A Comment On Evolution

(To whom it may concern)

Recently I’ve read this remarkable book on evolution, ‘The Great Evolution Mystery’ by Gordon R. Taylor. Initially, I though this book was a critical survey of evolution from a religious/biblical point of view, but as I proceeded on, I was intrigued by it. It examines the various aspects of the Darwinian theory of evolution and tries to come up with alternative views on evolution, most importantly, the Lamarckian theory of evolution, which due to some unknown reasons, was/is never paid the attention it deserved/deserves.

A misconception among the masses, particularly those with conventional religious tendencies, is that evolution is only a theoretical rambling of an atheist which has no scientific grounds and empirical evidence. This indeed is a terrible misconception. Almost among all biological and pale-ontological circles, evolution is accepted an an established scientific fact with countless evidences. A few disagreements that exist are as to what form of evolution takes place. Whether it’s the Darwin’s theory of evolution that governs the evolutionary progress that took place throughout history, or some alternative process? Darwin’s theory of evolution does have a few missing links (which are quite fatal for a few tenets of his theory) but only a person with extreme skeptical tendencies amalgamated with religious grudge would deny the entire process of evolution on these few errors. The question that ‘Did evolution ever happen?” is not a debatable question any more. “What form of evolution?” is a more valid question.

There are other alternative, although less popular, views that try to explain the missing links in Darwin’s concept of evolution (most importantly, the sudden jerks/abrupt-evolution which at times, proves to be a fatal blow for Darwin’s and Wallace’s concept of ‘natural selection’ ) including Mendelian and Lamarkian models of evolution. Research among different views on evolutionary biology continues to re-conciliate the theoretical propositions with the empirical observations.

A note for theists: Evolution is not necessarily in contention with religion. Darwin himself was a theist (other than for the short period during which he remained an agnostic) and he considered his religious views perfectly in harmony with his theory of evolution. Among several other scholars, Dr. Israr Ahmad is a staunch believer in evolution (although his explanation was fairly ridiculous). So, someone who labels ‘atheist’ on anyone advocating ‘evolution’ only does this due to his/her utter ignorance and blind prejudice

Liberate Yourself…

With some Mozart.

While listening to this, I danced at 4 in the morning. It was euphoric. Try it.

Precious Lessons Of My Life.

Life is such an unpredictable darling. It never ceases to surprise and shock you with it’s stranger-than-fiction encounters and and out-of-the-world moments. It’s like an abyss of desolation in the depths of which is hidden the elixir of salvation. In the depths. No elixir for shallow drifters and superficial pseudos.

During the short span of 22 years of my life, which to me sure seems like 80 years, I’ve learned several invaluable lessons which to me are more venerable than any teacher and more trustworthy than any guide. Most importantly, I’ve learned that no matter how much hardships and afflictions come your way, no matter how arduous the course turn out to be – you have the will to eventually not only tolerate it, even overcome it. It’s just that most don’t utilize this power of their will while a few do. Still, some don’t even realize the potential within them and waste their entire lives looking for an inspiration outside. To me, such are the despicable beings whose veritable vocation is to advertise their problems and earn the sympathies.

I’ve realized that too much dependency on others rusts your abilities and decays your prowess. It tarnishes you human dignity and in a long run, gifts you only one thing – remorse. It should be avoided. Reduce your expectations to the lowest level and then you’d be able to extract happiness from little things and beauty from trivial happenings. On the other hand, try to fulfill what others, your near and dear ones, expect from you, while remembering that you cannot please everyone.

Finally, I’d like to elaborate my version of this cliche: “Life is short, so live it to it’s fullest.” Life might be short or long, but either way, live it like it deserves to be lived. Savor every moment of it. Utilize your abilities to their fullest, for only that’s when you’d actually enjoy the real essence of life. Dare into odd risks and new endeavors, for they define the true memorable moments of your life. Learn from every new thing you come across, every new place you discover, and every other person you encounter – with an open mind. Whatever you do, do it with passion, but don’t let these passions consume your worth.

