STRADA PLACIDO: Cultural

OMG...EGYPTSTAN

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:30:11 GMT

salaamaleykum...

Well, al-Burmastani has landed in egypt..(well, since 2weeks back).

Yes, Egypt, land of the Pharoahs and the Pyramids. The home of Nabee Musa a.s. and Nabee Yusoof a.s. The weather is great here, cool breeze...winter is hoping in soon.

Let me elaborate on my observations of Egypt-so far.

First thing to notice at landing is...the heavy presence of armed personnels at the airport.Its worth to mention too that the Military Airport is right beside the civilian airport.But, I'm sure that doesnt explain the presence of truck loads of soldiers at the entrance of the airport terminal.
While we're there, I'ld say that there is a considerbly large amount of police check points along the roads...either highways or city roads.
Armed security force are suppose to make one feel safe..but..however, i get the chills and grave insecurity when i see them.

Oh,fighter jets fly over my city (3hrs drive from Cairo) almost every 2 days once.
I guess i'm in a military state.

The roads are really dusty.With piles and piles of rubbish every where.Every lot where there's no house, there is sure to be a mountain of rubbish.Its really amazing how the shopkeepers keep their premise clean...sweep EVERYTHING (dust+papers+boxes..etc) into the road..for the cars to drive over it..and perhaps fly it away.

Speaking of roads and drivers, there are no traffic lights.Ironically, i've not come across a single accident since I arrived.Horns are sounded at every 1-3meters..which creates a very annoying sound pollution.Needless to mention, people here have absolutly 0% patience while driving.On the bright side however, at least they wont get any ticket for beating the light.

One thing you can't miss when you're in Arab countries is their abnormal opening hours.Most shops here open around 11am (bear in mind sun rises at 5:45am) and closes any time between 12midnight to 3 am in the morning.Meanwhile the offices are really relaxed.They start at 8 or 9am..and closes at 2:30pm.

Egypt, Egypt,Egypt...before i came here, and all the time I talk to foreigners here they just mention one thing-Beware of Egyptian cheaters.
Well, i wont generalise every Egyptian as a conman...but even the Egyptians themselves admit to the high level of cheaters in this land. Its scary.
Few days ago my friend came to visit me from a city about 2 hours drive away. We had a thrill together...until he found out he has been pickpocketed.Good Lord, save me!

Food! That is a major problem in the land of the pharoahs. For a person of Indo-Pak ethnicity, spiciness is as essential as salt itself. However, Egyptians arent very hot-food-tolerent...heck! they cant even take food which we give to our youngsters.
Some food are nice, well, toleratable to my tastebuds..like shwarma, Kabda Iskandaria(alexandrian liver), and various forms of burger/hotdog they offer there.

However, some food are totally ridiculous..like this thing called Makarona..which is like egyptian form of Lasagna...minus the tomato sauce and minced meat....and there's this koshari..which is macaronni+rice+spagetti...which equals to puke. out of 3times I tried that meal, i vomited twice.

Best part of all is...fruits are really cheap..and they are superb! Sugar cane juice...for a whole mug...with no ice or sugar...costs just 50piasters..which is just about 6 eurocents. Fresh strawberry juice costs just under 25 eurocents.

Well,Egyptstan...what can i say about you...you are indeed,VERY colourful!

Backward...?

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:45:00 GMT

Salaamaleykum,

Recently at a Pakhtun forum, I came across a topic where a person asked-
WHY ARE PATHANS BACKWARD?

The first thing that hit my mind was - What defines backward?
Oxford dictionary defines it as;

having made less progress than is normal or expected.

    Again, if you look under a microscope towards that definition-i.e. what is progress...and study it further, you will notice that backward is a term that falls into the same category with terrorism, happiness...etc..words that are very relative.

    Just like one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, one man's progress is another's degradation.
First of all, let me admit a mistake of my people- yes we do belittle the requirement of education for women (most of us anyway).Its time we Pakhtuns wake up and start facing reality.Women NEED to be educated.Women's role in the house is not confined to cooking and cleaning the house...they are teachers to the children and financial advisors of the household.Of course, being educated doesnt mean they can go out and work.I'm still,Pathan, i rather have them being full time wives/mothers.
    Other then that issue, there's an issue of our kids more eager to work abroad then to finish their school and graduate. I believe, as soon as we manage to educate our wives,they would influence our children to be keen on studying.

