Denial versus Awareness
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Dependence, Independence / Self-Reliance and Inter-Dependence
Dependence
Independence / Self-Reliance
Inter-Dependence
Independence / Self-Reliance
Inter-Dependence
Team Principles for Relationships, Leadership and Championship
Team Principles for Relationships, Leadership and Championship
Change: The Journey Up - Going from Careless to Mindful
Change
The Journey Up
Going from Careless to Mindful
Going from Careless to Mindful
7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Summary of the book
Summary of the book
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Roles Diagram: Sequential Stages For Learning and for Results
Roles Diagram
Sequential Stages
For Learning
and for Results
Thursday, March 25, 2021
After life: Joining the Creator
After life: Joining the Creator
by Fazeel Chauhan posted Mar 3, 2021
I enjoyed the research done by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, on death and dying. In one of her books she listed the findings of her qualitative research with terminally ill people. As she witnessed the deaths of many people in a hospice, etc., she found a common theme:
1) When a person is about to die, they start seeing close friends and family who have already passed away.
2) The dying person sometimes began talking to those friends who had already died.
3) Kubler-Ross deduced from these findings that those close to us, come to get us at the time of death. It is them because they come to let us know that death is nothing to be afraid of.
4) You go to join the people you love after death.
That makes me feel more accepting of death. For Muslims, when a person passes away, they say, "He has joined the Creator", or "She has become Beloved to God", or "They have returned to God".
In Islam, the belief is that before birth, the souls were all together in one place. When a person is born, two angels are assigned. One writes all the good deeds and the other writes all the bad deeds, throughout the lifetime of the person. In the end, there is a judgement day like Judaism and Christianity. But before that, there are some steps. Judgement starts in the grave, based on good and bad deeds, the consequences begin there. Since humans have been predicting end of times or armageddon for a few centuries, it is also said that end of times or judgement day for any person is the day of their death.
In Islam, at the end, the earth is described as: everything gets destroyed. After all that, all human beings are resurrected. Each person will be held accountable for their small and big actions. The record of their deeds are presented and put on a balance. If the good deeds weigh more, the person goes to Heaven. If the bad deeds weigh more, then the person is sent to hell. Similar to the intercession of Jesus, some Muslims believe or hope that Prophet Muhammed will plead for the Creator's Mercy to ask God to Forgive his followers. Yet, there is no automatic forgiveness. Some deeds which a person considered small, might actually be weighed as big. While some big deeds, might get weighed as minor, depending on the intention of the person. So the jury is always out. There is also the idea that while alive, a person can repent, do atonement and make amends. But when they die, it's too late. Except, if the person had done some works or charity which continues to benefit people after his death, then those good deeds continue to be counted, even after the person dies. Also if their descendants pray for the Creator to Forgive the dead person, this is considered beneficial for the dead person, because the Creator can choose to accept any prayer at any time. For example, if daughter gets a water well setup on behalf of her dead father, so that free water is provided to poor people, in a desert area, then the father's good deeds continue, even after they are dead. Thus many people try to leave a positive legacy.
Muslims believe that the Judeo-Christian and other Prophets are not dead, that their spirits live on. Sufi Muslims take that further to say that also the Saints and Sages are alive. Thus Sufi people gather at the shrines of the saints every Thursday in the form of a celebration with music, which might also include dance. In Islam, the belief is that the world is an illusion, or a dream. The idea is that the saints and prophets are present, just behind a veil, in the world of the unseen. On the other hand, the Earth is the world of what can be seen. And when we die, we wake up from the dream. And the life of the hereafter is what's real. This also helps people in grieving. They often say, my mother went to the Creator, and we all will go to the same place.
Co-Resist and Co-Exist
Co-Exist and Co-Resist
In the 1980's, people had bumper stickers like "Question Authority" and in 1990's, some were "Co-exist". A few years ago I saw a sign somewhere which built upon that idea and it was "Co-resist", against fascism, war, white supremacy, imperialism, etc.
At that time I had modified that sign. And now I've modified it into another version, by adding the earth, to make the message clearer. I believe there is more positivity in the image I created (peace, harmony, hope, unity, etc.), or maybe it's just a B.S. pipe dream which can not be realized for another thousand years due to negative forces, like imperialism, militarism, and propaganda of "clash of civilizations" and "crusades" and some of dark spiritual forces (in the west) who want to hurry up to help bring about armageddon quickly.
