Political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is rife with complexities, where aspirations for representation often intersect with legal and administrative hurdles. The recent speculations and hopes surrounding the potential release of Engineer Rashid from Tihar Jail, contingent upon winning the Lok Sabha seat in Baramulla constituency, have sparked significant debate among the local populace and political analysts alike.
Engineer Abdul Rashid, commonly known as Er Rashid, is a prominent political figure and former Member of the Legislative Assembly from Langate in Jammu and Kashmir. His arrest and subsequent incarceration in Tihar Jail have been a matter of considerable controversy. As the general elections approach, a wave of optimism has swept through Baramulla, with many constituents believing that a win for Rashid could facilitate his release, allowing him to serve as their representative in the Parliament of India.
Legal and Constitutional Framework
The Indian legal system operates on a clear separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. The judiciary, being an independent body, adjudicates cases based on evidence and legal provisions, rather than political outcomes. As such, the release of a prisoner, including Er Rashid, is determined by judicial procedures rather than electoral victories.
If Rashid were to win the Lok Sabha seat from Baramulla, it would not automatically grant him freedom. His release would depend on the legal proceedings and decisions made by the courts, which consider factors such as the nature of charges, evidence, and legal arguments presented by both the defense and prosecution. Political influence, while significant in shaping public discourse, cannot directly alter judicial verdicts.
Public Sentiment and Political Strategy
The confidence among Baramulla’s residents regarding Rashid’s release underscores a broader narrative of political empowerment and representation. For many, Rashid symbolizes a voice that resonates with their aspirations and grievances. His previous tenure as an MLA was marked by vocal advocacy for regional issues, which has cemented his popularity.
Winning the Lok Sabha seat could indeed amplify Rashid’s platform, providing him with greater visibility and a more robust mandate to address the concerns of his constituents. It would also place political pressure on the ruling authorities to reconsider his detention, potentially leading to expedited legal proceedings or bail considerations. However, this is a nuanced process and far from guaranteed.
Historical Precedents and Implications
There have been instances in Indian politics where elected representatives were incarcerated but continued to wield significant political influence. For example, leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Jayalalithaa managed to maintain their political relevance despite legal challenges. These cases illustrate that while electoral success can bolster a leader’s legitimacy and political leverage, it does not directly translate into judicial relief.
For Er Rashid, a victory in Baramulla would likely lead to increased advocacy efforts for his release, involving legal teams, human rights organizations, and political allies. It might also sway public opinion and create a compelling narrative for his case to be revisited. Nonetheless, the judiciary’s independence means that the outcome remains uncertain and contingent on legal merits rather than electoral outcomes.
The belief that winning the Lok Sabha seat in Baramulla could secure Er Rashid’s release from Tihar Jail reflects a profound desire for representation and justice among his supporters. While electoral success can enhance his political standing and potentially influence the broader discourse, it is ultimately the judiciary that holds the key to his fate. The interplay between legal procedures and political dynamics will determine whether Rashid can transition from a symbol of hope within the prison walls to an active representative in the halls of Parliament.

Author is an Educationist and a Regular Columnist Exclusive for Daily Headlines Today and can be reached at..... 
Sdestiny.peerzada518@gmail.com

Srinagar, July 15: With a vision to convert all 20 districts of the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir into an export hub, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union MoS, Commerce & Industry, Anupriya Patel today unveiled the District Export Plans for J&K.

Addressing the gathering at the event organized at SKICC, the Lt Governor observed that Jammu Kashmir region possesses several comparative advantages like climate and rich art & craft culture.

The Lt Governor said that every district of J&K is blessed to have local products with potential to go global. Nine GI tagged products, more than 50 export potential products have been identified and institutional mechanism is created in all the districts to provide support for export promotion, he added.

J&K has emerged as a top performer, reaching 3rd position among UT's in Export Promotion index and improving 13 positions in overall ranking. With its rapidly growing economy, expanding market and industrial base, J&K is determined to construct a strong edifice of export ecosystem, the Lt Governor said.

Stressing that the dream of economic growth, aspirations of youth can be fulfilled only in conditions of peace, the Lt Governor said, in pursuit of development objectives, society must play a vital supportive role to foil the efforts of adversaries and isolate anti-social elements.

The Lt Governor observed that the administration is not only aiming to take J&K export from Rs. 1845 Crore to Rs.5000 Crore, but it is also resolute to build a better future for our youth and a society free of inequality and unemployment. ‘We therefore, seek to make every citizen an equal partner in the development journey’, the Lt Governor further said.

The Lt Governor congratulated the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, DGFT, JKTPO and exporters of J&K, farmers, handicraft artists, Khadi Village Industries, entrepreneurs associated with the Self Help Groups and all the stakeholders on the unveiling of District Export Plans.

The Lt Governor said that the historic step is in line with the vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who in 2019 gave a clarion call for recognizing the uniqueness and diversity of all 773 districts of the country, and exploiting them properly so that each district can develop itself into an export hub and establish its identity in the global market.

