The Unexpected Provision

 The Unexpected Provision

Something truly incredible happened to me today. It is a story I feel compelled to share, because it is a powerful reminder of how the Almighty steps in to care for His creation in the most subtle, unexpected ways.

It all began on a Friday. Being the blessed day of Jummah, I dressed up in a traditional kurta-pajama. I had to head out to the bustling Chandni Market to get my phone repaired. Looking at my reflection, I noticed a brand-new pair of shoes sitting in my closet. Since I didn't have a long walk ahead of me, I thought, “Why not try them out today?” I slipped them on, completely unaware of the lesson they were about to teach me.

Before leaving, I grabbed a tiny, old shoulder bag from the deepest corner of my wardrobe—just large enough to hold the broken phone, my wallet, and a few essentials, since my kurta didn't have enough pocket space.

The Rising Pain

When I reached the market, I handed the phone over to the technician. He inspected it quickly and told me it would take at least an hour to fix.

With time to kill, I decided to make the most of it. I wandered through the market stalls, performed my prayers at the mosque, and stopped by a small eatery for a quick snack. But as the hour drew to a close, a sharp, stinging pain began to radiate from my feet.

The stiff back of those brand-new shoes had been relentlessly digging into my heels with every step I took. By the time I made it back to the repair shop, the friction had completely stripped the skin away, leaving raw, painful blisters. The pain was so intense that I could barely stand. Gasping for relief, I quickly collapsed onto a nearby bench, nursing my wounded feet.

A Hidden Mercy

As I sat there in agony, a thought crossed my mind: "Ya Allah, if only I had been smart enough to wear socks with these new shoes, I wouldn't be suffering like this right now."

At that exact moment, as if guided by an unseen force, my hand absentmindedly drifted into the deepest, forgotten corner of my tiny bag. My fingers brushed against something incredibly soft.

Curious, I pulled it out.

It was a pair of socks.

Years ago, I must have tossed them into this bag and completely forgotten about them. I hadn't used this bag in ages, and I had only grabbed it out of sheer coincidence that morning because of my lack of pockets.

A wave of overwhelming gratitude washed over me, and tears welled up in my eyes. I looked up and thanked the Almighty from the bottom of my heart. He knew my pain before I even felt it, and He had already placed the cure in my hands hours before I even knew I would need it.

This simple journey to Chandni Market taught me that no matter how isolated or in pain we feel, the Almighty is always looking after us, providing for us from quarters we could never imagine.

Zakat Calculator

ZAKAT Calculator

Mohabbat me dikhave ki dosti

mohabbatoñ meñ dikhāve kī dostī na milā

agar gale nahīñ miltā to haath bhī na milā

gharoñ pe naam the nāmoñ ke saath ohde the

bahut talāsh kiyā koī aadmī na milā

tamām rishtoñ ko maiñ ghar pe chhoḌ aayā thā

phir us ke ba.ad mujhe koī ajnabī na milā

ḳhudā kī itnī baḌī kā.enāt meñ maiñ ne

bas ek shaḳhs ko māñgā mujhe vahī na milā

bahut ajiib hai ye qurbatoñ kī duurī bhī

vo mere saath rahā aur mujhe kabhī na milā

------- Bashir Badr

My Life in the Real World.

The Beginning (12th November, 2007)

Groggy eyed, I wake up at the sweet chime of my mobile alarm. It was 6:30 in the Monday morning at Pune. I managed to pull myself out of the bed and drew the curtains. The town was shrouded in a blanket of white. Somewhere, in the corner of the sky, the sun was coming out of its bed, just like me. 

I trudged back to the wardrobe to extract a clean, milky white towel and other toiletries. Time for a bath on a cold winter morning always sent shivers down my spine. Mechanically, I walked to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and was contemplating whether to let the icy water touch my body (the geyser was out of order) when I was jolted by a barrage of expletives from my roommate. “So raha hai kya??? 8 baje office pahuncha hai”. I washed my face and came running out.

Office, this new world was introduced in my life after school and college. The two previous worlds had proved to be a fun ride. I did not have the faintest idea of what office was except from word of mouth explanations which ranged from a high-ceiling-slow-fan-moving-with lots of paper-large hall to a chic-cabin-hot-secretary-fixed with the latest gizmo room. However, I was going to experience it today and form my own image of office.

After shoving down the dry piece of bread down my throat (it was my breakfast by the way), I ran down and out of the apartment to find my bus ready to leave without me. After running a few metres accompanied with shouts of “ROKO ROKO”, I finally managed to catch hold of the mechanical scoundrel. The first day of this new world had not started as smoothly as I would have wanted to.

