What I saw, heard and thought                                                                          FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

14 TOLAS GOLD IN YEAR 1970
An aged woman visited me. She looked troubled and poverty was showing off from her eyes, dress, condition, manner and style. She said, “We were siblings; played in the lap of one mother and were breast-fed from the same bosom. My parents gave me a lot of jewelry. My brother was troubled. He came to me and asked me for some of my ornaments. He said that he will sell them and pay off a troublesome debt. ‘You are my sister; if you will not help me in my time of need then who will?’ His tears, his plea, his request and weeping softened my heart; I gave him my ornaments. This initiated in the year 1970. From then on, he kept visiting me with his dilemmas and kept taking my jewelry until none was left. He then started taking cash from me and took 60,000 rupees. Every time he came, he wrote the amount down and said that I have taken this much and I shall return it. When all the ornaments were gone, I demanded him to return it. He kept on delaying it. Suddenly, he got paralyzed; his speech came to an end, his sight dropped, and he got hearing-impaired; his left side became completely useless. Now I visit my sister-in-law daily who is well aware of everything. She always accompanied my brother when he came to take jewelry from me. Their sons are businessmen; the business is flourishing. Their house is in excess of edibles as well as cars. Whenever I visit, my sister-in-law makes a dire face and says that you dint give it to me but to your brother. He is lying there; take it from him. I am surprised as today their business is due to my ornaments and money. My nephews do not attend to me. Whenever I visit, they do not answer to my salam. I keep sitting quietly with my brother. If my sister-in-law is available, she acts to be occupied on seeing me. What should I do?” That female was constantly crying while sharing her pain and I was staring at her in awe.

Has the difference between halal and haram ceased? And this realization did not hit that I am accountable for each penny? That person accumulated wealth and handed it over to his children. His children are enjoying the money and he himself is counting his last days. Aren’t his children concerned about his grave, his akhirat, and an assurance of his khatma bil khair (dying with faith)? Have we distanced so much from the grave and world hereafter? Doesn’t the accountability on the Day of Judgment hold any value? Why have we become so cold? Why have we become dead from the inside? Why are we trying to ruin ourselves? Do these things only happen when humans do khatam (praying on food), give charity, aid the needy, or celebrate traditional religious functions and consider it to be Akhirah or religion? O Allah’s men! Remember that religion and shariyat is our need. You must have carried out an experiment which you will recall on my next sentence. I have carried out this experiment as well. Generations can neither grow nor prosper on haram. Haram does not let peace and tranquility enter lives. Haram makes life restless and uneasy. Haram leads to homicides, diseases, troubles, fatigue and discomfort. Try it if you want to. See the experiences of those who opted for it. You will feel an evident impression that life moves on with halal and not with haram. Therefore, repent for the harams and doubtful things in your life at your earliest. May Allah grant us this sense and awareness.