"Family First: A Journey of Priorities"

Before the vows, before the ring,

Before the start of everything,

For women all around the world, Family's been the flag unfurled.

For me, my child at just four months, 

Brought with them both joy and crunch, I left my job without a fuss, For family, I knew, was a must.

Contrary to what some may say, 

My career didn't last long that way, For four short years, I took to task, The time to care for those who asked.

But even though my work had ceased, 

My pursuit of knowledge had increased, For study kept my mind alight, And showed me things beyond my sight.

So, I worked to bring about a change, 

For families who needed to arrange, Their work and life in perfect tune, So that they could thrive, not just cocoon.

And with my children's care in line, 

I knew the time was finally mine, To reach out for that coveted goal, And earn a degree from Harvard's bowl.

An activist through all my life, 

I fought for what was just and right, But even with this passion true, My family's needs came shining through.

For in this life, it's plain to see, 

Family comes first, that's the key, And all the work we do and chase, Must take a back seat in its place.

Shakespeare's Venice: Where Stories Come Alive

In Venice's streets, where waters flow,

Lived Shakespeare's characters long ago,

Where merchants traded and lovers met,

A stage was set, a scene was set.

From fair Portia with her caskets three,

To shy Antonio with his destiny,

Shylock, the Jew, with his pound of flesh,

And Othello, the Moor, in love enmeshed.

In Venice's canals, where gondolas glide,

Were plots and twists that did reside,

The Merchant of Venice, a tale of love and loss,

In this city of beauty, where passions crossed.

The streets of Venice were where they dwelled,

Beneath the moon, the lovers spelled,

In the gardens of Belmont, secrets were kept,

And friendships formed, in friendships, wept.

But though the characters are but a tale,

Their stories live on, they never fail,

For in Venice's heart, their spirits reside,

In this city of love, that cannot be denied.

Oh Venice, where Shakespeare's characters dwell,

In your streets and canals, their tales still tell,

Of love, of friendship, of betrayal and more,

In this city of beauty, where the heart can soar.

Tazeen Hasan

#Venice, #Shakespeare, #merchentofvenice #Othello

Mother's Sacrifice: The Beauty of a Noble Cause

This sonnet praises a mother's sacrifice for her children as she leaves her career with grace and might. She walks like beauty in the night, leaving the mundane and fights behind. Her children's smiles light up her path as she steps into her role every day. Though her career is derailed, her love guides her way. Her legacy is her motherly love, that's beyond compare.

Tazeen Hasan 

Amidst the bustle of life's stage and plight,

She steps away from the glare of the light,

For the sake of her children's young delight, She departs with grace and power of might.

She walks like beauty through the night's embrace, Leaving behind the rat-race and the chase, Her children's smiles light up her weary face, As she sets forth on her motherly place.

The once tumultuous life takes a pause, As motherhood becomes her noble cause, Though her steps may be slower now, her voice Rings out with love that leaves no other choice.

With each arduous and demanding day, Her love guides her on the right motherly way, And though her career may now be derailed, Her children know that she has never failed.

For the gift of her time and tender care, Is a mother's love that's beyond compare, Her legacy, her shining light, her heart, That guides her steps with grace right from the start.

Thus, she'll always walk with beauty and poise, For in her children's eyes, she has no flaws, And though her career she may leave behind, A mother's love will never fade nor unwind.

A Tale of Apartheid and Settler Colonialism: House Demolitions in Kashmir and Palestine

 A Tale of Apartheid and Settler Colonialism: House Demolitions in Kashmir and Palestine

Tazeen Hasan

In two far-off lands, on opposite sides of the earth, A story of destruction, of homes and hearth, Kashmir and Palestine, both places we know, Where houses are razed, and families made to go.

In Kashmir, the army rolls in with tanks and guns, Bulldozers and explosives, the job has begun, They give no warning, no time to pack, As they shatter the walls, and the roof they hack.

In Palestine, it's the Israeli army's might, The bulldozers come, day or night, With no care for the people, who call it home, Their houses are leveled, to the ground they're thrown.

Both places are scarred, by these acts of violence, As families are left, with no place to find solace, Their memories, their dreams, their hopes and their fears, Are crushed, shattered, in a flood of tears.

The world looks on, with a deafening silence, As the people of Kashmir and Palestine, Are left to bear, the brunt of this hate, Their stories, their pain, they cannot abate.

Yet, amidst all this, they rise up again, With a resilience that's hard to contain, Their spirit, their strength, they will not yield, For in their hearts, a flame still burns, unhealed.

So, let us stand with them, in their darkest hour, And lift our voices, with all our power, To tell the world, that we will not be still, Till their houses are rebuilt, on the same old hill.

Khurram Parvez - A Hero's Struggle for Human Rights in Kashmir

 

Like a hero bold in the Kashmir strife, Khurram Parvez defends human rights with might, Amidst the darkness of oppression's life, He stands with courage and a spirit bright. Settler colonialism, a brutal foe, Genocide and homes demolished with disdain, The fate of Kashmiris, a tragic woe, And yet, Khurram's voice rings clear, a refrain. But fate has dealt a harsh and cruel blow, For he is detained, his voice now hushed, His message buried, a hero's spirit low, Injustice reigns, his spirit crushed. Yet still, his legacy endures with grace, For justice and freedom, he ran his race.

ibn khuldoon

"جب ذہن کسی رائے یا مذہب میں ڈوبا ہوا ہوتا ہے تو فوراً اس خبر کو مان لیتا ہے جو اس کی رائے یا مذہب کے موافق ہو کیونکہ اس کی بصیرت پر تعصب و محبت کی پٹی بندھی ہوتی ہے جو اسے تحقیق و تنقید سے روک دیتی ہے اور وہ جھوٹی خبر قبول کرکے غلطی کا شکار ہوجاتا ہے۔"

مقدمہ ابن خلدون۔ اردو ترجمہ (ص،145)

بشکریہ ڈاکٹر ساجد علی

Lecture at Humsn Security Institute

https://thehumansecurity.org/9th-lecture-of-lecture-series-10th-june-2021/