Stop Hate. Spread Love.

Being born and brought up in a multi diverse country, till few years back I never even saw people from religion point of view. We went to school and college and had friends from all communities and liked to learn about their food and culture. Never once looked at people with religious glasses. Accepted them for who they are. Religion was a personal thing. And outside of my house, it was just a name. It meant a person with different beliefs. The only thing that really was evident was different language and different culture of various states. Suddenly, the hate mongers are creating so many differences and giving everything a religious fervour. 

Until now we saw criminals are criminals, terrorists as terrorists, good people as good people. Now anything happens we classify them. One name of person from targeted religion comes up, the hate spreaders will isolate it and circulate and recirculate the news. 10 names of any other comes up, then it's like they are majority so their name will pop up somewhere. You won't find foreigners committing crimes here kinda attitude. Hatred spreading has gone so far now that in Indian media also we are showing what's happening in another country also with a religious tinge. The other day I saw a news about a marks goof up in Egypt. How Indian media (some of which is controlled by some group through some company) shows such an irrelevant internal news of a country? A bright Christian girl fails because of being a non Muslim in Egypt or some crap to that effect! The people who had commented below the article had probably read the entire news and were quick to clarify that it was a goof up which was rectified. Everything we are see from religious angle? Follow your faiths. But at work and in society you are just an Indian. 

I had vowed a year n half back that in Office or in public places, I will never discuss religion or politics. When a discussion comes up, I go some other way or ignore or get busy with something else. I am entitled to my opinions and it's not necessary that I share with all unless they're friends or family. Eventually many discussions lead to fights. Because many people do not understand 'right to opinion' nor are accepting of others' opinion. We are not good debaters. We expect to say and then shut our ears to others points of view.

Stop hatred, spread love.

An Honest Doctor

Hey, it's hard to come by honest and humble doctors. One such is Dr Siddhesh Shirke. He is my new dentist. He will never tell you to go for any extra treatment or implant just like that. He will try to save the teeth, even it means by a fluoride filling. He charges so little saying honestly that he just did a little filling. I feel embarrassed to pay him that much. A little part of my teeth broke some days back, after my last filling and today I went to tell him that. And he charged me nothing at all, thinking that the part of the filling fell off. I tried to tell him that it's another part of the same tooth. But he insisted that for a pinch of fluoride and minor job, it was not necessary to pay. I was too embarrassed and left saying 'Thank You'.

I know of other dentists, who will try to make a little cavity sound like a crater and advise you to go for metallic filling. In the bargain, they will make the cavity bigger so that soon you will go back to them after few months for root canal and eventually they will end up putting an dental implant there and finally a cap. It's like they say in Hindi, 'topi lagaya', means he made a fool out of you. 'Topi lagaya' literally translated means 'to put a cap'.

Marathi people are quite sincere and honest and I have a special respect for them.

I recommend Smita Dental Clinic for your dental woes, if you happen to be living near Mira Road.

Sheldon, oh Sheldon!

Last year I attended my first Comicon in Mumbai. They've just arrived in India a couple of years back. I was sooo fascinated by this Sheldon figurine. I kept coming back to the stall where it was kept, to check. Finally gave up on it as I had other things identified to pick -Sherlock poster, comic coaster, spoof superhero desk calendar and Tintin digest. 

While talking about Sheldon, I feel it's actually because of him and Penny that 'The Big Bang Theory' works. Sheldon plays his part perfectly and Penny is effortless.

I've discovered this new dabba/ Tiffin service called Yummy Tiffin. Got so bored with my previous tiffin service, which served me for 3 years. Does healthy have to be boring? Sometimes taste weird too? Agree, I did get pleasant surprises as well. But some of them look good and packaged so well, everyone in office drools over it while you know how it tastes. 

