Tag: Philosophy

Lunar Silhouette

Posted on by Ajmal

This Illustration is based on an original photograph by dear friend MHP. This was taken when we strolled into some of the beautiful inner desert ranges in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. We initially went to photograph an eclipse but some cloudy patterns prevented us from taking the customary eclipse photograph and our roaming there was destined to be protracted for that perfect snap. The frame that you see was always there in the back of my mind. I’m always fascinated by celestial entities and is unapologetically fervid about stargazing. The beauty of glancing at them comprises the pattern in which they manifest of our feebleness in the grand magnificence and grandeur of the vast universe. For me, stargazing is about embracing humility and lightness. I somewhat feel the same with mighty mountains as well.

In the beautiful poetry of Serbian poet and essayist Dejan Stojanović,

“ To hear never-heard sounds,
To see never-seen colors and shapes,
To try to understand the imperceptible
Power pervading the world;
To fly and find pure ethereal substances
That are not of matter
But of that invisible soul pervading reality.
To hear another soul and to whisper to another soul;
To be a lantern in the darkness
Or an umbrella in a stormy day;
To feel much more than know.
To be the eyes of an eagle, slope of a mountain;
To be a wave understanding the influence of the moon;
To be a tree and read the memory of the leaves;
To be an insignificant pedestrian on the streets
Of crazy cities watching, watching, and watching.
To be a smile on the face of a woman
And shine in her memory
As a moment saved without planning. ”

Said Nursi writes:
“The beauty of a finely worked object points to the beauty of the craftsmanship. The beauty of the craftsmanship points to the beauty of the name which was the source of the craftsmanship. The beauty of the name of the craftsman’s art points to the beauty of the craftsman’s attributes manifested in that art… The magnificent cosmos is a palace that has the sun and the moon as its lamps and the stars as its candles; time is like a rope or ribbon hung within it, on to which the Glorious Creator each year threads a new world. “

change | influence | build

Posted on by Ajmal


In my recent article “Instilling Compassionate Prudence“, I had touched upon the theme of giving the extra effort and aspiring to emboss our signature and professional acumen in any kind of work we are engaged in, be it in any realm. This post is kind of an extension of that theme and in a way, augments those frameworks discussed. Quoting from a very old interview with Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011),

“When you grow up you tend to get told the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world. Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money. That’s a very limited life.

Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.

Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again”

These changing, influencing and building aspects are truly profound. Be it a job or a project or any sort of endeavor, we are basically streamlined to do any of these on a broader viewpoint in the grand scheme of things.

Steve further notes:

” And the minute that you understand that you know if you push in, something will pop out the other side that you can change, you can mold it. That’s maybe the most important thing is to shake off this erroneous notion that life is there and you’re just going to live in it versus embrace it, change it, improve it, make your mark upon it. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”

Instilling Compassionate Prudence

Posted on by Ajmal

I always dream of this societal framework everywhere wherein, every person gives his best in whatever they do. Even if he/she’s a novice, I truly believe one can perfect his craft by being proactive, enthusiastic and passionate about what they do. This sort of prudence is something that can positively impact anyone you engage with. On a broader realm, this applies to companies and their engagement with customers and if we move further broad, that’ll change the world. For instance, if somebody is working in a customer care team, he can put in extra effort to bit more gentle and considerate with their clients. Being too gentle may not required by work scope, but that really makes a difference. Similarly, an artist who works professionally can put in extra bits and pieces to make his craft bit more detailed and enriching. Imagine a gardener charged with the task of pruning certain plants as a part of his job. Seemingly monotonous in the first instance, he can put in extra effort to make his output much more beautiful and add his personal touch to it. I had previously written something about “job from the heart“.  We’re not talking about meeting customer needs, but exceeding what they expect from you. This sort of a spirit truly brings in sort of fulfillment in everything that we do. This urge of always trying to give our best, improving ourselves and perfecting our craft helps us grow internally.  And the best way to be prudent is to make our best efforts to surround ourselves with people who uplift us, encourage and compliment us. This is not a motivational note or something similar, but I always thought of writing about this wholesome approach of instilling prudence in whatever we do.

Be it any work that you’re engaged in, I wish it to be filled with beauty, positivity and a state of mind often manifested in the quality of work we deliver. This sort of engagement with other people in different realms of life is what I believe defines us on a deeper note.  God bless you, friends!