When Truth Lies in Ugliness!

This article was published in Momken Magazine | Issue 4 | December 2012

Hannah smiled with content, adding the final touches to her first portrait. Eventually, it is finished. At first she had trouble learning to paint professionally, but she kept practicing on and on to polish her skills till she got the hang of it. Her pipe dream turned into reality at last.

The next day she was headed to the atelier, seized with excitement. No sooner did she rush through the door than all the faces expectantly gazed at her, full of eagerness to see the artwork of the girl with the wild imagination and phenomenal talent. Not taking notice of the excessive attention fixed on her, Hannah unveiled the painting amid the unfeigned curiosity of her amazed colleagues who could not help but raise their eyebrows. Before them laid a portrait of an ugly-faced man with evidently flawed features. At the sight of it, they were about to exclaim in unison,” what the heck is this nonsense?!”, but barely did they hold their tongue; however, the expression on their countenance said it all; it obviously turned them off.

“It’s just peculiar!” one of Hannah’s colleagues said after hesitation.

“yeah, it is,” Hannah replied in a quiet voice, trying hard to swallow the disappointment that swept over her on account of the apparent negative reaction . There was a lot of murmur around her about the terrible ugliness in the painting, but she tuned it all out, lapsing into glum silence.

For a moment, she stood still in front of her portrait scrutinizing it with her fingers and eyes. It carried the same image visualized in her mind for long. Now it became tangible and visible, which, in her view, was a worthwhile accomplishment itself. Then, why would she feel down due to people’s remarks? She thought. They just saw the outcome without encountering the same hardships which she went through and did her utmost to get over; she was the only one aware of her strenuous exertions; and nobody would ever appreciate her work as much as she did.

Strangely enough, such a sudden feeling of self-worth she was struck by had her sense the distinction deep down, along with the uniqueness of her endeavor.  Not discouraged anymore, a broad grin crossed her face in the midst of the baffled looks of her mates. Her own satisfaction with her achievement was what counted the most no matter how others perceived it.  

********

The portrayal of the facial flaws was meant to be perfect since this is the way most of us in reality look like; our inner flaws are inadvertently reflected on our outer appearance, which makes us end up resembling this very portrait; so we give it our all to conceal this odious look by putting on such excessive, long-lasting make-up; but when wiped off, our rank duplicity is disclosed and the flaws appear unblemished. This is the truth which lies in the ugliness, the ugliness that we are reluctant to contemplate because it is not as appealing as beauty.

Literally inside every human, ugliness resides, but practically the majority insists on rejecting this reality to the extent that they get to believe that their fake beauty is genuine; and on top of this, they rebuff criticism and expect others to behave ideally, forgetting that they themselves are not devoid of defects.

“Why don’t they just remove the make-up and fix the ugliness from within?!” is a common question that frequently flashes through the minds of the puzzled minority who is willing to pull out the roots of deceit and fraudulence.

As a matter of fact, a part of the majority intentionally shuts their eyes to their ugliness because the latter serves their interests; meanwhile they keep wearing those delusive masks which, they erroneously think, make them seem more attractive although those very masks actually do nothing but distorting the traces of the diminishing beauty inside themselves.

Ugliness clearly manifests itself in oppression, selfishness, arrogance, transgression, violence, hatred, envy, cheating, to name a few. The fear of ugliness around pushes us to shun it though by doing so we will never manage to get a tight hold of it. It is a disease that spreads rapidly like a plague. Mulling over it will let us have more comprehension of its nature, and accordingly there will exist the possibility of curing it.

********

“The ugliness in this painting is totally remarkable! There must be a long story behind it,” a friendly, familiar voice said from behind Hannah, interrupting her train of thoughts. In disbelief, she twisted around to find, much to her astonishment, her mentor closely inspecting her portrait with a warm smile on his face. “I knew you would come up with something ingenious as usual.”

Hannah beamed with pleasure, realizing that in any case the diligent effort never goes for nothing, and there always comes the day when somebody appreciates it.

Two weeks later, her painting was displayed in a well-known art exhibit, and below it the following caption was written:

“Ugliness gives us insight into our lives, yet not in an explicit manner. The message it conveys is always subtle; only the smart ones are capable of grasping it!” 