Starting the new dabba on trial basis for five days. They have an online wallet system where you fill it with an amount and then choose fixed meals from types or customise it on daily basis. One month's menu is posted in advance. I've chosen food I'd never tasted before like mayo sprout sandwich, Mexican minestrone, Bengali style bhindi with a difficult name and much more... I hope they taste as good. They're cheaper than my previous health food provider. And no paying dabba wala separately. It's their headache. And no money wasted on food you don't want to eat. Another good thing is that I don't have to tell them 'No Tindli' 'No capsicum'. These are marathi dishes I do not like. Capsicum is good as accompaniment or as a flavour. Never as a bhaji by itself! While tindli is good for pickling.

Say the Right Things - Be a Savvy Communicator!

Good speakers, authors and people whose talks / videos make a difference to your lives are hard to come by. A good book or good video on business communication always interests me. And one such person whose communication videos, online training lessons and books have made a difference to my life is Dan O'Connor.

Dan O'Connor is an eminent speaker, communication trainer and an author. His videos on YouTube under the banner of Online Communication Training are well known and followed by many. When I started watching them, I was a changed person. His style of training is easy and humorous and loved by many. His style got me hooked. And I went from one video to another, got hold of the books he's written and also downloaded some online courses. And everything was worth it. I have been following the speaker-cum-trainer-cum-author for quite some time now. His dealing with negative people tactics, his power phrases v/s danger phrases and his energy vampire slaying techniques are well known. They have changed the lives of many. It made me more confident, assertive and ready to take on the world.

What would be more exciting than knowing than Dan O'Connor has now made his presence in India. His books are being launched in India through Intellifox Designs. The first book of his to be available in India at local rates is "Say This-Not That!" The book is available in India through Amazon.in and Flipkart. And reasonably priced at Rs. 299, though currently available at promotional rates. And this is just the beginning, as is obvious from the attached video. So, what are you waiting for, guys? If you are a resident of India and have not been able to afford good business communication books from across the seas OR are Dan O'Connor's fan too OR just want to be a savvy communicator, get your copy of 'Say This - Not That!' It is a book you can add to your collection, if you have one.

Of Social Media, Apps and Data Theft

As the reach of Social Media Sites and Online and mobile Applications (Apps) expands, your own data is at a high risk. You put a lot of personal information at stake when you download apps on your desktop as well as mobile. Most of the social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google + and many recent chat apps feed on the basic quality of human nature - hunger for attention. All of them feed on human ego. And more the fire one has to show off and advertise things to the world, the better it is for the popularity of the site / app. 

How Safe is your Online Content?

Once you post your photos, data, your story including contents of your chat, you are indirectly exposing your personal life to them. That's because most of these sites and apps automatically get the right to use, sell, reproduce your pictures and data as they deem fit, without your consent or any compensation to you. 

Who has Given them the Right?

But who has given them the right to do all this? Of course, you yourself. How many of us actually read the Terms and Conditions one has to tick before signing up for an application?! We are always in a hurry to make accounts, often ignoring the fine-prints! So tomorrow if any of these social media sites want to write a book on your life from your posts, pictures and chat content (depending on the rights they have on your contents), nobody can stop them. Scary, right? But the agreement to use your content ends with deletion of your account. Yet what you had posted earlier might remain in their database without your knowledge! And might still be used. All the terms and conditions are subject to change, but this is how it is at the moment. That is why deletion of an account is much difficult than creating one. Take Facebook, for example. It's 'delete' option is hidden from visibility. People just 'deactivate' accounts, keeping it still alive through comments and data posted on other people's accounts. Then often they are tempted to log in again, making the account active once again.

What the Law Says :

Instead of putting the legal aspects of the rights held with these sites, I would rather quote the experts and would prefer you to check the authenticity of my words from the proper sources.

