“THE DIGNITY OF DEATH IS NOT GIVEN TO ALL BY ALLAH” – (BRIG SALEEM ZIA)

A FULFILLMENT OF LIFE SPENT FOR NATION IS DREAM OF EVERY SOLDIER

We come across Commandos all the time. The film version and the real ones. Arnold Schwarznegger and Sylvester Stallone look rather unreal in actual life. But to hear the ordeals that go in making a Commando and then the trials of leading a life like one, is stuff of dreams. Somehow we do get a chance to meet and know real ones.

Amongst the pioneer ones was Brigadier Saleem Zia. A prisoner of war in India in the 1971 war, and subject to daily torture is a story all its own. The crushing of the Balochistan rebellion and he was part of it. Mountains with brain washing techniques going on, just like a movie story. The many Lahore boys caught in the rebellion there. All for Pakistan. May Allah grant him peace in heaven!

THE DAYS OF IKE AND AYUB, GOOD WILL AND LAUGHTER,
THE ZENITH OF RELATIONS BETWEEN USA AND PAKISTAN

Today we see Heads of State meet and seriousness surround their faces. Like sulking childs, every one trying to get the maximum advantage. International relations were never ever like that. It included smiles and laughter, and sharing odd jokes. We took out two photographs of the American and Pakistan Generals, and were amused to see them so happy with each other. The laughing Generals are viewing a Khattak dance display at Presidents House Karachi on the visit of General Eishenhower to Pakistan.
We look forward to those days when our Presidents will laugh again.

CONSTRUCTION OF IMARATS BY MIR IMARATS OF MEDIEVAL TIMES
AS OBSERVED BY THE LEGENDARY USTAD KAMAL UD DIN BEHZAD

A new wave of construction is in vogue nowadays. The newer methods are not time tested. Not even environment tested. Aesthetics borrowed from far away Islands. Use of metal and plastic abounds. But our traditional construction in its simplicity and in its strength stood the test of time. Even today you find the same kind of construction taking place as was done thousands of years back. Even in Islamic lands it was same. The tools of the architect, the mason, the labourer are all that we recognize today and use in lesser craftsmanship form. The spade is miserable as compared to a spade 500 years back. The plumb line was a thing of beauty and we have collected plumb lines of the past. A real decoration. Time has made many buildings fall but we still see their remnants standing as strong as ever.

The greatest legendary painter of Islamic lands Kamaluddin Behzad recorded some of these construction scenes and he had the most observant eye for them. It is a treat to see these forts and palaces and mosques being constructed in previous times. We share some old views. Relish the pleasure of looking at them!

ATTA ULLAH RUSHDI SON OF USTAD AHMAD MIMAR LAHORI,
THE CHIEF ARCHITECT OF EMPEROR AURANGZEB ALAMGEER

A book on Atta ullah Rushdi is due from us and it will eventually be published. More and more material has come to light and it is not recorded anywhere. More information on his achievements, his books, and his own family. We will try to put same on blog too. Suffice to say that he, Atta ullah was a favourite of Prince Alamgeer during his tenure as Governor. Later on the patronage continued when Aurangzeb Alamgeer became Emperor. Some information is not in new minor places but major missed sources like Maiseray-e-Alamgeeri itself.

We all know that the Mausoleum of Rabia Durrani wife of Aurangzeb Alamgeer in Aurangabad was made by him. And surprisingly the information is on the entrance itself. We publish the inscription in this blog. We include a rare Seal of Atta ullah on a Mughal document which links him to the Emperor in 1075 AH. We also know that the Rabia Durrani structure is based on the achievement of his father, that is the Taj Mahal itself.

We also know that the tomb of Ustad Ahmad Mimar is in Aurangabad too, that is in the graveyard of Khuldabad. But we have not contact with people in charge there. M.S. Vatts article is still the source of light for us. This Vatts Sahib informed us that there is an inscription on it put by Lutuf ullah Ahmad Muhandis. We continue to research on that. Perhaps somebody from Khuldbad can help us. We will be very grateful. Till then enjoy!

THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN TREAT AHMADIS AS NON MUSLIMS
WE FOUND MANY AHMADIS BLAMING ZULFIQAR ALI BHUTTO FOR SAME
BUT FORGET THAT MIRZA GHULAM QADIANI HIMSELF WANTED SAME

It is not our job to criticize others. We have to respect our believes and we have to respect believes of others. Dr Allama Iqbal initially welcomed Mirza Sahib as a scholar but then realized the consequences of same, and considered them a threat to Islam. We need not go into that intricate matter. Our reference is to son and second successor Mirza Basheer-ud-din Mahmud Ahmad himself, when he writes in his own book “Ahmad” published in 1924:

“AHMADI TO FORM A SEPARATE COMMUNITY FROM OTHER MUSSULMANS
The year 1901 was the year of census. The promised Messiah issued a notice to his followers, asking them to get themselves recorded in the census papers as Ahmadi Musssulmans. This was. therefore the year when for the first time he differentiated his followers from the other Mussulmans by the name of Ahmadi.”

