Spells & Potions For Life

  Prophet Muhammad said “Health and time are two of God’s most wasted blessings among most humans.” , Hassan Al Basri, a famous Muslim scholar, theologian and mystic, who was taught by one of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) closest companions, said: “I have lived in times when many people were more careful about how they spent their lifetime than how they spent their money.” Without much conundrum ,I will begin by sharing a real story, one of my uncle suffering from the cirrhosis of liver , during his last days he said something like, wish If he had more time, he would have lived it fulfilling some of his wishes , only if he had a little more time.Time is like a king ,unlike the Kings of the world, who might be powerful , but even they are slaves of time, time stops for none, the only has the power of command on time is the creator of heaven and earth .Yet we waste one of the most expensive asset,like throwing a useless thing in the garbage. The youth is wasting it...

Radio talk show host and political analyst Garland Nixon wrote on his Twitter account “Zelenskyy has 1.4 Billion dollars. More than Will Smith, Chris Rock, and Dave Chapelle combined. We are to believe that he made that as a comedian in the poorest nation in Europe?”.Seems like comedy and comedians are taking a new turn in history,  when one former comedian turned politician Zelensky is using a poor nation of Europe getting played in the hands of  NATO and it’s war enthusiast members  and another comedian Chris Rock,  getting slapped infront of millions of viewers at the Oscars for cracking a joke . The Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy,  is using his acting skills to their best , it won’t be wrong to say he’s infact taking it to the next level, switching from a joker to a hero and from the hero to a helpless ,and then a warrior like character perfectly, his act of appeal to an illegal Zionist state , committing a war crime in  Palestine    “...

  I was listening to Stephen Colbert and he smoothly suggested with gusto , about Will Smith slapping the comedian Chris Rock, after Chris made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett ,that “if you really wanna hurt a comedian, don’t laugh, that hurts way more than a punch “. Absolutely, that would have been a better response. When millions of people are watching you , a huge portion of human beings looking up to you,  learning from your actions and reactions, you cannot act with such a street swaggering attitude and violence oozing out. Although his emotional explanation  might touch the hearts of many , but c’mon , every single human on planet earth is suffering ,   we are all dealing with pain and heartache . There mustn’t be any explanation for such thuggish attack. On the other hand ,the media got something interesting to spiral up their ratings , just like  Russia and Ukraine crisis  made the world forget coronavirus completely, nowadays everywher...

  Wars have no mercy, the destruction and obliteration is limitless once it begins. Yemeni architecture is unique and distinctive, the details and patterns are absolutely stunning,  as Yemeni builders are known as wonderful builders ,their eye for creativity and detail is eye catching,the ornate arched window frames and external geometric decorations exhibits the architectural magnificence and the Yemeni heritage. Since the merciless  war started in Yemen  on the 26th of March 2015, where 400,000 civilians murdered and 17 million more starving to death.The Yemeni architecture is also under attack. As 101 archaeological sites and landmarks have been reported damaged and destroyed till February 2019. This drawing is to remind the world about the  forgotten war on Yemen,  asking for their attention through art ,using the  language of colours  towards Yemen, where from 7 years  United Sates and United Kingdom’s  backed war and siege against ...

  When I hear people ignorantly claim that Islam asks people to convert others forcefully, it sounds extremely absurd and ill logical ,before giving a religious response ,which is like a difficult conundrum for many to understand , here’s a simple question,can you force anyone to love you? Can you make anyone fall in love with you, especially the one who has decided to never love you, no matter how hard you try?The answer is absolutely a Big No. We all know this inside our hearts. No religion suggests it’s followers to use force to increase the number of its followers, especially the Abrahamic faiths,and in Islam the message is clear as the blue sky,one of the verses in the quran leaves no doubt , “لا اكراه في الدين ” meaning “There’s no compulsion in the religion “.Furthermore another verse is even more beautifully responding to this false accusation , in chapter Al Kafurun , distinctly speaks to the nonbelievers, “Say, “O disbelievers,I do not worship what you worship.Nor are you...

  Khalil Jibran so eloquently said “You cannot judge any man beyond your knowledge of him, and how small is your knowledge” There are many Amongst us who always complain about others lack of joining the fun , being an entertaining soul, dull or not matching others high spirits, not smiling enough , not being lively. Many of us must have often heard ” o please don’t invite him/her , he/she is so boring,  or she/he doesn’t have much interest in the conversations nowadays,  not much fun to have around “. In fact ,Some people takes it to the other level and directly say it in others face that they’re socially unfit for the company.  We are quick to form opinions  but we never reach out to them sincerely and ask them, why they are like the way they’re? we selfishly complain about others introvertsness , their silence , but we never care enough to ask what made them lose their smile ?Because there is always a reason, for someone to act in such a fashion. When every hu...

  Came across these profound words of Rumi from “Because I cannot sleep “,whilst drawing this art ,reminded me of spring flowers from all the war warzones,especially the spring of Afghanistan,the spring of Syria ,Yemen and Iraq ,the beautiful lands waiting for the flowers to bloom and butterflies to fly around those colours, adding more life to it . “Because I cannot sleep I make music at night. I am troubled by the one whose face has the color of spring flowers. I have neither sleep nor patience, neither a good reputation nor disgrace. A thousand robes of wisdom are gone. All my good manners have moved a thousand miles away. The heart and the mind are left angry with each other. The stars and the moon are envious of each other. Because of this alienation the physical universe is getting tighter and tighter. The moon says, ‘How long will I remain suspended without a sun?’ Without Love’s jewel inside of me, let the bazaar of my existence be destroyed stone by stone. O Love, You who ...

  Many years ago whilst going through a dark time in my life I asked one of my friends what is the difference between a divine punishment and a test or trial? and he responded with a profound yet simple answer,it’s very simple,whilst going through a trial or test, if you forgot your creator this is certainly a punishment and if you remember him that is nothing but just a temporary trial,later he added which if you truly are a believer is promised by him ,that he will test us. We humans always confuse punishments and trails,when hit by a calamity, an illness,an unfortunate accident,or loss of loved ones ,we instantly chose to challenge and begin denying his mercy ,whilst forgetting that the creator of Heaven and Earth only intends to try the believers not everything is meant to be a punishment saying that every pandemic and trial is a punishment is also the idea of ignorants.Unfortunately, many times when an affliction strikes someone, the people around us sometimes begin to makes u...

  British parliament member Julie Elliot said ” The Palestinians are looking to us to speak and act in the same terms.  We sanctioned Russia over Crimea , and we are now likely to impose more sanctions, Yet Palestinians ask why we do nothing to end Israel’s occupation”.History will never forget the double standards and hypocrisy of  European leaders and the nations  that this Russia and Ukraine crisis has exposed, everything clear as crystal infront of the whole world,  from the language of condemnation to practical actions,  from the Sanctions to taking in Ukrainian refugees without fussing about overpopulation,  economic burden, from demonising a religion to the derogatory language by their media , politicians and commoners on the streets. The European Lawmakers  from European countries like Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, and Denmark have shamelessly drawn distinction between those fleeing Ukraine and those from the Middle East and Africa. Pardon...

                          (image is an illustration by Vincent Chong)   You must have watched and read in movies or stories,some of the cunning antics of rivals undermining each other, by poisoning food ,pheasants and animals , or in old times spreading a plague in the enemies territory, a tactic of harming the enemy without going to war. This recent news flying about discovery of existence of American funded biological weapons in Ukraine by Russia is asking for attention, certainly needs an open minded and unbiased analysis. As these so called  superpowers have huge criminal records , their yearn to control the world and masses is not a conspiracy but a proven reality.Therefore ,all of them desperately wants to dominate each other, like bulls fighting in a ring while completely unconcerned about the grass getting crushed under their feet. To many it might seem like a propaganda or conspiracy but wise ones says “...

  In his book “The pilgrimage ” Paulo Choelo wrote  “Understand that there are people that are not good for us ,regardless how much we love them” reading that the first thought that came to my mind was it’s easier said than done . When you are in love ,or fancy someone,  all the red flags are burned , caution is thrown to the wind, we create reasons and justifications for their behaviors, we crush our high values under our own feets, we even tell ourselves what’s wrong with making mistakes? Or secretly hoping that with the power of patience or some miracle things might change magically for us . This is even more harder for those, who open their hearts & souls like once in a blue moon , they’re extremely difficult on their ownselves when it comes to connecting with someone. For the easy come & easy go types , it’s a few days of mourning and then they return to the next flower like a house fly. But those who have a tight lock on the door of their hea...

  Few months ago while talking to my mother I said “now I understand why some people use antics and drama to get what they want , because loads of time chances are they’re pushed back so badly that they seek survival in cleverness & playing others back” Then today, I was listening to  Hamza Yusuf Hanson , a brilliant speaker & knowledgeable scholar ,in that video he shared a verse of Quran, from Chapter of Prophet Yusuf PBUH( Joseph) ,verse no 28  إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ”٨” “surely your plot is great/vast /intricate” addressing the women who planned to get attention of Prophet Yusuf in her way . The Arabs of that time and men now says , plotting is womens nature ,and use the reference of this verse (if they’re Muslim or have read the Quran ) whilst the commentator says ,when you oppress people when you take away their rights, they end up going to trickery ,and to machinations to get what they want  because they can’t get them any otter way . We complain abo...

