Mike GhouseComments Off on Saudis Teaching Ramayana And Mahabharata, a Good Step Forward
centerforpluralism.com
I welcome this wholeheartedly. Indeed, it is the right thing to teach the next generation of kids to be universal, familiar with technology, and know about their fellow humans.
If we want to live in a society where people can get along with each other and focus on prosperity rather than fighting, we have to shape such a society. It starts with the correct textbooks in the schools.
Besides my parents, I owe my pluralistic disposition to my social studies book in middle school. There was the positive presentation of a page or two about every primary faith and key historical figures. You will find that in complete form at the Center for Pluralism, respecting every faith as equals.
As the bus started moving in Israel, the conductor started telling the tourists that Islam has six pillars, and Jihad was # 1, and it meant killing Jews and Christians. Of course, I corrected her and asked the passengers, and they permitted me to explain Islam. She said the ministry of tourism gives them the information to share with the tourist; how sad! The whole story is in my book American Muslim Agenda. Of course, some Palestinians also poison their children. How do you expect Israel or Palestine to have normal citizens in the future?
Then I heard a presentation about how Pakistani children are taught false things about Indians and Hinduism. Indian Gujarat schools also poison their children against Muslims. Is this the kind of society we want?
A few Muslims cannot say Happy Diwali or Merry Christians, while Modi and the RSS men cannot wish Eid greetings to their fellow citizens. It is not Modi, and it is the training. We need to re-work the school curriculum. If someone wants to take up with the United Nations to develop a worldwide curriculum, please do it.
Reading: Saudi Arabia includes Ramayan and Mahabharat in its new curriculum – https://www.eastcoastdaily.in/2021/04/18/new-vision-2030-saudi-arabia-includes-ramayan-and-mahabharat-in-its-new-curriculum-for-students.html
Don’t poison your kids – https://centerforpluralism.com/poisoning-your-kids/
Mike GhouseComments Off on Saudis Teaching Ramayana
I welcome this initiative wholeheartedly. Indeed, it is the right thing to teach the next generation to be universal citizens and learn about their fellow humans.
If we want to live in a society where people can get along with each other and focus on prosperity rather than fighting, we have to shape such a society. It starts with the thoughtful textbooks in the schools.
Thanks to my middle school textbook, there was a positive presentation of a page or two about every major faith and its key historical figures. I wish all schools adapt teaching about different religions and reduce the languages to simply the medium of communications.
It is a blessing to have friends in each of these groups and stand up for the rights and defend their faith. Atheists, Bahai, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Jewish, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, Wicca, Zoroastrians, and others, including the LGBTQ community.
A few examples:
As the bus started moving in Israel, the conductor started telling the tourists that Islam has six pillars, and Jihad was # 1, and it meant killing Jews and Christians. Of course, I corrected her and asked the passengers, and they permitted me to explain Islam. She said the ministry of tourism gives them the information to share with the tourists; how sad! The whole story is in my book American Muslim Agenda. Of course, the Palestinians also poison their children. How do you expect Israel or Palestine to have everyday civilized citizens in the future?
Then I heard a presentation about how Pakistani children are taught false things about Hindus and Hinduism. Of course, the RSS schools and some Gujarati schools also poison their children against Muslims. Is this the kind of society we want?
A few Muslims cannot say Happy Diwali or Merry Christians, a few Christians think Yogi is Hindu, while Modi and the RSS men cannot wish Eid or Christmas greetings to their fellow citizens. It is not Modi; it is the RSS indoctrination. We need to re-work the school curriculum. If someone wants to take up with the United Nations to develop a worldwide curriculum, please do it.
ARTICLES TO READ:
Saudi Arabia includes Ramayan and Mahabharat in its new curriculum – https://www.eastcoastdaily.in/2021/04/18/new-vision-2030-saudi-arabia-includes-ramayan-and-mahabharat-in-its-new-curriculum-for-students.html
Don’t poison your kids – https://centerforpluralism.com/poisoning-your-kids/
Shaping the future societies – https://centerforpluralism.com/shaping-americas-future/
Prof. Akhtar Wasi has given an excellent response to Waseem’s false claim that 26 verses of the Quran incite violence.
Professor’s response is generic. Hopefully, someone will respond to the 26 items. If no one does, I may respond.
