Editorial
This issue - Morality is Freedom - is being released at a time when there is a burning discussion across the country about sexual assault, misogyny, harassment and gendered violence in the wake of the RG Kar rape and murder case. India struggles with high rape cases,...
Morality is Freedom
What is Freedom?Freedom is a fundamental right for everyone to live peacefully and develop their full potential. It encompasses the basic liberty one requires to live and let live in the fullest sense, ensuring peace at home, in the streets and within institutions....
Moral degradation in Indian society: Role of family as a guide and source of developing moral values
Concept of Morality: Morality is “the behaviour by certain standards of what is good and what is evil, imbibing the good and rejecting the evil”. (Kohlberg 2008). It comprises ethics, principles, virtues, kindness and goodness. Morality is the rules and regulations...
Tears
Tears roll down your eyesAnd so it communicates Tears have a way of speaking a million words without uttering one.Tears directly connected with the heart,It has no filter, It doesn’t wait for anything,As soon as it connects with your emotions, it flows smoothly from...
Tug Of War
At a glance, the world looks beautiful The colours are vibrant Days are pleasantPeople are excitedA picture perfect scene At the second glance, a deeper lookThe world is imperfectWavering heartsGripping desires A path that leads you astray When given a choice What...
Compass within Morality
Freedom paints itself the picture of a clear blue sky,a place where dreams soar high. It paints itself as the whisper of autumn breeze,That rustles between leaves. Freedom paints itself so steadily,that puts our minds at ease. Yet, are we free? We ask,Under each...
Making ethical decisions: How does it liberate individuals from guilt & regret?
The word “ethics” originates from the Greek word “ethos”, which means “character, spirit and attitude of a group of people or culture”. Islam’s social and legal behaviour code, known as Shariah, is consistent with ethics. Simply expressed, morally good things are...
Vinesh Phogat: brighter than gold, silver & diamond
In the annals of the sporting history of women athletes, it will be impossible to find a woman athlete with a mightier heart and resolve than 29-year-old Vinesh Phogat. She has faced several adverse circumstances that would have broken down even one’s will to live,...
Stories from Quran Highlighting Moral Values
This is the book about which there is no doubt, A guidance for those conscious of Allah. (Qur’an - 2:2)The Qur’an is the sacred book for Muslims worldwide. It is a book of guidance for all mankind.The Qur’an contains truth and guidance for every soul on Earth. It also...
Editorial
India is gearing up to celebrate its 78th Independence Day, which recalls the seamless sacrifices of our freedom fighters and the foundational values of independent India. Those visionary leaders ensured that equality, religious tolerance, and pluralism would be the...
Lessons for the Wise: Remembering the Partition
The writer holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science. She works as a research associate and freelance writer.The Independence Day of India is a good example of how different meta-historical narratives about the same historical event can exist. As Neera...
Timeline
There is a time for everythingFor everything is already plannedNothing stays,Time gets rid of everythingAsk the trees,Every fall they lose their leavesFor some, it’s early,For some, it’s late,Surely, it happens only when one is readyAlthough it is something all of us...
Once A Golden Sparrow
The country which became free in August...The struggle ended, and the end of freedom’s thirst!It is a country with different religions.....It is the country where happiness has many fusions!But...freedom is not only a word to say...Freedom still has many things to get...
Pravasi
And he asked,My son, to me..Papa, you sleep In a room,With a TV and an AC!I nodded and rubbed my eyesPretended to feel sleepy,While removing the tearsFrom them.After the call, a sense of gloom overtook me, Sleep evaded meOh, my innocent child… What does he know Of the...
The Hug of a Humbug!
Few will not remember Judas Iscariot and the role he played in the betrayal of Jesus! For those who don’t know or don’t remember, these passages from Sacred Scripture will help put things in perspective: And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of...
The Onslaught of Fascism: Post-Election Realities for Indian Muslims
There have been several instances of religious violence against Muslims since the partition of India in 1947. The roots of anti-muslim violence can be traced to events of resentment towards the Islamic conquest of India during the Middle Ages, divisive policies...
