Sonya Syed

Many prayers for the peace, comfort and security for the residents of Peshawar city who faced heavy storms; many who passed away, many who are safe and alive, who have lost their loved ones or homes, or both.   The same prayers are for all the victims of Nepal earthquake- may God show His mercy. For Muslims it is best to pray 2 rakah Salaah for all those who died and for the safety of all of us.  And for everyone, Muslims or non-Muslims for two minutes close your eyes and visualize pure white light being poured on the victims and affected people of both Peshawar and Nepal. Hold onto that image until you feel comfortable, and repeat it as often as possible.  This is the most powerful peace and healing visualization that actually brings a positive shift in the situation. It can be done on anyone and anything that you want to heal and bring peace to. It could your next business meeting, exams or studies, your home, your children, your city or your country, or even

I don’t know why but whenever these two words are mentioned together they mostly refer to women: working women/ non-working women. Unlike 30- 40 years ago today women have choices to study, to work, to get married, to be married and working, to be married and not working. In western cultures women are free to select their lifestyles; yet in majority of cases they have to work and earn a living whether married or single. Financial independence of women in West is both a necessity and a social trait. However, when we come to the Eastern part of the world things are different, although in urban life women are encouraged to study and have a career, if they want. Nevertheless, a man is still considered the main bread earner and all financial responsibility of raising children and taking care of his family belongs to him. Many of ladies are going to question me for what I am saying now, but in all honesty I feel that the entire financial responsibility of taking care of fa

These days in Pakistan we are bombarded with news, on one side there is a huge debate about the Judicial Commission that has been created to analyze the elections rigging of 2013; on the other end there is a run for election of a particular seat in Karachi and then there is the unfortunate Yemen- Saudia war. Honestly, the last subject is far more painful to witness.  Today Muslims are one of the most humiliated population in the world. Our greed, moral and financial corruption has reached new heights, it has expanded so much that we have conveniently accepted it as the norm of life. Probably that is the reason that no amount of money suffice our needs today, we are always struggling for more and when we achieve more- we again start the process of acquiring more and more. Time has lost its vastness, years have become months, months have changed into days and days have turned into minutes. I mean just take a good look at our lives, our finances, our relationships- they a

Once upon a time not long ago there lived great men and women, they lived in unity and with a dream. A dream which they all nourished with their soul and blood– a dream of dignity, of peace, of solidarity, of equality, of prosperity, of security and above all a dream to live in their own little world- a world where everyone is respected, irrespective of their caste, culture or creed; a world where everyone is allowed to pray the way they chose and a world where justice prevails. Pakistan gained independence from British Rule on August 14, 1947. Nine years after Pakistan’s creation, the first constitution was implemented on March 23 rd , 1956. March 23 rd was initially meant to celebrate the adoption of the country’s first constitution and its transformation as a republic. Later, the 1956 Constitution was annulled in 1958 and March 23 rd became a day to commemorate the Lahore Resolution of 1940, which eventually led to the creation of Pakistan. In the year 1940 Mu