Masjids in Muscat are playing a very active role in spreading job opportunity messages.
Muscat is a wonderful small-scale city in the parched coast of Oman. Only since the early 1990s has Oman been “open” to tourism, although the Sultan is taking steady action to make the country appealing to tourists, such as liberalising entry requirements and building tourist facilities. About 50,000 tourists visited in 2000, meaning that the wonderful forts and markets are uncrowded. The country’s long, unspoilt beaches, dramatic mountains and lack of the artificial nouveau-riche atmosphere separate it from other gulf countries.
It seems that most of our wishes and desires are based in the scenario, that the present condition and background will remain the same. For eg.. here in Oman, there are much fewer people than, let’s say Bombay... In Bombay, we always crave for peace and tranquillity... when we go to a beach here in Muscat, it seems as if there is a Curfew in the city... there are only about 50 people on a 3 km stretch of beach, there are no Pav-Bhaji walas, no beggars, clean sand, no noise, no Paan waala, no Bhel-puri wala, no nothing... the peace is almost unbearable in the beginning... our mind races and creates doubt, whether we have come at the wrong time, or the wrong place, or what... it does not allow us to enjoy the freedom of open spaces and the clean fresh air.... why does this happen?? Because our mind suddenly loses its bearings and environment, it finds itself in uncharted territory and feels uncomfortable... previously we always wanted this situation so badly, but when it has actually happened, we feel strangely over-whelmed... yes... now... after a few weeks of going to the beach, I find that I can really enjoy the scene, I can sit there with my eyes closed, without having to fear that someone will tap on my shoulders, now my mind has adapted to the new environment and hence it allows me to enjoy the beauty of the Peaceful place.... so you see I’ve learnt a new thing... our desires are based on the present environment that we live in, the moment the environment changes, we find our desires shifting to suit the new scenario.
I haven’t been to the zoo here, yet. But I see a Camel Farm right in the middle of the city, must be belonging to some rich Arab. Most Omani’s have farm houses, and the owner of our neighbouring building has 100 peacocks on his farm, he has even kept one inside his building in the city. Here you don’t see crows, but there are lot of Mynah’s which I like to hear...
In Roundabouts, which are covered with grass and greenery, one can see Sea Gulls and other strange birds and it’s really quite surprising, considering that in the back of one’s mind we always feel that we are in the desert. The Omani goats or rather sheep are all of the same size and white (or rather sand yellow in colour) but of very small size as compared to Indian goats and even their meat is not so tasty, but they are very expensive too.
Here we have huge trailer trucks with 3 floors of goats and sheep riding in them, usually seen speeding at a 100 kmph to wherever they are going. The cleanest place in the whole of Muscat are the Butchery Shops at the shopping malls, they seem more like an Operation Theatre to me, so neat and clean, all meat packed in neat trays with plastic covers and smart labels and things like that.
Here Muscat is becoming like Bombay, for the first time (said by people who have spent many many years here) it’s raining cats and dogs accompanied by thunderclaps... it’s really beautiful. They say it hardly ever rained for 1 hour once a year... now it’s been raining on and off for days on end and the weather has become chilly.... I think this Global Warming is actually becoming Global Cooling, as is seen in the news. It even snowed in some part of Oman... almost 1 meter of snow.
One suggestion which I have had for a long time and which I have seen can be successfully implemented, is the spread of job opportunity messages, through our Masjids. Here in Muscat, a group of socially active persons, sit in the masjid after the Friday prayers, armed only with 2 registers. People who come here looking for jobs, are directed by word of mouth to go and meet these people and register their names alongwith their data. The other register is meant for noting job openings wherein people come and inform them from various sources. A copy of this is rotated among the candidates and they can note down the details of any job position which they would like to apply for and contact the said person directly, giving reference mentioned in the Register.
It’s a really simple and effective method which hardly takes more than 1 hour on a Friday afternoon, but is responsible for placing a good number of people. It does not require publicity or money, but is spread by word of mouth and reaches the Muslim community automatically.
If such a system could be established in masjids around India and they could be properly networked, then we can have a beautiful supply chain of candidates and information to help many Muslim brethren get good jobs.
The Writer can be reached at sskhan@gawab.com
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April 2005 |