Archive for Uncategorized

The Knowledge of Self

// March 1st, 2010 // 4 Comments » // Uncategorized

Knowledge of self is the key to the knowledge of God [...] and real self-knowledge consists in knowing the following things: What are you in yourself, and from what source have you come? To which place are you going, and for what purpose have you come to tarry here awhile, and in what does your real happiness and misery lie? Some of your attributes are those of animals, some of devils, and some of angles, and you have to find out which of these attributes are accidental and which are essential. Till you know this, you cannot find out where your real happiness lies. The occupation of animals is eating, sleeping, and fighting; therefore, if you are an animal, busy yourself in these things. Devils are busy in stirring up mischief, and in guile and deceit; if you belong to them, do their work. Angels contemplate the beauty of God, and are entirely free from animal qualities; if you are of angelic nature, then strive towards your origin that you may know and contemplate the Most High, and be delivered from the thraldom of lust and anger. You should also discover why you have been created with these animal insticints: whether that they should subdue and lead you captive, or whether you should subdue them, and, in your upward progress, make of one your steed and of the other your weapon …

Knowledge of self is the key to the knowledge of God [...] and real self-knowledge consists in knowing the following things: What are you in yourself, and from what source have you come? To which place are you going, and for what purpose have you come to tarry here awhile, and in what does your real happiness and misery lie? Some of your attributes are those of animals, some of devils, and some of angles, and you have to find out which of these attributes are accidental and which are essential. Till you know this, you cannot find out where your real happiness lies. The occupation of animals is eating, sleeping, and fighting; therefore, if you are an animal, busy yourself in these things. Devils are busy in stirring up mischief, and in guile and deceit; if you belong to them, do their work. Angels contemplate the beauty of God, and are entirely free from animal qualities; if you are of angelic nature, then strive towards your origin that you may know and contemplate the Most High, and be delivered from the thraldom of lust and anger. You should also discover why you have been created with these animal insticints: whether that they should subdue and lead you captive, or whether you should subdue them, and, in your upward progress, make of one your steed and of the other your weapon – An excerpt from The Alchemy of Happiness by Al-Ghazali

A real food for thought! I couldn’t help but think how animal instincts are very much on the higher side in me, and many others around me. May Allah help us all to strive in the right path to achieve the angelic attributes.

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I Can’t Believe This!

// November 2nd, 2009 // 28 Comments » // Uncategorized

On 29th September 2008 during the late hours of the night, just 3 days before my departure to London, my father summoned me to his room and we talked about various things for a while. I was carefully avoiding any talk about myself going abroad because my mother was also sitting there, who gets rather emotional. Eventually the subject came up when my father said “You have been good in your studies throughout and I have no doubt you’ll excel there too. Strive to be among the top students as you usually do.” And there it was…the pressure of expectations, that I’ve been carrying all along. Its never been a burden, rather a motivation.

And today when I told my dad that I have passed with a DISTINCTION, scoring more than 85% in my dissertation and 76% in the taught courses, his voice told the story. I was happy when I got this news, jumping up and down for a while, recalling all those tough moments that I spent during the last one year. I really worked hard during this time and I was expecting a good result. But never THIS good. I can only thank the Almighty for His countless blessings showered on me during this period.
While I was happy and excited my father sounded more like a child getting some new toy he had been eagerly waiting for :D I haven’t been able to speak to my mother yet, but I’m sure she will be excited too. As for me, I am happy that I have been able to give this moment to my parents, although, I believe this is all due to their prayers.
I’m glad that all those early morning and late nights I spent at the labs and library have finally paid off!
Now I think I should quit this post before tears start trickling down my eyes and spread the precious ink on this paper…Oh no wait, I’m writing this on my iPhone 3GS :P
Time to celebrate? Hell YEAH!!
Edit: NOW, after 12 hours, I can believe this. It feels great to realize that I am among the top cluster of students in one of the best universities in the world :)

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What do you do?

// October 24th, 2009 // 9 Comments » // Uncategorized

Are you a student? NO

Do you work? NO

Oh..unemployed? Bad economy ehh? NO

Err..okay so what do you do? Nothing. I am in transition, and it sucks!

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And one more…

// October 21st, 2009 // 13 Comments » // Uncategorized

This should be final post of the day. I have been wanting to post these pictures for weeks now – or maybe a month (when did I return from Pak?). Anyway, so here is Musfirah – the bhanji (niece). Since I've named her I can't help but wonder if she'll grow up and say, why on earth did you choose this name? Or maybe she'll love it. Don't know.

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Kids & Mosques

// October 21st, 2009 // 10 Comments » // Uncategorized

It is easy to find children crying at the top of their voice while their mums are praying in mosque. Are they really praying? I mean, is the concentration level there knowing very well that her child is crying just by her side? And how does that affect the prayer of others? 

Similarly, men bring their ambulatory kids to the mosque and let them loose when the prayers have begun. The child keeps wandering around, walking between people in probably thinking why are people not moving to get him? Then comes those slightly older ones who don't know how to pray but come to enjoy the day. The take part physically in prayers but they can keep moving at all times and the slightest of hand movements can cause the person standing next to him to lose his already shallow concentration.

So why do people bring kids the mosque? It is absolutely not the child's fault because he doesn't really appreciate what's going on around him, but what about the guardian?

And then there is this point of view that bringing kids to mosque may inspire them to pray. I don't subscribe to that school of thought but it is, nevertheless, valid under some conditions.

Anyhow, personally I think all sources of noise should be kept away from mosques, be it a child of a mobile phone. It will be interesting to see if the readers have something to say on this.

