The Kashmir Pulse

It is a sin to take one’s life because his or her life is not his or her own, but a gift from Allah. Yes, it is a fact that God has made us human beings, but it doesn’t mean that a person is going to trespass all the limitations set by Him. Life becomes a burden, when people go against the divine rules and begin to live in their own-made illusionary worlds. In this way, like in the case of Robert Lee Frost, who found himself at the two crossroads, however, we find ourselves at many crossroads, that make our life gloomy and there seems no light at the end of the tunnel.

Since time immemorial, the main aim of the mortal life has been comfort. For the sake of comfort, many comforts are sacrificed. Reaching the present situation and its demands, materialistic love has become the necessary aim of life. Politics, economics, society, morality, religion, etc., are subordinate to money.

One who fails to earn or get this, by hook or crook, is considered a failure. Being a failure, he or she has no option but to end his or her life because, for a living, he has no money to survive. In the following lines, we will try to understand how a person could abstain from taking his or her life.

The first step is to understand yourself. Our marvellous bodies don’t only have the need for material things. Instead, it needs something best and long-lasting. If we look closely at ourselves, there are cent per cent chances that we will come across a reality that makes material things the secondary priority, while contentment and peace occupy the topmost position. This is the first way to abstain from taking one’s life.

The second is the nature of a lifetime. It is temporary. Those things that are temporary, should not be loved at the cost of permanent things. When the world is for a limited time, why should a person go on loving it forever? It is the silliest thing to be done. A sane person never does these things, but ponders over things and never thinks of taking his or her life, for the sake of little comfort. However, it does not mean that there should be no comfort at all. Subsistence things are necessary.

The third is imitation. Stop imitating those who believe that this world is the only place to live. After death, whether a person is cremated or buried, it means nothing. They indulge in every kind of merrymaking and don’t think of anything else. However, in our case, we are under scrutiny. We can never escape from the watchful eyes. So, our case is totally different. If we follow them, we will surely fall into the depths of despair and taking our lives, will remain the only solution for us.

The fourth and last is relationships. We are the product of relationships. It is God, who is above all these things, but we have no escape. Almost all human beings and animals descend from one generation to another. In this scheme of things, every human being and animal are related to each other in their own domains.

Moreover, we all have emotions. Mother is the source of emotions. If her son or daughter commits suicide, it means that her emotions are hurt badly and in this way, there are chances that after taking her or his life, she may not find peace again.

In short, as said by Socrates contentment is the biggest wealth. A man must try his best to remain content. Earn money that is enough for him and his family’s needs. Craving for more and more, will make his life hellish and at the end of the day, there will be only path that is the path of hurting himself.

You may call it freedom or liberty. Everyone wants to do whatever he or she wants. Nobody wants to be bound by laws, whether natural or man-made. But the most important thing is that are we ready and free to do whatever we want to do or not.

In my opinion, looking at the creation of the universe, it is impossible to do, without rules and regulations. Let us look at this from different angles.

The first is God's creation. The Sun, the Moon, the planets and all other celestial bodies are bound by some fixed laws. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The Earth is at an appropriate distance from the Sun and other stars and planets. Seasons come and go without a slight mistake. Everything follows some rules that allow peace to reign. No inanimate thing makes a slight effort to go against the Creator who has kept it where it is.

So, the natural things are a testimony that freedom is here but in a limited sense, which the Creator has given them according to the divine plan.

The second is diversity. As we are aware of the fact that this world is a fight between good and evil. The main motive of goodness is that every living organism remains where it is. Any deviation from that path can prove disastrous. Human beings have been made in such a way that they always try to throw away the chains in which they are bound. But the experience shows that whenever it happens, it brings misery to the world.

Wherever evil reigns, there are cent percent chances that the natural order is thrown to the winds. We have examples like genetic mutations, nuclear experiments, worship of others other than Almighty, trying to build another world of their choice, etc., which have brought untold misery to the world.

The First World War, the Second World War, the Syrian Civil War, etc., are glaring examples that can bring us closer to the fact that life is suitable when it is bound by rules and regulations.

