Page 19 - Pakistan Link - August 25, 2023

COMMENTARY PAKISTAN LINK - AUGUST 25, 2023 - P19

Describing America’s national pride part of the celebration. Americans, Rus- oneering, new technologies and capabil- summary, there is no question that Proj- Space Task Group — America’s First True
for NASA’s space exploration, the author sians, Chinese, and Europeans all have an ities required to achieve its current and ect Mercury had a positive and long last- Space Pioneers by Manfred “Dutch” von
notes: “Why do a million people crowd emotional attachment to their astronauts, future missions. This work takes place in ing impact on American society that has Ehrenfried chronicles the accomplish-
the roads to Cape Canaveral to see a rock- cosmonauts, taikonauts and spationauts; all the NASA centers, academia, indus- been felt for generations. While the Atlas ments of NASA, established in response
et launch? Why do a million people watch it’s a matter of national pride. The success try, and both US and international part- and the Mercury capsule are primitive to the launch of Sputnik. The author has
astronauts parade down New York’s Can- of a ‘ticker-tape’ parade in New York is of- nerships. The program seeks to identify by today’s standards, one could think of done a wonderful job of researching and
yon of Heroes? Although there may be ficially measured by the Department of and rapidly mature innovative and high them as the Model T’s. And although the documenting details of NASA’s develop-
some who do so on the off-chance of see- Sanitation that has to clean up the mess. impact capabilities and technologies… STG people who started it all are now old ment and its various space missions. The
ing a rocket blow up, most are there to join John Glenn’s parade generated 3,474 tons The world population in 1958 was about or gone, they have inspired at least two book is an essential reading for all techni-
in the celebration of a human being going of paper, making it the largest parade 2.8 billion people. One estimate by the generations of space workers. Hopefully, cal and non-technical minds interested in
into space. They celebrate because they cleanup since V-J Day.” United Nations for 2050 is 9.3 billion. the spark of imagination for youngsters discovering the history of NASA’s evolu-
are proud of the astronaut, the team, and Reflecting on the impact of NASA That’s a lot of people to feed, clothe and will keep the space program going; be it tion and its past, present and future space
their country. Why do people remember and STG on history, the author observes: shelter. But the space age technology manned or unmanned spaceflight. I fear exploration ventures.
where they were and who they were with “NASA set up an organization called the spinoff is helping farmers to be more that I will never live to see humans walk- (Dr Ahmed S. Khan — dr.a.s.khan@
when Armstrong and Aldrin walked on Space Technology Mission Directorate productive even today.” The author ing on Mars, but you might!” ieee.org — is a Fulbright Specialist
the Moon? For sure American pride is (STMD) to develop the crosscutting, pi- concludes the discussion by stating: “In The Birth of NASA — The Work of the Scholar)

n By Farhat Javed in Islamabad & reported that 12 children had to be
Antoinette Radford in London What Is Pakistan's Homemade Cable Car System? rescued after a rope snapped in Ab-
bottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Those
ight people, including chil- particular cars before, they were a children were on their way to school
dren, were left stranded in a ca- good option for people trying to and were stranded 61m over a river
Eble car dangling above a ravine move around the region. until they could be rescued.
in Pakistan's north-western Khyber "We pay only 10 rupees per person Following Tuesday's incident,
Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday. on a one-way trip. If we book a cab, this Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister
Footage of the chair lift, dangling
precariously at 274m (900ft) above
ground, is the stuff of nightmares for
many.
But makeshift cable cars are widely
used in eastern Mansehra and Paki-
stan-administered Kashmir and stretch
all the way up to Pakistan-adminis-
tered Gilgit-Baltistan in the north.
With little infrastructure in the There are many different designs of the makeshift cable cars (file image from 2007)
area and long-distances between facili-
ties like schools - the cable cars, often leys in the mountains. been unable to independently verify
thrown together with scrap metal - are In Allai - the mountainous area this.
born from necessity. where the group were trapped on Tues- Strong winds made the rescue par-
They are built by local communities day - there is no road infrastructure or ticularly difficult, as army soldiers dan-
- mostly illegally, because it is cheaper basic facilities. gled from helicopters, trying to reach
and there is no alternative infrastruc- As a result, a local resident obtained those trapped in the cable car Strong winds made the rescue particularly difficult, as army soldiers dangled
ture. permission from the city administra- The affordability of the Allai cable from helicopters, trying to reach those trapped in the cable car
Sometimes they are made of the tion to build the cable car, police con- car also makes it an attractive mode of
upper body of a pick-up truck. For ex- firmed to BBC News. transport. will cost up to 2,000 rupees (£18.91; Anwaar ul Haq Kakar ordered "safety
ample, a Suzuki may be converted into Known to locals as "Dolly", it links It costs far less than road travel, and $24.09)", he told the BBC. inspections of all such private chairlifts
a large cabin used to transport people the village of Jangri to Batangi, where while the fare varies depending on the While this particular cable car had to ensure that they are safe to operate
and cattle. They are then attached to the local school is located. distance being travelled, it begins from not yet encountered any challenges, and use."
the cable - which can also be scrap iron What would usually be a two-hour as little as 20 PKR (£0.053; $0.067). others across Pakistan have. But without significant investments
- using ropes. walk was reduced to just four minutes One local, Mohabbat Shah, said In 2017, an illegal car crashed in into new infrastructure, the lifts will
Though dangerous, people often use in the cable car. residents were willing to take the Murree, Punjab, killing 11 passengers continue to be the main mode of trans-
them to cross rivers and to shorten the Police said they checked the lift risk with the cable cars. Since there as it plummeted into a ravine. port for most people in the mountain-

distance needed to travel between val- every month, however BBC News has had been no problems with these And last December, local media ous region. – BBC News

