Shifa Student Society

Vol.2 - Issue 2 July - August 2010

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents

From Deception to Correction Rejuvenated

Written by: Anem Javed Nawaz 04 Anonymous 33
What's Your Excuse? Ali bin Abi Talib e
06 Written by: Dr. Waqas Ahmed 34
Ghafla Ramadan Lived a World Apart
Written by: Rishtya Meena Kakar 07 Anonymous 39
Of Horses Hunger & Treasure Hunts My Second Innings
Written by: Yousuf Raza 11 Written by: Dr. Arshad Javed 40
A man in the Mirror Servant of the book
Written by: Hassan Baig 15 Written by: Shifa Student Society 42
A Nation Weeps Healthy Ramadan
Written by: Sarah Rasool 17 Written by: Javeria Naveed 43
Story of My Life 7 steps to Fight Peer Pressure
Written by: Shazib Aslam 18 Written by: Ammarah Usmani 46
Ramadan Five Tib-e- Nabwi
Written by: Sabeena Malik 20 Written by: Syeda Afsheen Pervaiz 49
Badal Do Zamana
Written by: Haisum Khawaja 22 Shifa Speaks
51
Anger Management Spirit of Ramadan
Written by: Vajiha Javed 26 Written by: Rabia Amir 53
Fasting and Furious A celebration and A Funeral
Written by: Ahmed Malik 29 Anonymous 55

The opinions expressed in Transcend do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, publishers
or their agents, the Shifa Student Society (SSS) or the Shifa College of Medicine.
Dr. Muhammad Amin
Editor’s Note EDITOR’S NOTE
Dr. Naseem Ansari

Dr. Amir Nazir

This year, Ramadan will be upon us, and many of us are dreading the longest days we have fasted
in our lives. In doing so, we have completely forgotten to be grateful for the spiritual buffet that has
been presented to us on a silver platter. Muhammad E said, "When the month of Ramadan starts,
the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained”
[Bukhari]. This one hadith alone eliminates any excuses. However, added to the elimination of the
Dr. Waqas Ahmad

Shayateen are the extraordinary incentives to do good during this month. The Prophet E also said,
Khadija Ranjha

"Whoever fasted Ramadan with faith and in expectancy of reward, his previous sins are forgiven"
Mehr Khan

[Bukhari and Muslim].

Mishka

However, despairingly few Muslims avail this opportunity. Rather than improving their adab,
becoming regular in prayers, reading the Qur'an and praying qiyam, they spend the precious few
days of this blessed month squabbling and aggressively scurrying through buffet lines, stuffing
themselves in the pursuit of pakoras and samosas. Rather than practicing the hadith of the
Prophet E, “none of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself”, they
Rishtya Meena Kakar

scorn, and even curse, anyone who fills their plate before them. These people are fasting and
furious. It is because of this heedlessness that rather than wiping their slates clean, they are just
Javeria Naveed
Jamal Khattak

starving themselves meaninglessly.

Sara Rasool

On the other end of the spectrum are those that acknowledge the golden opportunity in front of
them and strive to become closer to Allah I . They realize that this is a time where rewards are
abundant and it is much easier to reap the infinite bounties of Allah I . They emancipate their
hearts, control their anger, reflect critically, and arduously practice all the aspects of religion that
that had neglected in the previous months; they do this openly and proudly, despite scrutiny from
their peers. These people too are fasting and furious; however, their fury and hunger are fixated on
Asmara Ahmed Malik

the goal of Jannah.

Hassan Zafar Baig

However, even amongst these are a majority that, upon completion of the month of Ramadan, toss
Ahmed Malik

Yousaf Raza

aside this temporary boost of iman and go back to their usual carefree lives. While this potential is
there after any change a person makes in his habits, it is most pronounced in Ramadan. However,
despite this trend, from both a psychological and Islamic perspective, Ramadan is the perfect time
to create new habits. Every year, Allah I has given us 29 to 30 days to develop a new habit and
modern psychology corroborates this, stating that a new habit can take anywhere from twenty to
sixty days to form.
Ahmad Yaseen Arain

As well as issues directly pertaining to Ramadan, this issue of Transcend contains inspirational
Emad Atif Ahmad

experiences to motivate change, and self development tips on how to improve yourself during this
Anem J. Nawaz

blessed month and throughout the whole year inshAllah.

Umar Shuaib

Our goal in this issue is to provide clarity amidst confusion. We pray that we will all fill our hollow
vessels with the colors of Allah I and truly make this a date to remember!

UMAR SHUAIB
team
he MAGAZINE

3rd year medical student, SCM

SHIFA
STUDENTS SOCIETY
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FROM DECEPTION TO CORRECTION – ANEM JAVED NAWAZ, - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

ro m
F Deception
to Correction
Anem Javed Nawaz - 3rd year medical student, SCM

Y
es, it's true! You can be perfect too.
L'Oréal can give you the perfect hair,
Olay can give you the perfect skin, and,
Louis Vuitton can style you up from head to toe
in the most sensational attire. You too can be
like the perfect models in their advertisements.
All you need is to believe in the “dream,” and
oh, yes… cough up a few extra pounds to buy
the products. This appears to be a win-win
situation, doesn't it? Picture this: thick, glossy,
lustrous hair created by L'Oréal
products¯showcased by British celebrity
Cheryl Cole¯topped off with smooth, wrinkle-
free skin under your eyes, courtesy of Olay.
There are a myriad of false claims, half-truths,
and deceptive statements that murk the
marketplace. Airbrush makeup is a technique
where pigments are sprayed on the face with
high precision, promising its costumer the
perfect 'celebrity look'. The technique allows
for multiple pigments to be blended together
seamlessly, thereby concealing any
blemishes or imperfections in the skin. The
beauty industry justifies “air-brushing” in its
marketing practices by claiming that it is selling
your perfect dream. But don't you think their
products are sold on the basis of deceit and
false hopes?

It can be argued that Ms. Cole spends These “image-building” practices are a part of
£200,000 per year out of personal choice to modern public relations practices, and are
enhance her beauty, of which her landmark largely attributed to the work of Edward
“artificial hair extensions” are the major cost. Bernays, a nephew of Dr. Sigmund Freud, who
L'Oréal doesn't feel it is misleading for Ms. used his uncle's deranged psychoanalytical
Cole to promote their products, even though ideas to manipulate public opinion based on
L'Oréal's Elvive shampoo might never one's subconscious desires. Bernays put forth
produce “the look” of Cole's extension- his ideas in a 1947 essay, “The Engineering of
enhanced hair for customers. When eyebrows
were raised about misleading ads, the
Advertising Standards Authority, a self-
regulatory organization of the advertising
industry in the UK, rejected these claims of
deception. In their rebuttal, they argued that for
two out of the total thirty seconds they were on-
air, the advertisement notified the customer,
using miniscule-sized text, that the company
may have used “some” artificial hair
extensions. Whether that infinitesimal size of
the text could be read by the viewer is doubtful.
However, what still remains a rational
argument is, whether exploiting the human
tendency to believe such tricks¯in other words
their limited intellectual thinking¯is justifiable.

Consent”, where he outlined the art of
manipulating people. His ideas were seen with
great interest by politicians and corporations
who could substantially increase their sales
and profits with the practice of engineering
consents. His clientele
included various thriving
organizations such as the
A m e r i c a n To b a c c o
Company, CBS Television,
and General Motors. In
today's day and age, these
companies have become
highly affluent by building
upon the basics of “mis-
marketing”, deceptive
positioning, and running ad
campaigns clearly aimed at
presenting only part of the
truth-ideas that the
aforementioned “father of
public relations” so readily
propagated.
People may have the
freedom of expression, but
that does not necessarily imply that they also
have the freedom of thought.
Let's briefly shift the spotlight onto Pakistani
leaders ruling the Land of The Pure. Whether
in white or khaki, they have been known to use
well-crafted slogans for image-building, and
create illusions as means to increase their
political capital. People have been misled by
slogans of roti, kapara, makan, or Nizam-e-
Mustafa of the 1980's, parha likha Punjab of
the 2000's, and the current government's
never-ending promises of putting an end to
electricity “load-shedding”. While the masses
have been able to see through all of these
baseless promises time and again, the
constant re-support for such leaders even
after they shake public trust is inexplicable by
all means.
The question that arises is: why do we, the
general public, repeatedly get tricked into
believing these larger-than-life illusions? Why
do we let ourselves be conned by these “Oscar
worthy artists” over and over again?
If we revert to the message contained in the
Qur'an, Allah I very categorically commands,
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“If you obeyed most of those on Earth, they
would misguide you from Allah's Way. They
follow nothing but conjecture. They are only
guessing” (6:116).
Allah I has issued numerous
warnings to human beings
against such fallacies and
misconceptions. He I has
been guiding us to take a firm
stand against their tactics
and remain adherent to the
right path. To achieve this
very objective, Allah I sent
messengers and portrayed
their lives as an example to
be followed to success. At no
occasion did the Holy
Prophet E or his companions
use deception as a means of
delivering the Message of
Allah I to the people. The
religion and its command-
ments were explained by
them in all honesty.
“... Shaytaan made their actions seem good to
them and so debarred them from the way,
even though they were intelligent people”
(29:38).
These are nothing but tactics of Shaytaan to
divert people into empty tasks. He paints
activities that have nothing to do with the
approval of Allah I , and makes them appear
worth striving for. And what's worse is that we
easily fall into his catch, negligently choosing
to waste our entire life on fleeting ideals. While
we are distracted by his schemes, does it ever
cross our minds that one day our lives in this
world will end, and that we will be called to
accountability in the presence of Allah? It
doesn't! What a huge mistake it is for Insaan,
who has no guarantee that he will even be
alive to live the next second, to pursue such
fruitless ambitions. And slowly, with the
passage of time, we completely surrender to
the distractions of this transient dunya, stop
questioning our purpose in life, and end up
devoting ourselves entirely towards worldly
plans, and insignificant rewards and targets.
We start with consoling ourselves that in order
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for our “highly ambitious worldly goals” to be
met, it is necessary for us to spend our days in
a certain way, the way standardized by the
“societal pressures”. It eventually manifests
itself in following a certain clan of trendsetters
— read Celebrities — and basically living a life
of self-deception. All this culminates into
compromise on our values, integrity, and
worse, our ability to Reason.
So what could be done to ameliorate this
situation? Well, it is we who need to stand up
for the Freedom to THINK, the Freedom to
ANALYZE, and the Freedom to breakaway
from the shackles of these multi-million-dollar
industries. It is our responsibility to disregard
the images associated with these “brands” and
personalities, and study them from a poised
elevation well above the curtains of illusion
and deceit. It should be our priority to beware
of the plots which make us forget the REAL
purpose of our existence. We should not let
ourselves be pressurized into adopting worldly
ideals and short-lived, transitory ambitions.
We must learn to QUESTION!
Deception only leads to destruction!
Deception might give us temporary
comfort/pleasure, if at all, but in reality it is
paving the path for our destruction in the future
by giving us no gains and all loss, making us
forget our final destiny. We need to put an end
to this scrumptious indulgence in loss! It is high
time we recall our promise to our Lord and
revert to Him. To start with, let's purify our souls
actively with the remembrance of Allah I not
only with our thinking, but our actions.
True perfection will be bestowed upon us if we
abide by the rules framed by The One who
created us from a measly substance and gave
us this life which we so often abuse.
“O you who believe! Fear Allah and let each
self look to what it has sent forward for
tomorrow. Fear Allah. Allah is aware of what
you do. Do not be like those who forgot Allah so
He made them forget themselves. Such
people are the deviators” (9:18-19).

Related by Amatullah (Taken from suhaibwebb.com)

What ’s Your Excuse?

One day while sitting at the school in which I And so the question remains: What's your
take Islamic studies classes, my teacher excuse?
introduced me to an Egyptian girl that
memorizes Qur'aan there.
I remember thinking how shy and timid the
girl seemed. After the girl left, my teacher
revealed that she is both deaf and mute. I
was both amazed and puzzled. I asked, “Well
then, how does she memorize/recite the
Qur'aan with tajweed?” My teacher smiled
and stated, “By reading lips.”
SubhanAllahwalhamdulillahwalaailaahaillall
aahwallahu Akbar! Glory be to Allah, all
praise belongs to Him, He is the One God,
and He is Great!
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GHAFLAH – RISHTYA MEENA KAKAR - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

GHAFLAH
Overlooked by USMLE Step 1
Spiritual Diseases of the Heart:
Heedlessness
Rishtya Meena Kakar - 3rd year medical student, SCM

H eedlessness or Ghaflah is originating from Nasya which means “to

characterized by being oblivious to forget”. It is, therefore, deduced that human
the guidance of Allah I and His beings are characteristically forgetful and
commands and prohibitions, which leads to must be reminded by repetitive spiritual
symptoms of many other spiritual diseases of practices in order to maintain a reliable
the heart and predisposes to all wrongdoing awareness of Allah I .
when allowed to progress unchecked.
The environmental factors contributing to the
However, the symptoms can be cured with
disease progression are all the worldly
multiple-deed therapy and kept in remission
distractions utilized by Shaytan to take our
with lifelong management.
irreplaceable time and lead to the
Epidemiology: abandonment of Dhikr (remembrance of
Among practicing Muslims, the unawareness Allah). In fact, many scholars have defined
of Allah I during the most fundamental act of heedlessness as the absence of Dhikr in one's
worship the Salah is on the rise. This is life.
especially due to the increased incidence of
Pathophysiology:
the disease during childhood which, then
As mentioned above, the disease of
progresses uncontrolled throughout the
heedlessness develops due to the forgetful
sufferer's life. Moreover, the
character of man and due
prevalence of heed-
to Shaytan distracting us,
lessness is increasing
especially when we want to
worldwide in its most
play or have fun. “Closer
ominous formthe disregard
and closer to mankind
of the divine purpose and
comes their Reckoning:
of accountability on the
while they turn away in
Day of Resurrection.
heedlessness. Never
Etiology: comes to them a new
The etiology of heed- reminder from their Lord
lessness is complex in but they listen to it while
which both intrinsic and they play, their hearts
environmental factors are implicated. The preoccupied.” (21:1-3)
intrinsic effect can be understood from the
Allah I has sent all prophets with the duty to
Arabic word for human being, Insan,
call people to believe in the unseen and to get
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relief from the disease of heedlessness. The
message of the prophets brought awareness
of Allah I and could heal the symptoms of this
spiritual disease with the permission of Allah
I , but many of the sufferers of heedlessness
ignored the message of the prophets and even
persecuted or killed the prophets.
Allah I describes those who do not take
guidance from the prophets and persist in
heedlessness as “having a cover (ghishawa)
over their eyes.”(2:7). Thus, the sufferer of
heedlessness has a veil of falsehood drawn
over them and finds it impossible to have a
sound perception of right and wrong.
Clinical Features:
Heedlessness is not a uniform disease but a
dynamic clinical syndrome affecting each
sufferer in different ways. Nevertheless, the
basic defect is “choosing a way of living that
allows divine signs to pass without notice”
[Purification of the Heart Hamza Yusuf]. The
three most common clinical features of the
disease of heedlessness are:
First, the sufferers of this syndrome are
oblivious to the difference
between what Allah I has
commanded and what He
has prohibited, or they
believe it to be irrelevant.
Second, they trust and seek
guidance from human
sources but fail to trust or
ask guidance from Allah I .
Third, they blame Allah I
for their difficulties and
never thank Him for their
success. In fact, they never
thank Allah I for any of the
gifts that He showers on
them daily.
This disease of lack of awareness of the
commands of Allah I , lack of attention to the
guidance of Allah I and, lack of gratefulness
to the blessings of Allah I causes the
symptoms of being easily fooled, dissatisfied
with life, and leads to all the other diseases of
the heart: miserliness, fear of poverty, hatred,
anger, envy, arrogance, seeking reputation,
false hopes and negative thoughts, among
others. In fact, this disease predisposes to all
wrongdoing in the sufferer's life.
It is noted that those persons choosing a way
of life full of Dhikr are never found to suffer from
this disease, for Allah I says: “Then do ye
remember me; I will remember you. Be
grateful to me and reject not faith.” (2:152)
H o w e v e r, s o m e t i m e s a s u ff e r e r o f
heedlessness may appear to be implementing
Dhikr but is actually only completing prayer
and Dua out of habit, nothing more than a
series of rituals and memorized words.
Investigations:
(1) Analyze the Salah:
How many times a day do you pray? With
full concentration?
What are all the
thoughts occupying your
mind during salah?
Do you see Salah as a
burden or an act of
worship to look forward
to?
(2) Analyze relationship
with Allah I :
Who do you trust and
depend on to guide you in
your major decisions?
Do you expect
provisions from others or
do you realize that only
Allah can provide for
you?
(3) Analyze states of gratitude (shukr) and

patience (sabr):
What is your first response when you
accomplish a goal or when stricken with
hardship?
Who do you give credit to for your
accomplishments?
Management:
The initial and most basic management of
heedlessness is to pray to Allah * to remove
the cover over our perception and show things
in their reality, distinguished and clear. The
therapy of choice should be following the
example of the Prophet as he prayed: Show
me the truth as truth and give me the ability to
follow it; and show me falsehood as falsehood
and give me the ability to avoid it.
In his manual, Purification of the Heart
(translated by Hamza Yusuf), Imam Al-Mawlud
uncovered a multiple-deed therapy to cure the
sufferer of heedlessness. The treatment plan
consists of four deeds which are each proven
to reverse the effects of heedlessness,
remove the veil of falsehood, and guide the
sufferer to the straight path.
Prescription Rx:
Sincere repentance and seeking forgiveness:
i) Account of one's deeds before bedtime
ii) Ask for forgiveness 70-100 x/day
iii) Recite Sayyid al-Istighfar morning +
evening visiting righteous people:
i) Surround yourself with companions who
are sincere and trustworthy
ii) Visit graves of righteous ones to remember
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death and Hereafter and to help gain
control over emotions
iii) Visit living righteous people to gain
knowledge and receive their supplication
3. Invoke benedictions upon the Prophet :
Send prayer (salawat), peace (salam), and
blessings (baraka) on the Prophet 500
times a day: O you who believe, invoke
benedictions upon [the Prophet] and
salutations of peace. (33:56)
4. Reciting the Book of Allah:
Recite Quran in Arabic to realize its beauty
from Allah *
Recite some Quran or listen to it in Arabic
every day. Some recommended Surahs
are:
Surah Ya Sin after Fajr prayer
Surah al-Waqi'a after Maghrib prayer
Surah al-Mulk after Isha prayer
 I)Reflect upon the meaning of the Quran to
awaken the heart
(This is) a Book (the Qur'an) which We
have sent down to you, full of blessings,
that they may ponder over its Verses, and
that men of understanding may
remember. (38:29)
The effectiveness of the multiple-deed therapy
in the remission of the heedlessness disease
is proven when the sufferer has established
regular remembrance of Allah * so that
throughout the day there is never a block of
time during which he forgets the presence of
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Allah I and the true message of our beloved The examination revealed that he was not a
Prophet E. practicing Muslim, did not pray regularly, and
relied on his family and friends to help him
Prognosis: make big decisions in life. Before his latest
To understand the prognosis of heedlessness
huge investment in the stock market, he felt his
for the sufferer, one must look to the decree of
heart was against it, but ignored the feeling
Allah I , Who warns us that on the Day of because he saw other people investing.
Reckoning the heedless will be driven to their
punishment and be told along the way, “You Thus we see all three common clinical features
were once heedless of this. Now We have of the disease of heedlessness in this person.
removed your veil from you, so your sight this The therapist recommended he follow the
day is sharp!” (50:22) multiple deed treatment according to the
advice and example of the Prophet E. After
We can understand from this that no matter
starting treatment, the man began to feel
what the extent,
better, as predicted by
heedlessness is a
the Qur'an in Surah Ar-
disease from which
Ra'd where it says, “For
everyone will
without doubt, in the
eventually be cured. It
remembrance of Allah
is up to the sufferer
do hearts find
whether he will follow
satisfaction.” (13:28)
the treatment and be
cured in this life, before 1. What are the three
his death, or whether clinical features of
he will stay under his heedlessness?
veil of falsehood 2. What are the four
(ghishawa) and only deeds to restore
remember Allah I when the heart to healthy
he is pulled towards the Hellfire. awareness of Allah I ?

