Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

by Meeha Irfan

Where there are unfortunate circumstances, you will always find people who go out of their way to help those in need.

Rah-e-Amal School is the brain child of a very dedicated lady, Mrs. Zehra Fasahat. It all started when she saw some young children collecting garbage from a dumpster. These children, obviously deserving a better life and future, were offered education as well as love which they readily accepted. It began with ten students and now after a passage of eleven years the strength of the students has increased to one hundred and fifty students (old figures) . Tuition, books, stationery and medical care are provided by Rah-e-Amal

Just when we feel that there is no hope, there shines the silver lining.

Incessant violence

by Madeeha Ansari

The first page of Dawn today features a spate of attacks accross the country. Violence has erupted in Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore and casualties are still mounting. One wonders if these are coordinated activities, or simply sporadic outbursts of madness.

Shajar-e-Ilm Congratulates Fauzia Minallah

Fauzia Minallah is an Islamabad-based activist, artist, photographer, designer, and a political cartoonist. Her NGO, Funkor Child Art Center, is the only center in Pakistan dedicated to Children's Art. Most recently, Fauzia designed the first park for visually imapaired children in Pakistan, called the Amai Park. Fauzia has been actively involved in helping victims of terror and violence in Pakistan, advocating for peace through her artwork and through personal engagement with affected people (Funkor News Blog). Recently, her work was recognized by the Threshold Foundation in their brochure titled "Courageously Crossing Thresholds", which they publish at every peace prize award ceremony. Fazuia's work was featured in the brochure as expemplary in its pursuit of peace, joy, and service. We congratulate Fauzia Minallah on all her meaningful work, and thank her for being a mentor and guiding light for Shajar-e-Ilm.

Tribute to Ziauddin Sahib

by Maliha Tariq

The following text message received from Reshma on December 4 paid tribute to her school principal, Ziauddin Sahib, and the outstanding work he is doing in Swat.

Hello girls and guys! We often speak about good and great people. We praise them for their good deeds. But today let's speak of such a person who really, in true words, did and is doing something better, he who is preparing us to face the challenges of tomorrow. Those people who say that female students should not take part in any competitions didn't say anything when a girl was flogged in front of crowds of people. Let's get together and salute Sir Ziauddin, principal Khushal Public School!

Path to salvation?

by Madeeha Ansari

Religion was meant to set out a way of life. When they started out, madrassas were not only meant to provide a sanctuary for underprivileged children, but also presented a retreat for those seeking a sense of purpose. This BBC story illustrates what the madrassa as an institution was meant to represent, and also what it came to be. It tells the story of a former drug addict who found salvation in the mountains of the NWFP, while learning how to assemble an AK-47.

For many, the discipline involved in observing religious rituals comes to play an important role in regulating every day life. At some point in their lives, people craving stability and meaning seek them through different channels. Hence the rise of "The Art of Living", and renewed interest in yoga and mysticism. Those pulling the strings behind the politicised madrassas obviously had a keen sense of their own power, and an awareness of the needs and vulnerability of those who trusted them.

The person in the news story did his own research and came to his own conclusions. Thank God for that.

Photo: Flickr user StuffEye See (used under Creative Commons license)