The third is Almighty also wants us to follow Him. He is our Creator. He knows the creation. So, it makes no sense that creation goes against the wishes of the Creator. The machine is bound to follow his master. Whenever a machine goes against the plan of the master, the machine is either repaired or it is discarded forever. This applies to human beings as well.

The grand design of the universe says that the Creator has created or made us as machines. Until, we work according to His plan, nothing awkward happens. The very moment we try to put away the yoke of Allah’s rules and regulations, we are bound to fail. Moreover, He has sent many chosen messengers to repair human beings so that they may come back to the original path. If this does not happen, then the Almighty discards us in the most brutal manner.

The fourth and last is what is the motive behind living. If a person knows why he or she has taken birth, many issues are automatically solved. A meaningful life means that it is sinful to harm anything, whether living or non-living deliberately. It means not sacrificing permanent things for temporary things.

Permanency means that it is better to remain limited for long-term gains than to break the laws, which have been imposed by the Almighty. So, meaning in life means that we are forced to obey laws for mass gain.

In short, that life is worthy of living which is full of rules and regulations. Now, the ball is in our court to decide whether to be a law-abiding or lawbreaking person. Let us ponder over it!

It’s not that I am okay
It’s that I have lost my way
Through many ways and reasons
With unexpected seasons

Through the streets of broken hearts
As enough my soul departs
Ever I felt a simple season of strange
I took myself into a thorny range

The collision of “white shirts” through competition
With self-interest, nothing to compete
Only sorrows, woes, and foes
It’s just that I am incomplete

Addicted to one's weak zones
In the hearts "a debunk thief of artificial tunes";
Just buzzling over one’s simplicity
When it’s over I weep alone
And I encourage myself by using phone!

We are living in a modern world where everything is easily available. Everyday discoveries come into existence and scientists and inventors produce useful things which make our hard work easier than they were. We are capable to do everything in less time like washing clothes in five minutes used to take us hours.

Modern technology has led to an easy and beautiful life. Its effect can be seen clearly in the present generation as they are living an easier life than their parents. They are also very much educated and mature at an early age. They seem to have intelligence compared to their parents. But it is also true that if anything has a bright side, it also possesses a dark side and it matters in our present generation.

Our modern environment has good effects as well as bad effects on our generation. That's why there is no doubt that our generation is suffering from depression, madness for fame and money, and concern for physical fitness and appearance. These are only because of maturity at an early age. There is no doubt that youth is depressed—fostering previous events in their mind and compacting in future thoughts.

Their madness for fame is such that they want to become famous at an early age. They don't want to be known by their father's name. They want their new identity, which makes their salient personality. It is right but an early age, it turns dangerous because of their vagueness and crudeness and due to this, they can be attracted to drugs. Their trance and imagination for luxury life result in failure in their careers.

Because everyone has fallen into their own greed, so today nothing is right and real just like the food is not pure. For better production, simple farmers use chemicals that give high production but no nutrients. Due to this, our generation has a deficiency of nutrients which gives them diseases like myopia, hypermetropia, hair fall, anemia, weak bones, etc. Low energy turns them lazy and that's why they don't take interest in the study, sports, tours, etc.

Similarly, they are very much worried about their appearance, since they are living in the modern world where new fashions and trends come into existence every day. This generation wants to follow these trends and in order to do so, they need money but not everyone can afford the same. It put them into another problem. They don't sustain living with the old ones as it makes them feel uncomfortable. They want to show off to their friends, relatives, neighbours so that their rank would be high.

The previous generation was not as bad as we think. They were also very happy in other ways. They might be suffering from many difficulties but those difficulties were beneficial for them. Though they know the reality of people clearly, these things matter to them. Our old generation was not as unlucky as we think in view of the modern world because they were free from these things. Their life was also easy in their view. Hard life didn't matter and our generation is suffering from many things which make them forget their luckiness.

How can they get out of these things? What should be done? First, depression and anxiety are bad results of feelings and emotions. These are the result of extraordinary pain. But to overcome these, it should be fixed in the minds of the present generation that the past has gone and the future is coming but the present is in their hands.

