I’m back, writing my first post after what have been an eventful 4 weeks, and possibly the last for the next 4 weeks.
Before I regale everyone with the last month’s tales, I wish everyone a blessed Ramadan. Ramzan Mubarak.
And so, just I, me, myself today...
I had decided that I would devote an hour every Sunday to this blog. But the awesome August! Ufff!
The first weekend went by in a blur. Saturday was a working day. On Sunday, the women (my mother, wife and sister-in-law) decided to do some shopping, and of course, yours truly was the driver and nanny for 4 kids. And what a shopping day it was!
We started at about 12:30 (getting up late, of course! It was a Sunday, c’mon!). A leisurely lunch was followed by more than an hour in the first shop, which culminated in the purchase of one dress (wow!!! They bought one). Then the drive to another shop in Vashi, and another couple of hours, where the growth of purchase improved by 100%.
By this time, it was already close to 5 pm, and the kids were getting restless, so yours truly – in a fit of inspiration – decided to be the good ayah and take them to the garden so that the women could shop in peace.
And there we go off to Vashi sea shore, where the children indulged – till the shower struck!
And we were far away from the car.
And we all got drenched to the core.
And if there’s one thing I dislike, it is getting into the car when wet!
But what do we do?
A quick run to the car when the shower reduced its intensity (may have been after about 15-20 minutes, but felt like an hour or so), and a call to the women if they were through, and the drive back to the market, where they were still shopping...
And we waited in the car for another good 30 minutes – sopping wet!!!
Women, I tell you! :-)
But jokes apart, that was the first time in my life that I saw my mother and my wife indulging in shopping like this. Not their usual get in the shop, pick up somethings, pay and rush, like an episode of a TV serial.
The day was not over yet.
We rushed home, changed, picked up father and then went for dinner. By the time we returned, it was past midnight, and I couldn’t wait to hit the sack!
Bye bye blog!
The next weekend (Saturday, Aug 8) was my cousin’s wedding, in Pune. And much like the film of the same name, that was another series of episodes. While the folks went earlier, I reached on Saturday for the marriage, only to find the groom’s mother crying.
Hey, mothers of brides cry, not mothers of grooms! What happened?
Turned out that my cousin’s (the groom’s) friends had an accident in the morning, around dawn. The car turned over on its side, with three guys inside. Amidst their pain, one of them had a brainwave and called the last dialled number – which happened to be my cousin’s.
Our hero decided to go to their rescue. And those who know Zahir can guess what he would have tried to do.
Yes, before the ambulance or other help arrived, he tried to get the car upright by himself. The car did turn upright, but in the process, he slipped and hurt his entire back and shoulders!
Shaadi to shaam ko thi, subah mein hi baraat nikaal di.
Thankfully, it was not very serious for him, so the wedding proceeded with the groom wincing in pain and the greetings thereafter – you can imagine everyone trying to hug him, someone standing behind stopping them, and a couple (including me) managing backslaps....
Saturday was not over yet! By the time the wedding was being celebrated, my five year old nephew, Emaad, had extremely high fever. We rushed him to the doctor, who – being ultra-cautious – directed us to Naidu Hospital.
What?
Suspected swine flu?
And who tells my parents and others that?
We being smart decided to keep our traps shut till the results. Everyone at home was getting worried that my sister-in-law and cousin are not back yet, and my uncle and I kept reassuring everyone that there are lots of patients at the good doctor’s.
Till finally, two hours later, they call. It was a false alarm. Thank God for that!
And we had decided to go rapelling to a waterfall on Sunday.
Aren’t we brave, folks! I mean, the city is hit by swine flu, and we go not only for the wedding, but also for a picnic the next day.
So, the Don Quixotes leave the next morning for the waterfall, with a few children in tow, so that they could enjoy in the rain.
And enjoy we did! For those who have seen the photographs, eat your heart out!
But how could the day pass off without an incident?
One cousin’s kid – the naught monkey – decided that he had to be the hero for the day, and promptly went and fell on the rocks near the water. Had to get stitches on the back of his head.
It was evening by the time we returned to Pune from the picnic, and past 1 am when we reached home in Navi Mumbai.
There goes week two without my blog!
The rest of the week went by in a blur, with a lot of work at office. By Thursday, I was feeling pretty weak and restless, and by the time I reached office on Friday, I had the cough and high fever.
Sure enough, I was given the marching orders, and by the afternoon, I was back home and at the doctor’s, who gave me the best medicines he could prescribe for my cold, which put me to sleep from Friday afternoon till Sunday evening.
I could not look straight, leave alone writing a blog!
Bye bye, week 3.
Monday and Tuesday were spent coughing in office, and then the fever returned. By Tuesday evening, I was feeling so weak that I kept praying to God to let me drive home safely.
This time, my friendly neighbourhood doctor got my blood test done. And the result – malaria!
What? After going to its capital, spending two days there, meeting people, getting drenched – and I do not even catch the flavour of the season? All I get is this measly kiss from a female Anopheles! How boring!!!
And what a boring week it turned out to be. Sleep, eat, have medicines, and sleep –Wednesday to Saturday.
Feeling better today, so decided to post all the happenings of the past month for your enjoyment.
Hope you liked it folks – all those who know my family and those who do not.
With that, signing off for possibly another four weeks, till the end of Ramadaan, with a request to remember me in your prayers. I’m still not fully fit yet, but hope to resume office tomorrow.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Homosexuality
Well, India has become the latest in the list of ‘enlightened’ countries which are allowing homosexuality in the name of equality. And we have so many ‘intellectuals’ among us who advocate accepting this, as it is ‘hereditary’, ‘natural’ and what not.