In the image, I've tried to push those negative images in the background. As Cornell West days, "I'm hopeful but not optimistic".
I believe that spiritual groups can unite in relationships to work together to co-resist the dark forces like war and imperialism
I believe that spiritual groups can unite in relationships to work together to co-resist the dark forces like war and imperialism
Stepping Outside: Dance or Movement Therapy
Stepping Outside: Dance or Movement Therapy
by Fazeel Chauhan posted Feb 3, 2021
Many years ago, in one of my Yoga classes at CSULA, I heard about and went to a movement therapy group session, which I found to be mysterious, and difficult to get into. For years before that, and years after that, I did not explore it, though by chance I had a few good experiences when certain trance music spontaneously made me dance. I had seen my brother dance at a Sufi shrine, where he went almost every Thursday night for the drumming and dancing spiritual gatherings, in Pakistan. There I saw a very raw and primitive form of the Whirling (darwesh) dance, which some people in the West may have seen, done in the tradition of Rumi, the poet from Turkey. I saw a famous singer try to join that dance at the Sufi shrine in Pakistan, but after a couple of minutes he came out with injured, bleeding feet. We could say that was the layperson's dance therapy, but I thought it was too difficult for me to do.
I have been close to music since childhood, and love playing music, and have enjoyed music from most parts of the world. But dance was something I found difficult. I have always been intrigued by primal dance of African and Native American peoples, but I never got a chance to participate in it. Yet, I have taken part in some other Native American rituals like sweat lodge. Since I have seen that people doing dance therapy or movement therapy benefited from it a lot. So I want to explore it.
Also, last week in the Embodied Social Justice summit, one of the sessions was about dance therapy. In part of the session, the teacher took a long time to prepare the students for the movement therapy. In another session, a teacher said, "The issues are in the tissues". In my brain, I understand that we carry trauma in the body, or specially in the Western approach, there is a separation between body, heart, mind and soul. That is similar to compartmentalizing the personal life from the professional life, which doesn't seem natural to me. In Psychology I learned that integrity also means to integrate all our roles and identities. Something different would be a split personality or multiple personality. So I am reminded that being more in touch with the body, through dance or movement therapy, a person can better connect their body, mind, and soul. But I haven't looked into it so far.
I was raised practicing Islam in two predominantly Muslim countries; Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Music and specially dance, are greatly discouraged among the conservative sects of Islam, for example in Saudi Arabia. In the culture, modesty is also emphasized, so dancing is considered showing off or flaunting it, or in some cases even the dances in Bollywood movies are considered vulgar.
So those have been some of the reasons why I didn't explore dance or movement therapy in the past. But now I'm ready to look more into it and learn more about it.
Spirituality in Social Work - intro
Intro: Fazeel Chauhan (He, Him, His) for class...
Fazeel Chauhan posted Jan 26, 2021
I have been interested in spirituality since childhood. So I am happy to be taking this class. As they say, no one religion has a monopoly on wisdom, and there are many sources of learning. Based on my life experiences, I realize that spirituality can be an important part of a person's way of being, and as a therapist I want to learn more about how to better understand, counsel and help people of different belief systems. Spirituality is a rich topic, and I expect to learn more about various faiths, beliefs, lifestyles and world views, so that I can become a better social worker. I expect to learn a lot to expand my heart and mind. What I'm most connected to: is to be a responsible global citizen and to serve a higher purpose through self-development and community service. In other words, to educate, entertain, heal, serve and tell the truth through poetry, music, videos, and counseling, etc.
Whom I'm most connected to: is the legacy of my teachers, ancestors, and to the global community. My ancestors are from the ancient civilizations of the subcontinent India/Pakistan/Kashmir, where there is a long history of a variety of sub-cultures, hundreds of languages, mixed races (with Mongolian, Arab, Greek) and blended spiritual beliefs. I was born in Pakistan and also raised in Saudi Arabia and then in New Orleans (after 1981). I was raised as a Muslim, then became agnostic in America for 12 years. I have explored other spiritual practices like Transcendental meditation, Yoga, Reiki, chanting, QiGong, and Buddhism. I returned to Islam about 25 years ago and practice its spiritual path called Sufism. My spiritual practice helps me to connect with the Creator, and with the universal life force, and with humanity, specially through music, prayer and being in nature. I feel most connected to the world views of sages and teachers like Cornell West, Malcolm X, Hamza Yusuf, Fela Kuti, Frantz Fanon, Thich Nhat Hanh, Howard Zinn, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Robert Bly, and Sufi poets from the last 800 years, like Rumi and Muhammed Iqbal.