    Well, thats so much for criticizing my roots...
    If progress means lack of material wealth...fastest latest cars...fancy extravagant buildings...flashy clothings...then,yes...we're backward.
    But, if progress means low level of stress,calmness,tranquility, ability to follow all of Allah's Shariat(laws)...etc...then, we are indeed pioneers of this progress.
    In terms of tabligh(Muslim evangelical group)...Pathans are well known for their commitment to going on the Path of Allah (Jama'at)...when people normally go for 3days, 40days ,4months...these people are well known to go for 9months-2 years.
    PS: to the ppl unfamiliar to the Tabligh, Jama'at is a practice of going to other towns, and caling the Muslims there to be better Muslims (eg. come to Mosque for prayers 5 times a day..etc)

    If we study the mainstream population..they get crazy and miserable over mundane stuffs...wealth,job to name just a few.Heck! people are killing themselves in Japan over this!
    Well, the pathans are happy...we're happy with out simple way of life.Even the womenfolks are satisfied.
    I believe I say on behalf of all my people when I say...we'ld rather be happy stressless people living in mud walled houses, then being miserable,stressed out people living in big mansions(with hefty mortgages) putting on fake smiles.
    This is a makeshift world we live in...know where to place your priorities.

    ALLAH MADAD!

Yaumul Nabi

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 07:18:00 GMT

Salaamaleykum

Sorry for the late felicitation on the Glorious Occasion of Milad un Nabi / Yaum ul Nabi / Mawlud Nabi (i.e. the birth of Rasulullah s.a.w.)

YAUM UL NABI MUBARAK!!!

There was a huge celebration in my city- with prominent guest speakers arriving from Pakistan.Of course, it was a Pakistani event hence was held in Urdu/Hindi.(the locals have their own celebratin toobut its WAAAAY less lively compared to the South asian celebrations- what can I say, we're born to celebrate!)
Well... much unfortunately...as my friend, who was suppose to come with me to the ceremony, suddenly have some work at the last minute, I missed the event.
My mom's friend who went there said the event was a smash!!!The talks were interesting...and it was very lively with Hamds and Naats.
For you guys that doesn't know what they are....Hamd is recitations of Ghazal (poems) of praises to ALlah. Whereas Naat is the Praises to Rasulullah(s.a.w.).
Here's some example....
in Urdu -ALLAH HA ALLAH
ALLAH ALLAH ALLAH HU

in English -Al-Mua'lim
Allahu Allahu Allahu

In Lahore (Pakistan) , where there was a grand celebration, a very peculiar incident took place. As the Aleem was giving the speech...a cloud formed near the moon...resembling the word Muhammad (محمد) in Arabics.
Luckily,by Allah's grace, the event was filmed..and have been made possible for us to witness.

*he was at first talking about 'MUHAMMAD' (as a word)..than he pointed out that Allah has written Muhammad (saw) under the moon.*

(click on picture for the bigger image)

Niqaab

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 19:13:00 GMT

Salaamaleykum....

    Latest news concerning the Muslim community (among many others) is the plan by the Dutch governement to ban full Burqa/Niqaab.source
    Fact to point out,Muslims number only 6% of Neatherland's 16million population.Out of which, only an estimated 100 Muslim women wears the Niqaab.
    It seems that the draft would not really affect much people, but thats not really the issue.It doesnt matter if 1 person is involved or 100...what matters is the fact that that proposal not only show the Islamophobiac nature of the Europeans even up to the Legislative level, but also restricts the freedom of decision/religion, which the Europeans love to promote.
    One might ask, how is wearing indecent clothing(or rather no clothings at all) permited and yet...wearing a full covered clothing be banned.I wont hesitate to spectulate that they probably think of banning Hijaab as well in the future.
    I remember a story, thatHazrat Abu Bakr r.a. told to his daughter, Hazrat Aysha r.a.

