In
the continuous struggle of life beginning with our first attempt to stand,
childish feuds at schools, youthful obstinacy to hold control of all and
everything, grown-up tenacity to make things in our way, professional vitality
to surpass one another and every exertion of self-acclaimed practical life
norms, we need someone who we can look up to in all odd and even situations of
life. For all different people matter at different life stages but the profound
verve and comfort blessed only at the lap, in the smile and heed of a mother.
Throughout the history men of wisdom and pen have cited thousands of reasons
why in their philosophy mother has been the sole source of success for nations.
Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great won
her son the honor of creating the largest empire in the ancient world at the
age of thirty; Hoelun, the mother of Great Genghis Khan shaped the
understanding of her son the lessons of survival in frightful Mongolian
politics and the need for alliances with other clans, which helped him lay the
foundation for the greatest empire in the history of mankind. Ann Sullivan, the
instructor of Helen Keller (political activity, author and
lecturer) helped
a deaf-blind girl to become the first impaired person to ear Bachelors Degree
in Arts _an individual defeating her health complications.
the continuous struggle of life beginning with our first attempt to stand,
childish feuds at schools, youthful obstinacy to hold control of all and
everything, grown-up tenacity to make things in our way, professional vitality
to surpass one another and every exertion of self-acclaimed practical life
norms, we need someone who we can look up to in all odd and even situations of
life. For all different people matter at different life stages but the profound
verve and comfort blessed only at the lap, in the smile and heed of a mother.
Throughout the history men of wisdom and pen have cited thousands of reasons
why in their philosophy mother has been the sole source of success for nations.
Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great won
her son the honor of creating the largest empire in the ancient world at the
age of thirty; Hoelun, the mother of Great Genghis Khan shaped the
understanding of her son the lessons of survival in frightful Mongolian
politics and the need for alliances with other clans, which helped him lay the
foundation for the greatest empire in the history of mankind. Ann Sullivan, the
instructor of Helen Keller (political activity, author and
lecturer) helped
a deaf-blind girl to become the first impaired person to ear Bachelors Degree
in Arts _an individual defeating her health complications.
Numerous
examples are there showing how spiritual and intellectual mothers changed the
fate of individuals and nations as she is the source of her children’s
cherishing (defined as Tarbiya in Islamic teaching) stimulating us to strive
against the trials and tribulations of life with courage and strength. Our
religion Islam has laid great emphasis on thankfulness, obedience and
gentleness towards our mothers in all circumstance with better association to
the very end of her companion with us. She endures all tragedies only to make
life seem easy and comfortable for her children and to treat her with intimacy
is of higher importance preceding even Jihad (Holy War). The Holy Quran also
quotes, ‘Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship non but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address then in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say: ‘My Lord!bestow on them Thy mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.’ Chapter 17 Sūrat-ul-Isrā). Similarly, there is a
hadith in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was asked by a man, “I longed to go on
jihad but I was not able to”. Prophet said: “Is either one of your
parents still alive?” The man said: “My mother”. Prophet said:
“Allah has instructed us in devotion to her, so if you do thus, you are as
one who has made the hajj, the umrah and participated in jihad.”
examples are there showing how spiritual and intellectual mothers changed the
fate of individuals and nations as she is the source of her children’s
cherishing (defined as Tarbiya in Islamic teaching) stimulating us to strive
against the trials and tribulations of life with courage and strength. Our
religion Islam has laid great emphasis on thankfulness, obedience and
gentleness towards our mothers in all circumstance with better association to
the very end of her companion with us. She endures all tragedies only to make
life seem easy and comfortable for her children and to treat her with intimacy
is of higher importance preceding even Jihad (Holy War). The Holy Quran also
quotes, ‘Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship non but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address then in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say: ‘My Lord!bestow on them Thy mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.’ Chapter 17 Sūrat-ul-Isrā). Similarly, there is a
hadith in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was asked by a man, “I longed to go on
jihad but I was not able to”. Prophet said: “Is either one of your
parents still alive?” The man said: “My mother”. Prophet said:
“Allah has instructed us in devotion to her, so if you do thus, you are as
one who has made the hajj, the umrah and participated in jihad.”
During
my (2) weeks stay in Kabul, I had a chance to visit Taj Begum Restaurant
meeting its manager, a confident, extroverted and devoted lady known as
“Maadar” amonsgt her friend clircle, employees and at her camp. Referring to
her camp, it is called “Maadar” being a rehablitation center where the Afghan
men and women drug addicts are rehabilitated for the normal life to
enjoy the privileges of all luxuries like other men and women. Some
people use the term “Normal” for non-users of any drugs excluding those being
drug addicts which I socially and ethically refer non-humane attitude towards
our fellow brothers & sisters who deserve if not more but similar attitude
and treatment like others during their rehabilitating periods.
According to the united Nations Office on drugs and Crime & World Bank
report 2010 Afghanistan produces 92% of the world’s opium accounting 15% of
Afghan GDP being worth 17.90 billion USD having left 1 million drug users
which accounts almost 8% of the total population mostly in the north
and south parts of the country. These figures are worrisome but we need
to grapple with such facts intelligently so that we shall not only
bring these people to our so-called “normal” life situation but also prevent
the potential ones.
my (2) weeks stay in Kabul, I had a chance to visit Taj Begum Restaurant
meeting its manager, a confident, extroverted and devoted lady known as
“Maadar” amonsgt her friend clircle, employees and at her camp. Referring to
her camp, it is called “Maadar” being a rehablitation center where the Afghan
men and women drug addicts are rehabilitated for the normal life to
enjoy the privileges of all luxuries like other men and women. Some
people use the term “Normal” for non-users of any drugs excluding those being
drug addicts which I socially and ethically refer non-humane attitude towards
our fellow brothers & sisters who deserve if not more but similar attitude
and treatment like others during their rehabilitating periods.