District Export Plans prepared by DGFT and Industries Department is a huge leap in the campaign of AatmaNirbhar Bharat, which is connecting rural and urban India equally with the mainstream of economic development. It will help village industries, handloom industries of Jammu and Kashmir to achieve great strides in the export sector, the Lt Governor added.

Under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, India started campaigns like Make in India, Vocal for Local, AatmaNirbhar Bharat and today the ranking of Ease of Doing Business has significantly improved, observed the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor said that in the last two years, UT administration has taken several steps to identify and promote the exports of local products, resulting in a 54% increase in exports in 2021-22, as compared to 2020-21.

The Lt Governor also called upon the stakeholders to change marketing approach and focus on becoming exporters of finished products instead of just being the suppliers of raw materials.

“I am confident that through the institutional mechanism of District Export Promotion Committees established in all the districts, we will fix the targets, take appropriate action on the support given to the local industries and efficiently convert Export Plans to Export Actions, cementing strong and economic foundation of the UT”, the Lt Governor said.

The G-20 summit to be held next year will provide such a historic opportunity to all of us to display the great tradition of the UT to the world and open new vistas to tap the ever-growing global market for handicrafts, which has reached US$680 billion in 2021 and will reach US$1252 billion by 2027, observed the Lt Governor.

Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State, Commerce & Industry, termed the occasion as an important step towards realizing Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of making the Districts of J&K strong economic hubs, besides giving further impetus to the exports from the Jammu and Kashmir region.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is committed to strengthen each district of Jammu and Kashmir to optimally leverage their potential through District Export Hubs. The District Export Plans of the UT of J&K shall provide single source access to all stakeholders, industry and sector-wise exports data, along with user-friendly detailed data analysis, added the Union MoS.

Vivek Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, J&K underscored the need for making constant improvements to meet the modern day requirements, besides giving a dedicated focus on market expansion, scaling product range and new designs.

Santosh Sarangi, Director General of Foreign Trade spoke on the broad contours of the export scenario in J&K. He also highlighted various segments of the District as Export Hubs scheme including financial assistance, monitoring mechanism, proposed outcome, workflow etc.

Dr Devansh Yadav, Managing Director, JKTPO, in his welcome address, gave a detailed briefing on the aims and objectives of District Export Plans.

On the occasion, J&K Trade Promotion Organization signed MoUs with Wool & Woolens Export Promotion Council (WWEPC), Swasti (Walmart Vriddhi) and Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council, for developing woolen segment in J&K, Capacity building of MSMEs and promotion of electronics & computer software business in the UT.

Srinagar, Jul 4 :  Mother of renowned broadcaster, a household name in Kashmir Valley, Maqsood Hussain as Editor of Current affairs program from AIR Srinagar  ‘Sheherbeen’  passed away here on Monday evening. She was 74.

Hameeda Begum, as per her family, was admitted at SMHS Hospital Srinagar last week. After several days of treatment, she couldn’t be saved and ultimately breathed her last, this evening, they said.

 Pertinently the  deceased was aunt of  Kashmir Uzma correspondent Zaffer Iqbal. The deceased was laid to rest at her native village Garkote Uri  at 10:30 pm. Headlines Today's entire team particularly its Patron Syed Sad ud din Saidi extends heartfelt condolences to Maqsood Sahib and Iqbal Sahib over the sad demise of their mother and prayed for the eternal peace to the departed soul and patience to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

        An unprecedented spurt in the number of suicides across Kashmir Valley is an alarming situation in Kashmir valley and a matter of concern for one and all. It is a social evil and threat to mankind and humanity itself as a whole. Suicide estimates suggest fatalities worldwide could rise to 1.5 million by the year 2020.excluding Covid pandemic suicide is the second largest cause of death among people across the globe and it is believed that it will suppress and become the first in the next 10 years(2030) across the globe

Suicide is the slur on society and even UT of JK has not been left untouched by the menace of suicides. It is not unusual to see the reports of suicides in daily newspapers. According to reports of NCRB the erstwhile state recorded a total of 7000 cases between 1990 and 2021.

Depression, anxiety, stress are some factors which leads to suicides

According to research 79%of the urban and rural population in the valley suffers from depression. Suicide is more common in teenagers and youngsters especially females because they are far more sensitive and emotionally weaker than men. They have less tolerance than men. The main question is what are the causes of these suicides, who is responsible for them. What are the factors that leads a person to depression and ultimately to suicide

the growing unemployment, love failures, job instability, child sexual abuse, impulsive personality and even drugs abuse are the casual factors for suicides. Besides that the panic situation created by pandemic cannot be ignored, it creates stress among the people especially young boys and girls. schools were closed, people lost their jobs and drains the wealth as all sources of income were shutdown. It crushes the back of economy of country as well. People remain ideal in their houses and the growing peskiness leads to depression and ultimately to suicide. Experts also blame the eruption of the armed conflict in the valley which has taken heavy toll on lives. Adding that mental health issues can also be contributing factors

However suicides can be prevented d by proper intervention. Parents and teachers should fix the responsibilities on their children so as to prevent the suicides. People just need to do physical and mental exercise regularly and be more social and fulfill hobbies on priority basis, family members need to be more vigilant and try to understand the change in their members. The Govt should also take the steps to minimize the suicide rates. More employment opportunities should be provided to people .Govt organizations and NGO's should do seminars to motivate the people and should aware them about the negative impacts of depression .in short Govt should take every possible step to minimize this alarming suicidal rate.