Case Report + Sample USMLE Questions: References:

A 63 year old Muslim man with a wife and two
children presented to the therapist three
weeks after losing all his life savings in a stock
market crash, feeling physically ill and blaming
Allah I saying, “Oh God, Why did you do this
to me?”
1) Hamza Yousuf. Purification of the Heart:
Translation and Commentary of Imam al-
Mawlud's Matharat al-Qulub. 2004. USA:
Startlatch Press.
2) Faiez H. Seyal. The Road to Success. 1999.
Lahore: Ace Book.

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Eat
suhoor for in suhoor there is blessing.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
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TREASURE – YOUSUF RAZA - FINAL YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

OF HORSES
HUNGER & TREASURE HUNTS
THE PHILOSOPHY OF RAMADAN
Yousuf Raza - Final year medical student, SCM

I
f I were to tell you that, unlike any other
article you might have ever read, this
particular one will unveil a treasure at the
end… Would you believe me? Would you
carefully read through every word on the page
so that a treasure would reveal itself to you in
the end? If you think I'm exaggerating, then
there is only one way to find out…
was created from earth and it receives its
nourishment from this earth. The basal, carnal
desires that we feel are satiated from earthly
material. When you are hungry, you eat. When
you are desirous of copulating, you fulfill that
desire by whatever earthly means are at your
disposal.
But hang on…

“Who are you?” That is the first question Animals do all this as well, don't they? In fact,
Sophie is asked in the introductory, philosophy
they do it by far greater efficacy than even
textbook (disguised as a novel), Sophie's
World. Imam Ghazali, the great 11th century humans can. The sexual abilities of a rooster
scholar, says that the realization of who you would put any human to shame, and a lion can
really are is the key to felicity—to eternal consume a significantly higher amount than
happiness! the human being can even dream of. So the
question is; Are we humans like animals then,
So…… Who are you? but inferior? Such a belief is a mockery of the
miraculously subtle
You may think that
answering such an If our horse is untrained, i n t r i c a c i e s w h i c h ,
'irrelevant' question is a together, conspire to
waste of time. You might spoiled, and granted each and keep human beings
as well make the most of alive. Unfortunately, the
what you have, and every demand according to its majority of humanity
enjoy this short life. At insists on leading life
least, that is how the own pleasure, it will ride us… s u b s e r v i e n t t o t h e
modern world puts it. commands of their
W h e n , a n d h o w, instead of letting us ride it! stomachs and genitalia.
humanity derailed to this
unfortunate ideology, is
beyond the scope of this short article. Suffice it What, then, of this SOUL?
to say that the focus shifted from metaphysics Your soul is who you really are! Allah
to physics, and so came a technological boom commands the angels in the Qur'an to
and a spiritual bang! prostrate to man by saying;

You are what your Creator says you are: a
composite of a body and a soul. Your body is
the derivative of, as the Qur'an explains, and
modern science confirms the earth. The body
"When I have fashioned him (in due
proportion) and breathed into him of My
spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
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This is our reality; Our essence. It has a divine
origin, as does the origin of its nourishment.
What kind of divine nourishment is this? It is
the kalaam (the Word) of the Creator of the
Heavens and the Earth — Al-Qur'an!
With this background in mind, let us begin our
treasure hunt. The key to this treasure can be
found in the six ayahs of Surah al-Baqarah,
from verses 183-188, which are concerned
with fasting. You are probably thinking; What
does fasting have to do with the soul and the
body? What does any of all that have to do with
a treasure? This is where we piece the puzzle
together.
002.183 “O ye who believe! Fasting is
prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those
before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint”.
The ayah is calling you to attention: Straighten
up, you who claim to believe! It is telling you
that fasting (As-Saum) is prescribed onto you,
so that you may attain taqwa. So, what does
fasting really mean, and what does it have to
do with taqwa?
The literal, Arabic word for fasting is 'As-
Siyaam.' In the time of the Prophet E, the
Arabs put their horses through an exercise
known as 'As-Siyaam,' to prepare them for
battles in hostile, desert conditions. They
would deprive the horses of food and water,
and make them stand in the heat of the desert.
Thereafter, when the need arose, the horses
would be ready for battle. These horses would
be accustomed to the harsh conditions, and
not give up on the fighter amidst the heat of
battle, leaving him there to die.
Scholars of old have described the
relationship of the soul and body as like that of
a rider and his horse. The destination of the
rider is his Creator, and the horse is a means to
get there. However, as much as it is a means,
it can also be an obstacle if the horse refuses
to obey its rider. Just like the desert Arabs
prepared their horses, Allah I asks us to
prepare our “horses,” so that we can ride
toward the pleasure of Allah I . If our horse is
untrained, spoiled, and granted each and
every demand according to its own pleasure, it
will ride us… instead of letting us ride it!
By depriving our bodies of their basic desires
from dawn to dusk for the sake of Allah I , we
train ourselves in self-restraint and
consciousness of Allah I . This is what the
ayah terms as taqwa. Taqwa literally means to
'protect and save oneself.' In the Qur'anic
context, it means 'saving and protecting
yourself from indulging in what Allah has
declared to be forbidden.' Taqwa of Allah I is
that level of consciousness of Allah I , which
stops us from doing what he forbids, and
drives us to obey what He commands. This is
how we maneuver our horse and prevent it
from grazing in forbidden territory.
Two questions arise here: Why does
Ramadan have to be the only month in which
we train our horses? Why not any other month
of the year? Also, does the rider need anything
else, beside a trained horse, to get to his
destination? The answer to both of these
questions can be found in the next ayah:
002.185 “Ramadan is the (month) in which
was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to
mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and
judgment (Between right and wrong). So every
one of you who is present (at his home) during
that month should spend it in fasting.”
Qur'an! The reason why this month is so
special is that it has the honor of being the
month of the Qur'an. That is why, once you are
done with training your horse and have
increased in your taqwa, you are now ready to

turn toward the Qur'an, and attain guidance.
For “this is that book, therein is no doubt,
guidance for the people of taqwa.” Taqwa is
the pre-requisite, the key, for attaining
guidance from the Qur'an; and through fasting
we acquire this key.
If a person is not hungry, you can give him the
best of food, and he will have no appetite for it.
Similarly, by fasting, we foster taqwa. Hence,
this taqwa increases our hunger for guidance.
Only then can we benefit from the Qur'an, as
we could not have otherwise. The Qur'an
fulfills the second requirement of the rider, by
giving him Guidance, and this is why it is
referred to as the 'nourishment for the soul.'
The indivisible relationship between the
Qur'an and Ramadan is expressed in several
narrations from the Prophet E, one of which
says:
“Fasting and Qur'an will intercede for the
servant (on the Day of Judgment). Fasting will
say: O Lord, I prevented him from food and
desires of his body during the day so accept
my intercession for him (and forgive him). And
the Qur'an will say: I prevented him from
sleeping at night so accept my
intercession for him. So their
intercession will be
accepted.”
The Qur'an prevents us from
sleeping at night, allowing us
to stand in prayer while
reciting it, and ponder over its
meaning. The Prophet E also
said,
“Whoever fasts in Ramadan
with faith and hope of
reward, all his previous sins
will be forgiven, and
whoever stands in prayer
at night in Ramadan with
faith and hope of reward, all his previous sins
will be forgiven.”
Through these ahadith, we understand that
13
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Siyaam and the Qur'an go hand-in-hand. Even
though the night prayer was not made
obligatory like fasting is, we understand that
the spiritual advantage of both components is
the same.
This standing at night, or qiyam-ul-layl, is seen
in the form of taraweeh in our masajid.
However, the speed with which most mosques
deal with these nightly prayers cannot possibly
give us the guidance we are looking for.
Guidance comes with understanding, and
understanding seems to be the last thing on
the minds of most people leading the
taraweeh. So, if the reader really intends to
reap the benefits that the Qur'an has to offer at
this time of year, then here is some practical
advice:
Read the translation (preferably explanation
also) of the Qur'an that is to be recited that
particular night, so that you can gain as much
benefit as possible from what is being recited.
Since the bullet trains that run in most masajid
make this advice almost impractical, consider
the next point.
Do not go to the masjid (they
are going to beat me over the
head for this one) and pray at
home instead (praying
taraweeh in the masjid is not
obligatory in any way). Read
and understand as much
Qur'an as you can, and then
recite that portion in your own
prayer. It is best to recite from
memory. However, if that is not
possible, reciting from the
Qur'an held in your hand is
acceptable, according to
many scholars (I'll probably
get slammed for this one as
well).
The ideal of all this is to train yourself to know
enough Arabic, so that you have a somewhat
sufficient understanding of the Qur'an from the
14
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start. Therefore, you can directly understand
and appreciate what the Imam recites.
However, this requires preparation and effort
throughout the entire year. Remember, “A
journey of a thousand miles begins with the
first step,” so if you are not already at this level,
then upcoming Ramadan is the perfect
opportunity for you to start!
Focusing our attention back to the ayah, it
goes on to mention that traveling or ill persons
can compensate for their fasts on later dates,
as Allah Î does not wish hardship on anyone.
The passage culminates by giving the reason
for the exercise; “To glorify Allah that He
guided you and to be grateful.”
By fasting, we tame our bodies and bring them
under control. We also nourish our souls by
standing in prayer, and allowing the Qur'an to
give us strength. All this effort results in the
attainment of the ultimate need of man
Guidance! With this need satisfied, all our
previous questions and qualms are then
dispelled. The purpose and direction of our life
then becomes clear. A feeling of inner peace
and tranquility sets in, and we glorify Allah Î ,
and are grateful to Him. When this rush of
gratitude then begins spreading, we realize
that our Lord is near and we can ask of Him as
we please, for the Al-Mighty is ever
responsive:
002.185 “When My servants ask thee
concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them); I
listen to the prayer of every supplicant when
he calls on Me; Let them also, with a will, Listen
to My call, and believe in Me; That they may
walk in the right way.”
The second part of this ayah also lays out the
condition for the acceptance of the
supplication: The supplicant must play his
part, and respond to Allah's call and believe in
Him! It goes, without saying, that a disobedient
and adamant servant does not deserve his
wages. In the next ayah, Allah Î explains the
rules for fasting:
002.186 “Permitted to you, on the night of the
fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are
your garments and ye are their garments. Allah
knoweth what ye used to do secretly among
yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave
you; so now associate with them, and seek
what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and
drink, until the white thread of dawn appears to
you distinct from its black thread; then
complete your fast Till the night appears; but
do not associate with your wives while ye are in
retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set
by) Allah: Approach not nigh thereto. Thus
doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that
they may learn Taqwa.”
This ayah ends by the mentioning of Taqwa,
yet again, to emphasize its importance. Just in
case we are under the impression that being
good for just this one month will suffice for our
salvation, Allah Î reminds us to carry forward
what we acquired from this month, and not to
indulge in transgression once Ramadan is
over; especially with regards to other people's
rights:
002.186 “And do not eat up your property
among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as
bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat
up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other)
people's property.”
So… there you have it! Fasting leads to taqwa.
Taqwa results in taming of the horse, and
leaves a hunger in the rider for guidance. The
Qiyam, with the Holy Qur'an at night, satiates
that hunger. The guided rider now feels
gratitude, and closeness to his Lord as well,
and this feeling leads on to du'a. In that du'a,
you can ask for anything you want. However, if
you are truly wise, you will ask for Allah Î to
keep you steadfast on His Path the entire year
round. In this way, you can ride your horse
straight to the Treasures of Paradise!
This work was an adaptation of Dr. Israr's
Azmat-e-Siyam o Qiyam-e-Ramadan.
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A MAN IN THE MIRROR – HASSAN BAIG - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

Man in the
MIRROR
Hassan Baig - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

A person stood in the mirror looking at book, can't find it.” My head dropped forward
me. There was a fine looking and I said out loud, “Huh?” Did I read this right?
gentleman; one might even say that he First of all, heart disease is a major topic in
was as smooth as a lady-killer. This person medicine and it definitely is in the books.
had just come home in high spirits after playing Furthermore, if someone can't find it by flipping
a cricket match in school and winning, of through the pages, check the table of contents
course. He was feeling pretty confident or index. Finally, if the topic still can't be
because he felt that his fielding skills were located, don't message someone else; it's
crucial for the win. He thought that they embarrassing, isn't it? Then, I calmed down
couldn't have done it without him; how did he somewhat and tried to be fair. Maybe the
become such a big shot? Mr. Big Stuff. Well, person had a valid reason. I couldn't figure it
the person in the mirror was me, and I realized out. Why would anyone send this to me? None
that I had been glorifying myself for the past of my other friends have done anything like
ten minutes. There were many more important this.
things to do beside this, so I turned away from
the mirror and went to do some work. With this train of thoughts was attached
another whole boxcar worth load of thoughts.
At my desk, I had a few books opened and was How did I actually get my friends? This
reading about the heart. Because the events question took hold of my entire mind, and I lost
from the game kept popping back into my all focus on my studies. Because I act nice and
head, I couldn't maintain a friendly with people, I
single train of thought. guess that's how I got
First, I read a sentence; This willingness to change for friends. Simple as that.
thought about it; then What about people who
came the image of me others creates a chameleon don't like me? There are
diving for a catch. I was a lot of people I haven't
d o i n g s o m e t h i n g which can lack any true interacted with, so I did
reminiscent of multi- not a have chance to
tasking. All of a sudden,
character and also allows the befriend them. Now
my phone beeped and person to be used by others. what about people I do
received a message. know but don't like me or
The ridiculous part was hate me; basically my
that when I read the message, I leaned back in enemies. How many of those do I have? I
my chair with a smirk on my face and couldn't think of any off the top of my head.
remember thinking that I must be pretty cool to That's fine. It's not good to have enemies
get that message. Must have been high off of anyway. This topic of enemies brought to mind
the game. SMS: “Where is heart disease in the a quote I read sometime before, “You have
16
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enemies. Good. That means you've stood up
for something, sometime in your life.” I don't
have any enemies that I know of. What does
that mean?
As I sat in my chair, I looked
around the room as if the
answer was hidden there
somewhere. Instead of
finding what I was searching
for, I remembered that I
hadn't washed up after the
match. I took some new
clothes from my closet and
went to take a shower. The
water started running and
so did that boxcar of
thoughts. No enemies, so
what. That just means I
haven't offended anyone.
I've been good. But I
couldn't figure out how I've
been “good” to people. What
is “good?” Heart disease, are
you serious? Why would anyone ask that? But
what about my enemies? Soon frustration set
in, and I tried to forget about it all. I looked up
and saw what seemed to be a crack in the wall.
I'm somewhat nearsighted so I couldn't be
sure. Suddenly, the “crack” moved, and I
jumped with it. It was a lizard. It had been
hidden by blending in with its surroundings, by
looking like a single crack among many. It hit
me, not literally, but it was as if my boxcar had
run into a boulder that caused the car to blow
wide open. This lizard reminded me of a book I
had read a while back, Emotional Intelligence.
This book focused on the importance of
empathy and how this should be used to build
relationships with people. In one chapter there
was mention of a “social chameleon.” This is a
person with two sides: a public face and a
private reality. He makes a good impression
with people but these interactions can go
against the person's own feelings or values.
He will seem to be whatever those he is with
seem to want. These chameleons are well-
liked and popular. They will rarely confront
another even if their own values are
threatened. This willingness to change for
others creates a chameleon which can lack
any true character and also allows the person
to be used by others… So am I one, I thought
to myself, as I stared at the lizard
sitting on the wall. I'm not very
popular, but do I try to blend in
too much with the friends that
I do have? It was time to go
back, back in time and figure
out what I had been doing.
During my high school days, I
remember having lunch with
a few friends in the cafeteria. I
don't recall what we were
talking about but one guy
randomly asked me if I
prayed to Allah five times a
day. My friends knew I was a
Muslim and obviously knew a
little bit about the religion as
well. I said, “Nah man, just
once or twice.” I read the
situation as- if I say 'yes' then maybe they'll
think I'm a religious person. I guess I thought
being religious was not the “friendly” or
“popular” thing at the time. I still had spoken
the truth; I wasn't regular with my prayers back
then. But when I spoke, I put emphasis on the
words “Nah man” making it seem that I was
dismissing the very possibility of actually
praying all five times. I made it sound as if I was
too cool for religion. Maybe that's what my
friends wanted to hear, maybe not, or maybe
they didn't really care what I said. All I know
now is that I had given up something I value,
my faith, in order to stay inside a social circle.
With this memory, I finished up my shower and
got dressed. I wasn't done for the day yet. I
could think of a few more times in which I had
done something similar to the cafeteria
incident. In all of these situations I pursued
friends or simply acceptance. But this didn't
come cheap; every time I had to pay with a little
bit of my integrity, my values, my character. So
what am I left with? Where's my “substance”?
If I continued in this manner, I would soon have
 17

no substance left. I realized the pursuit of
friends or better yet, this pursuit of happiness
is a dangerous task. So what should I do; give
it all up? No. If I can keep myself in check by
not straying away from my values, then
everything should be fine. And what exactly
are my values? Well, that's simple; God has
outlined those for me in His Book. He has also
sent me a role model. By studying these two
sources, we can learn that we should try to be
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sincere and pure in our hearts not only when
we deal with people but also with every single
action we do. This way we can ensure that our
bank of integrity remains as full as possible.
After getting dressed, I had been thinking over
this dilemma while standing in front of the
mirror. I looked at the man in the mirror. This
time I didn't see Mr. Big Stuff. This time I saw a
man in pursuit of substance.

