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The statue and the story!
An Indian tourist walks into a curio shop in San Francisco.
He takes it to the shop owner: “How much for the bronze rat?”
“Twelve dollars for the rat, one hundred dollars for the Story,”says the owner.
The tourist being Indian after all, gives the man twelve dollars. “I’ll just take the rat,you can keep the story.”
As he walks down the street carrying his bronze rat, He notices that a few real rats crawl out of the alleys and sewers and begin following him down the street.
This is disconcerting; he begins walking faster.
But within a couple blocks, the herd of rats behind him grows to hundreds, and then thousands, and they all begin to squeal excitedly.
He begins to trot toward the Bay, looking around to see that the rats now numbered in the MILLIONS, and are still squealing and coming toward him faster and faster.
Concerned, even scared, he runs to the edge of the Bay and throws the bronze rat as far out into the Bay as he possibly can. Amazingly, the millions of rats all jump into the Bay after it, and are all drowned.
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The man walks back to the curio shop.
“Ah ha,” says the owner, “You have come back for the Story?”
“No,” says the man, “I came back to see if you have a statue of an Indian politician in bronze!!
New Online Books on www.al-islam.org
The Ahlul Bayt DILP team is pleased to announce the addition of the following resources to the Al-Islam.org collection.
The Islamic Hijab (Veil)
by Al-Balagh Foundation
The ‘Islamic Hijab (Veil)’ is a text written with the aim to give a more factual approach, and a deeper meaning to Hijab in Islam. It addresses the responsibility both men and women have in applying Hijab, as well as addressing the doubts one may have, and logically explaining ‘Why Hijab?’. The Al-Balagh foundation have thoroughly researched this topic using authentic sources, including the Holy Qur’an. Read Text »
Hijab
by Allamah Sayyid Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi
Allamah Sayyid Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi addresses the topic of ‘Hijab’ beyond personal opinion and judgement. He talks of the different kinds of hijab, such as that of the eyes, the physical appearance, and how Hijab, in general, should be. He also touches upon the Jurists’ views on Hijab, leaving us with a clear and concise understanding of the responsibilities of one wearing the Hijab. Read Text »
Woman
by Mahdi Mahrizi
Mahdi Mahrizi writes of the unique characteristic of a woman and how Islam addresses this gender. In his preamble, he addresses the ‘world’s view’ of women, and then, with the use of authentic resources, provides an insight on the true role of a women in the eyes of Islam. Read Text »
The Position of Women from the Viewpoint of Imam Khomeini (r.a.)
by The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works
This text comprehensively outlines the Position of Women from the viewpoint of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). Starting with acknowledging the Great Women of the World, such as Hazrat Fatima Zahra, the compilation then covers the status and rights of women in Islam as well as the role of women in their families, and the Jihad of a woman, specifically giving examples from women during the time of the Islamic Revolution. Read Text »
Coming Changes – Ready or Not!!!
Get ready to imagine a world without the post office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.
2. The Cheque.
Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with Cheque by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of dollars a year to process checks. Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the Cheque. This plays right into the death of the post office if you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business.
The younger generation simply doesn’t read the newspaper. They certainly don’t subscribe to a daily delivered print edition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man. As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance. They have met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services.
You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages. I said the same thing about downloading music from iTunes. I wanted my hard copy CD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music. The same thing will happen with books. You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy. And the price is less than half that of a real book. And think of the convenience! Once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can’t wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you’re holding a gadget instead of a book.
Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don’t need it anymore. Most people keep it simply because they’re always had it. But you are paying double charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes.
This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading. It’s the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who would like to hear it. Greed and corruption is the problem. The record labels and the radio conglomerates simply self-destruction. Over 40% of the music purchased today is “catalogue items,” meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with. Older established artists. This is also true on the live concert circuit. To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book, “Appetite for Self-Destruction” by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary, “Before the Music Dies.”
Revenues to the networks are down dramatically. Not just because of the economy. People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers. And they’re playing games and doing all lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV. Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say good riddance to most of it It’s time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery. Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix.
Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future. They may simply reside in “the cloud” Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest “cloud services.” That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system. So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud provider.
If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. That’s gone. It’s been gone for a long time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But you can be sure that 24/7 “They” know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View. If you buy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits. And “They” will try to get you to buy something else. Again and again. All we will have that possibly can’t be changed are Memories.
Never overlook your small Sins
In the words of Shaikh Saadi, the Persian Poet:
An increase of drop on a drop makes a stream
An increase of a stream upon a stream makes an ocean
Lessons from our Great Scholars…..Ayatullah Burujerdi (R.A.)
It has been narrated about the spiritual station of the great marja, Ayatullah Muhammad Husein Burujerdi (d.1961), that he had made a vow (nadhr) that if he ever uttered inappropriate words when angry, he would fast for a whole year (to train his soul). Indeed, he had a very lofty station.