    "The pearl, with all its beauty and splendour, lies hidden in the oyster in the depths of the sea.Its extremely difficult to access to the pearl.Just like the pearl, a Muslim girl is too precious to be made easily available to any eyes.Her beauty and her grace is only for those closest to her'

    Does Niqaab obstructs communication? From my point of view...NO! We know of the phrase 'eye contact'..but never of 'nose contact' or 'lips contact'....ok lips contact is just too much.One of my family friend wears a Niqaab..and I dont have any problem communicating with her.In fact, the way I see it, the Niqaab issue lies with the person outside the Niqaab..not the person inside.If you are biased against Muslims and the Islamic code of livelihood...there's no way anything you deem Islamic is going to please you.

    I'ld end this post with....Niqaab today,Hijaab tomorrow,Islam the next day.

    ALLAH MADAT!

Ramadhan Kareem

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:22:00 GMT

Ramadhan Mubarak....

To all my friends who have been giving the never ending support since day one...and towards the Muslims of the world....

~~~~~~~~~~Welcome Recitation for Ramadan~~~~~~~~

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan
In the name of Allah the Merciful the Beneficent
Greetings and welcome O month of Ramadan
Greetings and welcome O month of the Qur'an
Greetings and welcome O month of light
Greetings and welcome O month of gathering
Greetings and welcome O month of the poor
Greetings and welcome O month of repentence and return
Greetings and welcome O month of invocation and standing in supplication
Greetings and welcome O month of the poor and the weak
Greetings and welcome O month of doing one's best
Greetings and welcome O month of the sinners
Greetings and welcome O month of victory and success
Greetings and welcome O month of intimate discourse and glorification
Greetings and welcome O month of the call and the guidance
Greetings and welcome O month of rest-between-prayers and standing to pray
Greetings and welcome O month of lanterns and lights
Greetings and welcome O month of coffers and treasures
Greetings and welcome O month of angels and safety
Greetings and welcome O month of breaking fast and eating before the fast
Greetings and welcome O month of tilling and of deafness to sin
Greetings and welcome O month of the weak
Greetings and welcome O month of repayment and reward
Greetings and welcome O month of fast and patience
Greetings and welcome O month of felicity
Greetings and welcome O month of the key
Greetings and welcome O month of union and reunion
Greetings and welcome O month of friendship and love
Greetings and welcome O master of all months
We have not treated you according to your immense price
Nor truly sanctified you, O month of forgiveness,
But be pleased with us nevertheless, do not blame us before the Merciful,
And testify for us with grace and goodness!

Mughal-e-Azam مغلِ اعظم

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 08:14:00 GMT

Salaamaleykum.

This time i'm writng about one of the greatest movies in the Mughal Empire. It was planed in 1944, but due to the separation of Pakistan and India...the movie was delayed...and is finally completed in 1960.At the time when most movies cost US$200'000, that movie costed US$3'000'000.
It was so popular, in 2004, they digitally remastered the movie..and released it..and again..for 100days the movie was a hit.

STORY LINE

Mughal India, the late 1500s. The emperor Akbar (Prithviraj) and his queen Jodha (Durga Khote) have a son, Salim (Jalal Agha), after years of prayer. The maid who brings Akbar this news is promised a reward whenever she wants to claim it. Prince Salim (Dilip Kumar) grows into a spoilt teenager and is sent away for military training. Years later he proves himself to be a worthy warrior. Akbar invites him back to the palace and gives him a hero's welcome. Salim soon falls for court dancer Anarkali (Madhubala). Initially wary of his affections because of the difference in their stations, she soon reciprocates his love. Akbar finds out about the affair imprisons Anarkali. Salim threatens him with dire consequences if she is not released.

Akbar persuades Anarkali that her union with Salim is damaging to the empire and asks her to convince the prince she is a gold-digger. The prince initially believes her but later discovers she was lying. This angers Akbar and Anarkali is imprisoned again. Salim fails to secure Anarkali's release and declares rebellion against his father. Before war breaks out Salim's friend Durjan rescues Anarkali. War begins; Salim's troops are no match for the might of the imperial forces. Captured, Salim refuses to divulge Anarkali's whereabouts and is sentenced to death. Anarkali appears from hiding in time to save Salim. She makes a pact with Akbar to spend one night with Salim as his queen before drugging him unconscious and going to her own death.

As Anarkali is being bricked up alive after her night with the prince, her mother – the bearer of the news of Salim's birth – invokes the promise Akbar made years ago and begs him for her daughter's life. The emperor agrees on condition no one find out Anarkali is alive. Mother and daughter leave the empire never to return.