12.30.06
Saddam Hanging Footage
Archive for December, 2006
12.29.06
Conference Review
I attended the MSA-PSG Conference last weekend. I enjoyed my time there. It was well-attended and had some great content. The volunteers did a good job and there were a lot of nice speakers that addressed a plethora of issues and topics. I wish they had recorded the event, allowing the event to reach millions of people world-wide, but unfortunately, it was not (I don’t know why either?). Hotel and location was great, but the set-up and organization could have been better- at times it seemed dis-organized. Nevertheless, it was a good improvement from the previous years.
Two comments really struck me though. It made me realize things I never noticed before and gave me new insight. Brother Hassanain Rajabali was speaking on the infallibility of the Prophet (saww) and he alluded to those people that say the Prophet (saww) was only infallible when it came to revelation or Islam and fallible like a normal human in other aspects of his life. He made a great parable between that concept and the concept of church and state. He informed us how irrational, deceiving, and dangerous this position is to take. Separating the Prophet’s deeds and characer into church and state entails people to take advantage and claim something to unrelated to Islam, when in fact it is.
For example, the act of the Prophet (saww) visiting his mother’s grave on a regular basis under this notion of separation can be categorize into “church” or “state,” which leads to confusion and eventually ultimate deterioration of the Prophetic traditions, because now people can just pick and choose as they wish.
Another idea that struck me at the conferece was made by Imam Abdul Alim Musa. The panel was discussing culture and its effects in this country. He mentioned how we cannot ignore the African American communities, if we want to initiate major change in the US, because America’s youth culture revolves around standards and lifestyles pursued by the African American community. And he gave hiphop as a prime example.
Overall, the conference was a positive step. I met people that I haven’t seen in years, met people that claimed knew me (seemed like I saw everyone once before), met people for the first time, and met totally new people from all over the country. I guess if I “hung out” more I would have met more people, but oh well. May Allah make the next conference bigger and better, inshaAllah. Ameen.
12.21.06
Weekend
I will be at the MSA(PSG) Conference (top notch speakers from academics to imams) this weekend in LA, so no updates ’till I come back. Then I will be heading to New York to visit family and friends 
.
12.18.06
Your Responsibilities and Goals
This hadith/story struck deep into my heart, alhamdulillah. It will put everything in perspective and give us the needed hope that we all desire and want. It is a very simple, but deep idea and I believe it all comes down to our level of imaan (faith) and our level of taqwa (God-consciousness).
A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and the Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin.The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: “you have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t moved.” Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.
Satan said, “Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough.”
That’s what he planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”
The Lord responded compassionately, “My Servant, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.
Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that, which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. Now I, my servant, will move the rock.”
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves mountains.
Imam Ali (a): Your responsibility is not to reach your goals, but to try and endeavor (and to act upon your responsibility).
(source: Pearls of Wisdom 84)
12.12.06
Free Lebanon
Something is happening in Lebanon. The Western Media has really shied away from covering it. This has been the biggest demonstration (much bigger than the “Cedar Revolution”) in Lebanon’s history.
In many ways, Hezbollah has adopted a strategy that has been cheered by the White House in the past, in places like Ukraine, and even Lebanon itself, leaning on large, peaceful crowds to force unpopular governments to resign and pave the way for elections. But this time Washington and its allies have said the protest amounts to a coup d’état, fueling charges that America supports democratic practices only when its allies are winning.
“Does Bush want national expression in Lebanon?” Sheik Qassem said to the crowd. “Does the West and Arabs want the voice of the people in Lebanon? Tell them, ‘Death to America.’ Tell them, ‘Death to Israel.’ Tell them, ‘Glory to a free Lebanon.’ ”
The economy has been brought to a stand-still with companies admitting the loss of millions. The streets are jam-packed. Almost half of the population of Lebanon (4 million) have been attending! People have been protesting peacefully for more than ten days that even the “Prime Minister” is shocked and surprised.
The pounding of martial music, the roaring din of the excited crowd floated up a nearby hill to pierce the thick walls of the stately government building, the Grand Serail, as Prime Minister Fouad Sinoria, entered a ceremonial room for a news conference. “I don’t understand what is this great cause that is making them create this tense political mess and stage open ended demonstrations,” he said to a small group of reporters.
People want change. And they want change now.
A banner that hung down the side of a building, showing a picture of the prime minister hugging Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. “Thanks Condy,” it said just beneath another image of dead children, referring to Lebanese civilian casualties during Israel’s war with the militant Shiite group Hezbollah during the summer.
“There is no longer a place for America in Lebanon,” Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, said in remarks that boomed through loudspeakers.