     Courtesy lockdown the World economies are tumbling down over the reason of being hit badly by the contemporary lockdowns. 

         Although due to Covid it is now a global phenomenon however Kaahmir has been bearing the brunt of these lockdowns from last more than three decades now.  

        The Continues lockdown from August 5 2019, followed by Covid Lockdown has further deteriorated the already ailing economy of Kashmir region. Kashmir Economic Alliance KEA very recently informed media in Srinagar that there has been a terrible impact of the Continues lockdowns from last three years now on the economy of J&K. Hundereds and even thousands of our dejected youth have lost their jobs completely or have witnessed a major Salery cut. Thousands of our daily wagers, transporters, labrors or small business operators have been rendered job less.

            Millions and millions of people have been rendered jobless across the globe and have plunged into poverty within last 20 months now. Covid Pandemic has broked the backbone of most of the giant economics of the world. As people suffer for want of the jobs Islam has the solution in the form of giving alms 'Zakaat' or 'baitul maal' 

          The western countries,including the united state's, are known to us for all the wrong reasons.Unquestionablly ,they do have a number of inadequacies. The mess and disorder around the world ,has, in one or the other way,a western hand in it.But they have been doing a lot of good work as well.Little is known about their virtue and righteousness.In The united state's alone, there are 

 Many billionaires,like Bill gates,Warren Buffet ,and Mark zukerberg ,who have been immensely playing a part for the alleviation of downtrodden and underprivileged.Warren Buffet is a notable philanthropist,who has vowed to give 99% of his fortune to philanthropic causes , mainly through Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.Same is being done by Mark zukerberg. They have been doing it not only in the united states but beyond it's borders as well.The Gates foundation has been doing a lot of social work even in the remote corners of India,helping poor children with their education and healthcare facilities.

Those video clips of people from some areas in south Kashmir, living without food and good shelter,circulating on social media ,some weeks ago,were horrible and hair-raising.I had never imagined that in Kashmir people would be suffering from hunger and malnutrition. In a magazine,more than a decade ago,I had read that Singapore was the richest country in the world,with every household having property of minimum one lakh dollar's.Monthly ,then,I made the calculations that Kashmir too doesn't fall anywhere behind.We too were the richest province in the country, with every household having it's own shelter and nobody starving.Very proudly I would say the same, whenever any discussion erupted anywhere.But those video clips,which some Kashmiri pandit had shared,were shocking.It made me to reassess thing's.It is making me state strongly that at our place too people are made to faint from the lack of food.

Kashmir is a Muslim dominated province and Islam has equipped us with many instruments and rulings to not let anyone die of hunger or stay without a roof over his head.Zakaat and Baitul Maal are some of them.All along we have been hearing a lot about Baitul Maal and zakaat but these instruments seem to be just inscribed on paper's.If we abstain from obeying the letter of the law but not the spirit ,hardly anyone will have to sleep empty stomach . Hardly people will be allowed to sleep in tin sheds.Our Prophet (SAW) has unambiguously instructed us to see if our neighbors have eaten,before we eat or if any of our relatives or neighbors is in trouble.

People of course are contributing, but probably their donations need to be channelized so that the needy and deprived are Lent a helping hand.

The public at time's seem to have apprehensions donating,worried if the their donations end up at the right people.

As of now , Baitul Maal seems to be the most workable and manageable way of helping people at the local levels.

When will kashmiris come around and recover consciousness.We all need to chip in to help the needy and underprivileged. But in way that has the least probability of getting into the hand's of undeserving and fraudsters.

Mushroom growth of Pseudo Journalists brings bad name to the Noble Profession

Concerned Authorities need to act to nip this menace in its bud...

From Editors Desk...

JAHANGIR BUKHARI

          Todays Editorial is the outcome of unethical media practices which we face quite frequently after the evolution of Social media. Every Tom Dik and Harry has become a journalist and is leaving no stone unturned to bring bad name to this otherwise serious and noble profession. In a vibrant democracy Media is considered to be the fourth estate or pillar of the democratic setup which acts as a catalyst to give shape to government policies and the Socio-Political and administrative setup of the country. It acts as a critique to guide government policies towards a Positive direction. So as to contribute in the Positive growth of a democratic nation. However the contemporary scenario is putting across a dissmall picture of the otherwise sensitive profession. Mushroom growth of social media channels without any know-how of basics of media ethics and professional qualifications or expertise is proving cancerous.

            Just today some heart wrenching visuals were doing rounds on Social media platforms about a little girl killed in a leopard attack in Ganderbal. Posting and then sharing of such visuals has become a fashion statement like thing for these pseudo journalists and bloggers. Unaware about A B C of journalism these so-called media persons are tarnishing the image of whole media Community across J&K. 

