Interview with National President - Br. Azharuddin

Who are the persons who have attracted you, besides your father of course, those who shaped your association with the organisation?

Islamic movement comprises a battery of – almost all of them – very worthwhile persons. Whoever comes in contact leaves an imprint. The basic reason of my association with the Islamic movement is my senior, who has also been my teacher, Mr. Umair Ahmad Khan. He brought me closer to the organisation and trained me therein. Besides him, I had the advantage and honour of getting benefited by many important persons in Maharashtra like Nazar Madoo, the current Amir Halqua; Sheikh Abdul Mujeeb, Hamid Hussain, Khalid Mohsin, Rizwanur Rahman Khan, and many others. All of them have paid their attention to me in order to train me in the organisational matters.
  

Tell us about the contributions of SIO.

The journey of SIO during the last 27-28 years in a plural society like India is a successful voyage. SIO has not only presented itself and proved its existence but has also contributed to this plural society in many ways. First of all it has developed confidence in the Muslim youth, provided them with balanced thinking, a positive approach and higher aims of life. Further, it has motivated students and youth to work in campuses in a multidimensional manner. Today students are generally either self-centred or working for petty objectives. It has been a characteristic feature of SIO to shape the abilities of students and youth for positive and constructive purposes by developing their multidimensional personalities. It utilised Islam as a binding force at a time when religion was utilised for causing discord and disruption. Until and unless we are associated with religion, it is not possible to reconstruct the society in a positive fashion. In the field of education it has initiated a debate on some basic principles, particularly on the object of education, putting on a question mark on the existing philosophy of education. 

What do you mean by multidimensional personality?

Student-life is the age of learning. This process of learning should be a natural process along with being multidimensional. For example, it is necessary for a student to give proper attention to his studies, achieving excellence in his field of study and proceeding towards specialisation and completing his studies in the best possible manner. On the other hand, he should be aware of the developments in the society, be updated with the problems around, analysing the events with a sense of concern. He should participate in solving those problems on individual as well as collective levels. Then he should nurture his mental faculties developing intellectual capabilities.

Today we find that students struggle to achieve money power and muscle power. Earning money becomes their aim of life and they devote much time and effort to developing their physical outlook and appearance. Their concern for developing this money power and muscle power surpasses their concern for mental power and mental exercise.

SIO encourages them to use and develop their mental faculties. Along with education and social side of personality the moral and spiritual sides too are important ingredients of one’s personality. Consider the extent of moral degradation in campuses. In order to counter the malaise, moral and spiritual development of students is urgently needed. Thus multidimensional development of personality comprises educational, practical, societal, moral, and spiritual and such other developments. SIO alhamdulillah addresses all these aspects.

SIO had decided to focus more on students than on youth. What is the status of that approach?

Student orientation of SIO had been a very significant approach of SIO in the first decade of the 21st century that has just passed. This orientation started in 2001 and got momentum with the passage of time. Many zones have completed this orientation and new members overwhelmingly belong to the student’s community. Many other zones are moving in this direction. In fact students and educational institutions are fertile areas of a society that can play an important role in its positive reconstruction. So SIO decided that, being a part of the Islamic movement, it should concentrate in this area exclusively. If we achieve this objective of giving required orientation to campuses, this will be a great service to the cause of the movement. 

We notice that SIO has shown concern in many non-educational and non-campus activities in the past. Is their any justification for that in view of your vowed position of a students’ movement?

As a matter of policy SIO has decided to be concerned about the issues pertaining to students and educational institutions. But students are part and parcel of the society and they cannot be completed isolated and unconcerned about issues cropping up therein. So our policy is to work for creating and building up public opinion on social, national and international issues as per need. However, it is correct that involvement on all issues will affect our long term goal. Some restraint is called for. Instead of reacting on volatile issues, it is better for us and other ideological organisations to work on long term and basic issues.

What will be the focus of SIO, particularly out of the activities which the organisation has inherited from the past?

One important debate that SIO started a couple of years ago relates to philosophy of education. Debate on the existing approach towards education and the Islamic philosophy of education forms the nucleus of our activities which should go on. This requires both theoretical and practical researches. Till now we have been working on creating awareness on student-related issues. We should go one step ahead, beyond the awareness programme, towards contributing something concrete to the welfare of the students’ community. Further, efforts to play a positive role for improvement of the national educational policy will continue.

