Forgive Me

"O Allah, I repent to Thee for all the sins I have comitted. For all those moments that I did not remember You. For all those times I failed to fear You. For all those prayers I missed when I could not wake to the ringing of my alarm clock. For all those prayers I put off for later because I was busy. For everytime I refused to listen to the voice in my head calling me to prayer. For all those times that my prayer to You was not sincere. For all those times that my mind wandered in my prayer. For the many days that I did not recite the Quran.

Forgive me for all the lies that have slipped my tongue. For every second glance at a cute guy that passed by. For all the times that I had been unable to control my eyes. For every evil thought that has crossed my mind. For any evil deed that You had prohibited. For any good deed that I failed to do. For every duty I failed to fulfill.

Forgive me for everytime I uttered a word of shame to my parents. For every moment that I did not thank You for their presence. For all the times I did not tend to their needs.

Forgive me for all the times I refused to thank You for your blessings. And for all the times that I failed to turn to You for help.

O Allah, forgive my sins and purify my soul. Make me of those who engage in all that is good and keep away from all that is bad. Shield me from the whispers of the devil. Lead me to the path that takes me closer to Thee."

Inspiration from a Book I just read 'I Want To Repent But..'

So Yesterday So Yesterday

At the orthopedic clinic yesterday, there was a russian patient who visited the doctor about an ankle sprain, along with his friend (the translator). Although he was a translator his vocabulary in english was very limited.

The doctor asked the patient to get an X-ray done. He said yes initially, though he clearly did not understand. They stand up to leave and the translator person asks the doctor, "Why dont you do a 'Roentgen' for him?". At first I was like 'huh? what is that?'.(He pronounced the 't' in it as well. It is supposed to be silent right?)

I was actually a little surprised that people still call X-rays by his name. Roentgen by the way is the one who discovered X-rays in the tube thingy(vacum tubes?).

Oh and when they came back with the X-ray, I also got to know that they dont understand what a 'cast' is. They called it gypsum. Which isnt really just as shocking as the 'Roentgen' thingy.

A small note to share. Nearly a 95% of all right handed people have a dominant left hemisphere. And 60% of left handed people have a dominant left hemisphere (not right!). Only 20% of left handed people have a dominant right hemisphere. The remaining 20% left handed people have a mixed dominance. Considering the fact that only around 10% of the world population is left handed, that would mean that we have 96% of the world population with left hemisphere dominance and only 2% with right hemisphere dominance and the remaining 2% to have mixed dominance.

Adapting to Luxury

What was considered luxury a couple of years back has now become an essential component of human lives, making it nearly impossible to survive without it. The 3 basic needs are no longer food, clothing and shelter. We have gone far beyond that era.

It is nearly impossible for some to people to imagine their lives without having a car to get around. Moving around from one place to another has become a piece of cake these days. But we are so dependent on our vehicles, that one day without it could be a living hell.

Consider the telephone for example, the most widely used means of communication. Even the beggars in the streets have cell phones. There is no need to start on what chaos it can create. I alone know how much trouble I had to go through trying to survive 6 days without my cell phone. It was a mess.

No matter how much you try to deny it, luxury has been incorporated into our lives in such a way that we cant survive without it. It is no longer only confined to the richer sections. It has strongly affected the middle class and almost just as much, the below average people.

To my shock, I have seen auto-rickshaw drivers to street vendors to beggars carrying a cell phone around with them, in India. If you think about it, this would mean a whole new definition for the term ‘poor’.

Warming Up Again

Back from my vacation in India, and settling down in Dammam (Saudi Arabia), feels like trying to bring order after a violent storm has ended.

Like I always say, from the minute I landed in India, the sky was bluer, the grass greener and the air fresher. You feel like a new person, walking into a new life. Nature's beauty is so immense that no one person's eye can completely have taken it in, no poet's pen can completely describe it, no photograph can completely capture. Living for so long in the Middle East, my eyes were accustomed to dull greenery of the date palms and the smell of sand particles in the air. Not a wonder that I've been having attacks of sneezing ever since I got back.

This trip was something I had been looking forward to very eagerly for the past 3 years. Neither was I disappointed nor was I satisfied. It is one of those moments I wish I could go over again and make a few corrections along the way. Every mistake that one makes has a lesson to teach and learn from. Matter of concern arises when the bad outweighs the good that comes from it.

Overall, the surroundings the kind of life in India is healthy to the physical mind, but certain factors make it a mental killer.

Having fallen ill a couple of times, physical stamina at the beginning has worn down.

Plan was to miss a week of hospital and stay here for 2 weeks. Looks like I wont get the whole week off. I might miss 2/3 days. Maybe WahdaMuslimah could help me here and let me know when the 'actual' classes start. Because I had we have 3 days set down for orientation. Is that true?

Oh and I read up what I missed on your blog (ninnevah.blogspot.com). Looks like you spent all your time in OBG. I went on a circulation through almost all departments (except OBG). And my training duration shrunk by a great deal due to technical problems (to my advantage). And you've also been having visitors. My text messages arent going through. Blog is a funny way to communicate with a classmate. Oh and by the way my cell phone isnt with me. Its in Dubai with my brother. So no use trying on my number.

While I'm at it, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Abu Yusef (the name by which I know him) on the occassion of the birth of his son Yusef and earning the title (although he accustomed himself to it even before). Wishing a healthy recovery to your wife and all the best to your Yusef and your safe return to yuor family InshaAllah.

Since I'm back after a month I have a lot to say and share. But it will have to wait for two reasons. One, I am too lazy at the moment. Two, there is too much to fit into one post.