The justice sentences call for fighting against oppression; he compares that to Bhagavad Gita and other holy books – all humanity stands to punish the wrongdoer and restore dharma.
Quran is crystal clear on these items: Offensive wars prohibited, all battles must be defensive against aggression. No one has a right to force others to believe against their will. Your religion is dear to you as mine is dear to me.
However, the Quran goes a step further; if the aggressor holds back, the Quran guides one to stop retaliating.
Quran is the basis for Islam, and it is a book of guidance to bring justice and create peace and harmony among the people of the earth.
Please note that not all Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and others follow the guidance given in their respective religions and books. We always have to acknowledge the fringe elements among each of our religious groups.
Watch the video https://youtu.be/iwfK-hz7Iqg please do click the SUBSCRIBE button to receive future videos.
Suhoor by the widow of Great great great Grandson of Imam Bukhari
Afetr Suhoor
Palestinian Suhoor
IMAM BUKHARI’S MANUSCRIPTS
Imam Bukhari’s books
Bukhari Home in Jerusalem
IMAM BUKHARI’S MANUSCRIPTS
It was the first day of Ramadan in 2013; I got up at 4 AM and started drafting my article for the Iftar for that evening. The Iftar was going to be in the Mosque in Richardson, Texas. Then a serious situation occurred, the story follows after two paragraphs.
In the previous three years, I had scheduled an Iftar in each Mosque for 29/30 evenings. Fortunately, Dallas/ Fort Worth had 30 mosques, including two Shia, One each of Ahmadi, Sufi, WD Muhammad, Bohra, and a variety of Sunni Mosques. In 2010, I did my Iftar in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as well. The only place I did not make it was the Ismaili Jamat Khana; although I walked into it, but walked right back as my friends wanted to invite me another day. It was an enriching experience to learn to respect and accept different practices in each denomination. I have chronicled the experience in each Mosque and listed with pictures at http://ramadanexclusive.blogspot.com/
So, I partially drafted the article, and it was fill in the blanks after two years. Then I started sweating cold, never had that happened before; I turned the AC down to 60 degrees, I was still sweating, and I was soaking wet. I could not figure out what was going on. I called my friend Adil Khan; he is my buddy and usually would jump and come as I would, but he said he was driving towards Marshall, Texas, and asked me to Google it or call 911.
I thought it was silly to call 911, but then I was dripping with ice-cold sweat and decided to Google, and that panicked the hell out of me and called 911. The Ambulance came within two minutes, and they gave me nitro something and told me that I had a heart attack and took me to the Baylor Irving Hospital; the emergency door opened, the Doctors, Nurses, and the tech team were standing at the door. Within a few minutes, the Doc talked to me about placing the stents, and the very next minute, he said it was done. What a stunt! My daughter Jasmina walked in.
They moved me to the room, and I started writing the notes. That I had a plumbing problem, the Doc ran a snake through it, opened the pipe, and put a washer to hold the hole open. I have never seen my daughter get angry at me, she went and got the Doc and asked him to tell me how severe the problem was, and he laid it on me, tried to frighten me, but I laughed it off. I am still laughing.
On Sunday, April 25, if Muslims from every denomination want to join me, we can rent a small bus and visit a mosque as a team. On the way back, we can share our experience and perhaps videotape it. I want to make sure we have both Hijabi and non-Hijabi women on the bus, children, and seniors.
Insha’Allah, once I have a kidney donor, we will rent a bus for the entire month and do an iftar in each Mosque as a team and film it for the record. Most Muslims don’t know much about other Muslims, and I hope we have enough Muslims who want to know and respect each tradition. That is the Islam I know.
Please send an email to MikeGhouse@gmail.com
A few pictures of Imam Bukhari’s manuscripts below and his wife made us Suhoor.
RAMADAN FOR NON-MUSLIM FRIENDS Everything you always wanted to know about Ramadan
You may feel a sense of connection with the spirit of Ramadan, whether you are an Atheist, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Native American, Pagan, Shinto, Sikh, Wicca, and Zoroastrian or from any other tradition, you can see the meaning of Ramadan. If you like it, please share. Thank you.
102 years ago today, General Dyer of the British Government opened fire on peaceful protestors in Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar, India.