            In a mad race towards increasing the subscribers on Social media platforms they can go to any extent in unethical reportage. In majority of the cases these Pseudo Journalists are acting as black mailers in various forms. Height of the things is that even the major and popular media houses have the ground staff working with them without any Salery. They are in a way forced or willingly managing their earnings by neferious means. 

          Here the authorities have a role to play to put this all important house in order. Which they have rather started to do. Recently Authorities issued advisory for media while reporting the suicide cases in the valley, 

            Senior journalists attribute the unethical reportage on suicides and domestic violence due to the encroachment of social media into the mainstream journalism. Mainstream media and social media has sort of amalgamated. Anyone with a Facebook page, a smart phone and a logo is reporting senselessly on any sensitive issues without any journalistic ethics.

         Pertinently there are set guidelines from Press Council of India (PCI) for reporting on any serious or sensitive issue like suicides, domestic violence cases, matrimonial issues, murders, Religious or Cultural issues. In case of minor there are Juvenile courts. A professional journalist understands the limits while reporting on all these subjects, but unfortunately names and photos are made viral, identities are disclosed, which is completely an unethical journalism practice.

        Professionally speaking any sensitive stuff goes through many professional filters before it gets published but with the many social media platforms, they hardly know these guidelines or study them. Reason for this menace is the absense of any accountability mechanism bin place.

Impartial observers of the scene are of the openion that the media houses should take up the issue with the DIPR and the Government, not to encourage the people who resort to unethical journalism, and bring a bad name to the noble profession.

According to the guidelines issued by the Press Council of India (PCI), newspapers and news agencies must not place stories about any sensitive issue prominently and unduly repeat such stories. The newspapers or news agencies must not use language which sensationalises or normalises suicide, or presents it as a constructive solution to problem. They must not use sensational headlines and must not use photographs, video footage which can hurt the sentiments on ground.

  Need of the hour is for the authorities to act, the concerned nodal agencies should check on the people who are not even remotely associated with the journalism profession and are misusing the social media platforms for their vested interests. As these pseudo journalists are not only defaming the noble profession but also hammering a big dent on the reputation of journalism as a profession.

Fhir na kahna Hamay khabar na hui...(In italics)      

Sizeable youth population slipping into dark alleys of Drug Abuse.

       A recent study conducted by a local NGO in Srinagar revealed substantial increase in the number of patients diagnosed as drug abusers during last 10 years. Valley’s leading psychiatrists giving the background of the menace are of the opinion that over the past decade Kashmiri youth are highly traumatised and to relieve of the stress they often take drugs .Psychological problems are in the back ground. The use of various drugs has increased tremendously during these years of traumatic violence. The Study shows that the society at large is in deep slumber and needs to wake up and every member has a role to play to put this mess in order otherwise it is bound to spell the disaster.

    Sociologists warn that the abuse has assumed a kind of epidemic and it’s consequences would be disastrous on the society. The problem needs to be handled immediately, otherwise it would be too late to act. Nobody as a member of society can be exempted from the responsibility. There is need to make awareness especially among youth about the hazards of drug abuse otherwise next generation would be doomed, Social scientist have warned and educated the family, teachers ,NGOs ,govt. agencies and media to play an important role if the menace is to be eradicated.

    Another shocking revelations was made by a local and only de-addiction center in entire Valley through its recent survey carried out in different educational institutions and in the area believed to be vulnerable to the drug addiction . The authorities and law enforcing agencies silence on this lethal menace have further aggravated the condition . No accountability and restriction on the sale of these drugs in the market has made them easily accessible to abusers and addicts . Abuse of drugs like codein and other medicinal opioids have reached epidemic proportions in the valley.

 There should be restriction on the sale of these drugs .J&K is the only state where drug Act hasn’t been implemented yet .Govt. and society has to wake up otherwise it would be too late. The ongoing turbulence has given rise to gruesome and unrelenting situation in this conflict ridden state once known for its rich and civilized social ethos now grappling with moral degradation. Let the peace prevail in valley which is at the verge of moral death.

Challenges and the Solution ???...

Price rise amid Lockdowns has broked the backbone of economics. 

Poor labourers, hawkers, small transporters and daily wagers are the worst hit. ( italics and small font)

             World over the economies are being hit badly by the contemporary lockdown. Although it is now a global phenomenon however Kaahmir has been bearing the brunt of these lockdowns from last more than three decades now. Now the Continues lockdown from August 5 2019, followed by Covid Lockdown has further deteriorated the already ailing economy of Kashmir region. Kashmir Economic Alliance KEA very recently informed media in Srinagar that there has been a terrible impact of the Continues lockdowns from last three years now on the economy of J&K. Hundereds and even thousands of our dejected youth have lost their jobs completely or have witnessed a major Salery cut. Thousands of our daily wagers, transporters, labrors or small business operators have been rendered job less.

