UPSC : Sufiyah Farooqui tops the Muslim list!

Sufiyah Faruqui along with her parents. She is from Bhopal.

01 - 20 - SUFIYAH FARUQUI
02 - 26 - SARFARAZ AHMAD
03 - 51 - SHAID IQBAL
04 - 75 - TAMBOLI AYYAJ FAKIRBHAI
05 - 90 - SADRE ALAM
06 - 94 - ABU MATHEN GEORGE
07 - 120 - KOYA PRAVEEN
08 - 128 - MASOOM ALI SARWAR
09 - 134 - IMTIAZ ISMAIL PARRAY
10 - 139 - AYESHA RANI A
11 - 169 - ZIAUL HAQUE
12 - 244 - ASHIQUZZAMAN
13 - 257 - BASIR AHMED
14 - 303 - SABIHA RIZVI
15 - 304 - ANEES AHMAD ANSARI
16 - 353 -PATTAN IMTIYAZ KHAN
17 - 382 - MASHHOOD UR REHMAN FAROOQUI
18 - 393 - SHAHNAWAZ UL RAHMAN
19 - 398 - CHAN BASHA M
20 - 453 - AKHTAR HUSSAIN ANSARI
21 - 460 - KAZI SUHAIL ANEESAHMED
22 - 499 - TARIQ MABOOD
23 - 502 - GEELANI BASHA K S M
24 - 523 - R GULZAR BEGUM
25 - 540 - MOHD SHAHID ALAM
26 - 546 - MOHD FAIZAN NAYYAR
27 - 582 - MAHFOOZUR REHMAN
28 - 595 - MD SADIQUE ALAM
29 - 603 - MD SALIK PARWAIZ
30 - 606 - MD FAIZUL HAQUE
31 - 619 - MOHAMMED YUSUF QURESHI
32 - 664 - ABDUL HAKEEM M

http://www.upsc.gov.in/

This is the list of Muslim Canditates who have passed with flying colours in the written part of Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2008 held by the Union Public Service Commission in October-November, 2008 and the interviews for Personality Test held in March-April, 2009, and who have been recommended for appointment to Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service and Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.
First of all let me congratulate them.

Hats off to Sister Sufiyah Farooqui who stands first among the successful canditates. All other thirty one brothers and a sister deserve congratulations.

Next, the details. The total number of canditates passed this year is 792. The total number of Muslim canditates is 32. ie 4.04%

The percentage of successful Muslim canditates continues to be around 3 to 5 % for the past 20 years.

Whenever the UPSC results are announced I analyse and scan the list to find out the Muslim names. I have been doing it for the past sixteen years. It never reached the three digits. It never reached fifty. I always end up frustrated, disappointed and disheartened.

Questions, piercing, penetrating, intimidating questions boggle my mind. They rob my peace of mind. To be honest, I cannot find answers. Now I want to share them with you. Whether it will rob your peace of mind or not, I don't care. I want to relieve them. I would be happy if some of you could answer them.

The questions are as follows:

• What is the reason behind this stale performence?
• Why is this pathetic, insipid and faded performence repeated year after year?
• Who is responsible for this lacuna?
• What are the shortcomings?
• What are the deficiencies?
• Don't we have enough graduates?
• Do our youth lack ambition?
• Who prevents them? Who debars them? Nobody.
• Then what bothers them? What is the remedy?
• Where lies the solution?
• If our youth are not aware of UPSC, whose responsibility is it anyway, to guide, counsel and motivate them?
• What is the role of SIO and Tahreek in this context? Where do they stand?

Read : A success story of a Muslim IAS topper

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Khair-e-Ummah and the black belt!!

