Homeland’s half is better than Abroad’s full! (Muhammad Hanif Bhatti)

The incident that I am going to quote dates 30 to 32 years back. At that time, we used to make car keys on the same road a few distance apart on McLeod Road which spans between Lahore Hotel Chowk and Lakshmi Chowk. There was a workshop in front of Ratan Cinema (later the owner converted the workshop into a furniture shop). I have worked outside this workshop for quite some time. I had a friend whose name was actually Liaqat but his family and us friends used to call him Dulla. He and his brother and their paternal uncle Mairaaj Deen used to work in front of Sanobar Cinema. I was good friends with Dulla and we used to spend a lot of time together.

It was a summer evening, the time was approximately 4 p.m. Two men came and stood next to me. At that time, I had completed making a car’s key. The car’s lock was open and I was about to fit it in. One of the men took the car’s key and lock from me, fit the key into the lock, shoved me to a side and started fitting the lock himself. The second man now addressed me saying the first man was from Saudi Arabia and he was in need of someone who can make keys. Do you want to go to Saudi Arabia? Then I looked closely at the first man, he didn’t look Pakistani. I talked to the Pakistani for a while till the Arab had fit the lock now I asked that Arab in English that how much I would be paid and in which city I would live, if I agree to come to Saudi Arabia. He answered, “You will live in the city of your own choice; you will have an air conditioned shop and dwelling.” He told me further about the working hours, salary and assured me that I was only supposed to obtain a passport whereas visa fee, airline ticket and immigration fee will be paid by him. He asked me to look for three more men because he wanted four men. I told him that I wanted to work in Taif city. That man agreed to my choice of station on the condition that he would assign other three men work in the cities of his own choice. He added that there would be two months off after every two years. I enquired him regarding meal. He told me that I would have to manage meals on my own. I quoted him that here in pakistan, trainees are offered lunch; and in that case I would be left with no money if I would eat three meals a day from my own pocket as Saudi Arabia is an expensive country. He refused plainly saying that it was not his headache. He told me that there live many Pakistanis who prepare meal on their own. He suggested me to join such Pakistanis for meals. He clarified me that I would be living upstairs the shop; shop will be closed at 10:00 pm and in case a customer comes even at midnight, I would have to serve him.

I have already written enough and writing more detail here would be useless. I asked him to let me think for an hour and weigh his offer whether to go Saudi Arabia or not. He stole a glance of his watch and said, “It is four now. I will come at five.” He went away and I took to a corner thinking that how these two years would pass; how my wife and children would live without me and I without them; how will I face the situation there in a land which is alien to me.

I thougt, here in Pakistan, I run my personal practice and do work after my heart and sometimes refuse customers my services; I am in habit of shutting my shop with Mouzin’s call for Maghrib prayer and ask customers to come tomorrow if there is any. I thougt, here in Pakistan, I am my own master but I would be an employee there. I thought, these two years of separation from my wife and children would earn me, at most, a colour TV, refregirator or an air conditioner, some new clothes for wife and children and some cash which I would spend in two months of holidays – and then again I empty-handed would return to Saudi Arabia; and this would go on. Then I decided to shun the idea of going abroad and remain satisfied with the living I make in homeland.

Right at 5:00 pm that man appeared. I told him that I am not making it to Saudi Arabia. Upon hearing this he got puzzled and watched me for a while. Having maintained himself, he said, “There is a queue of customers behind me waiting to be served by you. Your uprightness and honesty has won me and, moreover, you can communicate in English. Don’t be fool. Come with me. You will have a chance to perform Umrah and Hajj. And depending upon your work, I will keep promoting you.” I answered him, “Sir, if I am destined to perform Umrah and Hajj, I can set to pilgrimage while living in homeland and if I am not to, I could not perform there even.” He insisted a lot but I had decided not to go to Saudi Arabia. He, then, left and I started entertaining customers who had queued up.

My friend Dulla and his brother made it to Saudi Arabia. After two years Dulla returned Pakistan and visited me. He was wearing a boski shirt, a gold chain and gold rings. He used to call me Agha. He said while sitting my sideby, “Agha, you are a stupid, indeed.” I at once looked at Dulla and asked him not to utter even a single word further. I told him that I knew what he would say. He surprisingly inquired, “what do you know?”

I told him that when that man came to me and offered me to live in a city of my own choice and expressed his need for four men, I realized that this man would not live with me, he would visit me once, twice or thrice a week and would collect the money I would have earned. He would never know if I ever would cheat him. Dulla asked, “What is wrong in it? We are his employees. If we earn ten thousands a week, we give him only five or six thousands. Salary is on top of it.” “This is the difference how you and I think. May Allah have mercy on you!”, I said to Dulla. After spending some time with me, he left. He returned to Saudi Arabia and my business in Lahore was reduced to nothing. Younger brother of the man who would run a furniture shop in my neighbourhood, was my friend. I used to borrow money from him, in hour of need. Bit by bit, I was in debt of rupees ten or twelve thousands to him. It flashed across my mind that a day or the other he would demand his money back; and I have got nothing precious to sell in the market and relieve myself of the debt. The next thought entering in my mind was to leave Lahore. So, I got settled in Rawalpindi and started my work at a petrol pump. By the blessings of Allah, I started earning well.