At the present, there are many opportunities and ways to correct the mistakes of the past as well as to make the future better and satisfied. They should remove the thoughts which make them feel sad. During these times, they should not be alone. They should stay where they can find happiness and enjoy themselves. If parents want to get their children out of this situation, they should ask them about their problems and reassure them that nothing is so wrong that can't be corrected.

Secondly, their intense feelings for fame need to be practical. It depends upon their condition and what type of fame they want. If they want to become famous in their career, put positive thoughts in their minds and encourage them but if they want to become famous with a bad attitude, action should be taken to desist them.

Similarly for money, these people should be told that money is not everything. If they have enough money for their needs, then they are happy and if they can make more money along with their happiness, that's fine. But it should not be necessarily acquired with trouble and killing happiness. If they are unemployed, tell them that in modern society, they can do their own business easily. To do so, they can get the initial investment by taking loans.

Thirdly, as far as health problems are concerned, they should be aware that apart from money and fame, health should be taken care of because money and fame can be owned by a person when he is healthy but health cannot be made by money or fame so they should eat healthily and breathe fresh air. Since today's food is not healthy, so they can get nutrition by taking nutritional pills according to their need.

The encouragement of life we see
Let’s see the days of living life
The sleep of last century is disturbed
The dreams of upcoming century – let’s see!

Across the darkness we daily face
The mob of light – let’s see
The hot sunlight is torturing why?
By healing the wounds of shadow – let’s see!

The eyes have stopped the up-down show
Now, their comeback on time – let’s see
This thirst is not going to be overcome by water
Come on with a drop of poison – let’s see!

The poem is a translation of one of the poems of Rahat Indori

زندگی جینے کا نام ہے۔ جو دن چلا گیا، اب وہ کھبی لوٹ کر نہیں آۓ گا۔ اور جو آنے والا کل ہے، اس کا کوئی بھی پتہ نہیں ہے۔ تو اس س حال ضروری ہوجاتا ہے۔ جو ماضی میں جیتے ہیں، وہ کھبی نہیں جیتی ہے اور جو مستقل کے بارے میں سوچتے رہتے ہیں، وہ بھی زندگی نہیں جی پاتے ہیں۔ جن لوگوں نے ترقی کے منازل طے کئے ہیں، وہ ہمیشہ حال میں جیتے ہیں، جن سے ان کا مستقبل بھی سنور جاتا ہے۔

مگر ہمارے یہاں حال میں کھبی جیا ہی نہیں جاتا ہے۔ لوگ یا تو ماضی کا دکھ لے کر جی رہے ہیں یا پھر وہ آنے والے ان دیکھے کل کے بارے میں فکر مند ہے، جس کی وجہ سے اندھیروں میں گرے ہوئے ہیں۔ لوگ اس بات سے بخوبی واقف ہے کس وقت میں جینا، مگر پھر بھی پریشان ہے۔ ایسا معاشرہ کھبی بھی ترقی کے بارے میں سوچ بھی نہیں سکتا جہاں پر اصل زندگی اور اصل وقت کا ادراک نہ ہوں۔ آج میں جینے کا مطلب ہے کہ ساری ذمہ داریوں کو پورا کرنا ہے۔ کل کے لئے کچھ بھی نہیں چھوڑ سکتے۔ آج ہی ہر قسم کی ترقی کو پایا جاسکتا ہے۔

کن قوموں کے نصیب میں یہ بات لکھی ہے کہ وہ حال میں جۓ۔ اس کا سیدھا سا جواب ہے وہ لوگ جن کا کوئی مقصد حیات ہے۔ اس مقصد کے لئے وہ سارا کچھ نچھاور کرتے ہیں۔ دھوپ اور بارش کی پرواہ کئے بغیر وہ آگے بڑھ رہتے ہیں۔ وہ ماضی کو یاد رکھتے ہیں، مگر وہ نہیں جیتے ہیں۔ ان کی نظروں میں آنے والا کل بھی ہوتا ہے، مگر اس کے لئے صرف تیاریاں کرتے ہیں، وہ بھی جیتے نہیں ہے۔ اس قسم کی سوچ سے کام آسان سے آسان تر ہوتے چلے جاتے ہیں۔