            Millions and millions of people have been rendered jobless across the globe and have plunged into poverty within last 20 months now. Covid Pandemic has broked the backbone of most of the giant economics of the world. As people suffer for want of the jobs Islam has the solution in the form of giving alms 'Zakaat' or 'baitul maal' 

          The western countries,including the united state's, are known to us for all the wrong reasons.Unquestionablly ,they do have a number of inadequacies. The mess and disorder around the world ,has, in one or the other way,a western hand in it.But they have been doing a lot of good work as well.Little is known about their virtue and righteousness.In The united state's alone, there are 

 Many billionaires,like Bill gates,Warren Buffet ,and Mark zukerberg ,who have been immensely playing a part for the alleviation of downtrodden and underprivileged.Warren Buffet is a notable philanthropist,who has vowed to give 99% of his fortune to philanthropic causes , mainly through Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.Same is being done by Mark zukerberg. They have been doing it not only in the united states but beyond it's borders as well.The Gates foundation has been doing a lot of social work even in the remote corners of India,helping poor children with their education and healthcare facilities.

Those video clips of people from some areas in south Kashmir, living without food and good shelter,circulating on social media ,some weeks ago,were horrible and hair-raising.I had never imagined that in Kashmir people would be suffering from hunger and malnutrition. In a magazine,more than a decade ago,I had read that Singapore was the richest country in the world,with every household having property of minimum one lakh dollar's.Monthly ,then,I made the calculations that Kashmir too doesn't fall anywhere behind.We too were the richest province in the country, with every household having it's own shelter and nobody starving.Very proudly I would say the same, whenever any discussion erupted anywhere.But those video clips,which some Kashmiri pandit had shared,were shocking.It made me to reassess thing's.It is making me state strongly that at our place too people are made to faint from the lack of food.

Kashmir is a Muslim dominated province and Islam has equipped us with many instruments and rulings to not let anyone die of hunger or stay without a roof over his head.Zakaat and Baitul Maal are some of them.All along we have been hearing a lot about Baitul Maal and zakaat but these instruments seem to be just inscribed on paper's.If we abstain from obeying the letter of the law but not the spirit ,hardly anyone will have to sleep empty stomach . Hardly people will be allowed to sleep in tin sheds.Our Prophet (SAW) has unambiguously instructed us to see if our neighbors have eaten,before we eat or if any of our relatives or neighbors is in trouble.

People of course are contributing, but probably their donations need to be channelized so that the needy and deprived are Lent a helping hand.

The public at time's seem to have apprehensions donating,worried if the their donations end up at the right people.

As of now , Baitul Maal seems to be the most workable and manageable way of helping people at the local levels.

When will kashmiris come around and recover consciousness.We all need to chip in to help the needy and underprivileged. But in way that has the least probability of getting into the hand's of undeserving and fraudsters.

SHAHEEN AS CHARACTER :  Why did Allama Iqbal Choose Shaheen  to Address the Youth...

By - Zeeshan Ahmad Sheikh ...

Allama Muhammad Iqbal is one of the most outstanding 

poet-philosophers of the sub-continent belonging to the 

modern period. His intellectual genius has reigned supreme 

in the arena of Islamic philosophy during the twentieth 

century and is likely to direct and influence the Islamic 

Intellectual tradition in the twenty first century as well. His 

sublime poetry and philosophy inspired millions of Muslims 

to wake up to the reality of the times and forge a destiny for 

themselves.

Iqbal dedicates much of his poetry in awakening and 

enlightening the Muslim youth. While his deeply inspiring 

poetry is filled with profoundly meaningful and Symbolic 

Terms like Mardi-e- Momin (man of unwavering faith) , 

Mujahid (Fighter For Right Causes), Saacha Musalman ( true 

Muslim), Man of khudi( Self discovery), optimistic Being etc 

but among all these attributes Iqbal places special emphasis 

on Shaheen (the correct meaning of Shaheen in English is 

Hawk, and in Urdu we write it شااا (when addressing the 

youth wanting for them to inculcate in themselves the 

attributes of a Shaheen (which according to Iqbal is the 

Mascot of khudi and Iqbal chose it in an exceptionally elegant 

way to promulgate his message to young generations.

But let us examine the wisdom and reasons behind using this

unique analogy of Shaheen by Iqbal while representing the

Youth, what are the attributes unique to Shaheen which

separates it from other birds and why these qualities attracted

the imagination of Iqbal.

1) Shaheen is far-sighted.

Shaheen is born with far sight, hence the verbatim eagle-

eyed is known. He has the vision to see beyond superficial

and read between events as they happen. As Iqbal says in

Baal-e-Jibreel.

Kho Naa Jaa Iss Seher-o-Sham Main Ae Sahib-e-Hosh

Aik Jahan Aur Bhi Hai, Jis Main Na Farda Hai Naa Dosh

Oh! Self Aware Man! Don’t get lost in this series of morning

and evening

There is another world, where there is no future, nor past.

