Friday, August 13, 2010

Chapter no. 1: The Beginning (I)


Holding the candle in her hand, she kindled all earthen lamps one by one. From one corner of parapet at the house top to the other, even in the hands of kids who were standing there, only were lamps, the lightening lamps. There was illumination all over as the sun would have risen in midnight.

“So, all lamps have been kindled. You all can go and lit your homes now. These lamps will be quenched by morning, but the lamps of Love which you have kindled in your hearts, let them illuminate forever”.

The moment she was leading the kids towards the staircase, she saw her father fixing the Flag on a corner of house top. She came back upstairs after locking the door. He had already kept a chair and seated himself exactly in the middle of the house top.

She knew that what he is going to do. Keeping in his lap he was reciting Quran. She picked another chair and seated right at his back. He was reciting loudly. With closed eyes, she was listening silently.

Yousuf Mairaj was reciting surat-ul-Qadar.

“Indeed We revealed this on the Night of Power. And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah’s permission, with all decrees. Peace it is till the rising of the dawn”. He finished and kissed the Quran.

Qandeel opened her eyes and smiled. Yousuf Mairaj turned and looked at her.

“The Night of Blessings, which will cease the darkness of the world and will last until the morning of resurrection.” His eyes were meaningful at the moment, Qandeel’s smile grew deeper.

Pakistan is the Night of Power.” She looked at him, “Whenever I say the same thing to people, they make a mock on me, laugh at me, and ridicule me that I dream with awakened eyes”.

“Do these things matter to you?” he asked the very first question.

“No, Absolutely not. Instead, these things increase my contentment, satisfaction and courage”. He smiled, “That’s the proof for your truth.”

She stood by smiling, “Yeah, I know Baba(father)”. She took Quran from Yousuf Mairaj and embraced with her chest, then folded her arms around it.

“The scent that is emitting from this Book and penetrating into my soul, the same fragrance is coming from this Flag. And this feeling is enough for my belief”.

Yousuf Mairaj walked towards her. She kept her head on his shoulder. Both of them were looking at the Flag, started singing something very rhythmically.

These were some words, words of an old but beautiful song. Qandeel was habitual to sing it with him since her childhood.

The green Flag with crescent and star was waving with a smile and bouncing with their words.

9 comments:

  1. Wonderful passage, I would like to read its original Urdu version, if possible. I really like the intimacy with father specially, singing together, oh what a joy it is when you share a beautiful song or poem with your loved ones. This passage is very spirited, and shows exceptional promise of things to come.

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  2. Wow! It's amazing! Saying Pakistan the night of power makes sense... :)

    "The scent that is emitting from this Book and penetrating into my soul, the same fragrance is coming from this Flag. And this feeling is enough for my belief”.

    Very powerful line! great work.. waiting for other chapters...

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  3. Sir Akhtar, thank you for your all time appreciation. It's a great source of courage for me. I will try to upload its urdu version soon.

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  4. Rizwan, thank you so much for coming and reading the passage.

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  5. Urooj, dear Friend, how to describe my feelings in words, i just dont know. I'm lost in this magical, amazing and a wonderful passage!I'm proud to have such a skillful and a talented girl as a friend.
    I'm really having dimmed eyes, this is such a lovely beginning I MUst say! very amazing and superb! I just love each and every line of it. Every thing you have described in such a perfect manner, it seems as every word you used laying a deep effect on our hearts!
    Keep it uP!!

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  6. wow Urooj!
    I just love the way u have developed the story-line from earthen lamps to Quran (spiritual enlightenment) and then to the Flag!
    A wonderful piece of writing I must say.... and now I am going to read all the parts of your beautiful novel which u have uploaded uptil now, because they seem enchanting :)
    Love the spirit behind it!! Keep up your work.

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  7. Namrah, thank you for reading the post and I am glad that my novel has got another intelligent and mature reader.

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  8. Urooj... dear this one is really good... I believe you could have added more feelings to it, but I may be wrong... but I was not lost while reading.. I wanna be lost.. getting my point?

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