By Noha Fathi  

The Unleashed Capacity

This article was published in Cilantro Central Magazine
Issue 36 | June/ July 2012

“You failed!” is a phrase you might hear from your boss, your parent, your friend, your spouse; or you might simply feel it even though sometimes such a feeling is completely illusory; it echoes in your head on and on only to ravage you slowly from inside. Notwithstanding that it merely consists of four letters, this little word “fail” can easily turn your whole life upside down; it has a magical power to afflict you with an inferiority complex, which you may never recover from, and eternally leave you with a broken spirit as well as almost non-existent self-worth.

The ignored reality is that each individual in this world is successful but in his own fashion. Before going any further, let’s first define the broad meaning of success in order to be able to identify it. Success is the achievement of something you have been aiming for after considerable effort and time. In case you hold the notion that you are a failure, it is time to ask yourself this question:                                
  “How often did I accomplish something I have been aiming for after considerable effort and time?

Most probably the majority answer will be “many times” once they refresh the memories, pushed inadvertently at the very back of their mind; and this demonstrates how unaware you can be of your successes, letting them sink into oblivion, which accordingly culminates with allowing despair and disappointment to occupy a massive space of your life.

To make your answer more tangible, draw up a list of the successes you attained. Make certain you did not forget anything; you will find out, to your surprise, that there are plenty! Bear in mind that your success is not necessarily restricted to the area of work or study as its implications are virtually materialized on all fronts. Through this list you will come to be conscious of the bright side within yourself. The side that might have been buried for ages though it embodies your triumph and keeps you away from the failure zone.

Now let’s move to the counter part of your self or namely its dark side which permanently resides in you, but you barely bother to explore it. That is why it is dark for you and almost unseen. The process of throwing a light on this side can be conducted in two methods. The first, being highly rewarding if done systematically, requires a substantial amount of deductive reasoning. Bring the list of successes you wrote out earlier and then try to figure out what capabilities enabled you to achieve each success. This very analysis gives you deep insight into your skills and attributes, which is instrumental especially when it comes to applying for a job or getting involved in a particular activity.

The second method is trying your hand at something you have never done before. Should it work, you will have it to your credit. If not, at least you will learn something new out of this experience. Don’t ever be afraid to take your chances, and always remember the golden rule: “nothing ventured, nothing gained”.

Last but not least it is worthy of mention that the more you live and learn about your own complicated human self, the more you realize it is impossible to fully understand its dimensions. Self is like space; its exploration is infinite. There always remains this dark zone that continuously awaits us to solve its mystery, the mystery of our covert, imperceptible abilities. So appreciate your potential however petty it is. Don’t let it be clouded by your weaknesses. This is the way smart people act!

By Noha Fathi  

My Scattered Words! (1)

Your being GOOD at work doesn't mean you are PROFESSIONAL !
Professionalism is practiced only by those who are pursuing perfection through their highly developed proficiency. Those are the minority who eventually leave their mark on the world.

                                                                  *****

Your power reaches its zenith, deep down, the moment you manage to subdue your rage.

                                                                  *****

At times we mistakenly believe that we eliminated our fears while the truth is they still exist but we're just mastering them.

                                                                  *****

Being different is pretty charming but not necessarily good !!

                                                                  *****

Most people keep condemning what is happening around ... Please stop it till you are able to take action and change it; still if u fail, the only thing you can always change (for the better) is yourself; maybe this turns you one day into a figure people will consider a role model. JUST THEN, YOU CAN BRING ABOUT THE CHANGE !!

                                                                   *****

Sometimes the illogical attracts us, but eventually we're obliged to get real !

By Noha Fathi  

The Sole Tear

This piece of writing was published on TEDx AlexandriaU Blog

I’m still roaming in the sky, viewing life from above in a futile attempt to capture traces of the diminishing beauty therein, the beauty that the dark fire of injustice and bloody violence consumed the bulk of it only to give way to vague ugliness to prevail.

Inadvertently, a tear fell from me, fell amid the fangs of the raging fire which swallowed it ferociously. My sole tear will never put it out, I know, but at least its fragrant vapor lingering on the smoggy horizon may be smelled by others, compelling a rainbow of hope to reluctantly manifest itself under the thin rays of sunlight that poke every now and then through the cracks between the overcast clouds.

