SLEEP

For a long time, I lay tossing in my bed at night, thinking about the anti-Muslim slogans written on the blackboard. Without any genuine reason, people have associated sleep with the shutting of eyes. A person can remain awake throughout his life, with his eyes shut all the time. In the same way, there are a large number of people in the world who are always asleep while their eyes are open. Perhaps, the fact is that what we regard as sleep, is not sleep at all, because, sleep is related to the peace of our mind and heart, and not to the shutting of our eyes. It appeared to me as if for centuries, I had only been shutting my eyes, without ever being able to sleep. The next morning, Kamran dropped me at the University. While we were in the parking, we saw Sarah coming out of her white Battle Car. Kamran was fully attentive towards her, who was looking extremely beautiful in her blue skirt and high necked white sweater. He whistled and said, "Medi dear, you never told me that such beauties also come to your university. When is your next semester going to start? Today, I'm very much ashamed of my ignorance." "Don't try to be so smart. This is the same Jewess who is deadly against me and thus, there's no need for you to be so much interested in her. She's bitterly against the Muslims." But Kamran remained defiant and acting in accordance with his old habit, he described her as similar to a famous Hollywood actress. He had always been in the habit of finding similarities in the facial features of smart people and well-known actors and actresses. Whenever he could find such a similarity, he started calling that person by the name of that actor or actress. Kamran heaved a deep sight and spoke "No problem my dear if she is a Jewess. Jews are also included among the People of the Book. She seems to me just like Salma Hike. Having hostilities with such a pretty girl is of no use. I withdraw my old suggestion and strongly recommend that you should have friendship with her." With a great deal of difficulty, I sent him back. In the meantime, Sarah had also got down from the car and was busy talking to another student. While driving past her, Kamran tried to be as near as possible to Sarah but she did not take any particular notice of his action. As I was going forward carrying my bag, Sarah called me from behind. "Mr. Hammad, wait a minute please." As I halted, Sarah quickly came to me, properly arranging her untied hair which could be seen fluttering in the air. "Rebecca gave me your message. Throughout my life, I've never felt the need for giving explanations of my actions to anyone. But at the same time, I've never allowed anyone to accuse me of something done by others. I didn't write all that on the blackboard. In fact, I've no need to write such things, because, I express my views quite openly and have the full courage to do so." "Then how should I interpret your explanation? Are you advocating on behalf of your friends? Of course, it must have been done by one of them." "No, I'm not advocating on behalf of anyone of them because, truth needs no advocates." "But truth does require some solid arguments and proofs; and those who don't have these things vent out their fury and frustration by doing such childish things." Sarah looked attentively towards me and spoke in a rather harsh tone. "I don't know about others but as far as I'm concerned, I've got thousands of arguments to support my viewpoint. But I don't want to waste my time as well as yours in explaining these arguments for proving the truth." In reply, I informed her of my decision. "If one of us succeeds in convincing the other about his or her truth, the other one will follow his or her path. Do you agree?" Sarah was startled and as she looked towards me, she saw the challenge hidden in my eyes. "I agree and I'll be extremely happy to defeat you." "Only the coming time will decide it. Best of luck." ht have concluded that we were the two arrows shot from the same bow at the same time in two opposite directions. On that day, members of Sarah's gang made a number of satirical remarks intended for me but I remained silent. Rebecca was a close friend of Sarah, but for some unknown reason, after that day, she started sitting with me on the same desk. Two students could sit on each of the desks placed in the classroom but since the beginning of the classes till that day, I used to sit alone on my desk. Apparently, Rebecca was a lively, energetic, noisy, vivacious and hilarious girl, always clad in jeans and jacket and always chewing gums. She was full of fun and activity and looked like a carefree butterfly. While walking, when she moved her boy cut hair, it was enough to quicken the heartbeats of all the young boys standing around her. But when she started sitting with me on the same desk, I realized that she had as much interest in her studies as in her frivolous and coquettish activities. A boy named Jim, who was apparently a Jew, was the leader of Sarah's gang. Tina was another active member of their group. Thus, it was a gang of four, consisting of Sarah, Jim, David and Tina. In fact, the whole gang acted upon Sarah's instructions. One day, during the break, when Jim made some cartoons and wrote some funny sentences to amuse the students, I at once judged from his writing that it was he who