He himself has said, “Before I came to Qom, I used to hear the voices of angels, but after I arrived here and became occupied and busy in the role of Marja, I lost that blessing!”
Ayatullah Burujerdi was a marja whose credentials as a supreme authority have been endorsed by Amir al-Mu’mineen (A.S.) himself. Allamah Nahawandi relates the following incident:
“When the late Ayatullah Burujerdi came to Mashad, I gave him my place in the holy shrine – that is, I asked him to lead the prayers and I stood behind him, out of respect.” He continues, “That same year, I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Najaf-al-Ashraf. The great marja, Ayatullah Sayyid Abu’l Hasan Isfahani, who was the leader of the prayers in the courtyard of Amir al-Mu’mineen (A.S.), insisted that I lead the prayers. I was very surprised, that a man of the status of Ayatullah Isfahani, to whom even the Imam of our Age (A) had written a letter stating: “Irkhas Nafsaka – Make yourself easily accessible to the people – waj‘al majlisataka fi al-dahliz – and sit in the street outside your house (so people can easily benefit from your knowledge) – waqdhi hawaijan nas – and fulfil the needs of the people – nahnu nansuruka – we will help you – made me stand at the head of the prayers and himself stood behind me.”
Allamah Nahawandi says, “I was still wondering as to why a scholar of this great stature was following me in prayer. As I prepared to say the opening takbir, I heard the voice of Amir al-Mu’mineen (A.S.)) coming from his sacred tomb, “You showed respect to my son Burujerdi, so we have also honoured and respected you, by making Sayyid Abu’l Hassan Isfahani pray behind you.”
Ayatullah Burujerdi had made a vow, in order to train his soul, that if he ever said something unbefitting in aner, he would fast one whole year. One day he was sitting teaching a class in Burujerd. At these times he had a great presence and a special dignity. A student began to argue with him, and Agha answered his query. He raised another objection, which was also answered. However, when he objected a third time, Ayatullah Burujerdi became momentarily angry and with an annoyed tone, he said from the pulpit, “Be quiet, young man”.
However, realising what he had done, as soon as Agha finished his class, he called that student and, in front of the whole class, he bowed and kissed his (student’s) hand and gave him a cloak and 500 Tumans (a reasonable amount in those days), and then said, “Forgive the mistake of Burujerdi! I do not understand how the reins of my soul slipped from my hands and why I asked you to be quiet in front of everyone.”
From the very next day, Ayatullah Burujerdi began to fast – just for one harsh word, which in itself was neither backbiting nor a lie.
Taken from the speech of Haj Agha Hashimi Najhad, as quoted in “Karamat wa Hikayate Ashiqane Khuda” – “Miracles and Anecdotes of the Close Servants of Allah”. Translated AJ/091105.
American radical: The trials of Norman Finkelstein
American Radical is the probing, definitive documentary about Jewish-American political scientist Norman Finkelstein. A devoted son of holocaust survivors, an ardent critic of Israel and US Middle East policy, Finkelstein has been steadfast at the centre of many intractable controversies, including his denial of tenure at DePaul University. Called a lunatic and self-hating Jew by some and an inspirational street-fighting revolutionary by others, Finkelstein is a deeply polarising figure. From Beirut to Kyoto, the filmmakers follow Finkelstein around the world as he attempts to negotiate a voice among both supporters and critics.
Terry Jones (the pastor who burned the Quran) Vs Imam Hassan AlQazwini
Hadith of the Week:
‘Ammara narrated, ‘I asked Aba ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (AS) as to why Fatima has been named al-Zahra’, to which he replied, ‘Because when she stood for prayers in her prayer niche, her light would radiate for the dwellers of the skies just as the light of the stars radiates for the dwellers of the earth.’ Ma’ani al-Akhbar, p.64, no.15
Sathya Sai Baba, considered a living god by millions of Hindus
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-sathya-sai-baba-20110425,0,2007584,full.story
http://gazettenet.com/2011/04/26/sathya-sai-baba-hindu-holy-man-dies-84
Sathya Sai Baba, a Hindu holy man who was considered a living god by millions of followers around the world, died Sunday of multiple organ failure in a hospital near his south Indian ashram. He was 84 and left behind a trust worth billions.
Sai Baba was known for conjuring jewelry, food and vibhuti, or sacred ash, out of the air, which devotees saw as proof of his powers and skeptics decried as sleight of hand.
Followers wept as his body was taken by ambulance from the hospital to his ashram, where it was placed in a glass coffin with gold plating. “The passing away of Sri Sathya Sai Baba is an irreparable loss to all,” Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement. “The nation deeply mourns his passing.”
