Bari Imam the spiritual place of Islooo

Bari Imam (1617 to 1705), whose real name is Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi, was born in 1026 Hijra (1617 AD).His father, Syed Mehmood Shah, shifted his family from Jhelum District to Baghan village, presently called Aabpara. At that time, it was a barren land. Soon after the arrival of Bari Imam’s family, his father started farming and also kept some animals. Shah Latif helped his father in grazing the animals, but left his father at 12 and came to Nurpur Shahan. From Nurpur Shahan, Bari Imam went to Ghaur Ghashti (now known as Attock) where he stayed for two years for learning fiqh, hadith, logic, mathematics, medicine and other disciplines, because at that time Ghaur Ghashti was great seat of learning.

He was the first spiritual guide of Gohar Shahi as well. As Gohar Shahi states in his book about Bari Imam that at the age of 34 Bari Imam appeared before me (Gohar Shahi) and said: "My son your time has come, your must go to the shrine of Sakhi Sultan Bahu Sahib to receive the Sacred Inner Dimensions of Spiritual Knowledge."

Attainment of Spiritual Knowledge

To get spiritual knowledge and satiate his love for Islam, Bari Imam visited many places, including Kashmir, Badakhshan, Bukhara, Mashhad, Baghdad and Damascus. He not only received spiritual knowledge in these places but also held discussions with scholars belonging to different schools of thought on various subjects. Later, he went to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.

Bari Imam received spiritual knowledge from Hayat- al-Mir (Zinda Pir). His ‘Pir’ gave him the title of Bari Imam, which proves his link to Syed family. Bari Imam converted thousands of Hindus into Muslims through the teachings of Islam at Nurpur Shahan. It is stated that once Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir himself came there to pay respects to Bari Imam.

The Shrine

Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who was devoted to spreading his empire, originally built the silver-mirrored shrine of Hazrat Bari Imam [RA]. It has been renovated and is now is maintained by the government. Inside the mausoleum, where the great saint rests, only men are permitted, a steady stream of worshippers enter and exit, most bending to kiss and strew rose petals on the green cloth covering the grave of Hazrat Bari Sarkar [RA]. The shrine is a tourist spot in the tour guide’s list. Every year as the Urs of the saint, who spread Islam in this part of the world, gains momentum, devotees in their thousands set out for the Margalla foothills and gather at Nurpur Shahan to pay their respect. Although many swarm the shrine all year round, only last year the number exceeded a head count of 1.2 million people.

Nighttime is the best time to visit the shrine, as the atmosphere is hyped by glittering lights, sounds of qawalis and dhammals of malangs. There was a time when the event attracted a number of dancing girls from Lahore. Although dancing is no more allowed, the women still come to pay their respect.

Reciting verses from the Quran, women view the grave through a glass window, which many touch and kiss while praying for the blessings of Almighty Allah.

The faithful read from one of the hundreds of the copies of the Quran, the moment when one leaves after recitation. Some simply sit in silence as mark of respect for the great saint, taking a moment to say a final prayer and to collect the inspiration and strength to make the journey back home.

Source : wikipedia

Connecting you to the World through Wireless Broadband

There is a new Broadband Wireless Internet providing company in town which is called WI-TRIBE Pakistan, and its capturing the Internet users like a virus because of its outstanding speedy services. The company  is a focused and convenient consumer wireless broadband provider that enriches the lifestyles of its customers. It aims to create value across different segments of the society by simplifying its services and enhancing customer convenience. It strives to create a community with flexible online access thus redefining the notion of online freedom.

Backed by unrivaled experience, knowledge and vision, wi-tribe was established in April 2007, combining the strengths of Qatar Telecom (Qtel) together with a proactive partnership with the A.A. Turki Group of Companies (ATCO) and Clearwire. The vast experience these leaders bring to the table has fueled the growth of this new venture, launching wi-tribe regionally as part of Qtel's 2020 vision.

In 2008, wi-tribe expanded its service to Jordan, and has now ventured into Pakistan to bring new wireless opportunities.  For wi-tribe, this is a unique opportunity to showcase the advantages of wireless broadband to the internet community in Pakistan.

Wi-Tribe is designed to usher in a new era that makes broadband a lifestyle!

Smiling Angels of Islooo: APWA Gul-e-Rana School

Yesterday I visited APWA Gul-e-Rana School, which is one of the best education provider in the city. I spent a day (school time) with these little smiley angels and that was a awesome experience for me and the feelings was absolutely great. This section/branch of APWA Education system is based on Playgroup, Kindergarten and Primary. Environment was very friendly and clean where children were learning during play. I want you to see what I saw via pictures, so here are some pictures of angels.

