Facebook: Marketers Are Your ‘Friends’
Facebook cannot be all that benign. There is a privacy issue – I am not an expert and would like to know if the…
I found Roses in Konya…
I have been wanting to write about my recent trip to Konya. Words have failed me. This was my second trip to Konya –…
What was said to the Rose…
“What was said to the rose that made it open, Was said to me, here in my chest.” I was struck by this image…
Peace to Beirut with all my heart…
Thanks to Aman Azhar for contributing this post and introducing Robert Fisk’s recent piece on the misery of Lebanon – “Fairouz, the most popular…
Amrita Pritam: 1919-2005
Amrita Pritam never woke up on the afternoon of October 31, 2005 and the world is emptier without her musings. She embodied the fullness…
Bulleh Shah and Rumi
The works of Bulleh Shah and Rumi echo the emotions of a growing global audience We are the mirror as well as the face…
Sachal Sarmast’s sufi kalaam – live recording
Cross posted from here I recorded a few bits of performances of sufi siant Hazrat Sachal Sarmast’s kalaam (poetry) at his tomb in Daraza…
“Behind the Clichs, a Modern Pakistan”
I was sent the captioned article by a friend. Thankfully, not a pessimistic perspective on contemporary Pakistan. The author, Shuja Nawaz, a former international…
Marvels of Malaysia
“Muslim societies can learn from the plurality of race and religions in Malaysia” says Raza Rumi A few days spent in Malaysia are enough…
Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi (1916-2006)
“Ab aik baar to qudrat javaabdeh thehre hazaar baar ham insaan aazmaaye gaye” Now Nature must be held accountable at least once We humans…
Holi has a Muslim History too
Found brilliant post written by Yousuf Saeed Holi, being celebrated across India, may be the most colourful Hindu festival but it has a Muslim…
No bar to love
Christian Spurrier on the tragedy of Gramsci’s prison years as revealed in letters to his wife and sons (Guardian) “When I see the actions…
The sea, the sea – a holiday at the beach
I wasn’t sure if I had posted this old piece here. Just found it in my records and thought I should share it…. The…
Citizen of the world
He wanted variety and could not confine himself to a uni-dimensional career or vocation. Other than being a rare blend of East and West,…
The Destruction of Holy Sites in Mecca & Medina – Destroying Islamic Heritage
The Asian Age: The Arabian Peninsula, the cradle of Islam, is being demolished by hardliners. In countries such as Saudi Arabia almost all of…
Opium City:The Making of Early Victorian Bombay
Courtesy Three Essays Collective, I found this book review on an important yet less known facet of South Asian History: Opium City The Making…
that overgrown suitcase of memories
This poem (or an excuse of a poem) was written in a flash for a friend who asked for advice whether to meet an…
What The Ancients Did For Us – the Islamic World
Islamic inventions and contributions are narrated in a documentary entitled” What The Ancients Did For Us”. This production investigates the social and scientific advances…
2005 Earthquake: What lies ahead
Ever three weeks have passed and Pakistan is still weighted down by the debris of the October 8 earthquake. The human tragedy has been…
Sufi Cuisine
Sufi Cuisine, a book combining culinary history with over one hundred sumptuous recipes inspired by the teachings of Sufism. Sufi Cuisine takes the reader…