiveness? Are we performing our duties?
Since a few years I have stopped celebrating my birthday and believe me it is one less extravagance in my life! And why is this one day so important in our lives anyway? We were born. O.k. so was everybody else. This is nothing but a psychological play of mind. Why should we feel important on just one day? We should on the contrary feel imperative everyday. Why, because we’re alive. We’re breathing and eating and our senses are working. What more reason can there be for feeling significant? And most of all, it is Allah who has chosen to keep us alive. He wants us to live for one more day, one more year. And this imperative day is spent on things totally the opposite of what the quran tells us.
One year has gone from my precious life whose every second is being recorded. Every minute and action is being noted down. And it saddens me that I haven’t spent a productive year. I have wasted this year on the same things I did in the previous year. So today I ask allah for a better year. A year which allows me to grow and improve myself. I not only learn from my mistakes but vow never to repeat them. I ask you to help me forgive those who have hurt me. I ask for my forgiveness too. I plead to become a more considerate child to my parents and their parents. I beg you to guide me all the time and to remember you at all times. I know your watching me as I write this, please just accept my prayers………..

remedy for perpetual pain

there are many things that come between god and myself. worldy temptations to begin with. shaitaans devious plans. there are such useless thoughts in my head that refrain me from advancing towards namaaz. towards allah's kind words. sometimes i feel if it werent for allah i would have killed myself long ago.

life is full of disparity, cruelty and unjustice. people perform such heneious crimes without any guilt or remorse. families are raped and killed in front of eachother. loved ones suffer traumatic and unwarranted circumstances. merciless shootings and destruction. thoughtless provocation resulting in the worst of consequences. yet there is always hope and light at the end of the tunnel. there is anticipation in allahs existance. there is a flicker of inclination and yearning in his presence. why do we bear and tolerate such unkindness from our own creations. becuause we know that allah is there. and the day of judgement is there. and a record of all that took place will be there. and there is no one as just and as kind as allah. those who walk the earth thinking theres no tommorow will be reprimanded. those who believe in the current world only will be for a surprise. the quran talks about such people. people like the pharoah who were rich in arrogance. they were models of pride and conceit. allah mentions them in the quran for us not to follow in their steps.

'' the life of men is tempted by love and desire for women, children, the hoarding of treasures of gold and silver, branded horses, wealth of cattle and plantations, these are the comforts for the transitory life of this world; the everlasting best comfort , however is with allah. say; '' shall i tell you of better things than these, with which the righteous will be rewarded by their rabb? there will be gardens beneath which rivers flow , where they will live forever with spouses of perfect chastity and the good pleasure of allah. allah is watching his servants very closely . '' the righteous people are those who pray: '' our rabb! we sincerely believe in you : please forgive our sins save us from the agony of the hellfire:'' who are steadfast, obedient and charitable and who pray for forgiveness in the morning time. 3;( 14-17) surah A'l-e-Imran

no matter how heavy our plates are of sin, allah will forgive us. it is never too late for allah to welcome us, to excuse us. and the time is never delayed for us to atone our indulgence.

yesterday, before my final crit, i stood shaking with fear from what was to come my way. and alhamdolilah everything went so smoothly that for a little while i couldnt understand. it allah who helps and guides us. if you ask him sincerely with true conviction, he will always be there for you. and if you are ever saddened by the world, or angry at your surroundings, take refuge in his words. you will find nothing but solace there. and that is all that you need to survive.

some paintings speak to you. they draw you closer and you feel mesmerised. how i felt when i saw this.

the missing link

I miss my childhood sometimes. I miss being carefree and liberated from responsibility. I miss my dog and the comfort of my home. There are many regrets that I have today regarding my parents knowing that their not here. The most regretful is my unforgiving behavior towards them. As I child I fought with them over trivial things. Things that now seem insignificant. Even now, a few days back I was extremely rude with them so they would have my passport made. I insulted my mother, doubted her love for me and snapped at my father. Later I couldn’t control the guilt that was boiling inside me. It tore me apart and there was a time when I felt so ashamed, I didn’t want to face them. Yet they forgave me. If I asked them today, they wouldn’t even remember. That’s how allah has made parents. Forgiving and forgetful. Giving them one percent of his love and leaving the rest to himself. Subhanallah
I know they will be back in a few weeks inshallah, yet I miss them terribly. I miss knowing that their here. i think of the countless times I have let them down. Disobeyed them. Outright said no to them. Although allah says that you shouldn’t even say aah to your parents yet I have. I have hurt them and made them cry. I have made them wished that they never had me. Although I know these were words uttered in absolute rage still I was the reason for this provocation. Remembering these incidents brings tears to my eyes. It makes tight knots in my stomach. Its painful to remember yet I do. I wonder if allah will ever forgive me for this. I think of many ways to please him yet I do the thing that displeases him the most.
So like a criminal whose just been guilty of his offence, I submit to mine. I pray for parents like I don’t pray for myself. I pray for their health and prosperity and their dreams to come true. I pray that they go to heaven and my and brother and I become sadqa-e-jarain for them. I pray like theres no tomorrow. I pray for allah to accept my prayers.
I pray for them to have a safe journey and a blissful one.
I thank allah for giving me parents. The love of both. The affection and devotion of both. The encouragement and support of both. Thank you allah for giving me all the things that I needed to become the person iam today. ameen