Any new focus that SIO has decided in its recently concluded Central Advisory Council (CAC) meeting under your stewardship.

Our goals require a long struggle and these call for continuity of lines of actions. We cannot change approaches in every term. It is not proper for the organisation to vie for a very big change in any single organisational period. I personally feel that the organisation needs a balanced line of action. By this balance I mean both balanced thinking and action. For example, education and educational institutions, tazkia (self purification), and growth of organisation all need to be addressed simultaneously. So our focus in this term will be to address all these aspects in a balanced manner.

We have further decided to encourage students to do higher studies in social sciences as this is being neglected. Further, we have decided to organise research scholars and assist them in their respective fields of study, providing them with proper orientation.

Are you thinking in terms of organising old boys of SIO?

SIO is a wing of the Islamic movement in India and so the persons who become old boys here join the mainframe movement. In fact, that is the basic purpose of SIO. Old boys associations are needed in the institutions where further similar platforms are not available. That vacuum does not exist in our case as a bigger platform in the form of the Islamic movement is available. However, persons retiring from SIO remain emotionally attached with us and both formal and informal relationships exist.

What qualitative change in membership has occurred and how to make it better?

The age group of membership has changed. Now with students’ orientation of the organisation relatively younger boys are becoming members. For example, we may differentiate between student-members in the age group of 18 to 24 years from that of 25 to 30 years. That latter group is comparatively more matured and so that may contribute to training of their younger brothers. Besides, this one-to-one approach for tazkia we have decided to give more stress on studies of the Holy Qur’ān. We feel that the Qur’ān is the best source and guide of tazkia. Our CAC has decided that our attachment with the Qur’ān should not be merely for knowledge sake. Rather it should become emotional and be ingrained in our persona. The recitation and study of the Qur’ān should not be limited to preparing for dares-Qur’ān but for our own tazkia as well.

Do you think members and associates of SIO have developed distinct traits with which they are recognised in campuses?

We can say that associates of SIO, wherever they are present in campuses, are recognised because of their thinking and character. Balanced thinking, constructive approach, seriousness about studies, broadmindedness, keeping extremism at bay, maturity in education and concern about the society are the characteristic features of members of SIO and these make this organisation distinct from other students organisations. Although we are not satisfied fully as more attention is required in their mental and character building.

What is your message for the students’ community and your members?

We wish that SIO should become a trend-setter among students. It is the responsibility of SIO to make its mission and message a topic of debate in the society, making these the burning issues of our times. Students should be ready to discuss Islam ideologically, socially and academically. We should work proactively and not reactively. We do not have to look towards other organisations present in the campuses as we have to set our own priorities, resisting any urge to conflict or becoming rivals. Conflicts and rivalry have never served the society. Our vision is to serve our mission constructively.

--Radiance Views Weekly

Campuses should be the ‘mirror image’ of an Ideal and Peaceful society

“The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) believes that our campuses should be the ‘mirror image’ of an ideal and peaceful society”, said Mohammad Azharuddin, President of SIO. He was addressing the media persons at the Press Club   in New Delhi.

He further said, “SIO appeals to all student organizations to stand together for a common struggle against social evils. Students should adopt the ‘power of love’ and not the ‘love for power’, thereby promoting co-operation and not clash. It should be the endeavor of the students to focus on ‘wisdom’ rather than just degrees in academics”.

Opposing the rapid commercialization of education, Azharuddin said, “To make the citizens of the country aware and alert of neo imperialist designs, SIO will explain impacts of neo imperialism on our education policies, institutions and educational politics. Moreover, SIO will raise issue of social justice and access to quality education for all as a basic right and put off commercialization of education”.

Lamenting on the non-performance of the government, he exclaimed, “SIO shares government’s responsibility to promote education and make the citizens aware of its benefits. SIO will continue to adopt programs to create general awareness towards education. Several governmental and nongovernmental reports have also suggested that minorities and oppressed sections like Dalits are lagging behind in education. SIO will pay special attention on these sections and will ask government and its agencies to allocate and spend required resources on them”.

Depressed with the status of the politicized face of campus, he expressed, “SIO does see deteriorating democratic practices in our educational institutions with grave concerns. SIO demands the revival of students’ union in every college and university and asks administration, government and private educational institutions to abstain from anti students policies. SIO will not only demand for Student Union, it will also mobilize student community to make our campuses full of creativity, socially sensitive and responsible. A campus where educational excellence and healthy competition; debates on burning issues goes side by side can be called as Creative Campus for which SIO will invest its best efforts”.

