Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, March 5, 2009
They Ask...
Why are learning it?
Are you going to get a job in Saudia / UAE?
Oh! I see you are looking to go abroad in an arabic country...
What you would do with that?
and the list goes on and on and on
I wonder why people don't ask me why I did English all together? Come on that is another foreign language. Oh, there you go, it enables my to get in touch with the current scenario and the life I am spending. I can be a better professional and being in technology I am made to to know English otherwise I am out of this world of Innovations, Corporate glamor and following the footsteps of western world.
I think what people forget that whatever I am and whatever they are, it is not because of them or me alone. It is that ever being The Almighty The Gracious and our creator Allah who granted us these pleasures of life.
So, have I gone insane to learn Arabic just to understand what my creator is saying about how my life should be?
Oh, I forgot there are pretty good translations out there in English and Urdu as well.
Here even my educated friend says a thing which urge me to hit them with my head in their stomach :D.
Come on, can Ghalib be understood natively in English transliteration or translations? NO
Can Shakespeare be understood in Urdu, cent percent? Certainly NOT
If these human written verses cannot be reflected in any other language with their spirit in place. How can one individual or a bunch of individuals can translate the original, the pure and the most worthy words of my creator Allah.
I am learning Arabic, just to understand, what my creator is saying about me and my code of life and my collective life in Allah's pure words.
It would help me understand the true context and true spirit of the verses and increase my understanding.
As I don't believe in the current socio-economic systems of collective life like Capitalism, Communism etc. As they are human made then I need to be a student of Quran-e-Pak to understand the ultimate solution to our collective and individual life.
Don't think that why my parents did not put me in any madarsah. They couldn't since we all are product of this confused society of Pakistan where people have as many thinking schools as the population of this country. They had the choice to make me go learn Islam or make me learn the English MEDIUM.
They chose English MEDIUM since they knew we are a nation which is a by-product of British experiment and therefore I would need British tools to earn my living in this country. (people don't quarrel me on calling our country a British by-product, remember I am writing this note in English, y I am not writing it in Urdu when Chinese can do it or Arabs can do it in their own language. THINK -- you know it). We are muslims but we don't conduct Islamic Laws (don't you remind me of British born constitution of our country). We even don't know if the current political system (I don't call that democracy) is right or wrong for us.
I think I am getting off the topic, SO, I just wanted to say we need to have some new system for a peaceful life in our country. I believe that it would be Islam as the system therefore I am learning it in advance and in its native dynamics.
Thank you very much for reading my spill and your comments are more than welcome.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Dewan-e-Transport
Dewaroon kae Kan hotay hain...
Shayarron kae Dewaan hotay hain

Just last week, I got hold of this poetry book which blew me away. I thought this was the book that I had been waiting for. 'tha intizaar jis ka, woh shahkaar aa gaya'. Mr. S.M. Shaiq has collected almost 400 ashaar (verses) written on Pakistani transport and published them in the form of a book titled 'deewan-e-transport' (see the title photo to the right). kiyooN? hai na mazay ki baat !!!.
I have selected 20 out of 400 ashaar found in this 204-page-book to be shared here. To translate Urdu poetry in English poetry requires special talent, which I don't have. I've tried to translate few ashaar literally but not poetically. If our readers want to give it a try, I may add your translation in the post here. Give it a try!
(1)
The background of this 'sher' is that Dina is a city 16 km west of Jhelum city on highway N5. If you are traveling East to West on N5 then Dina is further ahead of Jhelum.

(2)
Following sher made me laugh and therefore I chose it to share here. A lot of imagination has gone behind the creative thought presented in this here. 
Translation:
I have become so weak in the sorrowness of your separation
Even the bed bugs are able to drag me out of the bed
(3)
Following sher has this phoenetic feeling to it. A donkey's bray is considered an unpleasant sound in Pakistan. The literal translation is that the poet kept braying like a doney whole night while crying and waiting for the beloved to show up. 
(4)
Another important aspect of the book is that Shaiq Saheb has not tried to do any 'islaah' (correction) on the poetry. This has preserved the natural innocence and 'be-saakhtagi' (spontaneity) of the transport poetry. Many 'ashaar' are not hum-wazan, and many have problem with 'tazkeer-o-taanees' (gender) e.g. feminine words sometimes are refered to as masculine and vice versa. But this lawlessness in poetry is what makes it so colorful and enjoyable. For example enjoy the following sher which presents its subjects in reverse gender. 
Translation:
Who says we don't get to see each other?
We do get to see each other
BUT
we don't get to talk to each other
(5)
Following sher probably qualifies as prose, but nevertheless it conveys its meaning in an innocent way. 
Translation:
Turned a corner, broke the motion, broke the body
broke the axel, and had to faced the truck owner
Lost the job, went home and got beaten by elder brother.
(6)
I must also say that every now and then one does comes across a very standard poetry sample, which makes one think in admiration of poetic sense of its creator as well as the transport owner. e.g. Look at this sher written on a vehicle spotted in Rawalpindi: 
Translation:
People of my city look extra happy today
It is as if they' ve not read the daily news
(7)
Translation:
All the prayers were left bundled in holy covers on a higher shelf
As sons left homes for their journeys, mothers were left home alone
(8)
S.M. Shaiq has dedicated this book to all drivers, Cleaners, Mechanics and transporters of Pakistan who despite all hardships are keeping the wheel of economy moving from Karachi to Landi kotal. 
(9) 
Translation:
My vehicle is a flying saucer
And I am its lonely occupant
(10) 
Tranlsation:
O' God! why is the mail not coming?
Has love reduced or the post office is closed?
(11) 
Translation:
O' take a look at these passing buses
Observe human disgrace and lack of control
Is it a lie when I say
Just on this one route,
thousands of humans are packed like chicken.
(12) 
(13) 
(14) 
(15) 
(16) 
(17) 
(18)
I love following sher. See how simply the life phillosophy and exploitation of a human by the hands of another human is portrayed here. 
Translation:
A human is biting another human
A snake is just sitting on the side and smiling
(19)
Another one which is right out of the books of philosophy. 
Translation:
I broke the mirror into one hundred pieces
and looked at myself
I was alone in one mirror
as well as alone in one hundred
(20)
I selected following sher because it made me smile. It is very spontaneous. Almost abrupt. 
S.M. Shaiq has not only meticulously collected these 'ashaar' but also noted down the 'Number Plates' of the vehicles from which he copied them. In the preface of the book, Shaiq Saheb tells us that one of his 'gham-e-rozgaar' (employment) required him to travel by road in Pakistan a lot and he enjoyed reading poetry written at the back of Pakistani trucks etc. Very soon he found himself collecting this great treasure of poetry and finally gave it a book form.
Publishers:
The book is published in 2007 by Shamsi Publications of Wireless Gate, Karachi - 0300-9249925.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Live Counter Strike
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Wasting Time
but you see having adsense really attracts me.
Oh my, evil does have attraction.
Anyways this postis just a warm up though. I am still thinking to make this blog work for me as a writer and for you people providing you some kind material to waste your time.
You see I am literally obsessed to waste time and mind you it is a time taking job itself. Stealing time from work, from family, from friends (time spent with friends is not a wastage my dear, you get your ass kicked by true frds), from hobbies and then also from sleep.
You see the whole post took around 10 minutes of wastage and yet I am writing it.
So if you wanna tell me any better way to waste my time please tell me.