When the Prophet of the Ahmadis instructed his followers to identify themselves as a separate entity as AHMADI MUSSULMAN, what else is left? The census of 1901 itself proves the point of same. A separate community by any standards.

The strangest part is that the reference to the so called return of Imam Mahndi, does not exists in the Quran, and yet the concept is nudged in culture all the time. The lowering of the Imam Mahndi on the white minaret of a mosque east of Damascus looks like a biblical fantasy all the time. A simple ruse to lower the esteem of our own Prophet (PBUH), nothing else.

Respecting believes of others, does not mean dispensing with ones own point of view. Eventually truth does prevail!

UNLESS YOU SIT STILL AND CONTEMPLATE IN SILENCE,
PIN DROP SILENCE AND THE SECRET OF BELGIAN NUNS

It is an age of rigorous exercise, endless movements, pathetic dance sequences, with a simple message. Keep moving and stop thinking. In fact as long as you are twisting and turning, your mind molecules will not start working. The stereotype of the thinker was always a person sitting in contemplation and solving unusual problems of life. Science, mathematics and philosophy, anything, all owe their existence to the thinking human. In fact Allah tells us not to accept anything without THINKING AND PONDERING over it. Not even Islam itself. And the thinking mind gets worse when with these ridiculous movements, you crash the brain with drugs and alcoholic contents. Certainly without thinking, humankind has no future and no survival chances in a dark and murky world.

This is very well known by devilish lobbies, who are waylaiding the devlopment of the younger minds. Consider any class room and its etiquette. All teachers stop the class from unnecessary talk. No talking please! Sister Anthony of Sacred Heart School was a great and kind teacher. She would demonstrate this silence very well. She used to take common pin in her hand and drop it. And then, she used to ask, have you heard its fall on the floor? All students said in a single word, NO. Well that is the PIN DROP SILENCE I require from you, said Sister Anthony. We remember this all the time. But now the party is where the SOUND is. Blasting your brain out of its rationality.

Life is about mixing Silence and Sound. The best mix is dictated by you, yourself. Screaming sounds, obnoxious pelvic movements, does not even make good sex. Allah has given you various gifts. Utilize them all. Do not let your brain rot. Even today we do not exploit 5% of our brain power. Imagine when we can increase that, at what state of evolution humans will get?

UNIQUE ILLUSTRATED MANUSCRIPT FOR PRINCE KHUSRAU MALIK GHAZNAVI AROUND 1150 AD,
WESTERN SCHOLARS RELUCTANT TO CREDIT LAHORE WITH THIS CREATION OF GHAZNI INSPIRED

Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi founded the city of Lahore in a new phase and named it Mahmudabad. Coins were minted here in Lahore, and a golden coin was discovered in the Lahore Fort. With Sultan Bahram Shah, the might of the Ghaznavids was coming to an end. Bahram Shah sought recluse in Lahore after Ghazni was invaded and destroyed by the Ghauris. He ruled for decades. His son Khusrau Malik ruled Lahore for eight years. He lived here and died here. During his reign literary activity continued and here is proof of that. An illustrated manuscript of Fables of Bidpai, done in Lahore, around 1150 AD.

The fables of Bidpai involve the two foxes KALILA AND DIMNAH, and the fight between good and evil, recited through animal fables. The originator was Panchatantra. In two of the miniatures, the King Dabshallim and the Brahman philosopher story teller Bidpai are shown, and the poses reveals the local origin. In fact the poses are the origin of the many miniatures of Hindu Rajas which come to us though time. Enjoy!

THE NEED TO MEASURE LAND AND SPACE
EUCLID GREEK FATHER OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

DEFINING PLEASANT PROPORTIONS FOREVER IN TIME

The Quran starts from the concept of proportionate in life, and everything in life is considered in proportions. Sura Fateha starts with our praise for Allah for the proportionate in life or the Surat ul mustaqeem of existence. The universe has its proportions, as well as the human body. The golden rule of existence. In this way Islamic Architecture starts from proportions and instead of being arithmetical is geometrical and is based on the principles of Euclid. The immortal Taj Mahal was created by Ustad Ahmad Mimar on the basis of Euclidian principles. He was a Master of ‘Euclidese’ as is well known. Regular discussions used to be held by him with another Master, that is Ustad Makaramat Khan. Many generations of him were experts in Euclid principles.