Spiritual Diversity in Social Work - video and book
Spiritual Diversity in Social Work:
The Heart of Helping
by Edward R. Canda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90kRJjh-F80
Spiritual Diversity in Social Work:
The Heart of Helping
Edward R. Canda, M.A., MSW., Ph. D. is a professor at the School of Social Welfare and director of the Office for Research on Spiritual Diversity in Social Work at the University of Kansas. He is a member of the Religion and Spirituality Work Group at the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Religion and Spirituality Clearing House, which was formed to "promote social workers' knowledge, values, and skills for ethical and effective practice that takes into account the diverse expressions of religion and spirituality among clients and their communities."
Dr. Canda speaks about using religion and spirituality in social work practice. He speaks on spiritually sensitive practice, spiritual diversity, and what strengths and challenges are presented by religion and spirituality in social work practice. Themes of meaning, relationship, transcendence, wholeness, compassion, meditation, mindfulness, ethics and cultural competence are discussed.
More information on Dr. Canda as well as spiritual diversity and social work is available on his website at http://www.socwel.ku.edu/canda/
Presented on October 8th, 2012 at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work.
Embodied Social Justice Summit: January 27, 2021
Embodied Social Justice - 5 day, free summit starts Wednesday January 27
On the link below, find the list of speakers, who are doing amazing work in the field of healing
For there is always light,
if only we're brave enough to see it
If only we're brave enough to be it
– Amanda Gorman
Special Events
Nkem Ndefo kicks off the Summit with her experiential presentation, Embodied Resilience for Sustainable Activism. This FREE online event has an amazing lineup of experts exploring questions such as:
How can we reimagine and embrace new forms of activism?
How do we take effective action in the world to respond to social justice issues?
How do we become the change we wish to see, and what does it look like from an embodied perspective?
How can we stay grounded and centered and increase our capacity for sustainable change?
Grab your spot for free here:
https://learn.embodiedyoga.com/a/41539/joWbHcFQ
~~~
The following are other future programs at Lumos Transforms, Los Angeles
https://lumostransforms.com/about/
Calendar
Anchoring Resilience for Turbulent Times: Mondays at 12:00 PM, Thursdays at 7:00 PM, or Saturdays at 8:00 AM PST.
All About Certification with Nkem and Arrowyn| Tuesday, February 16th at 12:00 PM PST
The Resilience Toolkit Facilitator Certification Program – Cohort 10
Unfriend Me.......................................... (alternate title: You Might be a Jackass IF...)
Unfriend Me.......................................... (alternate title: You Might be a Jackass IF...)
I wish to lose thousands of Fakebook “friends”. If any of the following are true for you, please unfriend me. If you don’t understand what’s in this list, it clearly means you don’t know the difference between right and wrong, or don’t care about it. So unfriend me. Thanks.
103 reasons to #unFriendMe
or
You Might be a Jackass if...