The immediate provocation for this blog was actually an article that appeared in a leading newspaper which quoted someone named 'Saleem Kidwai, author of Same Sex Love in India, a Muslim'. In that article, he says, “I can quote numerous examples of Muslims, including saints and poets, who were venerated even though they supported homosexuality or were gay themselves. Mir Taqi Mir is one example. Look at Sarmat Shaheed aka ‘Hare Bhare Shah’ whose grave is at Delhi’s Jama Masjid. Thousands of Muslims go there to pay respects though Shah’s homosexuality is well-known.”
Stop this BS.
Don’t use examples of people doing something to prove a point that has been clearly pointed out as an abomination in the Qur’an. Do I use the Qur’an – which I believe is the word of Allah – or these two examples of individuals that this person points out? I am not aware of Hare Bhare Shah, but I am clear on one thing – either this person is not a homosexual or he is not a shaheed / holy man. We have all seen how incidents are corrupted and people deified over time, especially in our part of the world.
Since Saleem Kidwai has quoted two examples - neither of which really stick - let me quote only two verses from the Qur’an here.
Walootan ith qala liqawmihi ata/toona alfahishata ma sabaqakum biha min ahadin mina alAAalameena. Innakum lata/toona alrrijala shahwatan min dooni alnnisa-i bal antum qawmun musrifoona.
We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people: “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?” “For ye practise your lusts on men in preference to women : ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” (Qur’an 7:80-81; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
Just two verses in Chapter 7 (Al-A’raf), clearly stating that homosexuality is transgression beyond bounds.
And what happened to the people of Lut who transgressed?
Waamtarna AAalayhim mataran faonthur kayfa kana AAaqibatu almujrimeena
And we rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): Then see what was the end of those who indulged in sin and crime! (Qur’an 7:84; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
For anyone who needs more proof, I would suggest reading Chapter 26 (Ash-Shu’araa), Verses 161-174, which relate the entire episode of Lut and what happened to the people who chose homosexuality over legal married life.
And as for myself, I shall repeat a prayer said by Lut himself.
rabbi onsurnee AAala alqawmi almufsideena
"O my Lord! help Thou me against people who do mischief!" (Qur’an 29:30; Translation by Yusuf Ali – part of verse)
That is Islam’s stance on homosexuality. What about the other major religions?
Let’s look at Christianity? Only 2 verses again.
Do you not know that the unrighteous and wrong doers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived, (misled); neither the immoral and impure, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, Nor cheats - swindlers and thieves; nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
And most predominantly Christian countries count homosexuality as natural!
Judaism? I personally found this to be strongest in its denouncement of homosexuality. And I shall content myself by sticking to two verses once again.
And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)
And this is where I find what I mentioned earlier as the strongest denouncement.
The Oxford English dictionary defines abomination as a cause of disgust or hatred. In other words, one can read the above verse as lying with a male as with a woman is a cause of disgust or hatred in the eyes of God!
Now consider the position of this verse. It is interspersed between two other verses – one referring to child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21 - And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to set them apart to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD) and the other pertaining to bestiality (Leviticus 18:23 - And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto; it is perversion).
The Jewish word for abomination is ‘Toaiva’. Let us consider some other acts in the Jewish religion that are also considered ‘Toai’va’.
Eating non-kosher foods is also called a Toaiva-abomination, so is incest (specific mentions in Leviticus for the interested), child sacrifice to their gods, using a seer or magician to contact the dead or predict the future.
If there was a clearer proof of the abhorrence of such act, I am yet to see it!
Hey, but I am referring to all the three monotheistic religions. And we’re in India, where all these three religions are in a minority. C’mon folks, haven’t we seen Kama Sutra, Khajuraho etc.
Right, and then some people have seen the ancient Hindu religious and moral texts, like the Manu Smriti for instance, which says-
A kanya [unmarried woman] who pollutes (another) kanya must be fined two hundred (panas), pay the double of her (nuptial) fee, and receive ten (lashes with a) rod. But a stree [married woman] who pollutes a kanya shall instantly have (her head) shaved or two fingers cut off, and be made to ride (through the town) on a donkey. (Manusmriti 8:370-371)
Giving pain to a Brahmana (by a blow), smelling at things which ought not to be smelt at, or at spirituous liquor, cheating, and an unnatural offence with a man, are declared to cause the loss of caste (Gatibhramsa) (Manusmriti 11:68)
I have again restricted myself to two verses here, but again, it is interesting to see the punishment for a homosexual coming immediately after that of someone committing bestiality. See the parallel with Judaism? Those interested could check out Manusmriti 11:174-175.
And as for Saleem Kidwai and others of his ilk, I would only say-
Summun bukmun AAumyun fahum la yarjiAAoona
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). Qur’an 2:18; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
The immediate provocation for this blog was actually an article that appeared in a leading newspaper which quoted someone named 'Saleem Kidwai, author of Same Sex Love in India, a Muslim'. In that article, he says, “I can quote numerous examples of Muslims, including saints and poets, who were venerated even though they supported homosexuality or were gay themselves. Mir Taqi Mir is one example. Look at Sarmat Shaheed aka ‘Hare Bhare Shah’ whose grave is at Delhi’s Jama Masjid. Thousands of Muslims go there to pay respects though Shah’s homosexuality is well-known.”
Stop this BS.
Don’t use examples of people doing something to prove a point that has been clearly pointed out as an abomination in the Qur’an. Do I use the Qur’an – which I believe is the word of Allah – or these two examples of individuals that this person points out? I am not aware of Hare Bhare Shah, but I am clear on one thing – either this person is not a homosexual or he is not a shaheed / holy man. We have all seen how incidents are corrupted and people deified over time, especially in our part of the world.