Check this link from the Law Offices of Craig Delsack, LLC which explains  what rights the social media sites have over your private pictures and content : 

http://www.nyccounsel.com/business-blogs-websites/who-owns-photos-and-videos-posted-on-facebook-or-twitter/

Rights Held by Telephone Apps

Now let's come to telephone apps. So many of us download so many games and applications and give so much consent to the companies ourselves, without blinking an eye-lid! Without wondering whether such kind of app actually need such access. Some ask access to your location, to your files, pictures! I generally do not download apps unless I check out the kind of access they are seeking. The other day I was about to download one popular caller identification app and was shocked to see them seek access to my picture folder apart from Contact list (which was understandable). Then I remembered my colleague telling me that since downloading the app, he not only gets name of the person calling, but many times pictures of unknown people calling for first time too!

So I restrained myself from downloading the app and requested my close friends and family to delink any snap they might have associated to my number. Sometimes you accept terms and conditions of a company and indirectly put your own family and friends to risk or exposure. Imagine a husband associating a sensuous photo of his wife with her number. Then he downloads the app, giving photo files access which it asks for. And the next thing that will happen is that the photo will get associated with the particular number and when she calls a colleague, friend or even an unknown person, her associated photo will get flashed, provided no other photo is linked to her number. What an embarrassment! The app works on the principle that as soon as people keep adding to it, it reads all the data and picks the maximum names and now snap/s associated to that number and then stores that name and snap (if any) to that number. Suppose a casual photo is published on a social networking site and one has an unwanted stalker and he/she downloads that snap and saves it with number with a sleazy name attached to it, it is likely that name and snap will be associated to that number. Likewise, if you have a nickname. And imagine calling a prospective employer with your embarrassing petname / nickname flashing on his/her mobile. Your impression is already made!

My brother suggests that in such cases, you cannot educate everyone so better to create an account yourself and add your name and snap as you want it to appear (you can even have alphabets spelling your name out) in that account. That is always the first preference of the app. Alternatively, if you do not want to give too much access to the app, yet want to find details of callers, you can subsequently delete the app from your mobile and yet log into your account from a laptop / desktop or mobile net and search up the names of callers.

For all other apps, be careful which access it is seeking. Download only the popular ones offered by good companies. Rest is upto you, how much access you want to give to an application.

Online Data Selling and Identity Theft

Ever wondered why as you sign up for online retailer accounts, shopping cards at big stores, you start getting more and more emails of Ads and more shopping sites in your email-box and mobile phone! As you shop through these channels, you are a potential buyer for other sites / stores as well. So either openly or discretely, this data is passed on to other retailers. If you are registered for DNC / DND, you might not get Ad sms, unless officially registered with some retailer. So your email ID is again vulnerable. And your email IDs get filled with promotions and advertisements.

Advertisements are still fine. But when your email box is filled with sleazy spam and phishing emails, its horrible! Most email providers scan such type of emails and direct it to your spam folder. But still, others keep flowing in. 

How do they get their data? The resumes / CVs that you upload on job portals, your social media accounts; these are the sources of your data theft. And if that wasn't enough, nowadays I've seen individuals selling their contact lists online! Email, phone... Everyone for money. Imagine your own friend doing that?!

Then there are these representatives at malls approaching you with 'contest forms' asking you to fill all details. Once you do that, then of course, you will be getting emails and calls of various schemes and requests. You can still report calls for promotions / advertisement received on DND registered mobile numbers.

As long as data is used for promotional activity also, you are still safe. But when it is used to steal your money or identity, it is a fraud.

Identity Theft Frauds

Identity theft can be done by stealing your email, phone number, credit and debit card details, your ATM PIN, your account details. 

How is this possible? Sometimes we pass on credit / debit card details over phone, sms and social media sites, emails. Or write details somewhere and leave it. Or keep your cards carelessly. Someone could overhear a conversation, hack into your social media account, copy details of your credit/ debit cards and if they know your personal details also, they can easily access your netbanking account or make online payments! I've noticed how some shopkeepers refuse to handover their swipe POS to user and blatantly ask the the shopper for their PIN. And some shoppers actually do that. Never ever do that! Even if the shopkeeper makes you look bad or cranky. People might watch or hear the PINs being keyed in and rob your wallet as you walk out. And voila, they have access to your money! Before you discover the theft and deactivate your card, your account could have been wiped out.

