THE LOST SOUL
“This poem represents the state of a tormented soul blinded by worldly riches, trapped in lies and away from the Creator when hit by a calamity, there is nowhere to go.Her eyes were swollenHer lips were chappedNobody would careShe knew nobody would Her voice was...
WHY REMEMBER DEATH?
I have been taught to remember death from a very young age – right from six or seven years when the prime worry should be whether my favourite colour was pink or blue! My Madrasa teacher thought it was better if we actually realized we would die one day. I don’t blame...
MANIPUR BURNING!
To say that ‘Manipur is burning’ is not merely a gross understatement, but belies the terrible reality which has gripped the tiny State in North-East India since 3 May. For an alarming amount of time now, Manipur has been experiencing unprecedented violence and...
ADDING A DASH OF TRUE COLOURS TO THE INCLUSIVE WORLD
I went home and asked Ibrahim which one was him. He said the black child is Ibrahim. My heart just sank! He hates himself! Black is his least favourite colour. He uses black/brown shades only when he is upset. After so many awareness initiatives from family, school,...
THE REAL REASON
Teacher : Why are you late? Student: I missed the bus ma’am. Teacher : Why did you miss the bus? Student: Because I couldn’t reach the stop on time. Teacher : Why couldn’t you reach? Student: Because I couldn’t reach the stop on time. Teacher : You should have got...
DICTATORS OF JOURNALISM & IRRESPONSIBLE MEDIA
Recently Shweta Tripathi, a reporter of Republic Bharat, was seen holding an umbrella posing to be reporting from Dwaraka, a city in Gujarat, which was hit by Cyclone Biparjoy. She was seen holding herself strongly against the strong winds while making an effort to...
A MAJORITARIAN PLANK RETURNS: UCC ON THE CARDS, OR A RED HERRING…
UCC must be rejected point-blank, unitedly, and with a comprehensive critique of both overt and its covert ideological aspects. In a country with an immense diversity of practice and faith, there should be no space for such a bill. This vision is falsely being carried...
TOWARDS MEANINGFUL WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD OF POLITICS
In the past year or so, we witnessed Muslim women and girls being stripped of their hijabs and their fundamental right to education. We can only hope that governments that have ridden back to power on the back-breaking work of civil society interventions and ground...
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: DRIVER FOR ALL OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS
World Press Freedom Day on 3 May is an annual commemoration adopted by the United Nations in 1993. This year is the 30th anniversary since the UN General Assembly’s decision proclaiming an international day for press freedom. The theme this year is significant:...
DEALING WITH DRUG ABUSE: APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS
World Press Freedom Day on 3 May is an annual commemoration adopted by the United Nations in 1993. This year is the 30th anniversary since the UN General Assembly’s decision proclaiming an international day for press freedom. The theme this year is significant:...
WHAT ABOUT OUR PRECIOUS DAYS?
Oh! People… just listen to our stories. What a strong body we have, carrying a lot of load without any fame.What a strong heart we have, no one just listens to our beats.Plastic metal goes in our eyes But who will listen to our cries?No pen to write, no bags no books...
CURIOSITY & SATISFACTION
At the banks of an ocean satAn eagle and a curious cat.What such big water meantOf that, both were ignorant.Satisfied the eagle seemedCat on gushing waters leaned.And then the cat to the eagle said:“Sitting back is I think badWe should explore this world in frontLet’s...
SORRY, MY CHILD…
Sorry, my child… Even at times of threat and troubles... You were taught to heal but not to flee… In vain were your countless hours and endless struggles.. Stripped out of your joyful youth by a community insane... For whom you bartered all your happiness, for their...
LEARNING WHILE EXPERIENCING
One thing I learned from this journey is that we possess hidden powers to face any situation. We can handle anything through “learning from experience.” We have the strength to overcome all problemsIt was the night of February 28, 2023, and my journey to Saudi Arabia...
THE PROUD ROSE
Once upon a time, in a desert far away, there lived a rose who was very proud of her beautiful looks. Her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus. Every day, the beautiful rose would insult and mock the cactus on his looks, while the cactus remained quiet....
HATE SPEECH VS DOG WHISTLE
“Hate speech is an effort to marginalize individuals based on their membership in a group. Using expression that exposes the group to hatred, hate speech seeks to delegitimize group members in the eyes of the majority, reducing their social standing and acceptance...
