Last Sunday when I was at my mother’s home at Ferguson’s Road, Colombo 15, I got an SMS around 4.15 pm from a friend of mine inviting me for an Islamic lecture by Sheikh Abu Abdur Rahuman Yahya Silmy as Saylani as Salafi Al Athari at Dar As Salaf, an Islamic Educational and Research Institute, Hospital Road, Dehiwela, scheduled to commence at 5.00 pm.

As it was slightly drizzling around that time and it was also not convenient for me to make it on time, I called my friend and wanted to know whether I could listen to the lecture on my mobile, availing of the special package I had subscribed to. He readily consented and promised to send me another SMS no sooner the proceedings start.

I got an SMS as promised and I together with my other relatives who were there at that time, were "on-line" or rather "on-call" listening to the Sheikh’s lecture delivered at Dehiwela from my mother’s home at Colombo 15. The reception was crisp and clear - thanks to modern technology and to the organizers, otherwise , I would have missed the lecture.