Silence speaks

You can never understand a friends words If you cannot understand his silence

It just is too much

Too much boredom

Too much Dan Brown

Too much depression

Too much to think about

Too much frustration

Too much hatred

Too much freedom

Too much of nothing to do

Too much time wasted

Too much chaos

Too much insecurity

Too much nonsense

Too many fools

The Greater Gifts

The gift of love

The gift of honesty

The gift of freedom

The gift of knowledge

The gift of purity

The gift of conversation

The gift of sunshine

The gift of curiosity

The gift of bliss

The gift of wisdom

The gift of choice

The gift of light

The gift of life

That’s how it goes

Sometimes they tell you that the more you deal with your troubles the stronger you get every time you pull through one of them. There are those days that everything at work goes all wrong and you go home thinking it’s finally over and then a whole new set of things start going wrong for you. Things so bad… that make you question the reason for your existence.

And of course there are those other times, where life just seems to be a bed of roses and now tired and weary, I’m longing for some sun and a few more things…

The height of belief

Whatever the problem is, IT has a solution for it!

Slavery to the colonial culture

I have met or seen rather, a very few courageous people who have the nerve to stand up against the rest. In case you’re still thinking what I’m on about it’s once again to the topic of attire. Why shirt? Tie? And belt? Why not our traditional clothes? (not to mention the fact that most people tend to find it unspeakably uncomfortable) Would it mean disrespect to someone if you did wear clothes from a different - am I to say ‘your own’ - culture? What can possibly be so wrong about that?

The Indians on the other hand have my regard. They maintain their traditional costumes at least at special occasions and what’s better is that they are proud of it. Them, living in a foreign land will not necessarily prevent them not dressing up in the clothes which are not worn by the majority.

If only we could stop being so chicken…

How important is outward appearance?

These books that are written with the purpose of motivating another individual by those who consider themselves motivated people never really got around doing any good to me. I can never be motivated by some stupid saying or an article or anything that tries to play with your emotions using the weapon of words. Sometimes these are just about speeding up the growth process.

Coming back to the topic… eh what was it now? Oh outward appearance? Dress? clothes? Attire? Hairstyle? Can we touch on accent? How much does it really contribute to the person you are?

Ok so this is how I see it. If you are leading people at the lower level you need to look pleasant enough to do it. Smartly dressed. Hair neatly combed. Polite. And all that following but see if your leading people who will be convinced more by the person you are than your outward appearance you really don’t have to give a damn about what you look like. First impressions matter and people fight hard to make their first mark but once they get their and prove themselves to the rest, outward appearance really becomes a secondary necessity because people respect you for who you are and not what you wear or look like. So for those freaks who put dress before themselves let me say that you can’t get away just being well dressed and it a takes a lot more to leave your footprints behind.

Case closed!

That’s just the way things are. Accept it or die!

Most people tend to “assume” things because other people don’t open up enough!

Makkah and Madina

Haj is the fifth and most expensive pillar of Islam and therefore is compulsory only for those who can afford it. Umrah on the other hand is Sunnah – meaning not compulsory. I spent one April holiday at Makkah for Umrah. It was a very different and interesting experience. Although we had to keep reminding each other that it was no fun ride but pilgrimage, the whole tour was like refreshing the soul and the mind. And who says that pilgrimage cannot be made fun?

The Ka’bah at Makkah was a lot larger than what I imagined it to be. It took us an average of about 20 minutes to go around it seven times and this depended entirely on the crowd that was there. It was nice to actually see what we were facing when we prayed back at home for decades. I didn’t really like the native people much…. but there, you could find almost all kinds of people – the black, the white and the in between. Some were crippled and some were kings. Never seen a large crowd as that before. There were no differences in the uniform or the performance. It was the same for all. Two pieces of unstitched white fabric for men’s attire and women - covered fully except for face and hands. Children cried while the mothers were in prayer. The trip from Makkah to Madina was long and lovely although most parts of it were dry and covered by camel. Madina was much more beautiful. The weather was cool and almost as peaceful and as calm as the people there – a significant difference from Makkah. Dialog roaming doesn’t work there by the way. The food was great. Mutton was the most common meat. There were plenty of books. You can’t take pictures inside the mosque. (In fact you can’t do that it any mosque). The Zam Zam water was always in plenty. We practically lived on it

Somehow I want to go there again. It’s like I didn’t have enough of it. It wasn’t a very long stay. People always keep recalling their experience there. You probably would never face anything like it anywhere else in the world. Most people, this month, are also flying there for Umrah. Sometimes the total crowd exceeds two million. The little city of Makkah although not as highly developed as the rest of the country, does an excellent job of managing this crowd each year. Hopefully I should be able to see my next visit coming, not very far away, Insha Allah.

Zakat

If you have any savings that have exceeded a year, you have to pay 2.5% of it as Zakat for the poor. There are seven categories of people who are entitled to receive Zakat. Zakat is generally paid during the month of Ramadan because it is said that the reward for good deeds in this month is higher. Zakat is compulsory and is the fourth principle in the religion. It’s a good way of investing in the ‘not so well off’ part of the nation annually. People generally value their gold, land and whatever else they have to set aside a potion for this cause. That’s about it from what I know.

Highlights on Umrah - next time around.

How can one be creative?

Don’t be conventional

There are no assumptions in life

Don’t use past experience or knowledge

Wipe the slate clean

Now think anew

The world would definitely be a better place if...

...there weren’t so many chickens around

Part 2 - Cutlery and culture

This time I was telling them about the importance of punctuality. About how it adds to the person you are just like your attire or communication. I had to tell them something so I told them how people in this part of the world have no respect for the other's time. How they say "I'll be there in 15" but you keep waiting for ages. And somehow I brought in the cutlery and culture issue because I thought it may be good for them to know. When I'm almost done with explaining myself, one student from the back decides to voice out his thoughts - "I don't think we have to practice good time management because it's not our culture"

Watch what you laugh at

At an orientation lecture for the newer batches I was caught in a spontaneous discussion in the use of good language and how rare it is getting. I then see myself getting carried away when the discussion leads to eating with cutlery.

People often tend to look down upon a person who may not be aware of the appropriate usage of cutlery. Is it really something to laugh about? It's a question of culture isn't it? You don't really HAVE to know another culture, do you? You visit a country that has left hand driven vehicles, you simply get yourself trained. You don't have to feel bad about asking someone or telling someone how to use something off a different culture. I'm told (the truth of which I'm not sure) that the fork and spoon evolved as a result of a fast spreading plague in the hands. Myths apart, I feel that there is no need for anyone to be embarrassed about not knowing another culture or even language for that matter. It's perfectly OK not to know and to ask or to find out. If you don't know your chemistry before a chemistry exam you should be shot and laughed at but this? Utterly senseless and worthless piece of fact to make humour of.

Sometimes the best way to deal with people’s reaction is to ignore it

These things drive me crazy

Indians are way ahead. They are leading in most parts of the world – US covered!

Their main mode of study – learn everything and anything by heart. Understanding will come later.

So is intelligence merely good memory?

There are more important thing in life than career and work

I’m trying to figure out what

Youth

What’s the next word that comes to your mind when you hear that word?
Fun?
Yeah youth is all about ‘fun’; or is it?

