Ready to Walk the Talk?

“And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the Cause of Allâh) and the patient ones, and We shall test your facts (i.e. the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful).” (Qur’an 47: 31)

For those of my readers who’ve got some link with the scientific world and its workings, it will be easy to understand the importance of providing evidence to back up whatever claim you make. For instance, if I were to say today, “the world is actually flat!”, I’d immediately be asked, “Well, what is your proof for it?”.

Although this might not be directly related to science, the concept of providing proofs is not something that is unrelated to your relationship with Allah(swt). It is easy to overlook the importance of evidence-backed and tangible results when we examine our link with our Rabb. Without much guilt, we go on disobeying Allah(swt) while declaring with our tongues how He is Supreme and that He is the number one priority in our lives. It can go as far as this that we make tall claims about our love for Allah(swt) and how pious we are, when in reality, it is just not so.

Take, for example, our use of the words, “I have chosen to bear this with patience.” Hardly a little while later, we go against our own words and behave in the most impatient matter so that, if it were scientific rules were used to judge us by, there would be a world of a difference between what we say and what we actually do.

Allah(swt) also tests us, at various points in our lives, in small and big ways, both, to make things crystal clear. The person who does act upon what he or she says, is going to follow through in deeds and pass the test whereas the one who disregarded his actual actions, is clearly noticeable. All our tall claims are, therefore, of no standing before Allah(swt) unless backed up with real deeds.

What I’ve just written about is something I realized yesterday. I was wondering what odd kind of tests I am currently going through… couldn’t make a lot of sense out them. Of course, Allah(swt) Knows best but what struck me suddenly was how I‘d recently made a claim, directly or otherwise, that I’d learned my lesson about trusting in Allah(swt) and relying solely on Him to get whatever I wanted. It’s hardly been a couple of weeks since I said that and here’s the opportunity to provide evidence – act upon what you said and rely on Allah(swt) for what you now want.

Wow.

It was liberating, in a way, to realize I might be undergoing a test of my resolve. It injected me with a new passion to stick my feet in and refuse to budge in my reliance on Allah(swt). It’s time to show Allah(swt) that I did learn a lesson from what I’ve seen so far and will not revert to my old ways of showing impatience and despair in aiming to get what I want. Whether I get it or not, that’s another question but really, if I can believe, trust and rely in Allah(swt), how can I not expect only but the best from His Mercy?

Remember me in your dua’s, please!

“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allâh will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allâh knows all that before putting them to test).” (Qur’an 29: 2-3)

The Reluctant Chef

When was the last time you ventured into the kitchen with determination to cook up something exciting? Don’t remember? This write up is just the thing for you then. Many self-professed drop-outs from the culinary arts will insist on telling me they have no talents to begin with. I disagree – like Ratatouille’s mentor, I say anybody – yes, even you – can cook. All you need is a cup full of positive attitude, one heaped tea spoon of will power and a pinch of all the other technicalities (a stove, for example!).

The exciting world of food has all kinds of amazing recipes out there, something for every taste bud. However, a few simple measures, if ensured, will do away with most of your cooking time troubles. Here are some tried and tested tips:

Clear Worktop

There is nothing more likely to kill my creativity than a messy worktop. If you are planning intense cooking, make sure to clear away unneeded pots and pans, jars, mugs and plates. Go over the ingredients’ list and if bulky items, like the five kilogram sack of flour you’ll measure out into cups from, can be removed before cooking starts, it will make things a lot easier. Trust me, when you are whisking eggs with one hand and moving around things with the other, it can get really messy.

Essential tools

Yes, I know they are all within the kitchen and you can grab them in moments but having basic utensils on the worktop is a big deal when it comes to cooking. A couple of teaspoons, a table spoon and spatula are advisable when baking. Keeping things handy cuts down on cooking time and also helps you stay focused. Plus, you feel more like a Pro!

