A learning experience -An evening with Shaikh Yusuf Estes Salam

We had an opportunity to hear the world famous Islamic preacher,Shaikh Yusuf Estes Salam give a talk on Islam and its relationship with other religions a few days back.It really was an evening to remember... for many reasons.

 For one, it was held within the precincts of the Grand Mosque, truly the most magnificient structure in all of Oman.

Two, Shaikh Yusuf Estes, himself was a Christan preacher, who chose to convert to Islam many, many years back.

Then, it was the sheer numbers of people present there.

Even though there were no estimates, I'd put the people that evening at about a thousand...all silent, then reactive and then interactive, all as the moment demanded.

Most memorable of all will remain the fact that I saw my first real life conversion to Islam take place in front of me. It was that of Marcos, (pictured above with Shikh Yusuf Estes), who has chosen to follow Islam as his new way of life and living.He smiled, he laughed and he also cried..

Almost twenty years of living in the Gulf and I finally understood what it really was-

It is only when there is a call from within, then and only then, does someone feel the need/desire to convert from one religion to another

Children and what we can sometimes do to them

Children are supposed to be happy and healthy. Always smiling, playful and joyful.

And as parents we do try our very best to make that happen.

Sometimes even at the cost of sacrificing many things that we ourselves could have done with.Because their needs come before ours, and that is what we firmly believe in.

But it is sad when we see a child crying,particularly when no one seems to care. When he/she is unhappy, puzzled, worried or scared. Because those who are the guardians have now turned into monsters, or something very close to it.

That is exactly what I felt when I read a recent report in the newspapers, where a mother and her new husband were convicted for murdering her daughter simply by starving her to death. And the story got progressively worse as I read that there were a total of four children who were given exactly one bowl of food, twice a day.....to be shared by all. All the while, the well stocked kitchen was kept locked and the key remained with the mother and her husband.

As a result of this continous cruelty they became emaciated and weak beyond belief and eventually one of them, a young girl, died.When she was brought to the hospital, she managed to whimper and say( moments before she passed away.." I am hungry."

Stop and think...for even as we read this, there could be some other cases like this in our own well to do neighbourhoods.

Or unspeakable horrors, even worse than  this may be inflicted on children that we all know...

A place under the sun-Al Hamra and Misfat Al Abreeyan

There is a village called Al Hamra and another one called Misfat Al Abreeyan in Oman. And this is what they are aboutOld, beautiful...and with great photo opportunities. Do check them outYou will love them