Major Overhaul in India’s Criminal Justice System: New Laws & Their Implications
IntroductionIndia has recently introduced a comprehensive overhaul of its criminal justice system with the enactment of three new laws: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. These laws...
The Chocolate world: An Adventure
Once upon a time, a magical chocolate book fell from the sky on Robert’s lawn. While playing with his cat ‘Kitty’, he saw the Book. He was surprised! He looked up in the sky, but there was nothing in the sky; there was a fairy world. There was a fairy queen whose...
1. STORYTIME
The school bell rang, and Ali ran out happily, as it was a weekend. He had so many plans for the next day. He thought of playing with the kitten when he went home, going to his granny the next day to eat his favourite cookies, and playing with his friends Sarah and...
Riddle Me This!
1. I’m yellow and yummy; you strip my clothes with a single slip. What am I?- Hint: I can make a monkey happy! 2. I’m round, brown, small, sweet, and chewy.Sometimes, I am fresh; you also love me when I’m dried; what am I?- Hint: I’m only three letters long. 3. I’m...
Editorial
NEET, the all-India medical entrance exam, has failed altogether. Mismanagement, paper leaks, unexplained grace marks, surprising cut-off increase, unusual number of perfect scores and many other flaws mar it. India has never witnessed a blunder of this extent in a...
Hijra: The Miraculous Journey and the Role of
Hijra, the migration of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his followers from Makkah to Madina in 622 CE is a turning point in human history, paving the way for the Islamic model state in Madina which brought goodness in the lives of not only the believers in Madina and...
Rethinking the Dual Income Dream
Is today’s generation moving toward or away from the traditional family setup? To what extent do perceived gender roles influence these decisions? In a world given to materialism, every individual wants to be able to afford a dream life that will allow them to splurge...
The Importance of Listening In Islam
“And they say, ‘We hear and obey.” Al-Quran 2:285 This verse highlights the significance of adhering to Allah’s commands by listening and obeying. The etiquettes embedded in Islamic teachings aim for the welfare of everyone. Speaking and listening have their...
A Verdict Against Authoritarianism & Hindutva: India Reborn
The message emerging from the result of the Lok Sabha election 2024 is very clear. First, the people, especially the poor and illiterate, have rejected the authoritarianism practised by the Modi-Shah duo during the last decade. The voters have also expressed their...
The Unsung Heroes of Manipur: How the Muslim Community Shaped the State’s History
(First published in Radiance News)Nestled in the northeastern corner of India, Manipur is rich in cultures, traditions, and histories. Among the communities that have significantly contributed to its heritage, the Muslim community, known locally as Pangals, stands out...
Integrity at Stake: NEET 2024 Examination Plagued by Scandal
An important test for prospective medical students in India, the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) 2024, has been overshadowed by a major controversy involving paper leaks, cheating, and inconsistent results. This has raised serious questions concerning the...
Mystical Mornings: Afreen & Amaan’s Journey to the Garden of Noor
Once upon a time, two best friends, Afreen and Amaan, lived in a beautiful village. They were curious to know new things and loved adventures. They were fond of each other and always were together. But one thing set them apart: Amaan enjoyed staying up late, while...
Editorial
India is eagerly awaiting June 4th, anxious to witness the culmination of the unusually extended, mammoth general elections that started on April 19th and are still underway. The ruling party has exercised all possible ways to achieve the desired outcome. In many...
The M Factor
Many M’s have popped up in this current election season. From mangalsutra (the necklace worn by Hindu women to signify their marital status, which Congress will allegedly rob in a Robinhood-esque manoeuvre) and mutton (which opposition leaders allegedly eat in sacred...
The Lost Joy of Picnicking
TestimonialThe happiness on the face of a young child when their parents tell him, ‘How about a picnic this weekend?’ is like none other. Picnic ignites different emotions among people of various cultures, all pointing towards positive emotions. Irrespective of the...
6 Core Traits of Dysfunctional Families
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehaviour, and often child neglect or abuse on the part of individual parents occur continuously and regularly. According to the American Psychological Association, a dysfunctional family is a family in which...
Bridging Perspectives: Rethinking Widowhood on International Day of Widows
TestimonialAs we commemorate the International Day of Widows, a day of global significance dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges faced by widows worldwide, let us pause to reflect on the profound insights offered by Islamic teachings into the lived...
