This week I am attending an AP Statistics Institute in Denver. I have attended a few of these before. I was feeling a bit reluctant to go because it is giving up the last few precious hours of my summer unscheduled time, is in Denver, and I've been before.
But today I was happy with the event. I have a good trainer, and it is different enough from what I've done that it is useful - I got literally about 50 pounds of supplementary material to take home - textbooks, software demos, activities written by the trainer, etc. It also gives me an opportunity to try to figure out how and when I will use the TI-Nspire instead of the TI-84 as I work on some of the problems - because they each have distinct advantages and disadvantages. But I am in virgin territory there - no one else has yet seen the Nspire, not even the trainer. I think I managed to pick two good training programs this summer. Plus I got college credit for both.
Today I was reminded of the fact that the location of one standard deviation from the mean on the standard normal model is the inflection point of the curve - I have not taught that to my kids before and it would be very useful for them in making better model sketches. Also, I learned a better way of thinking about the variance of a linear regression model (r-squared)than I've had before. And, I have a few good ideas for great activities the first day or two of classes that I am looking forward to trying it.
My classes are all large this year - the smallest one is 31. But the trade off is that 4 out of 5 of them are honors classes, albeit mostly freshmen, and 4 out of 5 I am the only one teaching them so I can design them pretty much how I want within the given constraints for each course/grade.
Finally, I also learned I now have enough experience to qualify is an AP-exam scorer. I think I will apply to do that for next summer because expenses are paid and it is a paid position on top of that, and involves a bit of travel to somewhere and would only take a week or two, as well as that due to relatively low numbers of applicants for the Stats exam, I have a good chance of being selected.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Ya Ali!
“And there is one who gives his life
to earn the pleasure of Allah.... (2:207)”
who laid in the Prophet’s bed
and stood steadfastly for Truth
While the others fled.
“...let us summon ourselves and invoke
the curse of God on the liars (3:369)”
at the event of Mubahala -
You, the self-same of the Prophet
And the first to follow.
“Today I have perfected your religion
and completed My favor upon you.... (5:3)”
on the Day of Ghadeer
You are our Mawla
As the Prophet had made clear.
to earn the pleasure of Allah.... (2:207)”
who laid in the Prophet’s bed
and stood steadfastly for Truth
While the others fled.
“...let us summon ourselves and invoke
the curse of God on the liars (3:369)”
at the event of Mubahala -
You, the self-same of the Prophet
And the first to follow.
“Today I have perfected your religion
and completed My favor upon you.... (5:3)”
on the Day of Ghadeer
You are our Mawla
As the Prophet had made clear.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The tiny fish who saw a stone fall
I went and stood on the dock
And tossed a rock
A smooth, flat stone
I let it go with sprite
And it skipped joyfully on the water
And then it sank
A tiny fish saw it fall
And wondered at a thing that should be down
Coming from up
The flat stone swayed slightly
Side to side in the current
Until it came to rest in the sandy bottom
The shiny sand popped playfully
Up and around the stone and resettled
Covering part of the stone
The tiny fish saw that the stone
Was like any other to its right or left.
Had they all come from up?
Then the tiny fish had a big thought
That it had never had before
It wondered as to its own origin.
Did I come from up, too
And what is up, after all?
And the little fish felt unsettled.
It swam to the stone to investigate
Not knowing what it looked for
And it wondered why is there a stone at all?
And why is there a little fish
Worrying about the stone that came from up?
Neither the joyful stone nor playful sand would answer.
So then the little fish swam up
To see where the stone had begun to fall.
Its eyes breached the water just barely.
Over and over again it exerted itself
To go up and see into the heaven
But it could not understand what it saw.
Nothing in the up made sense
To the tiny little fish
No matter how long or hard it looked.
The up was blurry and bright
And full of objects that had no words
And its very matter was foreign.
The little fish was dismayed
At its failure to understand the up
And regretted wondering about the stone.
So the tiny fish went back to the down
And tried to forget its wonder
And its big thought it had never had before.
It thought perhaps it was not for little fish
To understand the up
Or to know why little fish and stones were.
Then night came and the tiny fish
Found its place to be still until the light returned.
And it wondered if there was a why at all.
In the dark it couldn’t really see the stone
Or the sand, or even the water.
But it knew that all these things were there.
Maybe the up was like the dark
Thought the little fish
It just obscured what was always there
Little fish’s heart lightened with the idea
That it didn’t need to see in the dark
Or understand the up to know something.
Gradually the water became light
Along with the tiny fish’s heart
And it felt joyful like the stone
And it felt playful like the sand, too
Because an even bigger thought had
Come to the tiny little fish.
There are some things I know
Because I was meant to know them
And I can look inside or outside and know them.
There are some things I have no words for
And that I can never describe
But they are still real.
On the dock I came again at dawn
And saw a little fish swimming
Happily against the stream
And unknowingly in that instant
I shared a thought with the tiny fish,
A big or tiny thought about God.
And we both were happy.
And tossed a rock
A smooth, flat stone
I let it go with sprite
And it skipped joyfully on the water
And then it sank
A tiny fish saw it fall
And wondered at a thing that should be down
Coming from up
The flat stone swayed slightly
Side to side in the current
Until it came to rest in the sandy bottom
The shiny sand popped playfully
Up and around the stone and resettled
Covering part of the stone
The tiny fish saw that the stone
Was like any other to its right or left.
Had they all come from up?
Then the tiny fish had a big thought
That it had never had before
It wondered as to its own origin.
Did I come from up, too
And what is up, after all?
And the little fish felt unsettled.
It swam to the stone to investigate
Not knowing what it looked for
And it wondered why is there a stone at all?
And why is there a little fish
Worrying about the stone that came from up?
Neither the joyful stone nor playful sand would answer.
