Dear People: Please stop calling us 'these terrorists'. There is no such thing.

Inspired by the article of Paul Farhi in the Washington Post I decided to use his idea to discuss something that seriously requires attention. Original article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/dear-readers-please-stop-calling-us-the-media-there-is-no-such-thing/2016/09/23/37972a32-7932-11e6-ac8e-cf8e0dd91dc7_story.html To: Everyone From: Despotic Words Subject: “These terrorists.” ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Taliban - no matter which name you may choose to refer to these people this is how I describe them - enemies of humanity. But you know what's worst of all, how easily anyone who shares a religion with them is called the same. I don't doubt their faith, my God is there to question them upon that. But I surely doubt what they present, because I know this isn't what my religion preaches. Do all criminals have the same faith, belong to the same race or ethnicity? No. They have multiple faiths and multiple racial backgrounds. Then can you blame their faith or their religion to be the reason behind their actions? Has the world ever decided to do that? Then why does it choose to do so when it comes to these terrorists. I don't deny their existence, their actions or the fact that their actions are wrong. But I do deny that what they choose to say is wrong. They do not do this for my religion. They do this for the salvation of their personal desires. They do this for the extreme level of ruthless comfort they receive by torturing people. I don't blame anyone for taking their word, but what shocks me is that no-one chooses to explore the truth in their statement. They say this is Jihad and the world believes it. Astonishing how they've captured the human senses so much that no-one even thinks of how any religion in the world could approve of such a nonsensical approach. Jihad is war, but it is a battle quite different from what they present to you. Jihad according to its first approach is a spiritual war, a war with one's desires and the belief that many of them are wrong and so he must must practice restraint. In the sense of a physical war, it is a form of self-defense to protect the religion and it's followers. But then again it has its own rules that one must abide by - to not harm the sick, the elderly, women, children and the nature. Do you see anyone of these terrorists abide by any of these regulations? No. Then how can you take their word on it that it is Jihad? The wars that took place in the Islamic history all had a reason, whether the religion or it's followers were under threat the wars were only a form of self-defense. For those terrorists who say they are spreading the religion through Jihad, let me specify here that Islam was never spread with the sword. There are uncountable events in the Islamic history that can explain very well that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was a man who was known for his patient and forgiving nature. His people can never preach the opposite. To speak of religious propagation let me quote here the event of Taif where Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) himself went to invite the people of the tribe of this region to accept Islam. They not only rejected his message but physically attacked him and his foster son even on their journey back home. At a moment that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was bleeding head to toe as described by his foster son, an angel desended from the skies asking for his command that if he wished to punish the people for how they attacked him and he chose to forgive them. That is my Prophet people! As humans we can't even face rejection but he was physically harmed up-to an inhumane level and yet he forgave those who attacked him. Now how can you believe these people when they say they are doing this for Islam when the man who came with the message of this religion to the mankind never practised any such thing himself. I do not know what lies in someone's heart. I am no-one to judge anyone's belief. But yes I can surely tell you if their actions are contradictory to the cardinal beliefs of my religion. Every community has a few criminals, but you cannot blame the whole community to be like them. Judge people irrespective of religious affiliations, judge them for their individual actions. I am a Muslim and I may be very different from another Muslim. We're still both Muslims but that doesn't mean all our individual actions represent our religion, our actions may be quite contradictory both to each other and the religion. What doesn't change is what the religion preaches, and no matter what one may choose to say it definitely doesn't preach inhumanity. These people may say they are fighting Christians or Jews, but my religion says they are your brothers. These people may say they raise the sword to protect the religion, but my religion says raising the sword against the innocent is a crime itself. These people may say they are Muslims and I choose to leave that matter to my God for he knows of what lies in their hearts, but I know what they do if inhumane is surely against the teachings of my religion. My religion was brought by the man who was constantly publicly attacked by a woman of another faith who threw trash on him each day, and yet when one day she didn't do so he went to inquire about her and if she was feeling well. He helped her with her household chores and looked after her till she felt better. A man who even cared for a woman who constantly bothered him, his religion cannot be one that preaches inhumanity, for that man my Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) is the best example of a Muslim. Together we all may be called Muslims, for the religion we chose to associate ourselves with. But for the actions of few you cannot call us all terrorist, just because we share a faith. If someone is lying to you that he's doing this for my religion you cannot accuse me to share the same ideas as him, just because I'm a follower of that religion. His actions contradict my religion. Neither is he right to say he's doing all this for my religion, nor are you right to blame me for my religious identity just because someone falsely associates his actions to my religion. Thanks Despotic Words