If you asked the youth of today to define fun, may be they’ll say fun is to wear a ring around the belly button, eyebrow or tongue. They may say fun is to smoke and drink around, playing pool, or cruising around the city in elaborate automobiles, tattoos, money, music, movies or friends to hang out with. They might claim that tinted hair or funky and wacky looking outfits are ‘cool’ or ‘fun’. They might even go to the extent of saying assembling a pc, reading or cyber surfing is also a part of fun.

Whatever they say, youth is not the same for all. Youth has meant different things to different people at different times, societies, cultures and other divisions. If you asked the youth of the 60s and 70s what they thought fun was they’d probably say that bell-bottom trousers, or side-burns, cinemas or even fishing was fun. The youth of most parts of the western half of the world prepare themselves to leave home and live an independent life by the age of 13 or 14 whereas the other - if I am allowed to say ‘better’ half of the world - have mothers standing at the door of the homes if their 20 year old sons were late after an evening out. In the days of the old we have also seen people at the birth of youth preparing themselves for war and greater causes that the youth of today cant even bring close to their dreams. Culture influences youth… no doubt! What else does?

The best part of one's life is youth. Hardly anybody can deny that. It is the time when one is healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. It is the only time when people feel the anxiety of taking the keys into their own hands and cruising around world exploring and discovering themselves and the environment, battling to understand, fountains of conflicting thoughts and ideas, captured by love and torn by disagreement and arguments. It is the only time when you have a lot that you can offer to the world. But really how much can youth offer?

How much of the virtually limitless energy, enthusiasm, bravery and courage is lost in worthless sport, idiotic computer games, challenge-less and other futile and vain time absorbers? How many of the million of sparkling youth sit back and watch and wonder around waiting for the aged or adults to take over. Unconstructive arguments about insignificant issues with parents and elders are the order of the day. It is gradually eating up the youth not allowing them to do as much as their potential permits them to. They are too taken up in the lighter issues of life and their youth is completely wasted and before they even have time to reconsider their doings and habits, youth is already gone - finished - leaving them to face the other responsibilities of life such as providing for the home. The ‘invisible hand’ of Adam smith is left to take over the greater aspects of life and society and no man in his good and conscious mind has contributed any fair share to the world except his mere existence and selfish motives.

Youth have a heavier and more significant role to play today as always. They are able to do a much greater deal than to sulk around over messed up love affairs or get the latest software games installed. The society needs them in much larger ways than they are even aware of. They have to be informed of their role and treated that way too. Overdevelopment of a nation also sometimes stands in the way of advancement and empowering of youth if you know what I mean. Parental domination in our part of the world also inhibits the growth of the capabilities of youth today. Even elders need to be educated and informed that the greater part to be paid to the world is expected of the youth. Elders should be playing the role of facilitators and guides rather than teachers and forceful drivers. Children need to be geared to engineer their way through. I’m not by any means saying here that children and youth should not allowed to be what they are and have their fun engaging themselves in vain and unproductive activity rather the point I’m trying to make is that the youth have capacity to do much more on their own without being steered to. They are the ones that lead the path to a greater cause in the existence of mankind and they must by all means given the opportunity, freedom and facility to do it. All we need to do is to recognise their true potential and ignite the fire within them because if we do that their payment to the success of mankind will be unimaginable.

One rule for life!

Never do anything extra for anyone!

I keep telling myself

I keep telling myself...

"Come on, worse things happen!"

Forgive and live

The smartest people sometimes do the stupidest things

Super mum

It was may be a little over five years ago when I came home from school just like any other day. I never actually cried that night. It still remains as one of the most sorrowful nights of my life.

That night - I could not imagine what my morning would be like. I had never spent a night at home without grownups. I didn’t know if she was going to make it. My heart skipped a beat at the words on the phone call. I could barely follow the instruction given - I had to pack her some stuff, she was being admitted. She was bad –very bad. I lost the rest.

While doing what I was asked to, I was trying to imagine what it would be like without her. She was too young. It was a vision that had never crossed my mind before and I was plagued by it.

When I was sick or in a bad mood I would simply curl up in bed with a long face or pretend to be doing something. But she – no matter how healthy or ill she was she would wake up much before dawn, cook, make breakfast, clean up, send us to school and go to work. There were no servants. She did it all by herself. She never complained. I wasn’t much help either. I even fussed sometimes. She would come up with elaborate spreads of her delicious cooking for visitors from all over the world. What I loved best off her deserts was the creamy chocolate fudge. Often we had overnight visitors and when they ask us if he have enough room, mama would just say “as long as there’s room in our hearts there’ll always be room in our home”. Again – it was all her alone.

I never actually got around telling her how much I love her. As we grew up the habit of giving her a goodbye hug before leaving home, slowly died out just like the bedtime stories and nursery rhymes.

When mama came back home from the hospital I just knew one thing in my heart – she was truly irreplaceable and I would never in my life be able to do all that she did as good as she did it. I never realised how much I had until God knocked on my door.

Today is her birthday. Over weeks, I’ve been thinking of stuff to get her and stuff that I could do with her together. May be we’ll cook something or bake a cake. May be I should tell her how great I think she is. May be we’ll play scrabble or go for a walk. Whatever I do for her, for sure will not be enough to show her my love and gratitude. My mind has no capacity to think of what she’s worth of. I hope the Lord will take care of her just like she took care of us.

Acres of love and mountains of joy

Yeah that’s what she gave me

That’s all that I have

Wonderful advice

Some good spanking once in a while

Sweet childhood memories

And much more to come

To carry to my grave

Thank you so much mama

Just Everybody

Everybody knows something that you don’t

Everybody’s got some sort of vocabulary that he/she does not know how to spell/ pronounce or the meaning of.

Everybody is ashamed of at least one thing

Everybody has something to regret about

Everybody made some big mistake in their life

Everybody has to cry sometime in their lives

Everybody needs a friend

And if that doesn’t make you feel any better

You are not everybody

FAQs

Q: Why are your blogs sad?
A: Sorry no answer

Q: How come you walk so fast?
A: Don’t look

Q: So when’s the big day?
A: Soon

Q: Do you like lecturing?
A: Don’t like to call it that but yeah I love it!

Q: Hey, you hardly smile!
A: I’m saving them! :)) (No actually -lost a tooth, unfortunately)

Q: How do you make mountains off very simple topics in your blogs?
A: Just think about it a little more

Q: What’s the worst thing you ever did?
A: It’s definitely not bad enough to stay in my mind

Q: How much did I get?
A: As much as you deserve

Q: How old are you?
A: As old as I look

Q: Can we have an extension?
A: NO!!!

Q: What’s your favourite batch?
A: The one in which I was :)

Q: Do you like us?
A: (I get really lost here)

Guys, it is not easy being a lecturer so please, please think a little before asking me those questions.

Welcoming Alf to blog world!

Hey people, we have a new comer. He was here about a year ago and then left after some bad experiences. Check him out!

I can’t see

But I’m not blind

I can’t hear

But I’m not deaf

I can’t talk

But I’m not dumb

The Thesaurus

Why waste so many words to say the same thing?

Truly Happy!

There is no greater happiness than making someone else happy....