had written those anti-Muslim sentences on the blackboard. However, after that day, no one attempted to write such words again on the blackboard. But I knew very well that the lava was boiling beneath this apparent calm. On the third day, it was announced that an interdepartmental speech competition was going to be held at the University and all the students who were interested in the competition were told to submit their names. Rebecca who was in a mischievous mood, raised my hand in the class, although at that time, I was busy writing something. This action of Rebecca was strongly disapproved by Sarah who glared at her angrily. Anyhow, my name had now been included in the list of speakers. That day, the university's central hall was jam-packed with audience. The mayor of London had been specially invited on that occasion. In her black coat and scarf and with her neatly tied hair, Sarah looked like a school girl as she came on the stage to make her speech. She spoke forcefully in support of the Jewish claim that more than five million Jews were killed by the Nazis during the Second World War. This mass murder of the Jews is remembered as holocaust. She gave a number of arguments to prove this hypothesis. Till that time, I did not have much information about the holocaust and while Sarah was speaking, I was thinking of discussing this matter with Joseph, who had a considerable knowledge of the Jewish history. After Sarah, it was my turn to speak and as I walked towards the rostrum, silence prevailed in the hall. This silence was disrupted only by Rebecca's clapping. The topic given to me for the speech was "Inter-religion debate". After thanking Mr. president, I addressed the audience. Sir Isaac was sitting in the front row of the audience. "Worthy audience, I believe that inter-religion dialogue is the greatest need of our time. No religion of the world allows its followers to show prejudice against the followers of other faiths. It is true that those who were at the height of their glory in the past, are now passing through a period of decline and degradation due to their own lapses and are being subjected to religious prejudice and isolation. There is a confrontational atmosphere between religion and science. Why is it that in Physics, quantum theory is accepted as a reality while Prophet Muhammad's nocturnal trip to the heavens, which is the greatest evidence of the journey of light, is rejected? All the people are interested in the stories of time machines and travelling into the future. All such inventions are being eagerly anticipated. But why do such people refuse to believe the story of a person who travelled to the seven heavens with the speed of light and then returned safely to tell what he had seen and heard there? Those who drop atom bombs in their fanaticism of victory and superiority, are described as civilized people but those who had nothing in their hands but stones to defend their homes, are called terrorists. Why is it so? I want the answers to all such questions from the representatives of the new generation who are present here." Charged with emotions, I continued to speak until at last, the stage secretary rang the bell to indicate that the allotted time of seven minutes had come to an end and I had to leave the rostrum. After expressing my thanks, I came down. For a moment, it appeared as if the entire hall had been spellbound. Then, Rebecca stood up and started clapping and gradually, she was joined by others. While standing on the stage and coming down, I had noticed that sir Isaac was absorbed in some deep thought. Feelings of calm and surprise were visible on Sarah's face and I realized that she knew the art of concealing her feelings. At the end of the function, I came out of the hall and while I was passing through the corridor, Rebecca who was out of breath, came running to me from somewhere and warmly shook hands with me. "Great Medi great! I had raised your hand in the class only casually, without knowing that you're an excellent speaker, in spite of the fact that you often remain quiet. Admit it or not, but the fact is that everyone in the hall was stunned by your speech. Listeners were compelled to believe whatever you were saying because, you had strong and solid arguments to prove the truth of your points." With a smile, I acknowledged and appreciated the joy of that lively girl. "I don't know how and from where I got all these logical arguments. I've never been a particularly religious person. Moreover, I didn't make any preparation for the speech." "I know that all the speakers were given their topics on the spot and they were required to speak extemporaneously. Anyway, you carried the day. Let's go to the cafeteria and have some hot coffee to celebrate the occasion." It was Rebecca's habit that whenever she said something to someone, she went forward, without listening to the reply. I took a long breath and followed her because I knew that the time required for arguing with her would be much more than the time needed for gulping down a mug of coffee. Apparently, the atmosphere was quite peaceful at the University but I did not know that in a few weeks time my speech would become the cause of many violent storms. Kamran had rightly said that I had come to the notice of the Jews, though I was quite unaware of it.