Monthly Archives: August 2014

“Pakistan On Edge” By F. Sheikh

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( Brief Thought)

Since last elections Sharif brothers continue to rule in old ways without realizing that Pakistan’s political landscape has changed. Imran Khan badly wanted another bite of the apple while he is still popular and did not want to wait for the next elections. Tahir ul Qadri wanted mayhem to prove his credentials. All this brought Pakistan to a collision course resulting in needless loss of innocent lives and bodily injuries.  All the politicians, and a Pir turned politician, used masses for their personal devious designs in the name of democracy.

Army is having a meeting of its core commanders today. I hope Army does not use this irresponsible behavior of politicians and violence in the streets to grab the power and impose Martial Law. No matter how terrible and irresponsible behavior of politicians, Martial Law is never the solution. It puts the country back to square one. The politicians have made this mess and they have to learn and clean this mess. This does not put country in danger. A Political process, no matter how messy, does not put country in danger. Such slogans are made by opportunistic forces. Let this process play out and have politicians find the way out.

 

September Lecture Meeting Of Thinkers Forum USA

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The Next Meeting Of Thinkers Forum USA is Scheduled

On Sunday, September 28th, 2014 at 3:00 P.M.

At

Haveli Of Dr. Riaz Chaudhry

12 Anchor Drive, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550

Topic

                                                   The Quantum & The Dream                                                        

Exploring the Deep Connections Between Mind & Universe

Speaker

DOUG GRUNTHER

Moderator

Fayyaz A. Sheikh

Introduction By Mirza Ashraf

The lecture shall be followed by Q & A session and Rumi poetry recitation by

Peter Rogen

 (Snacks shall be served.  Please call for your attendance to Sultaan Moakal at:Ph: (646) 512-4562    E-mail: sultaanm@aol.com)

 LECTURE ABSTRACT:

This presentation explores the creative interplay among quantum theory, whole-brain thinking, and the deeper nature of our dreams. Guided by insights from noted quantum scientists, depth psychologists, neurobiologists, philosophers, and humorists, we will travel deep into the human psyche or soul to gain a bigger picture of who we are and how we connect to the universe.

DESCRIPTION:Albert Einstein’s quote, Imagination is more important than knowledge, has been referred to many times.  Less known is his remark, My entire career has been a meditation on a dream I had when I was 11 yrs old.

As the 19th century came to an end, science had made leaps and bounds in discovering the nature of the universe.  Through the genius of Isaac Newton and scientists like James Clark Maxwell whose equations revealed the wave nature of  light and electricity, the whole world seemed to fit so well into clear, definable laws. Science did not have much more to prove. We lived in a mechanical universe governed by cause and effect which can explain everything including our own minds and bodies.

But beginning in the year 1900, the first year of the 20th century and the gateway to the modern era, the materialistic world view began to unravel. Science was about to meet up with the the mysteriously creative power of the quantum and the dream. In this presentation we look at Nobel Prize winning quantum scientists exploring the illuminating depths of their own minds:  Albert Einstein visualizing what it would be like chasing a light beam; Neils Bohr contemplating the nature of the yin/yang symbol of the Tao; Erwin Schrödinger connecting quantum entanglement to Vedanta meditation, and Wolfgang Pauli exploring the meaning of his dreams with the 20th century’s most influential psychologist Carl Jung. And by viewing them in relationship to modern research into the human brain and underlying principles of sacred philosophy, this presentation reveals how the creative relationship between the quantum and the human psyche offers a potential blueprint for addressing major challenges of the current century.

 

 

Where are the marches against the Islamic State?

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Yasmine Bahrani raises a valid question in her article in Washington post. If protests against the Israeli killings of innocent Gaza civilians was right thing to do, then what about protests against ISIS for killing innocent civilians? Indonesian Government has spoken out against ISIS and asked all Muslim nations to unite against ISIS.  Does it matter how ISIS was created and who is responsible?  It still needs condemnation from all Muslim quarters because Islamic State is committing crimes against humanity (F. Sheikh)

This summer, many Muslims marched in the streets of London, Parisand other cities to condemn the deaths of Gazans at the hands of Israel . Of course it makes sense to protest the bombing of schools and residential buildings. I marched in the streets against Israel’s invasion of Lebanon when I was a student, and I marched against the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. But, inexplicably, there have been no similarly large-scale demonstrations against the Islamic State for its horrific acts against Christians, Yazidis and even its fellow Muslims in Iraq and Syria. And there certainly haven’t been any marches protesting the beheading of innocents . It’s not hard to organize a march. So where are the demonstrations?

This is not the first time this question has occurred to me. For years, I have wondered about this absence of public outrage. When I asked about the murder of Iraqi civilians by Sunni and Shiite gangs, my fellow Muslims dodged my questions: “Why did the United States invade Iraq in the first place?” Yes, the U.S. invasion was a mistake. But why is it so hard to take a stand against the killing of women and children? I never got a straight answer.

To be sure, many Muslims have spoken out against the Islamic State, and some clerics have condemned this gang of terrorists; Qatar-based Islamic scholar Yusuf Qaradawi, for instance, said the Islamic State violates sharia law and declared “null and void” the group’s declaration of a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. But their words merely echoed those of non-Muslims who have called for an end to the violence. Surely we can do better. Don’t Muslims have a responsibility to speak out more loudly than others? We need the world to see anti-Islamic State marchers taking to the streets with the passion that we saw at the Gaza rallies in London and Paris. Mainstream Muslims must express our rejection of extremism in clear terms, while doing whatever we can to stop young people from radicalizing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/where-are-the-marches-against-the-islamic-state/2014/08/29/531f6052-2ed0-11e4-994d-202962a9150c_story.html?hpid=z3

 

“Stop Throwing My Country To The Wind” A Poem

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This poem was written by Simin Behbahani, a prizewinning poet known as “the lioness of Iran” who died on Tuesday in Tehran. She was 87. It seems she is talking about Pakistan and its political /religious leaders. ( F. Sheikh)

 

Stop Throwing My Country To The Wind

If the flames of anger rise any higher in this land
Your name on your tombstone will be covered with dirt.

You have become a babbling loudmouth.
Your insolent ranting, something to joke about.

The lies you have found, you have woven together.
The rope you have crafted, you will find around your neck.

Pride has swollen your head, your faith has grown blind.
The elephant that falls will not rise.

Stop this extravagance, this reckless throwing of my country to the wind.
The grim-faced rising cloud, will grovel at the swamp’s feet.

Stop this screaming, mayhem, and bloodshed.
Stop doing what makes God’s creatures mourn with tears.

My curses will not be upon you, as in their fulfillment.
My enemies’ afflictions also cause me pain.

You may wish to have me burned, or decide to stone me.
But in your hand match or stone will lose their power to harm me.