The bird can see things miles away and through the dust,

even when the weather is not clear. It has a fixed goal and a

dynamic vision. During the rain, when the other birds are in

their nests, it is out there, high in sky. When the other birds

are just planning to fly, the Shaheen has already covered

thousands of miles. Allama Iqbal wants us Muslims to have

long-term goals and have our eyes on the prize, which is

Jannah (hereafter) We should not give up on small things andwe should grow so strong that failure cannot scare us or make

us give up. The Shaheen is a bird that has many challenges 

during flying but it overcomes them easily. One main quality 

that I found so interesting was that whatever this amazing 

bird does, is not done randomly but with proper planning. 

The Shaheen remains focused. Hence, to rise and fly, we the 

youth, should stay determined and not be distracted easily.

2) Shaheen is fearless.

Shaheen in addition to being far-sighted, is also fearless.It is 

not afraid of taking risks or facing challenges. Iqbal wanted 

us to think, plan high, and also put in the required hardwork. 

Another point which I thought was inspiring was that Shaheen 

does not gather provisions like other birds, rather he is 

independent. It has a different standard than the rest and 

adopts its own course instead of following someone else’s 

path. Similarly, we must know where we are going and not let 

the wind blow us away in a random direction. The Shaheen is 

confident and Iqbal draws a comparison between the two of 

us. He advises us not to blindly follow the dunya but be self-

confident on our identity. Instead of taking advantage of other 

someone else’s work, we should learn to master our own 

because the Muslim is born to be “a leader not a follower.”

پرواز ے دونوں کي اسي ا ک فض م ں

کرگس ک جہ ں اور ے، ش ں ک جہ ں اور

The vulture and the eagle soar

In the same air, but in worlds apart.

3) Shaheen is always moving forward.

Shaheen never stayed or made its home in a permanent

place. Instead it is always flying and moving ahead towards

its real goal. Likewise, our ultimate goal is Jannah and we

should not waste our lives by being absorbed in the present

or forgetting the future. We, as believers, should be

working hard for the journey of akhirah. The Shaheen does

not cut himself completely from the world but uses the

necessary things to live and prioritize its goals. In the same

way, we should prioritize our goals in life and the ultimate

goal should be to achieve Jannah. Through this, Allama Iqbal

advises us to not focus on our negative thoughts but to look

towards the positive aspects of life. We must not dwell in

the past, rather we should stay in the present and focus on

the future.

Looking at all the qualities of the Shaheen and the reason that

Allama Iqbal chose this bird, it is important for a believer to

spend some time in solitude, go through the journey of self-

discovery and identify their potential. We should not be afraid

of hard work. We need to aim high and work towards greatness

to fulfill the dream of Iqbal.

نہ ں ت را نش م قصر سلط نی کے گنبد پر

تو ش ں ے ، بس را کر پہ ڑوں کی چٹ نوں م ں

Thy abode is not on the dome of a royal palace;

You are an eagle and should live on the rocks of mountains.

Zeeshan Ahmad Sheikh ist a student in Central University of Kashmir, for Feedback he can be reached at:  zeeshanahmadsheikh3@gmail.com

( In-nallah ha ma-as saabireen...-  Al Quran)     Patience Pays ....

Knowledge and Wisdom

By-Dr Nazir Ahmad Zargar  

           Apparently Life if full of sorrows and sufferings. There is probably no human being in the whole human history who has not faced unwanted situations in life. Death of a dear, illness, divorce, poverty, failure, loss of property, disposition of intentions, fear, anxiety, sadness, grief, and what not, are the situations that make life real. Life without these challenges can be nothing but utopia.

            What role does islam as the complete divine guidance play in our life when we are shaken by adversity which is inevitable? Before finding a straight answer to this question let’s first try to learn some science in this regard. In psychology we come across a term ‘cognitive health’ which is an aspect of brain health. It pertains to how well a person thinks, and behaves mentally in different situations. Our brain receives information from the outer world. We need cognition to help us understand that information and then interact safely with our environment. Creative thinking and problem solving is the best response of mind to the situations.

When a person feels somewhat depressed, mentally stressed and finally becomes a patient of depression, what do we normally do? We get him to a psychiatrist who prescribes anti-depressants which do not end the depression directly, but inactivate the mind towards the persistent thought. That means while the environment continues sending problematic information to the mind, the mind does not receive them. This is how the patient feels relieved for sometime. But is this the right solution? The doctors tell us no. For a permanent solution the attention needs to change his mindset while the medicine works for time being. Islam shapes that mindset. what you need to do is to. Communicate with Allah, Who has created you and Who knows all what goes with you which nobody else knows.

for example, offering prayer is the perfect way to communicate with Allah. Through prayer you share all your worries and thoughts of life with Him. If you are worried, leave everything that you are doing and offer Salah. See the relief you will feel.