So then the little fish swam up
To see where the stone had begun to fall.
Its eyes breached the water just barely.
Over and over again it exerted itself
To go up and see into the heaven
But it could not understand what it saw.
Nothing in the up made sense
To the tiny little fish
No matter how long or hard it looked.
The up was blurry and bright
And full of objects that had no words
And its very matter was foreign.
The little fish was dismayed
At its failure to understand the up
And regretted wondering about the stone.
So the tiny fish went back to the down
And tried to forget its wonder
And its big thought it had never had before.
It thought perhaps it was not for little fish
To understand the up
Or to know why little fish and stones were.
Then night came and the tiny fish
Found its place to be still until the light returned.
And it wondered if there was a why at all.
In the dark it couldn’t really see the stone
Or the sand, or even the water.
But it knew that all these things were there.
Maybe the up was like the dark
Thought the little fish
It just obscured what was always there
Little fish’s heart lightened with the idea
That it didn’t need to see in the dark
Or understand the up to know something.
Gradually the water became light
Along with the tiny fish’s heart
And it felt joyful like the stone
And it felt playful like the sand, too
Because an even bigger thought had
Come to the tiny little fish.
There are some things I know
Because I was meant to know them
And I can look inside or outside and know them.
There are some things I have no words for
And that I can never describe
But they are still real.
On the dock I came again at dawn
And saw a little fish swimming
Happily against the stream
And unknowingly in that instant
I shared a thought with the tiny fish,
A big or tiny thought about God.
And we both were happy.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Finished!
I finished reading The Deathly Hallows. It awaited me in the mail when I got home from work today and it took me about 11 hours to read, give or take. I will admit I first read the very last line of the book because I needed to have a question answered right away. The last line answered it for me. And then I could read the whole story and arrive at the end in peace.
I really can't say a whole lot more unless you want spoilers.
I really can't say a whole lot more unless you want spoilers.
Friday, July 20, 2007
My answers are at the post office
Book 7 has been delivered to my local post office - they are just holding it until tomorrow, the official release date. So maybe tomorrow I'll know who lives and who dies.....
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Fossil
On Monday my parents had the day off and we went up near the Florissant Fossil Beds to a place where you can try to find, dig, and keep your "own" fossils. Really you don't have to dig much but you have to carefully try to pray apart layers of shale. Almost every layer has fossils in it and the sheets are too thin to get all of them, so you have to have some luck as well. In this one, you can see a nice leaf on the left, there is part of a twig to its right, there are some smaller leaves in the top right corner, etc. My dad also got one with a flying ant fossil, but mainly we found lots of twigs and a few leaves. We were only there a few hours - there are just lots of fossils and they are easy to find.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
"I Will Be Like the Sun"
O Imam! You said, "I will be like the sun
Veiled by the clouds ….”
And I do not see the sun on a dark day.
Yet surely even in darkness my heart beholds you,
And is bleached from the light
Of your radiant, pure soul.
O Imam! I await you!
I await the sun's rays on my face -
The joy of warmth that I remember without having felt!
For surely my heart basks in sunshine,
Delighting in the warmth of God’s Mercy
That made me love you.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Dua for the Month of Rajab
We have begun the month of Rajab, entering the season leading up to the month of Ramadan. There are many recommended acts in this month - special prayers can be found at duas.org. Fasting is highly recommended from now through the month of Ramadan. Insha'allah I hope to fast from now except for days when I am traveling out of town, sick, or visiting with family/friends in such a way that involves eating (except of course during the month of Ramadhan when that is no excuse).
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and his household.
O He from whom I can hope for all goodness
And I am safe from His anger at every evil.
O He who gives a lot in exchange of a little.
O He who gives to one who asks Him.
O He who gives to one who does not ask Him and does not know Him,
Out of His affection and mercy.
Give me, for my request is only to You alone,
All the good of this world and all the good of the Hereafter.
Keep away from me, for my request is only to You alone,
All the evil of this world and the evil of the Hereafter.
For indeed it is not diminishing what is given by You.
Increase (for) me from Your bounty, O The Generous.
(Then the 6th Imam held his beard in his left hand and gave a movement to the index finger in his right hand saying :)
O The Sublime and The Distinguished,
O The Bountiful and The Magnanimous,
O the Gracious and the Mighty,
Save my grey hairs from the fire (of Hell).
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and his household.
O He from whom I can hope for all goodness
And I am safe from His anger at every evil.
O He who gives a lot in exchange of a little.
O He who gives to one who asks Him.
O He who gives to one who does not ask Him and does not know Him,
Out of His affection and mercy.
Give me, for my request is only to You alone,
All the good of this world and all the good of the Hereafter.
Keep away from me, for my request is only to You alone,
All the evil of this world and the evil of the Hereafter.
For indeed it is not diminishing what is given by You.
Increase (for) me from Your bounty, O The Generous.
(Then the 6th Imam held his beard in his left hand and gave a movement to the index finger in his right hand saying :)
O The Sublime and The Distinguished,
O The Bountiful and The Magnanimous,
O the Gracious and the Mighty,
Save my grey hairs from the fire (of Hell).
Stop Thief! and Dark Tower
I found this game at an antique mall for $8. I never played it as a kid because it was too expensive for us to buy, but I remember the commercials and I remember wanting it. When I saw it at the store, it looked like it might work and have most of the pieces, so I bought it. I played it with my parents tonight and everything is there and it works. We had fun playing with 1979 technology.
We also have Dark Tower that we received for Christmas one year - what a great game! We played it for hours and hours. It still works but is well-worn. I found a download so I can play it on my computer, but it loses its mystique that way; it just isn't the same. If they turned it into one of those strategy room-by-room games with good graphics that would be cool. The site I linked is a great fan site! Here is a flash version of the game.
