Essays on Allama Iqbal, Slavery, New Year & Human Rights Day
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Allama Iqbal
Iqbal is known for his immense success and accomplishments. Born in Sialkot in 1877, he had a keen interest in languages namely Urdu, Arabic, and Persian. In college, he took philosophy and even taught it for a few years.
Apart from this, he had a degree in metaphysics, Barat law, and an arts degree. He even worked as a barrister in an inn. Eventually, he got his Ph.D. from Europe in 1905.
His poetry career came in later years where he espoused the theory of self-realization. His poems depicted the spiritual beliefs and theological concepts of Islam and he gained an immediate rise to popularity. Soon, he became a renowned poet.
He was a strong political voice and took part in all conferences like round table ones in England. He was also awarded knighthood in the year 1922 by then British sovereign King George V, for his craft and skill. He rallied for raising the levels of education in Muslims of sub-continent and called for the social transformation of the beleaguered minorities.
His poems and worked sparked a renaissance among the Muslims to learn about their faith. Among his literary works are Koh i Himala (first poem), Armaghan-e-Hijaz, jawab-e-shikwa, Bal-e-Jibrael etc.
He was invited to hold lectures at prestigious institutions like Aligarh and Bombay. His lectures would eventually be penned as a book titled, "The reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam".
He died in 1938 and was buried in Lahore.
Slavery
Injustice can be perpetrated in various forms. Sometimes it is blatant whereas sometime sit is more subtle. Sometimes it is systemic whereas sometimes it is down to individuals and singular events.
Throughout human history, many of these forms have existed, disappeared and even reappeared. One such persistent and hideous form is slavery.
Slavery germinates where ever there is inequality or differentiation of levels in terms of status and opportunities. Different humans occupy different positions in a society and it results in different powers and access to resources. Therefore, in many forms, slavery is even more widespread today than in medieval times.
Officially slavery was abolished two centuries ago, but the pain is still fresh and the memories are still loud. Often slavery is restricted to one or the other forms of racism dating back to American independence and civil wars.
The impact such atrocities as exacted by the colonials whites on the indigenous black people exists even today and in a post-apartheid world. It manifested in the form of the slave trade and led to horror stories of torture, domination, and violence.
In modern times, the demons of human trafficking, sex trade, climate migration, ethnic killings, religious intolerance, manual scavenging, etc are also a manifestation of slavery.
It may not necessarily be easily seen or identified but it still survives and destroys our endeavor to establish a just society based on trust, equality and mutual benefits.
There are still custodial killings of black people in America, torture of Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar, abduction of women and children across the Mexican border or use of women in impoverished Eastern Europe for flesh trade, etc.
There is still a gulf between the moneyed and the penniless, famous and the forgotten, the first world and the rest of it.
Until such walls of division and difference are demolished, we cannot expect slavery to die its natural death. We must learn and accept our uniqueness and try to find the ground for equality and familiarity.
The need of the hour is not only education through theory but also sensitization through practice. This calls for better and meaningful dialogues between the victims of such abuse and the ones who are supposed to provide security against such abuse.
This impacts every citizen of the world irrespective of age, color, faith or gender. We must unite against slavery and end it for once and for all.
New Year
Every year begins with new hopes, desires, expectations and New Year resolutions.
These also give us an edge and excitement going into the New Year, a fresh start.
Therefore, it is no surprise that people want to celebrate the beginning of the New Year with joyful celebrations with their loved ones.
Closing off the week-long celebrations starting with Christmas Eve, New Year comes as the exclamation point. People of all ages and from different walks of life come together, to usher in a year of prosperity and health.
The fact that New Year is usually the last day before returning to work, people try extra hard to enjoy the festivities. Often kids are instructed to report their experiences and present the same when the school reopens after the winter holidays.
This is a time of the year to mend old broken bridges and forgive past mistakes of the passing year. It offers a new chance of gratitude and forgiveness.
It is also a widow to invite new people and experiences in our lives. People want to move away from the bad experiences or hurt of the past year and begin with a new slate.
Many people also form New Year resolutions as possible milestones to reach in the upcoming year. They want to translate their excitement and energy into new goals and outcomes and improve their efforts to become better at various things, both personally and professionally.
Often, people resolve to try new fitness regiments in order to shed those extra kilos gained due to holiday eating and drinking, much like Christmas, many people also decide to plant and decorate New Year trees in order to symbolize their hopes and aspiration for the twelve months ahead. Elements that are often added to the decorations are the mistletoe, candies, bright lights, etc.
New Year has not many fixed or uniform rituals and people from different cultures tend to innovate and enjoy in their own unique ways. Thus it allows diversity and freedom to express your joy.
People can exchange gifts, host dinner parties, wear new clothes or just spread New Year cheer and help extend the holiday spirit.
Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December to reinforce global efforts to ensure that every human being is accorded its due opportunities in a balanced and secure manner.
These rights form the foundation of the free society that the world intends to build in order to realize the true potential of our human resources and capabilities.
This day marks such a promise to celebrate our differences as nations, families, individuals, etc. while cherishing our similarities. To feed the hungry, protect the defenseless, provide refuge to the homeless and landless shout for the voiceless and cure the diseased.
2019 marks the seventy-first anniversary of Human Rights Day. This is the day when the United Nations adopted its charter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10th December 1948.
This year it will fall on Tuesday, with the theme "Stand Up For Human Rights". Among its itinerary of activities would be major events held in Geneva, a dedicated social media campaign with prominent public figures like Bill Gates, etc. calling for the protection of basic and inalienable human rights.
The theme of StandUp4HumanRights will be broadcasted globally through platforms like YouTube, Twitter, etc.
The idea behind celebrating such a day is to highlight the predicament of human beings throughout the globe. From crippling poverty to depleting water resources, from global warming to debilitating pandemics, etc.
The World needs to protect its most vulnerable and weakest populations like women, religious minorities, disabled persons, indigenous tribes, etc. This calls for focusing on showcasing the ability to stand and survive together, both as a society and as a species.
Only when such fundamental rights like the right to speech, personal safety, liberty, freedom to work and earn livelihoods, freedom to practice one's religion and faith without fear or intimidation, etc. become guaranteed, we can call ourselves free and progressive.
Without such balance and harmony between the various sections of human society, we will not be able to establish peace or coexist.
We need all of us to reach our best versions and push ourselves to not only develop as individuals and nations but also prosper as social beings and fellow human beings.
We must administer justice as even if there is injustice done a part of human society, it is an injustice for the entire human civilization.