Since Saleem Kidwai has quoted two examples - neither of which really stick - let me quote only two verses from the Qur’an here.
Walootan ith qala liqawmihi ata/toona alfahishata ma sabaqakum biha min ahadin mina alAAalameena. Innakum lata/toona alrrijala shahwatan min dooni alnnisa-i bal antum qawmun musrifoona.
We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people: “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?” “For ye practise your lusts on men in preference to women : ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” (Qur’an 7:80-81; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
Just two verses in Chapter 7 (Al-A’raf), clearly stating that homosexuality is transgression beyond bounds.
And what happened to the people of Lut who transgressed?
Waamtarna AAalayhim mataran faonthur kayfa kana AAaqibatu almujrimeena
And we rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): Then see what was the end of those who indulged in sin and crime! (Qur’an 7:84; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
For anyone who needs more proof, I would suggest reading Chapter 26 (Ash-Shu’araa), Verses 161-174, which relate the entire episode of Lut and what happened to the people who chose homosexuality over legal married life.
And as for myself, I shall repeat a prayer said by Lut himself.
rabbi onsurnee AAala alqawmi almufsideena
"O my Lord! help Thou me against people who do mischief!" (Qur’an 29:30; Translation by Yusuf Ali – part of verse)
That is Islam’s stance on homosexuality. What about the other major religions?
Let’s look at Christianity? Only 2 verses again.
Do you not know that the unrighteous and wrong doers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived, (misled); neither the immoral and impure, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, Nor cheats - swindlers and thieves; nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
And most predominantly Christian countries count homosexuality as natural!
Judaism? I personally found this to be strongest in its denouncement of homosexuality. And I shall content myself by sticking to two verses once again.
And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)
And this is where I find what I mentioned earlier as the strongest denouncement.
The Oxford English dictionary defines abomination as a cause of disgust or hatred. In other words, one can read the above verse as lying with a male as with a woman is a cause of disgust or hatred in the eyes of God!
Now consider the position of this verse. It is interspersed between two other verses – one referring to child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21 - And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to set them apart to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD) and the other pertaining to bestiality (Leviticus 18:23 - And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto; it is perversion).
The Jewish word for abomination is ‘Toaiva’. Let us consider some other acts in the Jewish religion that are also considered ‘Toai’va’.
Eating non-kosher foods is also called a Toaiva-abomination, so is incest (specific mentions in Leviticus for the interested), child sacrifice to their gods, using a seer or magician to contact the dead or predict the future.
If there was a clearer proof of the abhorrence of such act, I am yet to see it!
Hey, but I am referring to all the three monotheistic religions. And we’re in India, where all these three religions are in a minority. C’mon folks, haven’t we seen Kama Sutra, Khajuraho etc.
Right, and then some people have seen the ancient Hindu religious and moral texts, like the Manu Smriti for instance, which says-
A kanya [unmarried woman] who pollutes (another) kanya must be fined two hundred (panas), pay the double of her (nuptial) fee, and receive ten (lashes with a) rod. But a stree [married woman] who pollutes a kanya shall instantly have (her head) shaved or two fingers cut off, and be made to ride (through the town) on a donkey. (Manusmriti 8:370-371)
Giving pain to a Brahmana (by a blow), smelling at things which ought not to be smelt at, or at spirituous liquor, cheating, and an unnatural offence with a man, are declared to cause the loss of caste (Gatibhramsa) (Manusmriti 11:68)
I have again restricted myself to two verses here, but again, it is interesting to see the punishment for a homosexual coming immediately after that of someone committing bestiality. See the parallel with Judaism? Those interested could check out Manusmriti 11:174-175.
And as for Saleem Kidwai and others of his ilk, I would only say-
Summun bukmun AAumyun fahum la yarjiAAoona
Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). Qur’an 2:18; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
Thank You, Mr. Yadav
I had decided that I would post a blog every Sunday, but I missed last week, for a very simple reason – the phone was dead!
Typically what happens when it rains, the phone went dead last Sunday. I asked my father and wife to register the complaint, and as usually happens, realised on Wednesday that the complaint was still not registered.
So, like all net-savvy netizens, I decided to register my complaint online. And realized that while my internet connection works beautifully, the same cannot be said of the MTNL website.
The fault complaint booking page asks you to register your telephone number and your CA number to proceed to register your complaint. But the funny thing is that it does not accept more than 8 digits! So you can’t move ahead and register.
So I did the next best thing. I clicked on ‘Contact Us’ and sent an e-mail stating both – my complaint as well as the problem on the complaint page.
Promptly, I received a response. It said –
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
navimumbai.helpdesk@mtnl.net.in
So there we were - back to square one. And three days had passed.
I again requested my father and my wife - separately this time - to go to MTNL and register a complaint, hoping that one of them might do it; which my wife did - on Friday.
And she was told that there are a lot of complaints so it might take 4-5 days to attend.
I braced myself - considering that yesterday was the 4th Saturday.
And then came the surprise!
This morning (Sunday) at about noon, Mr. Yadav from MTNL rang our doorbell. He had come to repair the line. Upon asking, he mentioned that due to the number of complaints, he and his colleagues decided to attend to some complaints that they thought would possibly be small issues on the weekend so that they can sort the big problems quickly between Monday and Tuesday. Within 10 minutes, he had identified the problem (loose connection due to heavy winds last week) and corrected it.
His fees - Nothing. No chai-paani (bribe) or anything of that sort.
Thank You, Mr. Yadav!
