Honest Paragraphs

Sharing a few laughs...Arabic music to my ears... a light yet reasonable breeze on a Monday evening in Islamabad... Cigarettes and 'special tea' complimented with water on the table; simplicity has no other definition. 

This music takes me to some other place. Its nostalgic yet inspiring, its like I haven't missed anything in life. Its like I`m the same 18 year old roaming around the streets of Kuwait in the summer of '06.

Oh yes, I don't wanna go nowhere. I wanna be the same Suhail, forever. Regardless of any category people put me in. I`m not here to win a popularity contest. I`m just here to live my life.

Elissa's voice is exactly what you wanna here every morning before you wake up, coming from your wife. Damn, elegance would never find a bigger fan than me. 

• Oh, take me to the streets of Cairo.
• Order some tea for me in Istanbul.
• Take a walk with me in Beirut.

Some cultures leave a mark on you forever. 

It starts with different sounds, eventually a melody works it's way and sets the mood for words...to achieve the perfect union... Initially a few things are said...that rhyme so beautifully and then set the stage for the high notes...words said with emphasis... Melody comes back again...to declare it's importance... when that is understood, the final words are said twice or more... and then... its done.

People under-estimate and even under-rate the power of eyes. One of the most beautiful parts of the human body. It has the ability to lead astray... to gain attention... to draw a line.... or provide affirmation. 

Nothing can stop me right now....I`m just in the mood...this is how I recreate; a pen in one hand, a cigarette in another... a coffee on the table... a dream in my heart.

Take a sip of life...don't fight it...let it intoxicate...There are things one does not understand in life... yet they sound so beautiful... Inspiration; sometimes comes from the least places you expect. 

Why is it that I am so confident that I`m going to live the life I always want to... Why am I so content with life... Questions that have no answers; neither quantitative nor qualitative. Explanations? Talk is cheap.

The page has been turned once again. Life is only beautiful, when you are. Don't get me wrong...you only are...who you really are. Enigmatic? Your'e just lost in translation.

The finest things in life aren't worth it...if they are not being valued. Value them... n you`ll see life in a different way...everyday.

Love & Soul go hand in hand... Not literally; metaphorically. Take a step back to reflect, you`ll be surprised with the results. We all need a break once in a while, make it worth while.

ٹیڈ رج گیا پر اکھاں نی رجیاں... ہاے پنجابی 

.what an intimate language

Slow down the melody, let the words do the magic. Increase the tempo again, let them make love...the child will be oh so perfect. Don't stop making love to it...the ultimate satisfaction is in persistence.

Nuff said.

" when you loose your way go back to the beginning to find your path"

" when you loose your way go back to the beginning to find your path"
anonymous

Today when I look my surroundings and try to understand the general feelings and perceptions of the people specially the young generations and elders it is sad to say that all I see is desperation and confusion and I ask my self why?

There is no one single answer to this but I am going to try to come up with answers which are based on my observations and experience.

Since childhood we were brought up to be good human beings, honest, truthful, cooperative and hardworking. We believe that Islam is the one true religion and the only way of life and we have to be very grateful and lucky to be born Muslims.

The harsh reality today is that our generation is lost and live in a state of limbo. We are like a boat in the ocean that is caught by sudden storm and just floating direction-less. Today the west is dominating in every aspect of life and their civilization is spreading like wild fire. Our teenagers wear jeans, and T-shirts, we dine from their top class restaurants and cafés. We listen to their music and watch Hollywood movies. Not that I am saying anything is wrong with that, because as the saying goes if you go against the current then the waves will push you back. Politically the west is also calling the shots, America is the sole superpower in the world today. Financially the west controls the world bank and IMF. In a nutshell the west is playing the music and we are dancing to their tunes. Why this change of fortune and when will the tides change?

Contrary to some mistaken believes, the problem doesn’t not lay in Islam.

Instead the problem lies with in us. We deviated from the right path, the just path and the road to salvation.

Allah says in the Quran: " Truly, Allah doesn’t change the (good) condition of people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves".(13:11)

The above ayah truly explains the condition we are in today. God is just. When God created the earth he put all the things that we needed in it and people were scattered all over the place and all were equal. If this is the case why did some nations rose and others crumbled and ended up in the wrong side of history?. What made the status of one nation to rise than the other was not that they were the chosen ones, rather it was their cheer determination and will power to take their fate and destiny into their hands, how they came together and decided to use their resources and brain-power in an efficient and effective manner. They realized that fairness, equality, justice ,security , law and order were the corner stones that will lead them to success and prosperity.

What we are lacking today is a government that is for the people, of the people and by the people.

A government that knows that they are there for the people and that is accountable to its citizens.

We are lacking an environment that welcomes change, that is tolerant to differing opinions , we are lacking an environment that nourishes independent thinking and finally an environment that encourages and promotes positive thinking. In conclusion if we want to get to the right path we have to take the following steps.

• Be God-fearing citizens
• Establish a transparent and accountable system.
• Ensure the rights of the people .
• Establish law and order
• Allocate resources of the nation responsibly and equally.
• Protect the freedom, liberty and justice of the people.
• Put more emphasis on health and education

Yin and Yang

The following material is inspired by 'Elements of Life'; music by Tiesto.


Indefinitely, Yes.

Without a doubt, Yes.

No thinking twice, Yes.

No pressure whatsoever, Yes.

I, Sohail Ayaz Bukhari, s/o Mr. Ayaz Ahmad Bukhari, will say YES to life. Today, tomorrow, forever.

No matter, what the outcome.

No matter, how uncertain the future.

No matter, how harsh life would be.