A NATION WEEPS- SARAH RASOOL - 4TH YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

A NATION WEEPS
Sarah Rasool - 4th year medical student, SCM

A nation weeps... Feed the morbid stillness

with its mothers still awake;
and children half-asleep
A people cry...
bombarded by the weapons fired
hailing from the sky
A student waits…
At the checkpoint on the way
Again he will be late
A father mourns…
The bullets tear away their lives
No graves he can adorn
A brother's scream...
The soldiers rob her innocence
His sister is demeaned
Protestors shout…
Chained outside the house,
the tank will certainly wipe out
Such Genocide…
A Horror that deletes the masses;
Murder here abides
A mental illness…
After which the jolts of terror
A pulse erased…
The doctor's coated red with blood
He could not have replaced
The nations wait…
For 'someone else' beside
themselves;
But Cruelty doesn't hesitate!
Oh Ummah, RISE...
Be strong and steady,
Or get ready For you own demise
The cause is clear
But do you know the laws of God?
And have you then NO Fear!
A plea for peace...
"Oh Allah please, grant us the will
And strength to make injustice cease”
Blood always dries...
But who will wipe away the tears
From all the childrens' eyes?
A battered land...
Destruction will complete its course,
If no one takes a stand.
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STORY OF MY LIFE – SHAZAB ASLAM - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

STORY
OF
MY LIFE
Shazab Aslam - 3rd year medical student, SCM

Are you ready? A story of change. admit that I never had a serious thought about
why I was sent here, where I would go after

A ll of us go through a period of
ignorance in our lives; some stay
ignorant all their lives as they can
never break their chains to emerge from the
this, and how I would be dealt with there.

That night made me think, because I was

almost there, done with this world and ready to
sea of darkness. Others, who are blessed move on, empty-handed, alone, helpless,
enough, rise. And then there are those who confused, winded. I couldn't even say a final
break the chains and rise but are not strong goodbye to the ones dearest to my heart. What
enough to stay enlightened or are too could be more painful than this?
overwhelmed by the deceptions, distractions,
A nightmare then and a dream now, I saw
distortions, and delusions of this materialistic
myself in the desert, brought to be slain by
world. They prefer to remain enslaved to their
faces I had never seen and may never see
oldest and most cruel and cunning enemy,
again. I saw them with guns, surrounding a
Satan.
shelter. No, not a shelter but a slaughterhouse
When it comes to me, I don't know where I from which there was no way out. Then came
stand. But I know that one particular night I had the invasion, and we were all there to bear it…
faced many questions for which I had no I will not disclose the entire detail; it is beside
answer. Many are still unanswered, but I know the point. What happened next is what's
now that I have to fight. I'm not sure against important. All of us should think about it, or we
what (my own self perhaps) or for how long. I could be left blind, deaf, and dumb to wander in
just know I have to keep rowing while I am here the afterworld, seeking help or begging for
on earth, and if Allah help. But, it would be far too late to repent.
feels I deserve His I w o k e u p
Mercy, He may All of us should think about it, or we could be drenched in fear,
grant it to me. Until left blind, deaf, and dumb to wander in the my heart beating
that day, I have to afterworld, seeking help or begging for help. like a drum. I could
stand back up after But, it would be far too late to repent. hear it chanting
every fall. As I some familiar
grew up I was words… return…
shown the paths, right and wrong, but I wasn't repent… return… repent… return to your
forced to follow one, not even the right one! I God… repent of your sins. Was it really my
can't say that I was a bad Muslim, but I must

heart beat? The same beat that had been
beating for the last twenty years? Or was it my
soul beating instead of my heart this time?
Sitting in a dark room with a yellow bulb bright
enough only to light the clock so I could see the
time, 2:49 AM, I could hear the clock ticking,
ticking without a pause, never ready to give me
a passed second again. I sat
up and asked myself: Is this
all real? Did I actually die?
Have I left this material
body? Has my soul been
taken to be presented to its
Owner, the Owner Who
owns the Heavens and the
Earth and everything in it? If I
die now, right now, am I
ready to face my Creator;
am I ready to answer: Who is
your God?
All our lives we worship success, status,
science, money, and jobs. We prostitute
ourselves for these fake goals and never ask
ourselves what is real or what is eternal. We
chase materials that run away each time we go
near them. And how do we respond to the call
that says, 'Come to the Success' five times a
day?
I asked myself, is this life? Is this what I have
been doing?
That morning was a different one. The sun was
different and so was the light, the sky was
different and so were the clouds, the traffic was
different and so was the path. The same path
that I had been using for over two years to get
to the same place five days a week, fifty-two
weeks a year. Or perhaps nothing was
different but my own self…
That was the day I started my quest for God. It
was then that I began studying all sorts of
religions and all the different concepts of God. I
studied the Babylonians, the Olympians, and
19
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the Egyptians. I studied Judaism, Hinduism,
and Christianity. I compared them to my own
religion, the one I had been following for years,
following but not practicing.
I came across Satanism too and discovered
many shocking things about it. But, I am
thankful to Allah
that I realized I
had gold in my
pocket, and I had
been chasing
stones and dust.
I k e p t o n
l e a r n i n g ,
revealing to my
soul its true
status. There
was an emerging
desire to repent,
a desire that grew
stronger and stronger with each passing day,
strong enough to help me discard my base
desires. I began to move a bit closer to religion.
I could see the road to peace. Deep inside my
heart, I knew I was changing, or beginning to
melt at least, and I knew this change was for
the better. As this was taking place, a friend of
mine advised me not to go any further or else I
might lose faith. I wondered if I had any faith to
begin with.
I cannot say I have become a perfect Muslim,
or even a good one, or that I am no longer
deluded by this world. But I feel like at least I
know where the light is, where the peace is,
where my home is, and it is certainly not this
world. After reading all this I don't want anyone
to do anything but ask themselves the same
questions that changed my perception of this
world. If death comes to me right now, am I
ready for it? Am I ready to move on to my
eternal life? Can I meet my Creator with pride?
Am I ready?
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RAMADAN FIVE - SABEENA MALIK - 2ND YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

THE

Ramadan 5
Sabeena Malik - 2nd year medical student, SCM

T he Prophet Muhammad E mentioned a

type of person who fasts but gets
dead flesh. Now imagine yourself in the
dissection hall taking a bite out of one of the
cadavers they have up there. How's that for a
nothing out of it, save for hunger and
thirst. graphic description! But little do we realize that
that is exactly what we are doing when we
If the only aspect in which our lives differ during point out to others how 'Mariam's' kameez is a
Ramadan is abstinence from food and drink, little too short, and that 'Abdullah' could use
then there is a fair likelihood we may some deodorant — especially when the said
unwittingly be of that unfortunate bunch to individuals are not present. That is to say
whom this hadith applies. That is, we may miss nothing of spreading false rumors about other
out on the incredible reward and blessings people.
Ramadan is supposed to bring.
If on honest introspection you find that you are
It only makes sense, then, that if we are going the kind of person whose brain and mouth are
to fast anyways, we might as well modify our rarely connected — and you are not alone —
daily schedules a little bit; make room for and that backbiting comes as naturally to you
beneficial practices that weren't in place as breathing, let your friends know of your new
before, and drop a few bad habits that will only resolve only to speak well of others; ask them
be a source of to catch you, if ever
embarrassment when
we meet our Maker. Actively standing guard over you should slip.
Actively standing
Yes, a revision of our what comes out of your mouth is guard over what
individual timetables is comes out of your
in order. To follow is a list the quickest road to achieving mouth is the quickest
of 5 ways we can road to achieving
change our lives for the Taqwa (conscious awareness of Taqwa (conscious
better so that none of
God) awareness of God);
our good deeds go to isn't that what
waste this Ramadan, Ramadan is all about?
InshAllah.
2. Your iPod doesn't always have to play
1. Don't be a cannibal music.
In the Qur'an, Allah I likens speaking ill of Rather than watching music videos on your
your Muslim brother/sister to consuming their iPod, it would not hurt to download a few
 21

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Islamic lectures and Qur'anic recitations. the more enjoyable
While the impermissibility of 4. Meeting of the
music may be debatable, the fact Great Minds.
that it is, at the very least, Set aside a minimum of
discouraged is something that no ten to fifteen minutes of
serious student of Islam can break time as often as
deny—with specific reference to possible to study an
the kind of music that the majority Islamic book with a
of us are apt to listen to. If nothing friend, or group of
else, it is a waste of time and we friends who are also
could do with less of it, not more. looking to please Allah.
Unlike leaving the chai you are Inshallah, when your
addicted to, dropping this aspirations are similar,
particular habit for a month will you will find that you will
not bring on any withdrawal be able to feed off of the
symptoms and hopefully in so energy of one another,
doing, you will find time to fill your and this will help you in
ears with recordings of a more your quest to become a
blessed nature. better Muslim.

3. Get to know your Prophet. 5. Be Prepared

One of the first questions we will be asked in
our graves, is who our prophet was.
If we didn't know him and love him as he was
meant to be known and loved — by studying
his life and following it as closely as we could
we will not be able to answer this question:
What better time to prepare for this inevitable
viva exam than the month of Ramadan? To set
the bar very low, at least promise yourself that
by the end of this month you will be able to
recall facts from his Sunnah with more interest
than the life of your favorite celebrity/sports
figure or TV show. A wonderful place to start is
Martin Lings' (Abu Bakr Siraj ad Din) biography
on the Prophet Muhammad E. The book isn't
very long and it reads like a novel, making it all
Know that any visible step closer to Allah that
you take may bring on the ridicule of people.
Abdullah ibn Masud, said: "the Prophet E said
'Islam began as something strange, and it will
revert to being strange as it was in the
beginning, so good tidings for the strangers.'
Some asked, 'Who are the strangers?' He
said, 'The ones who break away from their
people (literally, 'tribes') for the sake of Islam.'"
[Sahih Muslim, Ibn Majah]. So being
considered 'weird', if your 'weirdness' stems
from obedience to Allah for his sake alone, can
be taken as a good sign such are the times we
live in. Lastly, whatever you do, don't forget to
ask Allah for his forgiveness, guidance and
help. And Allah knows best.

‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to say when breaking his fast: “Dhahaba al-zama' waabtalat al-'urooqwathabata
al-ajr in shaAllaah (Thirst is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is certain if
Allaah wills).”

(Narrated Abu Dawood)

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'BADAL DO ZAMANA' – HAISUM KHAWAJA - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

BADAL DO ZAMANA !
Haisum Khawaja - 3rd year medical student, SCM

More often than not, you may come across this
quote that has no author,
“Don't just ask, demand for your rights,
Make sure to also fulfill your duties.
If you want change,
Then be the change.
life. I do not blame any one of you, for I also aim
to be a successful professional one day. I
mean it's a part of human nature to have this
desire to be of a high status and to be
respected in the community. One usually
aspires to be the person whom everyone in the
community praises and looks up to.

Allah Gives and Forgives,

Man Gets and Forgets.” “With great power comes great
responsibility.”
One may also come across a saying of a well- - Spiderman
known personality, “Dangerous is not that
which is evil, but are those people that do “Its not how hard you can hit, but it's how
nothing about it.” hard you can get hit and keep moving
- Albert Einstein forward.”
-Rocky Balboa

W here do I start; what do I write? I

could be out there right now using
my time to help shoot some of the
2.5 million stray dogs that are spreading rabies
Each one of us wants to fulfill our desires a
typical mindset of the average man would be to
be successful in his career/profession, be rich
and wealthy, have a lovely wife and a family to
in our country.
Before I start, I request all the readers to read come home to. An average woman looks for
this article with an open mind and read the security and wants a good caring husband
entire article before coming to any who understands her and is tolerant and
conclusions. I hope that no one takes supportive of her ambitions. A child
my statements personally for I am “Its not wishes to be the famous hero who
not aiming to target anyone. I am how hard you always comes to save the day.
just expressing my opinion of how can hit, but it's how Everyone is looking for their story-
I see our society theses days.
hard you can get hit book ending to life.
In today's era, everyone is busy and keep moving
trying to achieve higher goals in
forward.” `How can one achieve this? There
life, and everyone is so ambitious are basically two ways in which
-Rocky Balboa
to attain their maximum potential that you as an individual can become
we have forgotten the simple values of ahead of the race. One can either: 1)
develop and grow individually while making

sure that everyone else's position always
remains static, or 2)one can develop along
with everyone else, except work harder in
order to always stay a few
steps ahead of the rest.
The first method will give a
person the illusion that he or
she is better than the rest,
but the second method is
what will bring out one's full
potential as an individual
while at the same time
uplifting everyone else in
the community. In the end, it
should not be about topping
others but topping yourself.
Especially in the setting of
our medical school, there is
cut-throat competition at
times, but one shouldn't get sucked into that
situation. Set goals for yourself and meet them
regardless of whether you are the first or the
last; if you have met your objectives, than you
have succeeded in your mission. The same
applies to life. Don't compare yourself to
others, or feel superior for doing better or
having more. Do what you have to do to keep
yourself in competition with yourself and not
others. Then, in the end, you might have your
story-book ending and if not, at least, you will
be content with what you have achieved and
with what you have.
What I want to convey in this article is that we
blame others for our problems and continually
distract ourselves form fixing the actual
problem, which is us as individuals. At the end
of the day, no matter how much power and
money one might have, one will never truly
have complete power over anyone else but
themselves.
I believe that these days, almost 90% of
people in society may be hypocrites. Now
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everyone's probably thinking that I'm probably
crazy. But there is an element of reality in this
and I can prove it, so please keep reading.
There are many small issues
that we ignore on a regular
basis and they gradually
build up to be very big affairs.
Just because a particular
ideology or phenomenon is
accepted by the community
or just because it has
become a habit, doesn't
mean the act is justified or is
morally correct.
Just think about why most of
us came to medical school?
The simple answer would be
to become doctors. Out of
one-hundred students, who
answer as such, probably only about forty of us
will actually be working in the health sector. So,
then why are we all becoming doctors? What's
the point of going through piles of books for 5
years that translates to nothing but
unnecessary stress? Some of us become
doctors because we actually want to; some do
it only for the degree, for the sake of respect,
and to be known as Dr. Sahib or Sahiba. Some
girls are worried they won't get good marriage
proposals; some unfortunate guys think their
marriage proposals have a better chance of
being accepted after MBBS. Interestingly,
most don't even know why they are becoming
doctors.
Whatever the reason is for us being in medical
school, most of us in the admission interviews
claimed that we wanted to be doctors for the
benefit of humanity and to contribute in helping
to improve the health standards of society. So
then, didn't most of us lie?
For almost three years now, most students in
my class, including myself, have been
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continuously complaining about the strenuous
curricular load and the fact that the
administrators never care for our demands.
Most of us don't study or even open a single
textbook during an entire module, and wait for
the last week or two prior to the test and then
complain about the shortage of time and the
extra burden. How many of us study regularly
as is the requirement of responsible and
professional medical students? Before
entering this field we all knew the study load
requirements and the hard work that needs to
be put to become a doctor. We simply want
food (knowledge) to be fed to us spoon by
spoon without actually even trying to hold and
use the spoon ourselves. If one doesn't study
enough, he or she should accept the fact that
he or she will not score those good grades
rather than making useless excuses and
complaining that “some of the test questions
were out of course material.” Surfing facebook
and youtube, participating in sports, or just
being lazy for 3- 4 hrs a day is not an excuse for
shortage of time to study.
Another major quirk in our society is the aspect
of food. We Pakistanis are very proud of our
cultural food and spices and are a nation
whose people enjoy food to the last bite. The
tastier we want the food to be, the more
basmati ghee/ oil and salt we add to it. We are
so proud of our food that we are willing to carry
diabetes, heart disease and hypertension with
us and make all those routine hospital trips
after we turn 40. At this end of the rope, no one
has any major complaints but then when we
see someone smoking we start counting all its
harms and assume that the particular smoker
is also of bad character.. We argue that
smoking leads to cancer and eventually death.
However, we hardly ever emphasize that
McDonalds or “gajjar ka Halwa” in excessive
amounts can also cause harm. (By the way, I'm
a non-smoker and I am not trying to promote
smoking here.) So then, technically both
obesity and cigarette smoking are equally
blameworthy “habits.” Each, being equally
"disliked," albeit smoking being almost
prohibited by some, from an Islamic
perspective but yet the double standard game
is played.
For quite some time now, there has been
heavy electrical load shedding and a water
shortage in our country. What most of us do, is
just blame our politicians all the time regarding
their corruption.. While knowing that the
country is in the state of crisis, most of us
usually have our ACs set on max cooling; we
have unnecessary lights/fans turned on in our
homes and we usually leave our garage/ lawn
lights on the entire night. That's all wastage of
electricity. Many of us keep the tap water
running while brushing our teeth or take 20 min
showers. That's unnecessary wastage of
water. None of us are trying to help in the state
of crisis and all we can do is blame the
politicians for not providing enough. Well, if we
didn't waste so much than we wouldn't be
asking for as much.
One last thing before I conclude this article is
another serious subject matter: Hijab. It's just
funny how some girls wear a duppata or hijab
and when there's a talent show, wham hijab
mode goes off ,“ab tu scene on karna hai.” The
point is that on one side, the students will wear
hijab (female students, God help the male
ones if they do wear a head scarf) because it is
modest and we want everyone to know that we
are "Islamic". The attitude seems to be “It
doesn't matter if we wear tight clothes or skirts;
if our heads are covered we are good to go.”
But then, talent show comes around and
everyone is going to be dressed-up, the
occasion at which you should want to appear
modest, the hijab is off and the party is on.
Notwithstanding that, no matter how the girls
are, the boys have to be modest too. “Lower
your gaze,” Islam says. It's double standards

