I am a Muslim!

i am a muslim. kill me and call it collateral damage. imprison me and call it securty measure. exile my people en masse and call it new middle east. rob my resources, invade my land, alter my leadership and call it democracy. but still we say assalamu alaikum, peace be upon you.

Q: I believe that d moment u associate ur self with religion not as righteousness bt as sth that a scripture says, there's gonna b a problem. n more so when u go on generalising as such. d so called religion has 2 change according 2 times n if it sticks at 1 point of time, m sure u trying 2 defy d greatest truth n reality of nature: Change. Islam's greatest strength is its fundamentalism n its greatest weakness is also fundamentalism (excuse me fr using dis word). Next, wt u call 'ur land' is bound 2 raise concerns. because v Indians believe in d concept of Earth as mother. coz demographically Muslims r more in middle east, it can't b ur land.
Agreed, 1 should b concerned about killings of fellow human beings. Agreed, evry 1 should work fr real democracy, violation of human rights n religious freedom of course. Agreed, 1 ll b naturally more concerned abt his fellow community members. Bt 2 base d whole logic on sth inside d dimensions of 1 religion doesn't make u a rational human being either.
Lastly: d fundamentalist Muslims r d greatest enemies of Islam. I would love to believe that Akbar n not Aurangzeb b d role model of every Muslim.
India was ruled by all sorts of invaders bt d nation survived.Bombs, can't kill a nation or a religion. Middle East is not facing an existential crisis from outside bt from inside. Islam was never under scrutiny or doubt ever, more than today. And that's not coz US army is sending its drones in Afghanistan n Iraq mountains bt coz Muslims hv been behaving more irresponsibly as fellow human being than ever.
I am sure many of my argument can b countered with good logic. Bt 2 logically blame others fr every wrong that happens 2 u, my friend, is not a good way 2 reform urself.

A: at first, i was expressing solidarity with a particular sentiment rather than trying to enforce or rather generalize the religion as such...

i agree with the fact that religion needs to adjust over the time, but i ask of you again - to what extent?

"coz demographically Muslims r more in middle east, it can't b ur land" - this is a statement way beyond the truth... south asia has almost around three times the number of muslims u can find in the middle east and north africa combined... so i donno where you got that statement from?

you talked about india being invaded by various nations... true... how long did the mughals rule? there is always a beginning, a middle and an end... think about it... and this is as much my country as it is of anybody else in India!

when a muslim is convicted of doing something wrong, he is straightaway branded an islamic fundamentalist... why is it that no other religion is targeted in such a manner... why aren't they called christian killers or hindu terrorists or the thousand and one associations that u can make? why is it always that for the cause of some brainless shithole, the religion of islam need take the beating? why can't we force it out of our vocabularies... why brand an entire religion for the deeds of a few? why is it that americans are not allowing a masjid to be built next to ground zero? it is an inherent paranoia of branding every muslim a terrorist... and instead of making them realize that islam is a religion of peace and understanding, you again instill fear in them... i beg you to understand the religion better and not come to conclusions about it from what you hear from others...

and for another i never mentioned a US or an afghanistan or which land or whatever... its easy to defend yourself when you don't have the hate of the world thrust into your eyes... try being in our shoes for a while...

and when have we blamed others? u seemed to have again missed out on the end line - may peace be upon you (assalamu alaikum)

i am i

I am the chalk
In the hot chocolate

The day isn't over
But i am wasted

The wind ain't cold
You burn forever

Out of bounds
Time's a joke

Freedom the call
By the noose hung

You lie
I am i

You care not know more!

cry

Sax: Do you cry?
Me: Yes I do.

But why?

There are a number of things I miss.

I miss the smell of fresh earth after a brief spell of rain. All I can smell now are the asphalt road, cemented gullies and overflowing drains. And I cry.

I miss the late night coffee mom makes after dinner. Now I drink water – mineralized and chlorinated, I think I hear the walls of my wall erode. And I cry.

I miss the cold wind on my face as I drive through NH17. Here, I move at the speed of snail, unaware of the man pushing men to meet ends needs. And I cry.

I miss the warmth of friends, embracing each emotion as being their own. At present, I wait every night, hoping for a virtual hug over optical cable and satellite signals. Not warm. But someone cares. And I cry.

I miss the solitude of the blue room. I miss the redwood bed. I miss the green gdrej. I miss the antique computer. I miss the world map covered table.
I miss home. I miss love. I cry.

Just My Luck

If I were to see
From land across sea,
A beautiful lass
Would come across me

Jet black hair
Would reach the rear
With a lock
On the bosom dock

Starlit eyes
Shine the night skies
Even doused lights
Wouldn’t lose her bright

The lips spoke
As little talk
An angel’s voice
She shared the poise

Alas it goes
Seen but a pose
My wife awoke
Looking nothing like the rose

Delhi in Dubai is also Dubai in Delhi

A month into this venture of unknown north capital has bought me in touch with a bachelor life that is quite reminiscent of the life of the working labour class in the land of black gold in the gulf. My references to the Middle East coming due to the fact that it has the highest number of Indians working as labourers; and having experienced their lives up, close and personal. I can clearly remember walking into a bachelor’s quarter in Dubai to meet some of my Uncle’s friends as early as 2006. To paint a picture of the life there – six hard working people, living together under one roof, with bunk beds to save space and their own personal space spread over just a few centimetres. It was really a sight worth its weight in pity that I could not keep myself from shedding a tear or two.

Fast forward three years, and here in Delhi I have seen the same thing happening all over again. Just that most of the people who live in such homes are the students doing their higher studies in the umpteen number of colleges and universities present here. It is worth applauding how each day is spent by them out here. I am lucky enough to say that I have lived with them these past two weeks and am looking forward to living with them the coming two more years. We have teachers over here, who go on speaking about as to why we are not able to live up to their expectations and how they too have a life of their own and how they have a family to care about and how they are so hard working. But to tell the truth, they don’t know anything and I can vouch you for that. If they have experienced what troubles the students go through here, then their extended speeches about being on time and adjusting to timings will surely vanish without a trace. I extend my heartiest welcome to any faculty over here, who live a life of normal luxuries to spend just a day with us. I take this platform to shout out that it is quite hard adjusting to life out here and for once someone would take up to understanding the poor students out here and give them the respect that they deserve.


Well I guess I am going over the top, but my message stays vindicated.