Morality: relative or universal?
It is crucial to separate principles and their applications It is a mistake to argue based on certain norms that morality is relative. Some of the greatest thinkers in history have made…
Less than perfect recollection of history
Not Nawaz Sharif’s fault In his video-link address to the opposition’s APC, Nawaz Sharif has presented his version of what is wrong with Pakistan, which a less charitable observer may be tempted…
Revering the Quran
Hardly anybody interested in understanding it The Quran is an integral part of culture in the Muslim part of the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora in the West. The bride bids farewell…
Dirilis: Ertugrul
Some good things about the show If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then explosions of jealousy are the most dishonest ways of paying tribute to somebody. Imran Khan’s decision to…
A chronic case of sour grapes
The psychology behind Faraz-bashing Back in 1994 in the monthly Adabiaat, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi wrote a beautiful piece on Ahmad Faraz. Using anecdotes and a sample of Faraz’s couplets, he clinically debunked…
Geopolitical analysis, Pakistani style
A guide for the uninitiated The UAE-Israel peace deal has brought the Armageddon back into people’s living rooms, thanks to our analysts. Not that they had ever let the public forget it…
The R-word
A fate worse than death? Not everywhere is retirement the dreaded word that it is in the Islamic Republic. In fact, the Americans talk very fondly about an early retirement. Not that…
The R-word
A fate worse than death? Not everywhere is retirement the dreaded word that it is in the Islamic Republic. In fact, the Americans talk very fondly about an early retirement. Not that…
Preference for difficulty over ease
On sadism masquerading as religion It may not be conscious on the part of the more ardent religious folks, but this comes to the fore every so often when one converses with…
Mufti Muneeb’s lost cause
In its domain, science reigns supreme Mufti Muneebur Rehman is fighting gamely but he is fighting a losing battle. He has chosen to engage in a very public confrontation with Fawad Chaudhry…
Easy there, Nostradamus!
Or, how not to make a jackass of oneself The number of analysts who feel that they must predict the future to establish their credentials was never higher. Some of them have…
Hindu temple in Muslim Islamabad?
And the fine art of hedging your bets The CDA has halted the construction of the boundary wall of the Krishna Mandir citing technical reasons. But now that the issue has been…
On Russell’s teapot
And the way it continues to be misused Bertrand Russell’s teapot made its first appearance in ‘Is there a God’, an article which was commissioned but never published by Illustrated magazine. Of…
RIP compassion, RIP empathy, RIP reason
The piety brigade strikes again One would not usually expect three letters to trigger such a furore. Last week’s commotion on the social media was started by nothing more than a benign…
On information overload
More on PowerPoint in education In an article published in these pages entitled ‘Too much of a bad thing’, I had listed some reasons why PowerPoint was a bad idea in teaching.…
In praise of unlearning
Especially how it helps to understand the Quran Unlearning is an extremely underrated virtue. Often it is every bit as important as learning, if not more. None of us can help accumulating,…
On education
There’s a difference between respect and blind agreement There could be many definitions of being educated, but one that often goes unappreciated is the ability to differ with the views of one’s…