I used to visit Lahore, now and then. I was in Lahore when news that Dulla is in pakistan and seriously ill, came to me. I, at once, hired a rickshaw and reached his home. His house was in the vicinity of Schazoo laboratory, down the engine-shed bridge, Lahore. I rang the door bell. A women opened the door. “I want to see Dulla”, said I. That lady felt sorry and told me that I could not see Dulla for he was seriously ill. I told that lady that I am his old friend and requested her to let me see Dulla. She thought for a moment and then nodded me to come inside. I followed her and entered in a room and saw Dulla. Sturdy man of six and quarter feet had become weak and it appeared as if his height has also reduced to five feet. He looked at me. I said, “Dulla, my friend! Have you recognised me?” He said nothing but nodded in affirmation. A tear popped up in his eye and slid by his cheek. He turned his face, out of shame. I sat on the chair placed side by the bed. I saw some women reciting Surah Yasin, sitting other side of the bed.

Impermanence of this world had dawned upon me. I at once thought, “He is the same Dulla who had flown to Saudi Arabia to earn prosperity for his family. He had accepted parting from his parents, brothers, sisters to find happiness for them. He now suffers with a disease which no one could cure but Allah. The people for whom prosperity he had flown abroad are now reciting Surah Yasin for his easy transfer from this world to the next. No one is accepting him. To them, he is nothing but a rotten lump of flesh which they want to burry as soon as possible.

He was my friend, my companion; we were in a cricket team. He was the captain and I, vice-captain. We used to play on holidays. We would take breakfast in hotel. We would bath in Ichra canal. Then he went abroad. He came back wearing a boski-shirt, with neck and hands laden with gold. He was happy and as was his family, parents and friends. Then all of a sudden, everything got changed. He is near to die. When dead, he will be buried. Gradually, he will be forgotten by his friends and family.” I sat his side by for some time and then returned with eyes laden with tears.

This incident change my life and made me man who is now punctual in offering prayers. I started understanding religion, somehow. Now I am trying to spend my life as per the commandments of Allah Almighty and Sunnah of Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ­. Allah has been blessing me with sustenance even in this old age that I can easily meet my worldly needs.

Earnest happiness

(Hakim Farooq, Muzzafargarh)

Readers! A piece of writing was published in issue of January 2013 which said that a person named his son Muhammad. And for fourteen generations the family have been naming their children Muhammad. It would have been like Muhammad s/o Muhammad s/o Muhammad…

It happened to me that I also will name my son Muhammad. I thought that almost hundred families live in my community and none has named their son after Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ­. Many can be found having names like Muhammad Ahmad, Muhammad Musa but no one can be found having name Muhammad alone; without any prefix or suffix name.

This resolution was, in fact, an address to the people of my community that why have they not named their sons after Muhammad ﷺ­? They should have named their children after Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ­. It is a beautiful name. This universe would have not been created, had Muhammad ﷺ­ been not there. This heaven and earth, this whole universe has been created for Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ­. People! You should name your children after Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ­.

After some days, having offered Magrib prayer in a local mosque I discussed Ubqari magazine with my cousin, shared health benefits of honey and cumin and then started analysing this certain piece of writing. My cousing told me that he had named his younger child Muhammad. Upon hearing this, I was imbued with such a pleasure that I had never felt before in my life. I can still feel the pleasure I felt upon hearing the name of my cousin’s son. I congratulated my cousin and prayed for the long life of Muhammad and his success. Readers! You may also pray!

I asked cousin if he had pledged the birth of son with anything. He said, “No but I had thought that if I be blessed with son, I would name him after Holy Prophet Muhammd ﷺ­. I asked if he had been recited any wazifa. He narrated me this ayah and told me that he used to recite it for three times after every prayer.

ربنا ھب لنا من ازواجنا و ذریٰتِنا قرۃ اعین واجعلنا للمتقین اما ما (سورۃ فرقان 74)

Remedies for curing flu and cough

Winter season is cruel this time and many are falling a prey to flu and cough. I am writing some easy remedies to cure the disorders of nasal cavity and throat.

1. Mix 5 grams of ground cinnamon or cumin in 250 grams of honey. Take one spoon in the morning, before eating anything, and one in the night when going to bed with hot milk. This tonic is quite potent in curing all kinds of disorders pertaining to lungs.

2. Mix 1 table spoon of ground cumin and 11 table spoons of olive oil. Boil this mixture for five minutes. To get rid of the disorder, drop one drop of this oil in nose in morning and at night.

3. People suffering with cough and whooping cough must lick honey many times a day. Pomegranate, banana, ginger and honey, names which appear in Holy Quran are the few things available in Jannah. All of these things effectively cure whooping cough.