  The  horrendous war  that has driven the magnificent and diverse land of Yemen, full of  culture  and traditions, into stone age , where the Saudi’s in alliance with US & British governments are carrying out human degeneration in its worst form , not just bombing the Yemenis with impunity,  but the nefarious way they’re starving from humans to animals aswell by imposing seige on Yemen, which is heartbreaking. When I speak to my  Yemeni friends  and they sadly shares how this war is destroying their centuries old culture and history,I feel that despondency. I would like  to share one of the most noticeable heritage of Yemen ,their dagger,  in Arabic “Jambiya” , The people of Yemen have other names for the jambiya aswell,  ‘asib and tuza. The first refers to the type worn by tribesmen and ordinary people in the towns, while the second is applied to those worn by the aristocrats or chieftains. An artistically designed dagger , wi...

  “We will return, that is not a threat ,not a wish ,a hope ,or a dream ,but a PROMISE ” ,these are the strong and passionate words of ,Remi Kanazi ,a Palestinian poet ,his words roaring with the energy of resistance , like the Palestinians always says, ” these walls will fall” ,indeed ,the wall of oppression and illegal occupation never stand much longer , from Berlin to Palestine, they’re destined to fall. Whilst drawing “Handala” , the powerful image of resistance was created in 1969 by a Palestinian political cartoonist Naji al-Ali ,who was born in 1937 in al-Shajara, a small Palestinian village in the Galilee. In May, 1948, Ali’s village was destroyed by zionist forces, and its 893 residents were exiled.A huge number of semetic Palestinians were murdered with impunity and those who survived were forced into exile .Naji al-Ali was only 10 year old, and saw himself in Handala, a child with tattered clothes, no shoes and messy hairs ,with his hands behind his back ,patiently wait...

  You understand more when you experience it ,empathy has a price we have to pay to learn it , today while communicating in the metrobus ,I saw a little girl from syria ,barely 5 year ,a sweet looking child ,holding a halved plastic bottle,turned into a glass like shape,to ask for coins ,with her sister, who looked almost 8, playing an instrument.What brought my attention to that tiny face was her stumbling down on the floor ,perhaps someone shoved her by mistake or she couldn’t keep balance and fell down,but instead of crying or making a face,she bravely stood up,looked at me with innocence and stood near me ,and after I dropped some coins in the makeshift money collection bottle in her hand ,she smiled and thanked me in a way that made my eyes brimmed with tears. While learning to paddle my canoe , I know the fears and the helplessness much better now. We are all born with pride , it rips my heart to witness a little child , extending her hand infront of strangers , we grown ups ...

  Whilst drawing this image , I imagined the life of these birds sitting on the branches ,waiting for the day light to come,rain or shine ,they wake up, get ready, dust and oil their wings,  perhaps put a fresh coat of makeup,  and leave their nests, from dawn till dusk,  there’s no change or day off in their routine, do you know what drives them ? It’s their need to survive,to hunt for food and water ,for their own selves and their families. What drives you?? this question is vital for every human being, it’s a driving force that keeps us alive. We realise it’s importance in a completely different way, when we are going through a rough patch in life or a phase of depression.When the tiniest everyday task like ,getting out of bed,washing the face ,eating meals seems like climbing mountains ,and we begin asking ourselves, why I wake up? Why I wash myself, why should I eat? When there seems to be no reason in our minds, we lose our sense of purpose,our driving force ,w...

  Putin has put the marker down finally , openly challenging and changing the geopolitical reality ..Russia has amassed about 150,000 troops near Ukraine’s border while demanding that the United States provide guarantees that Ukraine will never become a NATO member, the Russia and Ukraine conflict is extremely complicated, its not just  about one thing but a plethora of factors, it’s about illegal NATO expansion, exacerbating abuse of Russian speakers in Ukraine, its about rise of increasing nazi ideology , neo-nazism and violence. It’s a serious phenomenon, with the European union, NATO  and its members ignoring these crimes, and normalizing this in the region.  Arnuad Bertrand  wrote a thread on Twitter saying , Most fascinating thing about the Ukraine war is the sheer number of top strategic thinkers who warned for years that it was coming if we continued down the same path. When the media is portraying to the world , Russia as an aggressor and Ukraine a poor...