CINEMA, FROM ENTERTAINMENT TO PROPAGANDA
Which films are tax-free? The movies that are socially relevant or have inspiring stories are made tax- free. Now the question arises: are people being affected by the human trafficking shown? Is it having a positive impact on people’s lives? Is it that much of a...
A QUICK REVIEW ON THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF CHILD LABOR IN INDIA: CAUSES, TYPES & SOLUTION
“Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of these worst kinds of child labour”The International Labor Organization (ILO) announced 12th June as the world day against...
Editorial
Health is a multi-dimensional concept. Aura’s April issue celebrates that - from the various health concerns in the physical and mental realms to the necessity of spiritual health in the sacred month of Ramadan that is currently ongoing. The long shadow of the...
India Cries for Justice
Human Rights defenders cry for justice! Thanks to those who have had the courage to stick their necks out for the poor, exploited and other vulnerable sections of society – the reality is still on the canvas! Many human rights defenders are still paying the price for...
Panchayati Raj System In India And Women
• In a male-dominated society, giving political powers to control and develop society to women who were not considered worthy enough even to control their own lives was a big step. • When we hear of a “Sarpanch” of a Panchayath in India, what do we imagine? A...
World Earth Day
I wish I could tell, I wish I could yell, To all the people living on me, Why don’t they learn? They will kill me it seems, And I can’t even scream, The way they hurt their own mother, Like whom they will find none other, The lady who had given them birth, They don’t...
Living Life By Design: Actions to a More Well-Lived Life
The action of being honest with yourself sounds easy enough, but it’s usually not as straightforward as we would like it to be.The passing of time is relentless, even when you choose to design your life to be the very best it can be. One day you wake up, and it’s...
Let Us Be
Everyone has their reasons..let them be As long as no one gets hurt or goes hungry Everyone can be different, everyone is.. Being unique is beauty. Everyone has different opinions What’s okay for them may not be ok for me But I could keep silent, let them be As long...
The Prophetic Puzzle!
Did you know that the Qur’an mentions the names of 25 Prophets. How many can you find?Hint: (Adam, Alyasa, Ayyub, Dawud, Dhulkifl, Harun, Hud, Ibrahim, Idris, Ilyas, Isa, Ishaq, Ismail, Lut, Muhammad, Musa, Nuh, Saleh, Shuaib, Sulayman, Yahya, Yaqub, Yunus, Yusuf,...
My Nanna & Nana-Abbu
There is nothing more wonderful than a grandparent’s love and guidance for his or her grandchild. My grandmother is my favourite person. Spending time with her is the best time in my life. She loves me as my mother. I call her Nanna. Every year, I visit her during the...
Editorial
The early months of the year 2023 have been rocked by controversy and media headlines, beginning from the BBC documentary and its fallout and the Adani-Hindenberg affair. Recently, the ghastly killings of Junaid and Nasir in Haryana, who were burnt alive by ‘cow...
Women, Arise and #EmbraceEquity!
The concept note states that, “Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA…Equity means creating an inclusive world…Each one of us can actively support & embrace equity within our own sphere...
Face to Face with Nasira Khanam
Nasira Khanam, who hails from Hyderabad, is a senior member of Jamaat e Islami Hind. She has led the Women’s Wing at the state and national levels for many decades. On the occasion of Jamaat e Islami Hind’s 75th anniversary, Aura spoke to her about the participation...
Midnight Mi’raj
Every night is a Mi’raj night! when breezes froze, sand dunes slept palm leaves perched, Zaytun branches dozed Falcon feathers flaked, upon fallen fig leaves the musallas murmured merrily, listening the lonely love letters of a wearily weeping worshipper. Every night...
A Season of Bliss
Ramadhan, a month of peace and light, A time for reflection, devotion and might, Fasting from dawn till dusk with grace, Purifying the soul and seeking Allah’s embrace. The Quran is read with fervor each night, As believers gather to pray with all their might,...
The Forgotten Scent of Mercy
“When the month of Ramadhan arrives, the doors of mercy open”- Prophet Muhammad (SAW)Has there been anyone to feel belonging in this world? Perhaps not, Surely it is beautiful to look at, think about, But the beauty of it is sure to bring you down with no gain Or...
