Independence | Senile Delusions...

Allah And The Intricacies Of Space-Time

Sunday, December 14th, 2008

I asked a question “The Universe is billions of years old. How old then, is Allah?”

Well, here’s the answer after a long wait.

Asking “How old?” implies a measurement of time. Now we all know that time started when the Universe was created. And so did space. But this reduces our frame of thought. There could be any number of things that might have been created before our Universe. There may be parallel universes running alongside ours for all we know.

You can skip this blockquote if you want.

There are many theories about the birth of the Universe. One of them is of Quantum Fluctuation.

Planck Time is the earliest moment in history where our physics still works. It is the shortest amount of time we can probe in the laboratory with our current knowledge of physics. It’s value is 10^-43 sec.

This particular theory states that Universe was born from a quantum vacuum. A quantum vacuum is a state of a quantum field in which no quanta are excited, i.e. no particles are present. It is a state of minimum energy and has potentiality (read Potential Energy). Laws of classical physics do not apply here, only quantum mechanics. Our Universe originated from a quantum vacuum. Before Planck time (10^-43 seconds of the Universe), classical physics is not applicable to the Universe, i.e. space-time did not exist.

Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle states that for a pair of conjugate variables for a particle, such as position/momentum and energy/time, it is impossible to have a precisely determined value of each member of the pair at the same time. For example, a particle pair can pop out of the vacuum during a very short time interval.

So what the theory states is that according to Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, there were fluctuations in the vacuum and particles pairs appeared and disappeared quickly, from nothingness. This is not ordinary nothingness, it has potentiality. Slowly, this gave birth to the Universe which was a compact particle in the beginning with extremely high density, and expanded into “black holes forming and disappearing”. Expansion continued, space-time formed after Planck Time and slowly the Universe was created as we see it today.

I’m sorry, that was the most I could understand of this crappy concept. But it accepts the fact that energy (potentiality) was present at the beginning in the quantum vacuum. It’s origin, anyone?

If we take the first creation of Allah, i.e. the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) and mark it as the beginning of celestial time, much before the birth of the Universe, or as the beginning of “all” time, what before it?

Allah is the creator of all, He created Space-Time so He cannot be subject to it. But the question above provides one problem in this theory. What was Allah doing before the origin of celestial time? The word “origin” indicates a beginning. If Allah is devoid of space-time, He has neither a future, nor a past. Only the present. If so, how do we explain our “past, present and future” in terms of His “present”?

Simple!

Let’s take the example of a ray of light. It travels from the Sun to our Earth. Let the Sun and Earth be two points A and B, respectively. At all given moments of our time, Allah is watching both points. He is aware of all that will happen when the ray originates from A, to the moment it culminates at B, i.e. He can see the past, present and future of that ray of light, at the same time!

Still confused? Let me simplify it more.

Picture a film editor with a reel of film spread out before him. The film is divided into different frames, each of which has a different moment of time imprinted on it. When we watch the film on a screen, each frame appears one by one, creating a “motion” effect. But the editor is looking at all frames at the same time.

Here, each frame on the film is analogous to each moment of time. We experience motion but Allah is looking at all moments simultaneously!

For Him, Prophet Adam (A.S.) is being created, the storm of Nooh (A.S.) is in full swing, Musa (A.S.) is splitting the Nile with his Asa (walking stick), Eesa (A.S.) is being crucified, Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) is declaring Prophethood, Ali (A.S.) is being born in the Ka’bah and martyred in the mosque of Kufah, Husain (A.S.) being slain in Karbala with his family and friends, Pakistan gaining independence, me typing this post, Zakir Naik and [Dr. ?] Israr Ahmed going bonkers and upholding the tyrannical Bani Umayyads (L.A.), all at the same moment!

Savvy?

I’m feeling sleepy…

14.12.2008 Amazing, Captives of Karbala(A.S.), Enemies of the Ahle Bayt (A.S.), Facts, General Knowledge, Husain(A.S), Martyrs Of Karbala(A.S.), Me, Muhammad(S.A.W.W.), Reflections, Religious, Science 38 Comments

HAS PAKISTAN COME?

Thursday, August 14th, 2008

Col. Jafri witnessed this story. Tell our children that we didn’t get Pakistan cheap.

By COL. RIAZ JAFRI (RETD.)

Thursday, 14 August 2008.

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan — I don’t think I will ever forget what I witnessed as a young man of 17 on an early night of late August 1947 at Bahawal Nagar railway station in the then Bahawalpur state.

I do not remember the exact date but it certainly fell in the later part of the month – around 27^th or so. The subcontinent received its independence from Britain and Pakistan and Bharat emerged as independent states, resulting in the largest exodus of refugees in the history of the mankind. Over fifteen million people were displaced on both sides of the border.

Thousands of families had been torn apart from their dear and near ones in the wake of the bloodiest communal riots that had not seen its parallel before. To the horror of all, religious frenzy turned the erstwhile good neighbors mad and hostile towards each other for no other apparent reason. Though there were a few instances of human compassion between the neighbors on both sides – some even at the risk of their lives – but these were far and few in between. Mostly, while the men folk were mowed down the women were taken alive. Many a wife, daughter, sister or a young mother had been left behind by the fleeing refugees who out of sheer desperation, honor and shame preferred them to be believed dead than alive and kidnapped.