by Fazeel Chauhan (11-7-17 )
1) If you don’t respect other human beings
2) If you’d rather be right, instead of: do the right thing
3) If you are a fan of Trumps
4) If you use excuses, lies and justifications to continue your bad behavior
5) If you like military rule in any part of the world
6) If you can not do justice
7) If you belong to the Republican party
8) If you like to ask people which country or neighborhood, or caste they are from so you can judge them
9) If you make stereotypes of Brown, Black, Native, Asian, White people or other groups
10) If you think saying anything against American policies is anti-American
11) If you don’t like poor people
12) If you think personal corruption in a person’s character, is okay
13) If you hate Muslims or Islam
14) If you hate a group of people based on their religion or place of birth
15) If you dehumanize and depersonalize other people
16) If you think your religion has a monopoly on wisdom
17) If you measure people based on how much money they have
18) If you like to wave your flag to claim you are superior to others
19) If you have Xenophobia, homophobia or Islamophobia
20) If you support groups or people who are funded by the CIA
21) If you like the policies of the American “Tea party”
22) If you are a fan of the Bhutto politicians of Pakistan
23) If you like to put other people down, or to make them fail
24) If you are a supporter of the Sharif politicians of Pakistan
25) If you are a bully, or humiliate, or make fun of other people
26) If you are a fan of Altaf Hussain or MQM
27) If you are a fan of “religious” politicians like Fazl-ur-Rahman
28) If you think there is no corruption in America
29) If you think racial profiling is good
30) If you think you are superior to others just because of your color, religion, race, ethnicity, national origin
31) If you think there is no corruption in Pakistan
32) If you think that only your religion is true and others are false
33) If you think only your religious sect is valid and other sects are fake / non-believers
34) If you think there are no bad people among religious people
35) If you think there are no good people among non-religious people
36) If you blame the victim
37) If you think that every person already has equal opportunities and there are no social factors working against individuals
38) If you think it’s normal that there are 70 million dogs and cats in America
39) If you think that free universal healthcare is not a human right
40) If you think Muslims are terrorists
41) If you believe Osama bin Laden was not created by the U.S.
42) If you think the Mujahideen of Afghanistan were not created by the U.S. and their sons the Taliban were not trained by the U.S.
43) If you think Saudi Royals are holy and not corrupt
44) If you think that Guantanamo is good
45) If torture is okay with you
46) If you are against Black Lives Matter
47) If you think sexual abuse is not common in your own community
48) If you have a high tolerance for the misconduct of preachers
49) If you don’t know the difference between teachers and preachers, and you support preachers more than teachers
50) If you can not recognize fake preachers or are a fan of fake preachers like Aamir Liaqat, Nouman Ali Khan, etc
51) If you’re a fan of Rahat Ali Khan
52) If you like talking about fashion, and want to follow the latest fashions
53) If you flash purses which are over $500
54) If you don’t know the difference between right and wrong and find loop holes in the grey areas
55) If you like to show off your money, your breasts, your status and your conquests
56) If you use people for personal gain and then discard them
57) If you are a poser
58) If you think Saudi Arabia does not have social ills like rampant pornography
59) If you don’t care about the people who are less fortunate. If you are callous
60) If you don’t help people who are in need
61) If you like to take selfies
62) If you have low standards of behavior
63) If you don’t like children
64) If you are full of bullshit, meaning hypocrisy
65) If you use double standards
66) If you like to gossip about people who are not around to defend themselves
67) If you like to kill time
68) If you think it’s okay to spend billions on warfare instead of healthcare
69) If you like Bollywood movies and their sexualized song and dance
70) If you like Columbus
71) If you think countries don’t engage in state sponsored terrorism
72) If you like Disney movies and don’t think they brainwash children and turn them into consumers living in a fantasy land
73) If you don’t like people’s accents
74) If you take loans from friends but don’t give it back though you have the money
75) If you listen to Fox News or right wing talk radio
76) If you don’t like other languages, or don’t like people who speak other languages
77) If you think war is good, and killing people makes you feel proud
78) If you don’t want gun control
79) If you think atomic bombs are good
80) If you think there is no connection between the Ammo-sexual gun culture inside America to the war mongering policies and weapons sales outside America
81) If you like to criticize other people but can’t praise them when they do something good
82) If you have prejudices against in-laws or automatically hate them
83) If you harm others and think you’re doing them a favor
84) If you justify the 800 military bases of the American empire, in 70 countries
85) If you don’t give credit where credit is due
86) If you think society has no responsibility in creating crime and poverty
87) If you can’t survive without maids and servants and use them to show status
88) If you praise the tall buildings, clock towers and luxury lifestyles of the elite and ruling class of Muslim countries
89) If you think it’s okay for religious “leaders” to make big money from selling religious items or religious knowledge
90) If you are being oppressive toward other people
91) If you think you have automatic entitlement to get favors from people just because you were pampered by your parents
92) If you are 100% sure you are going to heaven
93) If you can not tolerate a difference of opinion which disturbs your comfort zone
94) If you are cruel to other people
95) If you think it’s okay for new age gurus to make big money from selling spiritual items or knowledge
96) If you make other people fight with each other
97) If you are a taker and not a giver. Or if you hoard knowledge and don’t share it
98) If you are closed minded, stubborn and not open to learning
99) If you are a menace to society, what Robert Bly calls a “savage” man
100) If you are rude, obnoxious, negative or nasty, by default
101) If you love brand names and use them to cover your insecurities
102) If you can’t practice: live and let live
103) If you use the veil of religiosity to hide your hypocrisy
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Writer's Bio - 1999
(39) Writer's Bio
8-16-99
Fazeel Azeez Chauhan of
Los Angeles was born in Pakistan. He lived there off and on for ten years. As a
teenager, he lived for five years in Saudi Arabia. He's been living in the U.S.