Speaking of the social responsibility, the President of SIO pointed out that, “SIO is of the view that student community is not an isolated part of Indian society. Students cannot stay immune of negative impacts of injustices being done against any community be they Hindu, Muslim, Dalits or any other group. This is also part of our sensitivity that student community feels the pain of common Indians, share their problems and be aware of their hopes and dreams. SIO appeal student community to be alert of injustices against people and raise their concerns to ensure justice and dignity for them”.

National Secretaries – Shaikh Shoaib and Sharique Ansar and the Manager of White Dot Publishers shared the dais.

Hum Jo Tareek Rahon men Mare Gaye!

The dusk approached

And darkness gripped slowly

The nerves were dipping

And the sight was blurred

The traveler of love was approaching

the last mile stone

Rehearsing within was one question

Will you remember me as martyr?

No you will not

My love is meaningless

Meaningless as I am

The heart bled for you

Till I was alive

The color of that blood

Was not red nor black

It was white

And thus ended this life

Worth lived in pain

The pain that was

The greatest treasure of love

Worth admiring, worth remembering

Now I am dead

But the pain remained

Remained as the powerful emotion

But more powerful is its narrative

The narrative is my last will

For all who will fail to be martyred

                          ---Illuminated Mind

Interview with Br. Suhail K

·How do you feel at the end of the term?

Alhamdulillah.. The 14^th term has ended with a deep sense of happiness. Let me thank and congratulate my team at the centre – Abdur Rafique sb; Bilal, Shahnawaz Ali Raihan, Azharuddin, Shibli Arsalan, Mohammed Irfan and Abul Aala Subhani and the whole members and cadres for their complete cooperation and dedicated hard work. And my wife and kids and my beloved parents, their unyielding support and advices without which this task was impossible. Shukran lakum wa jazakumullahu khair... I pray to Almighty from the depth of my heart, “Oh Allah, we have tried our maximum to perform in its perfection. Accept all the efforts we have done and forgive the mistakes for us in your path...”

·Do you feel satisfied or if you feel something is yet to be done?

As far as the policy program of the year 2009-10 is concerned, yes Alhamdulillah all the activities planned plus a lot more has been done. But as far as the mission is concerned SIO has got miles to go ahead and the efforts made are negligible. Our message is no doubt gaining acceptance in the non-Muslim mass, breaking the ice of pre-conceived notions and prejudices. But our movement, I believe has to do much more to reach out to the people of this country. More creative, meaningful and colourful manifestations of Islam need to be made. As a movement, SIO’s creativity must benefit the student community and society at a wider spectrum. Launching independent forums and endeavours is one such thing. These endeavours can be exemplified as hydrogen balloons, of which threads are not in our hands, initiated by us but meant for and used by the people. I dream of an SIO which is more felt by the nation at various levels.

· What are the major achievements of SIO in your term?

The discourse on ‘Representation of Islam in Plural Society’ and the subsequent out reach into the non-Muslim mass of this country is I would say the most important achievement of SIO in its 14th term. Active participation in global students/youths confederations and taking part in campus union elections at a large scale were under prime focus. Massive public relations exercises were done at central level. SIO has taken some path breaking steps in these areas in this term. Activism embedded with social service was another thrust area. At a time when education reforms are being discussed at its very minute levels, SIO initiated a discourse to deconstruct education of our country from its basic philosophy. “Islamic Philosophy of Education” was raised as a subject of debate in the academic circles and also Muslim students, country wide. SIO also had addressed the menace of “State and Non-State Terrorism” by inculcating balanced thoughts in youth and student community and also exposing the state conspiracies behind propagandas. SIO demanded justice for the victims of state terrorism and also released a revealing book on the issue – “Aatankwad ki Antar Kadha”. A new publishing house named “White Dot Publishers” was launched and two new titles were published. These were some of the major thrust areas and steps taken apart from the regular and routine works that we do.

· What was the discourse on “Representation of Islam in Plural Society”? What were its practical implications in the organisation?

