The sick "5 to 9"

He laughs.

Never too loud to be noticed or ever too slight to be mysterious. It’s like his expressions have limitations. Like, the smile cannot broaden any more after certain limit. Or like, the laughter just won’t prolong after a restricted time. Rejoicing something merely out of his memories is simply out of question. Nostalgia means nothing. He has no interest in photography or lookbacks or timelines. He never takes out time to watch old photographs. He is a strong believer of living in the moment. He never bothers about future or ever worries about something that happened in the past. He doesn't have any friends. His criticism has an extent a little more than his power to appreciate anything. He is never curious about anything.

Yes, he cares, he’s human so why not? And yet he never ever expresses his feelings. He never gave room to madness or craziness or fun so he seeks logic in everything. He is strict in his beliefs. Rationality is holiness. For anyone who breaks the rules is unforgiven, for eternity.   

Maybe it’s his insecurities that are slowly biting him from the inside, little by little eating up his vigor, his anxiety, his enthusiasm, and perhaps he himself.

The truth is, you were beautiful too. You were unique and smart and special.

'Were' yes.

It's no one's fault but yours. You did it to yourself. You hid your soul that was supposed to be limber and free and laughing. But you strung yourself... 

                                               
I pity your very soul that dies of boredom everyday of your tedious life. The shadow of your insecurities is making your soul suffer. Suffer, miserably. 

Equal, not Identical.

For the sake of sobriety, below is stated a brief on how Islam believes in equality, among everyone, including men and women. Before you read a single ayah and judge the belief, know that learning a single verse or a Hadith won’t do. Islam being a complete life-code covers all the details, sometimes by parts in various Hadiths and verses while sometimes not. This, however is a topic that demands a thorough study. Let me start with a self-explanatory ayah of Quran,

"If any do deeds of righteousness - be they male or female - and have faith, they will enter Paradise, and not the least injustice will be done to them."[4:124]

Further on the matter, some points are given below as things in which 

women can be given extra credits. (1)

·         Point no: 1 (Silk and Gold) 

a) Abu Dawood (3535) narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took a piece of silk in his right hand and a piece of gold in his left and said, ‘These two are forbidden for the males of my ummah.’” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3422. 
b) “These are haraam for the males of my ummah and permitted for the females.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2/1189). 

·          Point no: 2 (Rights of Mother) 

A Mother has 3 times more right over her children then the father 
Proof: Saheeh Muslim Book 032, Number 6180:.Abu Huraira reported that a person came to Allah, 's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Who among the people is most deserving of a fine treatment from my hand? He said: Your mother. He again said: Then who (is the next one)? He said: Again it is your mother (who deserves the best treatment from you). He said: Then who (is the next one)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Again, it is your mother. He (again) said: Then who? Thereupon he said: Then it is your father 

·          Point no: 3 (Mahr) 

Man gives the dower to his wife even if it is mountain of Gold. 
Proof: Surah 4:4 (And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift) 

·          Point no: 4 (Monthly periods of women) 

Women are commanded in their monthly periods to leave prayers. 
Mu'adhah said: "I asked Aishah: Why must we make up the fasts missed due to our menstruation, but not the prayers [ missed through menstruation] ?" She said, "That was what the Messenger of Allah told us to do. We were ordered to make up the fasts, and we were ordered not to make up the prayers." [ Fiqh as-Sunnah 1.71a ] 

·         Point no: 6(Martyr when a woman die during child birth) 

If a woman dies with a child in her womb, or she dies during childbirth or after childbirth but within the period of nifaas (post-partum bleeding), she is considered to be a shaheedah in sha Allaah. according to hadith of Maalik (1/233) and Abu Dawood, 3/482)] 

And then there are some points USED as an excuse to claim Islam as a religion that believes in superiority of men. Given;

"..And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them.." [2:228]

    Though clearly, stated that women have rights similar to men in terms of 

regard and respect and expenses, etc. ‘men have a degree above women’ MEANS a degree above in terms of RESPONSIBILITY. Elsewise, as stated in the former part of the ayah men and women have similar rights over each other in kindness. 

    To be honest, many of the ‘fatwas’ deliver a wrong perception of this ayah. In my opinion, men have the responsibility of running the family, (that too given by its reasons) and therefore Allah has declared a degree over. It does not specify men as a superior sex rather identifies different responsibilities for men and women. Certainly, men and women are not alike. Given their differences, they are given different responsibilities and different accountabilities

(1) http://www.lifeofmuslim.com/2011/08/are-women-inferior-to-men-in-islam-what.html

There should be no particular reason to laugh your lungs out!

I don’t know if the book will ever get published.

But this will.

So, here goes the story of ‘us seven’.

I will never change the name. It started with seven, so let it be.

Do you know that feeling when you take everything a delusion and every one fictitious, merely an imitation… Have you ever felt so lonely that no one, no one seems reliable enough to even talk to? When laughter no longer makes sense, when just the sound of the word ‘love’ seems mockery or when the stars are just not bright enough to make the sky beautiful again? Do you know how that feels?

It was the last due date. She hadn’t got her admission forms from the office yet still Mehak sat carefree and crazy and happy like she would ever be. It was like she didn’t even bother to get any. I had no idea and so we kept talking like two typical teenage girls. Then came her best friend Aysha in all seriousness, bringing her forms, stamped and filled. Pulled her hand aside and put the forms underneath and reposed her hand on the desk as it was earlier. She seemed not a friend to her but sister. It wasn’t the first time I had seen their special bond like this, but this left an impression.

The sharpness of her tongue, those beautiful green eyes and the most innocent looks any girl of her age could ever pass, Aysha always had this certain verve that somehow did its job in keeping UP the friendship. Mehak was lucky at that time. And at this time. Aysha is still her best friend. And so is Mehak, Aysha’s.

I say this with all my faithfulness and honesty, she is the sincerest person I know of. Her sensibility is disguised in the orthodox society; the customary rat -race we are obliged to pursue, or maybe this conventionality is the reason behind her rationalism. Sana knows how to cop up with it. She is well-aware of the reality and she accepts it, with all her courage and spirits. She says Hina is her best friend. TBH, everyone might feel so about Hina.

This is Hina. Say, the perks of being her friend is that she makes you feel like she is, and only she can be your best friend. She listens, like no one listens. She understands, like no one does. And then she says things no one could ever say.  No one could ever put up words altogether like that. She has the most practical thoughts. Her ideas are genius. She is unpredictable sometimes, insane sometimes, crazy too but she knows everything. Somehow, she always does.

They say the quietest are the wisest of us all. Sana T. was the mysterious quiet person in our little group. Maybe she still is. Though there are some things I can be undoubtedly certain about her. I know she is a good friend. I see the proof of this lemma, every day. Her decency defines her personality.  She is always complete. In every way.

They say ‘friendship lasts forever’. Though a reminder of the falsehood of this statement in front of my very eyes, pinching me every day of my life.

I still hope ours does.