381 Indians lost their lives. Many women jumped into wells. 376 were identified, of whom 220 were Hindus, 90 Sikhs, and 66 Muslims.
It is one of the few massacres along with the Holocaust that has affected me deeply. When I watched the movie Gandhi, it further affected me, and I cried.
Queen Elizabeth and PM Theresa May have apologized and regretted the Massacre on behalf of the British people in 2019. Thanks to them for bringing closure to the 100 years old wound.
None of us are responsible for the massacres in the past, and none of us should be held accountable for the acts that we did not commit.
I urge the current Governments around the world to apologize and regret the Genocides and massacres of their people in our lifetime. Germany has apologized for the Holocaust. Many more nations should clean their records. If we cannot do that, what kind of humans are we? The list is very long, but it will bring closure.
In our annual event called Holocaust and Genocides, we started addressing the many Genocides, Massacres, ethnic cleansing, and other atrocities on fellow humans by their fellow humans. Thus far, we have covered 33 such events and hope to cover all of them in the next few years.
If we cannot feel the pain of fellow humans, then we are short-changed in our spirituality; there is something less about us, and we need to work on it to be a whole human being.
I invite you to attend our 17th Annual event on Sunday, January 23, 2022. You will walk out with less burden of hatred towards others but with a commitment to say never again.
Mike GhouseComments Off on Ramadan For Non-Muslims- Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Mike Ghouse
Dr Mike Ghouse
Please note: The article is written with the intent of communicating with fellow Americans to relate with it. It is 2400 words long and is complete and comprehensive. It is everything you always wanted to know about Ramadan. Ramadan is also known as Ramzan in South Asia.
Whether you are an Atheist, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Native American, Pagan, Shinto, Sikh, Wicca, and Zoroastrian or from any other tradition, you may feel a sense of connection with the spirit of Ramadan.
There is a cause or a causer who created the universe to come into existence, sustain and recycle it, and the word for that causer is God in different languages (or faiths). No matter how and what name you call upon him –he is one. There (she or it) cannot be different causers for the same universe.
The physical aspect of the human journey from the sperm and an egg through death is programmed precisely. The formula is the same for all humans, and there is no such thing as a Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or other gene.
When the universe came into being, two main products of the process were Matter and Life. The matter functions precisely as designed, like the Sun, Jupiter, Earth, or the Moon playing their part. On the other hand, humans have complete freedom, guidance (any religion), and intelligence to create their own balance to live securely and in relative harmony.
A balanced society is where every one of us functions cohesively. It is sustained by respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God-given uniqueness of each of us. If we mess with the web, we mess with ourselves ultimately. If we mess with the environmental balance, we will pay for it, just as we bear the loss of health if we mess with what we eat, drink and smoke. There is a consequence for imbalance.
Different Religions
You may note that identical spiritual wisdom emerges in different parts of the world simultaneously; the most outstanding example would be how a mother figures out what to do with her crying baby in the jungles of Amazon or the high society of Hollywood, she knows the child is hungry and needs to be fed.
Indeed, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I would say faith is in the heart of the believer, and every religion is dear to its believer. Religion is like mother, to each one his/her mother is dear.
Religion is about love for fellow beings; a majority of us in every religion get that right but for a few, who keep messing up society’s cohesiveness.
Religion is never the problem; it is the individual who doesn’t get his religion right is the problem.
Rituals of Ramadan
Rituals are a part of our life from birth to death, even though some of us may not acknowledge it. Whether we go to the gym, eat, sleep, wear clothes, drive or talk on the phone, we follow certain rituals. The rituals signify the stepping stones of our daily life. Every significant moment of the day is a ritual.
Discipline is necessary to do things on time, manage personal relationships, drive to a destination or keep within budget. The result of disciplined behavior is worthwhile for most people. When we are joyous, we have to express that sentiment; otherwise, a sense of incompleteness lingers in our hearts.
Every faith is composed of a set of unique rituals to bring discipline and peace to human life. Islam has five essential rituals that Muslims around the world observe, and one of them is fasting.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and Muslims observe it with complete devotion; it is an annual training or a refresher. It requires one to abstain from food, drink, intimacy, ill-will, ill-talk, ill-actions, and other temptations from dawn to dusk, every day for a whole month. One has to rise above his or her baser desires. Islam gifts this month to its followers to bring moderation to their daily lives. Twenty-five hundred years ago, Buddha, the enlightened one, taught that human suffering came with an unrestrained desire to possess and had recommended a middle path. The same recommendation came from Prophet Muhammad fourteen hundred years ago.
