Social on Mobile - The Next Wave in Communications or Revolutions?

These are Social & Mobile REVOLUTIONS that cause Revolutions

This post takes inspiration from where where my earlier post left off

There are two 'new' frontiers in the world of communications today - Mobile and Social, these two spaces are primarily a continuum and the overlap,

While the former  is receiving a huge amount of  public attention both solicited and unsolicited with the 2G Scam, and other skeletons crawling out of the woodwork. It is the impact of Social that is seen on the Regimes in the Middle East, starting with the Story of a Tunisian fruitseller, to the fall of the Egyptian & Libyan  Dictators, to the Rise of Anna Hazare.

"You can buy my hands, but have to WIN my heart" seems to be the dictum of today's youth, and to win it is difficult to say the least.

With the pace of change increasing exponentially, what took microsoft 20 years to accomplish, took google 10 and facebook about 3 years.

When seen in the light of my ealier post "Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane? Noooo! It’s a CELLPHONE!" - and the fact that our mobile phones today have as more computing power than Yuri Gagarin's Space Ship!


How many people would have been able to predict  or foresee such leaps in science & technology, such revolutions?

Do your reach for your phone or paper first thing in the morning?

Like our parents waited eagerly for their morning fix of  coffee & newspaper (to the point that most of you would recall the withdrawal and how uneasy they felt when the paper didn't arrive on time!)

Today youth don't wait for the newspaper to get the news, the first thing they reach for is their smartphone to read the latest tweets - Tweets & RSS Feeds are replacing print for today's youth.

As discussed earlier  The Paradigm Shift from the Ear to the Eye, the mobile phone basic functionality is now visual rather than auditory  - The Twitter Stream, The Facebook Update, The YouTube Video are the New HEADLINES - personalized, customized and delivered in Real Time.

Traditional Media like TV programmes today have have twitter id's (@thenewshour, @face_the_nation), Print publications have online editions  (TimesOfIndia.com),  E-Paper editions and RSS feeds, Radio programmes run facebook contests & campaigns.

The psyche of the youth is so ingrained with Social Media, so pervasive is this technology, that Scientific Studies have actually  found that Youngsters feel disoriented, when they are disconnected  (withdawal akin to dad's morning grumblings when the paper didn't come ;-)

This obviously can not be a good thing... or can it?

The impact of Social Media is seen on the Regimes in the Middle East & Asia, starting with the Story of a Tunisian fruitseller, to the fall of the Egyptian & Libyan  Dictators, to the Rise of Anna Hazare.

"When I first saw that he was getting in, I thought, 'Well, this has got to be a joke,'" the Boone-based evangelist told ABC's Christiane Amanpour. "But the more you listen to him, the more you say to yourself, 'You know? Maybe the guy's right.' -  Franklin Graham

When the Cure causes the Disease - Antibiotics

‘The trouble with being a hypochondriac these days is that antibiotics have cured all the good diseases.’ - Caskie Stinnett

Antibiotics were called the ‘miracle drug’ in the 1940s, and are the cure-all of virtually any infectious disease.

However, Antibiotics are effective only on infections caused by bacteria, not viruses. While certain fungi and parasites may be susceptible to certain antibiotics, specific anti-fungals and anti-parasitic agents are needed for their treatment.

Antibiotics STILL considered by many to be the ‘one stop cure’ for all ailments. There is a tendency to pop them the moment someone sneezes, coughs or complains of a fever. While antibiotics are potent fighters of infection, if used indiscriminately, they can actually endanger health.

The myths mentioned below  have been perpetuated and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to the Emergence of "The Super Bug"(1)

NDM-1 Superbug Mutation Shows Up in New Delhi Drinking Water - "The gene mutation, New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (or NDM-1), was identified in 11 distinct bacterial species, including those that cause cholera and dysentery, researchers from the University of Cardiff reported Thursday in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases." (2)

Myth: Once the symptoms subside the prescribed antibiotics can be stopped.(3)
Fact: Antibiotics should be taken as ordered by the doctor. Failure to do so can cause reinfection or emergence of ‘superbugs’, bacteria resistant to antibiotics. These are more deadly and –even more difficult to overcome.


Myth: Antibiotic resistance is a myth.

Fact: The problem of bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics is very real. When prescribed antibiotics are discontinued before completion of the ‘course’ or used indiscriminately, few bacteria survive the treatment. These virulent bacteria can result in the formation of a ‘superstrain’ resistant to antibiotics. One such strain is the MRSA or the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause devastating infections.