Now if only they set about improving their website’s complaint page...
Typically what happens when it rains, the phone went dead last Sunday. I asked my father and wife to register the complaint, and as usually happens, realised on Wednesday that the complaint was still not registered.
So, like all net-savvy netizens, I decided to register my complaint online. And realized that while my internet connection works beautifully, the same cannot be said of the MTNL website.
The fault complaint booking page asks you to register your telephone number and your CA number to proceed to register your complaint. But the funny thing is that it does not accept more than 8 digits! So you can’t move ahead and register.
So I did the next best thing. I clicked on ‘Contact Us’ and sent an e-mail stating both – my complaint as well as the problem on the complaint page.
Promptly, I received a response. It said –
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
navimumbai.helpdesk@mtnl.net.in
So there we were - back to square one. And three days had passed.
I again requested my father and my wife - separately this time - to go to MTNL and register a complaint, hoping that one of them might do it; which my wife did - on Friday.
And she was told that there are a lot of complaints so it might take 4-5 days to attend.
I braced myself - considering that yesterday was the 4th Saturday.
And then came the surprise!
This morning (Sunday) at about noon, Mr. Yadav from MTNL rang our doorbell. He had come to repair the line. Upon asking, he mentioned that due to the number of complaints, he and his colleagues decided to attend to some complaints that they thought would possibly be small issues on the weekend so that they can sort the big problems quickly between Monday and Tuesday. Within 10 minutes, he had identified the problem (loose connection due to heavy winds last week) and corrected it.
His fees - Nothing. No chai-paani (bribe) or anything of that sort.
Thank You, Mr. Yadav!
Now if only they set about improving their website’s complaint page...
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunil, you are so right about disciplined and evolved citizenship at its best
Sunil, you are so right about disciplined and evolved citizenship at its best.
The chaos that Mumbaikars created at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link had to be seen to be believed. Hour-long queues to get on to the Sea Link, stopping to take photographs, taking U-turns at will, unmindful of the problems they were creating for others.
All because it was free!
And since the day the toll has been levied, we have no more than 15,000 cars using the Sea Link daily.
I remember the last ‘free’ day (Sunday). I had to go to Four Seasons for dinner. After idling for a while at Worli Chawls, I parked my car at the side of the road and started walking. (Four Seasons is slightly less than a kilometre from there). While walking, I noticed the BEST buses waiting in the jam, which I knew pass by Four Seasons.
When I reached the hotel, I just turned and looked back. Forget about passing, the buses were still nowhere to be seen. They had not even reached the Worli Naka signal!
The funnier (?) part is – when I left the hotel at about 11:30 p.m., the traffic jam was still there! And I again noted a couple of BEST buses, which did not overtake me even when I reached my car!
How much more crazy can we get?
Talking of crazy, let me leave you with possibly the most lingering image of the opening day.
Sunil, you are so right about disciplined and evolved citizenship at its best!
The chaos that Mumbaikars created at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link had to be seen to be believed. Hour-long queues to get on to the Sea Link, stopping to take photographs, taking U-turns at will, unmindful of the problems they were creating for others.
All because it was free!
And since the day the toll has been levied, we have no more than 15,000 cars using the Sea Link daily.
I remember the last ‘free’ day (Sunday). I had to go to Four Seasons for dinner. After idling for a while at Worli Chawls, I parked my car at the side of the road and started walking. (Four Seasons is slightly less than a kilometre from there). While walking, I noticed the BEST buses waiting in the jam, which I knew pass by Four Seasons.
When I reached the hotel, I just turned and looked back. Forget about passing, the buses were still nowhere to be seen. They had not even reached the Worli Naka signal!
The funnier (?) part is – when I left the hotel at about 11:30 p.m., the traffic jam was still there! And I again noted a couple of BEST buses, which did not overtake me even when I reached my car!
How much more crazy can we get?
Talking of crazy, let me leave you with possibly the most lingering image of the opening day.
Sunil, you are so right about disciplined and evolved citizenship at its best!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny
Sitting by the banks of the river Indrayani last fortnight, watching the first drops of rain of the season and soaking in the smell of water touching the parched earth – possibly one of the best fragrances known to man!
Within a fortnight, this river, which had turned completely dry, is full of fish, frogs are singing their songs of love all through the night, crabs overrunning the place, making my daughter go berserk with excitement...
Isn’t it marvellous? I mean, can you imagine how many miracles I am witnessing? The rain, the life emerging from barren land, the dew that spread a sheet of shimmering silver over the land this morning...
This riverbed was so dry that my children played badminton on it. Where did these fish come from? And the rain...
All this keeps confirming the other miracle that came into existence more than 1,400 years ago, and continues to this date – The Qur’an.
Consider these verses:
Wamin ayatihi yureekumu albarqa khawfan watamaAAan wayunazzilu mina alssama-i maan fayuhyee bihi al-arda baAAda mawtiha inna fee thalika laayatin liqawmin yaAAqiloona
And among His Signs, He shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: verily in that are Signs for those who are wise. (Qur’an 30:24; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
Waarsalna alrriyaha lawaqiha faanzalna mina alssama-i maan faasqaynakumoohu wama antum lahu bikhazineena
And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance), though ye are not the guardians of its stores. (Qur’an 15:22; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
The Arabic word used here is lawâqih, which is the plural of laqih, which means to impregnate or fecundate. In this context, impregnate means that the wind pushes the clouds together increasing the condensation that causes lightning and thus rain. (Ref: Dr. Zakir Naik)
Now that’s a fact not known to humans 1,425 years ago!
In fact, this is completely at variance with the prevailing notion in those times.