By Noha Fathi  

The Ghost on Facebook !! (Short Story)

This story was published in Momken Magazine | Issue 6
March 2013

After all, it never happened that somebody said to me he was a ghost. What a ridiculous joke! But frankly I was ill at ease.
I got back from work, tired. Soon I lapsed into deep but uneasy sleep, full of odd dreams crammed with shadowy figures I could not recognize. Two hours later, I woke up, or rather something woke me up, I can’t tell. I rose right away, looking about, troubled; something was roaming the room-as far as I could gather-invisible and never tangible, sensed but not seen.


Does this have something to do with that eccentric hacker yesterday on Facebook who claimed to be the ghost of Solomon? I mused. Ugh, this is just absurd. What kind of nut is going to buy this nonsense?!

Curious, I went on Solomon’s facebook profile. Nothing was new; the last post by him was about a year ago, which did perplex me because I expected this very hacker to mess the profile up! I reclined in my seat considering the whole matter but abruptly a message notification popped up.

“Oh my! It’s from Solomon,” I exclaimed in bewilderment, straightening up.

This hacker was giving me the creeps, I told myself, but he was …
My train of thoughts stopped as I viewed the message:

Dear Joseph,
What I told you yesterday is real. I’m Solomon’s Ghost. Just switch off the monitor and have a close look at the screen to know for sure I’m not a hacker.

His words left me alarmed.

“What the heck does that mean?” I frowned. Suddenly, an appalling thought struck me, making my blood run cold. I sprang to my feet frantically sweeping around the room ,but much to my surprise, all was still, nothing peculiar. I got back to my seat, deep in thought. Reading the message over and over again, I finally concluded it was merely a sick joke from a mentally retarded person.

However, I couldn’t resist switching off the monitor to see what he meant. My curiosity is always hard to curb. Apprehensive as I was, I slowly reached out my trembling hand for the monitor to press the “turn-off’ button. Clicking on it, a strong gasp of horror got out of me.I caught sight of his reflection on the black screen; he was right behind me. My heart was beating like crazy as if it were going to jump out of my chest.

I was terrified, hopeless, helpless, and on top of that incredulous of what my eyes glimpsed. Can it be only a hallucinatory nightmare that will be over soon? But how come? I was never diagnosed with mental disorders!

A boom of thunder broke my flow, recalling me to the gloomy present. Though a gruesome feeling overwhelmed me, I made up my mind to face this thing. Struggling to master my infinite fear, I cautiously twisted around. Nothing was there! Baffled, I scrutinized the screen. All the reflections were pretty normal.

“This thing is messing with me.” I muttered through my teeth, switching on the monitor again; shortly after that I could not help but raise my eyebrows. There was another message from Solomon.

I’m sorry I didn’t intend to freak you out but this was the only way to let you know I’m a real ghost!
You may wonder what I want from you and most importantly why you especially?
Well, I’d like you to do Solomon a favor. I can’t do it myself since people will erroneously think I’m a hacker and definitely I will not spread panic over Facebook trying to prove I’m a real ghost as I did with you.


You are the only one added to Solomon’s friends list after his death. You’re a pure soul, Joseph; that’s why I chose you particularly to help out Solomon in his distress; just suggest Solomon as a friend for as many people as possible and tell them to pray to God to forgive him. He committed a lot of sins during his life but he did not repent. Death caught him off-guard and now he’s in severe torment. He just needs God’s forgiveness but how can he get it while he didn't ask for it when alive?


I'm begging you to help him.

By the end of the message, I felt the tears well up my eyes, an endless stream of tears which I failed to fight back. I wept bitterly like I never did before, remembering that I RARELY repent. The terrible sense that my sins are just accumulating to bring about my impending doom one day racked my desperate, troubled soul,squeezing my heart cruelly.

I spent the whole night praying to God to forgive him his sins and deliver him from hellfire.

************

I was sitting on the rocking chair, worked up about the ghost lingering in my room when a flash of lightning, in the middle of the pitch-black night, shone  through the window, imbuing the dimly-lit room with an aura of mystery. Automatically I darted a glance at the source of light, hearing the wind howling outside and the raindrops splattering. Yet this was not what sent a chill down my spine; rather, it was this very sound coming from the dark corridor leading to my room, a sound of floorboards creaking, as if somebody were out there groping his way.

I leaned forward, listening vigilantly, my attention fixed on the door. Feeble as the light was, my eyes did not miss the human shadow that materialized as it approached my room. I held my breath, feeling my blood freeze. In a couple of seconds, the figure behind the shadow came into sight.

