Granada on August 2, 2022Like its meaning the pomegranate, densely layered old Andalusian houses on steep mountain slopes, cluster upon cluster, jewel upon jewel, ruby upon ruby, Granada. The Moorish history, the stunning buildings: the red Alhambra, intricate, sophisticated, a rich ruby-like treasure for our architectural world, acknowledged by UNESCO, Granada. Jewels in the forested La Sabika mountains- the […]
Iqbal: a Timeless Visionary on August 14, 2021True universal heroes rise from humble beginnings to make a universal impact as visionaries for all times. Allama Muhammad Iqbal was one such hero who was born on the 9thof November 1877 in Sialkot and died on the 21st ofApril, 1938, a few years before Pakistan came into being. There is no better time than […]
A Weeping ‘Mother Earth’ Asks of You on April 16, 2021 Kane killed his brother Abel because he was jealous of his wife. Pharaoh chased his brother Moses because he challenged his way of life. Sinai, disappointed as the people Moses rescued, turned to build a golden calf. Jesus, symbol of Love, Simplicity and Peace, labeled “a rebel”, nailed to a cross. Mother Mary […]
Shield on February 1, 2021 If I had a thousand lives, I’d be a shield for Able so that the children of Adam did not live with the guilt of the first true evil: murder! If I had a thousand lives, I’d shield Noah from those dark days of his confined tormenting isolation in the middle of a storm. […]
Company of Saints on January 28, 2021While I walked along my humble life With all the challenges, obstacles, and pains of a wife I embraced the saints and prophets who I’ve come to love through my life. I understood their struggles as I studied their lives and their pain Love and empathy flowed in me and through me from the Beloved […]
The Lionness of Karbala: ‘Alima’ Zainab’s Stand on August 31, 2020Once I was at my office at the HEC in Islamabad and a government employee of a junior rank next to my office came to say salaam to me, probably curious about one of the few women there. He had a beard and hat on; he asked what I was doing? I explained that I […]
Buddha: Attaining Enlightenment on March 9, 2020The first impression I get of “Buddha” –the Enlightened One—is one who has relatively easily reached high spiritual status and that is because we all know him after he attained Nirvana (a state of peacefulness in quenching the thirst for knowledge). But when I began to study Buddha’s life and learn about his challenges, I […]
Finding pathways in Amman to inclusive dialogue, hosted by HRH Prince Hassan of Jordan on August 1, 2018When I watch the news and I see our world on fire, with refugee crises, xenophobia, terrorism, war, and extreme poverty tearing lives apart, I worry. I worry about the future. I worry for our children. I dream of seeing a more harmonious world for us and for our children, built upon mutual respect for […]
Promoting peace in the Muslim world on January 31, 2018Being a Muslim in today’s world is extremely difficult. ‘Being a Muslim’ means having highly idealistic moral values and being tolerant of all others; and emulating the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) who would have dialogue and alliance with people of different faiths. Yet, being Muslim today means we must search for who we are in […]