Mahboba Andyar: A Poem

#22 Posted by quin,

Shame on you doubly. Shame on you for each word you desecrated, nay for each letter. If you are a Muslim, go read Quran and learn decency from it. You who posted ‘Wolves of Valley� movie, learn something from that too. Learn from what Layla’s father told her and others.

I accept the shame Quin Bhai. Indeed I do.

But, Leyla’s father (wasn't actually her father - Leyla was in an orphanage in the film) said something else too. Perhaps you missed that.

I'll post that now on iLogs and we will talk again :)

Re: # 20 Nikhat: thanks for your bold and kind words, and the verses that capture the spirit and pathos of our connected humanity in most beautiful expression. You made good points and I repeat:
"She did not break any rules of Islam as far as what the facts gathered uptil now. She should be considered innocent until proven otherwise rule of tumb for justice....."

Re: # 19 akcheema, thanks for clarifying for crazyghan.

Re: # 18 Crazyghan, That is exactly the point I was trying to make, through my poem. Pl see akcheema's post #19.
Just to reiterate two lines from the poem:
Groomed in Kabul’s hostile streets,
Where men are killed for lesser things
Pl read my poem again where I tried to capture exactly all that what you said.

Re: # 17 Zeemax: I like when someone tries to argue on rational basis as you have done in post #17.
So you say what type of character she was when she was financed for training to represent her country and she runs away? That is exactly the point. What does that show? That shows the hell through which she was going. Of course, if she will participate and come back she still will be supported by government and all that, but for the threats and insults which she suffered by all those who cannot see a woman as a human being with aspirations and equal to them expressing her aspirations on any public platform. That is why – not because of character. Recently two Afghani women journalists are killed. What does this say to women who want to participate in public life. Do you think that was an easy decision by her? Did you not (hell, my blood pressure rising) see the video of her mother with flowing tears, do you not see how closely knit and loving her family was. How she must have made this decision. How someone cannot see all this unless his heart is stiffened like wood. How someone in face of such tragedies can think nothing else but throwing the filth like you are throwing. You call yourself Muslims? Shame on you, for desecrating name of a human being and uttering such dirty words. Shame on you doubly. Shame on you for each word you desecrated, nay for each letter. If you are a Muslim, go read Quran and learn decency from it. You who posted ‘Wolves of Valley� movie, learn something from that too. Learn from what Layla’s father told her and others.
Back to your logic. It just proves the point. She had to make that decision in spite of all government’s support. No one should presuppose that it reflects on her character because we don’t know. No decent person accuses other based on mere speculations and assumption. It is called slander. Quran has injunctions against slandering any human being. Go find those verses if you call yourself Muslim. That will be better use of your time. What is obvious from the story and available facts is that she ran away because she could face no more what she had to go through in the streets of Kabul. She ran to save her life. Remember two Afghani women journalists killed recently. They must also have been thought to be prostitutes too. This is no Islam. This is shameless bigotry and chauvinism.

The so called Afghan elite ran away to India, USA and West. Most of the ministers and administrators including president Karzais are expats. She probably will have better future and secure life if she returns as Italian/German translator, a NATO employee.

Re: # 9 "So what if she does not run in Hamburg or wherever. So what? The point is why she could not flourish in Afghanistan?"
Really why couldn't??? And who are we to judge her 'INTENTIONS'?
She will be seen always with the filter of 'Muslim woman' but she is a human being first_ with equal desires and same potentials as other gender of human species. She did not break any rules of Islam as far as what the facts gathered uptil now. She should be considered innocent until proven otherwise rule of tumb for justice.....
Like Ak cheema I also wish poor girl All the best in whatever she wants to accomplish in her life..
Right or wrong .who r we to judge....
Thank You Mooquin Sahib for tributing our sister with such wonderful words. Lets pray for her wellbeing.
"Aaye haath uthaein hum bhee
hum ke jinhein rasme dua yaad naheen
Hum ke jinhein soaz-e-mohabbat ke siwa
koi but koi Khuda yaad naheen"

Nikhat Riaz

Re: # 18; crazyghan

I think you are addressing/reprimanding the wrong person there; quin is the one who wrote this poem and had to take all this nonsense for it too!