“In the seventh century BC, Thales of Miletus held the theory whereby the waters of the oceans, under the effects of winds were thrust towards the interiors of the continents; so the water fell upon the earth and penetrated into the soil. Plato shared these views and thought that the return of the waters to the oceans was via a great abyss, the ‘Tartarus’. This theory had many supporters until the Eighteenth century, one of whom was Descartes. Aristotle imagined that the water vapour from the soil condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. He was followed by Seneca (1st Century AD) and many others... (The Bible, The Qur’an and Science-Dr. Maurice Bucaille)
A similar description is found in another verse:
Allahu allathee yursilu alrriyaha fatutheeru sahaban fayabsutuhu fee alssama-i kayfa yashao wayajAAaluhu kisafan fatara alwadqa yakhruju min khilalihi fa-itha asaba bihi man yashao min AAibadihi itha hum yastabshiroona
It is Allah Who sends the Winds, and they raise the Clouds: then does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and break them into fragments, until thou seest rain-drops issue from the midst thereof: then when He has made them reach such of his servants as He wills behold, they do rejoice! (Qur’an 30:48; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
A complete description of the water cycle, which confirms to latest research on hydrology.
And another one which refers to the entire description of the water cycle, and refers to the electric charge of lightning in a simple way.
Alam tara anna Allaha yuzjee sahaban thumma yu-allifu baynahu thumma yajAAaluhu rukaman fatara alwadqa yakhruju min khilalihi wayunazzilu mina alssama-i min jibalin feeha min baradin fayuseebu bihi man yashao wayasrifuhu AAan man yashao yakadu sana barqihi yathhabu bial-absari
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail: He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. (Qur’an 24:43; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
There are many more such references which confirm to the miracle that is the Qur’an being the word of my Lord. One can go on and on – about the water cycle, about geology, about astronomy, about the animal kingdom, and - most interestingly - about human embryology...
Aah, human embryology! Now that’s something that was discovered only in our lifetime! And now we’re talking about things that are invisible to the naked eye - and there were no microscopes in the 6th century AD.
So, let me end this post with one of my favourite verses:
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikuma tukaththiban
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny? Sura Rehman (Qur’an 55:13; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
(References and Acknowledgements: Al Qur’an; The Qur’aan and Modern Science-Compatible or Incompatible by Dr. Zakir Naik; The Qur’an-Knowledge and Science by A. Abdallah; The Bible, The Qur’an and Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille)
Within a fortnight, this river, which had turned completely dry, is full of fish, frogs are singing their songs of love all through the night, crabs overrunning the place, making my daughter go berserk with excitement...
Isn’t it marvellous? I mean, can you imagine how many miracles I am witnessing? The rain, the life emerging from barren land, the dew that spread a sheet of shimmering silver over the land this morning...
This riverbed was so dry that my children played badminton on it. Where did these fish come from? And the rain...
All this keeps confirming the other miracle that came into existence more than 1,400 years ago, and continues to this date – The Qur’an.
Consider these verses:
Wamin ayatihi yureekumu albarqa khawfan watamaAAan wayunazzilu mina alssama-i maan fayuhyee bihi al-arda baAAda mawtiha inna fee thalika laayatin liqawmin yaAAqiloona
And among His Signs, He shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: verily in that are Signs for those who are wise. (Qur’an 30:24; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
Waarsalna alrriyaha lawaqiha faanzalna mina alssama-i maan faasqaynakumoohu wama antum lahu bikhazineena
And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance), though ye are not the guardians of its stores. (Qur’an 15:22; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
The Arabic word used here is lawâqih, which is the plural of laqih, which means to impregnate or fecundate. In this context, impregnate means that the wind pushes the clouds together increasing the condensation that causes lightning and thus rain. (Ref: Dr. Zakir Naik)
Now that’s a fact not known to humans 1,425 years ago!
In fact, this is completely at variance with the prevailing notion in those times.
“In the seventh century BC, Thales of Miletus held the theory whereby the waters of the oceans, under the effects of winds were thrust towards the interiors of the continents; so the water fell upon the earth and penetrated into the soil. Plato shared these views and thought that the return of the waters to the oceans was via a great abyss, the ‘Tartarus’. This theory had many supporters until the Eighteenth century, one of whom was Descartes. Aristotle imagined that the water vapour from the soil condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. He was followed by Seneca (1st Century AD) and many others... (The Bible, The Qur’an and Science-Dr. Maurice Bucaille)
A similar description is found in another verse:
Allahu allathee yursilu alrriyaha fatutheeru sahaban fayabsutuhu fee alssama-i kayfa yashao wayajAAaluhu kisafan fatara alwadqa yakhruju min khilalihi fa-itha asaba bihi man yashao min AAibadihi itha hum yastabshiroona
It is Allah Who sends the Winds, and they raise the Clouds: then does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and break them into fragments, until thou seest rain-drops issue from the midst thereof: then when He has made them reach such of his servants as He wills behold, they do rejoice! (Qur’an 30:48; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
A complete description of the water cycle, which confirms to latest research on hydrology.
And another one which refers to the entire description of the water cycle, and refers to the electric charge of lightning in a simple way.
Alam tara anna Allaha yuzjee sahaban thumma yu-allifu baynahu thumma yajAAaluhu rukaman fatara alwadqa yakhruju min khilalihi wayunazzilu mina alssama-i min jibalin feeha min baradin fayuseebu bihi man yashao wayasrifuhu AAan man yashao yakadu sana barqihi yathhabu bial-absari
Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail: He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight. (Qur’an 24:43; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
There are many more such references which confirm to the miracle that is the Qur’an being the word of my Lord. One can go on and on – about the water cycle, about geology, about astronomy, about the animal kingdom, and - most interestingly - about human embryology...
