I arrived in Lahore on the 22nd of January after staying for five years in US for BS in electrical engineering. Being away from home for that long, I was expecting to get some rest and do the things I had planned for years. But as things are here it will be struggle achieving those. Lahore, my home town, seems a lot different then how I left it and it was quite a shock for me.
I am still looking for work and there is nothing else to do for me then to read books and wait for any interview. So one morning while sitting in front of my computer checking my mail it just struck me that I should write about how I feel and what better way to do it then to start a blog. The idea of blog came after I started reading the blog of a good friend of mine.
After thinking for a long time about what my blog should be about I came across an idea which I have to say is influenced by the very same friend whose blog I was reading at the time. As mentioned earlier about my feelings for this city where I literally spend most of my life, I thought it would be nice to write about how my home town has changed and how I feel about it.
This city has changed a lot since I left in 1998. After all I have been away from this place for so long, now it seems as if I am a total stranger here. During the time I was in United States I always felt that practicing my religion, my way of life wouldn't be that hard once I will move back to Pakistan. I would feel less pressure from my surroundings, but I was naive. That very atmosphere was helping me become firm in my faith. Now I am here in Lahore for over three weeks and I have been forced into trimming my beard. I am expected to behave in certain ways which suppose to suite my family's status in this society. It seems as they only care for what this society of ours will think of us and not what Allah will. At this point I don't know what more sacrifices I have to make. What else I have give up for the sake of my family and this society. It seems I have been pushed back to time jahlia.
I think this should be enough for now but I will definitely be back for more. There is a lot to be said.

May Allah guide us all to the righteous path, Ameen and salaam alaykum.