Rethink 0009

Your fear is your biggest enemy, not what you aren't prepared to welcome.
We grow, we experience and we evolve, yet it remains one of biggest fears to lose ourselves in this process. We don't, we never lose ourselves.
We face unanticipated and yet predictable circumstances, still we manage to remain firm.
Your fear is the only thing that can distance you from yourself.
Don't let your fear guide you it's impossible to let nothing shake you, if you do you so you only choose to believe change is invincible.
It is this belief that helps you settle with the idea that you can never be yourself again and that time will change the person you are.

The Unwanted Baggage

Stop listening. Simply shut your ears. Don't even give this a second thought. I'm telling you, just stop listening to everything. Literally everything. You're too vulnerable to be forced into being judgemental. Just stop it. Stop yourself from being bothered by what you hear. You might think I'm crazy and I don't mind you thinking so, because at least you're judging me on the basis of something I said myself. You're tuned to judge me for what people say, believe me this is so much more relieving that I'm being judged for something that came out of my own mouth.

Traveling seven seas away from home the worst piece of advice I could listen to, was either what came out of a judgemental person's brain based on his/her inadequate knowledge, or blindly believe in everything the media quoted. Apart from the three bags that I dragged all the way from Islamabad to Kirksville in three days, I had a lot more baggage that came with me and yet it was invisible to you. No I didn't sneak up anything illegal, I just brought along an illiterate form of thought processes. Thought processes that were limited to the extent of mere opinions but were quoted to others as if they were facts. This was the weight that I refused to carry along and yet with no personal preference towards it, it still came along. And believe me no matter which part of the world you belong too and where you are heading to, this baggage will be there as a burden on you each time you travel. All because we have tuned ourselves to being judgemental. We raise no questions. We raise no doubts. We just blindly follow whatever we hear.

Two weeks in this town and I've yet to spot the type of people I'd heard resided in this country. I'm not saying those judgements were complete nonsense or highly irrational, I'm just disagreeing with the degree of exaggeration. And it isn't alone about this place, it's about each place you can ever travel. Stereotypical schools of thought exist everywhere and believe me this is just as much of a taboo than are the social issues you're more concerned about. To most people it's fascinating how I'm a lot different than what they perceived about my country, a far of distant land deserted and desolate. They're in awe of how I can fluently communicate in their language, something they believe uncommon to those that share the colour of my skin. And I'm in awe of how they can be so much for welcoming and generous, than the details I was fed about them.

Did I mention the media before? Oh yes I did! And I know anyone reading this who is even slightly affiliated to the media fraternity, will be critical of the fact that I who speaks against judgemental and stereotypical approaches is judging them all by using the word media here. My apologies for the generalization and I'm not accusing you all of this, but this is quite true that a major section of the media just sells stories. Words like terrorism and racism are a form of spice that they add to their stories. Speak of Pakistan and they will show you the far away northern areas of the country that lack many facilities and are probably the residing zones of a lot more conservative people. To an American sitting in the opposite part of the world, Pakistan is a place that's basically not even underdeveloped but rather not developed at all, he isn't to be blamed it's what the media chooses to educate him about. Now let's switch roles here. Let's speak of the Pakistani sitting in front of a television set or reading a newspaper. To him America would seem as a land of racists. To him a trip to the States would mean being judged for his brown skin at the corner of every other road, being called a Paki or even being questioned for what he's doing in their 'American Land'. Two weeks I tell you, two weeks here and I've not found anyone giving me that judgemental stare. I've spotted smiling happy faces greeting you each way you go. And as far as only having half knowledge is concerned, yes that is true. Our knowledge is so limited that we're not in the position to judge anyone and yet we choose to do so.