Aah, human embryology! Now that’s something that was discovered only in our lifetime! And now we’re talking about things that are invisible to the naked eye - and there were no microscopes in the 6th century AD.
So, let me end this post with one of my favourite verses:
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikuma tukaththiban
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny? Sura Rehman (Qur’an 55:13; Translation by Yusuf Ali)
(References and Acknowledgements: Al Qur’an; The Qur’aan and Modern Science-Compatible or Incompatible by Dr. Zakir Naik; The Qur’an-Knowledge and Science by A. Abdallah; The Bible, The Qur’an and Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Who writes your script?
"Who writes your script?", Graham Gooch had asked about Ian Botham, way back in 1986.
Fast forward to 2009, and the eternal scriptwriter sitting up there has written another improbable one.
Two countries, torn by internal conflicts and ethnic strife. One country facing a virtual seige by other cricket playing countries due to safety reasons, the other country empathising and agreeing to undertake a tour, and mid-way through the tour, their team bus gets attacked by terrorists!
Months later, these countries playing in a World Cup final!
How much more poetic can you get?
Congratulations, Younus Khan and Kumara Sangakkara, for the lovely game of cricket and for the spirit in which it was played considering the recent history.
A lot of us (myself included, I must confess) had not counted on Pakistan and Sri Lanka contesting the finals. But then, were we wrong? In the short history of this format of the game, these are the two best countries. After all, a 77% W/L record for Pakistan and a 70% W/L record for SL is not something to be sneezed at, is it?
Compare that to India. Notwithstanding our last championship win, we just have a 56% W/L record, and are 5th in the placings. (Count that 4th, because Netherlands with 3 wins out of 5 are statistically above us).
And yet; we eat, drink, sleep and dream only cricket.
An indication of this - on the day when the T20 World Cup final took place, another momentous event in Indian sport unfolded on the other side of the world. Saina Nehwal won the Indonesian Open Super Series badminton title beating the World No.3 in the final. Saina herself is ranked 8, and aims to be in the top 5 by the end of this year.
Here’s a little analysis of the coverage given to each event by 3 major English broadsheet dailies in Mumbai.
Look at that – an Indian winning a major sport played across the world had much lesser coverage than a sport played by a handful of countries, and where India was already out.
I wish I could do a comparison of TV channels too, simply because I flipped through news channels for about 45 minutes this morning, and could find news coverage, scrollers etc. repeating T20 ad nauseum, but not a single mention of Saina Nehwal’s victory.
We keep mentioning about how we need to promote sports other than cricket, but when it comes to practicing what one preaches, it is obvious that TV channels and mainstream English dailies (with the exception of DNA) are way behind.
Apart from a Paes, Bhupathi, Sania and Anand, it is rare to see a mention of any sportsperson other than a cricketer. And that was also after they became too big to be ignored.
We write in salacious details about Dhoni’s and Yuvraj’s love lives, but we are mum when it comes to the sporting achievements of champions in other sports. Net result – most people would not even know the names of sportsmen who have brought laurels to the country in their sports.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a test. I am mentioning the names of 29 Indian sportspersons who are champions at their respective sports. Let’s see how many can you guess?
Abhinav Bindra, Akhil Kumar, Al Lakra, Anjali Bhagwat, Anju Bobby George, Anwar Sultan, Armaan Ebrahim, Dinesh Kumar, Jaspal Rana, Jayanta Talukdar, Jitender Kumar, Karan Malik, Koneru Humpy, Limba Ram (he lives in a garage today), Mahesh Chandran Panchanathan, Manavjit Singh, Mangal Singh Champia, Mansher Singh, Mary Kom, P Harikrishna, Parimarjan Negi, Parthiva Sureshwaren, Rahul Banerjee, Ravi Dixit, Sandipan Chanda, Saurav Ghosal, Suranjoy Singh, Tania Sachdev, Vijender Singh
I rest my case. Thank You.
Fast forward to 2009, and the eternal scriptwriter sitting up there has written another improbable one.
Two countries, torn by internal conflicts and ethnic strife. One country facing a virtual seige by other cricket playing countries due to safety reasons, the other country empathising and agreeing to undertake a tour, and mid-way through the tour, their team bus gets attacked by terrorists!
Months later, these countries playing in a World Cup final!
How much more poetic can you get?
Congratulations, Younus Khan and Kumara Sangakkara, for the lovely game of cricket and for the spirit in which it was played considering the recent history.
A lot of us (myself included, I must confess) had not counted on Pakistan and Sri Lanka contesting the finals. But then, were we wrong? In the short history of this format of the game, these are the two best countries. After all, a 77% W/L record for Pakistan and a 70% W/L record for SL is not something to be sneezed at, is it?
Compare that to India. Notwithstanding our last championship win, we just have a 56% W/L record, and are 5th in the placings. (Count that 4th, because Netherlands with 3 wins out of 5 are statistically above us).
And yet; we eat, drink, sleep and dream only cricket.
An indication of this - on the day when the T20 World Cup final took place, another momentous event in Indian sport unfolded on the other side of the world. Saina Nehwal won the Indonesian Open Super Series badminton title beating the World No.3 in the final. Saina herself is ranked 8, and aims to be in the top 5 by the end of this year.
Here’s a little analysis of the coverage given to each event by 3 major English broadsheet dailies in Mumbai.
Look at that – an Indian winning a major sport played across the world had much lesser coverage than a sport played by a handful of countries, and where India was already out.
