شب برات اور آتش بازی کی قبیح رسم
انسان کی ہمیشہ سے خواہش رہی ہے کہ کام تھوڑ ا کر نا پڑے اور اس کی مزدوری اور اُجرت زیادہ مل جائے۔ اللہ تعالیٰ نے بھی کچھ اوقات ایسے مقرر کیے ہیں کہ اس میں دین اسلام پر کار بند شخص تھوڑی سی عبادت کر کے ڈھیروں ثواب کما سکتے ہیں۔ ان اوقات میں لیلۃ القدر یعنی شب برات بھی ہے جو پندرہ شعبان المعظم کی رات ہے اور کروڑوں مسلمان اس رات میں شبِ بیدار ی کر کے اپنے پروردگار کے سامنے سر بسجدہ ہوتے ہیں اور اپنے گناہوں کی معافی کے طلبگار ہوتے ہیں۔ چنانچہ قرآن مجید میں ہے کہ:۔
’’حم قسم ہے کتاب مبین کی بیشک ہم نے اتارا ہے اسے ایک برکت والی رات میں بے شک ہم ڈر سنانے والے ہیں، اس رات ہرحکمت والا کا م بانٹ دیا جا تا ہے۔‘‘
تشریح! یہاں کتاب مبین سے مراد کلام اللہ یعنی قرآنِ مجید فرقانِ حمید ہے اگر چہ بعض مقامات پر اس سے مرادلوح محفوظ بھی ہے۔ نزولِ قرآن کی رات کی عظمت و فضیلت کو ظاہر کرنے لیے اللہ تعالیٰ نے قرآنِ مجید کی قسم ارشاد فرمائی۔ لیلۃ القدر برکتوں والی رات اس رات کے تعین میں مختلف اقوال ہیں لیکن عام طور پرد وقول زیادہ مشہور ہیں ایک تو یہ کہ اس سے مراد لیلۃ القدر ہے جو ماہ ِرمضان شریف میں آتی ہے۔ دوسرا قول یہ ہے کہ اس سے مراد شب ِبرات ہے جو شعبان المعظم کی پندرھویں رات ہے جیسا کہ تفسیر مظہری میں ہے۔ حضرت عکرمہصنے کہا کہ یہ پندرھویں شعبان کی رات ہے جس میں سال بھر کے امور لکھ دیئے جاتے ہیں جنہیں مرنا ہوتا ہے انہیں زندوں کی فہرست سے نکال دیا جاتا ہے پھر ان میں نہ زیادتی کی جاتی ہے نہ کمی۔
Every year heads of different states make their speeches in the general debate of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). They address national and international issues and suggest measures to resolve them with the help of international community and the United Nations. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also made speeches in the UNGA. In 2013, he was newly elected prime minister and was enthusiastic to resolve issues with India. There was no internal political pressure on him at that time and the government in India was hostile towards Pakistan. But one year in power and embattled with domestic issues and international pressure, the prime minster approached the issues differently in his 2014 speech. The aim of this paper is to compare his two speeches and see what changes occurred in his stance towards India. The main focus of the analysis is: Who is the addressee of these speeches? How confident did Nawaz feel about the solution of the issues that he raised. The Corpus tool Wmatrix has been used to analyze the data. The results show significant differences in his two speeches with regard to his stance towards India.
Word problems form an integral part of the mathematics curricula. Children often face difficulties in solving word problems especially in the context where English is used as second language such as Pakistan. In such a context, it is generally argued that the medium of instruction and linguistic limitations constrain teachers' classroom practices. Therefore, the relationship between mathematics and the language of teaching and learning is considered to be complicated; at times students grapple with the language and are unable to comprehend word problems. This study aims to explore the views and understanding of a grade eight mathematics teacher on the role of language in teaching and learning word problems in a private school in Karachi. To gain insights and initiate change, this study employed the action research model (Kemmis, MCTaggart & Rettalic, 2004) comprising two cycles. The findings of the study reveal that the teacher employed a transformational approach and seemed constrained to use problem-solving strategies. Nevertheless, the study showed that students' learning was hampered because of the way teaching was structured and carried out. Findings also revealed that students' understanding of word problems can be promoted by reconceptualising the teaching processes from product to process, by involving students in mathematical discourse and allowing learners to code switch. However, some issues explored in the study are completion of syllabus, usage of Urdu and exam-oriented teaching and learning. Based on findings it is suggested to revisit teaching and learning processes and equip teachers with different strategic approaches to facilitate students in understanding word problems. Moreover, it is recommended that change be gradually initiated in classrooms. The study, which examined a teacher's teaching strategies and its influence on students' learning, can contribute towards teacher education programmes through redesigning training, assisting teachers and teacher educators to recognise and address the interference of language in understanding word problems.