4. Eat three times a day, one fourth spoon of Roohani Phaki mixed in honey to cure flu and all other disorders.

5. Take half table spoon of seeds of fenugreek (meethi) seed for treatment of flu, cough and asthma.

6. Mix equal quantity of honey and ginger extract. This tonic effectively kills all types of cough.

7. Sweet jam pickle of myrobalan (hareer) cures flu, gastric disorders and mental retardation. It is effective when taken in morning, before eating anything, and at night when going to bed.

8. By inhaling water three times in one nostril while keeping the other pinched and doing the same for the other nostril, cures flu. This is a potent remedy and cures flu in ten days, God willing.

9. Take one table spoon of pure olive oil or almond oil when going to bed.

10. Eating a handful of roasted grams alongwith their dried rind cures flu. Don’t take water, after eating grams for, at least, an hour.

11. Eat seasonal fruit. Some people maintain that oranges cause flu, whereas oranges fight effectively against it. 

12. If a boil forms in the nose, or there is sore throat, boil fresh melia indica (neem) leaves in water, also add a pinch of salt to it. After straining it, take the water up the nose and also gargle atleast 3 times a day. Complete a course of 10 days.  Even chronic rhinitis shall be cured.

13. For cough, take juice of a sweet pomegranate and cook it on the stove. When it gets thick, the patient should be made to lick it repeatedly.

14. For prevention from flu and cold, use warm eggs.

15. For cough put a piece of cinnamon in the mouth and suck it.

16. Take fresh leaves of mango and place them under a shade for 2 to 3 days. When they get dried, prepare a tea by boiling 5 leaves in half kg water. Add sugar to taste. Drink one cup in the morning and one in the evening everyday.

17. Tea of the bark of acacia is also beneficial for flu.

18. Bake the seeds of nigella on a hot plate, smelling them is also helpful in flu.

19. For nasal diseases drink a cup of water such that one table spoon honey is added to it while boiling. Drink it hot like tea, fasting and after asar prayer.

20. For chronic rhinitis, use a spoon of cod liver oil daily 2 hours after breakfast for one month, half spoon of it can also be used at night in winters.


An elixir for beauty, power and mental strength

Readers if wish that your body gains strength in all seasons, that your face becomes blushing white like pathans from Kabul, body becomes healthy and smart, use this prescription daily.

(space for Arabic text); sweet almonds without shell, melon seeds, cucumber seeds, kukri seeds ( a kind of cucumber), seeds of water melon, seeds of gourd, munuqqa ( a type of a large raisen), aniseed, pure honey.

Take all these medicines as required and grate them in an earthen pot with a stick such that they are crushed finely. Add a little water to it so that the water becomes milky white. Add pandanus (khiodha) extract in small amount to this and add a spoon of honey to a glass of this syrup and drink it fasting in the morning. If possible drink this grated fluid in the morning and after asr i.e, twice a day. Your body will become healthy, energetic, beautiful and smart when you use it regularly for 40 days. Milk can be added to this grated syrup if desired. It will become more potent on mixing milk.

Benefits: This prescription gives relief from constipation. Normalizes gastric motility. Strengthens the mind, acts as an appetizer, diminishes excessive thirst, it is beneficial for periodic fever. It is helpful in headache due to increased temperatures. This prescription makes the mind and body strong and smart.

Above mentioned syrup has no side effect even if it is used in increased amount, rather it is beneficial. Therefore you can have it many times a day.

Note: If the above mentioned prescription is used in summers, the results would be multiplied.

About spiritual wazaif

in these modern times there are bound to be people who are stuck in the trap of magic and satan. There is only way to get rid of magic and this state of binding and that is …the holy quran. The holy quran exists with its strength, healing power, glory and efficacy, but today many muslims put aside the holy quran and seek help from magic wrought through evil spirits. They slaughter their religion and faith on the doors of ignorant and greedy, advertising spiritualists. Oh Muslims! Return to the holy qoran. Learn to read it the right way and teach others. It will take you to the creator.

Allah almighty says “And we send from quran (through it), that thing which is healing and blissful for the believers, and loss increases for the tyrant.

Every person has an obligation to put effort in spreading islam. Muslims are required to teach beneficial things because holy prophet Huzrut Mohammad ﷺ­ said, “ tell muslims about my sayings (and me)” I also want to write for Ubqari so that people gain benefit. Spiritual wazaif are effective when they are read with their conditions. If the prerequisites are not fulfilled, there is no use in striking against a wall. People don’t care about the conditions while practicing wazaif and prayers then loose faith and become diffident. Then the satan involves them in bad deeds and wrong doings. Practice wazaif with faith. Suspicion wastes the umul. Act upon wazifa with concentration. Be vigilant about pure means of sustenance. Haram diet wastes the efficacy of act (wazifa). Practice every act for Allah’s consent. Be vigilant about obligations. The acts of people who are not vigilant about prayers and other obligations remain ineffective. Restrain from forbidden things. Forbidden acts are harmful for spirituality. Correct your pronunciation, meanings of the words change on pronouncing them incorrectly. Be vigilant about cleanliness ( tuharut). Stay clean yourself, clothes and place. Practice only those acts which are allowed in shariah.