I wish I could do a comparison of TV channels too, simply because I flipped through news channels for about 45 minutes this morning, and could find news coverage, scrollers etc. repeating T20 ad nauseum, but not a single mention of Saina Nehwal’s victory.
We keep mentioning about how we need to promote sports other than cricket, but when it comes to practicing what one preaches, it is obvious that TV channels and mainstream English dailies (with the exception of DNA) are way behind.
Apart from a Paes, Bhupathi, Sania and Anand, it is rare to see a mention of any sportsperson other than a cricketer. And that was also after they became too big to be ignored.
We write in salacious details about Dhoni’s and Yuvraj’s love lives, but we are mum when it comes to the sporting achievements of champions in other sports. Net result – most people would not even know the names of sportsmen who have brought laurels to the country in their sports.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a test. I am mentioning the names of 29 Indian sportspersons who are champions at their respective sports. Let’s see how many can you guess?
Abhinav Bindra, Akhil Kumar, Al Lakra, Anjali Bhagwat, Anju Bobby George, Anwar Sultan, Armaan Ebrahim, Dinesh Kumar, Jaspal Rana, Jayanta Talukdar, Jitender Kumar, Karan Malik, Koneru Humpy, Limba Ram (he lives in a garage today), Mahesh Chandran Panchanathan, Manavjit Singh, Mangal Singh Champia, Mansher Singh, Mary Kom, P Harikrishna, Parimarjan Negi, Parthiva Sureshwaren, Rahul Banerjee, Ravi Dixit, Sandipan Chanda, Saurav Ghosal, Suranjoy Singh, Tania Sachdev, Vijender Singh
I rest my case. Thank You.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Should Traffic Police be given incentives for fine collections?
As promised, I’m back this week – though without all the thoughts put together – I must confess!
Interestingly, there is an added incentive to me to really get angry and pour all my vitriol in this post. Between Friday and Sunday, the rear of my car was kissed twice; once by an auto and once by a Sumo. Thank Allah there was no major damage – just a few scratches.
So, let me start this blog with an incident that took place in Switzerland, about a decade ago. A colleague of mine – let’s call him Raj – was there in winter; around late Dec-early Jan. One night, he had to go to someone’s house for dinner. It was past midnight when he was returning, it was snowing heavily, there was not a soul on the roads – just him, and the taxi driver.
At a junction, the driver stopped. Raj exhorted him to move on, pointing out that there was not a single vehicle coming from any direction, not a single person, not even a stray dog! Added to it, the junction was not manned by any policeman or a camera. Yet the driver refused to move till the signal turned green!
Imagine, stopping at a red signal knowing fully well that there is no problem if he jumped it! When Raj asked him, all that the driver had to say was “There was a red signal and I had to obey it”.
This was one extreme example of people obeying traffic rules. On the other hand, I have seen instances abroad where drivers were caught and fined for a simple offence like moving on to the shoulder of the road, when not allowed. The stick ensured compliance.
Moving from that, why is our mentality related to traffic the way it is? With the clarity of distance (Thank You, David Rock and RCS) and asking the 5 Why’s (Thank You, Sakichi Toyoda San), let’s try to understand it.
So, the fact is that we break traffic rules with impunity
Why – Because everyone else does it
Why – Because we know we can get away with it
Why – Because we can bribe the policeman
Why – Because he is underpaid. (I read somewhere once that a ‘gataari kaamgar’ – a person who cleans the drains – in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation has a higher salary than a constable. Can someone please remind me of the reference or correct me if I’m wrong?)
Got that in 4 why’s.
There is also another way to look at it.
So, the fact is that we break traffic rules with impunity
Why – Because everyone else does it
Why – Because we know we can get away with it
Why – Because there would be no policeman to catch us
Why – Because there are not enough policemen. (Tried opening the website of the Mumbai police to ascertain the number. Most pages do not open! Finally, on one page, I read this line – “The Traffic Control Branch has now grown to a strength of over 2,000” (Ref: http://www.mumbaipolice.org/traffic/org_fun7.htm) . And the Navi Mumbai Traffic Police chart shows a staff strength of 277. Yes, you read right, just 277. (Ref: http://www.trafficpolicemumbai.org/Navi%20Mumbai%20Traffic%20Police%20Zones%20&chowkies.htm)
Again, got that in 4.
Imagine, 2,277 policemen, including inspectors, senior policemen et al, for an area comprising the entire population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!!!
Have a heart, folks, for the overworked and underpaid policeman.
So, in short, policemen accept bribes because they are overworked; and because they are underpaid. In other words, monetarily dissatisfied. And here is an easy way out to earn some additional bucks, and possibly get back in some oblique way at the establishment.
So, why don’t we give them their due – and in the right way?
Just a thought. Increase fines to high levels, such that people will think not twice, but multiple times, about breaking rules. I mean, Rs.1,000 for driving in the wrong lane (I’d love to see those truckers on Vashi Bridge lining up), Rs.3,000 for overspeeding, Rs.5,000 for a jumping a red light...
And have an incentive scheme for the policeman – just like most salespeople have. 25% straight on every fine earned for the policeman, 5% for the superior officer. Keep 20% for quarterly incentives for the policeman / police station. That still leaves 50% of the amount that goes to the kitty of the traffic police for modernisation etc. Make all this amount tax free, and have strong rules on policemen caught over-charging commuters – or worse still, yet accepting bribes. A simple rule – dishonourable discharge.
Have surprise checks to ensure compliance, and get the college youth involved in this. NSS – here’s a chance to do something really visible, and earn grace marks.