At sharp 9:00 AM, the bus halted at the gates of a huge building which screamed the word “CAPGEMINI” in bold blue letters. I was sure this could seen miles away. I found myself in a crowd of hundred young enthusiastic IT professionals (the term “IT Professional” made myself seem important at that time).  We were given access cards to open glass doors and revolving entry/exit points (I never knew what access cards were and what was it used to access till that moment). We were led to a large hall in which people came and handed us forms like bank forms, personal detail form, education detail form, bus form…..it seemed never ending. The day ended with one last form in which I agreed that I would whole-heartedly serve the company.

The Training

The second day bought Anjali Vaidya into our lives. This women of amazing personality was our trainer in the FLP (Fresher Learning Program). “Good Morning Everyone”, the voice was fresh and crisp. “Good Morning Maam”, everyone replied. To everyone’s awe, the fresh voice announced, “Everybody is fined Rs 20”. Shocked at this fine for no fault, we started a hushed chatter, to which Anjali pronounced the first rule “YOU ARE NOT IN COLLEGE ANYMORE. ANYONE ADDRESSING AN INSTRUCTOR WITH MADAM/SIR WILL BE FINED RS 20”.  However, I found it hard to get rid of this habit and ended up giving a fine of almost  Rs 500 in the next two months.

The training continued day after day. It bought back a wisp of college life, albeit with a little difference in the form of a black and green mainframe screen thrown in with a generous splash of orkut in between boring sessions. The early morning yoga sessions taught us discipline and ‘aasans’. In between we went to Lonavla and Khandala to take break from the hectic sessions. A day of rappelling as part of training and team-building was always welcome. After a gruesome and hectic training, I along with my few other newly-made friends was posted to Hyderabad. 

View Full Album

Six Sloppy Speech Habits by Diane Diresta

You may look good on paper or in your suit, but if you're looking to nail your big interview, looks aren't everything. How you sound is often more important. But many job seekers let careless speech habits sink their chances of landing that plum job.
Here are six common language mistakes and how to keep them from sabotaging your interview:
1. Non-words
Filler words such as "um," "ah," "you know," "OK" or "like" tell the interviewer you're not prepared and make you sound like a Valley Girl (or Boy). A better strategy is to think before you speak, taking pauses and breaths when you lose your train of thought. Everybody utters an occasional "um," but don't let it start every sentence.
2. "Up-Talk"
A singsong or rising inflection at the end of every sentence creates a tentative impression and makes it sound as though you're asking a question instead of making a definitive statement. You need to speak with conviction when selling yourself in an interview. Bring your intonation down when ending a sentence to avoid talking up.
3. Grammatical Errors
The interviewer may question your education when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expressions such as "ain't" "she don't," "me and my friend" and "so I goes to him" aren't appropriate. Be sure you speak in complete sentences and that tenses agree. The interview is not the venue for regional expressions or informality.
4. Sloppy Speech
Slurring words together or dropping their endings impairs the clarity of your message. To avoid slurring and increase understanding, speak slowly during an interview. Make a list of commonly mispronounced words, and practice saying them into a tape recorder before the interview. Some common incorrect pronunciations include "aks" for "ask," "ath a lete" for "athlete," "wif" for "with" and "dree" for "three."
5. Speed Talking
While everybody is a bit anxious during an interview, you don't want your information to fly by like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to follow, and speed talkers are seen as nervous. Slow down your racing heart by doing some breathing exercises before the interview. To avoid rushing, listen to the question, and then count two beats in your head before answering. When you finish a sentence, count two beats again before continuing. Don't be afraid of silence. Pausing is an effective communication technique. The interviewer needs a few seconds to process what you just said anyway.
6. Weak Speak
Wimpy words modify or water down your conviction and in the end your position. When you pepper a conversation with "hopefully," "perhaps," "I feel," "kind of" and "sort of," the message you convey is a lack of confidence. Use power words such as "I'm confident that," "my track record shows," "I take the position that," "I recommend" or "my goal is." The language you use gives the listener an impression about your level of confidence and conviction.
The Bottom Line
You don't have to study elocution to speak well. Simply slow down, take time to pronounce all the syllables, and leave slang at home.
Companies want job candidates who are well-spoken and articulate, and recruiters won't represent a job candidate if they don't match the client's profile. According to Lori Zelman, vice president of human resources at Strategic Workforce Solutions in New York City, "The people most highly sought after are the ones who are succinct in the explanation of their work experience."
[Diane DiResta is the author of the public-speaking best-seller, Knockout Presentations: How to Deliver Your Message With Power, Punch, and Pizzazz, and the president of DiResta Communications Inc., a New York speech coaching and training firm.]