Although, as has been said above, life is full of suffering, there are more reasons for happiness. In fact difficult times are decisive and differentiating. They show those who are truthful and those who are not (29:3)

the holy Qur’ān puts forth the factors on the basis of which peace of mind can be acquired. These are: (i) Faith and (ii) Righteous deeds. Having faith and belief in Allāh obeying His True Religion on one hand and establishing harmonious relationship with His creation through righteous deeds on the other guarantees prevalence of peace in all spheres of human life. Not only this, but the true worship of Allāh alone and good relationship with all His creation, will surely lead man to eternal peace let alone his own mental peace—when you are at peace with yourself, you will be at peace with others. But the Satan misleads us sometimes and teaches us that our mental peace lies in the material gains for which we always remain tense.

“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islām (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan).” (2:208)

It is also in a hadīth narrated by Abū Hurayrah that Allāh’s Messenger said:

“Every child is born on Al-Fitrah [true faith of Islāmic Monotheism (i.e. to worship none but Allāh Alone)], but his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism, as an animal gives birth to a perfect baby animal. Do you find it mutilated?”

Thus, according to this hadīth every new born child comes in this world free and with peace; his body and bone submits to his Creator. Then after attaining maturity, he generally does not try to know his Creator but blindly accepts what his parents and his atmosphere tells him. Had he been given opportunity to come across the Guidance of his Creator (the holy Qur’ān) he would have surely succeeded in recognizing his true Lord—Allāh.

Hence submitting to the Will of Allāh is in accordance with man’s own inborn nature. Then if he submits and accepts Islām consciously, which his own body and the whole creation have accepted (involuntarily), he will attain mental peace and will go on the Path of Peace not violating the scheme of things in the universe. Thus the three dimensional harmonious and peaceful relationship between God, man and universe will be established.

TWo things in Islam are very important for protecting yourself from the ill effects of problems you face in your life. These are Sabr (Patience) And Tawakkul (Trust in Allah). In Quran there is usually a close connection between being patiently persisting in doing right and expecting relief or deliverance from Allah. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is told to be "patient till your Lord decides, for you are in Our sight".

 "Reservations continue to mar the merit" How Long ?...

      Reservations have been and continue to be debated. According to the majority Section of the population who do not possess any such reservations this catagorization should done away with now. "Time has come that these constitutional provisions need to be revisited" majority beleives.

         The Supreme Court in a landmark judgement had sought to know during the Maratha quota case hearing recently that for how many generations would reservations in jobs and education continue. SC also raised concerns over “resultant inequality” in case the overall 50 per cent limit was to be removed.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan was vehemently told by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Maharashtra, that the Mandal judgement on capping the quota needed a re-look in changed circumstances.

He said the courts should leave it to states to fix reservation quotas in view of the changed circumstances and the Mandal judgement was premised on census of 1931.

Arguing in favour of the Maharashtra law granting quota to Marathas, Rohatgi referred to various aspects of the Mandal judgement, also known as Indra Sawhney case, and said the Centre’s decision to grant 10 per cent quota to people from economically weaker section also breached the 50 per cent cap.

“If there is no 50 per cent or no limit, as you are suggesting, what is the concept of equality then. We will ultimately have to deal with it. What is your reflection on that… What about the resultant inequality. How many generations will you continue,” observed the bench, which also comprised Justices L Nageswara Rao, S Abdul Nazeer, Hemant Gupta and S Ravindra Bhat.

Rohatgi said there were many reasons for the re-look of the Mandal judgment which was premised on the census of 1931 and moreover, the population has increased many fold and reached to 135 crore.

The bench said 70 years have passed since independence and the states have been carrying on so many beneficial schemes and “can we accept that no development has taken place, that no backward caste has moved forward”.

It also observed that the purpose of reviewing the Mandal judgement was that those who have come out from backwardness must be eliminated.

“Yes, we have moved forward. But it is not that backward classes have gone down from 50 to 20 per cent. We still have starvation deaths in this country… I am not trying to say that Indra Sawhney is completely wrong, throw it in the dustbin. I am raising issues that 30 years have gone by, the law has changed, the population has grown, backward persons may also have increased,” Rohatgi said.

He referred to amendments made in the Constitution and said they are the indicators that the country has not reached “anywhere near the emancipation” it required for its backwards classes.

“The fact of the matter is Parliament should know what is going on in the country. If Parliament knows it is more than 50 per cent and has given 10 per cent to a class of economically backward section, no warrant from court should say it cannot go over 50 per cent,” he argued.

When a number of states have reservations exceeding 50 per cent and in this situation, it cannot be said that this is not “a burning issue” and does not require a relook after 30 years, he said.

The arguments in the case remained inconclusive and would resume on Monday.

On Thursday, Attorney General K K Venugopal had told the apex court that the 102nd amendment to the Constitution does not deprive state legislatures to enact law determining the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and conferring benefits on them.

The 102nd Constitution amendment Act of 2018 inserted Articles 338B, which deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Class (NCBC), and 342A dealing with power of the President to notify a particular caste as SEBC as also of Parliament to change the list.

On Wednesday, the top court was told that Marathas have been dominant “socially and politically” as almost 40 per cent of MPs and MLAs of Maharashtra are from this community and the entire hypothesis that they have been left behind, faced historical injustice is completely flawed.