What next?

The tsunami came and left; tearing our lives apart while at the same time bringing us as a nation together. The oceans discriminated none.

However, if one takes the past few months into consideration, just how many troubles have hit the streets in a span of six to nine months? Starting from Shahrukh Khan’s issue, to rallies to strike after strike disrupting normal human life, standing in the way of whatever little progress there is, causing absolutely unnecessary disputes and pain and worst of all demeaning the status of mankind. You wake up in the morning to realise you cannot make it to work only because whatever simple and ineffective modes of available transport are completely non-functional. Parents send their children to school and wait at the gates with heavy hearts to see that the children arrive safely. People double check the locks of their vehicles to make sure they wont be carjacked or stolen off their dead bodies. A peaceful life of no worries and fears is almost unimaginable to us, leave alone the idea of making a home of your own for the future. It seems that the vicious circle continues destroying the joys and lives of many more generations to come!

Lord, I leave it in your hands as I hear your voice echoing that you leave it in mine!

“Business has become the most powerful institution on the planet. The
dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole.
Business, however, has not had such a tradition. This is a new role, not well
understood or accepted. Built on the concept of capitalism and free enterprise
from the beginning was the assumption that the actions of many units of
individual enterprise, responding to market forces and guided by the “invisible
10 hand” of Adam Smith, could somehow add up to desirable outcomes. However,
in the last decade of the twentieth century, it has become clear that the “invisible
hand” is faltering. It depends on the consensus of overarching meanings and
values that are no longer present. So business has to adapt a tradition it has
never been throughout the entire history of capitalism: to share responsibility for
the whole. Every decision that is made, every action that is taken must be
viewed in light of that responsibility.”

WILLIS HARMAN, cofounder of the World Business Academy

The Days… are they completely gone?

The salty wind blows upon my face and I stand there staring at the calm of the ocean, recalling the days when we had to go to school in coloured head scarves in order to hide identity. The days when we had months of vacation only because it was not safe enough to be in school. The days when we were so afraid to leave home because of not being sure of getting back home in one piece. The days when we used to be so scared when a loved one was getting late to get back. The days when we were so scared to be outside home after the clock crossed 6pm. The enormous risk that we took in making trips out of Colombo is almost unspeakable of. The days when we were awaken in the middle of the night to the belief that the entire city was being burnt down. The fear of the unknown and the unpredictable height of crime, misery, death and pain. The days when even the lighting of crackers sometimes seemed like the blasting of a bombs. There was almost nothing to think about or wish for.

When people told me about the 83 riots – the dead bodies in rivers, the vehicles been burnt with people inside them - it seemed to be like something that could only happen in movies but I soon realised that I was wrong. It was more than believable, it was visual. I remember the nights when I used to wake up to the scary images of finding the head of a dead body. I would recall happenings from the newspapers and television.

Right here, right now, I’m actually wondering whether those days are really gone or - like the conversion of energy from one form to another - have they only changed to some from physical and mental trauma to some nameless feelings that lingers in our heads and heart making them heavy with the feeling of nothingness….

Lord, give us a future, save us!

Feeling good

Feeling good about yourself all the time can be bad sometimes and feeling bad about yourself sometimes can be good

Looking at the mirror that will tell you exactly what you are

What is more important than understanding other people, is understanding yourself!

There are two sides to me. Don’t judge me by just seeing only one

It could be too late

Always tell a man good things about him before he dies

Reborn everyday

He is most unfortunate who's today is not better than yesterday

Painting pictures with words

I am no expert when it comes to writing but I put some thoughts down on the spur of the moment for a friend. Thought I’ll share it!

People are sometimes gifted with good language skills (grammar, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation). This is difficult to master for most as we end up not paying attention to detail and tend to focus more on the content rather than the context of what is being said.

As for the writing skills (in terms of composition only) - one significant issue is that of emotion and feeling. You have to make the reader feel what you feel. This is easier to do when it comes to prose. Don't think that hiding your feelings is a smart thing to do. You might say that you write something not for the readers' pleasure but for your writing pleasure alone. Hear this - a feeling is most often momentary; meaning when you read what you have written at a later time, that piece of work should have the power of bringing back exactly what you felt like, when you were writing it.

A few writing tips

• The appropriate use of adjectives is very important. It's like the salt in a curry… too little or too much can ruin the entire dish.
• You have also to strike a balance between mixing long and short sentences. They add colour and variation.
• Some people have the habit of writing drafts and revising many times before publishing. I don't know how effective this practice is. For me I feel that if something doesn't come right the first time, it won't come right at all.
• When you write you must also play with the senses and the sensory memory. Use smell, touch and taste to describe places people etc. eg: He slowly opened his eyes while sensing that bad hospital odor that he always disliked.
• Too much and redundant detail should be avoided. Stephen king often puts me to sleep when he describes every detail of a room or a woman's dress. As I said before, the right amount of description is what matters rather than glamorous and heavy words.
• Your opening sentence must always be a blast. You either lose or keep your reader here. eg: She screamed!
• Most importantly (depending on the subject) you need to either express or not express feeling and emotion.
• Avoid vague ideas: don't have the reader thinking what the hell is he talking abt?
• Finally keep it simple: Mahathir Mohamed may be a great thinker but when it comes to wording his thoughts he sure can reach into your heart by just being simple!

Just let me be

Why do people have to keep comparing you with the better folks, if each one is a unique combination of elements and compounds?

~ EMIT TIME ~

Lord, I ask not for more time in my life
But do please give me more time in a day!

He forgot

He never believed in me

He never said any nice words

He never thought I will ever excel

He would say I was rebellious and incorrigible

He made me feel like nobody

He laughed at my dreams

And frowned at my work

On his death bed he said

“I believed in you, but I never showed it”

“I wanted you to be inspired by your faults and not achievements”

“I wanted you to excel through criticism and not praise”

“I wanted you to never give up on yourself no matter what anyone said”

“I wanted you to find out for yourself rather than me telling you”

“I want you to know now that you are so much more than what you ever thought you were”

He lied

He forgot that I had a heart

Do first impressions really matter?

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression but tell me, how far does first impression matter?

Have you seen some people who are living proof that first impressions can be so wrong? I have, and trust me, the cover of a book can be soooo misleading!

7 Easy tips for Success

1. Make the most of the worst
When you’re in a difficult situation, think that if you can handle this one good, you can handle almost anything else better.

2. Watch out
When you read or watch something good always watch out for those things that can improve you as a person

3. Roll out bad ideas
When something bad about someone comes to your mind try to understand that person rather than make judgments

4. Use leisure
Always use free time to add value to your life

5. Try not to be predictable
Think of new ways of doing old things

6. Give gifts
Before someone gifts you something always think of what you can do in return

7. Finally don’t forget the fun part
Creating love, friendship and a little wacky humour every now and then could be healthy

Beautiful, Is Everything!

