Adil Najam
Today is Mother’s Day. All days should be mother’s days.
While some of the crass commercialism that such occasions fall prey to can be disingenuous, it is good to take out the time to appreciate that which we should always be appreciating, but which we often do not. Silly discussions about whether Mother’s Day is “Islamic” or not or whether it is “Pakistani” enough or not are, at least to me, exactly that. Silly. Affection for mother is a human emotion beyond religious or nationalistic constraints. If anyone has doubts, this picture should remove them.
I found the picture on Flickr, posted by Masd. Taken in October 2007, the caption reads: “A poem in Urdu is written to pay tribute to ‘Mother’ on the wall of a hotel on Super Highway between Hyderabad and Karachi in Pakistan.” The composition is captivating in its sheer simplicity. The fact that this is the Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz Ajmeri Hotel is itself worth a full post; but that is not for now. Whether it is a ‘hotel’ or a ‘resturant’ may be a matter of Pinglish and remains to be determined. Given that the door leads to the “Family Room” one assumes it may be the latter.
But the real text here is the poem titled ‘Maan’ (‘Mother’) written on the wall:
Meri zindagi ka ajab rung tha maaN
Maza woh kahaN jo teray sung tha maaNTaira dast-i-shafqat marey sar pay hoota
meiN gham kay toofan meiN kabhi bhi na rootaBijhaR kar tujh say yeh haal ho gaya hai
Mera jeena sach much mahal ho gaya haiSamajh kuch nahiN kaisay jeewan guzaarouN
meiN khud bigRRi taqdeer kaisay sawaarouNAraz hai rabb say, yeh ahsaan karna
mairi maaN ko mujh say judaa kabhi na karna
This is clearly in the realm of public poetry of the type that one might also see on public transport vehicles, but for the same reason it is deeply heartfelt and moving for its sentiment if not for its craftsmanship. The sentiments are similar to those in the Mother’s Day poetry and songs we had featured last year, but the authenticity of the expression make this picture all the more moving.
Most importantly, whoever wrote this (the name is written on the bottom left corner but is not readable) proves the one point I wish to make on this Mother’s Day: Every day should be mother’s day, and whether we choose to celebrate it or not, let us never forget to appreciate all that mothers do, every day.
this is a feminist site. You keep putting pictures of women and talking about women which is not allowed. Mothers day is anti-Islamic concept.
There is another poem written by Anwar Masood that is based on a true story titled “Ambri” that brought tears to my eyes.
We should use this day to reflect on ourselves and our society.
Simple, yet beautiful indeed. I agree that everyday should be Mothers day, and a day to celebrate all the relationships that matter to us, but it doesn’t hurt to take one day out to especially celebrate our mothers. happy mothers day.
— Friends,
For me, mother’s day is every moment of the day.
What if UN or someone thought about it and then designated 10th May ‘”directing”” me to observe ONLY the 10th May as the Mothers Day.
Lets not get into the frivolity of the socalled debate whether its Islamic or not. “THEY” want us to embroil ourselves in such issues, then gather surveys, then brand us anti modern, neo fundamentalist and publish those surveys in international media.
Which makes our “civil ” society react which then beautifully divides us between modern and anti .
This happens on Valentines Day too and other such Days, which is now a must for all of us to show our credentials of modernity.
To cut my comment short, we celebrate, if we can, as I do, every day my mother, father,sister,bother, uncle, aunty Days.
And there is no announcement too.
Sincerely
Naseer
Very nicely said:
“Every day should be mother