Myth: It is a good idea to use antibiotics as preventative measures against some infections, say while traveling. 

Fact: Antibiotics should not be taken unless ill. Use of antibiotics when they are not needed can be harmful. They can wipe out the body’s natural flora making the body more susceptible to infection. Certain bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics over time and can cause more problems. However, in certain situations doctors recommend antibiotic prophylaxis for e.g. dental procedures, gastrointestinal procedures, pneumocystis, etc.


Myth: Antibiotics should be stocked up in case there is a shortage when you get sick.
Fact: Certain outbreaks in the recent past like bird flu have caused individuals to consider stocking up on antibiotics. While the antibiotics could be helpful in certain situations, they would not be of use in case of viral infections. Storing antibiotics beyond their expiry date results in reduced potency. Also the use of antibiotics past there expiration date can cause organ damage.


Myth: Antibiotics help get over colds or flu.
Fact: Antibiotics only kill bacteria and then not every antibiotic is effective against every strain of bacteria. Viruses are responsible for colds and flu that are unaffected by antibiotics. Doctors tend to prescribe antibiotics in deference to their patients’ wishes; this is to be avoided as the problem of development of bacteria resistant to antibiotics is on the increase.


Myth: Antibiotics will help to get better faster.
Fact: The antibiotics taken for colds and flu do not get rid of bothersome symptoms faster. Whether the antibiotics are taken or not, these illnesses take their toll and take their time to clear up. Use of antibiotics should not be on a ‘just in case’ basis.


Myth: Antibiotics help the immune system to fight colds and flu.
Fact: Antibiotics only kill bacteria, they do not strengthen the immune system. Quite often individuals attribute the antibiotic as responsible for overcoming the infection, while in fact it is the immune system that did all the work and the virus just ran its course.


Myth: Fever always requires antibiotics.
Fact: Fever is a part of the body’s defense mechanism against infection. Even a virus infection can cause can cause a fever. Antibiotics are not warranted in every fever.


Myth: Antibiotics always win the battle against bacteria.
Fact: Bacteria are quickly becoming smarter and quicker. The drug companies are not able to invent antibiotics to keep up with them. So while antibiotics are life-savers when used correctly, indiscriminate use can reduce their effectiveness.

Share and save lives!


Thank you for Reading :)

Sources: -
Wikipedia (1)
Time HealthLand (2) 
Times Wellness (3) 

McKinsey Hacked! (April Fools' Day???)

McKinsey recognized the world's "most powerful consulting firm", (elitist by design) falls victim to the whims of lowly hackers

Here's an email i recieved from "The most well-known, most secretive, most high-priced, most prestigious, most consistently successful, most envied, most trusted, most disliked management consulting firm on earth"

from  McKinsey Quarterly  date  Sat, Apr 2, 2011 at 8:51 PM subject  Important information from McKinsey Quarterly mailed-by  e.mckinseyquarterly.com signed-by  e.mckinseyquarterly.com > Important mainly because of the people in the conversation.

Apr 2 (1 day ago)

View this message in your Web browser

Important information from McKinsey Quarterly

We have been informed by our e-mail service provider, Epsilon, that your e-mail address was exposed by unauthorized entry into their system. Epsilon sends e-mails on our behalf to McKinsey Quarterly users who have opted to receive e-mail communications from us.

We have been assured by Epsilon that the only information that was obtained was your first name, last name and e-mail address and that the files that were accessed did not include any other information. We are actively working to confirm this. We do not store any credit card numbers, social security numbers, or other personally identifiable information of our users, so we can assure you that no such information was accessed.

Please note, it is possible you may receive spam e-mail messages as a result. We want to urge you to be cautious when opening links or attachments from unknown third parties. Also know that McKinsey Quarterlywill not send you e-mails asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. So if you are ever asked for this information, you can be confident it is not from McKinsey.

We regret this has taken place and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. We take your privacy very seriously, and we will continue to work diligently to protect your personal information.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact McKinsey Quarterly at info@mckinseyquarterly.com. For any media inquiries, please contact Humphrey Rolleston at +1-212-415-5321.

Sincerely,

Rik Kirkland

Senior Managing Editor

McKinsey & Company

(As it is dated 02 April 2011...  had me wondering are they playing me for April's Fool?)