The Quran was completed and delivered to the Prophet in the month of Ramadan, and Muslims make sure they collectively recite the entire Quran during Ramadan.
Although Ramadan is known for its culinary delicacies and fancy iftars (ceremonial breaking of fast at sundown), the spirit and intent of Ramadan lie in a human transformation in a month-long inner spiritual journey of finding oneself in tune with spirituality.
Hindus can see that transformation in nine days of fasting during Navaratri, the Jains in seven to nine days of fasting during Paryushana, Christians during forty days of lent, and Jews for seven days around Yom Kippur. Likewise, you find fasting is a way of life in most traditions.
RAMADAN IN THE LIFE OF A MUSLIM Moon Sighting
Ramadan begins with the moon sighting! One group insists that they have to see the Moon themselves, while the other accepts if someone else has seen it. In the United States, most Muslims go by Nasa’s calendar so they can plan the festivities. However, it is a joy to wait and watch for the pencil-thin Moon to appear in the sky. Parents place their kids on their shoulders, and kids get excited to watch that Moon from the top of their parent’s shoulders.
Chandni Raat
The moment one sees the Moon or hears an announcement, they dash to the marketplace to shop and celebrate. It is originally a South Asian tradition but has become universal.
Special Ramadan Prayers
Muslims have various practices – Special Prayers called Taraweeh are prayed in the late evening, followed by nightly prayers called Isha. Typically, 20 to 22 units of prayers. They complete reciting 30 chapters of the Quran in 30 days (or 29). Taraweeh is usually performed in a congregation, generally a Mosque.
A TYPICAL DAY (Times are approximate)
4:00 AM
The entire family rises in the morning, and together they prepare the food for Sahri or Suhoor – the meal before fasting. In our case, I would chop the onions, and my sister would flatten the dough to make Rotis (flatbread), one brother would wash the dishes, and the others would sit around and talk. My mother would sit by the stove (Chula), and my father would make sure all the ingredients were available. It is a family affair and brings families closer. Food habits vary from region to region; we made Rotis (Flatbread) with Subzi and Keema (minced meat) and capped it off with a good cup of tea or lassi. We have to finish eating by 5 AM and ask God to accept our fasting. The cut-off time to eat or drink is about 30 minutes before sunrise, depending on the tradition..
5:30 AM
Pray together or go to the mosque if it is near.
6:00 AM Sleep for a few hours (Ramadan only) and go to work and some choose to study the Quran in a group called Halaqa. This is a month of reflection and connection with family members.
1:30 PM
The prayer in the afternoon is followed by the one in the late afternoon. One can pray individually, but a congregational prayer is a good option. Remember, it is about bringing the communities together. The Shia Muslims usually combine both the prayers and the Sunnis and Ahmadi do it one by one.
6:30 PM – IFTAAR
Iftar is breaking day long fast.
Sunset – some follow the times prescribed for the evening, and some keep looking at the sky (if it is the clear sky) to see the sunset.
A prayer call (Azan) goes out at sunset; while the Sunnis and Ahmadi Muslims take the first bite of the date fruit and sip some water, the Shias will wait until after the prayer.
Since the observers have not had anything to drink or eat for the whole day, they will start with fruits and snacks and let the stomach get ready for the entire meal after the evening (Maghrib) prayer. It is a thoughtful process
Iftar Parties
The parties are community-building events. Muslims invite their non-Muslim friends to join them for the Iftar parties. An entire range of foods is available to eat. Indian Muslims offer both vegetarian and non-veg foods (Hindu and Jain) to honor the guests.
In a given Mosque, you will find Muslims from at least 20 to 30 countries, and as such, the variety of dishes increase by number. Biryani is the King of South Asian cuisine, and Naan, Keema, Korma, Rooh Afza, Sweet Lassi, Mango Lassi, and Gulab Jamun are on the plates. One universal item consumed worldwide is the dessert made out of vermicelli; the South Asians call it Seviyaan, and the Shir Khurma is very popular- it can be a drink or soup.