all around. The people who say that such-and-
such girl was in hijab and today she isn't,
should not forget that they have a hijab as well
– that of lowering their
gaze.. I'm not trying to
target anyone in
particular. It's a fact that
“Dangerous is not that which
people from both sides is evil, but are those people
have the wrong
mindset. that do nothing about it.”
People should not judge
others. The other option
is to judge all and by all you must include
yourself. Only God knows what's in our hearts
and minds. It is part of human nature to judge
others and have a “holier than thou” attitude. If
you have a beard, then it is good for you. If you
wear Hijab, then it is good for you. That doesn't
give you an empirical right to judge others.. In
the end, judgment will be passed by Allah and
not by any man or woman so save the trouble
and keep your judgments to yourself.
In conclusion, the point that I am trying to make
is that we all focus too much on matters that
should be the least of our concern. It is highly
simple to give oneself a false psychological
relief by using others as scapegoats for our
own self created problems. We, as a society
are day by day becoming more particular
about the superficial and materialistic rather
than the simple basic values and elements of
life. There is too much emphasis on the
outward appearance of things and the fear of
becoming a social outcast – of becoming the
new topic of gossip, that we tend to forget what
really makes each of us truly happy on the
inside. There's a saying, “when one is pointing
his or her finger at someone in blame, three
fingers are pointing back.” Try it, make a fist
and point at something. (You're pretty lame like
me if you actually tried it.) Running away from
our problems doesn't help solve them, they
just become bigger and that makes matters
worse.
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If we want to develop as a society and keep
level in the race between nations, then we
need to learn to “forgive and forget.” We are
independent but we need to
l e a r n t o b e
interdependent. For, it's
easy to break a single
stick, but many sticks
put together become
impossible to break.
- Albert Einstein Yes, there will be times
when your friends/
brothers/ sisters may
seem to be the biggest
hypocrites, but forgive them for as a friend that
is the least you can do. Remember that the one
who hurts his or her friends, is usually in more
regret and pain than the one who he or she
may have hurt. Hypocrisy only creates anger
within people, anger brings arrogance, with
arrogance comes hatred, hatred triggers
fights, and fights destroy a person's character
entirely.
“Respect all people (rich or poor, friend or
foe) as if they are above you, and you will
forever be above them in their hearts.”
Anonymous
Do that, and indeed you will have perfected
your character. People always respect those
of good character. If you think that most
people are hypocrites and can't be trusted,
then you should become the example and
show them how to be trustworthy. If you want
people to change for the better, then you
should first change yourself for the better. If all
you can do is sit around and blame others of
being hypocrites, than you may be the biggest
hypocrite of all.
Badal do apni soch, badal do zamana!
“Intelligence and Character, that is the goal
of true education.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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ANGER MANAGEMENT (PD)- VAJIHA JAVED, - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM
Anger
M ana ge me nt
Vajiha Javed - 3rd year medical student, SCM
I am very angry at you! Where is your
article? Why hasn't it reached me yet? The
deadline is tomorrow and you haven't even
started yet,” my lucky friend texted me (lucky
that I call her my friend, of course). She
seemed really stressed out; the editorial board
of the magazine had recently scolded her.
What could I have done? I was very angry after
this message, so I took it out on an angry-
looking lizard on the wall of my room. It had
been staring right at me for the past few hours
without blinking even once. Amazing, eh?
Pause and think. Do you see a sequence of
events building up? A chain reaction: one
neutron hits the next and dissipates its energy,
the next neutron does the same, and the
process continues. No,
this is not an article on
nuclear technology. It
Actively standing guard over
just shows how an
what comes out of your
uncontrolled chain
reaction can lead to mouth is the quickest road to
disasters like Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. achieving Taqwa (conscious
What else in our
environment is awareness of God)
uncontrollable and
disastrous? Media,
especially TV news is one. But what about
something more personal, which manifests
globally as well? No, not lizards either,
although I wish we had a solution to them.
Think, think.
ANGER – the word becomes DANGER by
adding a single letter at the beginning. There
was an entire cycle of anger in the (fictitious)
story in the first paragraph which ended with a
poor creature's death. In the following
paragraphs, let's try diagnosing the problem.
Before we go on, let me ask you this simple
question. Is anger a good thing or a bad thing?
Your answer, I sense, is “bad.” Right? Wrong!
This is analogous to things like mobiles and
the internet. There is no inherent evil in them. It
is the use of these modalities that make them
either good or bad.
What about when you see some innocent
person being beaten up or when you see
someone pestering a
girl? Dr. Zakir Naik says
that one cannot sit
silently when a thief
enters the home. At that
point, you have to
r e s p o n d h a r s h l y.
Nowadays, we lash out
at people on non-issues
and sit around quietly
when faced with the real
issues. What did the Prophet E do in such
times? He got angry when the limits of Allah I
were crossed, but his anger was not
uncontrolled. The point at which anger causes
problems is when it goes out of the control of

one's nafs.
We medical students are taught how to
manage a patient presenting to us with a
disease. Management involves 4 steps:
1. History
2. Examination
3. Investigation
4. Treatment
Case:
Mr. Angry Man presents to
you with a one hour history
o f a n g e r, w h i c h i s
aggravated by being
scolded and relieved by
taking a bath or eating
chocolate.
History:
The first creation to ever feel
anger was Iblees.
Uncontrolled anger is an
attribute of Iblees but what
benefit did he get from this?
Allah I made Iblees an outcast and we are
taught to seek refuge from him before starting
every prayer. So every time you are angry,
think about which side you want to be with on
the Day of Judgment; the army of Allah I with
the Angels, Prophets, Martyrs and Righteous
Ones, or with the army of Iblees and his
accomplices. On that day, Iblees himself will
forsake his followers for fear of Allah I .
Shaytaan's force can never be a match for Al-
Rahmaan (The Most Merciful). On that day, all
will yearn to join the ranks of the righteous, but
where will we be?
Examination:
(Here is where the Baat Cheet ends, Dactor
Saab takes out his stethoscope, and you think,
“Oh he really is a doctor.”) On examination,
you will most likely find a hyperinflated ego. It is
this big ego that makes us angry whenever
something we dislike occurs. It is this ego that
made the worst villain, Shaytaan, defy Allah's
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commandments. Shaytan's ego thought, “I am
made of fire! Why should I bow to this creature
of dust?” This is precisely what our egos make
us think and do. “Who are you to point a finger
at me? I am righteous and knowledgeable. I
am always right, how can I be wrong?” Well
brothers and sisters, this is
where we are completely
wrong. The best in the sight
of Allah I is the one who has
attained the highest level of
taqwa.
“All mankind is from Adam
and Eve; an Arab has no
superiority over a non-Arab
nor a does a non-Arab have
any superiority over an Arab;
a white has no superiority
over a black nor does a black
have any superiority over a
white, except by piety and
good action.” [From the Last
Sermon of the Prophet E]
Be humble. Spend time with people who have
more knowledge, better taqwa and better
qualities than you. For example, if you
consider yourself very truthful, spend time with
someone who is even more truthful. Also, look
for the qualities that you lack.
Investigation:
An MRI of the brain will reveal well developed
visual, speech, and auditory areas. The frontal
lobe, where thoughts are generated, will be
atrophied (shrunken). As the Urdu proverb
goes, 'Ghusa aqal ko khaa jata hai.' Anger eats
up the intellect.
A lack of inner peace and tranquility has
brought this disease into all of our lives. It is
due to a lack of knowledge of our Deen,
distance from Salaah, distance from Allah, and
nearness to Shaytaan. As Dr. Israr Ahmed said
in his September 1968 lecture in Faisalabad
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(then Laylpur), “The concept of world peace is
unimaginable without bringing about peace
and tranquility within individuals.”
Treatment:
Refer to Davidson's Principles and Practice of
Medicine? Wrong approach! Refer to the
Qur'an and Sunnah.
1. Say: “'A'oothu Billahi minash-
Shaytaanir-rajeem”“I seek refuge in Allah
from Satan the outcast.” Focus on the
meaning so that one is reminded who we
seek refuge from and whom we seek it in.
[Bukhari 7:99, Muslim 4:2015]
2. The Prophet E advised one who is
overtaken by anger to sit if standing and to
lie down if sitting.
3. Perform Sajdah. Ghusa tu naak pe
rakha hota haithe nose is a sign of
arrogance and pride. Observe your nose
closely when you are angry. See how
hyper-inflated it becomes. That is why we
place our nose on the ground in front of
Allah I , to show utter submissiveness to
Him. In Sajdah, the heart is always at a
higher level than the nose and the intellect.
4. Perform wudhu. Wash your face or
take a bath.
5. Look at your face in the mirror when
you are angry and see how bad you
actually look: I'd even say you look just like
the devil himself.
We get angry at the wrong time and in the
wrong situations. We are enraged when
someone abuses us or our friends, but what do
we do when we see people dying in the
mosques around us? Among the few who do
get angry at the right time, many are
misdirected to show their anger through
violent protests. What is wrong with us these
days? We need to snap out of it.
The best way is to take out your anger in the
present circumstances is through the pen.
Remember, the pen is mightier than the sword.
I have written the article, so now be gone from
here Shaytaan, and try your tricks elsewhere.
Watch out people, he is coming right at you.
Beware. Be protected. 'A'oothu Billahi minash-
Shaytaanir-rajeem!

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ascended the minbar and
said: “Ameen, ameen, ameen.” It was said: 'O Messenger of Allaah, you
ascended the minbar and said, 'Ameen, ameen, ameen.” He said: “Jibreel
(peace be upon him) came to me and said: 'If Ramadaan comes and a person is
not forgiven, he will enter Hell and Allaah will cast him far away. Say Ameen.' So I
said Ameen. He said: 'O Muhammad, if both or one of a person's parents are
alive and he does not honour them and he dies, he will enter Hell and Allaah will
cast him far away. Say Ameen.' So I said Ameen. He said: 'If you are mentioned in
a person's presence and he does not send blessings upon you and he dies, he
will enter Hell and Allaah will cast him far away. Say Ameen.' So I said Ameen.”

(Narrated by IbnHibbaan)
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FASTING AND FURIOUS (COVER ARTICLE) AHMED MALIK - FINAL YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

The Fasting
& the Furious
Ahmed Malik - Final year medical student, SCM

A s the horizon turned a crimson-rose already had a cup of one type of tea or coffee
and the sun set once again, a feeling of and were presented with another blend, you
gratitude filled the air. The entire city couldn't refuse because, “you've had a cup of
was echoing with the euphonic sounds of, tea (or coffee) but you haven't had this kind.”
“God is the Greatest. God is the Greatest.” Then, as soon as it had started and people had
Table-spreads and table-cloths were their share, the city once again filled with the
instantaneously rolled out over the soft and sounds of, “God is the Greatest. God is the
fragrant rugs, and bowls upon bowls filled with Greatest.” This time it was the second call to
every quality and size of the juiciest dates were prayer, the iqaamah; all the table-spreads
passed around; cups of soothingly cold and were rolled up, put away, and the salah began.
refreshing water were presented to everyone, It was not the month of Ramadan. It was an
in an interminable manner. ordinary Monday or Thursday. Nevertheless,
a lot of people must have been fasting – in fact,
Why would the water not be cold, refreshing, most of them were.
and unrelenting, when it came from a
miraculous spring that Two questions arise from the recollection of
sprung in the middle of a this true story: if people
barren dessert, many were fasting on an
thousands of years ago ordinary Monday or
– a spring that will There is no “healthy competition” Thursday, then how
remain flowing till the or race to greatness that is more different is it from fasting
end of time. Why would in the month of
encouraged in Islam by the Ramadan? If the locals
there not be a variety of
all kinds of juicy dates, Qur`an or the sunnah than were so insistent on
when one of the few competing with others in doing serving the visitors of
plantations that can the Grand Mosque on
good, and attaining Allah's Mercy,
survive the weather of an ordinary Monday or
the land are date-palm
forgiveness, and a place in His Thursday, then how
trees? Yet, there was everlasting gardens of bliss; much more eager must
more to come; cups they be in the month of
after cups of different Ramadan?
types of teas and coffees of
The easiest way to
traditional and local blends were presented to
answer the first question would be that there is
any who desired to taste a cup or two. If you
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no real difference. We fast then, being
deprived of food and water, and there are
plenty of occasions that can cause us to lose
patience and become the “fasting and the
furious”, and we fast in Ramadan, being
deprived of the same. The only difference may
be that if we chose to fast on any given Monday
or Thursday, we can fast in the winter months
when the days are shorter; in Ramadan we do
not have the luxury of a choice if it occurs in a
summer month, like this year. However, such
an answer is deficient because for some it may
be blasphemous, for others it may be an
oversimplification, and still others may say,
“Yeah, that's what I feel,” and no clear
consensus may be drawn.
A simple way to answer the second question
would be with a counter-question, “how are we
supposed to know what someone else will or
will not do in the future?” Such an answer may
seem logical, but would represent a gross
misinterpretation of the initial question. In that
way we come back to square one with the two
questions still staring us in the face.
Interestingly, both the questions can be linked
together and answered as one entity.
There is no “healthy competition” or race to
greatness that is more encouraged in Islam by
the Qur`an or the sunnah than competing with
others in doing good, and attaining Allah's
Mercy, forgiveness, and a place in His
everlasting gardens of bliss; “Race one with
another in hastening towards Forgiveness
from your Lord (Allah), and towards Paradise,
the width whereof is as the width of the heaven
and the earth, prepared for those who believe
in Allah and His Messengers. That is the Grace
of Allah which He bestows on whom He
pleases. And Allah is the Owner of Great
Bounty.” [Al-Hadeed 57:21]. Allah, the Owner
of Great Bounty, encourages us to compete
and work with zeal to obtain the Paradise,
which He has prepared for those who believe
in Him and His Messengers and struggle to
uphold that belief in their lives. However, this is
an open invitation to the race and is not limited
only to the month of Ramadan. In essence,
then, as believers, we should be eager to do
good deeds all our lives and not limit goodness
to special occasions or special times of the
year.
As a result, it would seem that our initial
questions, which can be linked under the
broad heading of doing good, can be
answered by the following, “there is no
difference between fasting in Ramadan and
fasting on any day out of Ramadan and there
need not be a difference between eagerness
to give to others in Ramadan and eagerness to
give to others in any other time of the year.”
Again, such an answer is inadequate because
it disregards the significance of Ramadan and
is devoid of a holistic approach to the Qur`an,
and to the ways of Prophet Muhammad E.
In another place in the Qur`an, Allah I advises
us to, “Be quick in the race for forgiveness from
your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is
that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the
earth, prepared for the God-conscious” [Al-
'Imran 3:131]. While, in the previous ayah we
learn that the Paradise whose expanse is
equal to the width of the entire heaven and
earth, is prepared for those who believe in
Allah and His Messengers, in this ayah we
learn that there is an additional requirement:
that of being “God-conscious,” Al-
Muttaqoonthose who have taqwah. The
subsequent ayaat (pl. of ayah) in the same
surah, explain the characteristics of Al-
Muttaqoon, as do the opening ayaat of the
second surah of the Qur`an. There is no
mention, however, of what steps might lead
one to attaining those characteristics and
hence become Al-Muttaqoon.
It is with the mention of Ramadan and the
command to fast that we see mention of the
word Al-Muttaqoon as an indication of how to