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree – (or so I Hope!) – Part 2

No, this has nothing to do with Steve Jobs, these are the words of my father, his wisdom that I have been fortunate to receive & another glimpse that I wish to share with you.

As I did before, I present to you again some more pearls of wisdom that I am fortunate to receive … a glimpse of which I would like to share with you.

Thank you for reading,


The Words of my Father … in 160 character installments

Friday, 4/2/2010

Difficulties in life do not come to destroy u, but to help u realise your hidden potential.

Let difficulties know that you’re more difficult.

Tuesday, 3/30/2010

Good morning.

A few thoughts for u:

1. Pray as if everything depends on God & work as if everything depends on you!

2. To handle yourself use your head; but to handle others, use your heart.

3. Do not lose head in success & heart in failure!

4. If you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything.

5. Beauty & colour may attract the eye but only a smile appeals to the heart.

Monday, 3/29/2010

Thought For Your Whole Life: The Maximum Time You Will Have To Spend In Your Life Is With Yourself. So Make Yourself As Interesting As Possible.

G'Morning

Sunday, 3/28/2010

The Beauty Of Summer Is its Heat.

The Beauty Of Winter Is its Biting Cold.

The Beauty Of Monsoon Is That It Must Pour Cats & Dogs.

But...

The Problem Is That People Want~

The Summer To Be Cool,

Winter To Be Warm,

and

Monsoon To Be Dry.

Very Strange...But True...

Good Morning.

Thursday, 3/25/2010

'HOPE & END' are always there for everyone.

It depends on us how we deal with them

'A HOPELESS END'

OR

'AN ENDLESS HOPE'...

G'Morning.

Wednesday, 3/24/2010

A SMALL dot can stop a big sentence, but few more dots can give continuity. Amazing but true...every ending can be a new beginning!

Tuesday, 3/23/2010

"Comparison is the best way to judge your Progress; But not with Others, Just compare your yesterday with your today.”

Monday, 3/22/2010

Worries and tensions are like birds...we cant stop them from flying near us.....but we can certainly stop them from making the nest on our heads.

Friday, 3/19/2010

Every Morning in Africa a Deer wakes up. It knows it must Run Faster than the Lion or it will be killed...

Every Morning a Lion Wakes up, It knows It must Run Faster than the Deer or It will starve to death...

It doesn't matter if you’re Born Lion or a Deer. When the Sun comes up, You Better be Running !!

Thursday, 3/18/2010

Any method you employ to heighten the consciousness of the presence of that

which is the source of creation within you, is Yoga.

Wednesday, 3/17/2010

Things we must be thankful for :-

1. Worries at the start of day: means you are still alive.

2. Clothes that don't fit anymore: means you have a good appetite.

3. The mess to clean after a party: means you have friends around you.

4. Roof that needs fixing: means you've got a house.

5. Taxes to pay: means you aren't unemployed.

6. A bright & happy message on your mobile; means you have someone who always remembers you.!

Saturday, 3/13/2010

Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you are in the perfect position to pray.

Friday, 3/12/2010

"People are not DIFFICULT but, People are DIFFERENT".

If We understand this, we can build many Relations in Life !

Wednesday, 3/10/2010

It is not that belief is blind,

it is just that belief blinds people.

Tuesday, 3/9/2010

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a 100 days of sorrow.

Monday, 3/8/2010

On the path of perfection, complaints are like the hammering that shapes a stone... into an Idol.

Sunday, 3/7/2010

Every TEST in our life makes us BITTER or BETTER.

Every PROBLEM comes to MAKE us or BREAK us.

Choice is ours...Whether we become VICTIM or VICTOR.

Thursday, 3/4/2010

"Forgiveness is the Economy of the heart- it saves the expense of Anger, the cost of Hatred and the wastage of Passion."

Wednesday, 3/3/2010

There are two different forces.... Gravity is holding you to the planet and pulling you down, but...Grace is pulling you up all the time.

Tuesday, 3/2/2010

Anger is false show of strength by a weak person while politeness and a cool mind reflects dignity and strength of a strong person.!

Thursday, 2/25/2010

Every Relationship Is Like a Glass.

A Scratch On any side will Reflect On The Otherside. So Always Handle Everyones Feelings With Care!

Wednesday, 2/24/2010

Life has no Guarantees.

It only provides Possibilities & Opportunities, Don't miss them.

