Arab Spring, Women and People's aspiration

This is an interesting TED talk by Dalia Mugahed analysing the stats concerning the attitudes of people in Egypt before and after the Arab Spring.  She also gives interesting insight into the correlation between women's rights, religion and men's attitudes to women's rights!
"Human development, not secularization, is what's key to women's empowerment in the transforming Middle East.” (Dalia Mogahed)
http://www.ted.com/talks/dalia_mogahed_the_attitudes_that_sparked_arab_spring.html

O Fatima

Look at me

With your tearful eyes.

See my heart.

It beats cold blood

Through its walls.

Your words ...so soft,

Freeze

At its rusted doors.

I feel nothing inside,

So empty ...cold...alone.

I lost you, Fatima,

When I embraced life

With my youthful soul.

Your eyes reproach me?!

Do not blame me.

Once I felt Life’s gentle touch

Sooth these yearning walls,

I wanted more.

I did not know

Its gentle touch

Would chain my soul.

O Fatima,

Release your cries

As loud as thunder

To break the chains

That clasp my soul.

Embrace me

With your wounded heart,

And call to me my faith of old.

O Fatima

Weep for me,

For my tormented soul.

Saba Hakim

الشيخ الدكتور الوائلي

هذا ربما كان اخر لقاء مع الشيخ الوائلي... هذا المعلم الذي رسخ معالم الايمان في قلوب من هم من جيلي... الف رحمة على روحك الطيبة ...يا معلمي العظيم

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v1StRJ12Zk&feature=related

 http://www.alhikmeh.org/main/pages/tex_new.php?tid=1684بعض المعلومات الشخصية: 

The Eyes

Some 20 years ago, whilst walking in the corridors of the science faculty towards the main notice board, one of my lecturers stepped out of his office, noticed me and smiled.  He called me into his office and we had a short chat.  I was nervous because he was an important professor and I was just an eighteen year old nobody.
 

He invited me to sit in his big leather arm chair and said, “you seem to me like someone who is strong in faith.” His comments surprised me because I wasn’t wearing hijab at the time and was not active on the religious scene (I didn’t even know where the prayer room was).  I asked him the reason for his conclusion.  He replied, “your eyes; they have the light of faith”. 

He then explained that he was a committed Christian and encouraged me to continue in my faith.  He never asked me any questions, didn’t attempt to convert me, and never mentioned it again.  But he always had a gentle comradely smile reserved for me when we crossed paths. 

I remember the instant impact of his words on me (for a week I kept looking intensely at my eyes in the mirror from different angles trying to identify this “light”), and the generosity with which he said the comments.  In retrospect, I know that his brief words largely contributed to my understanding of faith.  Faith is not about who is right or wrong, or who has the best arguments.  Faith is about sincerity in our search for meaning.  It is about compassion, diversity, love, and vulnerability.  Faith is about how willing we are to embrace those who are unlike us. 

For twenty years and on, I continue trying to be the person that the Professor thought I was; a faith filled person; a person with an inner light.  I still have a long way to go, but I hope that when I get there, I will be able to pass on this light to others just as the Professor did.

Saba Hakim

قالوا وقلت

من الملفات القديمة

Feeling pretty low and weak – like my guts are being ripped -  I did ablution and prayer dhuhur, then I opened the Holy Book to read.  The first ayah reads :

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٦٥﴾

It is He Who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.(165) Surat Al-An'am

 Oh Allah, The Gracious, grant us patience and grant us your mercy.

The Paid Truth

All rise!
Truth walks in.
Truth speaks.
Takbeer/Salawat
Donation baskets.
Truth is paid.
All rise!
Truth walks out.


Saba Hakim

Rain is Falling Down

This poem is dedicated to my beautiful second Cousin Zahra who passed away on Friday at the age of 5 months.  It is a letter from Zahra to her dear mother Sara.

Rain is falling down

Rain is falling down

I look up and see

Your beautiful eyes

Drowning in tears

And wistful goodbyes

Tears are falling down.

Mama, I’m right here

Inside your heart

A piece of me stays with you

Locked in your heart

I gave you my smiles

I gave you my tears

I gave you my joy

And I gave you my fears

And just like the wind

And just like the cloud

I listen to His mighty call 

So clear and so loud

Just like the rain

That falls in submission

I go back to Allah

Like a dream or a vision

Like the rain.

Dear Mama, remember

The sweetest time

When just me and you

Were passing the time

My lips on your breast

My eyes on your eyes

I held on to you tight

Like I was holding a prize

And as I pressed my ear
on your chest

I heard your soothing heartbeat

And it gave me rest

Like the rain.

Mama, I came to you
As I had to come

And Mama, I leave you

The same way I’ve come

And when I arrive

To heaven I see

The most beautiful baby

Waiting for me.

He holds my hand

And we rush to see

His father, AlMustafa

Greeting  me.

He holds me tight

And he blesses me

Like he blesses his daughter  

Our gracious Lady

Like the rain

Let go of your pain

Like the rain.