attain taqwah, “O you who believe! Observing
As-Saum (the fast) is prescribed for you as it
was prescribed for those before you, that you
may become Al-Muttaqûn.” [Al-Baqarah
2:183] The answer lies with
fasting in the month of
Ramadan. In order for us to
fulfill the additional
requirement of being Al-
Muttaqoon, we have to go
through the month of
Ramadan, fasting and
training ourselves to
develop the taqwah. In this,
also, lies the essence of the
month of Ramadan: it is a
month of training.
Like any training at work,
where an employer pays the
employees to get trained in
certain skills and expects them
to use those skills throughout their
employment, our Creator, Allah, gives us
Ramadan as a period of training. During this
training we also get paid and, better than any
worldly occupation, our pay is multiplied
several times as the Prophet E informed us,
“…Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by
performing any of the (optional) good deeds
in (this month) shall receive the same reward
as performing an obligatory deed at any other
time, and whoever discharges an obligatory
deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of
performing seventy obligations at any other
time” [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]. Why,
then, would a person not have an extra
eagerness to perform good acts in Ramadan?
And when we should be competing (in a
healthy manner) to get the Mercy of Allah and
Paradise on ordinary days, how much more
must we compete in the month that is meant to
prepare us to become people – Al-Muttaqoon
– who are promised a Paradise the expanse of
the heavens and the earth? From the
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foregoing, it becomes clear that a Muslim must
try to do good acts all the time and should
increase them in quantity and work on
improving their quality in the month of
Ramadan.
This was the way of the
Prophet E as well, as Ibn
'Abbas e tells us, "that the
Messenger of Allah E was
the most generous person,
and he would be at his most
generous in Ramadan
because Jibril would come to
him every night and he would
rehearse the Qur'an with
him" [Bukhari]. He E also
emphasized the importance
of feeding a fasting person by
saying, “He who gives food
for a fasting person to break
his fast, will receive the same reward as him,
without anything being reduced from the
fasting person's reward" [at-Tirmidhee]. That
is why we can answer the second question,
which was not a question of what the people of
Makkah will or will not do in Ramadan but was
a question of what they must do out of an
understanding of the significance of the
month, by saying “they must be abundant
times more eager to serve the visitors of the
Grand Masjid in the blessed month of
Ramadan.”
Concerning the first question, there is a purely
academic aspect to it: fasting in Ramadan is a
fard (obligatory act of worship) and as such it is
different from the nafil (optional) or Sunnah
fast on an ordinary Monday or Thursday.
Consequently, in the context of the
aforementioned hadeeth by Ibn Khuzaymah,
the obligatory fasting in this month has the
potential of being rewarded the performance
of seventy obligations on any other ordinary
day. In another hadeeth, the Prophet E
32
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explained that, in fact, the reward for fasting is
even greater than that; Abu Huraira related
that the Prophet said: “Allah the Majestic and
Exalted said: 'Every deed of man will receive
ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam
(fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as
I like). There are two occasions of joy for one
who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the
other when he will meet his Lord'" [Muslim].
What a Mercy of Allah! How, then, can we be
reluctant to fulfill this obligation? Secondly, in
this month of training, we should try to perfect
our fast and use it to harness our desires in
Ramadan, and even after the blessed month
has passed us. We should make our fast
meaningful and not a mere time of hunger and
thirst as the Last Messenger of Allah E warned
us, Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah E said:
“Many people who fast get nothing from their
fast except hunger and thirst, and many
people who pray at night get nothing from it
except wakefulness” [Darimi]. One way to
avoid such a fate is to give up lying, backbiting,
and other such 'false speech', “Whoever does
not abandon falsehood in word and action,
then Allah I has no need that he should leave
his food and drink" [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree].
Fasting is a shield from the blazing fire of Hell
[Musnad Ahmad, Saheeh]. We should fast
this Ramadan (and, in shaa Allah, future ones
as well) with a fury, not of anger and rage but of
enthusiasm and fervor, and hence, become
the “fasting and the furious”. With every
passing hour, and every passing day, we
should bring ourselves to account and
scrutinize each one of our actions. Never
should a day go by, but we should evaluate
how we have spent it; did we lower our gaze?
Did we refrain from using foul language? Did
we control our anger at even the most difficult
moments? We should compete and race with
one another – in a healthy manner – to do good
all our lives and especially more so in this
blessed month, as our beloved Messenger E
advised us, "Ramadan has come to you. (It is)
a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you
with blessing, for He sends down Mercy,
decreases sins, and answers prayers. In it,
Allah looks at your competition (in good
deeds), and boasts about you to His angels.
So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for
the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in
(this month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty,
the Exalted" [Narrated by Tabarani].
“…And the last of their call shall be: All the
praises and thanks are to Allah, Lord of 'Alamin
(mankind, jinn, and all that exists)the Lord of
the worlds.” [Yunus 10:10]

“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).
And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?
The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping
Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah's Permission with all Decrees,
(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn”

[al-Qadar 97:1-5]

A'TIKAAF- ANONYMOUS
Rejuvenated
My A’TIKAAFExperience
Experience
I
t was the last day before I headed back. I sat
against the wall of the masjid staring out onto
the road. In the past ten days, I had desired to
have as little to do with the outside world as
possible. But today I had to step back into it. I had
to leave my sanctuary. I was a little scared – I
didn't want to go back. I saw the usual hustle and
bustle of a typical Lahori morning. People had to
get to places – and they had to get there fast. This
was what scared me. Did I really want to go back
to that world? Where the unrelenting pursuit for
more and more made people oblivious to the
reality of the world they lived in. A world wrought
with poverty, injustice and the supposedly recent
phenomenon of “terrorism”. The rich were
getting richer and the poor poorer. In the world I
saw, the multimillionaire was speeding away in
his BMW fueled by the blood of the peasants.
That's what terrorized me – the sight of a godless
world. The world inside the masjid had been
nothing short of bliss for the past ten days.
Peace, quiet and serenity. People could be seen
calling on to their Lord sitting,
standing and lying down. Top
notch neurologists and
drivers were eating from the
same dish and praying side
by side, each giving the other
the respect they deserved on
account of their humanity and
not on their worldly status.
Futile arguments, foul
speech and angry bouts were
infrequent if at all. The
sporadic squabble here and
there was a given but on the
whole the place gave a
glimpse of what paradise
would be when Allah says,
“Not frivolity will they hear
therein, nor any taint of ill,-
Only the saying, "Peace!
Peace” (Al-Qur'an 56: 25-26).
Away from family I found a
home amidst complete strangers – what brought
us together was faith.
33
transcend
Personally I'd achieved what I didn't think was
possible for me. Ten days without Facebook,
Gmail and my cell phone seemed unimaginable
a while ago. I realized that it was possible to
sleep on the floor on a 6 by 3 area quite
comfortably. Eating simple brought home satiety
of a different kind. I had learned how to live like a
traveler and came to understand the saying of
the Prophet E, “Be in this world as though you
were a traveler” in a new light. But most of all
through the prayers, the du'as and the recitation
of the Qur'an I had grown closer to my Creator in
ways that cannot be expressed in any language
and can only be experienced. This was by far my
best Ramadan ever and I did not want it to end.
But as is the nature of this world all things, good
or bad, must come to an end.
Nobody in the history of creation had a spiritual
experience similar to what the Prophet E had on
the Mai'raj, from which he too had to
return. He had a job to do and
as members of his Ummah we
also have a job at hand. We
are the messengers of the
Messenger and we need to
carry on his mission. Our
prayer, fasting and spiritual
recluses like these give us the
character of a believer; a
character strong enough to
contribute positively towards
society and to rid it of the
poverty, strife and injustice that
inundate its core. This is the
message that the Divine
Eloquence gave to the
Messenger E in Surah Al-
Inshirah the 94th Surah of the
Qur'an. As long as the journey
seemed at the beginning of the
ten days it finished. And as long
as the life of this world looks it too
shall one day finish.
34
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transcend

HAZRAT ALI e - DR. WAQAS AHMED - CONSULTANT CARDIOLOGY SHIFA INTL HOSPITAL

Ali bin Abi Talib (ABU TURAB) e

The fourth of the rightly guided Caliphs
Dr. Waqas Ahmed - Consultant Cardiology Shifa Intl Hospital

T he Meeting took place on Thursday, 26th morning, when the assassins heard that the
Safar in the 13 t h year of the Prophet E had already left Makkah, they
prophethood in the house known as rushed in and pulled the sheet off from the
dar-an-nadwah (the house of council). sleeping soul Lo and Behold! It was Ali e . He
Amongst the attendees were notable leaders was only 20 years old or so at that time.
of the Quraysh including Abu-jahl bin Hisham
and Omaiyah bin Kalaf. Iblees himself, He is the fourth in the venerated list of “The
disguised as an elderly man from Najd, Ten” ('Asharah Mubasharah) who were given
attended the meeting. The deliberations went glad tidings of Paradise by the Noble Prophet
on for hours and finally on the suggestion of E.
Abu Jahl, fully backed by Iblees, the decision
His name was Ali bin Abi Talib. His father, Abu
was made to assassinate Muhammad bin
Talib bin Abdul Muttalib, was the paternal
Abdullah E and finish the emerging threat of
uncle of the Prophet E, and his guardian and
the religion of Islam. Eleven men were chosen
protector till his death in the tenth year of the
t o i m p l e m e n t t h i s devilish plan. As
prophethood. His mother was Fatima bint
night fell on Makkah,
Asad bin Hashim, hence he
they posted carefully
became the first Caliph
chosen assassins
from Banu Hashim.
around the house of the
Noble Prophet E .
Sa'ad bin Abi Waqas e once sat
The Prophet E had
Meanwhile, the a m o n g s t p e o p l e a n d w a s taken Ali e under his
Prophet, on the advice remembering Ali bin Abi Talib e patronage and raised
of Gabriel e , had and said, “Three things the him like a son, even
already left Makkah in
Prophet E said about Ali, had he during the life of Abu
the company of Abu Talib. Hence Ali e had
Bakr e . But before he said one about me, it would have stayed with him from
left, he E had given been dearer to me than red that point on. One day,
special instructions to a camels… he entered into the
very special person. house of the Prophet E
The instructions were to who was praying and
lie in the bed of the behind him was his wife
Prophet E covered in his mantle and wait for Khadijah E . Ali asked the Prophet E what he
the assassins. In the early hours of the was doing and the Prophet E

replied, “I invite you to the worship of Allah who
has no partners and that you reject al-Lat and
al-'Uza.”
Ali e said, “I have never
heard this before and must
consult my father.” The
Prophet E asked him not to
speak to anyone else about
it. That night, the words of
the Prophet E kept coming
back to the young boy's
mind and at the first light of
day he hurried to the
Prophet E.
“What do you want of Ali?”
“Testify that there is no God
but Allah and reject any
partners with Him,” replied
the Prophet E.
Ali e repeated the words and became the third
person to embrace Islam after the wife of the
prophet E, Khadija E , and his freed slave, Zaid
bin Haritha e . He was only 11 years old at that
time. According to at-Tabari, when the ayah,
“Warn thy family who are thy nearest of Kin,”
[Ash-Shu'ara 26:214] was revealed, the
Prophet E asked Ali to prepare a meal for the
family. The next day, after serving the meal to
his extended family, the Prophet E invited
them to Islam and the worship of one God and
said, “Which one of you will be my helper in this
matter?”
When no one answered, the 13 year old Ali
stood up and said, “O messenger of Allah, I will
be your helper.”
The Prophet E placed his hand on Ali's neck
and said, “This is my brother.”
He occupied a unique position amongst the
Companions. He had three unique honors: he
was the closest relative of the Prophet E, his
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25
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son-in-law, and his Companion.
He was given the appellation of Abu Turab
(the father of dust) by none other than the
Noble Prophet E himself.
When the Prophet E and the
Companions migrated to
Medina, the Prophet E made
bonds of brotherhood
amongst the Ansar (helpers)
and the Muhajirin (the
migrants). When all the
bonds had been made, Ali e
came to the Prophet E and
said, “O Prophet of Allah, you
have chosen an Ansari
brother for each Muhajir but
you did not chose one for
me.”
The Prophet E smiled and
asked Ali to sit close to him,
put his arm around him and said, “You are my
brother in this world and the Hereafter,” then
he turned to the people and made an
announcement, “O People! Ali is my brother,
Ali is my brother.”
He accompanied the Prophet E on all his
battles except the battle of Tabuk. The Prophet
E asked Ali e to stay behind in Medina. Ali e
asked him, “O Prophet, You are leaving me
behind among the women and the children?”
The Prophet E replied, “Are you not happy that
I am leaving you behind just as Musa had left
his brother Harun (to watch over Bani-Israel),
except that there will be no Prophet after me.”
After the truce of Hudaibiyah, the Prophet E
learned that the expelled Jews of Banu-Nadir
and Banu-Qainuqa were plotting with the Jews
of Khaibar to attack Medina. So in Muharram,
th
7 Hijri, the Prophet E marched towards
Khaibar with five thousand Companions. The
Jews put up a fierce resistance and their
36
24
transcend
strongest fort (Nai'm) could not be conquered
despite numerous attempts by the Muslim
army. Finally, the Prophet E said, “Tomorrow I
shall give the banner to a man who loves Allah
and His Messenger and Allah and His
Messenger love him and that Allah will grant
victory at his hand.” All the Companions felt
this intense desire in their hearts to be this
fortunate person. After all, the confirmation of
the love of Allah and His Messenger is
transcendent over all the treasures of this
world. Many a Companion failed to sleep that
night in the Muslim camp. In the morning, the
Prophet E asked, “Where is Ali?” He was
informed that Ali was suffering from an eye
ailment and was in pain. He asked for Ali to be
brought to him and on Ali's arrival, the Prophet
E put his saliva in his eyes and the sickness
instantly disappeared. The banner was
handed to Ali bin Abi Talib e and victory
followed, just as the Prophet E had predicted.
th
In the 9 year of Hijri, the Noble Prophet E
dispatched Abu Bakr as the leader of the Hajj
delegation. Soon after the departure of the
Pilgrims came the revelation from Allah I (the
opening ayaat of surah at-Taubah) in which
Allah and His Messenger were declared free
from obligation from those pagans who had
shown no respect for the treaties which they
had entered into with the Prophet E. This was
a monumental public announcement. The
Prophet E specifically sent Ali bin Abi Talib e
as soon as the revelation came. Ali reached
the Muslim contingent before they entered
Makkah. Abu Bakr asked Ali whether he was
sent to take over the command (Imarah) of the
contingent or just to make that announcement.
Ali replied, “I have been sent to make the
proclamation only.” He subsequently stood at
al-jamrah and read aloud all the ayaat as
commanded by the Prophet E.
Sa'ad bin Abi Waqas e once sat amongst
people and was remembering Ali bin Abi Talib
e and said, “Three things the Prophet E said
about Ali, had he said one about me, it would
have been dearer to me than red camels. First,
I heard the Prophet E refer to Ali as Harun was
to Musa except that there was to be no prophet
after him. Second, on the day of the conquest
of Khaibar, the Prophet E promised to give the
banner to the one who loves Allah and His
Messenger and Allah and His Messenger Love
him and it turned out to be Ali. Third, When this
ayah was revealed, “Verily Allah wishes only to
remove ar-Rijs from you O members of the
family (of the Prophet) and to purify you with a
thorough purification,” [Al-Ahzab 33:33] The
Prophet E called Ali e , his daughter Fatima E ,
and his grandsons Hassan e and Husain e
and said, “O Allah these are the members of
my family.”
Ali's e wisdom in Islamic legal matters was
unparalleled. He was a master in the field of
inheritance which is one of the most complex
legal fields in Islam. Once a man came with his
wife to the second caliph 'Umar bin Khattab e
and told the caliph that the woman had
committed zina as she had born a child after
only 6 months of marriage. The caliph 'Umar e
ordered for the woman to be stoned in
accordance with the Islamic law. Ali bin Abi
Talib e was sitting there and said, “O leader of
the faithful, this woman is innocent.”
“How is that?” Asked 'Umar e .
Ali e replied, “Allah I says in the Qur'an, “And
the bearing of him and the weaning of him is
thirty months,” [Al-Ahqaf 46:15], “And his
weaning is in two years,” [Luqman 31:14]. So if
we deduct the period of weaning, which is
twenty four months, from thirty, then that
leaves behind six months, so it is possible for a
woman to have a live birth in six months.”
Upon hearing this caliph 'Umar e said, “Had it
 25
37

transcend
not been for Ali, 'Umar would have been sin.”
destroyed.”
“Patience and faith are like
It was because of his Ali's e wisdom in Islamic head and body, when
e x t r a o r d i n a r y patience leaves, faith is
jurisprudence that the
legal matters was also no longer there, for
Prophet E appointed Ali as unparalleled. He was a how can a body exist
a j u d g e f o r Ye m e n . without a head.”
master in the field of
According to a hadith
recorded by Imam Ahmad inheritance which is one of “A faqih (Islamic jurist) is
one who lets no one lose
& Tirmidhi, when the the most complex legal their faith in Allah, nor give
Prophet E made that
appointment Ali said to
fields in Islam. permission for committing
sins, nor make one
him, “O Messenger of
fearless of the torment of
Allah, You are sending me to Yemen and
Allah, nor lets one inclined to anything else
people will come to me for judgment and I don't
shun the Qur'an.”
know how to judge.”
The Prophet E showed great compassion
The Prophet E smiled and told Ali e to come
towards all children, but his love for the sons
closer to him and struck his chest with his hand
(Hassan e and Husain e ) of Ali bin Abi Talib e
and said, “O Allah, make his tongue steadfast
was unparalleled. The Companions narrated
and guide his heart. O Ali! When two
that the Prophet E was sitting on the pulpit and
complainants come to you, do not decide the
matter until you have heard from the second right next to him was Hassan bin Ali e . The
one just as you had heard from the first one. If Prophet E would turn to him frequently during
you do that, the right decision will come to his talk with the Companions and say, “This
you.” here my son [referring to Hassan e ] is a leader
and I hope that Allah will bring peace through
Ali e never lied. Once when he was saying him in two warring factions of the Muslims.”
something, someone claimed that he was
lying. Ali e cursed him and the man lost his Al-Bukhari reports that the Prophet E would
eyesight before leaving the assembly. frequently refer to Hassan e and Husain e as
“My two flowers in this world,” and frequently
Ali e left behind a chest of sayings full of lift them and hug them.
wisdom which are frequently quoted to this
day. Some of his famous sayings are: After the martyrdom of the third caliph Usman
bin 'Affan e , Ali bin Abi Talib e was chosen as
“People are day dreaming and when they die, the fourth caliph in the year 35 Hijri. He had
they will finally wake up.” initially declined to become the caliph, which
“Beauty of manners is the essence of a man, reflected his modesty and Taqwa, but at the
wisdom is his helper and etiquette his legacy.” insistence of the Companions and the real fear
of a civil war in the nascent Muslim state, he
“It is bestowing to give anything when asked reluctantly agreed. The caliphate was
and to give without asking is benevolence. immediately surrounded by controversy and
Idleness in prayer, want of subsistence and division of a large number of the Companions
decrease in taste are all punishments for a with one group supporting Ali e and the
38
24
transcend

second one siding with Mu'awiyah e and Banu
Umayiyah clan. This gave the best opportunity
to the master plotter Abdullah bin Saba (the
devious Jew) to create even more
misunderstandings amongst the two groups of
Muslims. This ultimately led to two unfortunate
battles, the first one between the army of Ali e
and that lead by Sayyidah Ayesha E (the
mother of the believers), which was called the
battle of Jamal, and the second one with the
army of Mu'awiyah e called the battle of Siffin.
Another fitna broke out during that time; they
were called the Khawarij and were an
extremist sect of deviant Muslims who rejected
all efforts by Ali e to reach a peaceful accord
with Mu'awiyah e . They devised a devilish
plan to assassinate both Ali and Mu'awiyah.
Two teams were dispatched to execute this
plan. Mu'awiyah e escaped with minor
injuries, but Ibn-Muljam was successful in
inflicting a mortal wound on Ali e which took
his life after a few days. Ali bin Abi Talib e
embraced martyrdom on 17th Ramadan, 40
Hijri. His son Hassan bin Ali e led the funeral
prayers. May Allah I shower His Mercy on Ali
bin Abi Talib, the fourth of the rightly guided
caliphs.
References:
1. Lings, Martin (Abu Bakr Siraj uddin).
Muhammad: His life based on the earliest
sources. Suhayl academy Lahore,
Pakistan.
2. Najeebabadi, Akbar Shah. The History of
Islam. Darussalam, Riyadh.
3. Alminshawi, Muhammad Siddique. 100
stories from the life of Ali bin Abi Talib
(Arabic). Dar-al-Fadhila.
4. Raz, Muhammad Daoud. Sahih al-
Bukhari. Urdu translation and sharh.
Naumani kutub khana, Lahore.
5. Tabari, Ja'far Muhammad bin. Tareekh-e-
Tabari, vol-3. Al-Faisal publishers, Lahore.

RamadanSermon
A llah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said in a sermon which he delivered to them on the last day of Sha'ban,
"A great month, a blessed month, a month containing a night which is better than a thousand months has
approached you people. Allah has appointed the observance of fasting during it as an obligatory duty, and the
passing of its night in prayer as a voluntary practice. If someone draws near to Allah during it with some good act he
will be like one who fulfils an obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfils an obligatory duty in it will be like
one who fulfils seventy obligatory duties in another month. It is the month of endurance and the reward of endurance
is Paradise. It is the month of sharing with others, and a month in which the believer's provision is increased. If
someone gives one who has been fasting something with which to break his fast it will provide forgiveness of his sins
and save him from Hell, and he will have a reward equal to his without his reward being diminished in any respect."
We remarked to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) that not all of us have the means to give one who had been
fasting something with which to break his fast. He replied, "Allah gives this reward to him who gives one who has been
fasting some milk mixed with water, or a date, or a drink of water with which to break his fast. Anyone who gives a full
meal to one who has been fasting will be given a drink from my tank (Hawd) by Allah and will not thirst till he enters
Paradise. It is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from Hell. If
anyone makes things easy for his slave during it, Allah will forgive him and free him from Hell."

Narrated by Salman al-Farisi A l - Ti r m i d h i H a d i t h


RAMADAN LIVED A WORLD APART - ANONYMOUS
Ramadan LIVED A
WORLD APART
T
he sizzle and crackle of toast in a hot
pan and the hurried conversation
among two voices abruptly wakens you.
Before dawn, behind the curtains, the quiet
darkness in the windows is broken only by the
clatter of dishes and spoons as a steaming pot
of soup is brought to the table. Bread is handed
out from a chinger – you blink twice – water is
poured out into a glass, still rocking back and
forth… After sehri you go back to sleep. At
school, your friends are deep in a
conversation. You try to keep pace, but
suddenly they come to an edge. Heated words
are exchanged. The room falls silent. A distant
feeling and a sense of foreignness slowly
settles in between you and your friends.
This article is about how
Ramadan, one of the most
constant and visible pillars
of Islam, is so different when
experienced in the West
and when experienced in a
Muslim country. Everyday
life in a Muslim country is
very unlike that in the West –
and the biggest contrast is
seen during Ramadan. The
month of Ramadan in a non-
Muslim country is lived in
solitary; whereas Ramadan
within Muslim countries is
feeling as if the entire world
is by your side.
When Ramadan arrives in
Pakistan, everyone you
come across in the street,
office, or in the classroom is also with you – in
39
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transcend
your thoughts and actions – like one heart beat
simultaneously drumming among thousands,
each fighting a personal jihad, not much unlike
yours. This unison and commonality among
you and everyone elseeven with those you
only pass byis a brotherhood found only within
a Muslim country.
A life lived without the exchange of “salam”,
without the daily adhan, leaves you feeling
isolated – as if you are stranded alone on an
island. There is nothing you can share with a
neighbor who has never fasted, your
colleague who has never silently waited for the
sun to pass below the horizon just for a sip of
water. None of your classmates have ever
broken a peaceful sehri at night; none try to
restrain irate words. When
Ramadan comes, the jihad is
yours alone. Yet in a country
like Pakistan, when you wake
up on a day of Ramadan, you
are joined not only by your
neighbors and friends, but by
the entire community. The
adhan echoes from four
corners as you wipe the last
dish clean. Each person you
meet during the day is
absorbed in a continual state
of self-discipline. Each
person who greets you does
so with a knowing smile. You
are not alone. You are with
them in this community, in
this jihad, and in this beautiful
month of Ramadan. Another
difference is that when you see
Ramadan all around you, permeating every
40
24
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part of life, you begin to absorb the energy and
spirit with which others practice Ramadan.
And the true essence of the month becomes
clearer. When you see this religion lived out in
front of your eyes and when you also
participate in the rituals of eidi and moon-
sighting, your understanding of this blessing
becomes deeper. Just hearing about eidi and
of how much of a struggle it is to search for an
elusive moon hidden in the sky did not bring
the beauty of Ramadan to life for me. It was
only after living in Pakistan, after seeing the
faces of cousins light up when handed eidi,
after having gone under the covers at half past
MySECOND
MY SECOND INNINGS - DR. ARSHAD JAVED - ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ANATOMY SCM
INNINGS
A fter reading the title, my reader will surely
perceive that the following account is
related to a cricket match. Sadly, this is not
the case, and all cricket lovers will be disappointed
with this disclosure.
Once upon a time, an insurance company used a
catchy slogan to lure in customers. “Life has no
second innings.” Somehow, over the years, it stuck
in my mind. The title of the article is inspired by
that advertisement.More than 4 years ago, as I lay
on a table in the Cath Lab of AFIC, the cardiologist
broke the news that numbed my mind
momentarily. He told me that there was 95 to 99
percent blockage in three of my coronary arteries.
On the plus side, this had not affected my cardiac
function. SubhaanAllah. What struck me was how I
could have survived with this. Sure, I was having
symptoms, such as heaviness in the chest after
meals and more recently, limitation in my daily
routine due to exhaustion by midday. I also had a
couple of brief blackouts. I had attributed all this to
stress. My cardiologist did not expect to see this
degree of stenting. He had hinted towards the
probability of stenting only one vessel. However,
no one has more knowledge than Allah; The Aleem
and Khabeer.The verdict on further management
eleven, only to be wakened soon after and told
the next day was Eid – that the past 28 days
took real meaning. A continuous month of
countless whispered prayers and silent
sacrifices made together truly are
extraordinary – not just something simply
added into a mundane, habitual routine.
Fasting in Ramadan is common among all
Muslims no matter where they live, but the
opportunity to worship together and share the
jihad with both loved ones and with just
acquaintances is truly a blessing uniquely
found within Muslim countries.
of my condition came a week later. It was none
other than undergoing cardiac surgery, commonly
known as “bypass”. The prospect of such a long,
risky procedure with its accompanying
complications scared me and shook me to my
foundations. What bothered me the most was the
thought of the pain and coughing that often came
with it. My surgeon, Dr. Khalid Rasheed, warned
me of a two percent risk of having a stroke. The
thought of being paralyzed brought indescribable
emotions. I prayed to Allah to guide my surgeon in
choosing the best option for me. Dr. Khalid was
going abroad for three weeks and I had to wait for
his return. This heightened my anxiety further. The
period prior to surgery became one of reflection
and introspection. In simple words, it was one of
stock taking. I thought constantly of the account
that would be presented to Allah when I would
stand before Him. I found I had nothing notable
that would facilitate my deliverance from the fires
of Hell. What if I were not to return to this world
after my surgery? For some reason that I can't
comprehend, one ayah from surah Ar Rahman
kept on ringing in my mind “and for him who fears
to stand before his Lord are two gardens” (55:66).
This thought was to continue for many days before

and even after my surgery. It was a hot day in May
when I gave an emotionless goodbye to my family
and entered the Operation Room. I can still recall
the look on their faces. It seemed as if I would
never ever see them again. I woke up in the ICU,
choking from the endotracheal tube, which was
promptly removed. I was covered in a white sheet,
with tubes sticking out of various parts of my body
– six in all. The first night in the ICU was eerie. The
room seemed pitch dark, as if I was deep in a pit,
with only some light coming from the Nurses'
Station that seemed miles away. The fact that I
needed to be fed, bathed and clothed after the
operation made me feel like a newborn. It was
virtually impossible for me to eat or drink by
myself. Lifting a paper cup to drink became a
Herculean effort. Verily, man has been created
weak. Never in my life had the reality of this fact
been driven home to me.
Within 24 hours of my surgery I was back in my
room. I had hallucinations that did not let me
sleep. It was difficult to take a deep breath; it felt as
if my chest was encased in a metal jacket. Speaking
was a problem as well. It made me breathless. The
first steps that I took made me dizzy, and I became
drenched in sweat. Washing my face became a
slow motion affair. A look at myself in the mirror
made me cower in fear. It was not me there. I saw a
deathly pale person with a drawn out expression.
This was from blood loss that had not been
replaced. In this scenario, I sought solace and
refuge in the Qu'ran .
Listening to it put me at
For some reason that I can't meetings hosted by Dr.
peace and obviated the
n e e d f o r a n y s l e e p comprehend, one ayah from and reward all of them in
inducers. I was home on surah Ar Rahman kept on ringing the dunya and aakhira. For
the sixth postoperative in my mind “and for him who me, Shifa Hospital brought
d a y, a n d m y
breathlessness was
fears to stand
compounded by asthma two gardens”
which lasted two weeks.
Reading and listening to
Qu'ran gave me inner
peace and physical strength. Within a month, I
progressed from not being able to walk ten paces
without getting breathless to forty minutes of
uninterrupted walk. I resumed driving after five
weeks and drove to see a friend six weeks later.
Alhamdulillah. Such are the wonders of Allah. All
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praise be to Allah. My faith in prayer has grown
stronger ever since. I had silently prayed to Allah
for making my post-operative period free of severe
pain and the distress of coughing. Alhamdulillah,
the pain I had was bearable and I never needed any
injection. The strong pain-killers were needed for
only two days, and then I was comfortable with
just the ordinary ones. The only time I coughed
was when the physiotherapist ordered me to do
so. There was one recurring question that kept on
bothering me after my surgery? Why have I been
allowed to live? Why this second chance? I asked a
religious scholar. He had no answer. Perhaps Allah
is putting me through a trial to see if I could do
some ahsan amal. Since then I have tried to do
what I could not do in my first innings. I have tried
to understand Qur'an and made an attempt to
teach it formally in IIMC, Rawalpindi. I was given
that opportunity by the former Head of Anatomy,
Professor Rameez Iqbal, who himself is an
accomplished Qu'ran and Hadith teacher. I was
amazed at how I was able to get the message
through to my audience, which was not very large,
but attentive nevertheless.
After more than a year, I moved to Shifa College of
Medicine as a teacher, and this has brought me in
contact with some amazing people. They
st
organized the 1 Islamic Perspectives Conference
and gave me a chance to participate. They honored
me again this year. They are my source of
inspiration and I have learned a lot about Islam and
the Qur'an in the weekly
Waqas. May Allah bless
'shifa' to me in many ways
before his Lord are through the blessings of
Allah, the Almighty. The
(55:66). surgery brought a change
in my personality. I am no
longer irritable and
aggressive. I am no longer worried about
tomorrow. I am thankful to Allah for every breath I
take and every second of my life. I feel I have been
given a bonus to live again and play the second
innings. AllahAllah
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SERVANT OF THE BOOK : A TRIBUTE TO DR. ISRAR AHMED FROM THE SHIFA STUDENT SOCIETY

SERVANT BOOK
A TRIBUTE TO DR. ISRAR AHMED FROM
OF
THE
THE SHIFA STUDENT SOCIETY
“Old furniture and this simple bedroom – don't you floor. Those who saw him on these months' long
desire comfort and luxury?” asked the host of the trips said that he brought two pairs of clothes and
show. Unlike other celebrities he had televised his while one would be in laundry he would wear the
show with, this one did not live in a mansion. On the other. Far from charging speaking fees he did not
contrary he lived in a small bedroom with precious even claim an honorarium on the sales of his
little in terms of ornamentation and decoration. This books. Where many of us look for the religion to
celebrity lived like a pretty ordinary man. serve our needs by giving us more and more in
terms of leniency he looked towards himself to
“I have all the comfort and luxury I need in here; a give the religion more and more sacrifice.
bed to sleep on, a table and chair to sit and write on
if I want. What you are sitting on is a sofa-cum-bed For decades he tirelessly taught the Qur'an at
for my wife. I have this small fridge to provide me different levels. Year after year he would explain the
with cold water. What more could I want?” meaning of the entire Qur'an at taraweeh during
Ramadan. He taught a short Qur'an course, which
But he was anything but an ordinary man. A medical was an in-depth exposition of a few selected
doctor by qualification, Dr. Israr Ahmed realized portions of the Holy Book, which was carried out
very early on that the ailments of humanity are too over and over again in different parts of the globe.
deep seated to be cured by the medical community. This he did in spite of his hypertension, diabetes,
He believed that the panacea lay in the Qur'an and heart problems, a bilateral knee transplant, a spine
to the propagation and implementation of this he operation, and other medical conditions all testing
worked tirelessly until he breathed his last on the his faith at different times.
14th of April, 2010.
“The best of you are those who learn and teach the
Dr. Israr Ahmed was more Qur'an”, The Prophet E told
than just a religious scholar. us. Many would tell you that
He was an intellectual in The one-man army that he was, he was the best teacher of
touch with his times and in is now gone – but his legacy the Qur'an in Urdu. That
contact with the common made him the best of the
folk. Where others would remains. No amount words can best. The one-man army
preach mere religious do justice to his contribution to that he was, is now gone –
dogma and rituals, he would our time. Only by understanding but his legacy remains. No
aim to explain the wisdom amount words can do justice
behind the practices. He the philosophy and the to his contribution to our
propagated that Muslims teachings that he left behind can time. Only by understanding
should not indulge in one truly comprehend his the philosophy and the
luxuries and frivolities whilst teachings that he left behind
the deen of Allah lies in need mastery. can one truly comprehend
of help. This may be labeled his mastery.
as an extreme point of view
but to his credit, and perhaps his greatest quality of May Allah accept his efforts, forgive his
all, Dr. Israr practiced what he preached.
shortcomings, allow us to live his legacy and let us
Where others would ask for speaking fees and join him in the highest stations in Paradise.
hotel accommodation, Dr. Israr would opt to lodge
at somebody's home preferring to sleep on the

