IQRA!

Penned by Firdaus@Qalamuddin
As I was lying on bed
The word ‘Iqra’ kept flashing in my head
For Iqra – much had been said
But no attention was being paid
The word and deed
Iqra makes the world a treat
Education is not for greed
But to keep peace and harmony among creeds
‘Iqra’ does not simply mean ‘read’
In Allah the trust and intention as they fit*
Now let’s look at Iqra in a different seat
To keep us alert on our feet
I
‘I’ as in Islam and I
The closest connection and the warmest ties
To maintain as a way of life
This is what we seek and strive
Q
The letter ‘Q’ represents Quran the miracle revelation
It’s pure from alteration and adulteration**
From generation to generation
To save us from degradation
R
R is Rasulullah (s.a.w) for any matter
The exemplar and the choice of The Creator***
He is the ‘trendsetter’
For our lives to get better
A
A is for Allah the ultimate Creator
The One all worship except the unbeliever
None is the same in manner or matter****
Allah is much more Greater!
Thus looking at IQRA in a new light
You’ll see Islam at its height
Let us soar in flight
See the connection at sight
Do not read for the sake of reading
We must know where we are heading
IQRA represents the seedling
Success in both worlds that’s the wording*****
So next time when you think of Iqra – the first revelation
Widen the scope without reservation
As we – Read! – In the name of our Lord
Remember Islam, Quran, Rasulullah and Allah they are the main plots!
*Al-Quran 96:1 “Proclaim! (or Read!) in the name of thy Lord and
Cherisher, Who created “”
**Al-Quran 15:9 “Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and
indeed, We will be its guardian”
***Al-Quran 60:6 “There was indeed in them an excellent example for
you to follow — for those whose hope is in Allah and in the Last Day
****Al-Quran 42:11 “[He is] Creator of the heavens and the Earth. He
hasmade for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates;
Hemultiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is
theHearing, the Seeing.”
*****It is said, “If you want bliss in this world you need knowledge
andif you want bliss in hereafter you need knowledge and if you want
bliss of both you need knowledge too”



I don't recall how I first stumbled upon
My parents, sister, wife and I had gone to Dubai recently to attend some weddings and one night we went to a well-known South Asian restaurant called Ravi for dinner. As we were waiting for our food, I looked out the window and noticed two very large Pakistani men strolling down the sidewalk, holding hands. They then began speaking to a third man who also joined them in their hand-holding and then walked away. When my father noticed me looking out the window, he told us of how when he first came to the United States from Pakistan in the 70s after finishing medical school, he and his friends would often walk on the street holding hands as well and, quite often, were also met with stares. But, he said, "In our (Pakistani) culture, no one had a problem with it."
DURING the days before Christmas last year, I wished my friends who were celebrating it “Merry Christmas” in much the same way they would wish me “Selamat Hari Raya” or “Happy Eid”.
At my father's funeral the imam's voice echoed loudly through the speakers from behind the thick curtain that divided the congregation hall into a male and a female section. I listened hard, trying to understand his words. This ceremony, after all, was supposed to give me solace and help me find closure. I waited for the mercy and compassion that Muslims referred to every time they said
I’ve had a visible scar on my forehead from chicken pox since second grade. In fact, I have several throughout my body. I have a big scar of moon-like shapes on my left knee from falling on the ground at my grandparents’ house in the Ukraine. I remember it hurting — a lot. I already have wrinkles on my forehead that I’m sure any cosmetic surgeon would recommend I Botox away. I definitely have love handles, and my hips keep expanding. And when I’m bloated, I look like I’m with child.
New Jersey.com
Chances are good that, at some time in your life, you've taken a time-management class, read about it in books, and tried to use an electronic or paper-based day planner to organize, prioritize and schedule your day. "Why, with this knowledge and these gadgets," you may ask, "do I still feel like I can't get everything done I need to?"