Startled, I got up and drew back shakily till I banged my back against the wall. I wanted to cry, to shout, to run but the charming smile on his serene face that I glimpsed as he got closer helped me compose myself a little bit. Strangely enough, his features seemed familiar to me ,but I failed to remember where I had seen him before.

“Thank you!” the twenty something young man said gently in deep gratitude. “I’m Solomon who you prayed for all night long.”

I gazed at him incredulously; his words struck me dumb for he had passed away a year ago as I recall.

“Your supplications saved me from unendurable torment.” His melancholic voice carried distinct pain.
“I wish I had asked for God’s forgiveness while alive. I always put it off until it was too late.” He lowered his head in agony, his words infused with harsh remorse.
“I just thought I was too young to die”, he muttered in a half-suffocated voice, biting his lip to stop a tear glistened in his eye from falling.

I had a pang of compassion for him as I saw the anguish engraved on his features. I wanted to say something, to soothe him, but my tongue failed me. I just approached him, reaching my hand out to pat him but he kept receding till he vanished. I looked around, uncertain. He was gone, without a trace!

************

I blinked as the sunbeam penetrated my closed eyes, finding that I was still in the rocking chair. It seemed that sleep had crept over me while I was unaware. Solomon’s words were still ringing in my ears. In spite of the fact that what I experienced was incredibly vivid, I still can’t tell whether it was a dream or reality! Maybe it was just a supernatural incident, one of a kind, one which will never sink into oblivion.
Now, only now did I realize how precious it is, my being alive.

By Noha Fathi  

Is it Detestable in Islam Marrying a Divorced Woman?!!!!!!!!!!

Hundreds of women get divorced all around the world!
But by doing so, ……........

-Did they turn into culprits?!

-Should they be stigmatized by society?!

-Should they be condemned to live their life without marriage -even if they don’t mind getting married again- simply because they are so-called divorcees?!

If YES, that would be totally UNFAIR!

Had the answer been YES, Islam wouldn’t have legislated divorce as a last resort in case the two spouses reach a stalemate.

Islamically-speaking, divorce intends to be a way-out of a miserable life, full of breaches impossible to heal and void of affection, love, and mercy which are the basis of any sound relationship. In other words, divorce serves as a social, psychological remedy, giving a chance to each spouse to start his/her new life with a more compatible partner, rectifying his/her previous mistakes; hence, this may reduce the amount of loss caused by the wound of the former experience, which maybe, though bitter, a reason for a sweet life to come.

Once two people get divorced, it doesn’t mean both of them are EVIL! Rather it signifies they are NOT RIGHT for each other and their very marriage wasn’t fated to last, end of story!

“IS IT DETESTABLE IN ISLAM MARRYING A DIVORCED WOMAN?!” is a question that flashes through the mind of many people and all too often whenever it is raised, the answer comes out in the affirmative, which reflects how blurred this notion is for the majority. In reality, those guys shut their eyes to the portions in the Quran and Sunnah which prove otherwise.

Most wives of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself were divorcees and widows plus it is even striking to know that his first wife- Khadijah bint Khuwaylid - the love of his life, was previously married!

On the other hand, Allah said: "And there is no blame on you respecting that which you speak indirectly in the asking of (such) women in marriage or keep (the proposal) concealed within your minds; but do not make a promise of contract with them in secret except that you speak an honorable saying according to the Islamic law. And do not confirm the marriage tie until the term prescribed (idda) is fulfilled. And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. And know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing." (Quran 2:235)

To illustrate, this verse demonstrates the permissibility of indirectly proposing to an irrevocably divorced or widowed woman¹ during her idda² as if it is a kind of implicit gentle invitation for men to do so. Had it been something odious, it wouldn't have been permitted or made easy as such in Islam.

Besides, Allah said: "It may happen that his Lord, if he(prophet Muhammad) divorced you, will give him in your stead wives better than you, submissive (to Allah), believing, pious, penitent, devout, inclined to fasting, previously married and virgins." (Quran 66:5)

This verse was revealed as a reprimand to two of the Prophet Muhammad’s wives who gossiped about him and divulged one of his private secrets; Allah stated He would grant the Prophet instead of them better wives who were PREVIOUSLY-MARRIED and virgin.

