Potentially My First Every Interview !

My first fast!

By Iqra Asad

The first fast--a milestone, a beginning, a discovery. You cover a lot with this one step forward. It is as interesting to view the experience under the microscope of others' memories as it is to view it under one's own, and together we can paint the whole picture.

The decision

Children love to imitate their elders, and fasting is no exception. It is the sense ofsomething special that draws them into the fasting lot, as Muhammad Umair Vohra says: "Even before the start of the holy month of Ramazan, the shared enthusiasm among my family and friends used to encourage me to join the club of the followers. I was eight years old. It felt uncomfortably comfortable back then, as getting up early and then without breakfast leaving for school was something extraordinary."

Begging to be allowed to fast starts from as early as age four or five; some parents relent for a day, others refuse point-blank to wake their tots for sehri, while most get away with selling the concept of "chiri" or "khoja" roza to the little aspirants, as did Momal Mushtaq's parents: "I properly fasted at the age of eight. I saw everyone fasting, so I wanted to do it myself. That was an exciting experience, not my first, though. Before that, according to my parents, I'd tried fasting at the age of five. They made up this story that a 'khoja' is a proper roza, and I happily told everyone that it was my roza that day!"

Some, however, have not-so-obvious motives to take the plunge, as Hamza Asad (notrelated to the writer :P) shares with us: "I was only ten years of age when I fasted for the first (and for the coming few years, last) time. When I was in the fourth standard, there was a beautiful teacher in our school who used to travel by our school bus. I would give her some jasmine flowers every morning. My class fellows used to get jealous of me because I used to sit on the seat next to her! Oh God, how lovely those days were, and how lovely she was! Her bewitching smiles and fascinating looks still remain my most cherished memories. Wooooh!!

One day, I was eating a sandwich in front of her and offered it to her. That cute slap, which she gave me, still dejects me! It was the month of Ramazan. That was the last day I sat with any female teacher in a school bus. Anyway, on that very day, I asked my parents that how and why people fast. What was the reason for doing it? They told me about this holy month in detail and the very next day I was fasting for the first time! (Hey…Only to impress that female teacher, lol ;))"

Rest assured, most people have more long-lasting rewards in mind! Sabihey Namazi: "Ifasted willingly. In fact, my parents were reluctant about it. However, I managed to convince them. I had a spiritual feeling on my very first fast and it all went great."

Saima Aziz: "It was my own wish to fast. I was an eight-year-old then. It was a great feeling - a feeling never experienced before in any other phenomena. I felt like I was free from all sins, and so down-to-earth and meek as well because my hunger had always reminded me of poor people."

The big picture

Though this is by no means a concrete representation, a poll consisting of 123 people provide some insight as to how matters stand. When asked their reason behind fasting for the first time:

75% said it was their own wish

4% said their parents wanted them to, and 21% said it was because fasting had becomefarz on them.

Doing it

Most things are easier decided than carried out, and most people's experiences comply with this norm, but it does happen that in trying to convey a realistic picture to an inexperienced person, experienced people go overboard, as Sabihey relates: "It was easy, unlike what I had anticipated. I saw my elders complaining about the blazing sun and the hunger gnawing at the walls of their stomach with sharp thorns, therefore, this mere concept of fasting made me dread it. But, for me, it all went like a smooth wave."

In other cases, it would have been better if the first-timers had been informed properly beforehand instead of assuming that they would ask if they didn't understand something, as Ali Naqi states: "I have a very dull memory of my first proper fast. I barely remember anything like how old I was, or who was invited to the party if there was any, and what happened. I just remember a single scene, which is due to the extreme emotions associated with that moment. Not of joy or pride, but of guilt. I inadvertently had a good lick at marmalade just before iftar time!

Not being aware that eating or drinking out of ignorance won't make the fast void, I was too ashamed of myself! Back then I thought it would be an embarrassment if I leaked it out, so it remained a secret till today!"

Ali's only lingering memory was of his "transgression", but thankfully most "transgressors"aren't afraid to confide, as in Momal's case: "I always had this habit of sneaking into the kitchen and enjoying goodies secretly. That day, totally forgetting about my fast, I opened the refrigerator door, making the least noise. After eating two spoonfuls of jam," (is jam some sort of a trend?) "I remembered I was fasting that day! Crying and thinking that it was over, I went to Mama who comforted me, and said it was perfectly okay since I did it mistakenly."

Some have other doubts to be cleared, an example being Umair's: "I used to think how God could ask us not to eat from dawn till dusk, for if we didn't eat we would be dead by the evening. My mother came to rescue my thoughts. This helped me to take the first flight."

Then there are those whose attitude remains unscathed despite difficulties, like Saima: "The first experience of everything is hard. I actually fainted on my first fast twice because I was too young and my health wasn't very good either. But my spiritual feeling remained the same from sehri till iftari."