Apart from credit / debit card information theft, you might be sent heart touching emails seeking donations for a cause and ask your bank details and passwords. These links direct you to fraudulent sites where data is received and stored. If not an emotional email, it might be a phishing email appearing to be sent from regulatory authority. Such emails scare people into replying to them. Another way is to send emails for job opportunities. Such emails will appear too good to be true. They will be willing to hire you without interview. By just filling a form. And the moment you reply to the email, you will be asked to part with money, for which you will be directed to a fraudulent link or asked for bank details or told to wire money to some account.

How does one identify if an email is authentic ? One sure-shot way of doing so is to check if the sender has sent email from his/ her organisation account. You cannot have officials from government bodies or big organisations sending you emails from their yahoo and gmail IDs! You can also look up HoaxSlayer site to check if such emails are authentic.

Exporter-Importer Data Fraud

One important kind of fraud involving huge amounts is by accessing Invoices and Purchase orders exchanged by Importers and Exporters. Unlike earlier, where purchase orders actually moved in hard form and acceptance of order was obtained from purchaser, now a lot of quotations and orders are exchanged on emails. Most purchase orders or Proforma Invoices have bank details of Exporter. Hackers identify such traders and hack into their email IDs and replace the original Order or Invoice with a fraudulent one having bank details of some other account. Either this or a top up email on original email is sent stating change in bank details. The importer unsuspectingly makes payment to the wrong account without making a call to or verifying facts with the seller, only to loose large amounts of funds!

This can be avoided by keeping strong passwords, by exchanging emails only between two main parties instead of all and sundry in the company and also by verifying any data with the seller before parting with the funds.

Other types of Identity Thefts

In India, PAN card details are used for tax frauds. Earlier Indian Railways used to display PAN card details of passengers after finalisation of final passenger list and display on their boards. This was done for identification purposes. But eventually it turned out to be a source of data which was being stolen for certain kinds of tax frauds. This has since been discontinued. Sometimes PAN card copies are taken by various bankers and other organisations and sometimes excess copies could be taken as one isn't clear enough. Ensure to have all such extra copies destroyed. Else another customer walking into the organisation might misuse it.

Also while taking your valuable documents for photocopying, keep an eye on your documents and ensure no extra copies are being made without your consent.

Apart from data being used to rob you of your money, in today's time, it can be used to rob your identity and commit frauds and illegal activities. How ?

Suppose, an anti social element wants to commit some illegal activity. Earlier for creating accounts, one had to key in one's own User Name and check availability. That would be your account. Additionally some data was asked for, which was never verified. And you could have internet calling accounts, without being traced back. You could open various online accounts with self made user IDs and operate on fake data on anonymous basis. But now, as security check, companies are seeking email IDs for creating user accounts. Some even seek mobile number. Email IDs and mobile numbers can be traced back to user. But one intending fraud might not want to use a correct email ID or phone number. So they steal other email IDs to do so.

Last whole month, I had my gmail ID being used for creating social media accounts, mobile freecharging company account, online shopping account and even an account with an online dating site! Most of these companies had added my email ID without sending me email ID confirmation link. A few who did, did not wait for the confirmation. Suddenly my email inbox was filled with activities and transactions which I was not even part of! I had to take action. I started writing to / logging complaints to each one of these sites/ companies. Twitter was most professional in delinking my email account without any further questions. But I had to take up with the dating site very strongly before they could delete my account. The mobile charging company asked me to send email from correct ID! 

Here I would like to highlight one interesting thing. All the accounts were made from my gmail ID. My gmail ID has a dot separator between my surname and first name. But interestingly these accounts were created using email ID having no separator! At first I was fooled into thinking that this was some other account and erroneously I was receiving the emails. Then thanks to my brother, I learnt one interesting fact.