The beauty of realistic thinking
Is in optimistic predictions

The beauty of troubles
Is in keeping calm no matter what

The beauty of a smile
Is in how honest it is

The beauty in anger
Is in taking charge of it

The beauty in cultivating a home
Is in hearing the laughter of a family

The beauty in living
Is in knowing that beautiful is everything

The beauty in dying
Is in knowing you had a life well lived

Live tomorrow, tomorrow

The tryer dreams of a land that only exists in the tryer’s dreams
The tryer believes not in the land of the living
Nor sees a future in the tangible mess
The tryer laughs at its mistakes and cries at its hopes
As it predicts the tomorrows, it prepares for the worst

The tryer strives to evolve beyond a mere human body to a spiritual greater cause
The tryer is no more than a creature of sand and soil
A reversible piece of organized junk
A messed sixth sense that gives no power or value

The tryer fights its own blood and flesh
Tryer kills; dying in the process
The tryer wishes not for bliss
Nor sees a doorway to freedom
The tryer hears no good words
No good news

Only mystical fireworks inside the dark web that rules
The tryer keeps painting pretty pictures on soiled canvas
It wipes of the scribble marks on the white walls
It sweeps up the troubles under the carpet

To hide and be hidden
Secrets full of woe
It dwells on the hardest thing to do
Not to let it show

It takes more than that….

Considering the comments on my previous post I feel I shouldn’t have said too much knowing I could be influential to people around. As they say what’s done cannot be undone and damn it Murphy; to hell with your law and all the rest!

I Quit

I can’t take it anymore. The stress and everything has taken me over and I am possessed by things of which I have no knowledge of. After a long and totally unconvincing conversation with the man I decided I’m quitting my post grads. I still have time and right now I want to enjoy my life doing the things I “like” doing. I don’t want to be forced into this thing. When I can enjoy myself watching a movie or preparing for a class or reading or sleeping, I’ve got to sit around with boring text reading idiotic stuff. I hate it so much. I tried ahrd to take up the pressure courageously, but failed. I can’t help with chores around the house. I can’t join family and staff trips. All my weekends are screwed. I can’t live my bloody life which is getting sicker by the hour. I keep getting on people’s nerves including my own. No one understands what I’m going through except myself so I have decided to stop it once and for all. I get only one chance to live my life and I can’t sacrifice the best years of it, working for some ridiculous worldly matters that add no value to me. It’s all just for other people’s mere human satisfaction. Why did I ever join this bloody thing… why am I saving up my life? It’ll be time to die when I have saved enough to start living. May be I will regret this decision but seriously if you’re reading this blog you know nothing more than what I have told you. You are half the cause of all the pain and misery that I have to go through whether you like to admit that or not so please, please let me make my own decisions for myself?????

Will I do it?

Let me rule for a day. Give me the place that you are sitting in, for one… just one day!

It’s a sad day when you find out that it’s not accident or time or fortune but just yourself that kept things from you.
Lillian Hellman

When the conversations stop…

The action begins

A language ahead

I was taken by surprise when an MBA mate commented on my Sinhalese He actually told me that my sinhala was very good - not accented; not inaccurate; just perfect. Hmm… May be the sinhala only gets messed up when I give road instruction or directions to the driver which is not a very rare occurrence.

I am thankful to my neighbours with whom I grew up. Our common language of communication was singhala and if not for them, I think I may have ended up being as bad as my mates back in school. This might sound like a brag but I also am comfortable to use the word “know” for a couple of other languages including Divehi, Urdu and Arabic. Of course, most it I have forgotten now due to lack of being in touch. My dad who is very fluent in French never really got around spreading it to me so I have left that for the future. It’s really nice to know a lot of languages and lots of different cultures. It can take you a long way… especially if you are lost in the streets!

Myself

Ok, so I’ve been told that people enjoy reading my blogs. That’s good to hear. Well not all my blogs are a reflection of things I go through in everyday life. It’s just a matter of sheer relaxation and may be even just a teeny weenie bit of enjoyment. Had a lot in mind and blogger gave me a good opportunity to get rid of some of it. Getting people worked up may be I did sometimes (and believe me there’s quite a few actually). I just do it for fun. I know that is wrong to have fun at the cost of other people’s eh… what shall I say… curiosity? Yeah I know I’m a mean girl and most often I pretend to be double triple mean. I don’t know why. Sometimes colleagues notice it and advice me. Others have given up on me saying I’m beyond advice. He he he (evil smile)

It’s been a good year…. I know its an awkward time of the year to say this but it really has. I learnt a lot. I also lost a lot but for now, I forget the losses and remember the diamonds of yesteryear. Thank you all for even the slightest bit of something you gave me!

If I can change one thing about the past what would it be?

For a moment my mind was blank at this question. THERE ACTUALLY WAS NOTHING THAT I WANT TO CHANGE. But then I thought a bit deeper and decided if it was anything at all, it would be the people I had to be with. An impossible anticipation of a perfect world…
Almost any management jargon is about changing people. Why is impossibility discussed to such an extent, I try to speculate.

What’s it with these people? I know I cannot find a land with people only like me. I also know that the process of changing myself is long and knotty. What then am I to do?
I am disturbed by the pins of tomorrow and the needles of yesterday. This is a squander of time and effort when there are better things to be doing or even thinking…. therefore I beg to my memory…to leave me alone!

Achieving Perfection

An ounce of wisdom
A great sense of humour
A little creativity
A pocket full of love
A smile to give
And a friend to have
That’s all you need
Near perfect, to be

Mean to be

Our paths crossed for some reason and now we are left with no choice but to keep walking. According to the theory of relativity some things are just destined to be but I just keep wishing it wasn’t…

Help me!

If there’s someone craving for help in the form of power and sympathy and I am able to give them neither what am I supposed to do?

They

They never bother too look beyond
They are blinded by their own antagonism
They make irrational judgement
Based on subjective opinion and false anecdote
They create nonexistent substance
They attack you with their own wild assumptions and conclusions
No grounds, whatsoever
They believe that all what they think and say is accurate
They leave no room for elucidation
They never give up
They never give in
They torment
They hurt
They pretend
They lie
They mock
“God be nice to them
Because they don’t know how to be nice to others”

G A (can you get that one?)

Some things are worth belief, even without evidence

What is beyond?

Beyond the clouds, is brightness that cannot be imagined
Beyond the cover of the book, is a whole story
Beyond the eyes, is extraordinary beauty
Beyond what is told, lies what is implied
Beyond witty comments, is true companionship
Beyond the pretty smile, is the hidden hatred
Beyond what is seen, lies the truth…

The difference

I am what I am not by chance but by choice…

S . T . O. P ! ! !

They keep dumping everything on us as if we have buckets instead of brains.

A page off my journal

I’m once again glad that the heavy weekend is over and done with and I’m so glad that the Lord has blessed our nation with a few holidays every now and then. It helps me organize myself and get back on my toes. The pleasing sound of the rain outside the window and the books around me kept closed give me a moment for myself.
We are now hitting the sixth month after tsunami happen. We are also at the bridge of crossing ½ the year. Where are we?
There is absolutely nothing to look back on and worse - nothing to look forward to. Where are all those selfless souls that were running around wild after the oceans played their wildest? Some of the funds have been appropriately used and the rest? We simply don’t know…
Are we pretending that things are fine and back to normal now or are we continuing to think that it is up to the government to make hay and to create back the nation for us? Are the fishermen confident to go back into the sea and are the farmers strong enough to harvest again?
Whatever the choices are, the are not limited.