According to the united Nations Office on drugs and Crime & World Bank
report 2010 Afghanistan produces 92% of the world’s opium accounting 15% of
Afghan GDP being worth 17.90 billion USD having left 1 million drug users
which accounts almost 8% of the total population mostly in the north
and south parts of the country. These figures are worrisome but we need
to grapple with such facts intelligently so that we shall not only
bring these people to our so-called “normal” life situation but also prevent
the potential ones.
Coming
back to “Maadar” titled to Laila Haideri named after her humanitarian
and philanthropic work to rehablitate Afghan addicts in separate
camps for men and women in the western part of the Kabul city which are also
known as “Maadar”. These camps have treated (540) drug addicts some of whom
have found credible jobs including some working as employees at Taj Begum
Restaurant and living life like all other Afghans. Meeting Maadar “Laila
Haidery” inspires any thoughtful person as she keeps on cracking jokes while
sharing turmoils she encountered during her course of work at the camps. “You
will be astounded to know all family members including young mothers and kids
being drug addicts whose treatment is yet breath-taking experience; slight
negligence can end up matter of life and death for them,” outlined Laila during
our conversation. Talking about her restored patients the charm of joy, the
spark of satisfaction are noticeable at her face as they have managed
to find honorable life. According to her one of them later joined the national
army who was martyred in Jalrez district of Maidan Wardak province en route to
Bamyan and Kabul while some of them work in Taj Begum Restaurant as
housekeepers, waiters, guards, etc. and one as a wonderful artist having
portrayed his imaginations in paintings and sculptures displayed at the
restaurant. Two of the previously drug users and camp patients got married
after passing their treatment whose wedding anniversary was
arranged at the restaurant. While there are live music concerts, live poetry
& story-telling evening promoting a cultural environment for the
culture-lovers of Kabul which does help the financial management of both camp
and restaurant directly or otherwise.
back to “Maadar” titled to Laila Haideri named after her humanitarian
and philanthropic work to rehablitate Afghan addicts in separate
camps for men and women in the western part of the Kabul city which are also
known as “Maadar”. These camps have treated (540) drug addicts some of whom
have found credible jobs including some working as employees at Taj Begum
Restaurant and living life like all other Afghans. Meeting Maadar “Laila
Haidery” inspires any thoughtful person as she keeps on cracking jokes while
sharing turmoils she encountered during her course of work at the camps. “You
will be astounded to know all family members including young mothers and kids
being drug addicts whose treatment is yet breath-taking experience; slight
negligence can end up matter of life and death for them,” outlined Laila during
our conversation. Talking about her restored patients the charm of joy, the
spark of satisfaction are noticeable at her face as they have managed
to find honorable life. According to her one of them later joined the national
army who was martyred in Jalrez district of Maidan Wardak province en route to
Bamyan and Kabul while some of them work in Taj Begum Restaurant as
housekeepers, waiters, guards, etc. and one as a wonderful artist having
portrayed his imaginations in paintings and sculptures displayed at the
restaurant. Two of the previously drug users and camp patients got married
after passing their treatment whose wedding anniversary was
arranged at the restaurant. While there are live music concerts, live poetry
& story-telling evening promoting a cultural environment for the
culture-lovers of Kabul which does help the financial management of both camp
and restaurant directly or otherwise.
It
is worth to mention that the rehabilitation centers (known
as Maadar) are
self-financed initiative with generous support and assistance by some of
her philanthropic friends while the restaurant started with borrowed
money from her friends is managed by herself with its income used for
restaurant and rehabilitation centers’ expenditures. The title
“Maadar” is well-thought name for her work and herself as she is doing what is
religiously, socially, ethically and humanely known “Holy War”. She is a true
symbolic mother to the children who are lost in the world of drugs and find it
hard to break the clutches of evils having caught them abruptly or otherwise,
but worry shall they not as she is there with her holy mission and
determination to make some difference. All they need to do is to hold their
Mother’s hand who has committed her life for what she thinks worth-living
_maybe the least she can offer.
is worth to mention that the rehabilitation centers (known
as Maadar) are
self-financed initiative with generous support and assistance by some of
her philanthropic friends while the restaurant started with borrowed
money from her friends is managed by herself with its income used for
restaurant and rehabilitation centers’ expenditures. The title
“Maadar” is well-thought name for her work and herself as she is doing what is
religiously, socially, ethically and humanely known “Holy War”. She is a true
symbolic mother to the children who are lost in the world of drugs and find it
hard to break the clutches of evils having caught them abruptly or otherwise,
but worry shall they not as she is there with her holy mission and
determination to make some difference. All they need to do is to hold their
Mother’s hand who has committed her life for what she thinks worth-living
_maybe the least she can offer.
I
bet of a better and prosperous Afghanistan provided we have some tens of women
“volunteer mothers” like the young “Laila Haideri”. Please join her campaign
with your even minor contribution to make her feel she has all of us at her
side at all times. Please follow the link FYI.
bet of a better and prosperous Afghanistan provided we have some tens of women
“volunteer mothers” like the young “Laila Haideri”. Please join her campaign
with your even minor contribution to make her feel she has all of us at her
side at all times. Please follow the link FYI.
Jawad
Jahid – December 1, 2012
Jahid – December 1, 2012