A few lessons these, but dear they are to me. I’ve earned them.

Cafe Bol Experience.

Finally an event organized on Nietzsche while I was in Lahore. During the previous events organized in Cafe Bol I was either in Multan or wasn’t really interested in them. This was the second part of the event on Nietzsche’s philosophy, “Thus Spake Nietzsche”, with an introduction and formal discussion about his ‘Beyond Good and Evil.” The guest speaker was Asif Aktar,  a freelance writer based in Lahore. His articles appear on a regular basis in the Dawn blog, Guardian (UK), Foreign Policy, The Samosa. co.uk, and he is also contributor to Naked Punch magazine (www.nakedpunch.com).

I was picked up by Jareer bhai and we arrived there a bit late. The turn out was small but a few points in the elaboration helped me to some extent. Especially the concept of ‘Eternal Recurrence’. I had read the paragraph he cited in a book but that was it, nothing further on it. But partly due to his elaboration and partly due to some discussion with Jareer bhai – I think it’s an interesting concept and worth further comprehension. About the rest, I was aware already.

Ale bhai arrived when we were about to leave directly from his office and after that we had some real fun. Plan was to devour the famous fish of Main Market, and Kababas were an added delight. A fine meal with intellectual discussion was quite sufficient to relinquish away the frustration of a couple of weeks. Also had short discussion with Qalander Memon, the man behind the idea of Cafe Bol, who happens to be a professor of Political Science at FC College. After dinner, we spent some time in small talk and I was dropped at home by Jareer bhai around 11:30. My first experience of Cafe Bol, over all, was average but went on to be great due to the after-lecture dinner and discussion.

Desktop Orientations

Take a look at these:

Good, eh?

Looking After Babies!

For engineering students, afflicted by the demons of perpetual assignments, quizzes and above all, the hideous specter of mid terms, vacations are a dream worth cherishing. But when boredom plunges in, it takes a few instances in turning this pleasant dream into a horrible nightmare.

However, there are a few things that prove to be an adventure of lifetime in this dull and monotonous routine of life. Taking care of babies, in fact to be a bit closer to reality, to tackle the babies happens to be one of such tasks, some would like to call it a labor. And this requires even more courage and perspiration when their mothers, in moments of being typical women, are out on a shopping excursion. At least this is what my personal experience reminds me every now and then, whenever I find myself launched into such situation.

I have two married sisters and four cute little nephews. Although I like to call them little angels of my heaven, they can very efficiently prove themselves to be the demons of plunder and forebears of trouble.

One fine Sunday, it so happened that the mothers devised a usual runtime plan for shopping, and of course, I was supposed to take care of the babies. I was in the phase of formulating ways to tackle the situation tactically when Ukasha, the eldest of the four, realizing that his mother was on her way out without accompanying him, started crying with maximum volume. Other three, although not quite comprehending completely what had happened, merely followed their chief and started to rhyme his voice with quite impressive precision. The mothers, evidently used to such situations, got off and locked the door from outside. Now it was dear me and dare-them in the battle field.

I somehow calmed them down by distributing a handful of sweets among them and this first stage passed without any big trouble.

I left them playing in the T.V lounge, which I admit was a mistake, and started reading a book in the drawing room. Not more than a few moments had passed when my attention was diverted by a loud noise which was followed closely by a shrill utter of cry. I rushed out of the room to witness the scene which simultaneously surprised and scared me out of my wits. Khuzaima, the boxer, was riding poor Mas’ab who was yelling out helplessly. The actual source of noise, however, was elsewhere. It was the devastation of the beautiful mantel-piece into pieces by Ukasha, who was now standing boastfully in the manner of a king, analyzing the rubble of the conquered field. I, after an appreciable effort, managed to gather them in their sleeping room and for some time, tried to calm them down into repose. This, however, proved to be another feeble attempt at curbing the uncurbed and they kept giggling, laughing, pinching each other and crying at regular intervals, as if celebrating my helplessness!