We are living in a country with diversities of multiple spectrums. A country with not only religious diversities but diversities in multiple domains – Culture, ethnicity, linguistics and colour. It is very important for an Islamic movement working in a country like India to learn and understand how Islam and Islamic tradition viewed religious pluralism. Due to reasons pertaining to history, the Hindus and Muslims which together constitute 95% of Indian population has been staying miles apart. Muslim and Hindu population concentrated in different ‘bastis’. All transactions became limited within the community. Muslim community thought only of their own problems and shrinked to themselves. This unfortunately has indeed created an influence in shaping our organizational character too. This distance is the reason of misunderstanding and prejudice on Islam and Muslims. Engagement with the non-Muslim society is the most important step forward. Engaging with non-Muslim society with the beautiful values and message of Islam is primarily what d’awat is. D’awat has been misunderstood as only preaching. And da’ees has been identified as only Tele-evangelists and preachers. But were as every Muslim, individually is a da’ee if represents Islam by his deeds and actions. And representing Islam collectively is by establishing in the society the beautiful values of Islam like justice, peace, loyalty etc. Beautifully presenting Islam orally and textually is d’awat in the second category which only a very few can do. SIO has adopted a work culture where in the non-Muslim mass has been held close and the gap is minimised. That is how the non-Muslim sympathisers has almost doubled the number in this term.

· You have had interactions with Islamic movements worldwide. How do you see SIO in the global map of Islamic movements?

SIO is no doubt the largest Islamic student’s movement in the world which works centralised in such a large geographical area. And it also can be marked as a single largest Islamic student’s movement with the largest number of diversities in the world. All most all the massive Islamic student’s organisations in the world are working in Muslim majority countries. In this global village, Muslims are a minority with a population of approx 23 percent. Therefore SIO’s work culture and priorities are looked upon with great interest by international Islamic confederations. SIO has been admired in the international conferences for its creativity, courage and its slogans which synchronises with present day society.

· In a growing age of cyber and technology, all dimensions of inter-personal relations and society are changing. How did you handle this situation especially in case of young generations coming in and their Tazkiyah part? What do you suggest for people coming in near future?

You are right. Virtual reality has become an inevitable part of student life and it has added a new domain in our activism. An Islamic movement staying far from this reality cannot utilise the wide opportunities which has been open by the world of internet. It’s not only used to communicate with a mass but also to reach out individually to the policy/opinion makers, political leadership and the intellectual cream of this country. SIO has undoubtedly created a parallel media on the net with more than 500 blogs and thousands of micro blogs throughout the country. This has enabled us to reach to a very large audience.

· You've seen SIO in length and breadth of country. What do you feel is the important quality of SIO and its cadre which distinguishes it from rest of society?

Since our organisation is cadre based, obviously the members and cadres have superiority in terms of knowledge and character in comparison with the society as a whole. If you compare SIO cadre with that of other political organisations the difference is that we have sense of social responsibility and divine accountability. More over our cadres does their hard work without any worldly and material ambitions and only for the sake of paradise. If you compare with other Muslim organisations we understand Islam in a larger canvas and as a balanced ideology between extremism and reluctance.

· Anything that you remember most about this term?

For me every faces of members that I met - from Assam to Gujarat and from Punjab to Kerala - are unique experiences. There are many sweet memories and experiences that I had and InshaAllah will remember and elaborate some other time.

· You're completing your organizational life also. How do you feel while stepping into Jamat. It is said SIO is still not contributing much to Jamat, what do you think are factors for this.

For me personally, even thinking of retirement from SIO is heart breaking. But this is an irresistible phenomenon! There are hundreds of members who are technically retiring from SIO. I would like to remind all of the retiring members that we are not retiring from the movement but only from the organisation which was a temporary setup. All retiring members shall formally enter Jamate Islami Hind by giving an application of membership. It is factually incorrect to say that SIO is not contributing much to Jamaat. Undoubtedly, at the national level more than 80 percent of SIO cadres are assimilated into Jamaat. And it is SIO who is contributing the maximum for Jamaat. Moreover around 50 percent of Jamaat’s first line leadership and 75 percent of second line leadership are contributed by SIO.

· In this term centre did some good experiments like transferring programs formation to zone. Adoption of a very generic and at the same time detailed policy on various fronts by CAC etc. what do you feel about all these experiences? 

