Beyond Words with Fazil Khan

When we were kids, entertainment meant street cricket, cycling races that too with rented bicycles, and trading WWE cards under the school bench. Falling down, getting bruises, making paper boats during the rain, that was normal. But today? A five-year-old throws a tantrum, and what do we do? "Beta, take the phone." A crying toddler becomes calm not with a lullaby, but with YouTube. A bored child doesn’t pick up a coloring book. They swipe through reels like they’ve been doing it since birth. Welcome to the age of the phone-based childhood . Missing: Mud Stains and Skinned Knees. Let’s admit it. Phones are magical. They can entertain, educate, distract, and even babysit. But they also quietly replace human connection, creativity, and boredom. And as strange as it sounds, boredom is important. That’s where imagination used to grow. Today’s children aren’t drawing on walls or stealing mangoes from neighbor’s trees. They’re unlocking phones with facial recognition and skipping a...

Most of us want to improve our lives, but we often go after it with unrealistic expectations. We set huge goals, join a gym with a year’s plan, download productivity apps, write perfect to-do lists... and by Day 3, we're back to binge-watching reels in bed. Why? Because we aim for massive change instead of consistent progress. But what if I told you that becoming just 1% better every day can completely change your life? It sounds too simple to be powerful, but that’s where the magic lies. What Does “1% Better” Actually Look Like? It doesn’t mean rewriting your life overnight. It means tiny improvements that add up over time. Reading 2 pages of a book, not 20. Doing 5 pushups, even if you skip the full workout. Cutting down 10 minutes of screen time today. Sleeping 15 minutes earlier than usual. Writing down just one goal or positive thought before bed. These actions feel small, almost insignificant. But like drops in a bucket, they add up. And before you know it, your bucket is ov...

Let’s admit it. If there was a college degree in “How to stop caring about what people say,” most of us would enroll immediately. Especially in India, where log kya kahenge feels like the national motto. From your clothes to your career choices, from your skin tone to your shaadi plans, you’re constantly under public review. And often, the biggest critics are not strangers but the rishtedaar who see you once a year but feel entitled to a full report card. What Does It Mean to Be “Unbothered”? Being unbothered doesn’t mean you stop caring about everyone or become rude. It means you stop handing over your peace of mind to every random comment, stare, or unsolicited opinion. It’s not arrogance. It’s emotional maturity. It’s walking into a room and not wondering “Will they approve?” but rather asking yourself “Do I even need their approval?” It’s the freedom to wear what you love, choose a career path that's not “engineer or doctor,” and say “no” without guilt. When Relatives Have a...

Eid al-Adha isn’t just a festival—it’s a deeply emotional story of love, trust, and submission that began with a prayer and ended with an act of unwavering faith. A Prayer After a Lifetime of Waiting Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) longed for a child for decades. As he and his wife Hajar (Hagar) grew older, their home remained quiet, without the laughter of a child. Ibrahim would look at his aging hands, his tired eyes, and still raise them to the sky, praying for a righteous son to carry forward his legacy of faith. Then, when all seemed impossible—when Ibrahim was around 80 years old —Allah, in His infinite mercy, answered that prayer. He gave Ibrahim a son, Ismail (peace be upon him), a gift that filled his heart with joy and brought light into his life. For Ibrahim, Ismail wasn’t just a child. He was the stick he would lean on in his old age , the one to whom he would pass on his wisdom, his faith, his love for Allah. “My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous.” So...