Daughter of the West

This excellent article by Tariq Ali on Bhutto and Pakistan is well worth reading in full. Robert Fisk called it “one of the most remarkable (but typically unrecognised) scoops of the year” in his recent piece in the Independent which can be found here. Tariq Ali writes:
Arranged marriages can be a messy [...]

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Bhutto and Pakistan in Perspective

Somebody once remarked that the unconditional devotion of PP workers to Benazir is due to a guilt-complex stemming from their failure to come out in support of Zulfiqar Bhutto when he was hanged by Gen. Zia ul-Haq. The non-stop and extremely unbalanced coverage by the Pakistani media of Benazir’s assassination and funeral makes one wonder [...]

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Bhutto Assassinated

Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated in Pakistan. I have never been a fan of Ms Bhutto but am saddened by the manner of her death. This is sad day for all Pakistanis hoping for a more stable and democratic set-up in the country. Koonj has summed up my feelings in her post here.

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Beautiful Naat by Mawlana Jami (RA)

This naat by Mawlana Jami is one of my favourites. There are different versions of it available in audio format by this is the only one I know of on video. Unfortunately this is an incomplete version but is still excellent nevertheless. Ustad Nusrat and party are on top form as usual. Do listen.
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The Real Guide

Don’t speak of your suffering — He is speaking.
Don’t look for Him everywhere — He’s looking for you.
An ant’s foot touches a leaf, He senses it;
A pebble shifts in a streambed, He knows it.
If there’s a worm hidden deep in a rock,
He’ll know its body, tinier than an atom,
The sound of its praise, its secret [...]

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Aaj Bazaar Mein- Faiz Ahmad Faiz

Here is Faiz reading his famous poem Aaj Bazaar Mein( Stride through the bazaar today despite shackled feet) followed by a beautiful rendition by a singer. Faiz’s reading contains English subtitles which are useful for non-Urdu speakers. I don’t know who the singer is yet (probably Nayyara Noor) but its very moving indeed.
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The Sufi Message

So long as we do not die to ourselves,
and so long as we identify with someone or something,
we shall never be free.
The spiritual way is not for those wrapped up in exterior life.
Attar

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Eid Mubarak!

Its Eid-ul-Adha here today commemorating the great Abrahamic sacrifice. Its message  can be summed up in the words of one contemporary sufi : “God refuses to be anything but our number one priority”. Eid mubarak to you all.

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Paxman and Tariq Azeem (pakistani minister)

Just for the benefit of those that missed it here is Jeremy Paxman giving Pakistani minister Tariq Azeem a treatment of his stiff upper lip. Quite funny how the minister offers childish replies and expects to be taken seriously.

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Comparison of Christian and Platonic Doctrine

I talked briefly about Causality and Necessity a while ago. That was in respect of the impact of Platonic and Neo-Platonic teachings on Islamic philosophy and mysticism. The following article by Phillip Sherrard looks at the same theory of emanation from a comparative approach which is very instructive for us as Muslims. It also tackles [...]

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