Dear quin;
I take it that u have never been to Afghanistan and lived there for long enough to understand the hell as experienced by the people there. U r therefore justified to talk about things such as, "mulk ka naam roshan..." etc. When the mere stepping outside of women is seen as adultery, sportswomen are labeled as 'prostitutes', you have to bribe people top to bottom and have no hope in the foreseeable future ... and others, it is then that patriotism becomes a simple and hollow rhetoric like a beautiful book cover.

Furthermore, comments such as "Mehbooba and Yaar" are not only disgusting and ignorant but also reflects the mentality and backwardness of the people who say so.

#9 Posted by quin,

Look Mr. Quin, what character of a woman would be the one whose dirt-poor Government financed her preparation for the Beijing Olympics, sent her to Italy for coaching so that she could raise her country's image (mulk ka naam roshan etc you know), and she runs away from her hostel AND her country instead of running on a track? Is that what she trained for?

Hmm ... Tahir Sahib may have a point re the name. Mahbooba And Yaar (Beloved and her paramour) lived happily ever after.

#7 Posted by tahir

What a masterpiece of creativity! I reproduced this on Unplugged in your appreciation without your permission!

"The race is on: three, two, and one!
Burqa-clad our darling blindly runs
No one can ban what the Tallys can
They have a head-price on her buns."

Now Mr. Tahir, shall I title you with the epitome of Literary Romanticism - Mr. Shelley?

I write when I am inspired. I am inspired when seeing, hearing, knowing something stirs something in me. I don't delve into whether it is a lost cause or no cause or good cause. I write not with an ulterior motive in mind. If what is produced through me is of some benefit, whether it is to cultivate thought, or sense or culture, I consider I have been of some service. If someone praises that service I accept it with humbleness, if someone is aggravated by it, it is their problem.
Thanks for your thoughts anyway.
PS: btw, I DO NOT think bringing awareness about these issues (suppression and intolerance in any form existing in any society) is a lost cause. I would be grateful if you can expound on that when you are back from your excursion with your cavalry.

I write when I am inspired. I am inspired when seeing, hearing, knowing something stirs something in me. I don't delve into whether it is a lost cause or no cause or good cause. I write not with an ulterior motive in mind. If what is produced through me is of some benefit, whether it is to cultivate thought, or sense or culture, I consider I have been of some service. If someone praises that service I accept it with humbleness, if someone is irritated by it, I take it is a problem for the one who is aggravated, not mine.
Thanks for your thoughts anyway.
PS: btw, I do NOT think bringing awareness about these issues (suppression and intolerance in any form existing in any society) is a lost cause. I would be grateful if you can expound on that when you are back from your excursion with your cavalry.

Re: # 12 Quin
"i am not angry. just sad. sorry if it was misunderstood. i still don't know you all and the background stuff..."

Mr. Max (I call him '86') has been around since the days of GET SMART! There are others you will get to know too like Mr. Asadi! The shape-shifters I don't care much about. The pretenders and hopless magicians always receive from me what they deserve: a spanking. I guess, somebody's got to do the job!

ChowQ is NOT strawberry fields forever! It lives because we breathe into it some literary life. On its own it is DEAD.

Write what you really believe in as opposed to taking up already lost cases. We need more good people here who can put a permanent damper on the anti-Islam campaign.

You will win the badge of honour the day they either ban you or kill an article.

The cavalry's waiting, I must go now.

Regards.

i am not angry. just sad. sorry if it was misunderstood. i still don't know you all and the background stuff. I just saw the video posted by zeemax and i commend him for that. but the close mindedness which shows up otherwise, intentionally or not, makes me sad, thinking how this is playing havoc with our traditions or its perceptions thereof. how damaging it is for our progress. People who can contribute something, why they do not contribute postively and in more effective way, and keep picking up on trifles in negative way.

Re: # 9 Quin
Why are you angry with me? I was trying to break up this fight in a way that is far more familiar to Mr. Max than it is to you!

And if you can't understand political satire, what can I say? Why must you imagine that I fly on a carpet?

Agreed, I did not comment on your poem earlier; THAT ought to be THE reason for this outburst, and not my interacts #7 & #8. Right?

Tell me I'm wrong.