The experiment of making only policy at central level and living the programs to be formulated at zonal level on the basis of central policy was evaluated as a successful experiment. All zones have their own educational, social and cultural indigenous concerns which need to be taken into account whole formulating the program. I also feel that this federalism needs to go a bit further. States can be grouped into three or four broad categories and policies shall be framed differently for each groups based on their peculiarities. All zones shall be given the freedom to decide on their programs based on the central policy. India is a country with such lot diversities that each state has in itself features of being a separate country. I believe; organisational governance with more flexibility is suitable, practical and effective in our movement.

Let me thank once again to the cadres for the love and care they had given me. May the Almighty unite us all once again in his Jannatul Firdouse... thanks for giving this opportunity..

4 PRECIOUS DROPS

What you say of a soldier who during war remains confined to his training camp; exercising, punching sandbags, shooting at cardboard-targets and fighting mock battles? What you say of a specialised surgeon who is engrossed in operating cats, mice, frogs, turtles and dead bodies (as a practice) while thousands in the city are suffering from a fatal disease are badly in need of operation? What you say of a woodcutter who is busy sharpening his axe day after day, week after week, month after month without cutting rather touching a tree?

Useless, futile, fool, irresponsible, coward – you would exclaim and rightly so. But what would be your response if I replace the soldier, surgeon and woodcutter with the word ‘student’. On the same pedestal they are away from what they call dirty politics. If asked, ‘who will clean it?’they are answerless. They are not concerned of society but onlytheir careers.

“We don’t care” is their attitude on which they are proud. In this scenario SIO has come up with a message for students that they should Study, Struggle and Serve the society – simultaneously. Is SIO alone in urging students and youth towards activism? No! There are whole lot of student organizations out there that are active, overactive, reactive and hyperactive in campuses. What’s the difference in SIO’s call and theirs – if any? The difference lies not only in name but also in intent, in methodology of work, in issues that are raised, in mindset of the cadres and leaders and most obviously in the objective perceived.

As per to their official websites;objectives of the following student organisations calling students to strengthen their hands are as follows;

NSUI: “We represent each and every student of this country. We pursue an inclusivist, pluralist and a socialist agenda. NSUI is constituted with the aim of social empowerment, and all the programs of NSUI are aimed at development of India at every level”.

ABVP: “… the objective of channelizing students’ energies in the task of national reconstruction by a group of students and teachers who drew their inspiration from the

RSS…AkhilBharatiyaVidyarthiParishad is an all-India student organization, working in field of education with the wider perspective of National Re-Reconstruction. ABVP works with a faith in the collective existence of the educational community, a firm belief in constructive work and a nationalist approach which stays above partisan politics”.

SFI: “To organise the students… to build a powerful and well-knit student movement for the upliftment and betterment of the student community… To take active interest in the struggle for liquidation of the evil legacies of colonialism and for building in our country an independent, democratic and socialist society to insure a prosperous and progressive future for our people… elimination of the stranglehold of international finance capital and indigenous monopoly capitalism”.

Let’s not doubt the intentions behind these pious words despite the fact that we can quote at length their acts that contradict rather scoff at these lofty aspirations. Still taking them at their face value let’s remind us of SIO’s mission i.e. “Preparing students and youth for the reconstruction of society in the light of divine guidance”. What is the distinguishing feature of our aim? It is not “preparing students and youth” not even “reconstruction of society” but only, “in the light of divine guidance”.

The light of divine guidance is what has made our activism not mere activism, not a directionless activism, not some haphazard activism, not an opportunistic activism for electoral gains but Islamic activism i.e. activism based on Islamic principles. And so this is our call for students and youths in campuses and society that: they should become Islamic activists for success here and hereafter. Now you may ask how a student can become an Islamic activist. I have an easy formula.If you are ready to shed four of your most precious drops to please Allah then you can easily evolve into an Islamic activist.Let me explain.

In your childhood you must have cried for your broken toys. Even adults do cry when some severe calamity inflicts them. But in common perception crying is considered unmanly and tears a sign of weakness.Have you ever heard ‘tears of strength’? Washington Irving is precise in arguing that, “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues”. Bowing and prostrating is an act of surrender, submission and weakness. But if one bows and prostratesonly before Allah; he becomes fearless as a lion and insurmountable as a mountain. Likewise remembering Allah, recalling our sins, and shedding tears of repentance, tears of submission, tears for our inability to discharge the onerousresponsibility of being witnesses unto mankind; enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil – that our Lord may have mercy upon us – is not a sign of weakness but of strength of the soul. In the darkness of night when the world fasts asleep, an Islamic activist cries; cries for himself and for the world. ‘One, who weeps out of fear of Allah, will not enter the Hell’ (At-Tirmidhi).A companion came to the prophet while he was performing prayers. He saw that prophet was sobbing and his chest sounded like a boiling kettle.These strong and weighty tears are a necessary precondition for being an Islamic activist. Remember; “The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears”.