“There was no need of mentioning the previously-married in the verse! The virgins take the precedence anyway,” somebody might think to himself, baffled. As a matter of fact, the allusion to the PREVIOUSLY-MARRIED is made on purpose. It simply makes it crystal clear that Allah puts the PREVIOUSLY-MARRIED in an equal footing with the virgins otherwise they would not have been referred to. Reasoning the verse above with an open mind, any sane person can reach this conclusion. Therefore, the woman’s being previously-married element is excluded from the criteria of judging her since her piety is what counts in the first place as inferred from the verse.

It is worthy of note that a lot of prophetic sayings stressed this concept as well; The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
“A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty, and her religious commitment. Seek the one who is religiously-committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also said:
"The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman (wife)."
[Narrated by Muslim]

As seen above, such attributes have nothing to do with her being a virgin, widow or divorcee. So kindly stop pointing the finger at the divorced women in particular, treating them as social outcasts who live in a community that is not theirs. This is truly the worst feeling that any woman can ever endure. The healthy society cleverly spots the problem and does away with it early on before it deteriorates and the gloom of ignorance gets heavier and heavier hindering the rays of enlightenment from penetrating into it!

________________________________________________
1-As for the EXPLICIT proposal, it is forbidden during the period of Idda.

2-A woman whose marriage is annulled, or when she is divorced, a period of waiting, known as idda, is followed. The prescribed time of waiting (idda) is about three months. For more info about that, see the Quran (65:1), (2:228).


By Noha Fathi  

How to interact with the Muslim woman (for men)

1-When engaged in conversation, maintain a generous distance.
2-Islam doesn't permit PHYSICAL CONTACT with the opposite sex such as through shaking of hands.
3-Keep conversation focused, short, & to the point. Intimate, suggestive, or recreational conversations are NOT well-received.
4-During the conversation, STARING or looking directly at the Muslim woman's face may make her feel uncomfortable.
5-NEVER ask a Muslim female for a date, or offer any type of liquor. This's also a religious mandate.

Copied from one of TEC's publications

Allah is All-forgiving

A slave (person) committed a sin & said," O Lord, I have committed a sin, so forgive me."
The Lord said," My slave knows that he has a lord that forgives sins. Therefore, I have forgiven my slave."
Then he committed another sin & said, "O Lord, I have committed another sin, so forgive me!"
 His Lord says, "My slave knows that he has a lord who forgives sins, therefore, I have forgiven him."
And on the third or fourth occurence Allah says, "He may do whatever he wishes."
(Recorded by Al-Bukhary & Muslim)

WHAT THIS HADITH MEANS IS THAT IF THE PERSON CONTINUES TO BEHAVE IN THIS MANNER, COMMITTING A SIN BUT THEN REALIZING HIS MISTAKE & ASKING FORGIVENESS, THEN ALLAH WILL CONTINUE TO FORGIVE HIM!!

Shedding some Light on the Warfare in the Prophet Muhammad’s Lifetime....Is it Justifiable?!

‘Islam has been dubbed the religion of the sword, a faith which has abandoned true spirituality by sanctifying violence and intolerance. it is an image that has dogged Islam in the Christian West ever since the middle ages, even though Christians were fighting their own holy wars in the middle East at this time. Today popular books and television programs frequently sport titles like Rage of Islam, Sword of Islam, Scared Rage or Holy Terror’.¹ It is in this light that we should consider the Islamic Jihad which some Westerners usually translate wrongly as a “holy war”.

THE MEANING OF JIHAD

As a matter of fact, the root GHD has nothing to do with holy war. ‘It signifies a physical, moral, spiritual and intellectual effort. There are plenty of Arabic words denoting armed combat, such as harb (war),
sira’a (combat), ma’araka (battle) or qital (killing), which the Quran could easily have used if war had been the Muslims’ principal way of engaging in this effort. The Jihad is not the central prop of Islam, despite the common Western view. But it was and remains a duty for Muslims to commit themselves to a struggle on all fronts- moral, spiritual, and political- to create a just and decent society’.²

According to the Islamic Faith, it is utterly prohibited to initiate a war, though some wars are inevitable and justifiable, unless the opposing party makes an attack. Allah the Almighty said (in the Quran):

Hijabophobic!!

