A Great post by my facebook friend Iqbal Latif that I have decided to share on my blog in its entirety. The root cause of Muslim backwardness in Indian subcontinent and the sad story of Sir Syed ! There is no magic wand, it has to start somewhere, inequities of Indian Muslims were not spearheaded by RSS/BJP, it has a long history. Why Muslims remained backward…. I wrote this in 23 December 2006 – The enemy is within please. The root cause of Muslim backwardness in Indian subcontinent.. Story of Sir Syed and what did we do to him!! Sad … Continue reading Root Cause Problems for Muslims in South Asia

Khalid ibn AI-Walid as a master strategist through Master Sun and The Art of War: Continue reading Khalid ibn Walid and The Art of War

The Prophet Muhammad was a great general and strategist as well as the leader of a new religious movement who in a single decade fought many battles, led raids, and planned military operations.   List of expeditions in which The Prophet (PBUH) took part (28) expeditions which Muhammad did not take part (73) are as follows (Have included wikipedia links within the list below for further research): Name of Battle: Date (AD/CE): (AH) Expedition of Hamza ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib March 623 1 Expedition of Ubaydah ibn al-Harith April 623 1 al-Kharrar expedition May 623 1 Patrol of Waddan (al-Abwa) August 623 1 Patrol … Continue reading The Prophet as a Military Leader & His 10 Principles for Success

Ikigai (生き甲斐,) a Japanese term for “a reason for being”   The word ‘Ikigai’ usually refers to the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile. 10 Laws of Ikigai After a long discussion of the philosophical questions of life one rainy night in Tokyo, researchers Héctor García and Francesc Miralles recalled the Japanese concept of Ikigai. What a French philosopher might call someone’s raison d’être, the concept roughly translates to “the happiness of always being busy.” According to experts, every person has an Ikigai — although they also warn that it may take a lot … Continue reading Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life

The Meiji period, also known as the Meiji era (明治時代 Meiji Jidai), is a Japanese era which extended from 1868 until 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan. This era saw the industrialisation of Japan, and it’s swift rise to the world stage. It saw a change in the culture of Japan, which adopted more western ideas. The Meiji era is the first era of Japanese history to see the rule of an emperor, since the Kenmu Restoration. Political situation in Japan: A major proponent of representative government was Itagaki Taisuke (1837–1919), a powerful Tosa … Continue reading The Meiji Period of Japan 1868 to 1912

UAE wedding cake: The #BrideCake was presented in the form of a bride, the value of which exceeded one million dollars, several thousand eggs and more than 50 kilograms of chocolate. The cake, pre-baked in Raffles Dubai, was made by Debbie Wingham in five days. The 36-year-old designer unveiled a 120-kg cake at the Bride Show Dubai. Modelled on a traditional Arabic bride, the cake is dotted with five white diamonds, each worth $200,000, helping it earn the nomenclature of “The Million Dollar Bride”.   “No one actually believes it’s a cake. In fact, she is as good as a living … Continue reading #BrideCake: This Cake of a Bride is worth a million dollars!

What nations have banned Chess? No nation including Saudi Arabia and Iran have banned chess – It was the Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti who said chess to be haram, and that fatwa carries little legal weight because the Mufti himself said: “included under gambling and there a waste of time and money and a cause for hatred and enmity between players”. The Mufti justified his ruling by referring to the verse in the Qur’an banning “intoxicants, gambling, idolatry and divination”. Chess is a form of exercise for the mind, the brain and we should regard chess in this way – after all The … Continue reading Islam does not ban Chess! Mullahs may but not Allah!

During World War II, some 3,000 Polish refugees migrated to Karachi, at the time a part of the British Raj. Most of the current migrants came to the country after its independence in 1947. The Pakistan Air Force employed some 30 Polish pilots to help develop it in the initial years. Polish Pakistanis included: Air Commodore (Equivalent to Brigadier General) of the Pakistan Air Force Władysław Turowicz – he was one of many Polish pilots who relocated to Pakistan after World War Two to develop the then Royal Pakistan Air Force.  Background: What is now Pakistan (then British India) – Polish … Continue reading A Polish Pakistani – Air Commodore Władysław Turowicz

The Meaning of Jihad & Crusade: The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or effort, and it means much more than holy war. Jihad, a general outlook or world view which takes shape and is constantly present within the mind. Jihad means “struggle” and Jihadist the one who struggles. Jihad to overcome one’s own ego (the greater Jihad). Jihad to fight for a higher purpose (the outer Jihad). Jihad can be called ‘Strategy’ as it should have longer term aims. Eg: Jihad against homelessness, poverty.   Crusade means:? A campaign for political, social, or religious change. Crusade to achieve an … Continue reading Sun Tzu: The Meaning of Jihad & Crusade.

The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal PREFACE The Qur’ān is a book which emphasizes ‘deed’ rather than ‘idea’. There are, however, men to whom it is not possible organically to assimilate an alien universe by re-living, as a vital process, that special type of inner experience on which religious faith ultimately rests. Moreover, the modern man, by developing habits of concrete thought– habits which Islam itself fostered at least in the earlier stages of its cultural career– has rendered himself less capable of that experience which he further suspects because of its liability to illusion. … Continue reading The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam