Visits: 116
Now, that I have provided, enough information, and that was starting from Mongols to Multan to Thattha to Jetpur and then back to Karachi where I was born in 1954. My additional 4 brothers and 5 sisters were also born in Karachi. A task was given to both elder brothers to go to USA for getting additional Education and earn money, so we can hopefully better our living standard. Borrowing 10 and 20 Rupees from a local Merchant (Kiryane wala KAKA) or from a neighbor Aziz bhai who use to live upstairs, became more difficult to open our mouth every other day. My objective when I came into 9th grade was to get some skills for myself yet kept my goal in advancing my education in Science or Engineering. So, I started taking typing lessons as well as learning how to operate Lathe machines. With these hardships, I still achieved 1st Division in 10th grade that kept my objective of staying as a Science Student and joined D.J. Science College, one of the prestigious college for Pre-Meds or Pre-Engineering. My life after I went to US has been well described and defined in my 2nd book, “Travel to the Final Destiny”.
Allah says, “You can plan, but I am a better planner”. Western societies, no doubt provide excellent opportunities, yet provide a filthy society that does not mimic with Islamic standards. Right after, our 2nd son Noumaan was born, we intended to move back to Pakistan and started looking for jobs based on my degree in Computer Science from the department of Natural Science and Mathematics and several years of IT experience. Agha Khan hospital came closest to Rs. 10,000 per month offer while King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center offer was much lucrative in 1985.
My wife, Yasmin who already had sacrificed her life for bringing up kids instead of getting education, was also motivated to take the opportunity in Riyadh. This presumably, would provide some Islamic education to us and our kids and most of all provide opportunity to do our Umrah and Haj. Staying 14 years in Riyadh, gave us the opportunity to visit our parents twice a year and see the world during our vacations and I am very thankful to Allah for those great days where we were able to perform two Haj and over 30 Umrahs. I must mention that whatever your plans may be, Allah always have better plans and teaches many lessons in our lives. As, we came back, I was naive and failed to listen to my wife’s warning to start any business venture with a Pakistani. I was very uncomfortable when I was cheated for such a large amount, yet I must not forget that that was Allah’s testing for us. He gave us more and taught us to pay more in Zakat and Charity.
I still regret to take the retirement so early at 63 as Noumaan, my son was not well, and he needed help to get better as well as needed help in setting up his own business. His death shook us up, specially, Yasmin who was counting so much on Noumaan for later in life and then to add the complexity I was in her space. She was really depressed and down, and family members from my side of the family were no help either. May Allah guide us all in the right direction.
Yasmin has been loudly screaming every day that she was looking for some space for herself and I was trying to ask help from Allah for my own depression. Then came the opportunity to assist one of the hospitals in Riyadh in their implementation of newly acquired EMR.
I was able to finish that Project in 2 ½ years and started learning how to help in house chores so Yasmin can get some relief. I was finally understanding that she was alone for 35 years with the children and was so use to with her space in life. When we moved to Sugarland after our son passed away, it became a nightmare for me. First was to get adjusted and then helping Yasmin as her depression became in tolerable. She was uncomfortable driving around as she was in Northwest part of town. Till today, she is still insisting to go back to the same area. She also realizes that age has taken a toll on both of us and Alhumdo Lillah our daughter and son in law are Angels for us, who are helping us whenever we need help.
I have seen huge increase in the number of divorces, young people’s deaths as well as going away from the best practices of Islam. I am sure someone will not agree with me as their children of 2nd or 3rd generation may have been holding on to the right practices but the peer pressure of dating and early introduction of sexual education on one hand may be ok for some kids but for many, a green light to go ahead. Does this mean, it would be safer in Eastern societies, no, I don’t think so. Abuse of drugs, night clubs, late night parties and open sex has influenced unwanted pregnancies and increase in the number of Psychiatry patients. Therefore, I have added some Sayings, Lessons learned, and Islamophobia as separate chapters for guidance.