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Since the root of all this evil is the inability to control oneself, then it would be of paramount importance to have training sessions for a whole society in order to strengthen their will power and avoid these destructive pitfalls that adversely affect everyone. Fortunately in the Muslim world there is such a training session during the blessed month of Ramadan. Every Muslim that fasts gets intensive exercise in withstanding many different kinds of temptations. The temptation to eat, drink, have relations or even get angry is overcome every day for a month which prepares us for the many arduous tests we face in life.

Aside from gaining will power and the ability to control desires, fasting instills within us a deep  feeling of gratitude along with patience. Deprivation leads to appreciation. After a long day of fasting our sense of taste and smell are heightened. Each sip of water is like releasing a gushing, cool river in a dry, barren land and each morsel of food that is consumed is like feeding a person who has been stranded on a desert island with very little to eat, the most exquisite, scrumptious meal. It is what Gestalt therapy defines as being focused upon the individual’s experience in the present moment, being mindful and being in the here and now.

In a world filled with immediate gratification, it is very healthy  to learn how to delay the simple pleasures in life. Having the patience to withstand temptation and tolerating the delayed gratification are highly important elements in attaining personal maturity. We are trained patiently to wait for hundreds of things in life that take time and are delayed without a warning.

Firman and Vargiu remarked that fasting was a method of helping an individual move toward self-realization and reach for super conscious energies. In this respect, a period of fasting can trigger exceptional human performances, paranormal abilities, and altered states of consciousness. This explains how we are able to accomplish such lofty, spiritual endeavors during Ramadan although we are sleep deprived and abstaining from food with such zeal and contentment.

The euphoric state we experience while fasting can be classified as a spiritual catharsis which describes a purging that heals and restores the soul. It is the expelling, vacating and discharging of impurities within us to purify ourselves and reunite us with Allah. Fasting can be an extraordinarily transformative spiritual practice (Len Sperring). It provides the opportunity for releasing earthly ties, joining with the sacred and creating feelings of deep connectedness. Randi Fredricks stated that fasting has the innate power to change the individual, the community and ultimately the world.

When we reflect on the psychological implications of fasting (saum), then we are even more empowered to embrace the blessed month of Ramadan and soar to new heights of spirituality in hopes of strengthening, purifying and enlightening the soul.

You’ve also got 4GB of storage onboard paired with a 4GB microSD card in the box, 512MB each of ROM and RAM, a quadband 3G radio that’ll travel well around the globe, a 480 x 360 touchscreen display (same resolution as the Bold 9700) measuring 3.2 inches, the typical optical trackpad down below, and an interesting new Media Sync feature that’ll let you sync your media library right over WiFi — something various third parties have tried over the years, but has rarely been offered as an out-of-the-box capability.

http://www.engadget.com/photos/rim-blackberry-torch/#3230777

Note: When I have complete my Golf ‘Project’  – Pictures of before and after will be available, including a description of what was done… Watch this space!

When we make dua, Allah hears more than we say, answers more than we ask, gives more than we desire and much more than we deserve! May Allah answer even those duas you didnt make and bless you every moment of every day!

Above all to try & understand. To never look away. To never, never forget, & to hold with you all that you have found in a hidden place, on a hidden wall.

One of the best Bollywood OST albums i’ve heard, brilliant songs, inc. the remixes. Also check out: Kuch to Baaki Hai, Milenge Milenge, Hare Kanch Ki Chuddiyan (All excellent tracks)

Click Here for Lyrics (with English Translation)

From the day I moved in I had my room set out the way I wanted it, which was, a place to relax and wind-down after work, or long nights of chilling with my friends. For all those who saw it, I’m sure you will know it did…

I know I can re-create the atmosphere I had if I was to move into a flat, but now its different, the people I have known and lived with for 3 years will not be living with me, and that is hard to take – despite some bad times, there was more good, and I guess that is what has left us all being so close.

“We all had so much time, but time didnt give us enough time”

From Cozmo to DRB to SRB, and now it’s all over… I am sure I’m not going to be the only one missing the times we all had, and I hope we all re-unite more often than not. (You’ll all come running back here I know it)

For now, Good luck to all my friends/family graduating this year (isA) I hope you all get the grades you chilled so hard to get, and eventually end up working in Manchester

PS: It all goes down hill from here, so make the most of your holidays!

A recent find led me to have a memory filled Sunday; I spent most of the evening in my room looking at pictures of the past 3 years (since graduating from university). I found it strange how the people around me, whom I converse with on a daily basis, were not in my life prior to Q4 2007 or later, and yet funnily enough, it seems as though I have known them all my life. Begs the question, would I be the same person I am today without them around? (Ie: If I took a different route after university).

Our memories together have been amazing to say the least, and despite some not so good periods, I can only say that our bonds (in most cases) have become stronger. With so many of my friends/family graduating this year (insha’Allah), it’s hard to come to terms with the fact things are going to change, but I’m sure the connection will remain… Somewhere… Somehow!

Hmmmm…

Moving on – I have recently been reading/discussing in forums about Religion/Culture clashes, and find that its predominantly the Pakistani Muslims who tend to use their culture as more of a guideline for their way of living, than any other country. I think in most cases this is due to lack of religious education, but this shouldn’t matter, we all have a mind of our own – so if ever led astray, we should be the ones to learn and better ourselves. We just need to know the difference between right and wrong.

With desi-culture rapidly becoming redundant and taken over by the new “modern way of living” I wonder, does this make more room for religion in the future? / Should it make more room for religion in the future? Logically it should.

Change is a horrible thing if the result is negative, but thinking positively we should use it to our advantage, learn from our mistakes, prevent similar situations arising, learn to be patient and deal with issues better… All of which will always have room for improvement, nobody’s perfect.

This leads me to my most recent read ‘Men’ – I mean this is the most heterosexual way possible, so please refrain from jokes, Haha!

I read about a man who believes that men should be more relaxed and have less worry than in previous years, he stated that after millennia of being providers, warriors and leaders we no longer have to slog our guts out being the “bread-winners” if we don’t want to, as we now have a choice.

I guess this is true, but I personally think the “worries” are still there, just for different things, ie: money… material goods etc. also with women working these days, it may be that men don’t have to go out and earn anymore, but I still have it in me that it’s a mans responsibility to provide for the house, does that make me old fashioned?

If it does, so what…!!!

I, like so many others, am understanding that its time to find out who I really am and what I really want/need before I commit to making it happen. How I do that, is another question altogether….