I feel guilty. I also feel helpless alone. I feel scared. I also feel left out. I feel there is no other reason but myself. Why is it that we are here with no hope and no where to go to? As I read arguments on the papers and watch unproductive debates and terrorizing news on TV, I choose to idle around rather than to be haunted by the torturing words and images. There is no action any where else except in the mind!

Slavery to society

Ok I have a test tomorrow and what am I doing here? I don’t know I just keep reading irrelevant information everywhere. The skype fever is dying out slowly just like everything else does once the fun is over and the tears have dried.

Hmmm… I’ve been thinking. Why is it so difficult to make a decision that makes you fall into the minority? Why is it so easy to accept what everyone agrees with rather than to stand up for your beliefs? Is it a question of being strong enough to stand against the wind?

When I ask my friends why they are into drinking or smoking a common answer would be “to socialize”. Do you think you cannot socialize if you’re not a drinker? Most people don’t want to but do it only because of social pressure so if this “most” people can actually implement their beliefs will this not be so much easier to follow?

I guess that one too will just have to join my dusty thought-shelf to be answered forever. Being among the minority is difficult. I totally agree with Maslow’s social need theory. You cannot survive alone no matter how strong you are but there sure is more than a few ways of achieving this human need, indeed if we but pause to look around. With that let me leave you to think about yourself and how strong you are in standing up against the rest of the world for what you believe in.

Just sharing some experiences

Once, I almost fell in love and had to stop even before getting started and I came to know then, that it was the worst emotion you can ever feel.

To realize that you can’t have someone just when you start liking that someone is bad. Somehow we learned to grow out of the feeling. It was really hard. When people told me break-ups were tough, I never bothered taking it seriously (in fact I use to most of the time be pessimistic and even give negative advice) but after it happened to me I thought never again will I tread in that path to hurt myself so much. I actually never knew before that, what it was like to cry. I used to be so very happy. Anyway I wrapped it all up in a box and put a carpet over it. To think of all the time and pages of my journal that I wasted for him… Can I really call it ‘wasting’? They say you must think twice before you put something in writing. I never did and I’m thankful for it because those pages are the only memories I have of him now. Haven’t heard from him since the break and I guess I never will but it is certainly a sad fact that those feelings never go away 100%. When people tell me sad stories about their emotional lives my mind always goes back to those sorrowful times. Wish we can take some drugs to completely forget it. Well that’s enough of soppy stories for now. I don’t know why we keep splashing around blogger with these ones.

Where have all the good men gone?

This morning on my way to work I noticed a trishaw splash its way through a puddle of water only to soil the clothes of a couple of little kids walking clad in white shirts, white sarongs and this cloth that goes around the shoulders. My heart went out to them.

The other day my friend and I had to take a tuk tuk out somewhere. He was so reckless I thought my minutes were numbered. We kept praying and telling him that we were in no hurry to die.

Where have all the private organizations and the so called “social responsibility” gone to? Doesn’t someone need to educate these people? Can’t we expect a little bit of professionalism from them? Or are we going to be classed as underdeveloped countries for ever? Well the root of the situation is that where in the world do we first get our lessons from? Why the hell do men toot the horn so much when they see lady drivers when most of us ladies are better drivers than men. Insecurity is it? Yes, we stop at the crossings and we do not switch lanes and we WAIT for the vehicle in front to turn and if the men of this nation have no patience then we are in deep graves. It’s totally pathetic – the buses and the trishaws and the rest. Will someone please stand up for us?

Check this out

Check this out

Drawing lines

To draw a line between a smile and a laugh
To draw a line between having fun and getting stuff done
To draw a line between passing and failing someone
To draw a line between momentary existence and mere living
To draw a line between foolishness and bravery
To draw a line between being friends and more
To draw a line between being unhappy and being unfocused
To draw a line between motivation and punishment
To draw a line between being friendly and firm
To draw a line between myself and the world
To draw a line that shall cut through all the above lines…

What is religion?

I try to keep religion out of most matters for the sake of peace and with my level of ignorance it could be just treading onto dangerous territory. I’m no qualified individual to give statements of Fatwa. All that I can is to voice simple human opinion and if you ask me I think that one should not be too concerned of the opinion of others. Therefore this is for hearing from one ear and letting out from the other…

Religion by definition should have a God (something of power) and a set of guidelines or whatever that defines the “hows” of the ways one may go about life. This would mean that a person could believe in God but not have a religion or even vice-versa. Many atheists and intellectuals believe that Religion is simply for the less capable or the ones who have no self-control and therefore need to abide by a set of regulations. For one thing religion is definitely more than guidelines with a God. Is it then a science? Correct me if I’m wrong - to me Islam is not a religion if this be its definition. Islam to me in just a simple term is “life”.

A little diversion… (Since it crossed my mind just now)

Most religions (this word should be used with care) of the world were somewhat incomplete. Christianity is something like an upgraded version of Judaism (which is also an upgrade) and Islam the upgraded version of Christianity just like most of the other things around
.
Buddhism which could have been an upgrade to Hinduism is a philosophy – one in my opinion that is far ahead of most other commonly practised religions or state law. The outcome of research on what life is and how it could be best lived. If we look through a magnifying glass do we see a close connection between culture and religion? Now, which influenced which? There has also been some past concern about the closeness in the teachings of the lord Buddha and the prophet Muhammed. In fact there has also been some suspicion as to whether the Lord Buddha could have even been a prophet. This though which has no evidence, is a notion mainly due to the fact that although there were over a hundred thousand prophets only twenty five of their names have been mentioned in the Quran. This however is a diversion from my initial topic.

Does a man need a religion? No certainly not. It is only a choice – an answer at difficult situations. If man was perfect enough to live his life with absolutely no user manual then why has man himself felt the need to come up with judicial state laws and the like? Why not have these only for the lesser mortals? This is a question that has tickled the minds of many. It is but a trickle of thought that has scratched the minds of man time and time again through history and will continue to trouble stemming buds like us only to leave with no answer. With this I hope that I would keep to my initial principle of keeping things of religious concern out of common conversation but going back to my definition, how can I not when everything is in someway related to it?

The best to do is to concentrate on what makes our life more productive rather than on such vain and conclusion-less thoughts and arguments of this nature. For me it’s back to books now!

I can’t fight this feeling any longer….

I am surprised that I still find the strength to type this. I reach home @ 6pm and sleep till 7. When I wake up I realize I have to be at a group meeting @ 7. I rush there to find that a few still haven’t arrived. After two hours of a very productive meeting I’m home @ 15 past 9 hungry and more than that sleepy. I munch something quickly and get down to some leftover work off the meeting that should be mailed to all. It’s back to work tomorrow and I’m praying that the night be as long as it possibly can. Now as I send this mail I’m wishing that I could skip this semester, take three months off just to be a slave to laziness and start over fresh next year. But I’m only afraid that I will loose the interest and that I will fail in overpowering my laziness for a second time. Who can save me from this dilemma?

Tell me why

This was a well established company in the heart of Colombo headed by a well known dynamic and highly educated individual. It’s almost two years now since I had the interview. He simply asked me the usual series of questions that any interview would have. I knew the job would be mine even before I went for the interview. I was taken by surprise.