We also have Dark Tower that we received for Christmas one year - what a great game! We played it for hours and hours. It still works but is well-worn. I found a download so I can play it on my computer, but it loses its mystique that way; it just isn't the same. If they turned it into one of those strategy room-by-room games with good graphics that would be cool. The site I linked is a great fan site! Here is a flash version of the game.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Tagged
I've been tagged by Patrick from Patrick's Place to play this meme:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog post (about their eight things) and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
Okay, so 8 random facts/habits:
1. There's a meteorologist who does his reports on the local FM news radio station. In the commercial spots about their news broadcasts, he talks about his "accurate" weather reporting. But every time he says it, it really bugs me because he pronounces accurate as "a kerr ut" while I pronounce it "a kyer ut". So then I wonder where he's from that people say it like that. I also don't like it if I happen to notice that someone pronounces "your" and "you're" the same way. But I guess I'll get over it. :)
2. I think green is too hard a color to paint walls with - so many greens end up looking just gross. But I like green in nature and art.
3. When I was a kid and learned the ASL alphabet, I would sign road signs as we passed them on the highway and it became a habit so that I didn't even realize I was doing it. Then, in junior high I learned to type, and the habit switched to typing instead of signing. I still do it and occasionally will find myself "typing" a road sign I passed 20 miles back. But I don't do it as much as I used to when I was a kid. I also am one of those people that if I'm sitting in the movie theater, I'm probably shaking my leg. It doesn't bother me at all, but sometimes can bother someone else. I think it is ridiculous there is now a "restless leg syndrome" that they sell drugs for. Although I guess some people have problems with leg movement in their sleep or something, I don't know.
4. If I could grant myself a wasteful indulgence, it might be to only ever wear brand new socks. Brand new socks feel and look much better than used ones! So, I buy new socks more often than needed, but, I do wear them more than once. :)
5. I like pretty much all the interests of my dad, generally speaking. Growing up I would see him being interested in astronomy and playing with a telescope, go rockhounding with him in the mountains, visiting ruins of old ghost towns, reading lots of books, etc., and I like all these things, too.
6. I like westerns, mysteries, fantasy, spy, and science-fiction novels. But I've never actually read a romance novel. How do you tell a good one from a bad one?
7. I'm wondering why this meme specifically asked for 8 things. It just seems a strange number to pick. I'm guessing whoever did it first thought of 8 things to say about him/herself, or someone who got tagged was really supposed to write 7 or 10 things but had more or less to say.
8. I have some dreams/fantasies that I want to do, but maybe not really. One of my fantasies is to backpack for a whole season. But, I'm not really a backpacker, just would kind of like to be. That's a hobby/sport you really need companions to do with you, though. Another fantasy is to live in a simple trailer in the middle of 4-corner Navajo country. I'm not sure I'd really like to do this, but part of me finds the ideas appealing.
Rather than leaving comments, I'll just list 8 people here, but of course no one has to play if they don't want to, and anyone who wants to play, can.
1. Carol
2. Victoria
3. Sadiq Alam (Mystic Saint)
4. Manal
5. Organic
6. Anila
7. Safiya
8. Hajar
9. (Maybe Laura in MySpace?)
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog post (about their eight things) and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
Okay, so 8 random facts/habits:
1. There's a meteorologist who does his reports on the local FM news radio station. In the commercial spots about their news broadcasts, he talks about his "accurate" weather reporting. But every time he says it, it really bugs me because he pronounces accurate as "a kerr ut" while I pronounce it "a kyer ut". So then I wonder where he's from that people say it like that. I also don't like it if I happen to notice that someone pronounces "your" and "you're" the same way. But I guess I'll get over it. :)
2. I think green is too hard a color to paint walls with - so many greens end up looking just gross. But I like green in nature and art.
3. When I was a kid and learned the ASL alphabet, I would sign road signs as we passed them on the highway and it became a habit so that I didn't even realize I was doing it. Then, in junior high I learned to type, and the habit switched to typing instead of signing. I still do it and occasionally will find myself "typing" a road sign I passed 20 miles back. But I don't do it as much as I used to when I was a kid. I also am one of those people that if I'm sitting in the movie theater, I'm probably shaking my leg. It doesn't bother me at all, but sometimes can bother someone else. I think it is ridiculous there is now a "restless leg syndrome" that they sell drugs for. Although I guess some people have problems with leg movement in their sleep or something, I don't know.
4. If I could grant myself a wasteful indulgence, it might be to only ever wear brand new socks. Brand new socks feel and look much better than used ones! So, I buy new socks more often than needed, but, I do wear them more than once. :)
5. I like pretty much all the interests of my dad, generally speaking. Growing up I would see him being interested in astronomy and playing with a telescope, go rockhounding with him in the mountains, visiting ruins of old ghost towns, reading lots of books, etc., and I like all these things, too.
6. I like westerns, mysteries, fantasy, spy, and science-fiction novels. But I've never actually read a romance novel. How do you tell a good one from a bad one?
7. I'm wondering why this meme specifically asked for 8 things. It just seems a strange number to pick. I'm guessing whoever did it first thought of 8 things to say about him/herself, or someone who got tagged was really supposed to write 7 or 10 things but had more or less to say.
8. I have some dreams/fantasies that I want to do, but maybe not really. One of my fantasies is to backpack for a whole season. But, I'm not really a backpacker, just would kind of like to be. That's a hobby/sport you really need companions to do with you, though. Another fantasy is to live in a simple trailer in the middle of 4-corner Navajo country. I'm not sure I'd really like to do this, but part of me finds the ideas appealing.
Rather than leaving comments, I'll just list 8 people here, but of course no one has to play if they don't want to, and anyone who wants to play, can.
1. Carol
2. Victoria
3. Sadiq Alam (Mystic Saint)
4. Manal
5. Organic
6. Anila
7. Safiya
8. Hajar
9. (Maybe Laura in MySpace?)