Tuesday, 2/23/2010

"No one has ever won a game of Chess by always moving forwards.

Sometimes you have to move backwards to get a better step forward."

That's Life.

Monday, 2/22/2010

"The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own and you alone are responsible for the quality of it."

Friday, 2/19/2010

I woke up this morning & I realised that I should learn to appreciate what I have,

before

time forces me to appreciate what I had!

Thursday, 2/18/2010

never search for happiness in others.... it will make you feel lonely....

search for happiness in yourself, because it keeps you happy, even if you are lonely.

Wednesday, 2/17/2010

Making 100 Friends Is Not A Miracle....

The Miracle Is To Make A Friend Who Will Stand By You When 100 Are Against You........

Tuesday, 2/16/2010

External Power is Limited...Do not use it in an unlimited manner.

Our inner power is UNLIMITED...Do not use it in a LIMITED manner.!

Sunday, 2/14/2010

"Perhaps the surest test of an individual's integrity is his refusal to do or say anything that would damage his self-respect.."

Wednesday, 2/10/2010

If you have not known sadness, you will not mature.

You will never know compassion... unless you know pain.

Tuesday, 2/9/2010

A Person who Spends Some time on his Knees for Prayer; will never find it difficult to Stand on his feet in life.

Saturday, 2/6/2010

Victory always starts in the Head. It is a State of Mind.

It then spreads with such radiance & affirmation that destiny can do nothing but Obey.

Thursday, 2/4/2010

One of the greatest illusions of life is that . .

"We always believe there is more time in tomorrow than today . . ''

Monday, 2/1/2010

Live life to Express and not to Impress.

Don't strive to make your Presence noticed just make your Absence felt.

Saturday, 1/30/2010

There is no Royal Road to Success. But after Success, Every Road becomes ROYAL.

Friday, 1/29/2010

Every King was once a helpless baby & every great structure once a blue print.

It isn’t where you are today but where you’ll reach that counts.

Get going...

Wednesday, 11/11/2009

A Sardarni goes to Sardar's shop to buy a tea packet..

Sardarni in Punjabi- Liptan di chaah hai?

Sardar-Mainu to nahi hai tainu ho to Lipat ja...

Keep smiling & God Bless.


Part One can be accessed from here

my phone's display looks better

Mobile phone display mega shootout: The full picture - GSMArena.com

Though this Article was written in November Last year. I've gone blue in the face explaining these concepts... so here it is again - STILL RELEVANT TODAY


The Take Away is simple 

1) AMOLED is the future - Contrast, Colour and Viewing angles are better
2) 300+ PPI Resolution is yet to be achieved in AMOLED
3) LCD technology is old BUT iPhone4's Retina Display is the BEST at Squeezing every last ounce from LCD Technology (TFT LCD with IPS).
4) iPhone4 (but NO other product) has 326 PPI Resolution aka  Retina Display 


Display technology is important for making the right choice but in the end you have to consider more than just that.

There are different resolutions and screen sizes and - of course - the feature sets count too. While you can find an LCD screen of pretty much any size and resolution, you only have two options for Super AMOLED and just one for the Retina.

Cheat sheet

And here goes a brief summary of our findings for the time of creation of this article. We wouldn't advise you to base your decision only on the ratings in it, but it could be used as a quick reference after you've read the whole thing.

Also check out those collages we prepared for you so you can compare the handsets for yourselves.

  
In complete darkness

  
Indoor shot • Out in the sun

In the end it all depends on what you use the phone - and the screen - for. The I9000 Galaxy S seems to be the best performer overall, but don't hesitate to go for an iPhone 4 if you need more resolution for those web pages.

Nokia is really going the right way with its CBD technology too - it's just a matter of time before they lift that resolution cap and start using it to its fullest.

And if don’t really care about image quality all that much... Well, grab yourself an LCD and save some cash to spend on apps.

The only technology that has a long way to go to convince skeptics (us included) is S-LCD. It’s just too insignificant of an update for the price premium and the time it took to appear. It will need to boost its credentials and shed its image of an emergency cure for the AMOLED shortage. At least, Apple’s Retina display has shown it’s not all lost for LCDs.

And while the future is with AMOLED, it’s not all rosy for them right now either. They offer excellent image quality and lower energy consumption – that should be enough to make them the definitive choice. But the negative effect of the present AMOLED shortage will be felt for some time.