So next time you someone tells you something of this sort, honestly if you can't control yourself enough to not letting their opinion formulate yours, just shut your ears. Just stop listening.

A Letter to Myself

When was the last time you weren’t asinine enough to let gibberish opinions guide you how to lead your life? When was the last time you didn’t let someone incriminate you for not living up to their beliefs and expectations? When was the last time you strengthened your own belief in yourself rather than demanding others to do so? Each day for us on this planet of 7.4 billion scathing, disparaging and overcritical individuals is no less than a challenge itself. Than why do we let them creep into our lives even more? Aren’t their hasty comments, piercing looks and judgmental stares enough already? Why is it that after bearing all this silent defiance against probably everything we do, we allow them to be aware of the fact that we are affected by their words? To listen to further nescient guidelines for a matter that has nothing to do with them? Your life is yours and you are not bound to meet the demands of any benchmarks set by others. Of course closing your eyes to something evidently beneficial and refusing to listen to someone’s opinion that might just be of use is not advisable either. But there’s a limit to that and that limit should not be crossed by either sides, the one dictating and the one welcoming this dictation. Keep your eyes and ears open and let yourself learn from the experiences of other, appreciate receiving suggestions, but leave the last bit to yourself. Don’t empower anyone so much that they influence your decisions, you will later only regret the paths not taken only because they were opposed by others. Set goals as you wish and then strive till all limits to achieve them. If you stumble, fall or completely fail, just get back up again. Get back on the battlefield of your life and this time try even harder. Stop feeling ashamed or considering yourself answerable to anyone for your loss. You tried and nothing beats that. You aren’t bound to win each battle and this definitely isn’t the last. Learn to become reticent about the results, your failure may just but you in a more liable to be questioned position by them and sometimes your success may not even please them much. And if you consider them the antagonists in your life, then believe me your tears are their strength and your smiles the source of them being encouraged to set their goals. You can’t answer every question raised upon your life; just learn to walk away from them without expressing any emotion at all. Rise, flourish and prosper, not for anyone else but your own self. Those who care for you will always be there and you know who they are, let them be the only ones capable enough to have a say in what you do.