اس کے برعکس ہمارے یہاں شاندار ماضی کی باتیں ہوتی ہیں۔ ہاں، کسی حدتک یہ صحیح بھی ہے، مگر مکمل نہیں ہے۔ اگر ماضی شاندار تھا، تو کیوں تھا۔ آج کیوں نہیں ہے۔ اگر اس طرح سوچا جاۓ، تو ہر مشکل کا حل نکل سکتا ہے۔ ماضی میں لوگوں کے اندر کون سے اوصاف تھے، جن کی بدولت آسمان کو چھو گئے۔ اس کے برعکس آج کس چیز کی کمی ہے، جس کی وجہ سے کہ ہماری پہچان ہی کھو گئی ہے۔ کس چیز نے ہمیں بلندی سے اتار کر پستی کا شکار کردیا۔ اور ایک بات ہے کل اچھا ہوگا۔ کل تب تک اچھا نہیں ہوگا، جب تک ہم حال کو ٹھیک نہ کرے۔ ہم سے کہا گیا کہ مستقبل میں ہمارا راج ہوگا۔ آج پٹ رہے ہیں تو کل ضرور جیتے گے۔ اس قسم کی فرسودہ سوچ سے دل بہلاۓ جاتے ہیں اور کچھ بھی نہیں۔ جو آج محنت کرے گا، کل اس کا ہوگا۔ ماضی کی غلطیوں کو راہنما بنا کر، کسی بھی منزل کو پاسکتا ہے، مگر شرط یہ ہے کہ آج میں جیا جائے۔

لوگوں کے ذہنوں سے رچے بسے ہوۓ عقائد کی اصلاح کرنا بہت دشوار ہے۔ اس کے لئے کافی جتن کرنے پڑے گے۔ یہ کچھ دنوں کی بات نہیں ہے۔ یہ ایک لمبا عرصہ مانگتا ہے۔ مگر شروعات کرنے میں کوئی حرج نہیں ہے۔ ایک قدم ترقی کی طرف بہتر ہے ہزاروں باتوں سے جن کا پھل نہ ہوں۔ دنیا کے بیشتر ممالک اپنے لوگوں کی بہبودی کے لئے جی رہے ہیں۔ تو ہم کس کا انتظار کر رہے ہیں۔ سارا یہی موجود ہے۔ ہمیں صرف آنکھیں کھولنے کی ضرورت ہے۔ دنیا کے سارے وسائل کو ہم بھرپور طریقے سے استعمال کر سکتے ہیں اور آج بھی اور آنے والا کل بھی بہترین کرسکتے ہیں۔ اگر آج یہ نیک کام ہم نہیں کرسکے، تو کل ہمارے لئے خوشی کی بات ہوگی۔

Life without you is unimaginable.
Though you are not as important as oxygen, you act as a life-supporting system.
You provide strength when all foundations are tumbled down.

You are hope when all hopes are dead.
When autumn is everywhere, you are spring.
And in the cold nights of winter, you give warmth.

In the rough oceans, you are a life-saving boat
And on the dusty roads, you bring solace.
Without you, life is possible, though difficult.

Sweetness will lose its sweetness while the bitterness will magnify.
Autumn will always remain here, while spring will lose its charm.
Green fields will look like a wilderness

And the colourful flowers will be thorns.
Though you are little, you are large enough to decorate my world.
A human being’s heart is a bitter thing.

A slight disturbance can prove detrimental.
However, to build again, a slight nudge of ownership can act as a panacea.
Yes, without you, life is unimaginable.

When I begin to ponder over the creation of the world, I am lost.
The vastness of the universe leaves me astonished.
The working of neurons leaves me speechless,
While the electrical impulses are difficult to comprehend.

God has created the whole universe with such minuteness
And there is no limitation in this design that is difficult to absorb.
Giving life to dirty water is extraordinary
And going through the different stages of life is marvellous.

