Circling the underground music scene for the past few years, I came across T2F (The Second Floor), a project by PeaceNiche (a not-for-profit social entrepreneurship organization), determined to revive the coffee-house culture, that gave voice to such progressive writers  and poets like  Sa’adat Hassan Manto and Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi in early Pakistani literary history, but seemed to have faded with time. From the fifteenth century coffee houses of Damascus and Cairo, the coffee house phenomenon has had its share of ups, downs, revelations, bans and revolts. But as long as people choose to think, the cycle will go on. Bringing live music to coffee houses can be credited to the 60’s American political/folk musicians like Dylan, which served as a great idea for young musicians to find small audiences in intimate settings.

T2F reminds me of the 90’s hit show “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, where young Afro-Americans found home at coffee houses for raw expression to vent out decades of suppressed emotions, rather than taking it to the streets. And we can’t help but relate to that, considering the rapidly deteriorating socio-economic/political conditions in our own country.

The recent Open Mic event was another example of how much nurturing the artistic side of our society needs and how these artists go widely un-noticed due to a lack of similar platforms. We keep cursing the music industry for having lost it’s stature within the international music scene, and for musicians who can’t play their own songs live, let alone improvise… but watching these young musicians pour their hearts out that night helped me regain some hope.

The multi-talented comedian-cum-musician host Saad Haroon made sure that there was never a dull moment, keeping in place the rhythm of the whole event, and keeping the audience occupied while each group went through sound check. His Meera jokes, of course, sent the roof flying off with roars and laughter.

The highlight of the evening, for me, was when Sax player Miqdaad Mohammad played “Hey Soul Sister” with a little help from ADP (Aunty Disco Project) member, Ali. His melodic saxophone notes complemented with a strong vocal style made a perfect combination that helped lift the audience’s spirits. Another noticeable act was the duo “Saada Khushboo” that played their own unique blend of acoustic blues and upbeat percussion’s.

The Viccaji sisters, with their soft tones, had their own individual flavors to bring to the audience and their harmonic chemistry was definitely applaudable. An un-announced pop-in by Haniya from “Zeb and Haniya” was also a pleasant surprise. The closing band ‘Bell’ played around with their improvised instrumentals and got multiple encore requests before the night could end. And last, but not the least, hats off to Omar Bilal (better known as OBA) from ADP for bringing together all these people in one room.

A little over 10 pm, the gig seemed to have ended too soon, even with more than a dozen acts. But that’s just one of the perks, unfamiliar to us Karachiites, of actually starting on time (:

- Contributed by Saqib Ahmed

Photo Credits: Jamash

Video Credits: Jehan Ara

Popularity: 23% [?]

The atrocities of Taliban are like an unhealed wound flaunting in front of the eyes of the sympathizer. The victims however continue to stand up as staunch survivors. Survivors that spit back at the faces of inhumane barbarism. Talibans are known to feed and flourish in the name of religion. A religion that can have no other name but misogynism. An ideology not build on ground of ethics, morals or religion for that matter. The school of thought that gives freedom to self appointed savages. The world has witnessed horrifying and shameless activities by the talibans. It is now time for the recent history to repeat itself. Reminiscing horrors of the afghan women eases the shocking images from the tribal areas of Pakistan.

A recent video released shows Taliban’s flogging a 17 year old girl for going to the market with a boy. According to scholars and analysts “The Islamic law no where permits such punishments to be carried out. The marked punishment of adultery is not valid until very strict circumstances are met. The value of a women’s character is held up quite strictly according to Islamic principles.”

However the peace loving pseudo intellectual opinions were subsided with many ‘bearded savages’ who claimed the incident as Islamic. Their opinions strongly reminded me of a famous saying in Urdu ‘ Darhi main Islam nahin balkay Islam main darhi hai’ - Islam isn’t the part of beard , its beard that is a part of Islamic culture. More elaborately those with beards don’t automatically become the pioneers of Islam not when you are sane and religiously enlightened. The atrocities of Taliban have always been open to the world. Quite openly since after the US led war on terror. I fail to understand why the media hype about the flogging video. My utter shock isn’t because I consider the incident any less severe but because it is not unique and definitely not something we don’t expect from the Taliban’s. This is but only a glimpse of the notorious regime of the Taliban’s. I say we should protest about this in the most bold form possible. However let this be a gateway to more protests and realization. An eye opener to the activities of Taliban that the media has still not covered. The plea of my brother’s and sister’s in parachinar. The holler of all the mother’s of the martyrs butchered because of their belief. The rapes of all those sisters that has been deemed ‘halal’ merely because they belong to a sect our self appointed God’s don’t approve of. How much is too much ?. I wonder why these video as weren’t released while the meia urged for peace treaties with these talibans. I wonder if this isn’t a mere tactic to justify the increasing drone attacks. If this isn’t yet another plea highlighted only to make us fall head first into more controversies.

