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Friday | aUGUST 19, 2011

Vol. III, Issue 8

H! There!

E are on the 19th day of the holy month of Ramadan, and life has changed so much since we have presented you with our last edition of H!SQU that came out on July 22. Life has changed for the better. And we wish the positive changes we have seen in the holy month would stay forever. The benefits of abstinence and hours spent praying will be sweeter if we carry forward the positive qualities we have attained during the holy month. Fasting does end with the declaration of Eid, but the restraint, the peace of mind, the love for others, and the sense of sharing and caring should continue from Ramadan to Ramadan. Only then will the Almighty be really pleased with us and shower His blessings on us. Ramadan is the topic that Dr Rahma deals with in Dear Students this time around. She has a message for her students, who would tell her that Dr Rahma, its Ramadan; we are fasting; we are tired, and adults, who are ever busy in mundane matters: just dont waste even a minute of Ramadan. You can either use it or lose it, and if you lose it will be a double loss. These are words you may have heard every Ramadan, but these are words worth repeating to remind all those who may have fallen short of really practising the true virtues of Ramadan. Who havent heard of the tale of the Jewish man who dumped garbage everyday in front of the house Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? But how many of us have really shown the patience and tolerance displayed by the Prophet? Few, perhaps. Ahmed Al Hadhrami recounts the tale to drive home a message of love and tolerance. Its very difficult not to cherish the memory of a country where you spent a quarter of a century, but what is special about Dave Yanger is that he finds time every year to revisit Muscat to meet and chat with his former colleagues and students. Welcome to share a bit of nostalgia. Getting no grades for a project after working hard on it is disappointing. Your frustration could turn into black rage if you get to know what really happened: the partner you worked with did not actually submit the project to the teacher. Just imagine such a horror! We hope you will enjoy reading the last edition of the third year of H!SQU. Ramadan kareem! Cheers till next month Team H!SQU

RAMADAn REflECtIOnS
the holy month of Ramadan brings about a positive change in the lives of the faithful. those who belong to other religions who live and work in the Sultanate too benefit from the air thats charged with positive energy. team H!SQU sits down with a cross-section of society for Ramadan reflections
Roopesh Bhatnagar Businessman The aspect of Ramadan that stands out the most to me is fasting (sawm). It is among the five pillars of Islam. So also is almsgiving (zakat). But there is a lot more to Ramadan than going without food and being charitable. I see Ramadan as a period of connecting with oneself, rekindling the values, principles and beliefs we live by. One also learns to respect the discipline and tolerance observed by those fasting and, to an extent, learns to exercise the same too. There are a few aspects, however, one does not understand fully such as socialising that goes on into the late hours at night after the fast is broken. All in all, its a time to cleanse the mind, the body and the soul. Jamie Wernet AIESEC Oman This is my first time experiencing Ramadan in a Muslim country. Before it started, I did not know what to expect. I chose to fast this Ramadan in order to better understand the experience of my Muslim friends, and it has been very interesting for me. It was definitely difficult to adjust at first, but I find that the rhythm of life during Ramadan is actually quite enjoyable. It seems to me that for Muslims, Ramadan is a month of reflection, family, and giving. I am so happy that I am able to spend this special month in Oman. Satyabrata Acharya Businessman Ramadan is one of the most prominent religious practices in the world. Through interactions with my Muslim friends I understood the essence of the holy month. Ramadan is not about just abstaining yourself from food and drink during day. The act of abstinence is not meant to starve you; it is an act of worship like prayer. It enables people to empathise with those who have very little in this world. While I understood the above, I tend to get surprised how some people act differently during this month with crazy driving and aggression. Interestingly, during this time the day becomes dull and the night becomes festive. What I like most about this month is at the end of it you get that long-awaited holiday of the year. And the best part is its fun to drive during Iftar time when the roads are empty. Arun Businessman There is an interesting scientific aspect about the holy month of Ramadan. During this month the sun, the moon, the stars and the planetary positions synchronise at microscopic level and move in sync with one another and produce energy radiating on planet earth. While it happens, people who practise Ramadan traditions start responding to this energy, which is a positive energy and which revitalises the entire human body. Life as such slows down a bit as the faithful spend more time to pray and engage in activities that keep them connected to the serenity of thought and peace of mind. And then, at the end of the month-long worship and abstinence, comes the unmatched celebration. This is a wonderful practice that I see only in Islam.