Diversity in everything leaves me perplexed,
But unity in diversity is what makes life unique.
Dreams are unfathomable and so are their interpretations.
Taking birth and dying is a rare phenomenon that remains rare.

Relationships define us in the long run,
But fighting alone makes mortal life worthy.
Desires are what define us
And fulfilling them is a part of life.

The other part is to opt for celibacy
And refrain from basal desires.
Knowing life is a complex knot
And it needs awakened brains to get awakened.

Thinking about creation is a pious job.
Knowing oneself is a pious job.

Where are you, my mother?
Where have you gone?
All the sweetness of life has ended,
While the bitterness has spread here and there.

The caretakers are few, while the majority are here to tear me apart.
Greenery has gone, while deserts are in plenty
And in my garden, scorching summer never goes.
The beautiful things look ugly and the ugliness is everywhere.

You were my life and you left.
You left me in the middle of nowhere.
My fragile fingers are too soft to work.
My heart is too honest to cheat.

You have made me a stone by leaving me here.
Why did you leave?
I miss your warmth.
Mother, my life is no life without you.
I loved you, my mother.

Pale yellow face and white hair
Sitting silent on the rocking chair
Looking toward the bookshelf
I guess he needs some help

Tears rolling down with stammering voice
Why did he leave me without a choice?
I’ve sacrificed my nights and days
Brought him everything whatever he said

Now I have realized what remains in my vault
Why blame anyone it was my fault
Now I have landed in an old-age home
It’s pleasing rather than to roam

Here are hundreds with the same story
I am one among them so why I have to worry
Neither a letter nor a call
They left me here and that’s all

Every day, I walk down the same street.
I console myself there.
My real life is there.
I speak to my soul there,
I talk to myself there.

I imagine myself there.
Nature is quite close to me there.
Birds hover for me in the air.
The sun doesn’t blaze there.
The moon is full of brightness there.

When the cold rainfall falls, it cools down the embers of the heart.
The soft breezes please the flames of the bruised soul.
In the same street, everything is unique.
In the same street, life is unique.
I walk down the same street every day.

Ah! On the shell swept pathway my beloved cries
O' my dear! See how quickly the life tide fails,
Cold clouds are closing over the faithful eyes
Pleading for help! Help! Help but nothing avails.

His breaths are dying, slowly kneels,
Looks at me and hears the broken sigh,
Kisses my hand, while through his mouth escapes
A dreadful word "Goodbye my love, goodbye."

Onward the blood rolls,
I, heedless of the bursting shell,
Care my beloved who lonely bleeds
Beside the muddy path where he fell.
A tragedy is born of the war's extremes
That wounded my heart and destroyed my dreams!

"Water! Water!" he cries, but in these desolate plains
We only have hope of monsoonal rains,
Alas! They are nowhere, as the days drift on by,
The cruel sun comes down from a cloudless sky.
Through this desolate place
I had gone in search of a trace
Of food, and was ready to pay
Whatever price that will keep my beloved alive for one more day,
I returned and saw beneath a setting sun
My beloved mumbling "My days are almost done."
The life that he had in store
Will now be no more!

Reflecting sadly! Wandering back to the time when he came
How prepared was he to risk his soul for my fortune and fame,
I had seen in his eyes a gleam of tender light
That told he had been waiting just to know I was doing alright.
But now this very gleam is sinking below the distant peaks,
Forlorn I mourn with the tears that surrounded my cheeks.

I want a peaceful future:
The future which is full of happiness,
The future which is full of brightness,

The future which is full of hope,
The future which is full of care,
The future, which provides employment,

The future which gives shelter,
The future in which youth reach their full ages,
The future in which truth is to be told,

The future in which falsehood is to be hated,
The future in which hypocrites are isolated,
The future in which sweet tunes are to be sung,

The future in which melodious tones are to be composed,
The future in which silence is respected,
The future in which violence is abhorred,

The future in which wars are restricted,
The future in which life is common,
The life in which death is uncommon.

Let us wait for that future.