THE THIRD EYE
And then I fixed my telescope towards the sky all stars filledbut oh! I could not see much more….much more than the milky way…..!So I cried upon my miserybut then I heard that strange voice“The power of eyes can not less beyou could see that’s in disguise” Hearing...
THE MILLION THINGS
A slip.On the wet kitchen floor...A dipOf the hand into the boiling pot..A splashOf hot tea onto the body..A sliceOf skin cut from the finger while dicingA crackOf the back while lifting your toddler..A bump On the forehead, cupboard door above was in the wayA poke...
Forgiveness – A Great Virtue
Once, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sat in the Masjid with his companions, engrossed in some important discussion. Just then, his gaze shifted towards the door, and he spontaneously remarked to his companions, “There is the person of paradise.” an unassuming man entered the...
Thank you, Gaza, for humbling the world!
We say to the children of Gaza before anyone else: “Thank you” for showing us what true strength and resilience mean in today’s era. To the women of Gaza, we say “Thank you”. We saw you burying your children with gratitude. Rather than complaining to Allah, you raise...
The BJP’s Language of Hate Towards Muslims
On April 21, 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an ‘Islamophobic’ statement during an election speech. In his address, Mr Modi claimed that if the opposition won the elections and took power in the country, the wealth of the common people would be...
Social Media & Its Obsession with Unrealistic Beauty Standards
Testimonial“I wish I had not topped”… Prachi Nigam uttered the heartbreaking words after citing the subsequent trolling she faced on social media due to her physical appearance. Despite topping the Class 10 Uttar Pradesh board exams with a remarkable 98.5%, she became...
Editorial
With the biggest ‘festival of democracy’ in the world underway, the May issue of Aura arrives at a time of great political debate and discussion. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections began on 19th April, with the first phase of voting in 100+ seats, including Tamil Nadu,...
What is the value of a vote ?
It is well-known that at the time of India’s independence, there was a great deal of scepticism over whether a newly independent country, mostly illiterate and bogged down with immense poverty, could successfully execute the practicalities of universal adult...
Balancing Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism
The author is an early career researcher interested in conflict analysis and keeps track of international politics.She has completed her Masters degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from Central University of Gujarat, India and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism...
India Needs a ‘Romero’ Today!
Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation & peace activist/writer.Archbishop Oscar Romero was the personification of the victory of good over evil. On 24 March 1980, he was brutally gunned down whilst celebrating the Eucharist in his native El...
Editorial
With parliamentary elections in India only a few days away, the ruling party is bent on enacting a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and imposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This is seen as a strategy to benefit the party in the upcoming elections. While the very idea...
Fact-Checking Fake News : Critical Thinking in the Era of Majoritarianism
In the current knowledge economy, knowing the facts and knowing them accurately is key. How can you learn to fact-check? Discover here.In the current knowledge economy, knowing the facts and knowing them accurately is key. How can you learn to fact-check? Discover...
Sibling Rivalry : A Healthy Competition or Damaging Feud?
We all know - or have had experience of - sibling rivalry. But can it be taken too far?A sibling, characterised by sharing at least one parent with another person, can be a brother if male and a sister if female. An only child, on the other hand, lacks siblings. While...
Life is So Beautiful
The author argues that “we should know the worth of this beautiful life, spread goodness, comfort others through our presence, and leave positive impressions wherever we tread.” Read to find out more.Life is a marvel. It is indeed a profound journey. People are born;...
Voices Unheard: The Silent Genocide In Gaza
The people who fight for women’s rights, human rights, child abuse, racism, and animal cruelty stand ignorant towards the sufferings of the people of Gaza, which shows their hypocrisy.The world no longer seems like a place with humanity since the genocide in Gaza...
Constitutional Challenges!
(Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation and peace activist / writer. Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com )The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the General Elections 2024 in a short time! The citizens of India know this is a...
Editorial
Aura turns three! It has been a journey of three fruitful years of insight and inspiration while we made an effort to not only educate, inform and entertain it readers but also to motivate and challenge them. The month of March dawns with two more important occasions...