Hamza's experience of his second "first fast" three years after his attempt to impress theteacher is more vivid in his mind: "In those days, a movie named 'Chocolate' was released that had a lovely soundtrack. I listened to it the whole day and my mom would come to my room, turn off the main switch of the stereo system and pull my left ear whenever she heard the music. Then I would try reading Harry Potter, but I discovered that when the stomach is empty, even the most interesting novel slips through your mind without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind! Therefore, I had to give up fasting as a bad job!"

What you give…

There are many children who begin their fast eagerly but end up cheating in the middle of the day; the culprit is usually thirst but can be as unpredictable as dino munchies! It is for this reason that some parents do not let their kids fast in primary school. The number of youths who bow down to their wills is much less but not nonexistent; the rest are fairly shocked to hear even the suggestion of cheating during a fast. Here's what people had to say on the subject:

Momal: "Well, I did think of drinking a glass of water, and the whole day begged God to remove the 'no drinking' part from fasting. I could, though, easily do it without eating!! :D"

Umair: "Children are supposed to be honest so no question of cheating. After all, teasing friends who are not fasting while you are makes you a little proud. I believe this was one reason which prohibited any such thoughts."

Saima: "No, I did not cheat, in fact, it was the great blessing and encouragement of my first fast that I intended to fast for the whole month the next year. And I managed 25 fasts, Mashallah."

Hamza: "Sooooo many times!!! Even today my parents have their suspicions about whether I eat anything or not when they are asleep in the afternoon!"

Sabihey: "No way! I was and I am a sincere human being, therefore, I resorted to no wrong means. I patiently waited till Iftar :)"

The poll results for this interesting question:

93% said that they had not cheated, while 7% admitted to cheating.

…and what you get

The reward of fasting extends beyond enjoying iftari, as everyone recounts:

Hamza: "I think fasting raises one's conscience. In the beginning, I had a very cavalier approach towards fasting. But last year, I fasted for 25 days. I didn't listen to songs and I was punctual while praying as well."

Saima: "I would like to quote a proverb first before my answer: 'First impression is the last impression'. So what exactly I had gotten from my first fast for the rest of my fasts was a great sense of responsibility and purity, closeness to almighty Allah and a true voice of conscience. Like while fasting, if you want to go for something which isn't good, it will be your conscience which will stop you from doing anything bad. And my first impression was a really good one for me."

Umair: "Everyone's appreciation and encouragement made me feel on top of the world. It put an iron rod in my neck when I walked among my peers. I wanted to fast more, but due to hot weather my mother forced me not to."

Sabihey: "It gave me a stroke of motivation and a feeling of 'mission-accomplished'. In addition to this, after my first experience, I could fast in the subsequent days too because I knew that I could abstain from cuisines from dawn till dusk."

Momal: "To be honest, it was something I could share with my friends, and boast about. Moreover, I was glad I'd done something to please our teacher who taught Islamiat. There was also a sense of great achievement."

Something special for something special

Different families have their own "something special" for their child's first fast; what is more important is how the recipient values it.

Saima: "Hmm, I had gotten just verbal appreciation and support from my family. I liked the way they had admired my practice towards Islam at such a young age because their appreciation encouraged me to do more good deeds in life."

Sabihey: "I was flooded with appreciation. And my Mom prepared my favourite dishes. But I missed one personality on my very first fast. My Dad had to urgently go for an official meeting a few hours before the iftar and I had to celebrate without him. He whole-heartedly greeted me after coming back, but I still wanted the leading light of my life to be with me on that special moment (sobs!)."

Momal: "Well, they cooked special treats for iftari. I was interested in ice-cream only!"

Hamza: "Every year in Ramzan when I come to the dining table, my not-so-very-naughty-brother 'Kukoo' says, 'Oh, Hamza nay bhi roza rakha hai? Outrageous!'"

Umair: "My grandmother provided the much desired monetary appreciation. My mother and father were busy in fostering the menu for the celebratory party."

The poll results for this one:

70% said their parents had given them praise and appreciation

20% said they got a monetary reward, whereas 10% said their parents threw a party to celebrate it.

While the paint dries on this picture of the first fast, let me pass on this message from Ramazan to you: to the new fast-keepers, welcome aboard! To the old ones, welcome back. And to those still waiting in the wings, fasting isn't the only thing this month brings.

Published 19 September, 2008 - US TheNews Weekly Magazine.

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/sep2008-weekly/us-19-09-2008/poster.htm

Mother ... I will Love You forever...

By Muhammad Umair Vohra

Every time I think about love. Only one personality who immediately put smile on my face is non-other than my mother. I have always seen her working for my family; from dawn till dusk without any break, motivated and fully committed to accept any challenge which could foster the family’s living.