”I’d like everybody to respect our choice and not exclude women who wear hijab from certain things … I mean this is truly oppression; they say the woman is oppressed because she’s wearing the hijab, but the true oppression is preventing somebody from going to school because they have a scarf on their head.” a girl living in the west lamented in sullen resentment.
“If people can walk on the street almost naked, why should her putting a piece of cloth on her head bother people or upset them? Girls wearing hijab are not hurting anybody.” I thought to myself empathizing with the poor girl, in a vain attempt to find a reasonable answer to the question.

Nowadays, some occidentals are astonished by seeing women wearing veil. Unfortunately, they hold the vague notion that veil represents oppression or compulsion from the husband or family and keeps many Muslim women away from society. Others argue that it brings backwardness & that those who wear it are regarded as second-class citizens. What’s worse, some recoil in fear at hijab considering it symbolization of terrorism. It is a wonder Muslim women in the west are still discriminated on the basis of such fallacies.

To begin with, it is worthy of note that Islam is not the religion which introduced or innovated the concept of veil; but its origin dates back to the early times of Judaism and Christianity. Rabbi Dr. Brayer (professor of Biblical literature at Yeshiva University) in his book, the Jewish Women in Rabbinic Literature stated that it was the custom of Jewish women to go out in public with a headscarf, which was then a sign of nobility; only prostitutes were not permitted to cover their hair in the old Jewish society. Besides, in the New Testament, St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians said: “and every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head.” That is, he urges women to cover their head during prayer.

Is Life that Precious?!

From a balcony on the fourth floor in one of the sea-side resorts, I stood watching the sun sinking in the sea which then looked like a huge monster swallowing its prey; its high raging waves seemed very wild, thundering against the rocky shore. Darkness descended apace leaving no trace of heavenly light. Meanwhile, a shiver ran through me as the cold wind howled around.

"Is life that precious?" after a long period of silence, I asked her with a somber voice looking out at the dark expanse of sea.
"I guess so!" replied my cousin after a little while, shrugging her shoulders.

Certainly, I knew the answer to this very question is "yes" but after what happened in Gaza Strip, I thought, the answer became "no". I recalled the calamity of Palestinians; under such malicious Israeli occupation, they are condemned to permanently live in misery and poverty. Their houses are demolished; their families killed; their desperate cries never heard. Nothing remains but ruins under which their lost hopes were buried. What is more pathetic is the sight of the Palestinians children, dead and alive; smiles faded away from their faces; pain was engraved on their features; agony is a part of their life; death chases them everywhere; taste of blood is always there. The horror they had witnessed very early in their lives must have left wounds that will never heal.

Reaching this point, I felt a lump in my throat. My eyes had been full of tears for what afflicted them, tears of bitterness and frustration for my helplessness. Where is the preciousness of life under such adverse circumstances, I wonder?! Every human right is violated.

But this is just one side of the coin. There are others who live in peace but smoke, drink, gamble, tyrannize, lie, cheat, steal, indulge in forbidden pleasures....etc forgetting or rather turning a blind eye to the teachings of their faith; they have become way far from morals and from God. Such people as well as Palestinians are bound together by one thing: the loss of life; but the latter have nothing to do with it since they are pathetically killed during mass-terror raids launched by a bestial enemy, who does not have an atom of mercy, claiming the anguished lives of hundreds of them.

In contrast, the others lose their lives voluntarily while alive submerging themselves in a hell of corruption. What if they die right now? Have they ever prepared for that very day? Are they ready to meet God with all these sins they committed? It is worthy of note that however long it is, life is always transient as mortality is one of its features. Still, such sinners have a chance; it is always waiting for them but they are not aware. They can do their utmost to redeem themselves, step out of the darkness, get closer to God, and restrain their unbridled carnal desires. It is a fact that Man is not infallible, but at least with strong faith and determination, he is able to overcome human frailties and resist devilish whisperings.

Life is an expensive beautiful jewel; wicked deeds spoil it and cause its rapid decay, which eventually culminates in losing its preciousness. Make the best use of your life before it is too late. Never let it lose its value as long as you are alive.

"Wouldn't you drink your tea?" My cousin interrupted my thought. "It'll get cold."
"Sure, sweetie!" I said with a smile forced on my face as I looked at her. I picked up the mug of tea. It was still hot, to my surprise! Then, I leaned back in my chair and my thoughts ran riot, again.

By Noha Fathi