I will move against the wind, in order to find my breeze. You know what happiness is? What you get, when you give. Each expression, each muscle, each wit, each aggression; focus it on achievement. 

Q. Achievement of what?

A. Achievement of relaxation. Achievement of salvation. Of success. Of that adrenaline pumping in your heart. That force, that conscious that moves you to attain anything and everything you ever wanted. I dis-agree with people who separate the two, but what do I know, right? 

I make it sound so easy. Maybe that's my problem, either live with it or deal with it.

None of the pleasures in life would have ever been possible if people didn't live up to their full potentials. If they didn't contribute. I salute them all, the unsung heroes. At the end of the day, we are the ones enjoying the pie baked by them. Bon apatite; God bless. 

Life is nothing without سکون & paradoxically without tension. Its the battle between the two, which keeps us going. Amazingly, its the battle of the two that we need. The Yin is nothing without the Yang...death is nothing without life. What you do, determines you in the end, who you are. Some people are going to be happy about, the others disgusted. In the end, what matters is which party is more happier, but then again there's a catch, it has to be the right thing, not for the sole purpose of making people happy. 

What keeps us all going is a self-directed purpose in life. Purposes vary from individual to individual but its not rocket science to categorize them. Security, freedom, money, religion, fame, partner, righteousness, family, ego, power, love. 

I always advocate for raising one's standards. Never being satisfied with current conditions. Moralists would raise fingers at me on being ungrateful. My counter argument, God gives you fertile land, water, sunshine and a seed. Be grateful for that. But its you has to sow the seed in the fertile land, water it and then let the sunshine do its magic. Be grateful to God for everything, then make the most out of yourself. 

• If Muhammad would have been satisfied with just being a Prophet after the first revelation, we would have never seen the roles he played as a leader, teacher, military commander, negotiator, statesman, judge... (and the never-ending list).

• If the Muslims of British-India would have been satisfied with themselves they could have never understood their potential to create history by carving out a nation in the name of religion. (What they did to it is a whole another story).

• If Europe was satisfied with their limited empires would have they gone on to find The New World? 

• If the Africans of America would have been satisfied with themselves of years of segregation (even after slavery was abolished after the American Civil War), would have they marched out for the Civil Rights Movement?

The universe is a fine teacher, example and inspiration for us. It is infinite. Its just a matter of realizing...are we a part of it...or is it a part of us?

Poverty is an economic failure. Beggary is a social one.

11.59 PM. 31st July, 2011. 


Tomorrow is officially my final day and final exam at Iqra Univeristy as a graduate student. 


The clock just hit 12. Welcome August, Welcome Ramadan.

The previous month was the usual July, the usual struggle. But what's really bothering me is the class difference. Its amazing how I find all men the same. 

• The young are the usual confused.
• The grown-ups are trying their best to make sense out of life while going through egoistic dilemmas at home, work and play.
• My favorite ones are the Senior Citizens. They envy the young; they hate their guts. They dictate how one should be, but then again...nothings good enough for them...unless you play your cards right.

Rule # 1: Never Outshine The Master. Oh, I`m being too critical. 

Then again I`m too skeptical about beggars. But that's my problem. The other day, sitting at Trappers in F-10 Markaz, I see this lower-class woman with 2 bundles of pens in her hands. Impulsively, I call her, then I walk up to her. 'مائی، کننے دا اک پن ؟ ' 'پنجی دا ' She replies. When I take out money to give her, to my surprise, she starts praying for me. 

' نہ جی ، تسی بڑا چنگا کم کر رے او. ماشاللہ حلال دا کماندے او."

I wish I added, 'Never raise your hands in front of anyone for survival'. Ah, there's always something left unsaid. 

Life, as we know it. I've been a puppet, a popper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king. Seeing life through all these roles has been amazing. I have a huge respect for people who don't beg...who earn their livelihood through work, through honest means. Poverty is an economic failure, beggary is a social one. Standing up on one's feet is not as easy as they say. But trying to, is the essence of character. 

Not everyone is born a failure, but to die as one, is. Balance. God dammit, Balance. Something that I know is the secret to salvation, but so hard to attain. But lets not take our eyes off the ball here. God took 6 days to make this world, man took 6000 years. Its about time I make mine. When I have The Architect with me, who else do I need?

الله نے ہمیں ذمےداری اٹھانے کے لئے پیدا کیا ہے.

And its human nature to avoid it, because we have free will. That's what separates us from the angels. That's why God loves us more than them. We all love our women, houses, careers, cars, comfort, fine cuisines...but coming out of that to say Hi to God is worth more to Him than a million prayers by angels. Jesus, how hard can it be? Bukhari, understand this yourself first before you preach others. Remember, hypocrites don't practice what they preach?

I live a life of an observer. I keep observing human behavior. What people do, why they do it? Whats their motivation? 

• Money?
• Power?
• Sex?
• Self-satisfaction?
• Good-will?
• Gossip?
• Out of habit?
• Cheapness?
• Attention?
• Love?
• Revenge?
• Intoxication?
• Achievements?
• Idealism?

I need another cigarette. There's no 'Conclusion'. There's only 'Findings'. Recommendations? Jesus, I`m not writing a fuckin' report. It gets interesting as it goes on. There's a fine line between passion and emotion. I admire passionate people, I discard emotional ones. Reactive people, caught up in their own insecurities, always blaming others for their own mistakes. 50 said, 'Get rich or die tryin'. I say, Get smart to die tryin. 

“..In the end what matters most is,

                                                 How well did you live

,How well did you love

,How well did you learn to let go…”

– Unknown