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Walayah
Love of Allah (swt) - Walayah
One of the most central and important concepts of Islam and of our very existence is that of walayah. Walayah is one of the pillars or foundations of Islam, and is fact the most central of the foundations.
Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) described the foundations of Islam as follows:
“Islam is built upon five foundations: communion (salah), pruning of wealth (zakah), fasting (sawm), pilgrimage (hajj) and dynamic loving (walayah). And nothing has been called to the way dynamic loving (walayah) has been called to.”
Most people are more familiar with another tradition that relates the fifth foundation or pillar as the witnessing (shahada) that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad (saw) is His adorer-servant and messenger.
Of the five activities that form the foundation, walayah (dynamic loving) is the first and foremost foundation. While the more often heard hadith mentions the foremost as the shahadah, there is not really a conflict between these two traditions, but this shall be explained later.
First let us understand what walayah is. Walayah denotes the activity of coming or working to be in the closest possible proximity to something. If one has walayah with another, then the two things are so close as to be almost inseparable.
Walayah really denotes two activities that take place due to this relationship of being so close. The first activity is that of pure loving, affection, attachment and intimacy. This kind of love can be between two people such as parent and child or husband and wife. The second activity is that of comforting – providing aid, assistance, guidance and support. This activity can also between two people, but at an uneven level. For example, a parent may provide comfort aid, assistance, guardianship and guidance as love to a child, but the child can respond lovingly but not equally, not with the same kind of activity. Instead the child who responds positively does so with loyalty, allegiance, devotion and obedience.
God gives walayah to those who would receive it. For example, in the Qur’an it says, “Allah is the Comforter (doer or giver of Walayah) of those who are dynamically faithful (receivers and responders of walayah - believers); He extracts them from all manner of darkness into light….” (2:257)
Someone who does walayah is called a waliyy. “Waliyyu Allah” is a phrase that describes a devotee, intimate follower and lover of Allah. People who are such lovers of God are mentioned in the Qur’an also: “ Indeed! The devotees of Allah (Waliyyu Allah) will have no fear upon them nor will they grieve.” (10:62)
So, the reason why there is no real conflict between the two different forms of the tradition is that the Shahada is a manifestation and application of walayah. When someone bears witness that God is their waliyy, that person is acknowledging his or her role in the relationship to respond with allegiance and obedience. In the shahada we witness that God is the ultimate source of love, comfort, guardianship and authority and is deserving of allegiance, service and adoration. He is the ultimate and true waliyy of us all. At the same time, one is pledging one’s love, allegiance, loyalty and obedience to this ultimate source of true love. One also acknowledges that Muhammad (saw) is the perfect waliyy (adorer/servant) of God and pledging love, allegiance and loyalty to him (saw) as well due to his relationship with God.
All love - all walayah - ultimately comes from and is due to God. The Qur’an says: “Say O Prophet: My Comforter (waliyy) is Allah, who gradually sent down the Book; he receives the dynamic love (walayah) of the righteous.” (7:196) God both gives and receives walayah, this dynamic love. God loves us, and we respond, either positive or negative. The positive response to the love of God, the walayah of God, is the fundamental activity of Islam and the distinguishing characteristic of a Believer. The positive response is the return of love, obedience, loyalty, allegiance, etc. It is what Islam is all about and what our lives are ultimately all about. The one who becomes a true waliyy or devotee of Allah (Waliyyu Allah) achieves a state of righteousness. Allah loves as the Comforter, then the righteous person responds with love as the Devotee, and then Allah responds with a deepening of walayah toward the Devotee and it can be an ever-deepening cycle. So it all comes from Allah swt and continues to grow and deepen as far as the recipient of God’s love responds. It is only the limit of our response to God’s walayah that limits the depth of return of God’s walayah, which is nevertheless ever present.
The means to achieving this ever-deepening cycle is also explained to us in the Qur’an:
“Oh you who are dynamically faithful (doers of walayah to God, or Believers)! Obey Allah and His Messenger. And do not let yourselves be oriented to a walayah other than this ( or be turned away from him….” (8:20) “Whoever obeys the Prophet has definitely obeyed Allah. And as for whoever lets himself be oriented towards another walayah, then Allah has not made you (the Prophet (saw)) their keeper.” (4:80) Thus, the Qur’an tells us that the method of obeying and doing walayah with Allah swt is through following His Prophet (saw).
This is further explained in the traditions. Truly, Islam is the way (deen) of love. Imam Muhammad Baqir(as) related a tradition as follows: A man was traveling to visit the Imam (as) and the travel caused his legs and feet to become blistered and chapped. He told the Imam (as), “Nothing brought me here from whence I came except the love of you, the Family of the Prophet.” Imam Baqir (as) replied, “By Allah! Even if a stone were to love us, He would gather it up with us (on the Judgment Day). Is the Deen (of Islam) anything but loving? Surely Allah says, ‘Say: If you have come to love Allah, then follow me! He will love you.’” (3:31) Then Imam (as) said, “He loves whomsoever migrates to them (Ahlulbayt (as)). Is the Din anything but loving?” Thus, Islam is all about the giving and receiving walayah relationship between Allah and us, and we respond to His love by loving those who are closest to Him, the Prophet (saw) and his family (as), and in turn Allah swt responds with even deeper walayah.