For a layman, both these email ids (one with a dot and one without) may be different but the reality is that gmail considers any email ID as same. For example, I could even send a mail to p.e.t.e.r@gmail.com or pet.er@gmail.com, but both would reach the correct email ID, that is, peter@gmail.com. So probably gmail does not allow users to create user IDs with dots if the same email without dots is already created.

Please refer to the link below for confirmation:

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10313?hl=en

So when I was asked to give deletion request from correct email ID, I had to inform company of the above fact, to have account deleted. This was amusing as the account creator was part of the IT industry and should have been aware of it.

Finally, after a lot of email communications and awareness messages to friends, I have all my accounts deleted. I was especially concerned about the dating site account. I was getting so many notifications. The account was made as an 18 year old and imagine if someone had posted objectionable content and pics using my identity! As I write this, another shopping account has been made in my name and some shipment has been ordered. I have informed the concerned company to look into the matter and delink my email ID from the account.

This incident has made me aware of so many frauds and security breaches. I knew some things, I learnt so much more. And my sole purpose of writing this article is to make others aware that all this is possible. So next time, you see unwanted / usual activity in your email ID, especially, creation of accounts which were not created by you, be alert. Write back to all of them and have the accounts deleted. Who knows what might be the intention!

Check below interesting links I came across which might help the reader to increase their awareness of data and identity theft :

http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft

http://www.allianceonemumbai.com/identify-signs-employee-fraud-business/

Better safe than sorry!

Picture courtesy : www.allianceonemumbai.com (Corporate Fraud Detectives in Mumbai)

The flop tale of reduction of plastic usage in Mumbai

 

After successful implementation of plastic ban in many states/ areas, a similar plan was introduced in Mumbai too with slight changes. Mumbai being a big commercial capital with a combination of people from all backgrounds and a huge population, its not easy to implement big social awareness plans easily. So a different policy was adopted. Everything in Mumbai, from vegetables to fish to meat to roadside eatables were handed out in fine plastic bags. It is said that these plastic bags were also one of the major causes of the floods of 2005 in Mumbai due to clogging of drainages.

 

So the first policy adopted was - plastic bags thinner than 50 microns were banned in the city some years ago. This is being implemented and successful to an extent. But still in small lanes and areas, this is flouted sometimes (or many times?). There is no control in busy commercial areas of Mumbai which are congested by traders, people and traffic! Offenders are caught at times, plastic is seized and fine is levied, but in Mumbai everything is comparative. For a small time trader/ hawker, if getting a good plastic (more than 50 microns) costs Rs 1000/- for example and gets him business worth Rs 5000/- to Rs. 10,000/- per day, this might mean profit of Rs 2000/- to Rs.5000/- per day less Rs. 1000/- expenses (of good plastic purchased). Whereas a finer quality cheaper plastic may cost him Rs 100 to Rs 200/ and increase profit margin. And the possibility of being caught is once in few months and at that time a fine of Rs.5000 or more could be levied. But this again would be less cost to trader as he has managed to earn much more profit due to this difference already. And these acts are not seriously implemented by officials. It is all arranged. What can be monitored daily is usually ignored and acted on once in a while, so both benefit. But there are many honest shopkeepers who have implemented usage of plastic more than 50 microns concept since implementation. And it has made a difference. Also there are 'aware citizens' who report offending small shops / vendors.

 

After this 'partly' successful phase, it was felt that a bigger plan was required to phase out use of plastics. All malls and stores were handing out your purchases, big and small, in complimentary plastic bags. And as is the case with Indians, after having made good purchases in a shop, especially garments, many ask for an extra bag for keeps or other usage. And 'other usages' for neat plastic bags of stores and shops meant carrying your lunch tiffins to work in it, students put their books in it for going for tuitions, carrying snacks for picnics or using for further shopping. Sometimes there is no use for them. They just pile in your house.