Islam does not believe only in theory, training for its own sake. After the spiritual lessons of shedding tears like ascetics it also urges rather makes obligatory to sweat it out in the ground. Allah says in the Quran, “those who strive in Our cause, We shall surely guide them” (29: 69).Theory without practical as practical without theory is useless. ZigZiglar has wisely said, “Success is dependent upon the glands – sweat glands”. A Chinese proverb goes: The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war. This determination, hard work and persistence open the paths of success. “Sweat plus sacrifice equals success”, says Charlie Finley.

Let’s pick up sacrifice from the last quote. Sacrifice of what?Of that ‘which you love’ (Aale Imran: 92). Life is most dear to human beings. But Quran reprimands Muslims who love their lives, or that of their fathers, brothers, wives, kindred, or wealth, or commerce or homes more than Allah, prophet, and activism (jihad) in His way (Al-Tauba: 24). This is the demanded spirit of Islam that if circumstances arise one may not shy away from shedding the last ounce of his blood for the cause he upheld. According to ahadith,”He, who dies without having fought in the Cause of Allah or without having thought of doing so, will die with one characteristic of hypocrisy in him”.

Charles F. Kettering has said, “The future can be anything we want it to be, providing we have the faith and that we realize that peace, no less than war, required blood and sweat and tears”. I agree with him but only partially. He missed the most significant point i.e. the drop whose importance was duly recognised by our farsighted Prophet. ‘Ink of the scholar is more sacred than blood of the martyr’ is what he said.We are in a better position to understand this in today’s age of knowledge explosion. Ideology matters more than technology. Today it is this ideological hegemony or neo-colonialism that we are enslaved in. Tommy Lasorda has given a wise advice by saying, “Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel”. In this scenario only ink can liberate us. Researches, books, magazines, newspapers, articles, novels, dramas, poems, even a crispy letter to editor can bring change– A drop of ink may make a million think. Laziness refrain us from writing our thoughts, many people justify this laziness by saying that they don’t write but think. Mark Victor Hansen says for them, “Don’t think it, ink it” – because it not only systematise thinking but also provides an opportunity to influence others or at least to initiate a dialogue. In sum writing skills in today’s age are also fighting skills.

These are four drops, trivial in weight but pivotal in weightage – represnting four aspects of life; Tears – spirituality, Sweat – striving, Blood – sacrifice, Ink – knowledge. A last objection remains!What would we ‘ALONE’ do by being an Islamic activist when others are happily groping in the pool of darkness and ignorance? I avoid giving the blunt (yet true) answer that one is answerable for one’s own intentions and efforts.Instead I write the following.

Ismail Merthi in one of his inspirational poems has depicted a scene of severe drought. The farms were parched as tongues of the living beings. In the midday scorching sun a perturbed farmer came to his farm. The painful sight of the arid land forced him to look upwards and pray to Allah in utter helplessness. Meanwhile a cloud was passing by. A small drop in the cloud looked downwards and saw the farmer, “come friends let’s help him”, said the droplet grasping the situation at once.His friends however didn’t care. When the small drop persisted they ridiculed him. When he didn’t budge they scared him that there will be hardships outside the cloud. Temperature will be high. “If you leave the cloud there is no guarantee that you will drop on the farm and not in woodstove or marsh” an old drop shared his wisdom. But the courageous drop was not to be cowed down. He decided alone to help the farmer. They laughed at the insignificance of the drop on one hand and his intentions on the other. The drop nevertheless departed alone to help the farmer – a journey that was virtually a suicide according to every logic. But story didn’t end. His departure shook the conscience of other drops. They saluted the courage of the little drop and started loathing their selfishness. The sacrifice of the little drop moved them to follow suit. It was rain; heavy rain – due to courage of a single drop.

In the same vein brothers we urge you to make efforts; unceasing, unending and untiring efforts – irrespective of the fact what is your status and significance in the eyes of others.Believe me that only your drops of efforts will make oceans of difference.

(Khan Yasir --- The Comapnion)