Terms and conditions were all satisfactory. He stated that I was perfect for the job, but there was a condition. He asked me if I can work without the head scarf at least within the premises of the building. I was tempted to ask “to what extent does my head scarf influence my capacity to work here?” but I did not speak because this was a man well-read speaking to me. His answer by no means would have justified his decision.

Can my capabilities be by any means be affected by the head scarf that I wear? Will I be less efficient than anyone else at the same level. Thanking him I walked out thinking why he in the brilliance of his mind simply thought so...

On Polygamy

Question: Why is a man allowed to have more than one wife in Islam? i.e. why is polygamy allowed in Islam?
Answer: ( by Dr. Zakir Naik)
1. Definition of Polygamy
Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry is completely prohibited.
Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife?
2. The Qur'an is the only religious scripture in the world that says,"marry only one".
The Qur'an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase `marry only one'. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives.
In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (960 C.E to 1030 C.E) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.
3. Hindus are more polygynous than Muslims
The report of the `Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam', published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that the percentage of polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961 was 5.06% among the Hindus and only 4.31% among the Muslims.
According to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it being illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to Muslims. Earlier, there was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the Hindu scriptures.
Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife.
4. Qur'an permits limited polygyny
As I mentioned earlier, Qur'an is the only religious book on the face of the earth that says `marry only one'. The context of this phrase is the following verse from Surah Nisa of the Glorious Qur'an:
"Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one."
[Al-Qur'an 4:3]
Before the Qur'an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he deals justly with them.
In the same chapter i.e. Surah Nisa verse 129 says:
"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women...." [Al-Qur'an 4:129]
Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to have more than one wife.
Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do's and Don'ts:
i. `Fard' i.e. compulsory of obligatory
ii. `Mustahab' i.e. recommended or encouraged
iii. `Mubah' i.e. permissible or allowed
iv. `Makruh' i.e. not recommended or discouraged
v. `Haraam' i.e. prohibited or forbidden
Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible. It cannot be said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who has only one wife.
5. Average life span of females is more than that of males
By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. A female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the germs and diseases better than the male child. For this reason, during the pediatric age itself there are more deaths among males as compared to the females.
During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the world than widowers.
6. India has more male population than female due to female foeticide and infanticide
India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in which the female population is less than the male population. The reason lies in the high rate of female infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have more females as compared to males.
7. World female population is more than male population
In the USA, women outnumber men by 7.8 million. New York alone has one million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male population of New York one-third are gays i.e sodomites. The U.S.A as a whole has more than twenty-five million gays. This means that these people do not wish to marry women. Great Britain has four million more females as compared to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million more females there are in the whole world as compared to males.
8. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical
Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than thirty million females in U.S.A who would not be able to get husbands (considering that America has twenty five million gays). There would be more than four million females in Great Britain, 5 million females in Germany and nine million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband.
In Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful, unprotected life. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and lead a protected life.
Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to marry a married man or to become public property. Islam prefers giving women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second.There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but it is mainly to protect the modesty of women.

Such parasites will always live thru time

Last Sunday at a group meeting with my fellow colleages at class a very interesting, but usual thing happen. One of the guys openly declared that he will strictly NOT indulge in any team work. He said he was far too busy at work and when he gets home after eight he makes time for his wife and kids and that he cannot do any work for the assignment. He said “You share the work and I share only your marks”.

Such parasites were a common creation among students in the undergraduate level. But here too? With my eyes open wide I thought to myself its all coming all over again.

Look, if people need only the qualification, for god’s sake why not just let them have it? Some people just try to survive by drowning others. Often students come to you and complain about fellow team-mates who are bad team players. - “I cannot work with him/her”; “Please change our groups”; “If I’m stuck with them I will not work”-. These are a few of the phrases that stimulate our holy advice of how it is not an ideal world and out there in the industry you do not get to choose your buddies. Dealing with teams is part of the learning process. Some people will work and some people will not and there is no perfect education or any other system that can prevent this. Life is unfair, true enough. One thing is for sure – at the end of the day people who work more will certainly benefit.

A difficult but effective thing to do is to look at the positives of every sad situation that hits our lives. I recently came across Gunith’s blog which talks a lot of negatives of a situation. It is human nature to critically analyse all situations. Negatives appear first and that is unavoidable but at all times we must try hard to suppress negative feelings and highlight the positives.

As for my team - I am going to be selfish and work harder than everyone else. For me - knowledge is definitely more valuable than grades. I know this sounds nerdy but his guy who doesn’t want to work is actually unconsciously creating an opportunity for me to learn more and I, am not going to miss it!

Happy working, people!

A silent prayer

Lord, help me to admit when I am wrong make me easier to live with when I am right.

My fault

I know I suck at poetry writing. Yet it is one form of writing pleasure where free falling can actually feel real smooth and good. Beside who really cares about rules and regulations?
Here’s another one of my soppy ones.

How can you twist
my smiles into a frown?
How do have the heart
to make my eyes smart?
How can you watch
the tears on my face?
How can you make my bright day
turn so very grey?
Don’t you hear my call
or do you pretend you cant?
Why did I do wrong to you?
When was I never true?
How come you can be so strong
to make me feel that I am wrong?
The only mistake I ever made
Was to fall… free fall for you!

As I celebrate…

As I celebrate the first anniversary of my blogging life I’m wondering what life it really has. The only law/theory that I found 100% practical from business is the law/theory of diminishing marginal utility which in common man’s language is “Bloody fed up of it”.

Really I don’t know why I get so bored so fast. In fact I’m surprised this lasted a year. Everything I do seems to run out fast. If a sem was anything more than 14 weeks I’d rather beg on the streets. Well what can I say? I get tired of things real fast!

And to make things worse….

Two group assignments and a test already. What a treat! It seems like it’s coming all over again. I feel miserable thinking of all those things I need to remember. Why are good things so hard to get?

I hate using blogging as a means of getting it out. And here goes my grumbling again!

The way the world works....

People who have nothing are sometimes right at the top because people who have everything lack the willingness to move forward!

The law of diminishing marginal utility

You get fed up with everything at some point and it is then… that its time to pack up!

Nothing left

The worst discovery you can ever make is to discover that everything that needs to be discovered has already been discovered!

Even wrong decisions work for good if the teach us to make wiser decisions in the future. Being indecisive is the worst of the two

Myths and legends

If theories are not applicable in practical life why are they even there?

Deceit

There was once hope
Of an unseen world
One that promised bliss
And eternal Freedom

They promised love
They promised education
Bought for life

Pain; Hurt; Misery
When will this dictionary
Ever see
Better words?
Better days?

But the terrible truth
Is that
There’s no fruit
That’s coming from this little dry seed
No more than a weed
It shall grow to be

This silly feeling
Of life without meaning

She runs

She runs into the wilderness
Seeking help
Futile, her effort in screaming
No soul hears
No nice memories
Just A life of no meaning

In the batting of an eye
Her whole life changed
How the friendly world
Could suddenly be so strange?

Molested by the disguise of love
Who has she left that she may trust
The wounds on her skin
Medication may put right
But the wounds in her heart?
A lifetime’s carving

“Death”
– a silent answer
blows in the wind
but why
should she die?
When it was to live that she was born?