An Open Letter to the Dreamy Girl

Oh dreamy girl!
Quit dreaming about the hunk you saw on a magazine and imagining one like him is all you deserve.
Oh dreamy girl!
I'm not saying it isn't possible, but why is it's his type all you admire?
You talk about body positivity and how your complexion isn't a scale of your beauty, because all women are beautiful in their own way.
You speak of the number on the scale not being worthy enough to force you to go skinny to be declared pretty, because all women are pretty irregardless of their weight.
You believe height, size, figure and the other features should not be used to judge you, because beauty comes from within.
Than dreamy girl why is that all your dreams revolve around the image of a macho muscleman who looks no less than the movie stars or singers you fangirl over?
Why is it so that you believe that the body and the looks matter more than your dream guy being the gentleman who respects you for who you are and loves you alone?
Don't go on telling me you expect your hunk to be a gentleman too. I'm not saying that's not possible but why do you chase perfection when you expect me to not do the same?
Why does the length of my beard bother you so much when you choose to worship your own bodyhair?
Why does my haircut not please you when you can choose to style yours as you wish?
Why does having abs make me a man when for you the curves are not more important than the one set on your face?
I'm not saying I'm right or you're wrong. I'm just saying everyone is different and that's what makes them unique. If you believe in this for yourself, then why not for me?
My sense of style could differ from yours and yours could differ from mine. I'm not asking you to appreciate me for what I choose, I'm just asking you to not expect the same from everyone.
For you growing up meant grooming up well, but sometimes you hated the choices made for you. You hated how the rishta aunty's preferences structured the changes in your life. Then what about me? Why is it so that to touch your heart I need to go against my conscience?
If you're discombobulated and disturbed by how judgemental the society is, so am I.
If those of my gender judge yours, then the case is same for the reverse too.
Why is that you set standards for the right guy for you, that all purely materialistic?
And your materialism isn't just confined to directing my path to a gym, a saloon or a garment store, to dress and look like what pleases you. Your materialism crosses those boundaries too.
You question your parents for their decisions about your life and you plead it's your right to fulfill your dreams.
Then why are my dreams lost somewhere down the road of establishing myself well enough to be illegible for marriage?
Can I not dream? Can I not have goals? Goals that aren't all centred around becoming a millionaire. Your will to only choose a guy who's pocket is filled till the top, guides me to do what the world demands, what you demand, not what I want.
If you aren't supposed to be capable of performing all household chores efficiently to be able to get married, why is it so that I need to be capable of materialistically treating you like a princess? Why is the love in my heart not enough to tell you you're my queen?
Why is it so that you oppose jahaiz/dowry but when you look at your potential groom you basically focus on what he earns more than who he is?
You tell me you love your family, and it's tough for you to follow the society's norm of moving out of the place you grew up in to settle down with me. You tell me you want to pay visits to them and you expect me to be like a son to your parents and like a brother to your siblings. But why is it so that as soon as you step in my house you refuse to believe in the same for my family? To love my parents like yours, to care about my siblings like your own ones. I understand it's tough for you to settle in a new place, and I agree it's a little unfair of you being the one having to leave your family. But does that mean the moment you step in my house you plan to strip me off mine too?
I'm not saying dreamy girl you are wrong, I'm just saying stop imagining everyone as the one from your dreamland. It's okay if you aren't happy to be with me and want someone else to clasp your hand, but stop setting standards for my gender too, if you can't stand them for yours.
I want to meet a woman who grabs my hand and chooses to love me for being myself, it is true that I need a life partner too but does that mean I need to loose myself in this process?
Your idea of the perfect guy makes me chase after stuff I never had on my to-do-list. Yes it's true I too long for having a ladylove, but for that do I need to overlook my own choices.
Your idea of the perfect makes me adopt things, I'd never even thought would shape my life. Just to find the right partner for myself all this I do, wondering if she actually is the right one?
Shouldn't she be who chose me above perceptions of perfection or should be who makes me loose my own individuality? I wonder and then I end up agreeing to what you want. Because you know at a stage in life each man longs to have a woman by his side, and the fear of being rejected forever, guides me to become the guy I never wanted to be.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Hello Readers!
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Courtesy - Aleezae Adeel

Let the Antidote Sink In

Let the antidote sink in baby girl, even before the poison creeps down in their brain.
Let the antidote sink in baby girl, let it sink in well too kill the poison at touch.
Let the antidote sink in baby girl, even before you feel a drift coming through.
You asked me for the essence of what I'd learnt all my life and yes this is precisely it.
You will loose a lot in your life, losses and life are bound to go hand in hand.
But the worst type that will send shivers down your spine will be loosing people you love the most.
So don't let that come your way, express all you have within your heart.
'Expression is the best antidote', that's the best piece of I've ever read.
Express from all depths and only that is true, let them know you're always there for them.
101 heartbreaks baby girl and the antidote of love cures them all.
You're growing up to meet tonnes of new people, some of whom may mean the most to you.
Cling on to them, tell them what's in your heart, pour in devotion to each bond you make.
The world may call you clinger but oh baby girl, a clinger is the one that keeps a bond brand new.
Don't let it break, don't let it shatter, even before something of such sort begins, just let the antidote sink in.