This is the first time all of the Shi’a Muslims are under one banner (the biggest group in Lebanon). This is the first time where there is an alliance amongst the Shi’a, the largest Christain movement and Sunni Muslims (there are joint prayers being held all over Beirut). Here are some pictures from the rally (orange represents the “Free Patriotic Movement” the largest Christain party in Lebanon that is aligned with Hizbollah and the yellow represents Hizbollah, the largest political party in Lebanon).
source: Global Research, Michael Slackman
12.06.06
Love of Allah is a Fire
lmam Ali (a)said,
‘Love of Allah (SWT) is a fire, which does not pass by anything without burning it up; the light of Allah (SWT) does not come over something without illuminating it.
The skies of Allah (SWT) do not cause a cloud to appear without it covering whatever is beneath it; the wind of Allah (SWT) does not blow on something without it moving.
Allah (SWT)’s water gives life to everything, and from Allah (SWT)’s earth everything grows. Whoever loves Allah (SWT) is given every possession and authority.’
12.03.06
Human Limb Regeneration?
It just may be possible (at least at the Salk!)…
The ability to regenerate limbs is an enviable ability possessed by many vertebrate embryos, and occurs in a variety of adult animals such as salamanders, hydra, horseshoe crabs and a particular species of mouse.
Most mammals exhibit extremely limited regenerative abilities, not on par with those of salamanders. Examples of mammalian regeneration include antlers, fingertips and holes in ears.
An understanding of the processes behind regeneration could lead to better treatment for individuals with nerve injuries (such as those resulting from a broken back or a polio infection), missing limbs, and/or damaged or destroyed organs. Scientists may indeed be one step closer to developing such treatments.
Researchers at the La Jolla, California based Salk Institute have succeeded in stimulating limb regeneration in a developing chick embryo — a species not known to possess regenerative ability. The results of this study further suggest that all organisms, including humans, posses some degree of regenerative potential. It appears that the ability to regenerate limbs is an ability that has been lost or otherwise suppressed in most organisms.
Stimulating the regeneration of lost limbs is perhaps as simple as activating a genetic program already present.
The results of this study, published in the Advance Online Genes and Development on Nov. 17, suggest exactly this. The study’s lead author, Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte, Ph.D. explains: “In this simple experiment, we removed part of the chick embryo’s wing, activated Wnt signaling, and got the whole limb back — a beautiful and perfect wing.
“By changing the expression of a few genes, you can change the ability of a vertebrate to regenerate their limbs, rebuilding blood vessels, bone, muscles, and skin — everything that is needed.”
While newly developed and technically immature, research such as this serves a fresh beacon of hope for those suffering some sort of degenerative limb disease and those who’ve lost limbs to amputations, etc. While this technology is undeniably years from practical application in human medicine, it is undeniably a step — if not a giant leap, in the right direction.
(source and full article: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200661129033)
12.01.06
Nearly One Million Demonstrate!
We will see what happens. InshaAllah, may the truthful be victorious.
Huge Beirut rally demands changeHundreds of thousands of supporters of Hezbollah and its pro-Syrian allies have held a mass rally in Beirut to protest against Lebanon’s government. Amid tight security, demonstrators chanted slogans denouncing Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
The opposition says it will keep up the pressure until the government resigns.
The protest follows weeks of rising tension in Lebanon, with the killing of a leading anti-Syrian politician and resignations from the cabinet.
Protest camp The huge crowd turned central Beirut into a sea of red and white Lebanese flags.Hezbollah leaders had asked people not to wave the yellow flag of their movement, which features a fist holding a Kalashnikov rifle.
We appeal to all Lebanese, from every region and political movement… to rid us of an incapable government
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah leader
The noisy but peaceful crowd filled Riad Solh Square, in front of Mr Siniora’s office, says the BBC’s Simon Wilson in Beirut.Mr Siniora and some of his ministers were inside, just metres away, and will have heard the deafening music and speeches, our correspondent says.The army and police mounted a large security operation, closing off the prime minister’s office and other key buildings with barbed wire and armoured vehicles.As night fell, the main protest broke up but many people were setting up a camp outside Mr Siniora’s office, saying they would stay until the government resigned.
‘Attempted coup’
During the afternoon, the huge crowd listened to Hezbollah songs and speeches.
Police estimated its size at 800,000 people, but Hezbollah claimed it was larger, the Associated Press news agency said.Speaking from behind a bullet-proof glass screen, Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun told the cheering crowd that the current government was unconstitutional and should resign.He said they had “made corruption a daily affair”.Mr Siniora’s government has vowed to stand firm against what he has called an attempted coup.
“Lebanon’s independence is threatened and its democratic system is in danger,” he said on Thursday.
Under Lebanon’s constitution, the death or resignation of another two ministers will automatically topple it.
‘Syrian troops’
Hezbollah has been demanding a bigger share in the cabinet that would give it the power to veto government decisions.
The government came to office last year in the first election held after the withdrawal of Syrian troops originally stationed in Lebanon during the civil war.Syria was forced to withdraw its military presence after massive street protests and international pressure, triggered by the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.A UN investigation has implicated several Syrian officials in the killing, although Syria has denied any involvement.The government in Beirut has also accused Damascus of ordering the assassination on 21 November of anti-Syrian cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/6197992.stm