The top court has been hearing a clutch of cases challenging the Bombay High Court verdict which upheld the grant of quota to Marathas in admissions and government jobs in the state.

HT FRIDAY FOCUS...

ESSENCE OF LIFE - IN  LIGHT OF HOLY QURAN.

(single line may dalna)

           There is a profound question that each and every one of us reflects on at some point during our lives:

"Why am I here, what is my purpose?"

The Quran puts forward a simple but powerful argument with regards to our origins:

"Were they created without any agent? Were they the creators?" (Quran 52:35)

The Quran engages its audience by inviting us to ponder some rational, logical questions which we can use to arrive at a conclusion about our origins. The first question that the Quran poses to us is: were we created by nothing? Can something really come from nothing? This is impossible, as we know from our own personal experiences of life as well as the laws of the universe that we couldn’t have come out of nothing, because out of nothing, nothing comes!

This leads us to the next possibility that the Quran proposes: did we create ourselves? Can something create itself? This is a self-contradiction, because for you to create yourself you would have to already exist, and you can't exist and not exist at same time. This would be like saying that your mother gave birth to herself!

Since something cannot come from nothing, and self-creation is absurd, this leaves one final possibility: we have a creator. This is the best explanation not only for our origins but also the universe and everything in it, because it is intuitive and also agrees with reality: whatever begins to exist has a cause or a creator.

This cause or creator must itself be uncaused due to the absurdity of a never-ending chain of causes. To illustrate this better, if the cause of the universe had a cause and that cause had a cause and so on and so forth forever, then there wouldn’t be a universe to talk about. For example, imagine if you were told that you couldn’t read this book until you handed it to someone else, and then this other person would also have to give it to someone else, and this went on forever, then would anyone ever read this book? The answer is no. If we apply this principle to the universe then we would have to conclude that the cause behind it is uncaused out of rational necessity. The Quran confirms the uncreatedness of the creator:

"He begot no one nor was He begotten." (Quran 112:3)

Now, having a creator is one thing, but how do we know we have a purpose? Everything in this universe has a purpose. Even simple things like a chair, a bowl and even the book you are holding in your hands serves a purpose. Wouldn't it be sad if we didn't too have a purpose? If we reflect and look at the world around us, we can easily come to the conclusion that we must have a purpose. Think about the vastness of our universe with all its billions of galaxies and trillions of planets. The Qur'an tells us that God did not create all this for no reason:

"We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them playfully." (Quran 21:16)

The sun gives us warmth, the clouds give us rain and the trees and animals give us food. Since a lot of the systems that God has put in place in our universe are to ensure our survival and wellbeing then God must have a purpose in mind for us, too. This is what the Quran tells us:

"It is God who created the heavens and earth, who has sent down water from the sky and with it brought forth produce to nourish you; He has made ships useful to you, sailing the sea by His command, and the rivers too; He has made the sun and the moon useful to you, steady on their paths; He has made the night and day useful to you and given you some of everything you asked Him for. If you tried to count God’s favours you could never calculate them" (Quran 14:32–34)

So that nagging question comes up again, what is our purpose? Again the Qur'an has the answer:

"I created jinn (Quran spirits) and mankind only to worship Me" (Quran 51:56)

Now, what do you understand about 'worship'? Most will say prayer. This is correct, however in the Qur'an, worship is much more comprehensive than just praying. It includes all acts of obedience that are pleasing to our Creator. Even exercise and eating can be an act of worship if our intention is to stay healthy as we can’t stand up and pray if we are ill!

Why perform worship? It's important to understand that our Creator does not need our worship. In fact the Qur'an tells us this; it is us who are in need of worship. We as human beings are more than just flesh and bone, we have a spiritual side that also needs nourishing. Many people are wealthy materially speaking but unhappy with their lives because they neglect their spiritual wellbeing. In order for us to experience true peace both our bodies and souls need to be in tune with our Creator:

"Truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace." (Quran 13:28)

So by converting every aspect of our lives into pleasing our Creator, then we will be in a state of constant remembrance of God and our hearts will be at peace. This is a revolutionary way of thinking but practically, if someone were to do this, a lot of their actions wouldn’t change; however their thought process behind their actions would and they would find the inner peace so needed in today’s society!

So, the question arises - what is the best way to worship God? Let's think about mobile phones. Mobile phones are obviously not as sophisticated as human beings, but we share many things in common. We both have a life span, we both require energy to function correctly, and we can both be damaged if we are not taken care of properly. When mobile phones develop a problem, the first thing most people do is to refer to the instruction manual for the mobile phone. Why? Because it has been made to show us the best way of using it and we rightly listen to the experts! The creator of the phone knows the best way to use that phone and they have imparted their knowledge to us in the form of instruction manuals. Similarly then, the Quran is like an instruction manual for humanity as it is from the one who made us. God, our Creator, knows us better than we know ourselves and this is why His knowledge, His guidance for how we should live will always surpass any human invented philosophies and ways of life.