In our society where 99.99 % of home work is been performed by 100% mothers, life would come to halt if they are not around. Just think for a while how they cook our favorite meal just when we are thinking to have it. How they read our faces. How they protects us from our father when he is angry. This is wonderful relationship between a mother and her child so pure and loving.

This association has more to offer than mere a mother son or daughter relationship. A mother is your best friend even. You can tell her every thing. What you feel, what you see and how you want it to be. Perplexed about any social event or it is just another thing happening in the college. She would listen to you attentively and put you on the right track with her unbiased opinion.

There are times when you need extra money to buy the latest gadget or our favorite magazine. But if we put our hand in pocket for some change all it comes out is thread. Then immediately we get to your mother. She is the one who always support us. She might sleep with out taking any food but will feed you this is how the nature of this relationship is.

But sad fact is that as time passe by and children step at the ladder of maturity, they set their own priorities in their chilled settings, they forget to take care of their mothers how carelessly they disregard all those sacrifices which she had made just for her children. Children become more focused to their “things” and become mean, selfish and totally self-centered.

It is hard to believe but even in courtiers like Pakistan; where joint family system still hold its footing, I have seen many families where mothers are not given proper place just when they are weak and old. The monetary and other social needs are totally ignored. No one thinks that she also needs some thing other than just food and shelter. She is left home on various parties and marriages. She is still a part of the family.

Times have changed. Many children just celebrate “mother’s day” and ignore their mothers for rest of the 364 days of the year. Irony is that mothers celebrated her child through out her life. And all she gets one day for year of devotion.

Mother’s Day indeed is a day that brings with it an opportunity for us to tell our mothers that we love them and care for them. However, this care and love should not be limited to one day only but spread to all 365 days of the year.

On this mother’s day, dear mama I want to tell you that I love you and would love you for ever.

Published: Issue 4 Volume 1 May 2008 - Youth Magazine - Spectrum of today's mind.

Multiplicity Of the Education System

by: Muhammad Umair vohra

The education system of pakistan is one of a kind in the entire planet. There is no unamity amoung provinces as the text books and language(s) of instrustions change as we move from khyber to karachi. Students in pubjab study core subjects in urdu. Pahsto is taught in north; sindi in south and witnin the federal capital fundamentals of islamiyat are eleborated in arabic. Let me remind you that we are living in the islamic republic ofpakistan. Our natinal language is urdu and our offical language is english but our curriculum is divided into regional languages and no effort are being made to address this paradox.

Apart from lingual issues, the other crucial problem of education in pakistan is its three different types of education systems. Elite english medium schools with hefty fees are reserved for the elite of this country. This system thrives on books written and published abroad and conveys westren thoughts to our younger lot. The result is that this highly qualified breed of youngerters flies aborad after their schooling here and never looks back to pakistan. Due to this brain drain, we end up with only one noble price winner in the entire history of the country.

The next in the line are urdu medium government owned schools. I won’t go into details but just imagin the sheer learning difficulties a student faces when he or she goes to the university after attending and urdu medium. The math and science studied in urdu are now useless. He used to write “takhte” with a reed pen on daily basis which made his writing look beautiful but since he doesn’t have the depth in enlglish grammer, he makes gramatical erros. Everything is new the world has changed, he realises !

Third system comprises of students who get their basic education from madrassas. This is the total opposite of the rest whre the students don’t have to pay anythign. Every thing is free of cost. Government recently has had contracts with various madrassas regarding the syllabus to be taught but again there is a big question mark that what will these madrassa students will do after completing their education? They can hardly adjust in formal colleges and universities.

The multiplicity of education systems gives rise to various questions. If only 1% of pakistan’s population goes to madrassas, then why are we ignoring remaining 99% by fighting a “War against terror”? government statistics show literacy rate is 56 %. Literacy rates of 63% men & 36% women celarly depict the gender imbalance in education. But the defination of being educated can again be challenged and if a “literate” person is defined according to international standards, the literacy rate would certainly sink to the ground.

We are living in a global world where every thing is very much advanced but we still are trapped into the pathetic education system. Why can’t we make one curriculum thoughout the country? I personally think that english should be compulsory and should be the sole mode of teaching. Every studnet should have uniform platform to excel in every walk of life. The government, apart from distributing free books should be make some ifrastructure development. The parha likha punjab should be transformed into parha likha pakistan.

In addition to the above recomendations, the awarness should be given to masses about the importance of education and sufficent job opppoutunities should be created to employ the educated lot constructively. Multiplicity of education system is a menace as it is widening the gap between people with different income levels. If this gap increases many other problems with come to surface and it would be difficicult to address them all. Though it is understandable that nothin can be done to unify the education systems, however hope lingers that efforts will be made in this regard so that our future generations do not dwell into the vicious income disparity gap and all may have equal opportunities to learn and work.

Published: Issue 2 Volume 1 March 2008 - Youth Magazine - Spectrum of today's mind.