One possible outcome is that AMOLED screens could become even more desirable. Phones like the Samsung Galaxy S and Omnia 7 will get a major boost being the lucky few to sport a Super AMOLED screen. It’s curious to see what happens to Nokia’s CBD – the Clear Black coating is theirs but they still need to ensure continuous supply of AMOLED units.

Respect Recycle & Reuse - a Clarion Call to Organ Donors (Part 2)

This is another one of my vain attempts to convince my family  of readers of the benefits of Organ Donation


Kidney donation – Donor and receiver perspective
by Dr Parul R Sheth
Your kidneys remove excess fluid and waste from your blood. Kidney failure occurs when your kidneys are unable to filter because of which dangerous levels of fluid and waste accumulates in your body. Kidney failure can be managed with diet, medication and treatment of the underlying cause.  If your kidneys are still unable to function, and you have no other life-threatening medical conditions, a kidney transplant could be a better option than dialysis.

For living-donor transplantation, only one kidney is needed to replace two failed kidneys.  A kidney is harvested from a healthy donor and transplanted in place of the diseased one. The recipient who receives a kidney from a living donor with low risk of high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes has a better long-term quality of life.

Donor’s perspective
Dr Vatsala Trivedi, president, National Deceased Donor Transplantation Network (NDTN) at a WHO meet in Geneva said, “Till year 2008 India was performing on an average100 kidney transplants from deceased donors (DD). Between October 2008 and December 2009, Tamil Nadu alone contributed more than 150 kidney transplants from the DD program.”

Dr Bharat Shah says, “A deceased donor is usually the one who is ‘brain dead’. Over the last 15 years there has been a gradual progress in deceased donor kidney transplant. However, the progress is too slow and a large majority of kidney transplants performed in our country are with living donors”. Also, the deceased organ donation is hampered by socio-cultural problems and an increased demand. The use of live kidney donation is therefore promoted.

Dr M Sahay and Dr N Anuradha from the Department of Nephrology, Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, reveal that live kidney donation carries the risk of an unnecessary surgery in a normal individual for the benefit of the recipient and long term effects of kidney removal have not been studied in Indian donors so far.

Kidney donations in India are legal; you can accept a kidney from any live donor provided he/she is your relative and there is no money involved. In case you have no one to donate a kidney in your family, you can register the name of the person who needs the kidney with a NGO or hospital. If the hospital comes to know of any death of a patient whose blood group and tissue type matches with the recipient, the hospital personnel can help you with the cadaver or deceased donor kidney transplant.

If you are a donor, your kidney tissues should match the recipient’s kidney. Therefore, tissue matching is done using DNA tissue-typing methods. Kidney donation is a major surgical procedure. With time, your remaining kidney will enlarge as it takes on additional blood flow and filtration of wastes.

As a live kidney donor you can lead an active normal life with one kidney. After surgery, you may require rest for the first two weeks. Walking is a good exercise during this time. On recovery you can drive, exercise, play sports and get back to your normal routine.  Research studies show that there is not much of a long-term risk of kidney donation provided you have been screened well before becoming a donor.  

The donor experiences a psychological ‘high’ after contributing to the health of the recipient. Yet some may experience depression following the euphoria of saving a life. The problem may worsen if the recipient rejects the kidney. Counseling is a must before and after donation.

Recipient’s outlook
Transplant surgery has risks including bleeding and infection. But the most important concern for a recipient is that of organ rejection. Following transplant, medications, anti-rejection drugs and life-long immunosuppressive therapy are a part of the treatment. The medications may cause side-effects such as fluid retention, swelling, weight gain and mood swings.

Monitoring your kidney function, blood pressure etc is necessary for the next 3-4 weeks following surgery. A healthy lifestyle with no alcohol, tobacco or drugs and being proactive about diet and exercise helps maintain a healthy kidney. Plenty of information is available about donation and transplant procedures with support groups, NGOs and online.   

A few organisations involved with kidney transplants

• Kidney Donations.net:  A website designed to wipe out kidney disease through internet based technology.
• Living Kidney Donation: Online community for living donors, potential donors, their families, and medical professionals.
• MOHAN Foundation: "Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network" is an NGO, a voluntary, non-profit organisation based in Chennai. It also has branches in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.
• Narmada Kidney Foundation (NKF), India: A voluntary organisation of concerned individuals, corporate bodies and professionals who have pledged their time and resources toward filling a void in the country's health services.