To her and million others
Life would be nothing more
Than a living deathA cursed soul

Suicide

Sitting on the railway line
Everything seems so still and so fine
Painful silence
Lonesome Wilderness

Up into the air
Her eyelids rise
Not a soul to care
Where are all the men, so wise?

So Silent
So still
She wonders
The sky has not a single cloud
The thoughts in her head so loud

Hunger for guidance
Need for a prayer
A dusty wind blows
Faraway somewhere…

The toot of a horn
to break the still silence
A few more moments
And soon she’ll be gone
Into a world of which
No one knows

Would it be better? She wonders
Will it be painful? She ponders
But what could be worse
than the pain she already feels?

The minutes pass
and louder gets the sound,
Slowly she lays
her head on the ground

“I love you dear Amma
And I so don’t want to go,
But there seems like
There’s no other way out
Nothing good, no more”

Slowly, she closes her eyes
Against the sun so bright
She hears the hoarse hum
Through the cold steel rods comes the fright

So many broken promises,
So many lies
So many disappointments,
No way to rise

When to hold on there’s no rope
When there’s nothing left to hope
When there’s nothing to shout about
Suicide seems the only way out

Born like the others on earth
Living each day with pain
Suffering since birth
All lost and no gain

The trains very near
Her heart fills with fear
She tightens her eye lids
And clenches her fists

Newspaper headlines
She would make tomorrow
God save the others
From their sorrow

She smiles her very last
Bitter memories and thoughts rush past
The trains getting closer
It’s coming very fast

Dreams and wishes
Love and kisses
Hopes for Bliss
People she may miss

And before long
She will be gone
Her dreams with her she shall take
Of a life that she could never make

Joy in her eyes
Sorrow in her soul
No one to advice
Left all alone

No one cares
About the heavy burden she bares
That’s what she believes
That’s what she’s told

Her final thought
The tough battle she’s fought
The war she’s lost
She can’t face the cost

Everyone everywhere,
No one has the time to spare
Death is now on its way
Finally happy, on her very last day

The great iron dragon
Cuts its way through the wind
Tearing her flesh
And spreading her blood

A girl so beautiful, so young
Shamed and stabbed
Bitten and stung
She couldn’t raise her voice
Left with only one choice

Gone, she is now
No one knows where
No one knows how
Nobody there, No family to care

Live, she will
In our hearts for sometime
Until there comes
Another headline


Samanthi was pretty. She was intelligent. There was no one to recognise it. Often, she’d run to the railway line and watch children go to school and wonder what it was like at school. She liked to dance. She some how knew she would be good at it.

With a drug addicted mother and a child molesting father there was no way she would be able to be like the girls clad in white cotton dresses. There was no way her skills would come to light. She would sometimes beg, sometimes would steal. The only other choice was slavery. “Simply less fortunate”. That’s what her mother would say to her.

The boys would tease at her dirty hair and torn clothes. And tears would fill her little eyes. No peace at home in the nights. No food on the ground because her mother is beaten up too much. Her thin baby brother is wailing at the noise. Her father would be after her in no time. Where could she run to.. she keeps thinking. Her scared little heart worn away with pain. Suicide the only way out!

Suicide rates are always on a constant increase. People need counselling, love, affection and advice. Are we too busy to give it to them? Prevention is better than cure. Let not our little children lose their lives or waste them.

It’s not enough putting up notices to stop child abuse and juvenile crime. It’s time to reach out and save those little lives. Let’s start with our own homes. Get rid of slave children and child labour. Adapt where we can. Teach them something and most of all show them we care.There’s much more happiness in spreading it rather than keeping it to your self. Let there be no more Samanthi’s in our land.

…About Liars and Dishonesty

“It is ok not to tell the truth always but it is also dishonest to stay quiet!”

Artificial Emotion

Have you ever considered whether feelings are what stimulate, what supplement or what exactly are your needs are?

The smiling students on the way, blurry images of a nightmare, co-workers, family, pets and artificially controlled elements controlling me – NO LIFE – that’s how I would describe it. Taken over by an artificial world, trained in artificial systems, programmed and planned, nothing spontaneous; nothing unique, just a mundane component of the old game. Out of the world crazy ideas that have no worth now posses me. No support, no gravity no friction, not anti-matter. I have no want to be a part of a known and planned game yet I am not here merely by chance. These emotions are not my own nor are they creation; they are but artificially imposed upon me. No tear of mine is magic potion; No glare has a cause; Nor this thought any meaning. A mere feeling that has no explanation on what need is to be satisfied.

The Muslims of Sri Lanka

This is no extract from Lorna Dewaraja’s Book – One Thousand years of Ethnic Harmony. It is neither enlightenment for those who may not exactly know. It is just a bit of my own observation, findings and word of mouth hearing so there’s a high chance that some of the facts may be incorrect. The objective of this, I will highlight later.

The Muslims of Sri Lanka consists of the majority being the Moors from Morocco, the second highest Muslim population – the Malays from Indonesia and Malaysia (brought here for defence purposes small as they are) and the Memons, Indian Moors and Boras from Pakistan and India and I’m not sure if Iran is involved here. The Arabians and Persians also have some mark here. All the above mentioned are followers of Islam and what distinguishes them is nationality and race and not religion. As for me – I am truly Sri Lankan having the gay name Vedaralalage Gedara (not very sure of spellings) and my origins being the early people of Colombo and Kandy.

I don’t know how we got here (trading or something) but reading from some reliable sources I understand that the Muslims of Sri Lanka have a long history. There are indications that Muslims have been in Sri Lanka as far back as the 7th century. Marco Polo who broke journey in Ceylon had observed a significant Muslim presence in the country in the 13th century. Ibnu Batuta in 1344 when visiting Ceylon had also noted Muslim settlement in the hinterland

One of the objectives I’m trying to highlight with this post is that the Muslims are sometimes afraid of speaking of the rights and privileges of the community, or to study its needs and create far sighted policies and programmes for it’s wellbeing or for effective interaction with other communities. “The misconception that many Muslims have is that the other communities would consider the Muslims to be communal if they spoke about a Muslim Factor. This misconception has always been the greatest obstacle for the Muslim unity and progress in the country. There has been a misconception in the Muslim Community that if they speak of their needs, rights or aspirations, it would create communal disharmony. This unfounded fear has created a situation where the needs and aspirations of the Muslim Community of Sri Lanka are not properly portrayed by the Community and therefore not properly understood by other communities and the state. The waves of destruction of 12/26 also washed away, this grave misconception.”