I, finally, was compelled to give up the now-not-so-bright idea of making them sleep and decided to try my luck at something different. Observing, or having being made to observe, that they were fairly in mood of delighting and enjoying, I carried them into the lawn and freed them there. For some time, this proved to be a fortunate idea and everything went as good as it gets. Only after a while I realized that it was only a lull before the storm.

Saad was trying his best to get himself seated on the bike and Khuzaima was pulling his sleeve so that he may be given the privilege as well. I went towards them so that they may not throw themselves off the bike accidentally. They didn’t wait for my arrival and in the face of continuous jerking and tugging, the stand gave up. Khuzaima was, until that time, out of the range of the blast while Saad, fortunately, launched straight into my hands. My poor bike, though, sustained some serious injuries during this fiasco. I was in the process of condoling and mourning over the bike when I had to turn because of a bang. Before I could understand what hit me this time, there was another bang. Mas’ab, who usually happens to be the most peaceful of them all, had taken effective advantage of my diversion and indulgence in some other business and had shattered two vases to their doom!

Meanwhile, Ukasha was menacingly advancing towards the table upon which I had placed my book and glasses. I rushed towards him but, to my utter chagrin in this particular matter, the kid once again proving to be too bright and fast, had efficiently torn asunder a couple of pages out of the book with his cute little paw.

By this time, my patience had quite exhausted and I decided to leave the little rascals on their own, but I soon realized that they hadn’t decided the same about me. I brought my lunch and seated myself on the ground, placing the lunch alongside me. Khuzaima, after considering the meal with some curiosity, paced towards it in the manner of a food inspector who was there to analyze it. I tried to shoo him off with a small piece of bread but apparently his ambitions were higher than that. Other three, having witnessed this achievement of Khuzaima, decided to try their luck as well. The best thing that struck my mind was to give up and flee from the battle field. But as fate would have it, just when I was rising, Saad stretched his hand, or maybe we should call it claw, and the next instant, plateful of my favorite Chinese rice was on the ground, with the rice scattered all around. For some moments, all of us stood in utter silence, as if mourning at the funeral of the dear departed. Just when I was contemplating on my next strategy and the little imps on their next move, their was the blessed knock on the door. The mothers had arrived at the very climax of this episode.

Children were given ice-creams and sweets for their being staying at home and honoring their mamoon with their lively company while I, who had faced the music with perfect patience and forbearance, was not even considered worthy of a few words of gratitude. It wasn’t really needed, after all, as I had only performed my responsibility!

Nemesis!

(I’m back to WordPress and I think it appropriate to start here again with one of the very favorite poems I wrote. I’ve decided not to transfer all the posts from Blogger to here but I’d be posting occasionally old posts from there that I like.)

An outcry, a confession
About the faith lost
A ferocious lamentation
On the agony caused
Right for painful vociferation
Negation of perpetual pause
Only I find shallow percepts
Monition of wrath, promise of respect
I try to grasp reason, justification, argumentation
For the mundane existence
I endeavor to retrieve, to arrive at a vindication
Behind YOUR sublime BEING
Yet all I incur is a void, enigmatic silence
A suppression, an woeful imbalance
Yes! YOU anger me!
Yet existence awes me
Inducing rupture of soul
Only I refuse to cede, I defy to proceed!
For I yearn not for HOW, I long for WHY!
‘tis a tribulation lacking purport
Divulge YOURS, or I define mine!
Reveal the prefatory, or I extirpate the edifice!
Give me reason, or I unleash mine!
‘tis a mock, me the subject;
A mock of will, a mock of eternity
Crushed beneath the superior hauteur
Promises of infinity, or forebodings of enormity!
If YOUR riddle evades my potential
Then your arrogation for adoration
For eternal reverence, humble prostration
For them I present my arrogant denial!