East Punjab Muslims had been the worst hit victims of the communal carnage. They were not only mowed and mauled, cut to pieces by the kirpans and daggers, lances and axes, tokas and gandasas but the beast in the man had ebbed to such abysmal low that the innocent infants were tossed up in the air and their small falling bodies with fluttering arms and legs were plucked and pricked by the sharp shiny lances underneath. Many a young flowering toddler was fried in the boiling oil of the most heinous cauldron of madness in front of the eyes of their helpless mothers and parents. It was also not an uncommon practice to cut open the womb of the pregnant mother to put the unborn to the sword with a most pagan like ritual of shouting and dancing to have eliminated yet another Muslim in the making. Severing of the breasts of the women so that they would not nurse their lactating babies and shearing of the genitals, with at times Kirpans left inside them, rendering them unable to procreate further was considered a methodology of finishing a race. It is not that I recount such atrocities with a view to fanning and fuelling the hatred but to apprise the younger generation of today of the extreme sacrifices made by their elders and the creators of Pakistan.

Bahawal Nagar was the nearest sizeable town with a district headquarters after Mcleod Ganj Road – a small border town with India. Delhi – Bhatinda – Bahawal Nagar – Multan was the shortest route to Lahore and Karachi for the trains to carry the ill-fated refugees and the beleaguered staff escorting and entrusted with the official records of the newly born state from India (Delhi) to Pakistan (Karachi). Bahawal Nagar, as such, was the first place where they could find some solace and succor in their arduous journey to freedom.

I had just passed my matriculation examination from Bahawal Inter College, Bahawal Nagar and in the hindsight I can only pay a rich tribute to the otherwise oft-condemned British Raj, for not only holding the exams in time but also announcing the results on the dot when everything in the subcontinent was in the biggest turmoil that one could imagine. Quite a few of us students had formed impromptu social work groups, with make shift equipment and apparatuses to render whatever help we could to the refugees and immigrants and whenever a train was to arrive we used to gather at the railway station.

On the fateful evening, word went round that a train was arriving around 9 p.m. What we didn’t know was that it had been attacked near Fazilka (India) by the miscreants and most of the refugees on it were in a very bad shape. Blood was all over the compartments, many lay dead, most unconscious breathing heavily and a few were half conscious. We were frantically trying to save as many lives as possible. All we could do was to carry the unconscious and the semi conscious on our makeshift stretchers to the waiting tongas and a very few vehicles (no ambulances) to be transported to the district hospital.

It was here that when we were carrying an old man – badly battered bruised and injured and barely conscious, that he opened his half closed hazy eyes and asked me in a barely audible low voice but with an expectant look, “Putr, Pakistan — aa gia hai?” (Son, has Pakistan come?)

I replied enthusiastically, “Yes Baba, yes. You are in Pakistan and everything will be alright now.” Hearing it his head slid to the side and the Baba had gone. To me it appeared as if he was just waiting and trying to keep himself alive to reach Pakistan – reach Pakistan to take a breath or two of the free air of the free state of Pakistan. And having fulfilled his desire he contentedly left for his heavenly abode.

It was some 61 years ago, but Baba’s last words still haunt me. Yes Baba, Pakistan has come. Yes Baba, we lost half of it too in 1971. Yes Baba, we are hollowing the foundations of the remaining Pakistan too by looting and plundering it every day. We are doing all that what our Quaid asked us not to. We have thrown to the winds his Unity, Faith and Discipline. Yes Baba, Pakistan had come. Pray Baba, it doesn’t go!

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd) is based in Rawalpindi. His commentary appears frequently in several national Pakistani dailies. He can be reached at jafri@rifiela.com

14.08.2008 Pakistan, Reflections, Society, World 2 Comments

Pakistan: 61st Independence Day, and the Future

Thursday, August 14th, 2008

The 14th day of August is upon us. Sitting at my desk, typing on my computer I can hear the occasional silencer-less motorcycles whizzing by on the main road and the sounds of the not-so-distant firecrackers exploding in the night sky. I’m happy.

Today, Pakistan celebrates it’s 61^st birthday. Happy Independence Day to all!

But I’m also worried. Worried as to how many more we are going to celebrate. And as many as we do, how?

Regarding the second question, it refers to the behavior of our nation.

We can remove the silencers from our bikes, blow firecrackers or decorate houses and buildings with green and white lights for the day but when the day is over, then what? What do we do after the Day of Independence passes?

Do we feel a sense of responsibility towards our country, our nation or even our flag? Do we even care to remove the Crescent and the Star (Pakistani flag) or Jhandiyan (little paper flags) decorated on our houses or pick fallen ones from the ground? Do we remove them and put them in safe places, or throw them away in the trash?