Politicians and corporations also organize the Iftar parties. The tradition was started by President Bill Clinton and carried through President Obama, and we hope Biden will re-start it.
8:30 PM Taraweeh Prayers (described earlier).
LAST DAY OF RAMADAN
On the evening of the 28th as well as 29th everyone is out looking for that Moon again; once an announcement comes out, celebrations begin. Chand Raat (Moon Night) opens up, and people go shopping; it is like shopping on the last day of Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, or other festivities. It is a good tradition of excitement and joy for successfully observing the entire month of Ramadan dutifully.
Children and adults paint Mehendi (henna) on their hands with various designs. They look forward to it. Zakat
Every Muslim takes out 2.5% of his/her wealth and passes it on to the needy. Most people pay in advance, but as usual, some pay on the last day, like we file our IRS tax returns on April 15th.
Eid- the big celebration
Everyone in the family gets up in the morning, and it is the dawn of the new era. Eat breakfast and go for the mass or congregational prayers, which is also known as Jamaat. Since a Mosque cannot accommodate all the people in the area, they rent convention halls or big banquet halls. Dallas, Texas, rents the Convention Center, where some 20,000 people gather for the congregational prayers. Back in my town Yelahanka and perhaps in other places, they all go to the cemeteries – there is always a place made for prayers on the grounds.
It is the day to celebrate and includes forgiving each other and starting afresh by hugging three times. My interpretation of the three is “forgive me,” “I forgive you,” and “Let us begin” the relationship afresh. The Jains say “Michami Dukkadam” meaning, let’s forgive each other, and start the new year with a clean slate.
Way back in the late’70s Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Asrani, Mehmood, and other Bollywood actors participated in Eid prayers in Yelahanka, my hometown, a suburb of Bangalore. Mehmood lived a mile or two from the cemetery. The movie stars enjoy the different ways one can worship the creator.
Praying for the deceased
It’s like Memorial Day, almost every Muslim visits the cemetery to pray for their loved one buried there. You will always find yourself connected to them. You can pray for them from anywhere, and on this day of joy, you feel their absence even more.
EIDI
It is a gift you generally present to kids and family members as we do during Christmas, Diwali, and other holidays. Traditionally the man of the house presents the gifts, but in the United States, women present the gifts as well as we all earn equally, and at times women earn more than men. It is usually cash to spend. During my childhood; my father gave me one Anna (like 25 Paise), I and my friend dashed to the store behind our home and drank Orange Soda which was half Anna. That was the greatest pleasure we had.
Eid Parties
It is usually an open house for families, friends, and community members to visit for lunch. A typical family visits at least three homes and of course the practices vary from Muslim to Muslim.
Exceptions:
Fasting is exempt for individuals with diabetes and other difficulties, pregnant women, and even people traveling. If you miss it, you have the option to make it up.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, God has no need for the hunger or thirst of someone who hurts others, violates their dignity, or usurps their rights. The fasting of the limbs must match the fasting of the stomach. The eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet all have their respective fasts to undergo. For example, the tongue’s temptations — lies, backbiting, slander, vulgarity, and senseless argumentation — must be curbed to maintain the integrity of the fast.
The consciousness of behavior and vigilance over action are the most profound dimensions of fasting: the fasting of the heart focuses on the attachment to the divine. That is when Ramadan becomes a source of peace and solace, just as Christmas, Rosh Hashana, or Dussehra go beyond the rituals to bring forth kindness, charity, and caring.
True fasting is self-purification. From this comes a rich inner life that brings about values such as justice, generosity, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, and empathy — values that are indispensable for the success of the community.
Knowing about hunger is different from knowing it. Empathy is not an intellectual equation; it is a human experience. Our hardness of heart often springs from our distance from the human condition of others. The poor, sick, disenfranchised, oppressed — we rarely walk a mile in their shoes, not even a few steps. “Rest assured,” cautioned one teacher, “if you do not taste what it feels like to be hungry, you will not care for those who are.”
Ramadan will come and go with such stealth, and what is it that we value, and why? We can change our habits, customs including obsessive behavior, in the face of a higher calling.