Further, a positive response to God’s walayah for us is to be just. “O you who are dynamically faithful! Be those who stand for manifest justice, witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, your parents, or those who are close to you; even if it be against someone poor or rich, for Allah has more walayah than anyone else with both of them (the poor and rich). And do not follow your personal whims and desires and let them prevent you from being just. And if you deviate or turn away from justice, then surely Allah is well-informed of all that you do.” (4:135)
In the Qur’an, Muslims are not addressed directly, but believers who return walayah to God are, for the Qur’an and God make distinctions between Muslims and Believers. Believers are the “dynamically faithful”, the positive responders of walayah. Muslims are those who submit in body or word but not necessarily in this dynamic loving with God. “The desert Arabs say: We believe (are doers or positive receivers of walayah with God)! Say to them, “ You have not yet believed, but rather say, “We have submitted (become Muslims)”, for faith has not yet entered into your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not let your good deeds go to waste. Truly Allah is Ever Forgiving, Singularly Compassionate. The truly believers are only those who believe (and are dynamically loving with) Allah and His Messenger, then do not doubt, but strive with their wealth and their beings in the Way of Allah. Those are the truthful ones.” (49:14-15)
God loves and is merciful to all of creation. The mercy He shows to all creation is denoted by His name Rahman. He cares for and provides for all. But there is a special mercy for those who respond positively, and that special mercy is denoted in His name Raheem. When we turn to God, God turns to us. The means of developing an ever- closer relationship with God is ultimately what Islam is all about. Every aspect of Islam is to guide us as to how to achieve greater closeness, to deepen our walayah relationship with God. The remaining four foundations of Islam – the prayer, the fasting, the hajj, and the zakat, are all means of deepening walayah with God, as are all other aspects of the deen. But, as the Qur’an has distinguished for us, it is possible to do all these things in word and deed without the benefit of deepening relationship with God. That is, we can be Muslims without yet being Believers. The keys to being Believers are the acceptance of God’s love and the response in heart with devotion, obedience and love, not only to Allah swt but with those closest in walayah to Him, the Prophet (saw) and Ahlulbayt (as).
Reference: Islam Dynamic: The Cosmology, Spirituality and Practice of Walayah by Idris Samawi Hamid
One of the most central and important concepts of Islam and of our very existence is that of walayah. Walayah is one of the pillars or foundations of Islam, and is fact the most central of the foundations.
Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) described the foundations of Islam as follows:
“Islam is built upon five foundations: communion (salah), pruning of wealth (zakah), fasting (sawm), pilgrimage (hajj) and dynamic loving (walayah). And nothing has been called to the way dynamic loving (walayah) has been called to.”
Most people are more familiar with another tradition that relates the fifth foundation or pillar as the witnessing (shahada) that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad (saw) is His adorer-servant and messenger.
Of the five activities that form the foundation, walayah (dynamic loving) is the first and foremost foundation. While the more often heard hadith mentions the foremost as the shahadah, there is not really a conflict between these two traditions, but this shall be explained later.
First let us understand what walayah is. Walayah denotes the activity of coming or working to be in the closest possible proximity to something. If one has walayah with another, then the two things are so close as to be almost inseparable.
Walayah really denotes two activities that take place due to this relationship of being so close. The first activity is that of pure loving, affection, attachment and intimacy. This kind of love can be between two people such as parent and child or husband and wife. The second activity is that of comforting – providing aid, assistance, guidance and support. This activity can also between two people, but at an uneven level. For example, a parent may provide comfort aid, assistance, guardianship and guidance as love to a child, but the child can respond lovingly but not equally, not with the same kind of activity. Instead the child who responds positively does so with loyalty, allegiance, devotion and obedience.
God gives walayah to those who would receive it. For example, in the Qur’an it says, “Allah is the Comforter (doer or giver of Walayah) of those who are dynamically faithful (receivers and responders of walayah - believers); He extracts them from all manner of darkness into light….” (2:257)
Someone who does walayah is called a waliyy. “Waliyyu Allah” is a phrase that describes a devotee, intimate follower and lover of Allah. People who are such lovers of God are mentioned in the Qur’an also: “ Indeed! The devotees of Allah (Waliyyu Allah) will have no fear upon them nor will they grieve.” (10:62)
So, the reason why there is no real conflict between the two different forms of the tradition is that the Shahada is a manifestation and application of walayah. When someone bears witness that God is their waliyy, that person is acknowledging his or her role in the relationship to respond with allegiance and obedience. In the shahada we witness that God is the ultimate source of love, comfort, guardianship and authority and is deserving of allegiance, service and adoration. He is the ultimate and true waliyy of us all. At the same time, one is pledging one’s love, allegiance, loyalty and obedience to this ultimate source of true love. One also acknowledges that Muhammad (saw) is the perfect waliyy (adorer/servant) of God and pledging love, allegiance and loyalty to him (saw) as well due to his relationship with God.
All love - all walayah - ultimately comes from and is due to God. The Qur’an says: “Say O Prophet: My Comforter (waliyy) is Allah, who gradually sent down the Book; he receives the dynamic love (walayah) of the righteous.” (7:196) God both gives and receives walayah, this dynamic love. God loves us, and we respond, either positive or negative. The positive response to the love of God, the walayah of God, is the fundamental activity of Islam and the distinguishing characteristic of a Believer. The positive response is the return of love, obedience, loyalty, allegiance, etc. It is what Islam is all about and what our lives are ultimately all about. The one who becomes a true waliyy or devotee of Allah (Waliyyu Allah) achieves a state of righteousness. Allah loves as the Comforter, then the righteous person responds with love as the Devotee, and then Allah responds with a deepening of walayah toward the Devotee and it can be an ever-deepening cycle. So it all comes from Allah swt and continues to grow and deepen as far as the recipient of God’s love responds. It is only the limit of our response to God’s walayah that limits the depth of return of God’s walayah, which is nevertheless ever present.
The means to achieving this ever-deepening cycle is also explained to us in the Qur’an:
“Oh you who are dynamically faithful (doers of walayah to God, or Believers)! Obey Allah and His Messenger. And do not let yourselves be oriented to a walayah other than this ( or be turned away from him….” (8:20) “Whoever obeys the Prophet has definitely obeyed Allah. And as for whoever lets himself be oriented towards another walayah, then Allah has not made you (the Prophet (saw)) their keeper.” (4:80) Thus, the Qur’an tells us that the method of obeying and doing walayah with Allah swt is through following His Prophet (saw).
This is further explained in the traditions. Truly, Islam is the way (deen) of love. Imam Muhammad Baqir(as) related a tradition as follows: A man was traveling to visit the Imam (as) and the travel caused his legs and feet to become blistered and chapped. He told the Imam (as), “Nothing brought me here from whence I came except the love of you, the Family of the Prophet.” Imam Baqir (as) replied, “By Allah! Even if a stone were to love us, He would gather it up with us (on the Judgment Day). Is the Deen (of Islam) anything but loving? Surely Allah says, ‘Say: If you have come to love Allah, then follow me! He will love you.’” (3:31) Then Imam (as) said, “He loves whomsoever migrates to them (Ahlulbayt (as)). Is the Din anything but loving?” Thus, Islam is all about the giving and receiving walayah relationship between Allah and us, and we respond to His love by loving those who are closest to Him, the Prophet (saw) and his family (as), and in turn Allah swt responds with even deeper walayah.
Further, a positive response to God’s walayah for us is to be just. “O you who are dynamically faithful! Be those who stand for manifest justice, witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, your parents, or those who are close to you; even if it be against someone poor or rich, for Allah has more walayah than anyone else with both of them (the poor and rich). And do not follow your personal whims and desires and let them prevent you from being just. And if you deviate or turn away from justice, then surely Allah is well-informed of all that you do.” (4:135)
In the Qur’an, Muslims are not addressed directly, but believers who return walayah to God are, for the Qur’an and God make distinctions between Muslims and Believers. Believers are the “dynamically faithful”, the positive responders of walayah. Muslims are those who submit in body or word but not necessarily in this dynamic loving with God. “The desert Arabs say: We believe (are doers or positive receivers of walayah with God)! Say to them, “ You have not yet believed, but rather say, “We have submitted (become Muslims)”, for faith has not yet entered into your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not let your good deeds go to waste. Truly Allah is Ever Forgiving, Singularly Compassionate. The truly believers are only those who believe (and are dynamically loving with) Allah and His Messenger, then do not doubt, but strive with their wealth and their beings in the Way of Allah. Those are the truthful ones.” (49:14-15)
God loves and is merciful to all of creation. The mercy He shows to all creation is denoted by His name Rahman. He cares for and provides for all. But there is a special mercy for those who respond positively, and that special mercy is denoted in His name Raheem. When we turn to God, God turns to us. The means of developing an ever- closer relationship with God is ultimately what Islam is all about. Every aspect of Islam is to guide us as to how to achieve greater closeness, to deepen our walayah relationship with God. The remaining four foundations of Islam – the prayer, the fasting, the hajj, and the zakat, are all means of deepening walayah with God, as are all other aspects of the deen. But, as the Qur’an has distinguished for us, it is possible to do all these things in word and deed without the benefit of deepening relationship with God. That is, we can be Muslims without yet being Believers. The keys to being Believers are the acceptance of God’s love and the response in heart with devotion, obedience and love, not only to Allah swt but with those closest in walayah to Him, the Prophet (saw) and Ahlulbayt (as).
Reference: Islam Dynamic: The Cosmology, Spirituality and Practice of Walayah by Idris Samawi Hamid
Monday, July 02, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Destination Truth
Destination Truth is a new series on the Sci-Fi channel that comes on after Ghost Hunters on Wednesdays.
I recommend it for an entertaining hour. The host, Josh Gates, in real-life possessing the perfect combination of degrees in archaeology and drama, is this guy who travels around the world to investigate cryptozoological claims. Of course we believe the network is funding it all, but you can imagine this independently wealthy explorer character out of an 1800's Lost World - type story, with modern technology and with this colonialist confidence that he just might be able to show up and in a few days solve the great mysteries/problems of a region that no one there could solve. But no, he's not that arrogant or disrespectful - this is play.
The premise of the show would be absurd if it took itself too seriously. While he is really traveling and doing quasi-investigations, it all plays like one big parody (almost), and he seemingly is a gracious guest wherever he goes. Destination Truth is an adventure show in which Josh Gates plays himself carrying out the explorer and mystery-solving fantasies of the viewers in a documentary style. And while he's at it, he might as well do some sort of investigating and use a bit of both of his college degrees.
When he decides on a story to investigate, he travels to the locale and interviews witnesses before conducting his 'investigations'. You always get the impression you're only seeing an abbreviated form of the interview - or else he is just a rather poor interviewer. While some reports are credible, some of the reports people give him are totally ridiculous - yet he still listens to what they have to say and checks out their claims. If he gathers any potential evidence, he makes at least a mediocre attempt to have it analyzed by experts. The show typically ends with a summary of the results that leaves open that slightest chance for 'something' unknown to be out there.
His deadpan narrative commentary is at times hilarious. For example, he was investigating claims of a Loch Ness - type creature in a particular lake in South America, and someone (whom Josh notes decorates his house entirely in self-portraits) was telling him a theory that it was created from nuclear experiments that a German Nazi scientist had done on an island in the lake in the 1940's. Josh has these comments about going out to the Island of Dr. Moreau or being in a Stan Lee (think Marvel comics) story. His facial expressions occasionally give him away - a roll of the eyes or a laugh that confirm he isn't believing what he is hearing. But he nevertheless goes out to the island to investigate, and finds out the experiments were real however with no evidence for the creation of a lake monster.
His investigations are one-stop brief high-tech invitations for any monster that wants to be found to show itself, but certainly not likely to find anything. Even if you were looking for something known to exist, it wouldn't likely be found through these methods. For example, "Oh, I heard a noise after there, let's run after it!" just doesn't strike me as being the best technique for actually finding something. That's a good way to get hurt or killed or to alert any animal in the vicinity to get away.
There are further examples that theinvestigations seem rather ill-conceived. They find guides to take them places when the guides really have no idea where they are going, or they go out on a lake they are not supposed to be on in the middle of the night in a rickety boat low on fuel. Or they crawl into an unknown, unstable cave that they can't even see into because it might contain evidence of a giant bird even though its entrance could not conceivably admit such a creature. The results can be amusing to watch, but any hunter knows a real hunt is most often a game of patience, data collection, and quiet observation - it just doesn't play as well for television.
If you're not paying attention, you might take this show seriously for the first few minutes if you happened across it turning the dial. You know, maybe he'll really make the cryptozoological find of the century. Anything's possible!
Ghost Hunters is the same evening and recommended as part of the full night's entertainment. Better (more serious) in terms of more legitimate scientific methodology but a bit biased toward believer's interpretation of results and with light soap-opera drama of the team members' lives in the context of their work added for good measure, once again with the TAPS team on Ghost Hunters, anything's possible.
By the way do all these guys assume just because we can't see infrared neither can anything else? I know for a fact certain animals see different parts of the spectrum we can't - for example, bees seeing UV patterns in flowers. If somethings see IR, all those "zero lux" and "night vision" cameras would be making it bright as day for them.
I recommend it for an entertaining hour. The host, Josh Gates, in real-life possessing the perfect combination of degrees in archaeology and drama, is this guy who travels around the world to investigate cryptozoological claims. Of course we believe the network is funding it all, but you can imagine this independently wealthy explorer character out of an 1800's Lost World - type story, with modern technology and with this colonialist confidence that he just might be able to show up and in a few days solve the great mysteries/problems of a region that no one there could solve. But no, he's not that arrogant or disrespectful - this is play.
The premise of the show would be absurd if it took itself too seriously. While he is really traveling and doing quasi-investigations, it all plays like one big parody (almost), and he seemingly is a gracious guest wherever he goes. Destination Truth is an adventure show in which Josh Gates plays himself carrying out the explorer and mystery-solving fantasies of the viewers in a documentary style. And while he's at it, he might as well do some sort of investigating and use a bit of both of his college degrees.
When he decides on a story to investigate, he travels to the locale and interviews witnesses before conducting his 'investigations'. You always get the impression you're only seeing an abbreviated form of the interview - or else he is just a rather poor interviewer. While some reports are credible, some of the reports people give him are totally ridiculous - yet he still listens to what they have to say and checks out their claims. If he gathers any potential evidence, he makes at least a mediocre attempt to have it analyzed by experts. The show typically ends with a summary of the results that leaves open that slightest chance for 'something' unknown to be out there.
His deadpan narrative commentary is at times hilarious. For example, he was investigating claims of a Loch Ness - type creature in a particular lake in South America, and someone (whom Josh notes decorates his house entirely in self-portraits) was telling him a theory that it was created from nuclear experiments that a German Nazi scientist had done on an island in the lake in the 1940's. Josh has these comments about going out to the Island of Dr. Moreau or being in a Stan Lee (think Marvel comics) story. His facial expressions occasionally give him away - a roll of the eyes or a laugh that confirm he isn't believing what he is hearing. But he nevertheless goes out to the island to investigate, and finds out the experiments were real however with no evidence for the creation of a lake monster.
His investigations are one-stop brief high-tech invitations for any monster that wants to be found to show itself, but certainly not likely to find anything. Even if you were looking for something known to exist, it wouldn't likely be found through these methods. For example, "Oh, I heard a noise after there, let's run after it!" just doesn't strike me as being the best technique for actually finding something. That's a good way to get hurt or killed or to alert any animal in the vicinity to get away.
There are further examples that theinvestigations seem rather ill-conceived. They find guides to take them places when the guides really have no idea where they are going, or they go out on a lake they are not supposed to be on in the middle of the night in a rickety boat low on fuel. Or they crawl into an unknown, unstable cave that they can't even see into because it might contain evidence of a giant bird even though its entrance could not conceivably admit such a creature. The results can be amusing to watch, but any hunter knows a real hunt is most often a game of patience, data collection, and quiet observation - it just doesn't play as well for television.
If you're not paying attention, you might take this show seriously for the first few minutes if you happened across it turning the dial. You know, maybe he'll really make the cryptozoological find of the century. Anything's possible!
Ghost Hunters is the same evening and recommended as part of the full night's entertainment. Better (more serious) in terms of more legitimate scientific methodology but a bit biased toward believer's interpretation of results and with light soap-opera drama of the team members' lives in the context of their work added for good measure, once again with the TAPS team on Ghost Hunters, anything's possible.
By the way do all these guys assume just because we can't see infrared neither can anything else? I know for a fact certain animals see different parts of the spectrum we can't - for example, bees seeing UV patterns in flowers. If somethings see IR, all those "zero lux" and "night vision" cameras would be making it bright as day for them.
Monday, June 25, 2007
No rain for 400 years
Atacama Desert - World's Driest Place
Evidence suggests this desert had no real rain for 400 years, and parts of it have not seen rain in hundreds of thousands to even possibly tens of million of years.
Evidence suggests this desert had no real rain for 400 years, and parts of it have not seen rain in hundreds of thousands to even possibly tens of million of years.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Byron Rose
Picture from The Gazette published June 14, 2007.
Picture taken at the lot.
(Pictures posted with permission from Laura.)
I see several people are coming to this site doing searches about Byron Rose. I will be sure to post any significant updates about his condition. Laura feels he his making a bit of progress or at least staying stable each day but it is slow and she hopes for your continued prayers.