Today hideous architecture is in full vogue in Pakistan. Aesthetics has been lost. View most of our mosques and you see a downfall of architecture as never before. The mosques look less of spiritual centres and more of domestic houses of the Mullahs inside it. When aesathetics fail, so does ideas. We have nincompoop intellectuals talk of Pakisaan as they understood it well. Pakistan cannot be understood by what is taught incourses these guys say. If Pakistan can only be discovered in literary festivals sponsored by foreign organization to diffuse the Ideology of Pakistan. Come on! Pakistan is not going away. The idea of Pakisan can never go away. The Quran is safe with us. Allah guaranteed that. The Idea will be safe with us too. Pakistan forever!

THE GRANDEUR OF MASJID MARYIAM ZAMANI LAHORE
ITS REMNANTS WITH MISTAKEN IDENTITIES TO THIS DAY

All Muslims are warned by Allah not to impose on the rights of other religions. Allah says that if you want your way of life respected, do not question the way of life of others. We read about Guru Nanak with all due respects. He tried to reconcile two nations, the Muslims and the Hindus in a fresh equation. Obviously that would not work. But Guru Nanak sought the blessings of RAB and the word itself means a lot to us.

The Sikhs and the Muslims share a lot of things, and we here in Lahore, share Punjab as well as the city with historical narratives from both nations. We love our Sikh friends, and they love us. But history has not been kind to actions and reactions over the years. The criteria anywhere is TRUTH and truth should always prevail in any discussion. It is a fact that both nations fell into the deepest crevices at many moments in life. The fact is that with the advent of the Sikh capture of Lahore, there was a ban on AZAN in the city. The ban prevailed in the rule of the three Sikh Chieftains, as well as Ranjit Singh. It was there in Sher Singh times and the official record shows that the British tried to persuade him to undo the ban. It is a fact that about 2000 Muslims monuments, including mosques were brought down in Lahore, during the Sikh rule and most of the mosques were then only stables and ammunition dumps. In the post Abdalli period, we hear of pigs being slaughtered and thrown in the mosques by raiding Sikhs.

It goes back to the period of Jahangeer. Guru Arjun instigated the rebellion of Prince Khusrau against his father Emperor Jahangeer. The result political chaos as Guru Arjun was ordered to be obliterated by Emperor Jahangeer. All his belongings distributed to courtiers. The unrest went on into the times of Aurangzeb too. This up and down was there in 1947 too, when refugees fleeing India were slaughtered at the instigation of the Indian Prime Minister. Quaid e Azam promised the Sikhs a province of their own and they ended up in a trap laid by the Indian politicians. Their leader wielding a Sword declared animosity against Pakistan standing on the footsteps of the Punjab Assembly Lahore. Obviously we have forgotten that. We do not carry grudges. We respond to love with love.

Two incidents are worthy of being quoted here. One is the destruction of Masjid Shaheed Ganj and the other is the Hammam of Masjid Maryiam Zamani. Shaheed Ganj issue is for another blog. Here the Hammam of Maryiam Zamani Masjid. The identity of the Jamia Masjid is well known and is today occupied by car tyre sellers and iron merchants. Inside such a shop stands on a dome of Jahangeeri period. Dubbed by Sikh mythology as the Samadh of Bhai Mani Singh, it is not. It is a structure of Jahangeer period and in older maps of the mosque, it can be seen as such. The story of the martyrdom of Mani Singh is beyond my comphrension, for I have never heard of attempts to convert Sikhs here. But even if that is true, certainly this is no Samadh of the martyred hero. It is a plain hammam portion attached to the mosque. I covered it extensively in photographs and will put them on the net one day.

No going back, only moving forward. We support the Sikhs in their endeavour for their Identity. Indeed they require a homeland of their very own. They are emotional people like us and react to love and affection as much as we do. Let us now carve a love which will not be shaken by FASADI people. Learning from past mistakes, and not relying on melodramatic tales, we share our truths together.

THE ERA OF GOLIATHS (JALOOTS) OF LAHORE
PRESERVED DEEP DOWN THE EARTH OF LAHORE

A few years back we published a book on the “NAU-GUZZAS OF LAHORE”. Few people did pay attention, but nowadays, nobody is really bothered about the past. Simply for they see no future at all. They live in the present and the present is mostly awful under these times.

We will write a detailed blog on same as have done in the past. It  is the most interesting discovery about the past of Lahore. For people living in stereotypes of Lau and Kasu, it is a so startling to rattle their senses.

The Jewish origin of Lahore. Figurines of Lahore reveal a past which normally would have no common sense. Faces and costumes, not related to Buddhism or Hinduism. Obviously a pre-Muslim era we are talking about, but costumes which speak of Arabian and Egyptian head dresses. Warriors unlike any other. A field of research all its own. But people on the pay roll of lobbies across the border reject such discoveries for they do not suit their pay masters. More on it later. Till then, just enjoy!