Today is World Kidney Day.. Have a heart!

An Inspirational Montage by Casey Gutteridge

This extraordinary scene was captured by photography student Casey Gutteridge at the Santago Rare Leopard Project in Hertfordshire.

^Click to Enlarge^

 The 19-year-old, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, who was photographing the leopard for a course project, was astounded by the mouse's  behaviour.

He said: 'I have no idea  where the mouse came from - he just appeared  in the enclosure after the keeper had dropped in  the meat for the leopard.

'He didn't  take any notice of the leopard, just went  straight over to the meat and started  feeding himself.

'But the leopard was  pretty surprised - she bent down and sniffed  the mouse and flinched a bit like she was  scared.

'In the meantime the mouse just  carried on eating like nothing had  happened..

..but even a gentle  shove does not deter the little creature from getting his fill...

'It was  amazing, even the keeper who had thrown the meat into the enclosure was shocked - he said  he'd never seen anything like it before.' 

Project owner Jackie James added: 'It  was so funny to see - Sheena batted the  mouse a couple of times to try to get it away  from her food.

'But the determined  little thing took no notice and just carried  on.' Sheena was brought in to the Santago  Rare Leopard Project from a UK zoo when she  was just four months old.

Sheena is one of  14 big cats in the private collection started by Jackie 's late husband Peter in 1989. The African Leopard can be found in the continent's forests, grasslands, savannas,and rainforests.

 .....so the mouse continued to eat the leopard's lunch and  show the leopard who was the boss.  

Just proves no one can push you around without your  permission!

Source

From Amma, with Love

My maternal grandmother (Amma) passed away recently, at the ripe old age of 84, physically crippled but a mental athlete, i shall miss my long existential conversations and theological debates with her.

My father also shared a deep bond with his mother-in-law, my Amma, and she would go to my parents in Calcutta - her winter capital during the coldest months of the year... this year, for the first time in 6 years, she stayed on to brave the Delhi Winter...

During one of my many conversations with Amma, this one happened to be on Christmas Day last year, when she was fondly remembering Granny - my  paternal grandmother, Mrs. Venetia Noorjehan Seth ( née Hussain) and asked me to Share this article with my father, that she read out to me... From the Times of India dated  24 December 2010

Many faces of ISLAM

The different ways in which Sunnis and Shias observe the current month of Muharram, point to the factions in the Muslim world. Despite Quranic injunctions that Muslims should not create divisions among themselves, the community split. TOI looks at some of the contemporary sects and sub-sects in Islam

Mohammed Wajihuddin | TNN 

    SUNNI ISLAM 

    Sunni Muslims are the largest sect of Islam. Derived from the word Sunnah, which means the examples or actions of the Prophet, Sunnis are those who follow the Sunnah. They believe in the legitimacy of the four caliphs — Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Hazrat Ali. The caliphate is collectively called Khulfaul-Rashidun (the rightly guided caliphs). The four caliphs were democratically elected. But after the death of Hazrat Ali, the caliphate degenerated into dynastic rule. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the 1920s, the caliphate formally ended. Sunni Islam is divided into four schools of law or fiqh (religious jurisprudence): Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki and Hanbali. There are minor differences among these schools of law. Hanafi: Followers of Imam Abu Hanifa, the Hanafis see Quran, the Sunnah, the ijma (consensus) and qiyas (deduction from analogy) as the sources of law. Hanafis are based mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Iraq, Turkey and the western world. Maliki: Followers of Imam Malik, the Malikis lay great emphasis on istadlal — juristic deduction. It is practised mostly in North and West Africa. Shafi: The Shafis are the followers of Imam Shafi and give emphasis on ijma (consensus). Hanbali: The Hanbalis are followers of Imam Hanbal. 

THE SHIAS 

The Shias are the second largest sect of Islam. Followers of Hazrat Ali, the fourth Caliph and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, the Shias oppose the institution of the caliphate and follow imamate (divine appointment as imams among the descendants of Hazrat Ali). The Shias believe that the Prophet’s family (Ahl al-Bayt), including his descendants known as Imams, have a divine right to rule over the community. Though a minority in the Muslim world, the Shias are in a majority in Iran (70 million). Over 90 per cent of the population in Iran is Shia while the minorities comprise Sunnis, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians. The differences between the Shias and the Sunnis were accentuated by the murder of Ali in 661 AD. His chief opponent, Muawiah, became caliph. Caliph Muawiah was later succeeded by his son Yazid, but Ali’s son Hussain refused to accept his legitimacy and differences between the two erupted. Hussain and his followers were massacred in battle near Karbala and this gave rise to the Shia cult of martyrdom. To this day, the Shias and Sunnis have a schism. Shia and Sunni militias have fought pitched battles in Iraq. The Shia militia led by Muqtada al-Sadr has tried to gain control over several areas in Iraq. The Shias of Iraq and Lebanon are believed to receive support from Iran. 