Saidpur — 4 or 5 hundred years old — with a history and heritage

Saidpur is a very old village — 4 or 5 hundred years old — with a history and heritage and, of course, its own myths and folklore.

It is nestled in the Margallah hills overlooking Islamabad. Built along the slope of the hills, and gradually creeping upwards, the village presents a picturesque view, particularly in the soft light of morning or afternoon sun.

Saidpur is named after Said Khan, the son of Sultan Sarang Khan, the Gakhar chief of the Potohar region during Emperor Babur’s time. Emperor Jahangir’s memoir, Tuzke Jahangiri, mentions Jahangir halting at a place “beyond Rawalpindi”, on his way to Kabul. From his description it seems the place was Saidpur.

“The Persian book ‘Kaigor Namah’ beautifully describes the place [Saidpur] during the visit of the Mughal commander Raja Man Singh in about 1580. It was a garden resort with a number of natural streams supplying water for drinking and irrigation…Raja Man Singh was so enamored by the village that he turned it into a place of religious worship. He constructed raised platforms, walled enclosures and a number of kunds (ponds) called Rama kunda, Sita kunda, Lakshaman kunda and Hanuman kunda named after the characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Saidpur was declared a pilgrim center and Rama kunda was preserved right up to 1947.”

The first thing you notice when you enter the village (and that is a big surprise), past a green domed mosque, is a Hindu temple, prominently situated and newly restored and painted. A little removed from the temple, to the left, is a small building with two orange colored domes. A plaque on this building, written in what appears to be Gurmukhi, suggests it might have been a gurdwara or a Sikh shrine. Between the temple and the ‘gurdwara’ is a neat, 2-storey building that was an orphanage (dharamsala) at one time. The temple is mentioned in the Punjab Gazetteer of Rawalpindi district of 1893-94, which suggests it is over a hundred years old. It’s amazing that a temple and gurdwara survived in a village that had no Hindu or Sikh population since 1947.

People often describe Islamabad as a city without a soul. Actually, Islamabad’s soul is not to be found in the city itself, but on the fringes of the city. In the little hamlets and hills.

FASHION: The Designer's Debut In Islooo

Contrary to what most of us think, political wheeling-dealing isn’t the only kind of maneuvering that has been going on in Islamabad these days.

Recently, the capital city witnessed another, stylish kind of deal-making spearheaded by Asad Tareen of The Designers. He managed to strike a deal with some of the top names in fashion design, namely HSY, UmarBatul, Nomi Ansari, Unbeatable, Shaiyanne Malik and Munib Nawaz, providing them with a platform to showcase their ensembles to Islooites along with Maisoon, which is an in-house label.

The opening at the swanky Beverly Centre is an indication of the city’s rising status as the new hotspot for the fashion industry. This potential of Islamabad as an emerging lucrative fashion market was also conspicuous by the turnout at the launch event which was put together by Rezz Aly Shah of Rezz Events.

The hip and happening event had the glitterati in full attendance with the likes of Sobia Nazir, Natasha and Adil Chaudhry, Omar and Nadya Manzoor, Sobia Zoha, Sobia Mustufa, Shireen Khan, Shahnaz A., Yasser Anees Sheikh, Anila Malik, Kokab Abdal, Sameer and Sanya Baig, Asimyar Tiwana, Sam and Adil Chinoy, and Mickey & Momey who have been instrumental in putting Islamabad on the fashion photography map of the country. They were also the official photographers of the show. The strong presence of the print and the electronic media also reflected on the impressive guest list.

The opening of The Designers at the swanky Beverly Centre is an indication of Islamabad’s rising status as the new hotspot for the local fashion industry, with Vinnie, Fauzia and Gia Ali adding oomph and allure to the evening.

Designers Munib Nawaz and Shehla Rehman of Unbeatable was another high point of the event. But it was the trio of models Vinnie, Fauzia and Gia Ali who added oomph and allure to the evening as they dazzled the guests in fetching ensembles. Honey and Kassim of Annie’s Salon gave the girls that touch of glamour with their hair and make-up expertise. Annie’s Salon has also made quite an impact in the city by contributing to the development of the Islamabad fashion scene by working for print shoots with local designers and photographers.

Having recently gotten married, Munib Nawaz with his lovely wife Rabya by his side attracted a lot of attention as the only menswear couturier stocking at The Designers. The male models Sunny and Raja Ali did justice to his eye-catching creations.

The brains behind The Designers, Asad Tareen deserves a pat on the back for the bold venture, investing in a hitherto uncharted territory of Islamabad at a time when everyone seems to be shying away from new business enterprises due to the rather lopsided political and economic situation prevailing in the country.

Story by : Kaleem Ahsan