Dr Muhammed Hussain, Associate Professor of Accounting CCE, SQU Ramadan evokes a special feeling for all believers, and when Muslims live in a Muslim society it becomes an even greater feeling. When that society happens to be what you have here in Oman, it is an indescribable feeling. Many changes take place with the advent of the holy month, and all of these get you right into the mood of the month. Work, office and school times get reduced so the fasting faithful could reap the full benefits of the holy month. Personal, social and professional lives assume a new rhythm and life suddenly becomes more meaningful. Mosques are full of worshipers, hypermarkets stock up and display food items ideal to break the fast, friends and relatives gather together to break the day-long fast, the ties of kinship are strengthened by family gettogethers, the poor get more attention to their needs and hardship, shops run special offers (I hope Ramdan will not be a commercial event like Christmas in the western world) Sadly, some of our behaviours do not exactly comply with Islamic principles. For example, it is not uncommon to find shelves of some traditional items empty because we stock up without a thought for others. In the aftermath of the recent tsunami in Japan, the Japanese people bought only the essential items so other needy people could have something to meet their needs it is this care and consideration that needs to be reflected in our every action, especially during Ramadan, and even after the holy month. Also, disgusting is the way how some people try to take advantage of the weak and the poor in terms of getting work done in the hot weather.

Sreenivasan Oman Sail The holy month of Ramadan is not just about fasting but about helping the needy as well. Those who belong to other religions and who are living and working here should respect the holy month by not doing anything that could hurt the sentiments of the fasting faithful. During my early years in Oman I used to fast and it did give me a greater sense of peace. It helps prevent people from doing bad things. Its a time for spirituality and being close to God by doing good deeds to whoever around you. In Ramadan I do not think that people around me change in behaviour due to fasting. They are just the same: they dont get angry fast and respect everyone around them a lot. Although they fast during the day they still work hard and dont get upset with work pressure. Its a nice experience to be in Oman during Ramadan. We get a lot of love and respect from the people here.

H!SQU is brought out by the English and Translation Society at SQU. Email your views/suggestions/articles to hi-ets@hotmail.com or hi@timesofoman.com. For more information visit www.englishsqu.net

Editorial Coordinators

Ahmed Al Hadhrami & Sumaiya Al Kindi

Mr Wise
Fast, but wait till Eid to feast

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Friday | aUGUST 19, 2011

Friday | aUGUST 19, 2011

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Vol. III, Issue 8

Waste not a minute!

In the name of God, the most gracious, the merciful: O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (observe) piety and self-restraint (Quran, 2:183)

A matter of grades
You were working on a project in pairs, had put in a lot of hours to shape it up and, finally, its all over. Your partner was to take a printout and submit it, but a few days after the last date of submission you got to know that you got no grade because you hadnt submitted the project! How do you take in the news? H!SQU tries to imagine the situation with three students
Yussra Al Mamari Sultan Qaboos University That would be quite shocking. After I get over the initial disappointment I think I will rather share the responsibility with my partner than blaming her for everything. Surely, the next time around I will check with my partner to make sure a printout has been taken and handed over to the teacher concerned. If I really did that the first time around the situation wouldnt simply have arisen.

A team of three students from SQU is back home from the US with a coveted second-place, beating down tough challenge posed by 600 teams from around the world. H! meets the Brothers Forever to share their Imagine Cup moments

Awesome threesome

How did you gear up for the contest?

The Information Technology Authority was supporting us by conducting workshops on editing and filming. They also came to NYC with us to support us in the final round. When we got back to Oman after the contest, they organised a fabulous celebration for us.

So how did you solve the NYC problem?

Salim Al Harbi College of engineering, Mechatronics The Imagine Cup 2011 was the first international contest I have taken part in. It was as a designer at the English & Translation Society that I began to make short videos. Our next goal is obviously the first place in the Imagine Cup 2012.