Last Sunday when I was working in my office, an young lad came to see me. He was bubbling with enthusiasm, vigour and passion. His face showed it all. "I've applied for the Rukunniyat - membership of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. I hope that I would join the Iyakkam - movement formally by the end of the year." I looked at him intently and tried to find something which was missing.
Then I narrated him the story of the black belt. It was a story which should be told million times. The story goes like this:
Once there was a martial artist. He got trained in Karate from a guru. After many years of rigorous training and practise , he approached his guru with a fond hope that the Guru would award him a Black Belt. But he was told that he had to pass one more test.
"What is the significance of the Black Belt?" asked the Guru. "If you can answer this question correctly, I shall give you the Black Belt."
The young martial artist smiled confidently and replied. "It's the reward for my hard work!"
To his surprise, the Guru shook his head disapprovingly and said, "You are not ready for the Black Belt. You may return after one year."
A year later, the martial artist approached his Guru. Guru asked the same question. Though the artist was puzzled, he answered, "It's a symbol of distinction..... the highest achievement in our art"
The Guru didn't give him the Black Belt. He told him to come with the correct answer next year.
The following year the young artist returned to the Guru. As usual the Guru asked, "Have you understood the importance of the Black Belt?"
"Yes, Master," replied the artist. "I've realized that it is not the end but the beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hardwork and the pursuit of excellence"
"Here's your Black Belt" said the Guru, smiling happily. "You have finally understood its true significance."
Similar is the case of Rukunniyat - membership in the Jamaat. Rukunniyat is not an honour. It is the beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hardwork, commitment and the pursuit of excellence. Similarly the responsibilities of Ameer-e-Muqami, Nazim-e-Ilaqa, Ameer-e-Halqa are not symbol of honour. Rather they are the beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hardwork and the pursuit of excellence.
That is the reason, why posts, offices are not celebrated in the Jamaat circles. I distinctly remember the day when Mr X broke and started crying profusely when he was informed that he was the one who was chosen for the job. Our history is replete with full of such instances. Moulana Naeem Siddiqui in his "Tahreek-e-Islami ki ibtitaayi daur" has grasped the spirit more vividly.
Tail piece : Have you noticed it? The Khair-e-Ummah thought is being put forward by everybody. Tablighi people, Tariqa parties, Muslim leaguers and everybody quote the verse and declare tha the Muslim Ummah is the Khair-e-Ummah. Nobody talks about the tag attached to it. The immense responsibility of enjoining virtues and forbidding evils. Does the message of the black belt story fit here?
Also read : Mutton, eggs and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind!
: A memorable evening with Moulana Farooq Khan Sahib!

A blessing to the Tsunami victims!!

SAFE HOMES: Collector R.Palanisamy handing over the keys of permanent houses built by TNRC at Chinna Kottakuppam in Villupuram district on Saturday. He is flanked by H. Abdur Raqeeb, Gen. Secy IFT and K. Dhanraj, MP

A blessing to the Tsunami victims!!
A report by T Azeez Luthfullah

The Tamil Nadu Relief Committee (TNRC) handed over 38 houses to the victims of Tsunami in the village Kottaikuppam near Puducherry today.
Mr A Shabbir Ahmed president JIH presided over the simple ceremony arranged in connection with the noble occasion. Dr. R. Palaniswamy I.A.S, Villupauram District Collector handed over the keys of the newly constructed houses to the victims. Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb, General Secretary, Islamic Foundation Trust(IFT) and member CAC JIH felicitated the organisors and lauded their efforts. He said that the beneficiaries should have a resolve to educate all their children. He hoped a model colony would emerge shedding light of hope and wisdom to the whole of the Kottaikuppam as well as the state. Mr. P. Danraj local MP and Mrs Banumathi Jayamoorthy, local Panchayat Chief congratulated the people behind the mission and pledged all kind of helps to their similar efforts. Mr. Ahmed Meeran a self made man and a committed philanthropist from Chennai and Moulavi Faizur Rahman Madani, Principal, Women's Arabic College, Kottaikuppam also spoke at the occasion.

The TNRC had purchased 1.1 acre and constructed the houses, each measuring 325 sq.ft., at a total cost of Rs 1.25 crore.The habitation has been named as “Samarasam” (harmony/equality). The beneficiaries are fish vendors and petty shopkeepers.
The community hall would be utilised for imparting adult education, giving free tuition to students and counselling for livelihood measures.

TNRC owes its existence to Tsunami, the mass killer. Yes, TNRC was formed when killer waves attacked the shores of Tamil Nadu some years back. TNRC immediately sprung into action and established 100 temporary shelters in lightening speed in Nagapattinam, which was the worst affected town in Tamil Nadu. It also provided Relief Kits comprising of rice, foodgrains, bucket, utensils, soaps, blankets, mattresses etc to 7000 families. When the focus of the world deviated from Tsunami, TNRC continued its mission and got itself engaged in rehabilitation work. Under its innovative and progressive livelihood scheme 500 families were provided with assistance both in cash and kind. TNRC gave top class fibre boats with high power engine and world class fishing nets to sixteen families in Pulicat, a fishing village near Chennai. The smiles on the faces of the boat owners of Pulicat is the everlasting testimony of the pioneering efforts of TNRC. Similarly TNRC established a dairy farm with fifteen fat cows in pudupattinam as a part of its rehabilitation shemes. Keeping the future generations in mind TNRC diversified its efforts and provided educational aid and School kits to 2000 students. The greatest achievement of TNRC stands in the form of Samarasam Nagar in Nagore where it built 100 beautiful houses. Each and every house had been constructed in 400 sq. feet area in a 1300 sq. feet plot. It comprises a drawing room, a hall, a bed room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom with stair case to the terrace. A spacious verandah and sit out is an added attraction.The Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage department (TWAD) has constructed an elegant overhead tank with a capacity of 30,000litres of drinking water and has provided a street pipe for every fifteen (15) houses. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has provided prompt domestic connection and has also erected twenty eight street lamp posts.