His gentle demeanor, disheveled, Afro-style hair and tolerance of other belief systems attracted an estimated 6 million active and 33 million passive followers, including former presidents, generals, Bollywood luminaries and sports stars. His group maintains more than 1,000 ashrams in 126 countries.
His body will lie in state until Tuesday when he’s set to be cremated. Hundreds of thousands of followers are expected to attend the funeral Wednesday. Authorities have marshaled some 10,000 security officers and passed rules on illegal assembly in case the crowds get out of control.
Sai Baba once predicted he would live into his mid-90s, claiming he could choose the date of his passing. “The god has left us physically,” said the Sai Baba hospital where he died, built largely with donations from Isaac Burton Tigrett, a devotee and the founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and located near his main ashram in Puttaparthi.
His legacy is not without controversy. There were several allegations that he sexually abused young male devotees. And in 1993 six followers were killed in his ashram, four of whom allegedly sought to assassinate him. The incident was never fully explained.
“India remains a country of faith,” said Ravinder Kaur, a sociology professor at New Delhi’s Indian Institute of Technology. “Even those reports about pedophilia didn’t really dent his image. In this country, if you develop followers, they are very loyal. Nothing seems to shake it.”
Sai Baba was born Sathyanarayana Raju on Nov. 23, 1926, to an ordinary family in Puttaparthi, a village in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
In 1940 he declared himself the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, a saint said to be a Hindu adopted by a Muslim family and considered by many a god, who had died in 1918.
The teenager attracted followers and donations, leading to the building of his main Prasanthi Nilayam, or Abode of Peace, ashram in 1950 near Puttaparthi.
Over the years, his base grew into a nearly 4-square-mile complex of hotels, a university, hospital, cricket stadium and airport that some dubbed “Sri Baba wonderland.”
As his fame spread, stories circulated about his early years. One said he was born by immaculate conception like Jesus Christ after a great sphere of blue light entered his mother. Another said he learned to recite Sanskrit after being bitten by a poisonous scorpion.
He also claimed to have raised two people from the dead and cured his followers of many diseases and disabilities.
Rationalists and skeptics who asked to study his purported miracles under scientific conditions were rebuffed. “If you want to understand the nature of spiritual power you can do so only through the path of spirituality and not science,” he once reportedly said.
Sanal Edamaruku, president of the Indian Rationalist Assn. in Delhi, said his group called for an investigation into the source of the Sai Baba trust’s funds, said to be over $9 billion, but got nowhere. It’s unclear who will oversee the trust, with relatives and trust officials already maneuvering for control.
“I feel he’s done great damage to India,” Edamaruku said. “In the 1960s we were moving on the scientific path, including the Green Revolution, and he went totally against it. He said everything could be solved by miracles and became the model for hundreds of other god men.”
But Sai Baba also inspired love and devotion among legions of powerful and powerless followers with an emphasis on education, public health and egalitarian values.
“He leaves behind values of peace, nonviolence and love,” said Kunal Ganjawala, a Bollywood director and follower of 35 years. “Whether in the physical body, or after he leaves it, we should continue those teachings.”
Some attributed his enormous popularity to beliefs largely free of dogma or doctrine that didn’t require followers to give up previous religious beliefs.
In 1963 he suffered a stroke and four major heart attacks but survived. He made his only “physical” trip overseas in 1968, to Uganda and Kenya to meet with devotees, with one of his group’s websites saying he ran over lions’ tails in a jeep but suffered no attacks because he looked at them with love.
After 2005 he was in failing health and confined to a wheelchair. A year later he suffered a fractured hip after a student on a stool fell on him.
Over the years, several people alleged they were victims of sexual abuse during private audiences with Sai Baba.
In the 2004 BBC documentary “Secret Swami,” filmmaker Tanya Datta interviewed two American male followers who said the guru had fondled their genitals, claiming it was part of a healing ritual.
Others from Sweden, Australia and Germany made similar allegations. A case against Sai Baba was reportedly filed in Munich but none was filed in India, which critics say reflects how well-connected he was here and supporters say is evidence that the allegations were baseless.
Officials at the tightly controlled Sai Baba trust have declined to comment over the years even as some supporters mounted a two-pronged counterattack, arguing that the reports, many of which were raised by foreigners, reflect an anti-Hindu bias, and that even things that appear immoral have a purpose and should not be questioned.
“People need gurus,” Kaur said. “Many people in uncertain professions, whether rich or poor, tend to put their faith in those who give assurances everything will be all right. Also, the myth-making that happens around these people, they grow larger than life.”
He had no immediate survivors.
Anshul Rana in the New Delhi bureau contributed to this report.
The Secret Swami – Sai Baba
Provoking Thoughts 