What goes in is what comes out

The quality of the ingredients you use is very important. It might sound obvious but many aspiring chefs underestimate the role of fresh ingredients, especially with herbs like mint and coriander.  People often complain their cakes don’t rise well and are tough – it’s worth checking out the quality of your baking powder. Some local brands may not be as potent as the imported variety and when used according to an American recipe, will be ineffective. The same goes for cocoa powder – the quality of the cocoa will determine how closely your cake resembles that imported store-bought cake mix which everyone loves. While we are on the topic, it is also advisable to check whether your appliances are in good working order. An oven which does not heat up evenly might be the cause of some recurring troubles.

Experiment wisely

That might sound like an oxymoron but really, ask any professional chef and they will advise you to work with simple ingredients and basic rules to explore endless possibilities. In simpler words, a brownie with veggies inside will probably not make you the next Nigella! Rather than going for radical ideas, play around with the simplest of recipes – even an omelette can open up a dozen opportunities to experiment with new flavors. Just choose your steps wisely.

Don’t give up

Probably the silliest thing to do when you’re working with food is to convince yourself you are no good after a few unfavorable outcomes. Even a warm hard boiled egg with some powdered dry mint, salt and pepper on top is a plate of food. All you need is a little more time, optimism and a one-step-at-a-time approach. Start with an appetizer and work towards a three-course meal. Keep at it and who knows, you could be the undiscovered Gary Rhodes of your family!

(This article was originally written for the Dawn newspaper.)

What are you made of?

Ever felt like you’ve got too much on your plate to handle? No, I’m not talking about food!  I mean it metaphorically – doesn’t it ever happen to you that you suddenly feel overwhelmed by one too many issues? Of course it does. If you’re human, you’d have gone through such a phase at some point in life.

Lately, my plate’s been pretty full too. Life ladled out a big portion and I was pretty confused about how I’d go about it when – plop! – came another helping. Oops, major confusion! I wish I could put a hold on it. After all, the size of this plate is limited and can only hold a certain measure. Any more and it’s going to spill… that would make one big mess.

So why is it that we find ourselves in situations which threaten to tug us in opposite directions? Allah(swt) Knows best. Even if the person is question isn’t willing to accept it at first, most such occasions are times in our lives where Allah(swt) is testing your mettle. What is it that you are made of? Of course, Allah(swt) already Knows everything about our past, present and future but the word “test” refers to giving you a chance to reach into your potential and excel. By giving us a challenging situation to deal with, Allah(swt) effectively hands us the opportunity to rise higher, if we make the right choices with the right attitude. Isn’t that just amazing? If only we could understand that, much of the time we spend in despair can be channeled into gathering good deeds, earning that “promotion” in Allah(swt)’s Sight.

As I write this, I’m trying to explain the same concept to myself. It may sound like I already “get it” but really, many times during the day today, I couldn’t make sense of my situation. I’m facing up to some major decisions in the days ahead and I can only hold them off for a couple of days more. Dua, imploring Allah(swt) to give my case a hearing in His Court, is my only comforter. There’s no person, authority or any kind of power that can make easy for me the decisions that I am faced with. I also know that however much I try, I cannot know what truly is best for me so there also, I am depending 101% on what Allah(swt) will guide me too. Istikhara is my “shot of adrenaline”, which keeps me going two or three days before I need another one.

When things started getting complicated, I realized such complexity could only be a test from Allah(swt). How would I react? Anger? Disappointment? Impatience? I hope not… whatever goes on in my heart, with whatever urgency I make my dua’s to Allah(swt), they are after all between Him and me – no human will hear me complain, Insha’Allah. And it’s odd, in a nice way, how this inner resolve gives you a positive feeling. Even if the questions and troubles are still in the air, my faith is in the One Who has never left me in want of anything I sincerely desired. I expect from Him the Best, and I pray to Him to make me content with what He guides me to.

It’s easy to tell another person to keep good faith and remain positive in the midst of worries but when you go through it yourself, you realize how difficult it is to stay cheery when logic tells you the outcome might not be to your favor. Only through grabbing the opportunity for self-analysis and really making yourself submit patiently to Allah(swt)’s Will will you be able to realize how best to seek the right answers and help others to do the same. It’s this realization that prompted me to blog about this now. Right, I gotta go make more dua now. It’s very late in the night and I want to raise my case again before Allah(swt) at the time where He openly offers to grant His slaves so much good!