 

Then to control the 'happy with plastic' feel, another plan was implemented by the Government on 1st July 2011. The retailers were to charge between Rs.1- 7 per plastic bag being handed out against the purchases made. The customer is asked if he/ she needs a plastic bag. This was supposed to be a pilot project in Mumbai before being implemented in entire India. The idea of implementing this was to make people feel the pinch and think twice before opting for a plastic bag. It would make them responsible and carry a cloth, jute carry- bag alongwith them. This made a difference initially. And to some sections. People have started using carry bags, fancy jute bags and jholas along for shopping. A lot of free and extra bags culture has stopped and even students prefer backpacks to plastic bags even if the number of books is less.

 

But all said and done, most Mumbaikars are mostly on the go and travelling long distances to work and their lives are fast and mostly traffic or train-time driven. Late work hours and sometimes long travel hours leave you to manage time as and when available. If we manage to leave a bit early, we might just go and shop for essentials or luxuries. We are also impulsive buyers. The working crowd is earning well. A trip for a movie might result in some shopping. Nothing is planned. Everything is time driven or impulsive. So its highly unlikely that one is carrying shopping bags or extra bags/ jholas for shopping. When you are asked at the counter whether you need a bag, only that time you realize that you should have carried one. And in highly inflation driven expensive city, a Rs 5/- hardly matters. You end up saying 'Yes' to a plastic bag. And instead of causing awareness and sense of responsibility amongst Mumbaikars, this move has only resulted in additional profits for retailers!

 

If this money collected out of plastic bag sale is put for a good 'Go Green' cause and the same is highlighted alongwith Green environment messages on pinboards and posters within shops and malls, this might create more awareness. People would relate purchase of plastic shopping bags with their purchases as a unhealthy and socially irresponsible practice. And Retailers should also be made to realize that all this implementation is for a good cause and not just to earn extra bucks. And made socially responsible to use these funds effectively. The change should come from within to make this drive successful.

 

With the correct awareness and a little push, we will go a long way. I've bought a few carry bags, but only sometimes carry them even when I go shopping on weekends. Only on reaching a cash counter, I say to myself, 'Oh shit!' I too need a little push...

A new personal anthem

I just loved this video.
Its a song of hope. And gives you strength.

Yahoomail goes Valentine!~

Hey friends,

I happened to see the pumping heart near compose on yahoo mail today. Clicked it and was amused.

On clicking on the heart, you are led to Autocompose, wherein you are helped with composing a love message. There are 3 categories below : Crazy in Love, Friendly Love, Outta Love (for the broken hearts)

When you select a category and click on autocompose, a cute message pops up. You can keep selecting. Every time you click on a category and autocompose, a new message is drafted. You can select the one which is apt for you and send to your sweetheart (if you have one), friends, family just for the sake of some fun. Kinda cute.

Some examples of the love emails composed by Autoemail.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

CRAZY IN LOVE

Dear cutie-patootie,

Your love is like a warm breeze. From the moment I set eyes on your angelic face, I knew I would love you forever. You're seriously everything. I would give up chocolate forever in exchange for five more minutes with you. 

Hubba hubba,

SS

_____________________

To my snookums,

You deserve every compliment that has ever been spoken. I feel sorry for those who do not know the life-changing love we share. You are more fragrant than a field of wildflowers. Wild horses couldn't drag me away. 

With all my heart and mind and soul and dreams,

______________________

Dear sugar cookie,

Your love is like a warm breeze. Your beauty stops me in my tracks. You are a work of art to behold. When we are apart, I am lost without hope. Your love is my north star, guiding me to true happiness. 

With all my heart and mind and soul and dreams,

_______________________

To my snookums,

Your hair glistens like fresh morning dew. I can scarcely believe my fortune to have found someone so divinely unique. I could not possibly love another with even a fraction of the affection I feel for you. Your inner light could illuminate the darkest night. 

Vroom vroom,

_______________________

Dear sugar cookie,

You make me feel as though I could fly. Without your love, I would shrivel up and blow away. You are simply luminous; a goddess among women. Your inner light could illuminate the darkest night. 