Let us not follow the hypocrites. We should make this plea louder, bolder and more relevant to all the victims of talibznization. Lets stand united and strive for elimination of Talibanization and a call for all those to be tried for ‘Crimes against humanity’ . We have the choice to back our brothers and sisters and Islam and ensure that our sympathies belong to everyone irrespective of gender or sect.

Popularity: 26% [?]

 

We all have heard the story of Muhammad Bin Qasim, the young general from the Ummayad Dynasty who took Sind by storm. We all have heard how young MBQ was and how bravely his outnumbered army triumphed over King Dahirs legion. We all have heard how the conquest of Sindh enabled Islam to establish its roots into the subcontinent and blah blah blah what not.

But wait…… is that all to the legend of MBQ? Whatever happened after he had conquered Sindh and Multan? That, dear children, in my opinion is the most interesting part of the MBQ saga.

After toppeling the hindu rule in Sindh and lower Punjab, MBQ started to gear up for a further northern push. During his preperations for the next campaign, the Caliph of the Umayad Dynasty, Al-Walid I died and was suceeded by the Suleman Bin Abd-Aziz. Suleman, being a young man himself was envious of MBQs exploits and loathed his popularity among the local population. And so he ordered MBQ to return to Syria and face trial for treason. Upon receiving this order, MBQ started to pack his bags for a march towards Syria, but his soldiers knew that MBQ marches to certain death, for Suleman is a merciless carnivore who will enjoy seeing MBQ beheaded for treason he did not commit. And so the loyal men of MBQ’s army drew their swords and swore to their beloved general that they would fight the Caliph till death for MBQ is being wrongly accused.  Yet MBQ smiled and told them to sheath their swords, for the last thing he desires is fragmentation of the Islamic Empire on his behalf. And so MBQ, who did not know the meaning of the word “surrender”, conceded to the tyrant Suleman and sacrificed what was rightfully his for the greater good of his clan.

What happened later is disputed among historians. Some say MBQ died during his journey to Syria. Some say that he was tried in Damascus and executed, while some say that he was imprisoned in Mousil where he died due to extreme torture on daily basis.

Hence children, the lesson we learn from the life of this extra-ordinary man is that sometimes conceding takes greater courage than confronting. So the next time you get into a fight with one of your friends or get engaged into an argument with your parents or cannot agree upon something with your spouse, think of MBQ and think what is harder; fighting on or surrendering. And then do the harder of the two.

 

Popularity: 28% [?]

 Note: Shahrzad is an Iranian writer/teacher from Tehran. Shahrzad’s blog is one of the most followed blogs on the blogosphere, in her blog Shahrzad offers clear unbiased perspective of an educated and independent Muslim woman. This post highlights the Processions of  Azadari in the Holy month Moharram.

Even after 1400 years, tragedy of Hussain ibn Ali (A.S) and his family is reminded by thousands and thousands ceremonies in Iran.

 

By start of Muharram, Iranian Shi’as, Sunnis and even other religions, strictly avoid founding any parties and celebrations. It’s the way that all Iranians from any faith show their respect to the martyrs of Karbala. In Urumiyyeh the azeri city in northwest, there are many different communities of Sunnis, Shi’as and Christians who all together participate in Ashoura and Tasu’a ceremonies and cry for Hussain (AS).

 

‘Shabih Khani’ (enactment) or performing the scenes of Ashoura day is so popular in Azeri and Kurd cities of west and northwest. They share breads, Halwa and hot milk among people and they cook rice and meat for the poor.

 

In Isfahan there’ve been always very famous ceremonies which have a history of 3 centuries or so. In Khuzistan of southwest, the ceremonies are done in Arabic way which is using ‘Sinj’, ‘ Bough’ and ‘Dimam’. They’re some kind of African musical instruments which came to arabic culture almost since hundreds years ago. They make this ‘Bough’ by horn of bull and it’s so difficult to learn how to play it.

 

In Birjand of Southern Khurasan, they usually mourn for Karbala in Masajid. On the other hand, In centeral city of Yazd, the ceremonies are started since the first day of Muharram and goes the utmost in the day of Ashoura. When all people gather in Amir Chakhmakh square, an ancient part of the city with a big old mosque. There is a big wooden ‘banner’ which thousand men carry it and turn around the square while others are mourning.