Budget 2023-24: Failed Promises Towards India’s Children
On investment in ECCE, the report of Save the Children and CBGA suggests that government institutions spend 1030 INR per child and private institutions spend 12,834 INR per child. The analysis of the same report suggests that “the total resource requirement to provide...
The Adani Empire is Falling, Brick by Brick. Here’s Why You Should Be Concerned
Had it been only Adani’s money, nobody would have cared. But in this fiasco, the common public is also a stakeholder , which makes the rise and fall of Adani Enterprises very important. Two major public sector investors in Adani enterprises are the SBI and the LIC....
Hysterically Yours…
Unfinished business everywhere You can’t blame the woman ‘if’ she feels crazy Can you be at two places at once? Two vessels are always full, I wish it was our bank account or pantry but lo! Tis the kitchen sink full of dishes and the Laundry bag full of clothes Both...
Let’s DIY and Decorate our Home!
Disposable Cups Wind ChimeMaterials Needed: Plastic (or any disposable) cups Paints and brushes Woollen yarn Glitter and anything available at home to decorate Scissors and glue Cardboard Procedure: Take a plastic cup and paint the two halves with two different...
Short Stories in the Hadith
Did you know the meaning of Hadith? These are the sayings or actions of our beloved Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم .Let’s learn a beautiful lesson taught to us by our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.Prophet (ﷺ) entered the garden of a man from the Ansar. A camel saw...
Flash Fiction
“Don’t go. You will suffocate. That’s not the place for us. We are created to live here.” Said the Mother Fish. But Little Fish was very adamant. “No! This is not fair. Look at the birds. How happily are they flying in the sky! Can’t I go to the beach and enjoy the...
If it Bleeds…
There is something uniquely horrific about the injustice being forgotten: mass graves in warzones, numbers instead of names in gas chambers, the idea of not only stripping someone of their autonomy and their life but also their memory, the legacy they leave behind. In...
Consumer Rights & Class Consciousness
Allah swt states in the Holy Quran, an instance of the Prophet Shuaib (peace be upon him) who beseeches his people: “O my people! Give full measure and weigh with justice. Do not defraud people of their property, nor go about spreading corruption in the land.” (11:85)...
Editorial
Women’s education, since time immemorial, has been suffering the consequences ofdifferent modes of discrimination and injustice, the recent one being the Hijab Ban ateducational institutions. This ban has curbed the right to education for many girls, especiallyin the...
A STUDENT WISHLIST FOR THE FUTURE
Recently, the news came that CUSAT (Cochin University of Science and Technology,Kerala) was implementing menstrual leave provisions for its students, which was along-running demand of the Union. Then, it was announced that the policy would beimplemented across the...
Face to Face with Flavia Agnes
1) A lot of new laws are being discussed in the media and the public sphere - particularly, yet again, the Uniform Civil Code and religious conversion laws. Let’s start with the first one. Do you see the UCC as a possible process towards gender justice, or does...
THE BEAUTY OF FAMILIAL LOVE
Introduction: A family life based on the dictates of Islam is an ideal lifestyle that will never fail you. In light of the Sunnah, here’s some light on the critical aspects that will ensure a happy and stable family life amidst the challenges our modern society faces....
SUCCESS STORIES
SANA ALI SHATTERING THE SPACE CEILING. BHARTI RUNS…AT 80! KHADIJA ABDALLA BAJABER WRITES THE FANTASY NOVEL WE ALL DREAMT OF AS KIDS AMANJOT KAUR, CRICKET DEBUTANTE, IS PROOF GIRLS CAN ACHIEVE BIG WITH FAMILY ON THEIR SIDE Sana Ali Shattering the Space Ceiling T Sana...
FACE YOUR FEARS
Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying.” Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the HeartAs humans, we all have fears. Almost everyone has a varying degree of irrational fear. However, for many of us, our irrational fears can impact the quality of our lives. The most...
ORGAN DONATION: ISSUES AND CONCERNS IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
According to transplantation ethics, organ donation is founded on the basis of altruism and utilitarianism where the only causes for concern are the consent of the donor and establishing the definition of death. In both respects, the implications are quite...
Children’s Corner
Flash Fiction
Poetry
My Veil is No ShameI wear my hijab like a crown, Different days, different colours red blue or brownWrapping it around my head with dignity & pride, Self-reliance oozing from inside, It reminds me that I am a confident Muslimah, One who is trying her very best to...