HEALTH RAMADAN – JAVERIA NAVEED - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM
for
HEALTH GUIDELINES
RAMADAN
Javeria Naveed - 3rd year medical student, SCM
D etoxify yourself!
If you are in the habit of drinking many cups of
tea, or coffee or other caffeine containing
drinks during the day, start reducing over a
period of one to two weeks before Ramadan.
If you are a smoker, start reducing a week or
two before Ramadan. Ramadan is an ideal
month to stop smoking completely!
The foods we eat
During Ramadan, our diet should not differ
very much from our normal diet and should be
as simple as possible.
In preparation for the long hours of fasting, we
should consume slow-digesting foods –
including foods that contain fiber – rather than
fast-digesting foods. Slow-digesting foods last
between 8-12 hours, while fast-digesting
foods last for only two to four hours.
Slow-digesting foods are foods
that contain grains and seeds like
barley, wheat, oats, millet,
semolina, beans, lentils, whole
meal flour, whole meal pasta,
unpolished rice, etc. These
are also known as complex
carbohydrates. Proteins are
also slow-digesting and will
keep you full longer. Good
sources of protein are: hard-
boiled eggs, cheese, peanut butter,
cream cheese, tofu, protein bars,
and meat.
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Fast-digesting foods are foods that contain
sugar, white flour, white rice, white pasta, etc.
These are also known as refined
carbohydrates.
Fiber-containing foods are bran-containing
foods like cereals, whole wheat or whole meal
flour; grains and seeds, like beans and lentils;
vegetables like green beans, peas, spinach,
methie, leaves of beetroot (iron rich); fruits with
their skin, dried fruit (especially dates, dried
apricots, figs, etc.) and nuts.
AVOID
• Fried and fatty foods (oven grill your
samosas rather than deep frying them)
Spicy foods and canned/tinned sauces.
• To o m u c h s u g a r a n d r e f i n e d
carbohydrates
• Overeating at Sehrie (Suhur) and Iftaar.
Tea and caffeine-containing drinks like,
coffee, colas, etc.
• All of these make you pass
more urine causing you to lose
valuable mineral salts that your
body will need during a long
day of fasting.
• Smoking.
EAT
Carbohydrates at Sehri
(Suhur) so that the food lasts
longer.
(Rice, bran-containing cereals,
whole meal or brown bread,
beans, lentils etc.)
Protein at Sehri: for example, eggs,
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cheese, peanut butter, cream cheese, tofu,
protein bars, and meat.
Always have some yoghurt with sehri as it will
help you retain your water during the day so
you do not get dehydrated
Haleem an excellent source of protein and
slow-burning food!
Dates an excellent source of sugar, fiber,
carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.
They are also highly recommended by the
Sunnah.
Almonds rich in protein and fiber with less fat.
Ground almonds and milk make a healthy
drink.
Bananas good source of carbohydrates,
potassium and magnesium.
DRINK
Drink as much water, fruit juices and drinks
containing potassium as possible between
Iftaar and bedtime so that your body may
recover fluid levels in preparation for the next
day. Ideally six to eight glasses of fluids should
be taken per day.
Drink two or three glasses of liquid at suhoor –
this will keep your body hydrated during the
day.
Before eating at iftar, drink two glasses of
fluidthis will rehydrate you and make you feel a
little full which will prevent you from gulping
down your food.
Keep water by your bedside! Drink a glass of
water before you go to bed and have some
more if you get up in the middle of the night.
Drink a glass full of fresh milk after sehri –
before fajr. This will help those with stomach
acid problems.
Drink orange juice or sweet lemon juice during
iftaar. This will help to readjust the stomach
after a long day of fasting.
Some Common Problems encountered
during Ramadan:
Constipation
Causes: Too much refined carbohydrates, too
little water, and not enough fiber in the diet.
Remedy: Increase fiber intake and complex
carbohydrates. Increase water intake, use
bran for baking, and use brown flour when
making bread (roti).
Indigestion and “Wind”
Causes: Overeating. Too much fried and fatty
foods, spicy foods and foods that produce
wind, e.g., eggs, cabbage, lentils, beans,
carbonated drinks, etc.
Remedy: Do not overeat. Drink adequate
amounts of water and fruit juices. Avoid fried
and fatty foods. Add celery seeds (ajmor) to
lentils and beans to lessen wind production.
Headaches
Causes: Caffeine and tobacco withdrawal;
doing too much work during the day; lack of
sleep; hunger and thirst (usually occurs at the
end of the day), stress, etc.
Remedy: Cut down on or stop caffeine
containing drinks 1-2 weeks before Ramadan.
Herbal teas and caffeine-free coffee may be
substituted. Re-organize your schedule so as
to have adequate time to do the necessary
things and so you can get adequate rest and
sleep.
Lethargy (“Low blood pressure”)
Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt
intake, and not eating enough at Sehri and
Iftaar.
Remedy: Increase fluid and salt intake. Eat
enough to sustain yourself through the next
day. Drink at least 1 liter of fluid between Iftaar
and bedtime.
Caution: Low blood pressure should be
confirmed by taking a reading when symptoms
are present. Persons with high blood pressure
may need their medication adjusted for the
month of Ramadan.
Low Blood Sugar Weakness, dizziness,
tiredness, poor concentration, feeling shaky
(tremors), inability to do physical activities,
headaches, and strong, irregular heart beat
are symptoms of low blood sugar.
Causes: Consuming too much sugar-
containing foods, i.e., refined carbohydrates,

especially at sehri.
Remedy: Limit sugar-containing foods and
drinks at sehri. Eat more complex
carbohydrates.
This applies to non-diabetics.
Diabetics will need to adjust
their medications during
Ramadan and must consult
their doctor for this.
Muscle Cramps
Causes: Inadequate intake of
calcium or magnesium-
containing foods.
Remedy: Eat foods rich in the
above minerals, e.g., fruit and
vegetables, dairy products,
meat, dried fruit, and dates.
Caution: Those on high blood
pressure medication or those
prone to kidney stones should consult their
doctor.
Heartburn, Gastritis, Hiatus Hernia, and
Peptic Ulcers
Causes: Increased acid levels in an empty
stomach during Ramadan can aggravate the
above conditions. It presents as a burning pain
in the stomach area and under the ribs
radiating up the chest to the throat. The main
culprits are spicy foods, especially sauces,
coffee and aerated drinks like cola, and fatty
and fried foods.
Remedy: Avoid all the above foods as much
as possible. Also do not overeat. Have small
meals rather than one big meal, like a small
Iftaar and a snack after Taraweeh.
Medications are available (PPIs) to control
acid levels in the stomach. But these should be
taken only under the supervision of your
doctor.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones may not present themselves for
months to years after they are formed. So
those prone to stones should take special care
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during Ramadan.
Causes: Some people have a tendency to
produce stones in the kidney. Other causes
include not drinking enough
liquids to flush out the
kidneys.
Remedy: Drink excessive
amounts of liquid between
Iftaar and bedtime. Those
prone to kidney stones
must also decrease their
calcium intake, e.g., dairy
products, shell fishes, etc.
Joint Pains
Causes: During
Ramadan, when extra
salawaat (pl, of salah) are
performed, the pressure on
the knee and ankle joints
increases. In the elderly,
and those with arthritis, this
may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and
discomfort.
Remedy: Start losing weight so that these
joints do not have to carry extra loads. Also
acclimatize by exercising the lower limbs
before Ramadan (walking 30-45 minutes 3
times a week etc.) so that they can be
prepared for the additional strain. Being
physically fit allows greater flexibility during
Ramadan
I pray that with the help of these few guidelines
we all can fast in great health, and enjoy fully
the spiritual benefits of Ramadan!
The preceding article was a summary of Dr.
Mushfiq Khan's advice with some relevant
added information.
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7 STEPS TO FIGHT PEER PRESSURE: AMMARAH USMANI

STANDING OUT:

7 STEPS TO FIGHTING
NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE
Ammarah Usmani-Journalism student of Wichita University in Kansas

W on't you have a hard time getting a isolated. Her grades and her social life were
job with that on?” sinking as she struggled to pull her life
together.

Amina's friends continuously nagged her One day, as Amina was about to step outside
about her hijab. She'd been wearing it since for her morning class, she passed by her
she was 13 and had felt quite proud to be the hallway mirror and stopped. Hijab. What once
only covered Muslim girl in her class. seemed as a beautiful, liberating concept to
her now made her feel ugly. She felt deformed,
But now as a college student, she was feeling trapped, and alone. She slid to her knees,
a bit overwhelmed. Other students respected spilling tears of helplessness. She thought no
her beliefs, but her own Muslim friends were one was listening to her whispered sobs, but
the ones were giving her a hard time. someone was. And He wasn't going to let her
She wouldn't tag along with them to college collapse.
parties or spend excessive amounts of time at ***
the mall. Sure, Amina had the option to just Believe it or not, Amina's situation is not
avoid alcohol and the opposite gender at the incredibly unique. Many practicing Muslims,
parties, but the fact that she wore the flag of both male and female, suffer from negative
Islam now made her stay away from any un- peer pressure and end up feeling like social
Islamic environments. outcasts. Society's
She would usually demands indeed do
hang out with her No matter how strong you think affect us all in one way
friends during her free you are, your companions, the o r a n o t h e r . T h e
time, but slowly they
started detaching from
people you are surrounded by s a d d e s t t r u t h i n
today's world is that
h e r , u n a b l e t o on a regular basis, can slowly oftentimes our Muslim
u n d e r s t a n d h e r but surely leave a mark on you. friends are the ones
mindset and why she who pose as the bad
was risking her social influence for us. The
life by being “different”. struggle of wearing hijab is obviously common
for Muslim sisters, but other struggles that
“Live a little!”, they used to say.
apply to brothers as well can include avoiding
Months passed and Amina felt more and more immorality with the other gender, being
steadfast in prayer, fasting, and staying away

from overall worldly temptations.
The difference among those
Muslims is that some fight
the pressure and emerge
victorious, while others
eventually fall prey and
conform.
How should Muslims fight
that heavy burden? Here
are steps to effectively
overcoming peer pressure:
1. The most important fact to
always remember is that no
matter how isolated we feel
from the rest of the world,
we're not alone. We can
never be completely alone.
Allah reminds His servants in the Qur'an:
“Then do you remember Me; I will remember
you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith. O
you who believe! Seek help with patient
perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with
those who patiently persevere.” (2:152-153)
Allah reassures us that as long as we turn to
Him, He will be there to aid and guide us.
Patience and perseverance are our golden
keys.
2. Know that you're not the only one going
through peer pressure. This disease affects
many of us, some more than others. This
feeling may be strongest at the age of
adolescence; however, it can occur at other
points in life as well. Other Muslim brothers
and sisters are going through the same thing
and many eventually emerge from it, so don't
lose faith and keep praying to Allah.
3. If most of your negative influence is coming
from your non-Muslim or Muslim friends, you
need to start being proactive. Avoid the bad
company and try to find other practicing
Muslim friends.
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Most times, we think that if we are
knowledgeable about Islam
and firm in our Deen, we can
easily influence others. But
beware, the opposite can
often happen. It's always
best to surround yourself with
people who you think are
going to have a good effect
on you. Of course it's okay to
have non-Muslim friends, but
it's not wise to become very
close to them.
Our beautiful Prophet E gave
parables comparing the
effects of two different types
of companions:
“The example of a good companion and a bad
companion is like that of the seller of musk,
and the one who blows the blacksmith's
bellows. So as for the seller of musk then either
he will grant you some, or you buy some from
him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from
him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith's
bellows then either he will burn your clothes or
you will get an offensive smell from him” [Al-
Bukhari and Muslim].
No matter how strong you think you are, your
companions, the people you are surrounded
by on a regular basis, can slowly but surely
leave a mark on you. It's your choice to
determine whether you want a good or bad
mark.
4. Become active in your Islamic community! If
you live in a Muslim country or near a relatively
active Muslim community, find out if there any
local youth groups and try to attend their
meetings or activities, attend weekly
halaqahs, or even join a sisters' knitting club (if
you're a sister of course!). Try anything that will
give you a chance to get to know more
Muslims your age who have a similar mindset
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as you. This way, you can make new friends as
well as contribute to your community.
5. Tie your heart to the Qur'an. Aside from
being the ultimate guide to living our lives, it's a
gleaming source of peace and tranquility. Allah
assures His believers again and again in the
Qur'an that the sacrifices we make in this world
are not in vain. We will receive the rewards for
them possibly in this world but indubitably in
the Hereafter.
The Qur'an is the most effective ailment to any
disease of the heart. Its miracles are
boundless. Reciting the Qur'an is obviously
important, but also make an effort to
understand what you are reading. Just as you
wouldn't really be able to follow the instructions
on a bottle of medicine if they were in a
language you didn't know, we cannot fully
grasp what Allah wants from us until we take
the time to concentrate on His Book. In order to
cure any hopelessness we might have
regarding our peer pressure, it helps
immensely to turn to the ultimate source of our
guidance.
6. Glean some gems of wisdom from the
Prophet's and his companions' lives. Just take
one look at the Sunnah and you'll see how
exquisitely the Prophet handled situations and
resolved problems through patience and
perseverance. His companions also faced
many struggles when trying to remain firm on
the true path.
7. Last but definitely not least, simply make
du'a. Make as many du'as as possible. Ask
Allah especially during the recommended
times of greatest acceptance, such as Fajr,
Tahajjud, during the late hours of the night,
after prayers, or any time that you find
possible. Beg Allah with an open heart and
your hands outstretched to Him. He is Al-
Mujeeb (The Responsive) and Ar-Rahim (The
Merciful).
The most important fact to always
remember is that no matter how
isolated we feel from the rest of the
world, we're not alone. We can never
be completely alone. Allah reminds His
servants in the Qur'an:
Keep in mind that the last few steps are
universal healers. They can help you with any
struggle in your life, but they are especially
effective when we feel like we're on an island
and the rest of the world is drifting away from
us.
There is no specific amount of time for this
change to take place. Some might be able to
immediately come out of this bubble, and
some may find that it takes longer for them to
stabilize. Also, this isn’t guaranteed to be a
once-in-a-lifetime deal. Peer pressure could
hit you several times throughout your life, but
as long as you are able to bounce back and
seek Allah's help along the way, you're golden.
Just maintain what you've already started.
When you feel that you are relatively confident
enough in your Deen, go back to your old
group of friends once in a while and talk to
them. If they are non-Muslims, subtly make
da'wah to them, but in a gentle and friendly
manner. If your old group consisted of some
Muslims, maybe some individuals are having
the same problem with peer pressure as you
did. It's your job to help out others after you've
been helped. It's the best way to support our
Muslim Ummah.
Patience. Strength. Faith in Allah. Building
upon these three qualities can make all the
difference in your attitude towards life,
relations with others, and relationship with
Allah. No force can affect us, let alone hurt us,
without Allah's will. As long as we turn to Him,
we can emerge from any difficult situation. He
will never let us collapse.
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TIB-E- NABWI- SYEDA AFSHEEN PERVAIZ - 3RD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

MEDICINE OF THE
PROPHET
Syeda Afsheen Pervaiz - 3rd year medical student, SCM

The Prophet E once said, A heart may also be infected by desires and
attractions towards the opposite gender, which

E
“ very illness has a cure, and when [the] can lead to inappropriate usage of time,
proper cure is applied to the disease, it energy, and money. In order for us to be saved
ends it, Allah willing.” [Sahih Muslim] from this infection, we are given the solution in
these words of our Prophet E:
Types of diseases can be divided into two
broad categories: those that affect the heart “O young people! Whoever among you is able
and those which inflict the body. A diseased or to marry should marry, and whoever is not able
misguided heart is the worst of all illnesses to marry, is recommended to fast, as fasting
because it leads to the destruction of one's life diminishes his sexual power” [Sahih al
in this world, as well as in the Hereafter; only Bukhari]. Hence we find solutions to illnesses
those whose hearts are guided to the truth are of the heart, whether it is related to faith or
victorious. towards worldly desires.
This was the reason our Prophet Muhammad
E used to supplicate with the following words: The second category comprises of diseases
which affect the human body. Broadly
“O Controller of the hearts, make my heart speaking, there is one act human beings do
s t e a d f a s t i n Yo u r which leads to multiple
religion.” [At-Tirmidhi]
A diseased or misguided problems, and that is
Also, a heart that is excessive eating.
devoid of love for Allah heart is the worst of all The Prophet E said, as
I can never be at peace
and can never be
illnesses because it leads to narrated in Tirmidhi and
Ibn Majah, “The son of
c o n t e n t . T h e o n l y the destruction of one's life in Adam never fills a vessel
solution to such worse than his stomach.
depression and misery this world, as well as in the The son of Adam only
is the excessive
remembrance of Allah Hereafter
needs a few bites that
would sustain him, but if
I . he insists, one-third
Allah I says in the Glorious Qur'aan, Surah should be reserved for his food, another third
Ra'ad, verse 28, “Verily, in the remembrance of for his drink and last third for his breathing”.
Allaah do hearts find rest.”
We know now that an unhealthy and excessive
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diet leads to obesity, which is a risk factor for
multiple diseases like diabetes,
atherosclerosis leading to myocardial
infarction, hypertension, and
many others. The solution
has been given to us; it just
requires a little patience, and
gratitude towards Allah for the
rizq He has provided us. A
believer should not have a
desire to eat each and every
thing that he or she comes
across or that which is
available to them. A believer
acts like a stranger in this
world and waits for the eternal
Paradise where he or she can
have 'anything' and as many
things as he or she likes.
Regarding cures for specific
diseases, we find numerous narrations in
authentic ahadith. A few examples are as
follows:
“Use the black seed, because it contains a
cure for every type of ailment except
death.”[At-Tirmidhi]. Black seed is locally
known as 'kalwanji'.
Another narration explains, “What an excellent
food is vinegar.” [Sahih Muslim]. Vinegar, as
we know, helps against gastric inflammation,
constipation, tumors and from poisonous
mushrooms.
At another place the Prophet E says, “Eat the
Zait and use it as an ointment, because it is
produced by a blessed tree” [At-Tirmidhi]. Zait,
known as olive oil, works like a laxative, helps
against poisons, softens the skin, and slows
down the aging process.
“Make use of the two cures; honey and the
Qur'aan” [Ibn Majah].
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“There comes forth from their [bees'] bellies, a
drink of varying color wherein is healing for
men” (al-Nahl 16:69).
The Prophet E used to drink
honey mixed in water; it is
very beneficial for the
health. Drinking honey on
an empty stomach
dissolves phlegm, cleanses
the stomach, reduces its
viscosity, washes matter,
warms it up a little and
opens its inlet and exit. It
has similar effects on the
liver, kidneys and urethra,
but is most beneficial to the
stomach.
The Qur'an, Allah says in
Surah Isra, ayat 82, has
been sent as a healing and mercy to those who
believe. The Qur'an is the Kalaam of Allah.
Mountains would have crumbled if Allah had
revealed it upon them and the earth would
have broken apart. How, then, can an illness
resist the Words of Allah?
In an authentic narration, we find that Surah Al-
Fatiha has been given healing potential
against snake and scorpion bites.
Recitation of the last two Surahs of the Qur'an,
of Surat-Al-Fatiha, and of Ayat-ul-Kursi is the
solution to whispers from shaitan and the evil
eye. It is recommended to read the last three
Surahs of the Qur'an, thrice each, after Fajr
and Maghrib, and if possible, once after every
salah.
This was a very minute part of Tib-e-Nabawi E.
We get to know, from deep study, that Allah I
has sent down guidance for us regarding every
situation of life, whether it is related to the soul
or the body. Indeed, all praise is due to Allah.

i fa
h aks
W
S pe
e asked various students and
faculty of Shifa College of Medicine
the two following questions. Let's
hear what they have to say!
1). What is your favorite place to eat Iftar and
why?
2). How has entering the medical field and/or
coming to Shifa changed you?
Dr. Aisha Mohyuddin (Biochemistry)
1) Favorite place for Iftari would be Masoom's
(now Jia's deli) or KC Grill.
2) Having worked in a research lab for over ten
years with the same group of fifteen or so
people one starts to feel a little cut off or
isolated from the rest of the world. Working at
SCM is so interesting because it has made me
interact with so many different people. Also
since the system here keeps evolving, we
seem to have to rise to a new challenge
everyday. So although things may get a little
difficult from time to time there is no stagnation
and things never get boring.
Ahmed Shah (2012)
1) My favourite place for Iftari after home is at a
relatives place. You get to meet your extended
family while getting good tasty food!
2) Entering Shifa has made my life more
monotonous both in a good and bad way. We
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follow the same routine for at least 5 years with
the same group of people .Also my
observation and interactive skills have
improved some what.
Filza Khalid (2011)
1) My favorite place for Iftar is Marriott,
because of the large amount of variety they
have to offer in their buffet which includes both
Pakistani and continental food.
2) Entering medical school has made me a
much softer person. I can relate to the pain of
others and empathize with them in a much
better way. Also, this way I feel I have gotten
closer to humanity and more than anything
else, by doing well in this field I wish to serve
those around me as well as those away from
me in every way possible.
Zahra Hassan (2012)
1). Heng Chang Restaurant in Islamabad.
Chinese is my favorite food and after a whole
day of fasting. That's how I make myself
happy, obviously after the inner happiness!
2). I think i have become a little more
organized and talking about Shifa specifically
its been such a killer that i have realized that
life isn't going to be easy either. I have made
the best of friends and also realized how
intolerant and hypocritical people from good
backgrounds can be. Overall it's been quite an
eye opener.
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Dr. Mujtaba Quadri (Medicine) Ramadan is the Taraweeh at Faisal Masjid.