Lovesick and dizzy with anticipation,

FRIENDLY LOVE

To my talented friend,

Remember that one time we did that fun thing? That was my favorite day. You know, I've never seen you litter! Not once! I hope that the world sends you all the love that you deserve today. Basically, everyone should strive to be more like you. 

With love and friendship

_______________________

To someone fairly special,

Remember that one time we did that fun thing? That was my favorite day. You're the smartest, most original person I know. You're really good at doing math in your head, and I admire that. You have the heart of an adorable puppy. 

With admiration,

OUTTA LOVE

To someone who's over it,

Why does it always rain on me? Have you ever noticed that cupid rhymes with stupid? Someone should tell those kissing couples that it's flu season. You look like I need a hug. 

Love?! Pshhhht.

________________________

Dear Sir,

Enough is enough. I'm on the side of love's highway, as the world speeds by. There is no shame in a romantic dinner for one. Ugh, what was this email about? I got so bored I forgot. 

I want a refund,

_______________________________

To my like-minded friend,

Enough is enough. The tires of my lovemobile are flat. I'm mostly just bummed that nobody will be giving me an adorable puppy wearing a red bow (hint, hint). Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken? 

Blah, blah, blah,

IMPLEMENTATION OF PUNISHMENTS, JUSTICE, CONFESSIONS, SINS IN ISLAM

Inspite of the Laws laid down by Quran and Hadith, there is a possibility that the laws of punishment are injustly applied in many cases. But incorrect implementation of laws of injustice given to victims is not error in Islam. It is error in implementation of Justice by its followers. Do not take muslims as an examples of Islam. Because many of the Muslims are doing what suits them. Look at Islam and its laws to understand it.

Many times it is seen that while meting out justice in society, even religious leaders tend to be biased towards men. Also in some countries the overall justice implementation is different for the common man and for the the royals! And in that too, Islamic laws are tweaked to suit own biases against a section of society / group.

When Injustice is given out in judgement, then the Qazi / lawyer is doing further crimes himself.

1. Abetting the crime / criminal.
2. Denying the prescribed punishment to the criminal, hence denial to Allah’s command.
3. Denying justice to the victim.

And if the victim herself / himself is further forced punishment under another unrelated law, then you are becoming an oppressor or wrong doer of the oppressed, which is another sin.

Please find some verses from Surah Al Maidah, which talk about implementation of Justice

5:8 O ye who believe! be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people's enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just. That is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is Aware of what you do. 

5:42 They are eager listeners to falsehood, devourers of things forbidden. If, then, they come to thee for judgment, judge between them or turn aside from them. And if thou turn aside from them, they cannot harm thee at all. And if thou judge, judge between them with justice. Surely Allah loves those who are just.

5:50 Do they then seek the judgment of the days of Ignorance. And who is better than Allah as a judge for a people who have firm faith? 

I also want to discuss another important thing here. We have seen / learnt that in certain matters, Islamic law is strict and capital punishment is prescribed for them. Here, I am talking about the punishments for fornication and adultery. What is important to know here is also that though Allah has prescribed strict punishments in sins involving immorality / character, at the same time we have been guided towards keeping some personal sins a secret. If a sin involves honour and character, then the best way is to keep it a secret and seek sincere forgiveness from Allah and abstain from doing it again.

CONCEAL YOUR SIN

If you study further on this issue, it is brought forth in 2-3 ways.

Confession of Sin

 In the hadiths, where Prophet Mohammed SAS was brought forth cases wherein individuals have themselves come forth and accepted their adultery or illicit sexual relations, (unless witnessed by others or there existed a proof, through resultant pregnancy or any other form), then in each case you will see that our beloved prophet has asked them to go back and reconsider their confession. In some cases, the question was asked 3-4 times and when the confessor kept admitting it, only then was the punishment implemented.