Keeping Our Iman Strong with Dhikr (Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43:36) hammad, peace be upon to him, as a then envelop them (the people) with 2 Kitab al-Arba‘in fi Usul al-Din.
(Continued from page 17) When we fail to remember Allah, Prophet.” their wings reaching up to the sky. Their Jeddah: Dar al-Minhaj, 2006, p. 87
“Dhikr is sometimes performed: we are vulnerable to the whispers of the (Sunan of Abu Dawud #318) Lord asks them, yet He is more knowing (Candice “Sister Islaah” Abd’al-
1. with the heart and the tongue, Shaytan. If we sit in gatherings and don’t “O, Allah! Rectify my religion for than they are. “What are My servants Rahim reverted to Islam in 1976,
which is the best dhikr mention Allah, the gatherings will be- me, which is the safeguard of my af- saying?” The angels reply, “They are and considers herself a student of
2. with only the heart, which ranks come devoid of blessings. Abu Huraira fairs. Rectify my worldly [affairs], glorifying you (saying Subhan Allah), knowledge. She has deep education
second reported that the Messenger of Allah, wherein is my livelihood. Rectify my declaring Your greatness (saying Allahu credentials which include an MA in
3. with only the tongue, which ranks peace and blessings be upon him, said: afterlife, to which is my return, and Akbar), praising You (saying: Alhamdu- Teaching, a Certificate of Advanced
third.”1 “No people sit in a gathering in make life for me [a means of] increase lillah), and exalting You.” He asks, “Have Studies - Post-Masters - in Admin-
Imam al-Ghazali, may Allah be which they did not remember Allah, in every good and make death for me they seen Me?” They reply, “No, by Al- istration and Supervision, a BS in
pleased with him, similarly wrote that nor send blessings upon the Prophet, as a rest from every evil.” lah, they have not seen You.” He asks, English, and experiences as a prin-
the remembrance of Allah “starts with but that it will cause them grief on the (Saheeh Muslim #2720) “And what if they saw Me?” The an- cipal (in fact the first hijab public
dhikr of the tongue, then by the heart Day of Resurrection, even if they are 4. Be around the people who dhi- gels reply, “If they saw You, they would school principal in Maryland!), cur-
being pressed into remembering, and rewarded with entry into Paradise.” kr. Allah, the Exalted, says: be even stronger in worshipping You, riculum and staff developer, men-
then by the heart remembering spon- (Musnad Aḥmad #9965) "And keep yourself patiently with stronger in glorifying and praising You, tor, and classroom teacher of grades
taneously.”2 To not remember Allah with our those who call on their Rabb (i.e., your and they would exalt You even more.” pre-K through 12. She is a former
words and deeds is a cause of misery companions who remember their Rabb (Riyadus Saliheen #1447) adjunct professor at Johns Hop-
What is the opposite of remem- and sadness. with glorification, praising in prayers, ‘Antarah reported: kins University’s Graduate School
brance? and other righteous deeds) morning “I asked Ibn Abbas, may Allah be of Education and is a doctoral can-
One way to understand a thing is Let's Dhikr to Strengthen Our and afternoon, seeking His Face; and pleased with him, ‘Which deed is best?’ didate in Islamic Sciences at the
by looking at its opposite. Surely, if the Iman let not your eyes overlook them.” Ibn Abbas said, ‘The remembrance of International Online University.
remembrance of Allah improves our If we want to strengthen our iman (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:28) Allah is greatest.’” Islaah’s contributions to the field
iman, then its opposite – forgetfulness through dhikr, we should: 5. Attend gatherings where Allah (Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:45 and Mu- have earned her honors in the Who’s
and neglect – has the opposite effect. 1. Recite the Qur’an often. is remembered. Abu Hurairah nar- sannaf of Ibn Abī Shaybah #34777) Who of Distinguished JHU Alumni.
When we fail to remember Allah with 2. Repeat often the adhkar that are rated that the Prophet, peace and bless- Our faith is a precious gift from She is a wife, daughter, mother, and
our words and deeds, we become sus- found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. ings be upon him, said: Allah. May Allah increase us all in grandmother and is an active mem-
ceptible to the whisperings of the Shay- 3. Ask Allah, through prayer to "Allah has angels that go from place it through dhikr and other righ- ber of several Muslim communities
tan. Allah warns us: facilitate that behavior for us. Say the to place searching for people [engaged teous acts. in the Baltimore area.)
"And whoever is blinded from the prayers that are meant to increase iman in] the remembrance of Allah. So when https://www.soundvision.com/arti-
remembrance of the Most Merciful, and to facilitate our task, such as: they find a particular people mention- End Notes cle/keeping-our-iman-strong-with-dh
We appoint for him a devil, and he is to “I am pleased with Allah as a ing Allah, they call out (to other angels), 1 Al-Wabil al-Sayyib, Damascus: ikr?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=8
him a companion." Lord, and Islam as a religion and Mu- “Come here to your objective.” They Maktabah Dar al-Bayan, 2006. P.176 78f1ff1-24da-423e-b3c4-e4d67e95ce14
www.Pakistanlink.com