Faith Lost.... and restored

سورة الزلزلة - سورة 99
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا
وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا
وَقَالَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا لَهَا
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا
بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

THE EARTHQUAKE, CHAPTER NO. 099
With the Name of Allah, the Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer
099.001 When the earth is shaken to her (utmost) convulsion,
099.002 And the earth throws up her burdens (from within),
099.003 And man cries (distressed): ‘What is the matter with her?’-
099.004 On that Day will she declare her tidings:
099.005 For that thy Lord will have given her inspiration.
099.006 On that Day will men proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they (had done).
099.007 Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it!
099.008 And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.

Need I say more...... and what could I say. The Master has spoken and His will shall be done. Some would still question 'why the women and children?', 'why the innocent?'. But isn't that the point to begin with; that all of us will perish and be asked to give an account for what we did in our time here. So the innocent go away to the happier place and get an easy thoroughfare. For the one's that remain homeless and destitute - just a small warning to those of us who ignore Who's Incharge!

Who do you blame for a natural disaster. For those of us with some claim to faith we'd just take them as a sign. One promised by the One Who doesn't break them. Allah's wrath comes and sweeps away. Be it New Orleans - where the Mardi Gras mocked all that was ordained, or Islamabad where the modern pharaohs make their will the law, Allah's say is final! To the thinking, fearing this would mean something... for the rest.....

Faith Lost

As the earth shook and the flock scattered most didn't have the time or capacity to lock up as they fled - they returned to looted houses. Those far away wanted to rush back home to help or just mourn the loss - they faced the government railway's corrupt officials who wanted to be bribed for a ticket; soon their brethren in the private sector caught on to the opportunity and doubled bus fare. The simple tradition of Muslim burial needs a two meter sheet - they too are at several times the price. To cap it all the great leader of the nation visited the sites - only to see all work cease for two hours. Believe me I am physically sick as I write this. I just can not understand the loss of all values known to man. All in the face of something that is meant to awaken them to be different. Sham efforts by the government, senior officials claiming that the death toll is under 1,000 and the ever lucrative trade of relief funds. Makes you want to........

Restored......

I would still be in the state of drawing room critics high and holy had it not been for the first hand experience of the last two days (and people tell me I missed the real thing - Praise Allah). A blood camp at Karachi saw scenes I never believed were possible. I'll be the first one to admit that we indulge in stereotyping and the 'burgers' in that area are at the receiving end of a lot of our jibes. Yet these same 'burgers' had lined up to donate so much blood that the camp had trouble keeping pace. Men and women alike. Very very decent indeed! They have perhaps cleared my mind of a decades worth of grime about their attitudes. Way to go people!

And to cap it - yesterday! (I am really going to let the rambling rip now; so if you've read so far be warned). I had 'given up' period! Given up on ever seeing the people of Karachi do anything positive. I'd been disillusioned over a good 18 years. First the MQM came and swept people off their feet. Karachi that was known for it's educated middle class moved amass at the call of one man who made them believe that just because they (or their ancestors) weren't born on this soil does not make them inferior. The same man spoke against the moern apartheid quota system and millions of youth saw this as their only hope at being treated equally with the rest of the country.

I am not sure which came first. The corruption or the loss of focus but gradually the dream started disintegrating only to see the pigs wear the same clothes as the masters (Animal farm anyone!!!) and ever since I had witnessed the youth go down like anything. These people were only interested in internet chatting and porn, looking for opportunities to get 'lucky'. Trying to beat each other to the latest mobile phone and Nike tee-shirt. As the belts went below the under-short elastics somehow so did the whole social structure with it. You'd see people cheating in exams and proud of it. My teachers at St. Patrick's actually cried when they told me of how 8th graders would threaten them of their connections. The fabric, if there was any, was getting badly soiled.

And yesterday I saw these very people work their arses off at the PAF Base. They were madly off-loading trucks as they streamed in one after the other. Sorting out the goods and repacking them as hordes waited to load the containers ready to move off. It was hot and dirty and there were hardly any facilities for these guys and gals but they just went on and on. The military people were actually just bystanders, perhaps as amazed at this change(!!!???). Since the days of the MQM (not the one we know today) I had not seen people young and old working so hard with no personal benefit involved. And again they said that I missed when they were really working. I am so happy to be off my self-created-holier-than-thou-pedestal! I can perhaps again claim that I am one with these people.

(Dedicated to the youth..... there's hope yet!!!)