since 1980
He attended California
State University and has a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems.
He also majored in Psychology in graduate school. At Los Angeles City College,
he completed a two year training program for Television Production. He also
studied Creative Writing. Since 1990, his articles on social issues are often
published in Pakistan-American weekly newspapers.
In 1991 he started
working for a large organization as a Computer Network Engineer. He continues
working in that profession full-time. His interests are hiking, traveling,
reading and writing poetry, music and community service
A collection of his poems will be published in the coming months.
Thank you joining me in reading.
Contact Information:
Art and Poetry page:
https://www.facebook.com/SubversiveVerse
Poetry and Essays:
https://globalzebra.blogspot.com/
Wah Wah Ustad Jee
(38) Wah Wah Ustad Jee
August '97
by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan
The great master's soul
became free from his body a few days ago. We mourn this great loss to humanity.
And we send Khan, all our love for giving us so much wealth in the forty nine
years he was around us.
I sit and
ponder.....listening to one of my favorite Qawalis:
Iss Karam Ka Karun
Shukar Kaisay Ada
Jo Karam Mujh Pay Mayray
Nabi Kar Diya
I can't help but cry for
him, as if he was a dear friend. Because he did give us a lot. He was a guide,
a teacher and a light. He lives in a special place in our hearts because he was
also a member of our Muslim family. Our brother brought immense honor to our
family.
How can I measure and
state all the Faiz (benefits) that we received from Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan.
Do you remember where
you were when you heard the news? I didn't believe that he had passed when I
saw it on tv last Saturday. I was in shock and denial. Even though I had known
for about a year that he was very sick, I didn't want him to go behind the veil
so soon. Is that selfish and greedy on my part? No, I think I just love him a
lot and wanted him to stick around for a long time.
Since last August, he
spent several months here in the Los Angeles area. He used to come to UCLA for
treatment and was said to be residing in Santa Monica. And during the last
year, I saw him at a few shows. Sometimes I saw him performing and at other
times, he was an honorable guest at other artists' shows. I always wanted to
meet him but didn't get the opportunity until two months ago.
I was visiting Pakistan
and staying in "Data Ki Nagri" Lahore. It was a great honor to visit
the shrine of the great saint Data Ali Hajweri:
Na-kasaan Da Peer Kamil
Kamilaan Ra Rahnuma
On the occasion of Data
Sahab's Urs, dozens of Qawals paid homage to the great sufi master. As they
say, when Aulia-Allah (Enlightened people) become free of their bodies, we
should not say that they are dead. Once free from the constraints of a body,
the holy souls become even more powerful:
Jin Ki Mehfil Saji Ho
Woh Zaroor Aatay hain
When Khan Sahab
concluded the Mehfil-e-Sama at this occasion, I didn't know that two months
later, he'd be hanging out with Data Sahab even more. I invited him back to Los
Angeles and requested him to sing for a much longer time than his previous
show. He just nodded his head saying okay. Okay Khan Sahab, I'm just honored
that I got a chance to see you and finally speak to you. You have been speaking
to me for so many years through your music. I am truly grateful for what you
have given to humanity. We who discovered your music are very lucky. We who
speak your language are even more thankful.
You speak of love,
passion and humanity. With your message, you were able to change the negative
stereotypes that some people have about Islam. At your concerts, you graced us
with your mere presence. You made all the people dance with joy, stirring them
up with those powerful taals of the tabla . You awakened our souls with the
deep vibrations of your melodies. You brought honor, respect and courage to the
Muslim people of the world. You reached the top of the world with the Pakistani
passport in your pocket and Allah-Hu in your breath and Islam synchronized
within your heartbeat. You were truly a Nusrat and Fateh (Victory). And there
is no doubt about that.
Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan, through your words and music, you teach us to feel alive. You teach us to
look, to hear, to discover, to learn, to love, to wonder, to be thankful, to
love our pain, to get in touch with the Creator, to enjoy life, to have fun, to
honor the thousands of Prophets and Aulia-Allah, to keep Islam in our hearts,
to act, to treat other people with love and kindness, and to live as good human
beings. Thankyou Ustad Jee for giving us all of this and lots more. We are very
grateful to you. We will strive to live up to your example. You are always
alive in our hearts. And we promise to keep hearing what you have to say to us
so that we can reach higher. I will always love you Ustad Jee!
Yosemite National Park
(37) Yosemite National Park
5-29-97 by Fazeel Chauhan
One of the best examples
of formations caused by glaciers is the world famous Yosemite National Park. It
is located about three hundred miles North of Los Angeles, and about one
hundred and fifty miles East of Sacramento. Geologists believe that the
"U" shaped valley was created by the movement of a glacier, hundreds
of thousands of years ago. The more common, "V" shaped valleys, on
the other hand, are created by flowing streams.
Along with snow and ice,
glaciers contain debris and rocks, some of which are very large. As the glacier
moves through the valley, it scrapes against the walls. For this reason, the
walls of Yosemite valley are very smooth. The steep vertical sides of Yosemite
Valley create very beautiful waterfalls, some of which are the highest in the
world
Legacy of Urdu Poetry
(36) Legacy of Urdu Poetry
12-2-98
by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan
Language is an important
asset of a community. Language connects people to their culture, religion,
history, ancestors and expression of feelings. Urdu is very beautiful and by
definition is a multi-cultural language. When Urdu is your mom's first language
you can study English for 20 years and still be unable to reach the depth of
certain feelings. Poetry is the language of feelings and can be a good test of
a person's identity. If you find that English poetry sufficiently expresses the
range of your feelings, then you lean toward that language. If you find that
conveying a wide spectrum of feelings in English can be cumbersome at times,
then you may savor Urdu poetry. Does that mean that Urdu speakers feel more
than English speakers?
Urdu also connects us to
our ancestors. Authentic Urdu poetry is a good means for connecting to our
roots. Sometimes, a person doesn't realize the value of roots, until he's in
his 30's or when she becomes a mother. If you want to destroy a people, cut
them off from their roots. Without sustenance, even the most beautiful plant
will wither away and die. So the work that Nayyar Apa and Urdu Markaz have been
doing for a decade is extremely crucial for our survival, specially in America.
People might be staring at you with judgemental glances, but you can shrug them
off your shoulder by humming some Urdu poetry which transports you to another
place.
If you are a person who
gets confused about his identity, three easy things can help clarify feelings.
One, go to Pakistan and absorb the authentic things of the mother land. Two,
intake the positive things of the culture by making friends with wise Pakistani
elders. Three, submerge yourself in the works of bona fide artists like Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan, Khusro, Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz. Some poets specialize in
writing love songs about women. But self-realization is even higher, as
emphasized by the awesome inspirational poetry of Allama Iqbal. What's
important about Sha-ir-e-Mashriq (the Poet of the East) is his U-Turn. He got a
PhD of Philosophy in Germany and was well versed in Western thought. Yet he
didn't sell out and promoted Islamic and Eastern values.
The authenticity of the
arts of non-western people is endangered by TV and other forms of invasion.
Authentic Urdu poetry quickly connects us to our ancestors, and to the truth.
Urdu Markaz attempts to promote poets who are carrying on the bona fide
traditions of a long line of great poets. They organize wonderful poetry
readings at least once a year. The audience has been increasing greatly, as
hundreds of people attend and partake in the flavorful verses. Writing poetry
is very hard work. Good poets also have a deep understanding of philosophical,
social, political and psychological influences.
Talking about Urdu
poetry in English is a peculiar idea. The best thing is to read the poetry
yourself and attend Urdu poetry readings. You may learn many lessons through
the experiences of poets and don't have to re-invent solutions from scratch.
Like tribal music or ancient rituals, at a Mushaira, you get the sense that
your ancestors have practiced the same traditions, hundreds of years before
you. It is an un-adulterated experience of our culture.