Gide Me that was the name of our project. The video explains a technology that would help upload city maps into the human brains to help tourists navigate through an alien city. The idea came to us because when we reached New York City we did not know how to get around the city or where to go to get the kind of food we wanted. We were really lost.

Osama Al Adawi College of Engineering, Civil Though I am a civil engineering student, I have great interest in the digital media. We have formed a group to set up a company specialised in video making. I love drawing, music, acting and designing.

How did you develop the idea? How tough was it to beat the deadline?
We didnt have enough time to work on the video because as students we had other commitments, too. Actually, we got our visas just two days before our scheduled departure for the US. The ITA and Shell supported us but we wish SQU came forward to supporting such activities.

AMADAN comes every year bringing us its countless blessings. It is a great opportunity to renew our faith and spirituality. It is a time when we feel very close to God and in touch with the goodness that lies at our core. Since I was a small child I have always considered Ramadan a time for a new beginning in my life, a time of catharsis when I cleanse my soul and embrace all that is good, virtuous and honorable. It is the time when I work hardest. Since food and drink are sidelined, I can devote myself totally to the tasks in hand. Ramadan is really a time for great accomplishments. It is a time to practise self-restraint, as the Quran urges. When Ramadan starts, we strive for increased control of ourselves, our emotions and actions. We refrain from eating and drinking during the day activities to which many people are addicted. We refrain from shouting at others even at those who habitually drive us mad! We allocate time for prayer and reading the Quran. Smokers stop smoking, and even people who are used to engaging in unlawful or dishonorable activities stop them in observance of the holy month - clear proof that we can remake ourselves, reshape our personality, alter our ways, and become better human beings. Ramadan has a magical effect on the soul. It is a golden opportunity to practise self-discipline, to be charitable, lose weight, mend relationships and draw close to God in supplication and prayer. But the blessings of the holy month are there only for those who wish to accept them those who are receptive and ready to reform themselves and improve further. And many people, alas, are not ready for this. Cleansing ones soul is hard work, they feel, involving discomfort, so better avoid it. Such people often live in the here and now, dimensions which are extremely confining and limiting. Yet soul cleansing is a vital condition for horizon expansion; for living beyond oneself, for wanting to give to the needy, and for wanting to become a better human being. It saddens me that many people who fast spend their days sleeping and their nights watching TV or out with friends. There is nothing more precious than time: the minute that flies by cannot be retrieved. Hence, one

Aziza Al Sawafi Sultan Qaboos University

Dr Rahma Al Mahrooqi

can either use it or lose it; and if it is lost, it will return one day to haunt the person who squandered it! A minute lost in Ramadan doubles the loss, because it is a blessed and profoundly important time of the year. I know that these words are not new to the ears of many; but I offer them as a reminder to those who have heard them but whose practice has fallen short of applying them. And to my dear students who were silent in my class on the first day of Ramadan and reluctant to participate in class discussion because It is Ramadan, Dr Rahma. We are fasting, and we are tired, I say, Please think again about what Ramadan means to you. Avail yourself of its blessings. It is a mere 29 or 30-day period, and it comes only once a year. So use it wisely to gain favour with God and your fellow human beings. And I want to remind everyone that Ramadan is the month for good deeds. So, please show solidarity with your fellow human beings and especially those less fortunate than yourself. Remember that what you give is what you save with God. Nothing goes in vain a saying that is a marvelous blessing in itself. Also, in this blessed month, there are many campaigns that encourage good deeds - campaigns to collect money for humanitarian purposes, campaigns to encourage a reading culture among Omani children and youth, and campaigns to encourage participation in all types of community service. Newspapers announce them repeatedly. So, please, play your part and participate. You will learn much from the experience and you will enrich your soul. And do remember always that nothing goes in vain. May God bless you, and Ramadan

It is natural for some to feel betrayed. First, I would try to get to know for sure what really had happened, whether she had actually forgotten to take a printout, whether she had some problem taking a printout, in which case she should have told me about it and I would have certainly offered to help. I will feel bad only if she deliberately did not submit it.

Whats the Imagine Cup?