We love our country, don’t we? We go to the Mausoleum of the Quaid-e-Azam (Supreme Leader). For what? To enjoy? Dates? Or rapes? Do we even care to recite a Surah-e-Fatiha for him if we pass by his resting place? I don’t think so.

How do we serve our country? Do we care to follow any rules or laws at all? The favorite excuse of our nation is to blame the authorities and government for all that is bad. Why don’t we take the first step and defy these ‘norms’ of our society? Why don’t we take the blame on ourselves for a change? Things are bad because we are making them so. Doesn’t it always start with ‘I’ ?

Corruption, poverty, illiteracy, etc plague our society today but look down deep inside your heart and ask yourself: Who’s to blame? Is it the politicians? The establishment? Or us, the people?

The answer: Us.

We are the ones who always seek the easy way out of everything, not concerned about the consequences our actions may produce. A policeman won’t be able to take bribes unless we want him to.

If we start teaching one child each, we can reduce our illiteracy rate significantly. But who’s got the time?

Share your fortune, feed one hungry person everyday. Daal-roti doesn’t cost millions, only 20-30 rupees. Then again, who’s got the time? And the most common of all excuses: Mehngai (Inflation). The poorest of men on the street today don’t possess money to buy flour but they own a cell phone!

When asked how things are going to get straight, the most common answers are: “It’s useless, nothing’s going to happen to this country”. Or “Only a miracle can save this country”.

Proud nations don’t stand around waiting for miracles to happen. They turn their fate around themselves. Look at the Chinese!

But we are so engrossed in the blame game that we fail to see the bright future that lies ahead if we strive to work together to take our country forward and bring it at par with the rest of the developed world.

The whole problem lies with our attitude. It’s our way of addressing things. Stop saying that the glass is half-empty. Look at the bright side: It’s half full. Try to fill it up some more.

I’ve often heard the phrase: “Is mulk ne hamein kuch nahin diya!” (This country has not given anything to us!) from people and it annoys me a lot. I ask them in return “Tum ne is mulk ko kya diya?” (What have you given to this country?). The answer: Nothing!

This country won’t go anywhere unless we take it somewhere. The time has come to set our priorities straight. We are far, far behind the rest of the world. We must catch up, quickly!

The First Question

With the American and NATO forces attacking our western border, Indian’s on the eastern one, Taliban in NWFP and FATA and the BLA in Balochistan, is anyone concerned about the safety and security of the country?

In their bid to subdue China, their greatest financial foe, the Americans are working to set up their hegemony in the area surrounding China. India is already on their side, against China. Afghanistan is theirs. The only country that stands in their way is the nuclear-armed state of Pakistan. And not an easy foe, by any means.

So how does one conquer such a strong nation? It’s easy: Divide and Conquer!

The single institution that holds this country together is the Armed Forces of Pakistan. Governments come and go, times change but the Pakistan Army has always been here to protect the land. Whenever there is a threat to the country, these people are the first to lay down their lives for the sake of the homeland. This is something the pessimists ignore completely when complaining about the resources and land owned by the army or the facilities it’s officers enjoy.

Back to the topic, how to weaken the Pakistan Army? Well there can be certain approaches, or a combined plan involving all strategies:

Put sellouts in the government.
Buy the media, constantly defame the armed forces in the eyes of the people.
Engage it in combat in it’s own area and make it’s targets look like national heroes, e.g., Akbar Bugti.
Bring it’s strength, the ISI, under American control. [Through the Ministry of Interior (Rehman Malik, the unelected, democratic Interior Minister)]
Promote nationalist movements in the NWFP and Baluchistan and enforce into them a sense of deprivation to promote dissent.

Result? Here it is:

Shocked? As much as you may want to deny it, things are going in this direction. Once Pakistan has been broken, it won’t be long before India takes over Punjab and Sindh as well.

We have suffered humiliation once in 1971, when East Pakistan parted ways to become Bangladesh. Are we willing to suffer it again?

Please wake up! There’s a lot more going on than what meets the eye and it’s not in our favor. All plans against Pakistan must be foiled and it can only happen if we stand united and work hard to defend our national interests.

To all those fighting for separation, sure you’ll have your own country but I assure you, you will not survive the onslaught of your enemies. You won’t have the resources or the leaders to ensure your survival. You will have a small piece of land but you’ll miss out on your rights to an equal share in the larger area of Pakistan. Ask for your rights, not separation and work hard to educate your people to bring them forward in all walks of life.

Let me recall an old tradition that is taught in elementary school.

A man had four sons. They kept fighting each other, which worried the father very much.

Soon he was on his deathbed. He then called all his sons and gave each of them a stick. He asked them to break their sticks. They did so easily.

Then he gave the first one a bundle of four sticks and asked him to break all of them together. Try as he might, he couldn’t accomplish the task. One by one, all four brothers tried but couldn’t do it.

Then the man addressed them: “Alone, the sticks were fragile and were broken easily. But together, they formed a strong bundle and could not be broken. You see, my sons, if you stay divided, you will be conquered easily. But if you stand united, no one will be able to break you!”

God bless Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad!