A Talk with God.. by

And the whining begins... how so often you fill tired all of sudden and feeling like giving up it all ans say Asta La Manyana Compa! Asta Luego! Maestro! Via con Dios Muchacho! As ta la Vista Ese! Such Is! The weight gets to you after all i said and done and only these days it is felt les than before , like a weight lifted off my shoulder momentarily... is this all there is to it? Is this the tip of the mystique mountain? Is this the end of the journey like a buffalo turd slowly dripping to the grass, how mush more worse can it get...or much better? Yes I have been carefully listening to The talk With God' series on You Tube and it is indeed mind boggling least to admit, it challenges all my belief systems, shaken my faith and puts my spirit in check is more than one way. So I turn to my Lord, Allah (SWT) for His Infinite mercy that I do not follow the false God...even if it is indeed He that speaks to the Author.
I try to pray and Zikr as much as i possibly could acknowledging His Blessing, All tha he has Accorded this His humble servant, the learner the seeeekr the student of Life thropguh His Grace and that of the His Messenger, His Prophet Muhammad, The Love of Allah. I will have to listen to my heart more so than to all and any of the possiblilites that is floating all around me inlcuding that of Quantum Physica and the the Evoluition Theory... I am tired  of the cgarade of Truth making belief that It is nt eh truth and the only Truth there is... Allah is Infinite and Everywhere in everything he Is That He is... and all He needs to say is Be and It Is. This is the Lord I nkow that I am in Love with, this is my Ultimate Truth and I take Complete refuge in this till my last Breaht...so mode it be.
Otherwise the videos entitled WARNING Its Hazardous to your Faith or something like that... and it does, at least to me and i am still listening to these set of three tapes, did not have the chance to read the books, will someday when...I get he chance to, it would be a challenge read for I too have many unanswered to my God. I know he has all the answers no doubt, but it would still be wanting to hear His say it in His own words, all the faults of my life from the day I was conceived to this present moment. Like how much must i suffer , grief and pain inside me if not of my own that of other that are closest to me? You give and You take and sometimes it does seem unfair but it is now apparent more so today that yes Only You know the answers to this mystery my Lord; this that You Call Life. I accept it as such and as such I will perform this dance for You and only You, In- sha'Allah!
So dance on O', NataraJa, O'Narayana! Dance till the End of Times this Cosmic Dance, I am dancing with You. O Yes ot is one of the oldest most ancient of God's blessing to Mankind was the Lord Shiva Nataraja, how else would he appear among the Hindus without loosing His credibility, His Image, His Essence; that of Infinite Power to Destroy and Procreate. They would have thrown Him into the funeral pyre along with the widows of the dead; Lord Shiva to the Hindus is the personification of Divine Energy, and who was Lord Shiva? Read! or Google You Tube it. This is if you thirst to learn and understand another person's Faith and Belief. By the time you have learned all there is know of Lord Shiva you would have understood what is this realm we exist in that we call The Brahma Loka. The NirmanaKaya, the realm of the Human existence as Humans. The realm of the faculty of the Mind, this the Realm of the Humind Matrix.or as the Malays calls it 'Alam Nyata', the present Moment in time and space that you and i are in at this Blessed moment sharing our thoughts .

Conversations with God (CwG) is a sequence of books written by Neale Donald Walsch. It was written as a dialogue in which Walsch asks questions and God answers.^[1] The first book of the Conversations with God series, Conversations with God, Book 1: An Uncommon Dialogue, appeared on bookshelves in 1995, and quickly became a publishing phenomenon, staying on the New York Times Best-Sellers List for 137 weeks. The succeeding volumes in the nine book series also appeared prominently on the List.- A Good read! - Wikipedia.

The Sword of Damocles.

What is happening in the world today that means anything to me in any way as i keep preparing myself towards meeting my final days on this Planet that is still so beautiful and homely to be in despite all the desecration that has been subjected to her by Man. Is humanity evolving toward its final self destruction or is there a hope beyond hope that we will change in the last hour to avoid the worse and find peace, everlasting peace that we so sorely need. We as a specie, mankind, hold the key to the survival to this Planetary home of ours, it is in our hands that Gods or God has left the fate of this planet small as it is compared to most; it is habitable and we are the inhabitants who in the Biblical sense were endowed with the power to be her custodians and yet we have failed thus far in more than one way.
For decades now we have weapons of mass destruction pointing at ourselves from the East and West, North and South and we live under this constant threat of Nuclear tragedy that could bring an end to this small planet of ours not to mention our entire species. It is indeed a sad place to be and what is even more sad is the fact that a good percentage of humanity is ignorant of these threats that is hovering over their heads and all it takes is an insane fingers to press the necessary buttons to set off the chain reactions of a holocaust like a final cut with the sword of Damocles

"Judge no one happy until his life is over" is a familiar theme in Greek and Roman philosophical writing. [See Solon and Croesus.] One variant of this is the Sword of Damocles, which is used to describe a sense of foreboding and might translate into English idiom as "walk a mile in my shoes." Here's the story about Damocles' sword:

Dionysius (II) was a fourth century B.C. tyrant of Syracuse, a city in Magna Graecia, the Greek area of southern Italy. To all appearances Dionysius was very rich and comfortable, with all the luxuries money could buy, tasteful clothing and jewelry, and delectable food. He even had court flatterers (adsentatores) to inflate his ego. One of these ingratiators was the court sycophant, Damocles. Damocles used to make comments to the king about his wealth and luxurious life. One day when Damocles complimented the tyrant on his abundance and power, Dionysius turned to Damocles and said, "If you think I'm so lucky, how would you like to try out my life?"

Damocles readily agreed, and so Dionysius ordered everything to be prepared for Damocles to experience what life as Dionysius was like. Damocles was enjoying himself immensely... until he noticed a sharp sword hovering over his head, that was suspended from the ceiling by a horse hair. This, the tyrant explained to Damocles, was what life as ruler was really like.

Damocles, alarmed, quickly revised his idea of what made up a good life, and asked to be excused. He then eagerly returned to his poorer, but safer life." -N.S. Gill - Ancient Classical Historian.
 The real point of the story is very clearly a moral parable. It's not just, oh, something terrible is going to happen, but it's about realizing that what looks like an enviable life, a life of wealth, a life of power, a life of luxury is, in fact, fraught with anxiety, terror and possibly death...classics scholar Daniel Mendelsohn

Humanity today lives under the 'Sword of Damocles', all of us, but we choose to live in denial of it and those who are awaken to it are far too few to matter to make any difference as we are most of us are ignorant of who we are even , plain and simple. We have been born and raised to think as as thinkers we have been taught how to appreciate what we have and be thankful and appreciative, not to ask or raise too many questions or rock the boat that we are in. When in doubt we are advised to turn to nature and appreciate her beauty or the artistic talents of the painters and singers, actors and dancers to tell ourselves of how magnificent we can be if we strive to become so. But our lives as it is in the light of the wider screen is like that of a living in a cage where the few has constructed for the benefit of the whole; we are all prisoners of our own ignorance; we refuse to acknowledge the 'sharp sword' hovering over our heads.

The Final Visit to Cyberjaya.

A brief trip to Cyberjaya Multi Media University via Shah Alam was the break  my daughter and i needed from Georgetown and its humdrum. We took the express bus sometime in the afternoon and arrived at Shah Alam in the evening where my nephew Jamal picked us up  and took us to his home where we spent the night. 

Early dinner at 'Mama Kandar' restaurant and Nasi Lemak ( coconut rice) was on the menu. By the look of my tummy I should have just had a good bowl of salad with Italian dressings. But this is Malaysia and no meal is complete without rice and chilly paste of one kind or another.

My daughter appears too young to ba an aunt to these two grand nieces of mine, but they looked quite contented, so who is complaining.!

We had an hour or two to chill at the University the next day and so we hung out at a coffee shop. Although the trip barely lasted two full days, it was well worht it for both of us as it took off a little of the pressure of work for my daughter and dealing with life and death for me in the last few days. 

Later we were joined by two of my daughter's schoolmates and it was a very pleasant get together for all of us. I have known Apek and Muna ever since they were my daughter's friends in college.   

It was refreshing to be in the company of the younger generation of future hopes for the country. Kids with brains and the go get her attitude. 

My daughter making her final presentation of her internship program of which she did her work at Gala Restaurant in Georgetown, Penang.

He gives and He takes!

We were riding around on his motorcycle with his youngest child standing in the basket in front and we stopped here and there for me to take a shot or two. He had just returned from his twelve hour shift perhaps ready to hit the sack anytime. This was two weeks before he passed away.
When I first laid my eyes on this picture on the Internet I felt strange, it was like he was intensely staring at me like he has never done before and so was the son. I thought nothing of it till the final days of his life began to unfold.

In the prime of life a young family all set to embark upon the future with a relatively new home and, a new car what could go wrong? 

My late brother's wife, the iron lady who was merciless in picking on her son in law for being the imbecile and  a village bumpkin, but underneath it all she loved him and i could tell how much she is going to miss her son in law.

They say that time will heal as far as the children goes, I hope so too and I will do my best to be available to their needs and help to heal their loss and keep them focus into the future.

With the arrival of the youngest being a boy he was full of  joy and expectations, I could tell from the way he spent time with the child. 

What would become of the children? Who knows but they will be well cared for no doubt as they have many relatives and friends who will keep an eye on them and their well being including myself.  They have a future ahead of them and their mother is a very strong character even if she does not look it.

She was the only child of my late brother Gina who passed away from Kidney failure in the Hospital in Kuala Terengganu and  I had taken care of him while he was in his last two weeks.  She was his pride and joy and perhaps the only thing that kept him from taking his own life.

I have three children to look after before I exit this life myself and i intend to make it my life's contribution Insha'Allah; God Willing.

What else is there to do but to be present in the moments of  being with them.

My late brother never got to meet his grand children before he passed on, so I am his proxy. I hope my being the surrogate grandpa will help them ease their pain of loosing their father as such an early age.

A Must Read if You care For the Fate of Humanity.

Quran calls for coexistence, not clash – Fawad Ahmed - See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/quran-calls-for-coexistence-not-clash-fawad-ahmed#sthash.XNjyryIQ.dpuf

The rise of Isis and the recent Charlie Hebdo massacre have brought the “clash of civilisations” discourse to a fever pitch. In reality, the Quran calls for a government based on values closely resembling that of Western republics. Equal rights are guaranteed to non-Muslims so long as they fulfil the same two obligations as their Muslim counterparts: follow the law and pay an income tax. Henceforth, they are considered “brothers in the system of life.” No religious conversion is required.

Before we proceed, note that Islam (meaning “submission” to the will of God) is referred to as a “deen” in the Quran. Deen means “system of life” or “way of governance.” Religion is but a component of deen. Next, let’s review the verse deemed “the verse of the sword” by critics:

9:5: “Slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you come upon them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them…”

At first glance, this would seem to condone violence against non-Muslims. But an honest contextual review reveals that this verse references those non-Muslims who keep violating treaties and attacking the Muslim government.

9:10: “They respect no tie and no pact regarding a believer. They are the transgressors.”

9:11: “If they (the warring non-Muslims) mend their ways and establish Salat and pay Zakat, then they are your Brothers in Deen.”

So we are clearly told that non-Muslims are considered “brothers” to Muslims if they are not fighting against them and they fulfil two duties: establish salat and pay zakat. “Salat” means the “system that follows closely” (the divine commands). The scope of salat can vary with context.

For instance, the Quran indicates that establishing salat at a government level eliminates corruption (11:84-87) and all creatures “know their Salat” (24:41), meaning they follow their divine programming instinctually. At a personal level, salat defines the Islamic daily prayers but more importantly the moral code of honesty, sincerity, truthfulness, steadfastness, etc (70:19-34).

Coming to zakat, it is commonly defined as “charity”, but in actuality it was a government income tax (6:141) in the early days of Islam, and only 100 years after Prophet Muhammad (S) died was zakat disconnected from state collection (see http://tinyurl.com/mta34mw). Notably, the Quranic term for charity is sadaqa (9:60). Furthermore, the Quran did not restrict zakat to its current ineffectual 2.5% or render it as an impractical wealth tax.

With this understanding of deen, salat, and zakat, we can appreciate verse 9:11 clearly:

“If they (the warring non-Muslims) mend their ways and establish Salat (follow the rules of the Islamic government and its code of ethics) and pay Zakat (the income tax), then they are your Brothers in Deen (good citizens of the Muslim state or brothers in your way of life).”

A parallel can be drawn between this understanding and that of the status of Muslim-Americans such as myself. I follow the laws of the American republic, I respect Judeo-Christian American values, and I pay my taxes.  Hence, I am considered a good American citizen. What about the jizya? Are non-Muslims subject to a special tribute? As discussed, their only economic duty is to pay the zakat tax. Jizya is mentioned in the following verse:

9:29: “Fight against those who reject belief in God and the Last Day, (and keep breaking treaties, 9:13)…until they pay jizya with willing submission.”

First, kharaj is the Quranic term used for tribute (18:94), not jizya.  Secondly, jizya comes from the word jaza (recompense, see 18:106) and hence means “war reparations” owed by the aggressive rebels, not “tribute” as commonly mistranslated. Evidence aside from the Quran regarding jizya can be found in the first true Islamic State constitution written by Prophet Muhammad (S): The Covenant of Medina and his equally benevolent Charter of Privileges for the Coptic Christians on Mt Sinai. These landmark human rights documents grant non-Muslims equal rights and make no mention of a tribute.

Certainly some abusive Muslim rulers did burden their non-Muslim subjects with tribute taxation. More in line with Quranic guidance, the Moorish rulers of Spain presided over a thriving milieu of Muslim, Jewish and Christian subjects for seven centuries without oppressive taxation. This thriving milieu made contributions in all fields of learning, and by many accounts gave birth to the European Renaissance.

Regardless of this nostalgia, the thought of living under any rules remotely “Islamic” repulses Westerners. Take comfort in that 99.99% of immigrant Muslims have no motivation to overthrow Western democracies. It is these republics that uphold Quranic principles such as freedom of religion and expression (2:256), equality before the law (4:135), presumption of innocence (49:6), gender equity (4:32, 33:35), social safety nets (9:60), rule of law (33:60), and strong ethics (70:21-70:33). The barbarism of blasphemy and apostasy laws, stoning, child marriage, the burqa, 72 virgin mythology, intolerance, all beliefs added to Islam centuries after its advent, await in many of their (so-called) Islamic homelands such as Afghanistan, Saudia Arabia, Yemen, etc. Such is the damage that hate philosophies, including Wahabiism and dictatorial rule have wrought on Islam over the past centuries.

With this latter point, a word to Muslim readers: Islam has been hijacked not only by extremist groups, but also by an orthodox religious establishment that shuns correction of fabricated traditions and misinterpretations which violate human rights and enable extremism. There is an urgency for a Reformation of Islamic thought. Don’t sit this one out. Your children and your brothers in deen deserve better! – January 23, 2015.

* Fawad Ahmed is a blogger and founder of Quranaissance.com, aimed at revitalising the Quranic message of justice and opportunity.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/quran-calls-for-coexistence-not-clash-fawad-ahmed#sthash.XNjyryIQ.dpuf

Man with Heart of Gold - Will be Sorely Missed.

When he first made his appearance  at my elder brother's house to ask for my niece's hand in marriage he reminded me of a village buffoon  with his two sizes too small jacket and a shirt bursting at the buttons and it being a hot sizzling afternoon he looked like he was roasting. When he smiled his toothless smile my brother and I almost broke out laughing. My brother's wife was beside herself trying to look absolutely unhappy and hoping that this the nightmare would be gone.   

When my brother asked for my opinion I could not help but felt that this guy was genuine and that if my niece had loved him then he was best for her because he was for sure very much in love with her that he was willing to make the long trip from Penang to the East Coast to meet the parents. I told my brother that i felt safer giving up my niece to a 'this village idiot than any slick looking city boy and so it happened.  

They called him Cek Ark locally among friends and relatives and he was the best choice i could have helped to convince my brother and his wife to become their son in law. I came to love him more than I cared to admit myself as he was the most humble and down to earth much loved person I have ever met and during his funeral there were no less than three hundred people who came to pay their last respects including a Health Minister who knew him just from their chance meetings along the walks  they take or through the rice fields. I discovered that Ishak was a pillar in his society and work place of  well repected and loved as proven by the turnout at his funeral.

It is no doubt a brutal shock to most especially myself to have him taken away at  such a young age leaving behind three children my two grand nieces and grand nephew who had barely started walking. He spent only two days in the Intensive care Unit at the Penang General Hospital and i was there keeping my niece company so she did not loose herself  control from this burden of pain no one her age and status should be made to go through. On looking at his face when they brought his deceased body I saw a serene smile on him as though he was set free from some pain. When i asked the doctor at the Hospital what had caused him to die the doctor said that it was a virus that was too strong a strain that had made such a rapid attack upon almost all his vital organs all at once. I know i will miss him and I am very sad for my niece and her loss. But...Such Is!
 

Do we truly Care?!

Those who holds the edict that ignorance is indeed bliss will hopefully die with their ignorance intact as it would indeed be a bliss for them for they would know not what the difference is between knowing and being  led and left in darkness by those who have their own agendas and self serving interest to cater to. It takes  some intent and interest not to mention time and diligence to simply read, read anything that is worth reading. Furthermore in today's day and age of the Internet one does not even have to have book in front of you or even read as one can listen to lectures and discussions about anything and everything under the sun. If there is any doubt to the truth of what is said or discussed there are hundreds and thousands of those who will launch an attack that will counter these falsehood for the truth as nothing escapes the Netizens; we live in the Cyber age. Use it or abuse it and it is all entirely up to each and everyone of us who believe in the welfare of this Planet, its present state and what is to become of it.
Here are another ten issues that we might get a good understanding of if we really care about our future as a specie;

TOP 10 Causes Of Environmental Damage

 YouthKiAwaaz

 January 21, 2012

 Environment

11 Comments

By Rishin Mukherjee:

From the immense amount of propaganda that goes around in the media these days, it is clear that there is a lot of environmental degradation all around us. Such is the depth of the situation that conferences are being held every year, and new tools like CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) and Carbon credits are being created to prevent further damage and to encourage protection of the environment. But what exactly is going wrong? What is it that creates all this fuss? Look no further, if you find anything familiar from the following then you might want to think again!

Top ten causes for The Environmental Damage

1) High quantity of Exhaust gases: The biggest reason by far for all kinds of environmental degradation is the exorbitant amount of gases, harmful to the environment, which is released by the various industries. Prime amongst these gases are C02, S02 and NH3. Of course there are many more, and these are the main culprits for ozone holes and global warming.

2) Deforestation: Close second comes the deforestation all over the world, to harness forest resources, to clear land, for wood and for various other reasons. Deforestation causes major problems for one simple reason; it decreases the number of trees, which clean the environment, provide oxygen and also affect rain patterns. This is the major reason why there are calls for tree plantation; it is to make up for this loss.

3) High number of industries such as mining: Mining creates a lot of pollution, mainly because it releases particulate matter, which qualifies as Respirable Particulate Matter (RPM); the particulate matter which can enter our lungs and can harm the entire respiratory system. This form causes the most direct harm to humans, also particulate matter can come from indoor pollution, as can be seen in cooking on traditional ‘choolahs’ and cottage industries like ‘bangle-making’.

4) Chemical effluents: Effluents are another by-product of industries which poses threat to the environment, leather and tanning industries, petroleum industries and chemical manufacturing industries create major waste products which are released directly into nearby streams without treatment, creating river pollution and causing harm to aquatic life.

5) Transport: As the spending power of the population increases and as cars become available more, the number of vehicles on the road increases. The amount has grown exponentially in countries like India, Brazil and China and this is a point form of pollution which directly affects humans. Smog is a nuisance that is created because of vehicular pollution, and Hydro-Carbons released from engines are the cause of creation of lower level ozone that is harmful to humans.

6) Unprecedented Construction: Urban Heat Island is a direct cause of the unprecedented construction activities that are being carried out right now, and urban heat island causes trapping of pollutants. Urban Heat island is an effect caused due to trapping of solar radiation by concrete and cement which are materials which trap heat extremely well. Construction causes removal of vegetative cover which usually allows for better exchange of heat. This heat island effect causes constricted circulation of air, which traps pollutants released in urban areas and does not allow for mixing of the air, thus decreasing the air quality.

7) Secondary Pollutants: Secondary pollutants are ones that are not directly emitted; however they get created when primary pollutants react amongst themselves. Major amongst them is the creation of ozone from reaction between non-burnt Hydrocarbons and Nitrous Oxides. There are various other secondary pollutants and the reaction between these pollutants cause reactions that lead to formation of ozone holes. Stratospheric clouds are the main reaction sites for such pollutants.

8 ) Ruinous agricultural policies: Overloading the land with fertilizers, overgrazing and shifting agriculture are ruinous agricultural policies that degrade land, creating soil erosion that leads to silting in major rivers and reservoirs. Soil degradation is a continuous cycle and it ultimately leads to desertification and degradation of land quality by allowing the direct action of eroding agents on cultivable land.

9) The Population Explosion: The increasing population creates a load that the entire environment has to support, not only in terms of food and lodging, but also in terms of the amount of waste that it generates and the ability of the environment to sustain this growth. All major activities are carried out to support this growing population, and whilst this is unavoidable, what is required is the proper planning that should come with this explosion.

10) Unplanned Land-use policies: Land models are available these days which help in proper planning and use of land resources. However, failure to use these models and land management policies can lead to land pollution and degradation of the worst kind. Extraction from mines renders them unusable for habitation and if rehabilitation work is not carried out, the piece of land is sure to lose all its value and become unusable. Land classification is one of the major activities that help in proper land use, and it should be followed with utmost care.

Our Present Day Choice of Read. ( that is for those who care for the truth).

And what kind of knowledge do we put our trust and belief in today in place of what was laid out for us as guidance by our forefathers? Yees in our days and age there will be so much for us to chew upon that will make our blood chill from what we were ignorant of and what is trully being spun all around us in the name of Freedom and Truth by our own governments and politicians.
How about:
Who is the 'Merchant of Death?' By Ashley Hayes, CNN

November 17, 2010 -- Updated 1943 GMT (0343 HKT)

Who is Viktor Bout?

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Author doesn't believe nations want Viktor Bout to tell what he knows
• NEW: Little is known about Bout's early days
• NEW: Bout sees himself as a soldier and businessman
• (CNN) -- He's known as the "Merchant of Death" and the "Lord of War," -- an alleged international arms dealer straight out of a cloak-and-dagger spy novel who eluded authorities for years and inspired Hollywood villains.
  But in reality, according to those who have seen or met Viktor Bout, he is a somber man, sometimes nattily dressed, a wheeler-dealer who has insisted he is innocent of the allegations leveled against him.
  Bout, a Russian citizen and former military officer, speaks six languages "and I could see him bargaining in all six at the same time," wrote CNN's Jill Dougherty in 2008, recalling her meeting with Bout in 2002 in Moscow, Russia.
  Bout arrived in New York late Tuesday after being extradited from Thailand. He faces charges in the United States of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals, conspiring to kill U.S. officers or employees, conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile and conspiring to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. American law enforcement officers have spent years pursuing him, and the extradition process from Thailand was an arduous one for them.
  Bout is accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world, from Sierra Leone to Afghanistan. Before his 2008 arrest, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents led a sting operation by posing as members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), officials said.
• "He was a Soviet officer, most likely a lieutenant, who simply saw the opportunities presented by three factors that came with the collapse of the USSR and the state sponsorship that entailed: abandoned aircraft on the runways from Moscow to Kiev, no longer able to fly because of the lack of money for fuel or maintenance; huge stores of surplus weapons that were guarded by guards suddenly receiving little or no salary; and the booming demand for those weapons from traditional Soviet clients and newly emerging armed groups from Africa to the Philippines," Farah told the magazine.
  "He simply wedded the three things, taking aircraft for almost nothing, filling them with cheaply purchased weapons from the arsenals, and flying them to clients who could pay."
  "He knew the African market," Farah said Wednesday. "He was clearly aware of who [Russia's] past clients had been ... I think he had foresight, and I think he understood the world changes much more than the average Soviet bloc person."
  He first became known when the United Nations began investigating him in the early-to-mid 1990s and the United States began to get involved, Farah told CNN.
  Bout's website, which spells his name Victor, says he became notorious because of a smear campaign, "fictitious tales and stories which were generated from one source -- a corrupt United Nations contractor who was generously paid for the U.N. contracts he arranged with the help of others for Victor's companies, and then became mad for vengeance when Victor refused to continue paying him."
  The site said the United States case against him is based on "lies" and paid informants.
• Ironically, the United States is also among Bout's clients, even indirectly, Farah said Wednesday. Bout companies were used to fly for government contractors in Iraq. Most of those flights -- estimated in the hundreds -- occurred after then-President George W. Bush had signed an executive order making it illegal to do business with Bout because he represented a security threat to the United States, Farah told Mother Jones.
  "The State Department, under a congressional inquiry initiated by Sen. Russell Feingold, found it had used Bout companies, acknowledged it, and stopped," Farah told the magazine. "...Despite the public revelation, the congressional inquiry, the executive order and a subsequent Treasury Department order freezing the assets of Bout and his closest associates, the flights continued for many months, at least until the end of 2005."
  The United States did not have the airlift capacity to go in at the time, Farah said Wednesday. But Bout had planes close by, in the United Arab Emirates, and "he was willing to fly without insurance. He paid pilots a flat rate."
  At one point, the State and Treasury departments were going after Bout while the Department of Defense continued to pay him. "It was one of those contradictory situations," Farah said.
  Farah told CNN he believes the trial against Bout will be quick, as he doesn't believe anyone wants Bout to tell what he knows -- because he knows a lot. His knowledge could potentially embarrass not only Russia, but the United Nations, the United States and Britain, among others, he said. "I don't think they're going to have a wide-ranging free-for-all."
  And so far, "he's apparently been a stand-up guy to the Russians," and hasn't threatened to turn on them, Farah said. For one thing, they have his family, which is "considerable leverage" -- Bout is widely known to be a family man, Farah wrote in August in Foreign Policy magazine.
• "I'm not afraid," he told Dougherty. "I didn't do anything in my life I should be afraid of. And all this looks to me like a witch hunt. Look, I'm coming to your office, I have no problem. And I said, 'Hey, who's looking for me?' I'm here. I'm not hiding from nobody. And I don't want this story going on."
  Dougherty asked him if he had ever met Osama bin Laden, and he said no, adding that if he had, he might have helped prevent the 9/11 attacks.
  Farah believes Bout's downfall was insisting on closing the supposed "deal" with FARC himself. "He was more than happy to say he knew the weapons would be used to kill Americans," he said Wednesday.
  Meanwhile, Bout himself -- who reportedly has used names including "Victor Anatoliyevich Bout," "Victor But," "Viktor Butt," "Viktor Bulakin" and "Vadim Markovich Aminov" -- is thought to have been the inspiration for the arms-dealer character played by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 movie "Lord of War."
  "Someone will undoubtedly write a book about this case some day, and I can tell you that it will read like the very best work of Tom Clancy, only in this case it won't be fiction," Michael Braun, then assistant administrator and chief of operations for the DEA, told CNN in 2008.
  Much of what Bout is alleged to have done is morally reprehensible, but not illegal, Farah said, noting there are no penalties for violating UN weapons sanctions.
  
  "Our book ends saying, 'They'll never catch him,'" he said.

Reflection on our Spiritual Heritage.

When the population of the Ignorant out-numbers that of the wise and educated, the health and state of the Planet itself is at stake. This is when quantity has over run quality to the point of no return and the evolution of life has taken a downward spiral leading humanity towards burning itself in the cauldron of primal stuff to be recycled. Despite this day and age of E-Knowledge where what you need to know is at your fingertip, most of humanity still exist in darkness and ignorance where brutality and murder has become a common affair in our lives. We even frown upon the works of our ancestors and forefathers declaring them as obsolete or irrelevant but in their place we have nothing to fall on to as guidance in these our times of need for sanity.

READ! IQRA!

10 Most influential Sacred text in History. .

The majority of the most influential sacred texts in history were written in the ancient world. The ideas and beliefs of the ancients tell us who they were at their very sense of being, what they believed and how they understood the world surrounding them. The following is a list of some of the most influential spiritual books, many of which had a major influence on the future course of history and many of which continue to shape the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Bible

The Bible is one the most famous and one of the most beautifully written books of all times. Captivating and intense, its message has provoked many believers and scholars alike. It consists of 66 books which are divided into two sections – the Old Testament consisting of 39 books and the New Testament which consists of 27 books. Classically a Hebrew text, however, the Bible also reveals middle-eastern influences, while the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library and the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 20th century shed a new light on early Christianity and Christ himself.

Torah

According to tradition, the Torah was written by Moses at Mount Sinai and the Tabernacle. But historians agree that the Torah probably doesn’t have just one author and that it was written down during the so-called Babylonian Captivity in the 6th century BC and finalized in the 2th century BC. Consisting of 39 books, the Torah comprises the first five books of the Bible (Bereishit - Genesis, Shemot - Exodus, Vayikra - Leviticus, Bamidbar - Numbers and Devarim - Deuteronomy) which include both written and oral law of Rabbinic Judaism as well as religious teachings from the furthest reaches of history.

Quran

The Quran, the religious text of Islam, has the same historical roots as Judaism and Christianity and consists of 114 chapters, each known as sura. It initially didn’t exist in a written form (the word Quran is derived from Arab for “to recite”) and was composed about 20 years after Prophet Muhammad’s death in 632. He, according to the Muslim believe, received the word of God through angel Gabriel over a period of twenty-three years.

Vedas

The Vedas (meaning “knowledge”) are comprised of four ancient Indian texts, with the oldest dating from about 1500 BC to 1200 BC. They are not only the oldest form of Sanskrit literature but they are also the oldest writings of Hinduism. The four texts of the Vedas include Rigveda, Yajurveda, Sama-Veda, and Atharva-Veda. The individual verses, known as mantras are comprised of hymns and prose which are explained by the Brahmanas, serving as a complementary prose. Like most other ancient sacred texts, the Vedas are traditionally believed to be divinely revealed.

Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead refers to ancient Egyptian funerary texts that were used from about 1550 BC to 50 BC. The 192 known magic spells were meant to guard a deceased person on their journey to the underworld (afterlife) and help them avoid the pitfalls and deceptions during the journey. The most famous of these spells, the “Weighing of the Heart” spell, was used to help the deceased regain the power of movement and speech in the afterlife. Originally written in hieroglyphic sacred writing, they were painted onto objects. The wealthy Egyptians, however, had them written in a book.

Tao Te Ching

Tao Te Ching is a classic Chinese text that was according to tradition composed around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi. It has 81 brief chapters and was first composed in a flowing style of calligraphy. Tao Te Ching is the fundamental text of both philosophical and religious Taoism which also greatly influenced the schools of Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism. Topics explored range from sage advice for the rulers to practical lessons for ordinary people.

Upanishads

The Upanishads were probably composed in India between 800 BC and 100 BC and literally translate to “Sittings near, laying siege to a Teacher”. They are comprised of philosophical texts which form the theoretical basis for Hinduism. The scripture is composed of more than 200 texts though a mere 13 of them are considered primary teachings. Considered by Hindus to contain truths revealed to illustrate the nature of ultimate reality (Brahman), they also describe the very character and form of human salvation (moksha). Though unique from the Vedas, Hindus regard the Upanishads as an extension of the Vedas.

Bhagavad Gita

The 700-verse Bhagavad Gita was written in the 5th to 2nd century BC and is a part of the famous epic of Mahabharata. It is basically a call for selfless action which had a profound influence on several leaders of the Indian independence movement including Mohandas Gandhi. The great Indian leader called the Bhagavad Gita his “spiritual dictionary”. The text is a variation of the Upanishads in many aspects including its format and philosophy. However, Bhagavad Gita integrates dualism and theism, whereas the Upanishads are monotheistic.

Buddhist Sutras

These canonical scriptures, first transmitted by Gautama Budda are also known as the “Great Treasury of Sutras”. They were written between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. The most vital Sutra is the Lotus Sutra which contains a sermon by Buddha to his followers, teaching them the basis of Buddhism. The word sutra itself means a thread or line that holds ends together (from which are also the English words “sew” and “suture” derived), for the books were initially written on palm leaves and sewn together with thread.

Non-Religious Ancient Books

Some of the most influential ancient books were written without any formal religious prompting. One of such books is the Epic of Gilgamesh which tells the story of the quest for immortality amidst a great flood that bears similarity to the Genesis’ flood. The Iliad, written in the 8th century BC gave many an ideal to strive for. One such aspirer was a Macedonian general named Alexander the Great who is said to sleep with a copy of Iliad beneath his pillow during his campaigns. The works of Plato, written in the 4th century BC are connected with Alexander the Great as well for Plato was the teacher of Aristotle who in turn was Alexander’s teacher.

One of my favorite Sutras while a Zen Student.

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Sandokai

Harmonious Song of Difference and Sameness

of Sekito Kisen Daiosho

The mind of the great sage of India
is intimately communicated from west to east.
While human faculties are sharp or dull,
The Way has no northern or southern ancestors.
The spiritual source shines clear in the light;
the branching streams flow on in the dark.
Grasping at things is surely delusion;
according with sameness is still not enlightenment.
All the objects of the senses
interact and yet do not.
Interacting brings involvement.
Otherwise, each keeps its place.
Sights vary in quality and form,
sounds differ as pleasing or harsh.
Refined and common speech come together in the dark,
clear and murky phrases are distinguished in the light.
The four elements return to their natures
just as a child turns to its mother.
Fire heats, wind moves,
water wets, earth is solid.
Eye and sights, ear and sounds,
nose and smells, tongue and tastes;
Thus with each and every thing,
depending on these roots, the leaves spread forth.
Trunk and branches share the essence;
revered and common, each has its speech.
In the light there is darkness,
but don't take it as darkness;
In the dark there is light,
but don't see it as light.
Light and darkness oppose one another
like front and back foot in walking.
Each of the myriad things has its merit,
expressed according to function and place.
Phenomena exist; box and lid fit.
Principle responds; arrow points meet.
Hearing the words, understand the meaning;
don't set up standards of your own.
If you don't understand the Way right before you,
how will you know the path as you walk?
Progress is not a matter of far or near,
but if you are confused, mountains and rivers block your way.
I respectfully urge your who study the mystery,
do not pass your days and nights in vain.

SANDOKAI

In medieval Japanese; capitalized syllables are approximately twice as long but are not accentuated.

chikudo DAI SEN no SHIN TO ZAI mitsu ni AI fusu NIN KON ni riDON ari DO ni NAM boku no so nashi REI GEN MYO ni KO KET tari shiha AN ni ruCHU su ji o SHU suru mo moto kore maYOI ri ni kaNO mo mata satori ni arazu MON MON IS SAI no KYO ego to fu ego to eshite sarani AI wataru shikara zareba ku RAI ni YOTte JU su shiki moto shitsu ZO o kotoni shi SHO moto RAKku o koto ni su AN wa JO CHU no koto ni kaNAI MEI wa SEI daku no ku o wakatsu shiDAI no SHO onozu kara fukusu kono sono haha o uru ga gotoshi hi wa NESshi kaze wa DO YO mizu wa uru OI chi wa KEN go manako wa iro mimi wa ON JO hana wa ka shita wa KAN so shi kamo ichi ichi no HO ni OI te ne ni YOTte haBUN pusu HOM matsu sube karaku SHU ni kisu beshi SON pi sono go o mochi u MEI CHU ni atATte AN ari AN SO o MOTte Okoto nakare AN CHU ni atATte MEI ari MEI SO o MOTte miru koto naka re MEI AN ono ono AI TAI shite hisu runi ZEN go no ayumi no gotoshi BAM motsu onozu kara KO ari masani YO to sho to o YU beshi jiSON sureba KAN GAI GAS shi ri O zureba SEN po saSO koto o ukete wa sube karaku SHU o esu beshi mizu kara kiku o RIS suru koto nakare soku moku DO o ese ZUNba ashi o hakobu mo izu KUN zo michi o shiRAN ayumi o susu mureba GON NON ni arazu ma YOte SEN ga no KO heDA TSU SHIN de SAN GEN no hito ni Mosu KO IN muna shiku wataru koto nakare

If ever was a revelation of an awakened Mind of the nature of the Universe and its essence, this was to me one of them as it was revealed to the Zen Master Sekito Kisen Daiosho. Within this one Sutra was revealed the very nature of the 'Duality' of Nature and its merging of differences. Hundreds of years old but still as valid as any quantum physics discovery. I used to enjoy chanting this Sutra during the evening in the Zendo at green Gulch Zen Center, in Marin County California when I was a student there and I had my own 'mini Satoris' while uraveling its meaning. I have shared it here with my readers as with myself to keep me reminded of it whenever i miss the target while walking in the darkness of this present age of decadence and destruction ; where even the Gods have taken a leave of absence.

Enough! Enough Is Enough!

If there be any blame to be made with regard to the Muslims and their world it is with their so called Leaders, Kings, Presidents, Emirs and Ayatollahs, Sultans and what have you. These are the individuals along with those who provide them with words of advice in how to run their business or their respective countries. Someone once asked , "What would the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) do or say if He were here today and taking stock of the religion He had propagated and I say yhe would hold the Leaders of these Muslim countries accountable for how sad a state the Muslim 'Ummah' has become. he would most probably invite them all to Mecca for a good seven days of round table conference whereby he would demand each and everyone of them to justify their position as Leaders of the Muslim world and what they have done to deserve being so. Explain what have become of His religion that once was the Glory that was Islam. No News media, no body guards, no secretaries , no deputies, just them in the Prophet's mosque where only truth is uttered within this holy of holy sanctuary.
The Muslim world today is a disunited mess because of the lack of leadership that is strong enough to unite the entire Muslim world under one banner of Islam. The OIC ;The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC; Arabic: منظمة التعاون الإسلامي‎; French: Organisation de la coopération islamique, OCI)^{[a 1]} is an international organisation founded in 1969 consisting of 57 member states. The organisation states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony".^[1]

The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English and French.
What has this organization accomplished that has benefited the Muslim world thus far? What has it done to alleviate the sufferings of the war torn Muslim Nations that is presently on going for the past decade? How often has it convened to deliberate the causes and effects of these wars and atrocities that is being committed against the Muslims especially by the Israelis Zionist regime and now Is? Nothing! Not a single thing worthy of mention sad if not disgusting to say. Why? Money? Lack of military might? Lack of the desire to find a solution most probably until too late and it is getting too late as events are spinning out of control as it is and what does the OIC do? Perhaps I think the OIC members are waiting for the Imam Mahdi to appear and take control as only He can as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Or is it Fear? Fear of making any form of declaration or making any kind of commitment towards declaring one form of stance or another towards drawing the line in the sand like Bush did. Fear to declare "Enough!". Fear to declare the Ultimate "JIhad" if it is time to and unite as a whole in its declaration against whoever and whatever that is at present considered an enemy of Islam. Declare in the name of Allah and the Prophet and let the dogs of war show themselves against the might of the Muslim world if they so choose to still stand their ground dehumanizing  the Religion.
The OIC members owe it to the billions of Muslims around the world to take it upon themselves to bring together the Muslim countries with its Billions of Muslims ready to stand up and defend their faith, and we have the means to do it even if it is not as large in number and scales we have the means. If Israel hs its Nuclear arsenal so does Pakistan and perhaps even Iran and all is needed is a few dropped at the appropriate places to spark off another World War and why not? Are so attached to this material life that we are afraid to give it up and would rather live under the tyranny of others threatening us and exploiting our disunity like Muslims are a third class citizens of this planet! The west especially has mocked Islam, humiliated the Muslims ran circles around us like wolves ready for the kill and we cower before them letting our women and children become victims right before our eyes and what does the OIC do? Nothing!
Perhaps we as Muslims are true to our teachings like being patient in the face of suffering, like it is the 'Test' we are to face as set by Allah, perhaps it is. But as a Muslim I hate to think I would have to answer to my Lord for what I did not do when my fellow brothers and sisters were being hunted and murdered, exploited and turned into pimps and prostitutes all over the world. What did I do about it? Am I crying out loud enough for those who are in the seats of power and authority in the Muslim to wake up to the reality the billions of Muslim are facing and will continue on to face?  Where are the Ayatollahs and their fiery speeches, what happened to the flame that was lit by the Revolution? What happened to the Indonesians who are always up in arms screaming in the streets whenever Islam came under attack? Today they are more like dogs barking at the mountain in the own country. The Muslim Chinese in China who have taken so much crap from their own people, why are they quiet when they fellow brothers and sisters are suffering at the hands of the non believers?! The Pakistanis who are so fanatical when it comes to Islamic issues why are they sitting with their hands under their behind what are they afraid of? They have the nuclear means for destruction if it comes to that so why are they not making any protest at the injustices being carried out systematically by the West over Muslim countries especially those in the Middle East. and Africa.
One by one they brought down the Middle eastern Nations and called it the Arab Spring and we Muslims around the world sit on our hands and nod our heads, yes, good for them to have a spring cleaning, about time. Today they are still cleaning and they are doing it in many guises and pretext. The Western armies are within range of walking into the two Holy Cities of the Muslim where no infidels were allowed to set their feet on, what is to stop them today? Who will stop them? The Saudi Government? Not in our wildest dreams will the so called Keepers of the Holy Cities stand in the ways of the Americans and Israeli backed military might do it simply because they are not capable. They may have the money but they do not have the power. The Arab Monarchs are today the Pimps that have sold Islam to the West along with the oil and if they do it the sand of the desert itself. The Holy Cities of Mecca and Madinah are thus far safe only because the West has yet to declare a Third World War upon the Planet as this is what would happen when they do.make their moves upon the Holy Cities. Then the rest of the Muslim World would be rudely awaken from their materialistic slumber and decide that ti is time for the true "Jihad", with or without the Mahdi. But then as is always the case, it will be too little too late. The damage has more than being done and the OIC will still be sitting in their conference room making up their cotton picking minds as to who or what to blame.
I have let this out of my system without much thought as it came out spontaneously from my heart and an angry heart of a born again Muslim. What I have expressed is what i fear will happen in the End of Days when all the cards are being laid down on the table. I have not in the least the desire for any o these to happen especially not the killings of the innocent as thought they were animals and humanity has stooped down so low that to I hate myself for what I am witnessing. May Allah forgive me for how I feel and may He find it in His Grace to intervene and save mankind from his own self destruction. Ma He open the eyes of all those who find Peace still having the Chance to prevail to step forward and declare their intentions collectively whether from East or the West, the North or the South, Let the clarion call be "Enough! Enough Is Enough!".

" Hatred does not necessarily leads to violence. It is unacknowledged hatred that leads to violence."
Alan Watts.