A Beautiful Mind

Professor Abdul Hafeez Sheikh is amazing, both as a professor and as a man. He’s one of those very very few teachers/instructors who really earned my respect. With a profound knowledge on his subject, Mathematics, he has religious knowledge more than most of the so-called scholars and mufties. His lectures are usually divided into two parts (that’s an unsaid sort of rule). One part is devoted to Mathematics related concepts while the other part usually consists of ethical instructions and religious discussions. He’s a religious devout.

 

One of the most interesting things about him is his style of delivering a lecture. He accompanies the lecture with examples from everyday life and those examples usually we never forget. There’s nothing very special about them but may be it’s his style that makes them eternally remembered. Now, coming to the actual matter.

 

Today, while discussing Numerical Analysis, he gave us an example from the life of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad. He told us that Muhammad used to be extremely efficient in his decisions and that’s what matters in numerical analysis. Now don’t worry, Maths is not the thing I’m going to talk about, no. Proceeding further, the incident just came in that it was Khudaija who proposed Muhammad and not vice versa, as is the norm. Now, the quotes for which I said this whole story (I’ll write his words):

 

“You see it was Khijaida who proposed the Prophet and not he. So, it’s perfectly fine if a lady proposes a gentle man and if she openly declares her liking or disliking for someone. And what do we have in our society? Men reject women because they are short, or fat, or black, or ugly or for countless other reasons. They need a perfect women and they are considered to be perfectly justified in this demand. But when a women even thinks to do so, she’s worthy of being hanged!”

 

Usually I’m not interested in his religious examples and sermons, but this thing almost stunned me. If a man has right to carry out ‘trials’ for a platoon of women, why can’t a women? Isn’t this what the religion of this society says? Take a look at religious people: They will preach the hadiths of prophet like parrots, with infinite iterations which order to be good and kind to daughters and women but when this comes as a practical matters, their so-called ‘honor’ plunges in and the ultimate fate of the poor creature is death for the deed which is considered an ordinary, and in fact permissible matter, for man.

 

Has religion only made people hypocrites? Or does their nature stubbornly insist to follow the distorted interpretations while neglecting the noble teachings? Eastern and religious traditions are a part of our society and I’m not againt most of them but it’s the selfishness and self-righteousness of people that really ails the society. There’s something seriously wrong with this religious society of ours.

Cartoons….

I LOVE cartoons and here are my favourite cartoons of all-time. Just found em, on youtube. Favourite since my childhood!!!

(I’ll be writing on cartoons in detail soon! =P)

Pakistan Urdu School

It’s 5 am and just when I was planning to go to slumber while giving a final aimless browse to Facebook, I unintentionally came across the Pakistan Urdu School group and next instant I was reading the message board. Shit! all those golden memories from good ol’ days came flooding in and I almost wept!

I miss my childhood days in Behrain, but I miss Pakistan Urdu School more than anything else. I wonder where to start from? Those sprints at the ground near the bus-stop while waiting for the bus, the riots and games inside the school bus or playing football and exchanging WWF stickers during game periods and recess. Those stickers were indeed an obsession!

My first teacher was Mrs. Aarzoo Wadood and I can vividly recall her motherly face. She taught us English. Among my early friends were Waqar (my best friend), Aaftaab, Salman, Fardan Butt etc.

I would never forget the day when I, along with a friend of mine, Nasir, plotted to escape after the school time and instead of school bus, go home on foot! It was indeed an adventure for two 7-year olds to go on foot all the way around 5, 6 miles. We had worn jogging suits under the uniform which we took off so that any passing school-bus won’t recognize us. That was awesome, though I won’t relate what happened with me at home after that! =P

After the school time, we used to play again at the stop in the scorching heat of mid-Summer days, even though we almost always got scolding for that.

The memories of P.U.S are among the most precious recollections for me and I hope one day I would be able to pay back a little part of the fete that PUS honored me with!