    Shia Islam has several branches. 

The Twelvers (Ashna Asari): Named after their adherence to twelve imams, is the largest group of Shias. These imams are: Hazrat Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Hussain, Imam Zainul Abideen, Imam Al-Baqir, Imam Jafar-us-Sadiq, Imam Musa Al-Kazim, Imam Ar-Riza, Imam Al-Jawwad, Imam Al-Naqi, Imam Al-Askari and Imam Al Mahdi who mysteriously disappeared. The Shias believe that the last Imam is alive and in hiding and and will reappear to establish true law. 

The Akhbaris: A sub-sect of Twelvers or Ashna Asari, the Akhbaris believe that the learned divines are to be regarded as representatives of imams. 

The Usulis: Also a sub-sect of Ashna Asari, the Usulis hold that the believers can themselves follow law in the light of reason without the intervention of the learned divines. The Zaidis: Followers of Zaid, son of Imam Zain-ul-Abdin, the Zaidis, unlike other Shia sects Shias, believe that people can choose their imams from among the descendants of Hazrat Ali. 

The Ismailis: Followers of Imam Ismail, son of Imam Jafar-us-Sadiq, the Ismailis believe that the imamate fell on Ismail’s son Al-Maktum, and not on Jafar’s son Musa Al-Kazim as held by other Shias. 

Nizaris: An important sub-sect among the Ismailis, the Nizaris are the only Shia group to have a temporal leader in imamate. After the death of Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir in 1094, his eldest son Nizar was dethroned by his brother Al-Mustali. It led to the birth of the Nizari sub-sect which believes that the imamate descended differ to Nizar and his descendants. 

Khojas: Primarily Ismaili Shias, the Khojas are concentrated in South Asia. Derived from the word Khwaja, most Khojas in India live in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajsathan. They are sub-divided as Ismaili Khojas, twelver Khojas and Sunni Khojas. Pakistan’s founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima were twelver Khojas.
Mustalians: They believe that after the death of Fatimid Caliph Al-Mustansir, the imamate vested in Al-Mustali and his descendants. Dawoodi Bohras: A Mustali sub-sect of Ismaili Shias, the Dawoodi Bohras are based mostly in India. The spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community is called Al-Daial-Mutlaq (summoner with comprehensive authority). Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, 98, is the 52nd Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq. The Dawoodi Bohras believe that the 20th imam, Mansur Al-Amir, instructed his grand emissary Syeda Arwa Binte Ahmad to establish the office of the Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq. The Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq enjoys full authority to govern the Dawoodi Bohra community. He chooses his successor. It’s said that the word Bohra is derived from Gujarati vehwhar, meaning trade. Small wonder that most Bohras are successful traders and entrepreneurs. Dawoodi Bohra men wear a traditional white three-piece outfit, and a white gold cap and the women wear the rida, a distinctive form of burqa. It’s different from the common veil in that it can be coloured and with patterns. A closely-knit community, the Dawoodi Bohras seek advice from the Al-Dai-al-Mutlaq in all matters spiritual and temporal. 

    AHMADIYAS 

    This religious group is called Heterodox as it is not recognised as a part of Islam by mainstream Islamic faith. Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadiyan (1835-1908) who claimed to be the awaited messiah, the Ahmadiyas believe that their form of Islam is purest. Headquartered in Qadiyan (Indian Punjab), the sect has adherents spread across the world. But they don’t proclaim it openly for fear of persecution. The majority of mainstream Muslims consider them to be non-Muslims and in many parts of the world, especially Pakistan, the Ahmadiyas are persecuted. Many Muslim clerics in Pakistan have declared Ahmadiyas wajibul qatl (to be killed justifiably). But some scholars denounce killing of Ahmadiyas.

I offer this post, as an oblation to God to give my Amma & Granny eternal peace

Thank you for being part of my life

I miss you