Linked with Friends of South Asia FOSA, .
He is … a writer, blogger and journalist who currently makes his living as a technical writer based in Silicon Valley.
He says: « I have lived in Nigeria (including Sokoto and Gusau), Pakistan, and both coasts in the US. As a journalist, I have been editor of « The Teenager, Pakistan »; a Columnist for « Mag » (an English weekly in Pakistan); and have edited various newsletters, in Pakistan and in the US. Amongst recent publishing credits are « Spider, » Pakistan’s Internet magazine … » (full text).
This Wiki is part of my website. As of now, this Wikispace is more up to date than the rest of the site … (full text).
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iFaqeer – Pakistan & USA
Talk to him on ‘User talk, iFaqeer on FFXICLOPEDIA‘.
He writes:
- I blog extensively at iFaqeer.blogspot, and WadiWallah.blogspotRickshaw.blogspot (by Vijay Kumar Madugula), and contribute to Urdu-ke-Naam.blogspot (with poesy of Zaheer « Zak » Kidvai), a blog focused on the Urdu language, Sufi poetry, mysticism and the culture around that mix, as well as PakistanFutures.blogspot, which is devoted to Pakistan. I hope to bring a synthesis of all of that to this space;
- My professional life has included technical writing and journalism in both the US and Pakistan. Technical writing assignments have included a Pakistani electronics manufacturer, an offshore software house; Cisco, Mentor Graphics and Cadence in the US;
- I am the founder (or one of the founders) of the Human Rights Project at ProgressiveIslam.org, the Genealogy Wiki and WikiPakistan;
- Work in the Human Rights field started as a Working Committee member of the War Against Rape in Karachi and try to keep himself aware and involved in Human Rights and political issues in Pakistan the US and around the world;
- I am also a co-founder/early member of the Friends of South Asia FOSA, an organization focused on peace and human rights in South Asia (India, Pakistan and the rest of that region).
- A life-long current affairs-and-politics geek (runs in the family), I have been following current affairs generally, and Pakistani, Indian and American politics in particular for most of my life – and just starting to get involved in the US (about life, technology).
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Technology, Society and We, The People (Pilot) – iFaqeer: I am starting a regular commentary segment on WBT-TV, a Business and Technology program on Comcast Channel 15 in San Jose, California … (full text).
He writes also: Here’s a new podcast that covers US Elections, Muslim block votes in USA and Canada, Hijab, Veils, Niqaab, and a South Asian/Muslim poet of the Clash of Culture, and Civilizations. This program is now listed on the iTunes Music Store; just search on « Azad Karachi Radio »; or just « Urdu ». And as always, you can also access the program in one of the following ways: Subscribe to either the text version of this blog or the Podcast … (full text).
Flash forward to this month, and we have a new organizational manifestation of what has been termed the « progressive Muslim movement » take shape. Notice that no one actually associated with the organization or the broader movement uses the phrase ‘Progressive Islam’ – that is significant, because a lot of us, this scribe included, do not assume to speak for a ‘type’ of Islam; only for Muslims who have certain views, attitudes, and priorities in how they engage with their faith and the rest of the world. Here is the Press Release: Founding conference attracts diverse gathering resolved to create physical spaces for progressive Muslims: Muslims for Progressive Values MPV. The progressive Muslim movement in the United States took a significant step forward as a diverse collection of activists, organizers, and academics gathered at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. Interested individuals should join our discussion group.
And he writes: South Asia has a very rich tradition of poetry, one which draws on both the spiritual tradition that gave the world Rumi and Khayyam, and the revolutionary spirit of the last century or two. And because of the Sufi tradition it is steeped in, allegory, depth of meaning, and multi-faceted verbiage is the norm, rather than the exception. The words « Aaj bazaar main pa-bajaolaan chalo… » are probably some of the most recognized word. The « jewels » being described are, for the uninitiated, the ball and chain of oppression. Here’s the poet himself reciting the poem, with English sub-titles, followed by one of the best renditions of the poem with music … In this case with an overlay of a dramatic video (a moment with hanging up persons): Aaj Bazar Mein – Faiz Ahmed Faiz, 5.26 min., added on YouTube February 22, 2007 (in Urdu).
links:
Friends of South Asia on wikipedia;
Understanding Pakistan Project, an Investigation into the Life and Times of a Nation;
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