Hosni Al Hamdani Sohar University I will feel a bit down. In any case, before prejudging my partner Ill try to get her side of the story. If it is an acceptable one, both of us will go to the teacher and see if we could have a second chance. If the teacher doesnt accept our excuse, then I guess we will have our first F grade together. I dont like to be in such situation at all.

It is an annual competition organised by Microsoft. Last year it was held in Poland and this year the USA hosted it. Competitions are held in nine categories, such as digital media, game design and software design. We contested in the digital media category, which had three rounds. In the first round we had to make a oneminute video on a topic listed on the Imagine Cup website, and we chose Poverty and how to help the poor. People voted for the best videos from 600 teams from different countries. We were voted into the second round, and in this round entries were evaluated by judges. Six teams Romania, Oman, Brazil, Taiwan, Ukraine and India were then selected for the final held in New York City, and our challenge was to make a oneminute video about a problem happening in NYC and how to solve it.

Malik Ibrahim Al Kindi College of Engineering, SQU It was an exciting moment, and it was a remarkable achievement made possible by excellent teamwork. What inspired us to do well and finish second among 600 teams from around the world was the passion to achieve something for our country. There were hurdles on our way at all times, but we were clear about what we want to achieve. A big thank you to all those who supported us and continue to do so.

Be tolerant
What do you do if you are greeted with a heap of rubbish as you open the door of your house? You could presume it was the work of your neighbour and dump it right back at the neighbours doorsteps, or you could pick it up and dispose of it in the nearest waste bin. Ahmed Al Hadhrami takes us into the past to drive home a message of tolerance

OU just sipped the last drop of your morning cup of tea and are ready to get to the workplace: well-dressed, upbeat and with a confident smile playing on your lips. As you open the gate, the first sight that greets you wipes the smile out of your face. Trash strewn right across the main entrance is no pleasant sight to start a day with, but how area you going to take in the shock and deal with the situation? Who must have done the despicable act? Could it be the work of the neighbour? Call the police? Teach the wrong-doer a lesson? Before you jump into conclusions, lets travel back in time and take a look at an incident that happened hundreds of years ago, and how Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) reacted to a similar incident. The Prophets Jewish neighbour developed a habit of throwing garbage every day at the doorsteps of the prophets house. The prophet would pick the trash and dispose it of, and this went on for days until the day when there was no garbage strewn around the prophets doorsteps. When there was no garbage for a whole week the prophet paid a visit to the

neighbour. The Jew was sick and bedridden. The prophet took good care of the man. Obviously, it came as a shock and surprise to the man, and touched by the compassion and great values displayed by the Prophet, the man embraced Islam. Look at the way our prophet dealt with an unpleasant situation. It would have been easy to get frustrated and angry, and behaved in a way that expressed these feelings with all their intensity, but the path the Prophet had chosen was one of tolerance, which ultimately helped more than just solve the problem. Tolerance helps prevent conflicts, and it also helps right a wrong. Unfortunately, it is a quality fast disappearing. A father is not confident of asking his teenaged son to do him a favour for fear of unacceptable and impolite reaction. People are becoming intolerant of others coming from the other side of the country, for instance, or of others following a certain belief or political thinking. Conflicts sprout everyday; materialism wins over human dignity and countries are ready to wage a war at the drop of a hat. Why? Why are we getting from bad to worse to worst? And what do we do to really stop this rush to degradation? Patience and tolerance. There is no better way to

deal with the problems on hand than these two magical qualities. We have to rediscover these traits that we have left behind as we are marching on the path of progress scripted with the help of technology and globalisation. Tolerance is not viewed anymore as acceptance of other peoples opinions and ways of thinking and behaving which are different from your own. I think we need to judge ourselves by ourselves and think for a minute. Let each one of us ask: how tolerant am I of those around me? How tolerant am I to my family, my society, and the whole world? If you really intend to do this, and you should, there is no better time for that than the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is not just about abstaining from food and not committing sins; it is a time to reflect on our life, a time to do good for the people around, to think of the poor and understand their suffering, to think of the unprivileged and do good for them. It is an opportunity to make sure humans live to love, and not love to live. How can we achieve and establish this love? The answer is: be tolerant and be loving. International Day of Tolerance is celebrated on November 16 every year, but you dont have to wait for three months. Now is the time to make a new beginning.