For fasting to be truly universal, its benefits must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims and must extend to forging a common humanity with others. Fasting imparts a sense of what it means to be truly human. Its observance reflects its universality in Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian, and other faiths. More about Ramadan at www.Ramadanexclusive.com
Let the spirit of Ramadan develop an understanding and respect for each one of God’s creation – that is all of us.
The most common greetings of Ramadan festival are Ramadan Mubarak, Eid Mubarak, Ramadan Kareem, and then there is variation depending on the language you speak.
Picture’s courtesy – Boston Globe and the Atlantic
Dr. Mike Ghouse is the president of the Center for Pluralism, an author of the book American Muslim Agenda and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to build cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His bio is at www.TheGhouseDiary.com or Linked-in.
Mike GhouseComments Off on Is Baisakhi a Celebration Or A Commemoration This Tear?
Vaisakhi is an Indian harvest festival, also known as Baisakhi. It is a celebration of the spring harvest and the start of the new year for the Sikhs. Even though the celebration goes with different names in different regions, Punjab is its bastion. Punjab is known as the wheat bowl of India and supplies more than 20% of India’s food supplies.
The highlight of the festival is dancing, singing, music, and wearing colorful clothes and turbans. It is also an expression of an abundance of food and aspirations for prosperity. It is a joyous expression of the spring harvest. Who does not dance to Punjabi Music?
However, this year, Baisakhi may be commemorated rather than celebrated. What is happening in India is a sad situation. The Modi administration has enacted three laws that strip the small farmers from their livelihood and enslave them to the large corporations. The farmers are known as “Anna Datha” (God or provider of the food) and are being disrespected by the current administration.
Over 100,000 Farmers have marched to Delhi on their tractors to protest against the draconian laws that affect their lives without consulting them. The Modi administration dug trenches and plugged huge nails on the ground to harm them. Farmers are peacefully protesting against these laws. Nearly 60% of Indians are employed in the agriculture sector directly and indirectly and it has a bad consequence – food insecurity and a season without harvest.
The home Minister, Mr. Amit Shah, has a history of manufacturing fake encounters in Gujarat. Upon becoming the Home minister of India, all the charges were dropped against him. He is at again; he got a bad guy to stage violence to blame the peaceful farmers. Indian Express writes today that “the police have slapped attempts to murder charges against the agitators for trying to get him (a politician) down from the car while opening the car’s door.” The administration also resorts to Jumla-baazi wordsmithery to denigrate the protestors by calling them, separatists. Shame on them for such mean tactics for political gains.
The farmers are on the ground 24/7 for the last six months in the cold winter of Delhi, and now they will face the scorching summer heat. The farmers are a determined people and have come prepared to carry on their mission, and they are cooking on the roadside, sleeping and taking showers, and sitting out there on the dirt.
I am not sure if I should say Happy Baisakhi, but I certainly support their protests. Protests got us independence from colonial rule, it was the protests that bring us the change, and I wish the very best for our farmers, and I stand with the farmers, as most Indians do.
Dr. Mike Ghouse is president of the Center for Pluralism, an author of the book American Muslim Agenda and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His bio is at www.TheGhouseDiary.com or at Linked-in.
Mike GhouseComments Off on Happy Doctor’s Day – Thank You, Doctors
I wish all the Doctors a very Happy Doctor’s day. I am grateful to every Doctor who attended to his/her patients wholeheartedly, out of love for fellow humans’ lives. Someone from your family and friends’ circle was taken care of by some doctor, and it is time to thank them.
Muslims and Jains have a universal prayer that they pray for every human being, and I would like you to share such a blessing from your faith tradition.
Gratitude is one of the essential elements in human life, and it restores and sustains one’s equilibrium in life. Like most of you, there is not a day in my life that I am not grateful to that invisible, unimaginable creator, and I thank him/her/ it every day.
Recently my son was in an accident, and thanks to the Plano Medical City Doctors, Nurses, and the techs for taking care of him, God bless them, and I am grateful to my daughter-in-law for being there for him every minute of the day.
In June 2008, we invited the Doctors, Nurses, and Techs who cared for my late wife Najma for nearly nine months to celebrate her spirit of volunteerism and to appreciate them. I must acknowledge Dr. Ram Rao, a UT Dallas professor, who inspired me to celebrate, following him in celebrating the death of his wife, Dr. Kalpana Rao, whom I called Akka – my sister.
