Dr Naseer Naasir points out in his book “Falsfa’ay Husn”: “Beauty is objective-subjective reality”; claiming that beauty in its essence is objective but since its appreciation is subjective  therefore its “subjective-objective reality”. This, itself, is a very beautiful description of beauty. I think same applies to all the art forms. Art is subjective-objective recreation of reality, of beauty. The subjective-objective nature of all art forms like beauty makes it tricky for any artist to judge whether the piece is actually ‘art’ and good or not. It’s a judgment call; judgment is required at all levels. Although the process of recreations and art cannot be described or defined as any engineering or manufacturing practice but still it seems like there is a certain method to it. The method is though very intuitive and imaginative. It involves perception of reality, choosing a medium for recreation and recreation of reality.

Or perhaps its more like being in the present, resented towards one’s own shadows, not knowing what, when, how it would go wrong, yet keeping the faith that it would. As if it is just the jingle of inappropriate words, unhealthily picked, sheepishly delivered, and agonizingly repented, waiting for the outburst. A perfect mix of improbable wrongs! Like the days and nights; love and remorse are ever so distinctively, continually, infinitely scattered.

A definite reluctance to all passions, a slight hint of poorly shrouded misery, an all encapsulating depression!  It’s like being dumb enough to keep track of all the unanswered question. It’s like forgetting the preference between cricket and hockey. It’s like plumbing in the woods or planting on the roof. It is like getting lost in ones own neighborhood. It’s like ordering coffee and expecting tea while reflecting in retrofit whether banana milk shake was a good choice or not.

The fact that in the month of “Ramzan”, the Buffet dinners are a custom is most distressing to me. How I see, it is against the very spirit of the month. First of all, the purpose of fasting is to promote the qualities of “Sabr” and “Taqwah” amongst Muslims, besides other virtues. I wonder how that is fulfilled by wasting loads of food, which could have been offered to poor and needy, who are in abundance. I mean what good or satisfaction a piece of meat, going to the waste-bin, brings me or to anyone else?

Someone told me a couple of examples, which really are disturbing; KFC offered an “Iftar” deal, eat as much as you can, and one of our esteemed colleagues, read it as “eat as much of the zinger meat as possible and throw matching amount of bread to waste”, Pizza Hut, same kind of offer, eat as much pizza as you can, and another of our colleagues reads it as “eat as much of the topping as you can and throw all the base to waste” (It’s another story that Pizza Hut would bake “Nan” instead of pizza to help the cause). These are educated people! I think it shows the dearth of humanity in us, collectively.

How do we advocate a welfare Islamic state in our talks then (those of us who do at all)? Are these the traits of individuals eager to step into such welfare state? I wish we grow up and settle with the fact that, by the grace of Allah, we will surely have another meal after the one sitting on our tables. 

How come none of these society forces don’t object at the intellectual prostitution being conducted all around the world? By nature its the same, isn’t it? I offer my intellectual services to the buyer; without my will to indulge in the intellectual activities I am required to. I am being exploited; in order to pay my bills, I surrender. The buyer, on the other hand is completely uninterested in the fact that I might not like the submission, or it might not be as much interesting to me, or that it would end up creating psychological and sociological chaos for me and the society, respectively. Buyer is unwilling to consider the damage it ends up doing to the intellectual purity, to the my would-have-been contributions to the mankind. The case of sexual prostitution is not much different, or is it? She (or he in some societies) submits to the will of the buyer only since it lets her earn quick buck. Psychological and sociological damage is done to her and social family system.

Most of us are prostitutes. I wonder how any of us is able to maintain eye contact with others. I wonder how any of us can look down on sexual prostitutes with disgust. I wonder if human rights voices would come for our help. I wonder would we be able to say “NO” to this intellectual prostitution. I wonder if Corporate Buyers would stop bending our will, our choices, our priorities.