The Wedding Question

"We are looking for a girl, for you", said my mother with her mysterious smile.
I knew they had a plan. Although my father was pretending to be completely occupied by newspaper, I knew they were waiting for my reaction.

That wasn't the first time I was dragged into such discussion. But the difference is that it used to be a question earlier. It was more of an FYI this time. I knew something has already been cooked. My earlier excuses are no more valid. The search is already on or maybe I am late to the party. It has already ended.

"For how long have you planned to remain confused?", I asked myself. I still wondered how can I so casually take such a big life changing decision. All sort of negative thoughts filled up my abnormal brain.

"Is it the right time?"
"Living with a complete stranger?"
"Is this how it works?"
"Privacy?"
"Freedom?"
"Life?" :)
"Heaven?" :)
 Many more weird things.

"We are not asking you to get married tomorrow. Even finding a nice girl takes time. Come on, be normal. This is how it works", she added very casually.

I talked to myself, "Be reasonable. You cannot run away from this any further. Bring on something concrete".
I knew all my past Google searches have made me more confused. No one in the world actually have an exact answer about my concerns. I knew this nervousness will turn out to be "very normal human behavior" later but I was not convinced by her.

And like always, I turned to Allah for help. However, I realized, I cannot expect straight answers to my silly questions from him. I knew when Islam comes into picture, I satisfy all the conditions for "nikah". These realizations made me reach the root cause. I ended up asking Allah to make my mother find someone who is best for me. I wanted to be a little specific but all I could add was "someone who takes me to heaven".

Somehow I felt better. And reluctantly I gave mummy a green signal.

It took her just a few weeks to surprise me with The Wedding Answer.

Finished TV Series: Shehr-e-Zaat

Today, I finished watching a TV Series called Shehr-e-Zaat which means "The City of Self". It was just 19 episodes long, still it took me more than 2 months to finish. The series is very interesting and requires attention. The problem is with me, I cannot finish one thing before moving on. Anyway, it is based on a novel by the same name.


The title track, Yaar Ko Hum Ne Ja Ba Ja Dekha, of the drama was sung by Abida Parveen. It is haunting, devastating and stirring. It is somehow magical. I listened it time to time for several weeks, on loop. It made me Abida's fan.

I loved the series more because unlike most Indian TV shows I can very well relate it to our culture. And the message it conveyed about love, desires and relationships somehow applies to me, maybe all of us.

 It is about a very beautiful, modern, self obsessed and spoilt girl. And how she adapts simplicity, patience, humbleness and finally manage to get rid of unnecessary worldly and hollow pursuits.

Dialogues I remember:

• Dil ajeeb shay hai....Ajeeb cheezain mangta hai....Ajeeb kaam krnay ko kehta hai.
• Allah Ki Mohabbat Ke Siwa, Har Mohabbat Ko Zawal Hai.

I Protest Against Insult of our Beloved Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)

Being a muslim I believe there is one God and Prophet Mohammad(PBUH) is his messenger. As I believe I try to obey what Allah had ordered and spend my life the way Prophet Mohammad(PBUH) did. So he is my ideal and I try to copy him in every aspect of life. And this is also true for all the muslims around the world. Now when someone disrespects him it is obvious that every muslim feels offended. Disrespecting an ideal is as if you are insulting all his followers. This is clear racism. They keep doing it, again and again, and still call their society civilized.

However I am also against these violent protests that are in progress in many countries in Asia. Many innocents are loosing their lives which is strictly against Islam. Even when the Prophet(PBUH) himself was targeted by locals in Taif and his legs started bleeding. An angel appeared and asked him if he want all of them to be crushed between mountains. He simply refused the punishment and even prayed for them. So, how can we justify these violent protests?

We must understand that some people can use us for their political ambitions. People are really sensitive to religious sentiments. So, some politicians find it a best time to gain popularity without caring about the lives of those innocents who become victim of violence. Its time we use our brains and follow the religion. Stop getting influenced by the West and our own selfish leaders.

May Allah grant all of us true guidance and wisdom.

Batla House - Three days after Eid.

Three days have passed after Eid. The holy month of Ramadan is over. The atmosphere in Batla House in New Delhi is very different. Not just different form Ramadan but also from normal days. Batla house is home to a lot of students and people from nearby states, especially UP and Bihar, who visit their hometowns for celebrating Eid. I know people who visit their hometowns only once a year with whole family. And that time of year is now.

Even I am back so early first time. Like others, even I preferred to join college on the first Monday after Eid. But now I work and holidays in Corporate world are very limited. So, I had to return early this time.

The silence in Batla House and Zakir Nagar is really strange. The streets here are known to be crowded whole year. Even on chilly winter nights one can find people around. Today, I wanted to have my favourite Al-Umar's 'Dal Makhni' for dinner. But to my surprise Al-Umar(the restaurant) was closed. I couldn't find  any other good restaurant open. So, had to manage with Famous's "Qeema". But to my delight "Aggarwal Sweets" was open. I went there and fed myself few pieces of 'Qalaqand'.

Its hard to imagine Batla House free of traffic chaos in evening. I really miss:

• Bikers who perform stunts in the middle of traffic jam.
• Aunties, who shop whole year with complete family.
• Bearded uncles running for namaz.
• Aroma of frying chicken.
• Fights between car-walas and rickshaw-walas.
• Beggars, who occupy both sides of road and leave no room to walk.
• Students, carrying bags full of books on their shoulders and dreams in their eyes.