I am pleased to share a few names that I recall and am grateful for; Dr. Sultan Choudhary, Dr. Jalil Khan, Dr. Basheer Ahmed, Dr. Amer Shakeel, Dr. Yamin Khan, Dr. Amanullah Khan, Dr. Pervaz Rahman, and many more. I am also grateful to Dr. Amer Sulaiman, Dr. Jarrah, Dr. Harbans Lal, Dr. Nauman Anwar, Dr. Lisa Martin, Dr. Dominque Raj, Marilyn Rizavi, Dr. Shailendra Sharma, Dr, and Drs. Hakki, who attended to me, thank you all.
Here are some of the pictures from the celebration.
While my wife was in and out of the hospital, I kept a diary with all the details, including the names of Doctors, Nurses, Techs, medicines, and all. I regret, someone took it from the hospital, and I lost all the records. But I am thankful to all of them.
The Mosque shown in the picture has the looks of the temple; Krishna Deva Raya II built it between 1419-1439. The story is he was losing the wars to Adil Shahi and other empires despite his army was triple their size. He calls on his generals to find out the cause, and they say Muslims pray before going to war (Muslims pray five times a day, nothing special for war); based on that, he hires Muslims into his army and builds a mosque for them.
The only two identifications of the Mosque are Mehrab – a niche from where the Imam (clergy) delivers his sermon. The inscription in Kannada on the frieze of the temple; otherwise, it looks like a temple architect.
The additional points I want to make, which Dr. Ram Punyani also made, are – Shivaji’s and Aurangzeb’s major generals were Muslims and Hindus, respectively. When they fought, it was not for Hindus or Muslims but power. Someone somewhere, perhaps the British, erroneously colored it as a fight between Hindus and Muslims, and no one has questioned the integrity of that and has carried it forward.
No king fought for religion; he fought to defend his kingdom. He may have pretended to get his subjected worked up, but really, religion was a fake front for their greed.
Think about this – no King, be it Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Zoroastrian or the other ever said to the neighboring King – “Look, my friend, I want to take over your kingdom, wealth, and the women.” and the other King said, sure, sure, be my guest, take it over. Hell no, has it ever happened? The war ensued; people were killed, women robbed, wealth taken, their places destroyed. It was not between religions but between greedy kings of all faiths.
As Indians, some of us hold grudges against others – Hindus against Muslims and vice versa. That is foolish. If I kill someone on the street, should you punish my parents, my pastor, mayor, grandfather, or my kids for it, or me?
We need to deal with the present, we are a democracy, and we are accountable for it. We should not forget history, but let the past not ruin our present.
Video translated and the commentary by Dr. Mike Ghouse
Mike GhouseComments Off on Full Moon Tonight, go out and enjoy
Full moon tonight – Get out and enjoy it in the open spaces or a beach nearby with your loved ones. I am going by myself unless someone joins.
Of course, the moon is a piece of rock, but our generation and the earlier ones cherished it. The soft light of the moon is considered romantic.
My late wife Najma and I visited the Taj Mahal to watch its glory in the full moon; it was worth it, and I recommend it to everyone. If you are going there, you might as well soak in the best sight of the Taj on the full moon.
Indeed, Queen Elizabeth visited India in 1961, and one night she disappeared from her hotel. The entire Indian secret service went searching for her – finally, they found her sitting in front of the Taj Mahal and enjoying its beauty. She probably asked her husband if he was going to build one monument for her.
Najma and I went on a trip near Austin, Texas. We rented this fantastic tent set on the peninsula like a strip of land with a moon roof. It was a full-fledged tent with a king-size bed—the light filtering into the tent on Najma’s face lit up the whole place, and she looked beautiful.
We have chosen many short trips, usually on the full moon. Hey, if you are going somewhere, let it be the best.
I have continued the tradition, and here in DC, I sit in front of the Supreme Court in peace, reflecting on life, liberty, and happiness. The Supreme court is a holy place to me, as it serves justice to my fellow Americans.
Here in DC, a group goes for a walk in the Mall and visits different monuments in the glory of the full moon. I thought of going to the beach with a boardwalk and enjoying the full moon on Sunday, the 28th.