If Muslims do not speak of their problems, their needs, their aspirations and their rights, who would? Can highlighting the factors that significantly affect any community be termed “Communal”? Why, in this country is a Muslim looked at as a Muslim and not as a person? I am not to forget here that Muslims who do not reside in rural areas of course have so many privileges rather than the ones that even in live Muslim nations. Let me emphasise “Muslim” but not “Islamic” nations. To most of us, meeting the person first is more important than meeting his/her religion or the race but unfortunately to the majority this is not the case. Religion is a right of all human an each is entitled to his/her belief why should it interfere with anything? We should always try to keep out of what is not our business. Part of a man's good practice of Islam is avoiding what does not concern him. There is almost no need that each community interfere with the others rituals and beliefs unless of course it be a socially unethical and unacceptable thing to do (not necessarily agreed by the majority).
Coming soon… “Islam and slaughtering”

Islam and terrorism

“Whoever sees a vice should stoi it by hand, if not by tongue or should hate it – but this is the lowest”

Islam has been given a false image by especially the west and ironically more so, by the some of the Muslims themselves. Terrorism, war, killing and bloodshed are nothing close to Islam. ‘Islam’ means ‘peace’ both literarily and spiritually. Islam is derived from the word salaam which also means peace. Salaam is the way in which Muslims great each other. Assalamu Alaikum means “May peace be with you”

Many intellectuals, movies, newspapers and periodicals demonstrate Islam as an evil creating a false impression for those who blindly believe. The sword symbol of KSA has almost no relationship to Islam which did not spread by the sword.

Jihad or Islamic war is only allowed for self defence or if taken over by a tyrant. But this war need not even be physical. Jihad means “striving” and this striving is not only in the use of weapons. Patience is greater jihad. The Prophet (PBUH) said “Powerful is not he who knocks the other down but the one who controls his anger”.

What we see around is nothing like jihad. Many Muslims tend to practice Islam in manners that are far from it and hence the reason for wrong impression and misinterpretation. The Prophet was a peaceful man who lead Islam by example. In many countries like Singapore, China and even India (most parts) and Sri Lanka Muslims are considered to be a peaceful community that harms no one and hates no one. In Sri Lanka, Muslims are known to have been playing a more or less passive role except at certain extreme situations. Muslims in the north and east of Sri Lanka have been the innocent victims of a war that was fought between two other communities.
It all boils down to one thing – we are all human and the bottom line is that no one man by nature hates another. All children are born pure and free of sins. If the sahabis or friends of the prophet were around during this moment of terror, torture and war they would never have fought in such a way that harmed the unarmed – the women, the old, the children, plants and animals. (May peace be with them)

Is it obligation or affection?

Does family really love you or is it just a cliché? They have you, so they have to feed, educate and bring you to a satisfying living status. If it’s just duty and responsibility and nothing more, is there anything wrong with it or will it blemish the mental development of an individual. Love is a need like food – true. But for those who know not what it is, will it ever feel like a need?

Although a few cases are accidental most parents and families tend to want and love their children long before they are even concieved and it is not just something brought about by social pressure like most other things are. It is true and it is more than obligation and satisfaction.

All you can do in a day

I left on Thursday evening to Kandy. I was not able to convince my way out. The traffic was nauseating. I however realized there’s a lot I can do in a day.

I started Friday with mopping and cleaning. Yes – good work out. Made time for a quick shower, carom and some scrabble. Ate for two at lunch. Read “Dissemination Point” from Dan Brown. Yeah good story but not good enough to keep me awake. I fell asleep with it. Yes a good, long deep sleep and the weather was perfect. Woke up with that sick feeling. Gossiped with the cousins. Read through some assignments. Just read – no marking. On Saturday morning I was on my way back to home-sweet-home and the miserable thought of having to sit at a five hour lecture starting from 2:00pm. On the way the sun was too bright to let me sleep so I thought back on the previous days events. Yes I did do a lot, didn’t I? and I was able to suppress the indolence. The reason was because number one – I didn’t have the lap top and number two – the channels weren’t clear on TV. Not there is anything to watch on our pathetic tv channels. Anywayz… its back to a work week now and believe me there are way more important things that I should be doing right now

God didn’t will it!

It went wrong. God didn’t will it. It can be bad when u have to make plans and they change due to matters that are beyond your control. I didn’t think it would be, but it darn is.

Everything seemed to work perfectly for a while. It was like my whole life was set and going on well. I was happy and there was nothing I wanted to change. But then it hit me… and everything got topsy tervy and now I just am going on wherever it takes me.

Is there a really a reason for all that is happening or is it some stupid chemical reaction, I cant help thinking.

She

Many sweet words about a mother

Many great men have put down on paper

This would be yet another unsuccessful attempt

In putting down something so spiritual

So divine… as motherhood

Just in simple words and nothing more

Forgive me my dear mama

If words demean this grand stature

That God has blessed you with

Yet this little booklet

spares me nothing more

Than a few simple words

To tell you what I care for

Today and everyday

For the rest of my life

You were the only soul

That loved me long before

Even I knew who I was

How much of your sweet slumber did I take away?

How much fear and pain did I cause?

How much love did you give me in return?

How much do I owe?

When I was bad

The world turned against me

But to you I was the same

However good or bad

With my faults and my weaknesses

You never jeopardised your love for me

Not one single moment

You punished me for my wrong

And you rewarded me for my good

You made me grow out of my tears

And face the real world

You cried with my sorrows

And smiled with my joys

Now you leave me nothing more to ask for

All my life

This great debt I’ll have

This bond we share

Beginning from before birth

And going on until beyond death

Our bond will be

Like the umbilical strand that

Once attached you and me

Only…

This shall never

Never break ever

The Hijaab

Lots of people ask me why are wear the hijaab (head cover). The answer is not complicated and it is juts a matter of belief of the heart. However, this was an article that I wrote approximately 6 years ago and revised a few times….

The term Hijaab has a literal meaning of something close to a veil or covering. Its Islamic concept however is much greater in depth and perhaps forms an important corner stone of human social life. The western media has been extremely quick and ruthless in tainting the Hijaab as a vivid expression of suppression of women in Islam. The truth is far from it.

The Hijaab is not only a covering of ones head or body. It is not a camouflage either, but it is a bold expression of female modesty and submission to the will of Allah. It elevates the status of women from being an item of exhibition or a source of lust, to a pinnacle of dignity. It epitomizes the highest levels of respect a woman can reach. As the Quran says “Say to the believing women that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear there of”(24: 31)

The Hijaab is a loose garment worn over one’s usual clothing. It should conceal the shape of the female form. A woman in Hijaab must have her body covered from head to toe except what must ordinarily appear thereof: the hands and the face. Her gaze should be towards the ground. Her posture or walk should not attract undue attention. Allah says in the Quran in Sura 33:59, “O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw upon their over-garments. That is more appropriate so that they may be recognized and not molested”

The human female form is a work of divine art. It is to be respected. It is to be protected from eyes that roam and evils that linger. When the requirements are met, the woman is naturally elevated to a very high pedestal of dignity and virtue. The roots of a dignified society spring forth from the womb of the woman in Hijaab, who commands everyone’s respect.

The lack of understanding Islam or the deliberate refusal to do so by the west and those who ape the western culture, will never accept that the fact that when a woman covers herself in the true spirit of Islam that is a supreme act of sacrifice as well as satisfaction of pleasing none but Allah. It is really impossible for them to understand that while a woman in Hijaab physically closes herself to the world, she opens to herself the Gates of Paradise.

The commercial exploitation of women in the form of models and advertisements, even upto the level of complete nakedness shows that if there is no proper dress code for a woman she becomes an article valued in money. In contrast the woman in Hijaab becomes a symbol of female dignity and purity.

If every woman adheres to the spiritual and physical concept of Hijaab and every man accepts this divine decree, the world would definitely be a better place to live in.