What say, folks? We could put our collective heads together and present it as a case to the Jt. CP – Traffic. Simple, implementable thoughts on traffic management, including possibly-
Incentive schemes for policemen
Alternate days for vehicles to come on the roads
No four wheeler with only one driver / passenger in the morning / evening peak drive times to be allowed
Come to think of it – hologrammed number plates installed directly by the traffic police. Revenue for the police, and a way out of the number plate mess that we have. Incidentally, have you noticed, most cars having ‘fancy’ / regional number plates also have a symbol of one of the four major political parties?
Maybe it could be a way out of the mess that we have, maybe not. Maybe there would be all the bureaucratic rigmarole that would drag us down, maybe not. But we would never know till we try, right?
So folks, I’m adding two polls to this post. Do you think that incentivising policemen for fine collection is a viable idea, and should we take up some similar thoughts and present them to the Jt. CP – Traffic. I shall look forward to your comments and your votes.
Interestingly, there is an added incentive to me to really get angry and pour all my vitriol in this post. Between Friday and Sunday, the rear of my car was kissed twice; once by an auto and once by a Sumo. Thank Allah there was no major damage – just a few scratches.
So, let me start this blog with an incident that took place in Switzerland, about a decade ago. A colleague of mine – let’s call him Raj – was there in winter; around late Dec-early Jan. One night, he had to go to someone’s house for dinner. It was past midnight when he was returning, it was snowing heavily, there was not a soul on the roads – just him, and the taxi driver.
At a junction, the driver stopped. Raj exhorted him to move on, pointing out that there was not a single vehicle coming from any direction, not a single person, not even a stray dog! Added to it, the junction was not manned by any policeman or a camera. Yet the driver refused to move till the signal turned green!
Imagine, stopping at a red signal knowing fully well that there is no problem if he jumped it! When Raj asked him, all that the driver had to say was “There was a red signal and I had to obey it”.
This was one extreme example of people obeying traffic rules. On the other hand, I have seen instances abroad where drivers were caught and fined for a simple offence like moving on to the shoulder of the road, when not allowed. The stick ensured compliance.
Moving from that, why is our mentality related to traffic the way it is? With the clarity of distance (Thank You, David Rock and RCS) and asking the 5 Why’s (Thank You, Sakichi Toyoda San), let’s try to understand it.
So, the fact is that we break traffic rules with impunity
Why – Because everyone else does it
Why – Because we know we can get away with it
Why – Because we can bribe the policeman
Why – Because he is underpaid. (I read somewhere once that a ‘gataari kaamgar’ – a person who cleans the drains – in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation has a higher salary than a constable. Can someone please remind me of the reference or correct me if I’m wrong?)
Got that in 4 why’s.
There is also another way to look at it.
So, the fact is that we break traffic rules with impunity
Why – Because everyone else does it
Why – Because we know we can get away with it
Why – Because there would be no policeman to catch us
Why – Because there are not enough policemen. (Tried opening the website of the Mumbai police to ascertain the number. Most pages do not open! Finally, on one page, I read this line – “The Traffic Control Branch has now grown to a strength of over 2,000” (Ref: http://www.mumbaipolice.org/traffic/org_fun7.htm) . And the Navi Mumbai Traffic Police chart shows a staff strength of 277. Yes, you read right, just 277. (Ref: http://www.trafficpolicemumbai.org/Navi%20Mumbai%20Traffic%20Police%20Zones%20&chowkies.htm)
Again, got that in 4.
Imagine, 2,277 policemen, including inspectors, senior policemen et al, for an area comprising the entire population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!!!
Have a heart, folks, for the overworked and underpaid policeman.
So, in short, policemen accept bribes because they are overworked; and because they are underpaid. In other words, monetarily dissatisfied. And here is an easy way out to earn some additional bucks, and possibly get back in some oblique way at the establishment.
So, why don’t we give them their due – and in the right way?
Just a thought. Increase fines to high levels, such that people will think not twice, but multiple times, about breaking rules. I mean, Rs.1,000 for driving in the wrong lane (I’d love to see those truckers on Vashi Bridge lining up), Rs.3,000 for overspeeding, Rs.5,000 for a jumping a red light...
And have an incentive scheme for the policeman – just like most salespeople have. 25% straight on every fine earned for the policeman, 5% for the superior officer. Keep 20% for quarterly incentives for the policeman / police station. That still leaves 50% of the amount that goes to the kitty of the traffic police for modernisation etc. Make all this amount tax free, and have strong rules on policemen caught over-charging commuters – or worse still, yet accepting bribes. A simple rule – dishonourable discharge.
Have surprise checks to ensure compliance, and get the college youth involved in this. NSS – here’s a chance to do something really visible, and earn grace marks.
What say, folks? We could put our collective heads together and present it as a case to the Jt. CP – Traffic. Simple, implementable thoughts on traffic management, including possibly-
Incentive schemes for policemen
Alternate days for vehicles to come on the roads
No four wheeler with only one driver / passenger in the morning / evening peak drive times to be allowed
Come to think of it – hologrammed number plates installed directly by the traffic police. Revenue for the police, and a way out of the number plate mess that we have. Incidentally, have you noticed, most cars having ‘fancy’ / regional number plates also have a symbol of one of the four major political parties?
Maybe it could be a way out of the mess that we have, maybe not. Maybe there would be all the bureaucratic rigmarole that would drag us down, maybe not. But we would never know till we try, right?
So folks, I’m adding two polls to this post. Do you think that incentivising policemen for fine collection is a viable idea, and should we take up some similar thoughts and present them to the Jt. CP – Traffic. I shall look forward to your comments and your votes.
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