Welcome Weddings!

Karachi has become notorious for a lot of reasons. One of the more benign ones – although serious in itself – is the late hours which most wedding functions run into. Over the past several years, it has become a sort of norm for many events and gatherings to end around the time the Imam of a masjid wakes for Tahajjud. No kidding, that’s how bad it is. However, a recently issued order by some government department (the police, maybe?) made it mandatory for wedding functions to wrap up latest by 12 am. Phew, that was a relief! Thankfully, clubs which catered to wedding functions took it seriously and really did make sure they started switching off the lights to indicate to the guests that time was up and they had to leave.

I just came from one such wedding. In this case, however, the hosts deserve a real round of applause – they served the food at 10 pm so that we were all done with dessert by 11 pm! I remember in one wedding I attended about three years ago, the food was served after midnight and at another one my parents attended not too long ago, it was around 1 am! Imagine having a heavy dinner at that hour! So you can imagine how delightful it was at my friend’s wedding today to see the feast being served at a decent hour.

Another thing I liked about today was the nice light food they’d served. Nothing was dripping in oil or choked with spices which means it’ll go easy on the tummy too. It’s not often you find such care being taken to make sure the guests really enjoy the food – not just the taste but the digestion part too! Heheh.

So yes, here I am at 12 am sitting comfortably at home, blogging away about a pleasant experience at a friend’s wedding. I hope more people can realize how much better the wedding experience can be made for all involved, if a little consideration is shown in the arrangements. It leaves the guests giving the hosts a lot more sincere and heartfelt duas!

In Our Own

Today was like any other Friday. Abba got ready to go to the masjid while Amma tried to make up her mind about what to cook for lunch. I got ready my clothes, bathed and offered my prayer too. Abba returned from the masjid and we had a delicious lunch. The post-lunch laziness then set in and I headed off to my laptop with a cup of tea. A very ordinary Friday… until evening, when we heard what had happened: a bomb blast in a Shia procession on one of the main roads of the city. If that wasn’t horrible enough,  a second bomb ripped through the emergency ward of a central hospital where the injured and victims were being rushed.

How terrible… how many lives were lost. But what was I thinking? How many died? What’s going on? And then… nothing. That’s it. Where’s the rest of the remorse, the anguish, the pain? Why am I going about as if I don’t care? How can I be laughing over that joke when so many of my country men just died, that too, practically in my neighborhood? I vaguely noticed that I wasn’t as remorseful as I should have been. And that is not a good sign.

How many times must a person be shown scenes of violence and destruction before he or she fails to react to it at all? Countless times, I’m sure. Otherwise, how can you feel an ounce of joy knowing an innocent man, woman or child was murdered on the streets of your city that same day? For the past several years, the scenes of carnage and killing have left a deep impact on all of us. We worry but we worry because we’re not safe anymore. We worry because, in the aftermath of the bombs, it will be difficult to reach the office tomorrow and meet those deadlines. Or maybe, a friend’s wedding will have to be postponed. In reality, we worry only when it hits close to home.

Life always goes on, you  could argue, but is that the only plausible explanation for our indifference to what is going on around us? It’s too much to ask of ourselves, it seems, to even make dua for all those who lost their lives. Probably no single person knows what’s the truth behind all that’s happening, who’s causing it, but we’ve taken it as an excuse to accept the status quo. A quick note of the number of people who died and those who were injured, that’s it. You mentally compare it with a previous attack and think, “it’s not as bad as that time, shukar!” But, ya Allah, it’s bad as it is! Even a single innocent life taken away is worth our tears!

My eyes will obstinately remain dry. My smile will flash here and there and only with force will I be able to keep the frown on my face, to show others I care. I don’t know what’s worse now… the blasts, or our desensitization to them.