The huge ceremony of Muharram 8 in Zanjan city is also one of the most famous ceremonies in the muslim world. Where people offer thousands sheeps as sadaghat for the poor.

 

In northern cities, along the Caspian sea, the ceremonies are usually done at night. Every night, one of counties mourn for Karbala event and they move to other counties with flags.

 

I personally love the ceremonies in Tehran, the capital. Tehran as a very multi-cultural city has its very multi-cultural ceremonies for Muharram too. There are Azeri, Abadani, Kurd, Persian, Gilak, Pakistani, Afqani and many other communities that every one perform the rituals in their own way. But then what you get, is the combine of many people all together from different ethnicity and race.

 

You may see that even Armenian Christians cook food for the poor in these days. Nobody asks you whether you’re from their community or not. There are many masajid and from any heritage with any language, they stand side by side of together and remember the tragedy of Ashoura.

 

There are actually many wrong ways of mourning in other countries too which have been banned in Iran. Nowadays, mourning for Hussain is getting really meaningful and special. It’s coming out of just showing off or even wasting tears. It’s becoming more important and effective nowadays.

 

Innovations which were entered in the ways of mourning during history, have been strictly forbidden in Iran since some years ago. Stupidity of injuring body, using Qammah, heavily hitting, big banners, portrate of imams, blood and clay on face have been prohibited since long time ago.

 

The fact is we need to announce the true message of Karbala and realise it with the today’s events. Remembering Karbala is really significant, when it become a motivation for youth to go and study Islam, the Islamic history and try to learn about personality of great Muslim characters, from the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to Imams (A.S) and Sahabah(R.A).  It should be a shortcut for muslim youth to recognise the Yazids of this era and Hussains of today.

 

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A young Iranian Child, Muhammed Husain Rangbast, reciting the incident regarding the attack on Fatimat Al-Zahraa, the Daughter of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing upon him and his family.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Shahbaz Shiekh is an old friend, a telecom engineer and is completing his Masters from UTD. He writes on and off at Ronin. Here is another piece written by him that I wanted to share with my readers.

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With the U.S. Presidential elections right around the corner in America, and the infamous War on Terror raging with white hot temperatures in Northern Pakistan, many local political commentators are busy trying to establish, which political party will better benefit our country. This to me (at least) this appears a futile exercise. Barack Obama and John McCain have both made it crystal clear that operations on the northern Pak-Afghan belt will continue. Only that Mr. Obama believes that these efforts must be intensified, while Mr. McCain is more in favor of continuing (more or less) the same path.

 

So that the question “who is better for Pakistan”, can simply be answered by a simple “both” or “niether”, depending if you like your glass half empty or half full. But on the issue of the fighting in the north, it is not a question of a half empty or half full glass of water.It is more a question how thirsty you really are. Meaning?

 

Obviously the Americans are thirsty like never before. And why wouldn’t they be? The American citizens back home want to see a Osama’s’ head on the platter, the man responsible for killing around 4000 Americans in broad daylight, at the very center of the American civilization.

 

What about Pakistanis? In my (humble) opinion, the general Pakistani population is not thirsty enough. They wish to avoid the war, they don’t want to finish it. Most Pakistanis don’t realize is that the enemies (here I mean the gun wielding, self exploding militants), do not hate America. They hate us. They hate a Pakistan which trades with the west (infidels), they hate a Pakistan where women are free to have any occupation men have, they hate a Pakistan which provides security to religious and sectarian minorities, and they hate everything the Quaid-e-Azam ever dreamed of in his lonely, uneasy, tubolclosis laden sleep.

 

Most Pakistanis are fond of saying  “we are fighting someone else’s war”.

When somebody decides to blow up a 5 star hotel at Islamabad, when someone decides to murder innocent factory workers in Wah, when someone decides that people in Karachi attending a mere political rally do not deserve to live, then in my (humble) opinion, this someone is our plain and simple enemy and deserves to be waged a war against. We are not fighting Osama’s army (the one which hurt American interests),

We are fighting Osama wannabe’s, who ONLY hurt our interest. So yes, these bad men are our enemies before anyone elses. If someone hits you, you don’t say “oh this someone hit me because of so and so”, you hit this someone back, twice as hard. Yes, it will result in collateral damage, but there is no getting around it. Yes, it will result in losses in our army’s rank, but then again we didnt raise such a large army to help old ladies cross the road now did we?

 

Winning the war against the raving, blood frenzied, do and die madmen in the north will not be an easy task. But I say, if you are doing something which is not easy, then it must be the right thing to do, as the path of the righteous is indeed a hard path.

 

(Pakistan Zindabad)

   

Popularity: 15% [?]