Let us take the example when Maiz Ibn Malik came to the Prophet Muhammed SAS and asked him to purify him, the Prophet (SAS) said to him, “Allah have mercy on you!  Go away and ask Allah’s forgiveness! Maiz then left but soon returned and asked again to be purified, and the Prophet (SAS) repeated what he had said.  The same thing then happened a third time, and it was only after the fourth time that the Prophet (SAS) asked Maiz some further Questions and ordered him to be punished (related by Muslim + others).  When the hadd punishment was enforced on him, Maiz tried to run away but those stoning him chased him down and forcibly enforced the punishment on him.  When the Prophet (SAS) heard about this, he disapproved and said, ‘Why didn’t you let him go? Perhaps he would have made repentance and Allah would have accepted his repentance.’ (Abu Dawud) 

 Ibn Hajar notes in his Tuhfa that all of the offers made by the Messenger of Allah and his subsequent disapproval of his companions actions indicate that it is superior for one not to confess to committing zina, and that even if one did, it is recommended to withdraw one’s confession.  Otherwise, the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) offers would be meaningless (Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, 9.113).

Allah says in Soorah an-Nisa (4): 148, "Allah does not like that evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been wronged."

Through this verse of Surah An Nisa, it is further clarified that if a sin like rape or other kind of abuse is committed on a person, then he/ she has full right to talk about it, in order to get justice.

Boasting about Sin

The Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "My entire nation is safe, except al-Mujahirin(those who boast of their sins). Among the Mujaharah is that a man commits an (evil) act, and wakes up in the morning while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret, he says: "O Fulan! Last night I did this and that." He goes to sleep while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret but he wakes up in the morning and uncovers what Allah has kept a secret!" [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

Through this Hadith, it is clear that committing a sin is disliked by Allah, but worst is committing a sin and then boasting about it. This is like committing an error and then propagating it and making it sound lucrative to others.

Hide in Allah’s cover and seek forgiveness.

Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Hence HE has suggested ways to atone for your sins apart from prescribing harsh punishments for committing it. It is very easy to brand Islam as barbaric. But the softness of Islam and the parts about forgiveness and mercy of Allah are not often highlighted. Even within Islam, I have seen that many muslims selectively quote somes hadiths out of context which save and protect their wrong or unjust behavior. And very conveniently ignore the related hadiths/ verses of Quran which were also to be referred to.

 "O People! It is time for you to refrain from transgressing Allah's limits. He who commits some of these filthy acts(such as fornication), let him hide under Allah's cover, for whoever admits what he has committed, we will establish Allah's Book as regards him(by applying the warranted punishment for this sin)." [Musnad Ahmad]

Abdullah Ibn Masoud (RA) related, 'A man came to the Prophet and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! I have mingled with a woman in the far side of al-Medina, and I fulfilled my desire short of actually having sexual intercourse with her. So, here am I, judge me according to what you decide.' Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RA) then said: 'Allah had kept your secret, why did not you keep your secret?' [Sharh Muslim]

Covering sin of another.

Similarly, if one becomes aware of somebody else's sin, he should keep it a secret.

Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: "He, who relieves a hardship of this Duniya (world) for a believer, Allah will relieve (from him) a hardship of the Day of Resurrection; he who makes easy an indebted person, Allah will make it easy for him in the Duniya and the Hereafter; he who covers a Muslim (meaning his mistakes and shortcomings), Allah will cover him in the Duniya and the Hereafter…" [Muslim]

Points to Remember   

Let us understand that here we are discussing the sins of honour and character. We are not discussing greater crimes of terror like murder, blood-shedding, rape and the like.

•  The purpose of concealing your sin / another’s should be seeking forgiveness from Allah and then proceeding on the Right Path.
•  It should not culminate in a heap of sins with no signs of reform and only eagerness to conceal them by all means.
•  If you know that a certain person is harmful to society and your witness against him, will save others lives, then it is not advisable to conceal his/her sins.

The previous post about punishments might have made many shudder or shift in their seats. This related post, proves only one thing : Allah is Kind, Understanding, Forgiving and Merciful. Subhan Allah.