My Asian lilies that I bought mail order last year are starting to bloom. They didn't come up last year, but I have literally like 50 coming up this year. The first color is pink - looks like orange will be next insha'allah!
But here is a picture of another plant - I forget what it is called - Santorini or something? - I bought it at the annual Horticultural Society plant sale at Monument Valley Park a few years ago. This is the best place to get plants as long as you go the first day before they're picked over a bit. I've never had anything bought there die on me, and that's pretty impressive if you know my gardening. (What gardening?) It is like this sagey color, but then it gets these green shoots with tiny yellow flowers. Strange, cool plant! Especially because it doesn't need much of anything from me in terms of maintenance.
And here is a "mystery" photo, in that I did not take it. :) Niece must've picked up the camera while they were playing computer games. Bonus points to you if you know the game they're playing!!!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Hiking Club
Today we went hiking with a group of retired teaching ladies. Well, most of them are retired. I found out about the group through a lady who works in the math department with me named Nancy (so, obviously she's not retired, but most in the group are). This is a group of women that meet to hike every single Thursday no matter the weather, all year round. The numbers vary as different people show up as they wish. Most of the ladies are probably in their 60's, but one lady was in her 80's. However, this lady is a super woman - she is very very fit - well-muscled and could probably run a 5k without hardly breaking a sweat. I was impressed!
We hiked the Catamount trail and at times had a lovely view of of the north face of Pikes Peak to our left. Apparently there is another Catamount trail that has its head at Green Mountain falls, but this is a new one that opened last year and maybe connects the other one. Its head was up the Ute Pass beyond Woodland Park but before Florissant or Divide, off a side road. We hiked almost 7 miles we think. Actually, 5 of us did, including my niece, but the rest of the group headed back a bit earlier and so hiked closer to 5 miles. My niece and nephew were the only children on the hike and they did get tired but they loved playing with Nancy's dog Gus. Gus loves going on hikes and playing in creeks and especially carrying and fetching sticks. Although the temperatures were to get into the 90's today, we were fortunate that up at the elevation we were hiking at it didn't get quite that hot and in fact by the time we were coming back some storm clouds were blowing over and it was breezy and in the 70's - so that was very nice.
I do need to remember to bring my GPS on such hikes in the future as sometimes these ladies aren't quite sure where they're going and a GPS can show you your tracks so you can at least make sure you take the same path back as you came in on to get yourself "unlost" if needed. I hope to hike with them again - it was a good day.
This is after we finished hiking and just got back to the cars at the trailhead.
This is a lean-to shelter we passed on our way around the upper loop.
This is my nephew eating a cinnamon roll as big as his head when we stopped at The Donut Mill in Woodland Park on our way home. Apparently that is a tradition with the ladies to stop there or somewhere similar.
We hiked the Catamount trail and at times had a lovely view of of the north face of Pikes Peak to our left. Apparently there is another Catamount trail that has its head at Green Mountain falls, but this is a new one that opened last year and maybe connects the other one. Its head was up the Ute Pass beyond Woodland Park but before Florissant or Divide, off a side road. We hiked almost 7 miles we think. Actually, 5 of us did, including my niece, but the rest of the group headed back a bit earlier and so hiked closer to 5 miles. My niece and nephew were the only children on the hike and they did get tired but they loved playing with Nancy's dog Gus. Gus loves going on hikes and playing in creeks and especially carrying and fetching sticks. Although the temperatures were to get into the 90's today, we were fortunate that up at the elevation we were hiking at it didn't get quite that hot and in fact by the time we were coming back some storm clouds were blowing over and it was breezy and in the 70's - so that was very nice.
I do need to remember to bring my GPS on such hikes in the future as sometimes these ladies aren't quite sure where they're going and a GPS can show you your tracks so you can at least make sure you take the same path back as you came in on to get yourself "unlost" if needed. I hope to hike with them again - it was a good day.
This is after we finished hiking and just got back to the cars at the trailhead.
This is a lean-to shelter we passed on our way around the upper loop.
This is my nephew eating a cinnamon roll as big as his head when we stopped at The Donut Mill in Woodland Park on our way home. Apparently that is a tradition with the ladies to stop there or somewhere similar.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Update on Byron
Mom and I visited him this evening. I think lots of friends and family have been visiting, which is good. He is in a coma and basically the condition of his head injury has not changed. He had swelling and that is less. This time when I visited he did not move at all. My mom said, "He is far away right now." Doctors are still hopeful that eventually he may wake up. So please keep him and Laura in your prayers.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Special Urgent Request
My friend Laura's husband Byron Rose was in a serious car accident Wednesday morning. He was hit while both cars were at high speed. He had his spleen removed because it ruptured, broken ribs, collapsed lung, and head injury. He is not waking up right now. Apparently there was a picture of the accident in today's Gazette but I haven't seen it yet. Just yesterday, he got a new job in Virginia and they were planning to move back where they are from. It is uncertain what the recovery of his head injury will be as he is not awake yet and those kind of things are wait and see.
Please pray for him and Laura.
Please pray for him and Laura.
Bent's Fort
Today we went to Bent's Fort. It is a neat place kind of in the middle of nowhere. We drove around on back country roads and found a few caches. Bent's Fort is a virtual cache itself. It rained hard most of the way there, but we were fortunate that pretty much every time we got out to do something it stopped or turned just into a sprinkle. We also placed a cache in La Junta because there did not seem to be any there, amazingly enough.
Walking to the fort.
On the roof of the fort.
While there, I learned of another place I would love to go to sometime in the future:
Picketwire Canyonlands - best dinosaur tracks in North America
Walking to the fort.
On the roof of the fort.
While there, I learned of another place I would love to go to sometime in the future:
Picketwire Canyonlands - best dinosaur tracks in North America
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