World's Better Half

“One of the most potent sources of Hindu- Muslim conflict in India is our scant knowledge of each other. We live side by side and yet very often our worlds are entirely different. Such mental aloofness has done immense mischief in the past and forebodes an evil future. It is only through sympathetic understanding of each others culture and social customs and conventions that we can create an atmosphere of peace and good will. With this end in view I started a department of Islamic culture in Viswa Bharati a few years ago with the generous support of his highness the Nizam. I am glad to say that the experiment has been successful. But work of this sort must be elaborated a hundred fold. Individual educationalists and scholars must also take it up and I heartily welcome, therefore, the series of articles from my distinguished country man, Moulavi Abdul Kareem on Islam’s contributions to science and civilization. The writer has clothed his erudition in as simple a garb as possible and the...

How we would like to spend our life is a personal choice, this choice depends on various factors top most among the list is the environment surrounding us, our priorities, our conscience. Consider three scenarios 1. A person with name X is having enough power to control, instill fear and intimidate, also having enough power to force a person to live a life in a way X would like him to. Consider a person Y who is weak and subdued by X, X forces him against the will of Y to live a life which X prescribes for Y. 2. A person with name A is preaching about some way of life and B who listens to the preaching develops interest and then decides on his own will to lead a life as preached by A 3. A person C who becomes aware of some way of life likes it and then decides to live according to it and person D comes in to help and answer the queries which C has. I cannot find anything wrong with 2 and 3 either from A, B, C or D. My late cousin brother used to attend Sri Sri Ravisankar sessions duri...

Wait: When prophet Yusuf (Peace be upon him) was thrown into a well in the remotest of forest by his own brothers and there was 0% probability of some one finding their way to the well to help him. But he waited, sure that some one would come and help him as it was promise of his lord. Then Allah sent a group of people there, making them loose their way and led them to the well from where they rescued the prophet. Patience: When Prophet Ayyub (Peace be upon him) was inflicted with a dreaded disease, he was patient enough to not to ask for a cure as he knew it was from Allah. But then a time came when it became difficult for him to do the remembrance of Allah, then he prayed “Oh my cherisher, I have been inflicted with a calamity and you are the most merciful”, he did not ask for a cure but he explained his situation to his lord. Allah cured him, After he was cured one day the prophet was crying on being asked why he said that when he was inflicted with the dreaded disease Allah used to...

A respected and close friend of mine Sateesh Balakrishnan narrated an incident to me, it was this Friday and around 10 PM we were finishing of the SOA Appliance (Datapower) assignment and still at office. He and his uncle were traveling in a train; there was no mention of where they were traveling to or which train they were in as if it was of not much importance. In the train was a co passenger, an elderly business man traveling along with his goods. Sateesh said “At some particular time he made room, spread out a small carpet and comfortably prayed and it took about 10 minutes”. When the elderly person had finished his prayers and was back in his seat, Sateesh’s uncle asked the person “What if some one takes those goods away while you are praying?” It is a most valid question as this person is traveling only to carry the goods from one place to another so as to sell them and earn a lively hood. So what if some one takes away his means of livelihood and the pains he would have to go t...