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Career Choice

// October 21st, 2009 // 13 Comments » // Uncategorized

During my short visit to Pakistan I met a few of my cousins and some younger kids in my parents’ friends and family circle who have either recently started with their universities or are planning to do so soon. I realized that some people actually force their children to talk to me or get me talking to them thinking that I may share some words of wisdom or guide a child towards success.

Consider an example. I met my dad’s friend who gladly pronounced that his son has taken up electronics engineering and towards the closing stages of his speech he asked me to guide the child. Another example of a cousin who has also taken up same degree, and unlucky for him he ran in to me that very day asking for some advice.
As much as I am honoured to have people looking up to me, I don’t really like it and I may even hate it. I avoid such people. One of the reasons is that I don’t give out career advice to anyone because there is no such thing as a sure shot formula to a nice career. Secondly, circumstances differ for each individual.
My answer to that passionate-speech-man was simple. I told him that your son will learn it himself. But when the kid approached me, I decided to have a go at him. I took him to a table and sat down with him. I’m sure he thought something good was coming but only if he knew I am not what he thought.
So, I asked him, “why did you chose this career (elec. engr)”? He simple answered that he likes it. Next, I probed “how was your maths at college?” and he answered it was good but his face defied his words (I have read two books on body language so I can tell the difference on most occasions). I probed him with several other questions to which his answers were that he doesn’t really like programming and eventually he told me that his dad wanted him to take up this career. Hah! There I knew it all along!
The cousin came in next and I grilled him only to inform him later that what he thought this field is about is not really what it is. If you like those cool looking PCBs and pretty LEDs on them that’s not really what its all about.
The point of this post is that you can’t really look at a person and try to follow in his footsteps. To those who think I’m someone to look up to are wrong. Personally, I believe I have many shortcomings as an engineer and I should really have worked much harder, but then that’s me. And you are not me!
The other point is that parents should let the children decide the career and not really force them to take what they think is a blossoming career. If you aren’t good in those subjects, getting a degree won’t give you that wonderful job you imagined. I wonder why people don’t understand that. My parents always wanted me to be a doctor, but they never forced it upon me. The choice was left to me and they supported it all along. Despite the fact that a part of me feels I should’ve taken medicine owing to the sheer number of girls there, I’m extremely satisfied with my decision. I knew what I was going in to and I did my research before choosing the path.
Finally, I believe people should seek advice, nothing wrong with it but eventually go with what they think. Its their OWN career we’re talking about here.

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And I thought I Was Farigh!

// October 15th, 2009 // 17 Comments » // Uncategorized

I spent the whole day in Oxford yesterday. The city is amazing. There is something about it that makes you feel like loving the books and perhaps being a student. I saw two kinds of people there. Those who had no idea what they were doing there (tourists, like me) and those who were pretty sure about where they were heading and almost all of them were students. If there are other kinds, then they must be in minority. Its a small city, with constituent colleges of the University spread all over and couple of nice parks. The buildings are very old, strong and huge! I'm not much in to history but much of the architecture was the work of 13th and 14th century guys. There is a lot more about the city that I will write in a post with pics, and I may even go there once again soon. Did I say the chicks were hot? :P

Anyway, other than that I'm loving the other things that I am doing. I am reading this awesome political thriller where a member of cabinet forces the PM out of his office and then contends for the seat himself. Full of conspiracy and dirty work – its brilliant! I am also trying hard not to keep reading it all day, which has been the case usually resulting in the book being finished in a day or two. 

The WP theme that I am working on is also an interesting work and a couple of days back I ended up pulling an allnighter without realizing and desiring to do so just because I was deeply involved in coding the homepage. This however is a work that will take a long time to finish.

I have also started on the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) kit that I recently ordered. It uses the TI MSP430 MCUs which I am very comfortable with but I need to read some wireless protocols before moving forward with it. 

Digital photography will take priority once I start processing the Oxford pictures.

And I have a list of things that I am supposed to do, other than these…and I thought I'd be farigh!

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Ahh…MBAs

// October 13th, 2009 // 11 Comments » // Uncategorized

This is an old advertisement of FedEx and many people have already seen it. Earlier this week I shared this on my Facebook profile as well, but it is so good that it deserves more :D

Whether you have seen it or not, just watch it again, and enjoy :D

PS. I'm listening to some political debate show and someone is saying, 'mein koi bohot parha likha banda nahi hoon…mein ek political worker hoon' …. LOL

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purpose of life

// October 7th, 2009 // 27 Comments » // Uncategorized

Almost 23 years of existence, and I am yet to discover (rather uncover) myself. I don't know much about my own self. Thinking about the purpose of my existence, I find no reason for it. My contributions in this world are nil and I don't see them improving at any time. My voice, thoughts and opinions do not matter. Life goes on – and just because I am living on earth (or forced to live) I have to change myself to suit the themes of this dear planet. I strive to change myself – for nothing. I will continue to do so, until one day, my body will give up. The vital organs will stop functioning and I will cease to exist – that too will happen without my will.

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Farigh!

// September 29th, 2009 // 21 Comments » // Uncategorized

It is weird but I have to admit I don't like being farigh (free)! I do long for it when I am busy, but deep in my heart, I know that's just not true. But this is the punishment I have been sentenced by fate for the next 2 months (maybe a bit more). I have been sentenced to farighness :P

All this because I have finished and submitted my dissertation and I'm done with studies! The official result transcripts come in Nov/Dec but I know (and I have a letter to show for it) that I have passed…so yeah..I think I can say I do have a masters degree now. After getting the transcripts I will be switching my visa category from student to work and it is then a new phase in life begins…

I will be starting a wonderful job in December. I secured the job few weeks ago, and since then I have been dispensing tips on CV and interview :D Talking about the interview, mine was about a 3 hour show (or maybe a bit more). The details of that day will be part of another post.

For now, I have nothing to do.

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