On November 6, Urdu
Markaz held the Mushaira in Buena Park, near Disneyland. But niether
Disneyland, nor Magic Mountain can offer the rides that the Urdu poets piloted.
Plus, the Mushaira was much cheaper, and the experience meant something beyond
pure entertainment. Peerzada Qasim did an excellent job of hosting the event.
Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi was the honored president. Jameel Badlavi and Gain Chand
were the honored guests in the audience. Some of the poets were from U.S.
including: Farooq Taraz and wife Noshi Geelani, Zarreen Yaseen, Zafar Rizwi, Iqbal
Mian Zaidi and Iftikhar Naseem. Abdul-Rehman Siddiqui was given the 1997 Poet
Of The Year Award for his book "Naghma-e-Zanjeer". Amjad Adaya also
presented him with a $5,000 check. A pleasant surprise was the Community
Service Award given to Abu-Bakr Vakil for his consistant assistance.
Mansoora Ahmed had won
the Academy Of Letters Award in Pakistan. She brought tears to our eyes with
her verses about the political and social unrest. Nawaz Dayo-Bandi, Mansoor
Usmani and Irfan Siddiqui had come from India. Waseem Baraylvi, Peerzada Qasim
and Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi arrived from Pakistan. It would be unfair to acknowledge
one poet and not another. You had to be there. If you weren't, you missed an
thoroughly fulfilling experience. The program journal handed out was the best
ever. It was generously sponsored by community businesses. Printed on glossy
paper with colorful roses on the covers, it had poetry of all the greats. At
the end, it included works of the evening's featured poets. Many thanks, wah
wah and muqarrar irshaad to Urdu Markaz International!!
Muslims Under "Siege"
(35) Muslims Under "Siege"
12-2-98
by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan
Driving around town, billboards of the new movie "Siege" are very
disturbing. Specially the line "After November 6, Freedom is
history"......(For Muslims??). On November 4, the well publicized movie
"Siege" had an opening premiere in Los Angeles. Ironically, the
showing was at GCC's Avco Cinema which is right next door to the Pakistani
Consulate's office. Lucky for the Muslims that we have an organization such as
CAIR to combat the racism propagated against Islam by such movies. It was
really wonderful to witness over 200 college students, enthusiastically taking
part in the peaceful demonstration.
Mr. Hossam and others
from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) coordinated with Southern
California Muslims to hold an educational campaign. Every year, Hollywood produces
at least one film or TV movie which addresses the Jewish holocaust. Millions of
other people have also been killed in this decade in Africa. For example in
Rwanda by warfare or the rest of Africa due to famine. But the powerhouses of
Warner Brothers or Fox can't find any creative or caring people to make a
single movie about those victims. And as usual, producers keep churning out
anti-Muslim movies. For at least two hundred years, European Colonists have
proclaimed that the colonized people are dirty, evil and in need of saving.
Movies which promote stereotypes and misinformation against Muslims are just a
continuation of that philosophy. Is it insecurity that makes a person develop a
superiority complex? People who feel good at the expense of hurting others
experience only temporary happiness.
The Muslim community
responded to stereotypes promoted by the 20th Century Fox movie "The
Siege". CAIR and local Muslim Student Associations organized Muslims at
the first world-wide public screening of the film. Over 200 people participated
in the demonstration, about 90% of whom were college students. Even high school
students were holding signs and passing out leaflets about Islam for the
viewers. Several news media were present to cover the event, including Channel
5 and 9. The Muslims did not engage aggressively with the viewers. Leaflets
were offered and if someone didn't want one, then Muslims did not pressure the
person. The idea was to show people the calm side of Muslims. Demonstrators
also organized a plan for additional leafleting at other theaters for Friday,
at the public release of the movie.
The flyers addressed
three common stereotypes about Muslims being terrorists. It invited people to
visit a Mosque to learn the truth about Islam. Also explained were topics such
as 5 pillars of the straight path of Islam, the sacred Quran, peaceful Muslims
in America, the honorable role of women, misconceptions about Jihad and effects
of the stereotypes against Muslims and Arabs. One viewer said "You guys don't
look like terrorists, I'm not going to watch this movie" and went back
home.