The cluster of houses presents a glorious spectacle with the line up of similar looking, beautifully crafted and neatly painted glittering houses dotting the lines. The newly formed colony has been provided with a park and a play ground for the children with all the required facilities too. The colony has been named aptly Samarasam Nagar. Samarasam means peace and harmony.

Now TNRC has added another colourful feather to its crown by distributing 38 houses in Kottaikuppam..! Let us laud their effort and pray for them!!

A poem, a girl and a success story

I want to share with you a poem.
Brother Muniruddin Sheriff introduced me to the spirit of THIS poem.
Who wrote it? When it was written? I don't know. But it has been my favourite for the past two decades. I can recite it by heart.
It is a wonderful poem. It may not be brilliant than Allama Iqbal's fiery, inspiring poems. But still I like it. As I said I heard it from Muniruddin Sheriff. You would love his voice. It smacks lots of confidence and never say die attitude. In those days SIO's zonal office functioned in peiamet's kattur sadayappan street's office. Oh..! those were the most romantic, hectic, hilarious days. The story of those days could be told some other time.
Now back to the poem. Come on recite with me. You would love the spirit.

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you are trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
When you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life's race is full of twists and turns,
As everyone of us finally learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won, had he stuck it out,
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow
You may succeed if you give it a go.

Success is failure, turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
You can never tell how the race will end,
A victory may lie just around the next bend.
So stay the course when you're hardest hit;
It's when things seem worse that you must not quit.

I have been reciting this poem off and on for the past twenty years. I have always loved to share this with my friends. Seldom I have come across persons who are not quitters.
But last fortnight I met a terrific personality who personifies this poem. When I first met her and conversed with her the lines of this poem kept on hovering over my mind. She is Mariyam Farzhana Shadiq. Her father is Muhammad Sadiq. Her mother is Fathima Sadiq. Her brother is Muhammad Hussain Sadiq. What has Mariyam achieved? She stands tall among the winners of the UPSC exam this year. She has got 30th rank among the 734 winners. Out of 734, twenty seven brothers and sisters were Muslims. Mariyam is the first among Muslims.

The success story of Mariyam starts from a trip she made to Yezhilagam - the collector's office in Chennai.
It was a trip she made some fifteen years back. She accompanied her father, who went there for some work.
It was her maiden visit to any Government Office. She was just twelve years old and was studying in seventh standard in the famous church park convent. She was simply bowled over by the charm generated by the district collector. The way he generated awe among the staff there, the sudden change in the office atmosphere upon his arrival, the expectations twinkling in the eyes of the waiting public, the glow in the face of a waiting widow with a petition clutched tightly in her hand - every thing made a lasting impact in her.
That was the day when she resolved to become a collector. Whether she was in school or chatting with friends the scenes from the Govt office kept on replaying in her mind.
She kept this desire alive. She lived with this desire. She modified herself. She vowed to accomplish her goal: நான் கலெக்டர் ஆவேன்
To say it in her words என்ன ஆக வேண்டும் என யோசிப்பதற்குள் it was decided!
This dream became her sole purpose of her life. She worked hard to realise this dream. She discarded going to movies..! Infact for the past fifteen years she has not seen a single movie. She worked hard and passed the higher secondary exams with flying colours. She got admitted to Stella Mary's College and passed the BCom with first class. She joined MCom in SIET college and passed with distinction. Then she left to Delhi to join vajiram ravi coaching institute for IAS aspirants there. She cleared the preliminary exams but failed in Mains. She didn't lose heart.
Pressure was there. The relatives were giving suggestions. Alliance options were piling up. But she didn't budge. She vowed to continue her struggle. Her father was on her side giving her support and motivating her.
She returned to Chennai and joined the Jai Ganesh Coaching Academy for IAS aspirants there. She worked indefatigably. Now she cleared both preliminary and mains, but failed in interview. She didn't let it go. She didn't quit. She didn't lose her heart. She worked hard with renewed vigour. She kept herself saying :"Winners never quit; Quitters never win. And I want to be a winner"
Ultimately this year she tasted success! She got 30th rank!
When asked about the secret of her success, Mariyam simply said : 'All praise be to Allah" Her father echoes the spirit. It is simply heartening.
And above all, here is a good news which will make you exhilarate with joy. Mariyam had embraced Islam some years before. Her father, mother and brother too have embraced Islam. Alhumdulillah!

And also read : There is no full stop in India!