1). Masjd-e-Nabawi. You cannot compete with
the people of Madinah who are so gracious
and generous. Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah is
bigger, but the atmosphere in Masjid-e-
Nabawi is just too homely.
MashaAllah it's a great experience.
2). I have stopped eating properly for one.
Apart from that I've become more goal –
oriented and prioritized.

2). It has given me a sense of

direction and mission in the Jawad Ali Khan (2011)
1). McDonalds. It's close to
medical field that I did not
home and easy to get. Also I
have before coming to
like to make my own food at
Shifa. It has also provided
home myself.
me with the opportunity for
institutional building from 2). My father is a doctor, but
scratch, and given faculty even when I visited his office I
the academic freedom to didn't really understand
live their potential to the everything I was seeing in
fullest. terms of patients and what
they went through. Now I
Kamran Naseem (2010) have a understanding of
1). It has to be Munal. They patients' suffering, and the
have really good food and a hardships they face. It's
nice atmosphere. helped me a lot.

2). I'd say I've become duller, because my

thought are trapped in a box, and that box is
medicine. I can only think medicine now.
Naba Saeed (2014)
1). Definitely not Pizza Hut, or China Town
because the wait is too long. Melody food park
for sure. It has a lot of variety, instant food, and
a fun atmosphere. Also, the best part of
Saad Shahid (2013)
1). After a long day of abstinence from food,
everything pleases my taste buds at Iftar. But I
still prefer eating at home because I'm a
hostelite!
2). Shifa has helped me grow as a person, with
all the patient interaction. In terms of habits I
definitely sleep more.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-
Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his
previous sins.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
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RAMADAN- RABIA AMIR - 1ST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, SCM

SPIRIT OF

Rabia Amir - 1st year medical student, SCM

W ith the holy month of Ramadan
drawing closer, I am here in
Islamabad, on my own for the first
time, thinking about how difficult the sehris and
iftars will be in a hostel without my family, how I
would miss out on the iftar parties my friends
back home would host, how this Ramadan
would be spent all alone-- then I realize my
mistake and begin to feel stirrings of shame.
Dear Reader, here I am, yearning for home, for
splendid iftar parties, for delicious buffets
when the only One I should be caring about is
Allah. But no, my greatest worry is not my
beloved Creator but my own stomach and my
parties. I try to recall exactly when, to me,
Ramadan became not a month of Abstinence
but a month of outings and festivities and I
draw a blank.
what Ramadan has become in the twenty-first
century a blatant display of materialism.
Fasting, as one of the five pillars of Islam, is
referred to by the word “Saum'' in the Holy
Quran which means literally 'to abstain'. The
purpose of the Saum is simple-- the obtaining
of Taqwah. Saum may also be defined as a
state of the heart which stops us from bad
deeds and motivates us towards doing good.
The only thing that can permit us to walk on
Sirrat-ul-Mustaqeem or lead us astray on the
path of worldly temptation is our inner desire. It
is here that we find the actual purpose of
Saum; the taming of our worldly desires in the
light of the teachings of Allah to help us
achieve Taqwah and become a Mutaqi.

This plight that has befallen me, sad as it may

we h a v e l o st the
seem, is not uncommon. Year by year as our
…
culture-- the culture of the Ummah-- becomes
u e s p i r i t of
more and more infiltrated by Western tr
and
Ramadan
influences, things that were once clear
become murky and hazy. Nowadays, for most
people, Ramadan is all about getting ready for
a t te a r s a t my
wh
ost is
Eid: new clothes, gifts, moneythe careful
presentation of a particular image we want to
heart the m
show off as our selves. Women host iftar
e f a c t t h a t most
parties in an attempt to outdo each other in th
main
of us re
everything: the food they serve, the dresses
they wearing, their jewelry, their house, their
furniture… an unending list! This I realize is
a w a r e o f this
un
loss.
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Allah I said,
“Fasting is for me and I alone
shall reward you for it''
Fasting is not about
refraining from food and
drink. More importantly, it is
about restraining yourself
from bad deeds. The
Prophet E says,
“Fasting is a shield''
A shield it truly is, one that
safeguards us from sin and
temptation and instills in us
a sense of humility. When
we abstain from everything
in the month of Ramadan,
only for the happiness and
raza of Allah, we realize the
Greatness of the Almighty and our own
insignificance. Ibadah during Ramadan has an
even higher value to Allah than at any other
time of the year. Ramadan is truly wondrous. It
helps us secure a standing, not only in this
world, but in the hereafter as well.
These are just some of the many blessings of
Ramadan and it is these very blessings that
most of us, myself included, are depriving
ourselves of by our current attitude towards
this month.
As I mentioned above, we have lost the true
It was narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Three prayers are not rejected: the
prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and
the prayer of a traveler.”
spirit of Ramadan and what tears at my heart
the most is the fact that most of us remain
unaware of this loss. We are
a generation that binge-eat
at every iftar, skip every
sehri so we can sleep a little
longer-- a generation that is
to be pitied because we are
as far from our religion as
possible without actually
being so. We are a
generation of skilled actors,
going through the motions of
practicing Islam yet being
stoic and phlegmatic at
heart. Despite every wake-
up call that we receive every
year, we still remain deeply
apathetic to our plight.
I am no different from you but this year I will
make a difference in my life. I will ignore the
fact that my family is not near and just be
grateful that Allah is always with me. Forget
Mum's sehris and forget iftars with old friends,
instead will grateful for the chance to do more
ibadah, to become closer to Allah and seize
this chance to secure peace and serenity not
only here but after I die, as well.
At the end of my day, dear readers, that is all
that matters to me.
(Narrated by al-Bayhaqi)
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A CELEBRATION AND FUNERAL - ANONYMOUS

A Celebration
and
A Funeral
T he Qur`an tells of an awe-inspiring because in a translation a person can do only
storythe story of our father, Ibraheem so much to preserve both meaning and syntax.
(Peace be upon him). Though every For the great majority of translations, it is the
ayah (roughly, verse) related to his story is meaning that is preserved more carefully than
beautiful, one set of ayaat (verses) in particular the syntax. In the end, I wish to encourage
describe Ibraheem (Peace be upon him) in a myself and any readers to develop enough of
manner that cannot be matched. Time and an interest to refer back to the original after
again, I read those ayaat and cannot stop my reading the translation:
eyes from welling with tears of amazement,
"Then, when they had both(Abraham and
with tears of shame for our satisfaction with
Ishmael) submitted themselves (to the Will of
what little we practice of our religion, which is
Allâh), and he (Ibraheem) had laid him
next to nothing compared to the submission of
(Ismaeel) prostrate on his forehead (or on the
Ibraheem (Peace be upon him). As I write this,
side of his forehead for slaughtering); And We
I am involved in an inner push-and-pull: "I want
called out to him: 'O Abraham! You have
to quote the ayah but I will have to translate it;
fulfilled the dream (vision)!' Verily! Thus do We
the translation will surely take away from the
reward the Muhsinûn (good-doers). Verily, that
eloquence of the original; I shouldn't quote it as
indeed was a manifest trial. And We ransomed
it will not be able to convey the original. I
him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram); And We
should quote it even if it is
left for him (a goodly
translated, because At that point, a thought raced through my
remembrance) among
those who may not have mind, "could not an outsider find a
generations (to come) in
read it will want to read contradiction in the setting of this
later times. Salâmun
it." And back again to the
f u n e r a l ? T h o u g h n o t a p o i n t o f (peace) be upon Ibrâhim
first thought: "I want to
consternation in my mind, could the (Abraham)!"
quote the ayah but..."
continued celebration of the 'Eid festival [As-Saafaat 37:103-
Essentially, there are
only a few things that
alongside the funeral serve as a 109]
can break this tangle of dilemma of the conscious for an This is an example of the
thought. The reader outsider?” ultimate form of
should read it in the submitting one's will to
original language if he or she knows it, or else Allah (God). How peaceful and how beautiful
should work to learn the language. A would the world be in which the people all
translation of the verse can only convey a submit to His will? It is this submission to the
certain portion of the eloquence of the verse commands and will of God that Islam demands
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of its followers. Hence, the word Islam itself,
from the Arabic root word consisting of the
letters S-L-M, is derived from a word that
means, peace, submission, and obedience.
Putting these words together and keeping in
mind the principles of Islam we can formulate a
definition of the word – rather, religion and,
more appropriately, complete way of lifeI –
slam: Attaining peace through the submission
and obedience to the One and Only Lord, God,
and Creator, Allah. It is the attainment of a true
inner peace with oneself; it is the attainment of
a true peace of a society, of a region, of a
nation, of a peoples, and of humanity at large;
it is the attainment of a true peace with the
happenings in one's life; it is the attainment of a
peace of mind, a peace of the soul. The
attainment of that peace is reached through
the complete submission to our Lord, God, and
Creator, Allah and making our desires
obedient to His commands. In fact, such
obedience and submission is the only way to
attain any and all such peace. After all, that is
what the great Prophet, Ibraheem (Abraham)
and many other of God's great Messengers
and Prophets did. Were not they the few in the
history of humanity who
attained true peace in all its
senses?
About 9 months ago,
Muslims across the globe
shared in the celebration of
a holy dayor rather days
culminating on the 10th of
the Dhul-Hijjah (last month
of the Islamic calendar), the
day of the 'Feast of the
Sacrifice – to commemorate
the sacrifice of Prophet
Ibraheem (Peace be upon
him) when he submitted to
Allah's command and went
to sacrifice his then, only-
son. Out of His infinite Mercy, Allah accepted
Prophet Ibraheem's (Peace be upon him)
sacrifice right as he was about to sacrifice his
son and gave him a ram, in the stead of his
son, to sacrifice. It is on this celebration of 'Eid-
ul-Adha that we, too, sacrifice an animal and
pray to Allah, praise Him, and thank Him for His
blessings.
I happened to be close to my family village a
few days before the 'Eid day. The day of Eid
was drawing closer and being amongst
relatives after spending months and months
away from home while studying, I was happily
anticipating the day. It was in the late afternoon
on the day before 'Eid that we received a
phone call; one of our relatives in the family
village had passed away. The funeral prayer
was scheduled for the next daythe 'Eid day.
After informing my parents by phone, and as a
result of their desire for me to attend the
funeral, I picked up one of my bags and
prepared myself for the journey to the family
village with my aunt and my cousins. It was to
be a three to four hour drive and we were
maximizing space in the car in terms of the
number of people travelling together. Due to
the limited space, added to the
fact that we were only to stay
there for the day of the
funeral, I decided to pack
lightly. Two pairs of clothes, in
addition to what I was
wearing on the journey,
would be sufficient; one pair
of clothes I could wear to bed
at night for the one night we
were to be there; the second
pair I would wear on the day
of the funeral.
The question that came to
mind only hesitantly was
what would be an appropriate
set of clothes to wear to the
funeral? It was only a moment's of thought
after which I chose to pack my newly-bought
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clothes for the occasion of 'Eid in my bag. On and newest clothes for this celebration, the
any other day and in any other culture this one before it ('Eid-ul-Fitr), and even for the
would seem incongruous. However, there was Friday prayer.
a thought to rely on:
'everyone else would He attainment of that peace is reached After getting washed-up
surely also be wearing through the complete submission to our and changed, my cousin
clothes for the occasion Lord, God, and Creator, Allah and making and I left the house to
of 'Eid.' After a long drive our desires obedient to His commands. In follow the funeral as they
of a good four hours, we fact, such obedience and submission is took the deceased from
reached the destination the only way to attain any and all such the house to the place
at mid-night, met with peace. After all, that is what the great where the funeral prayer
t h e f a m i l y o f t h e Prophet, Ibraheem (Abraham) and many was to be offered. This
deceased, and paid our
other of God's great Messengers and place was an open field
Prophets did. outside the Mosque,
condolences by praying
for blessings of Paradise w h i c h c o u l d
for the deceased and for patience and the accommodate a large number of people. As I
reward of patience for the family of the looked at the field, the coffin of the deceased,
deceased. Even in the midst of the loss, the the people – including the children of the
hosts greeted the travelers with a small dinner deceased, and the new, clean, and, in some
and a warm cup of tea. Hospitality for the cases, embroidery-adorned clothes of those
visitors, even if it was a time of mourning, was people, one thought kept coming to mind: "how
not neglected. Then, the hosts painstakingly difficult must it be for the family of the
arranged for beds for everyone and did not deceased?" The funeral prayer was to directly
retire for the night until all had been catered for, follow the 'Eid prayer. After securing the coffin
even if it was two or three in the morning. As at the funeral prayer place, we proceeded to
soon as I was shown my bed, I snuggled in the Masjid (mosque) to join the congregation
under the comforter to protect myself from the of the 'Eid prayer.
cold, which was accentuated by the limited use At the end of the prayer and the accompanying
of heaters, and fell sound asleep. sermon, the Imam (leader of the prayer)
It was at the call for the early morning-prayer encouraged the entire 'Eid congregation to
that we awoke and then after an hour or so the attend the funeral prayer. The people all exited
house was a hustle-bustle in preparation for the Masjid and reassembled on the field where
the 'Eid prayer. Like the other celebration the funeral prayer was to be offered, still
before it following the holy month of Ramadan wearing their new, adorned clothes for the
('Eid-ul-Fitr), this 'Eid, 'Eid-ul-Adha, is started festive occasion of 'Eid. At that point, a thought
with a special prayer offered in congregation; raced through my mind, "could not an outsider
the prayer is offered in the morning after find a contradiction in the setting of this
sunrise and is attended by even those who funeral? Though not a point of consternation in
may not be accustomed to praying on ordinary my mind, could the continued celebration of
days. As I completed my preparations for the the 'Eid festival alongside the funeral serve as
'Eid prayer I saw that as I had expected, a dilemma of the conscious for an outsider?"
everyone was wearing clothes that they had The fact of the matter is that the celebration of
prepared for the occasion of 'Eid. It is part of 'Eid is not one where we create an atmosphere
the Islamic tradition to wear the cleanest, best, of an uncontrolled party as would be
paradoxical to a funeral. Rather, the
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celebration itself begins with a prayer and is
commemorating a time of great test for the
Prophet Ibraheem when he was commanded
to give up his only son. This celebration then, is
one of perseverance and sacrifice, self-
discipline and submission, and obedience and
acceptance of God's will. Similarly, this funeral
was one, as are all others, of perseverance
and sacrifice, and submission and acceptance
of God's will.
After the funeral prayer, we followed the coffin
to the burial site. The body of the deceased
was lowered down into the grave that had
already been dug out and prepared. Then, the
grave was made stable and the dirt was slowly
thrown in to fill the grave. The children of the
deceased partook in the filling of the grave by
taking the shovel in-turn to place the dirt into
the grave. As I looked on, I kept thinking, "how
hard must it be for the family of the deceased?"
As soon as the grave was filled my cousin and I
were each requested to recite a portion of the
Holy Qur`an. My cousin was asked to recite
the first few verses of the second surah
(roughly, chapter) of the Qur`an and then I
recited the last few verses of the second surah
of the Qur`an as requested. In these few
verses, I found the answer to my thoughts
about the difficulty the family must be going
through,
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever gives iftaar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without
that detracting from the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.”
"Allâh burdens not a person beyond his
scope." [Al-Baqarah 2:286]
Following this statement, Allah gives us a
beautiful supplication that we can make to Him
to relieve us of our hardship:
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into
error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that
which You did lay on those before us; our Lord!
Put not on us a burden greater than we have
strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us
Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our
Maulâ (Patron, Supporter and Protector, etc.)
and give us victory over the disbelieving
people." [Al-Baqarah 2:286]
As I was preparing to leave the next day, I met
the children of the deceased and I could see
their eyes well up with tears at the mention of
their mother though they were grown men with
children of their own. The tears were not of
anger or disbelief in what had happened.
Instead, they were tears of mercy and love for
their mother and for perseverance and an
acceptance of the will of God. In this way, and
because of the very essence of the two, I
witnessed a celebration and a funeral on the
same dayboth demonstrating what it entails to
be an adherent of Islam.
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi)
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