Any Muslim over the age
of 25 has a lot to learn from the younger Muslims, as well as from African
American Muslims. These are the people who have a lot of passion about their
beliefs. Many are like born-again Muslims who follow the teachings by choice,
not simply because they were privileged to be born into a Muslim family. There
were less than 20 people at the event who were over 25 years old. The older
people were mostly African Americans. The passionate response of the young
Muslims and specially the equal participation by women was incredibly
empowering. People in cars driving down Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood, during the
6pm rush hour traffic, definitely noticed the signs that read "Freedom of
Speech = Yes, Stereotyping = No" and "Fox Puts Muslims Under
Siege".
A confident and mature
sixteen year old high school student had come from San Fernando Valley with a
friend and said "We are tired of being portrayed as evil people and terrorists".
People had also come all the way from Riverside. A group of African American
Muslims had lovingly caravanned down from the Riverside Mosque. A very well
informed brother, Amir stated "We need to show up in such numbers also in
front of liquor stores owned by Muslims. If African Americans and the rest of
us unite, we can be extremely powerful. In our community, there is no
assistance for young people to get married. Inter-racial marriage is a good
coalition which would benefit the whole Muslim community". One person said
"I'll check out the movie but won't pay for it directly. Buy the ticket
for another movie which is playing at the same time, and then go inside to see
Siege".
Another veteran activist
reported "I'm thrilled and inspired to see such a great turn out. I got
tired of carrying the weight for other Muslims. In 1991, I used to demonstrate
against the Gulf War, a block from here, at the Federal building. There were
only a handful of Muslim who showed up then. Facing the onslaught of racism alone,
had burned me out". We need to applaud the work of CAIR and the young
people in the Muslim Student Associations. They coordinated the community who
showed up in significant numbers. The result was that Muslims felt empowered
and not as helpless victims. Such community efforts are vital and require
participation by ALL Muslims. Are you taking a free ride? If you call yourself
Muslim, give something back to your community
Thank you South Asian Network
(34) Thank You SAN
12-19-96 by Fazeel Chauhan
To Mr. Hamid Khan, South
Asian Network
I would like to thank
you for all the help you've provided me through SAN over the past four years.
For me, South Asian Network has been a place where I can come to and get the
precious feeling of belongingness. There are many South Asian people, specially
the youth, who are in the same predicament as me. You have been educating and
teaching them about Career Development, English, Yoga, Laws, Health issues and
Immigration. The greatest benefit I personally gain is through the group
discussions on Immigration and Family issues.
South Asians are an
extremely new group of people to immigrate to America. Here, we lack the roots
or background of a historical presence. Since our numbers are very small and we
arrived here very recently, we don't have proper political representation.
There is also a lot of misinformation about our people in the media. Those of
us who are Muslims are falsely and frequently misrepresented as terrorists who
are violent and oppressive toward women. These major issues, combined with the
stress of adjusting to the new country and culture can really isolate a person.
The fast paced and unfriendly culture of Los Angeles also adds to the
difficulties that our people encounter. Often we feel misunderstood, isolated,
out of place and longing for a feeling of home.
Really, the only option
available to us when we want to be with our community is through religious
affiliation. I can go to the Mosque and pray with other Muslims. But there
aren't any social activities that take place there. For example, no classes
about American culture, English or Career Development are offered. There also
aren't any programs like mentoring, personal counseling or group discussions.
South Asian Network fills the void for these needs. Most people in our
community have not heard of the important services that SAN is providing. It is
a fairly new organization, but its vision is very critical for the progress of
our community. As more people find out about what SAN is offering, the available
funds will increase and so will the services to the community.
Many people like me also
lack a family because we immigrated here alone. The sincere people at SAN have
given me tremendous support. You have provided me with a lot of understanding
through personal attention because of which I don't feel so lost and alone
anymore. The volunteers at SAN, like you, give me the greatest respect as a
human being. And this makes me feel like I have some worth and that I have
something of value to give back to my community. In southern California, it is
nearly impossible to find people who genuinely care about other human beings.
Everyone is just too busy. But SAN has a different vision, and you embrace me
for who I am, rather than judging me. This makes me feel like I belong here.
Otherwise, I frequently feel like I am slipping through the cracks of society.
I commend you for having
the courage and for taking the time to help our community. I also thank you for
teaching me, for educating me and for genuinely caring about me. I am always
grateful to you. You can call me to help you with any volunteer work for SAN.
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