Chowraha

Gumrahi vich ae ee hidayat Nuur sufaid siyahi vich - - - Sachal Sarmast - - -

"WE ARE ALL MORE THAN THE SKIN WE ARE IN" What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as a work of art in progress? Imagine that you are a Masterpiece unfolding, every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath. (Thomas Crum)

This article compares Ramadan between college in California and home in Karachi and aims to bring out the universal essence of Ramadan. I wrote this for Ohmynews but it was later also published in Dawn newspaper.

This article of mine was first published on Ohmynews and later picked up by Amateur Computerist - a renowned Columbia University magazine. This was my first citizen journalism article, and was fortunate enough to stay on the homepage for 2 months.

Exaggerated stereotypes of the 'other' on TV and in print only propagate fear and hatred. Read further an article of mine that was published on Ohmynews Citizen Journalism site.

I wake up every morning to the realization that I am a captive in mind, and body. Every single day I struggle to unleash myself of the shackles that bound me, only to realize that the chains are stronger than I might think. I end up making compromises so that at night I can dote in the assurance that I do have an identity of my own, only to give way to the next day which reminds me that yesterday I had just settled the confrontation my mind and soul were in, and that I have not solved the problem yet. I march in peace protests singing slogans against hatred, but am still unable to look at my own countrymen with an equal eye. I voice the truth that we are all the same people, from the same roots, the same beginnings and that we are all sailing towards the same end; yet I do only but worry about my security when I read about the butchery based on sectarianism, ethnic differences, ideological differences, and misconceptions. I walk the streets of my city, with that swing in my steps that

They say you (ideally usually) only get married once so enjoy the moment - and celebrate! Women are the most pro-active believers and followers of this theory. But when celebrations are talked about, us Pakistanis, the ones who also consider ourselves to be very-practicing Muslims, often indulge in questions like ...is this celebration haraam or halaal. Women are the most pro-active at discussing this topic too...because who really cares about going in the slums and trying to sit with families, figuring out n trying to solve their problems (when we pay our servants generously any ways), or who really cares about where a sister-in-Islam is being raped and killed by a foreign soldier, or who really cares how many Muslims are being bombarded in the name of war-on-terror in your own country leave alone any other, or which leader is being unjust, or which 10 year old has a dying father or an abused mother, 8 younger siblings with no clothes and no food, and you know other such menial questi