As a result of the post "Ritual and Reason" below, which appeared in a few forums, I was accused of being an 'azadari basher', meaning someone against mourning on Ashura, and of basically being arrogant and anti-Shia. The accuser said that no one has the right to question azadari.
First of all, I didn't say anything to question azadari.
But secondly, in Islam anyone has the right and even the responsibility to question, even to question the existence of God, the nature of God. So of course someone has the right to question any practice. If people never question, then the result is that truth is lost over time due to corruptions that are never questioned. A brother mentioned a case in a village where people killed sheep or goats and then put the blood on themselves to commemorate Ashura - he mentioned it as a clear example where a practice becomes unIslamic even if done with apparently an Islamic intention.
And thirdly, so what, i want to know the origins and details of practices. Why should they not be known? Knowing that can only help to strengthen or improve practices. And to make it clear, I never condemned any particular practice or said that it should not be done, etc.
Finally, if you love someone, living or dead, you feel sad at their pains and joy at their joys. Remembering helps to preserve truth. Walayah requires empathy and compassion and walayah is the means to know someone, associate with them, follow them. If you do not have walayah for someone you cannot claim to be his/her follower or friend. Now expressing that walayah for Imam Husain (as) does not necessarily require any particular methods. Whatever those methods are, unless they are wajib (which in this case they are not) the methods are not what makes someone Shia or not or Muslim or not, or lover of Ahlulbayt (as) or not. It is the walayah. Everything should be judged in the context of walayah and shari'ah.
On another note,
for Ashura I went up to Fort Collins, about 150 miles north of here, to attend a small gathering at which Sheikh Idris led ziyarate ashoura and dua alqamah and gave a short, wonderful speech. I am very glad I went. Someone told me about it just the night before, so I consider it a blessing to have heard about it and gone. Further, I got to talk to Sheikh Idris's wife which was also wonderful.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Ritual and Reason - on the discussions of reform in Muharram observance in response to culture and audience
I open this writing with a few passages from other sources:
“They should know that if a sentence creates a tremor in one's souls and attunes it with the spirit of Husayn ibn 'Ali and, as a result, one small tear were to come out of one's eyes, it is really a precious station. But tears drawn by the scenes of mere butchery, even if a deluge, are worthless.” – Ayatollah Mutahari, in “’Ashura: Misrepresentations and Distortions”
Many of today’s Christians do not really care that the traditions are separated from their roots. If we allow means to be the ends then we head in the same direction of having traditions and rituals for their own sake, separated from true purpose.
Whenever that happens, this is among the greatest of all possible losses. We cannot be those who try to uphold Islam original if we do not keep that as our active intention and form every act for the achievement of that purpose. If the purpose of a procession or majlis or gathering is to let people learn about Imam Hussain (as) and true Islam and to reform ourselves, then how it is done should be designed for that accomplishment rather than for anything else – be it the performance of matam or whatever. That design may depend on the audience and circumstances and what works for one audience and circumstance may not be the best design for another. We should not become tied down to a few ways of doing things but should be adaptable within the bounds of Islam. We should observe the wajib acts and seek out the mustahab acts, but always associated with their purposes and not separated from them.
I heard someone asking why is the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) and the tragedy of Karbala considered a sad event. Why aren’t we joyous that they achieved martyrdom and saved Islam? Why do we observe it with sadness at all?
Is the purpose of Muharram to get sad?
I think these are valid questions and worthy of thought and not quick dismissal because they are honest and sincere questions. I read that when the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) approached, he acted as if he were invigorated and energized in battle knowing his time was near. It is reported that Qasim, upon hearing that the men would all be martyred, asked if he would as well, being a young teen. Imam Hussain (as) asked him how he felt about it and he replied that it was something he really wanted, to achieve martyrdom along with the adults. They all knew with confidence they were on the side of right and that martyrdom would be a good outcome for them. We also know through history that although they did die that they were the ultimate victors. They were the victors because they achieved their purpose. They never separated their acts from their active intentions. They never sought martyrdom as a merit in itself or an end in itself. If they had wanted martyrdom as an end in itself, they could have achieved it on many prior occasions. Rather, they understood that the worth of their martyrdom was in its purpose of standing against oppression and standing up for truth and upholding the true Islam for mankind even up to today. Yet we also read that Imam Sajjad (as) mourned greatly throughout his life over the tragedy. If we love someone sincerely, then we feel their loss and pain as our own. So the sadness is an outcome of the love, and the love is what we need - love for those close and dear to Allah swt and for Allah swt himself - whatever imperfect love we are blessed with in response to Allah swt's perfect love.
We should feel grateful that they made that sacrifice, and we should honor it through careful attention to real Islam in everything that we do to the best of our ability. But we should also feel pain at their sufferings that were very real. To make the sacrifices they made and to go through the trials they endured was very difficult. It is sad and shameful that it was necessary. It is sad and shameful that still the message is not heeded. If one imagines for a moment that a loved one has died to save another, would not one still feel sadness, loss, and sorrow? What people are more beloved to the true followers of Ahlulbayt (as) than the Ahlulbayt (as)? If one imagines a Muharram observance that takes joy as its means, would the message of reform remain? What is Muharram about if not reform?
Reform for its own sake is again something gone away from true Islam. Real reform is not a departure but a return. It returns our actions to the root of pure active intention of fulfilling our ultimate purpose in existence. Imam Hussain (as) showed us what reform is and how to live it and how to die in it. I feel that is what Muharram observance should be all about.
So whatever someone does that is permissible for observance of Muharram, be it of any type and any fervor, Allah swt bless him with an attentive heart. Love Allah swt, love Ahlulbayt (as), feel the love and then act on it not only in mourning or Muharram observance, but in self-reform in Allah swt's way.
“They should know that if a sentence creates a tremor in one's souls and attunes it with the spirit of Husayn ibn 'Ali and, as a result, one small tear were to come out of one's eyes, it is really a precious station. But tears drawn by the scenes of mere butchery, even if a deluge, are worthless.” – Ayatollah Mutahari, in “’Ashura: Misrepresentations and Distortions”
Many of today’s Christians do not really care that the traditions are separated from their roots. If we allow means to be the ends then we head in the same direction of having traditions and rituals for their own sake, separated from true purpose.
Whenever that happens, this is among the greatest of all possible losses. We cannot be those who try to uphold Islam original if we do not keep that as our active intention and form every act for the achievement of that purpose. If the purpose of a procession or majlis or gathering is to let people learn about Imam Hussain (as) and true Islam and to reform ourselves, then how it is done should be designed for that accomplishment rather than for anything else – be it the performance of matam or whatever. That design may depend on the audience and circumstances and what works for one audience and circumstance may not be the best design for another. We should not become tied down to a few ways of doing things but should be adaptable within the bounds of Islam. We should observe the wajib acts and seek out the mustahab acts, but always associated with their purposes and not separated from them.
I heard someone asking why is the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) and the tragedy of Karbala considered a sad event. Why aren’t we joyous that they achieved martyrdom and saved Islam? Why do we observe it with sadness at all?
Is the purpose of Muharram to get sad?
I think these are valid questions and worthy of thought and not quick dismissal because they are honest and sincere questions. I read that when the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) approached, he acted as if he were invigorated and energized in battle knowing his time was near. It is reported that Qasim, upon hearing that the men would all be martyred, asked if he would as well, being a young teen. Imam Hussain (as) asked him how he felt about it and he replied that it was something he really wanted, to achieve martyrdom along with the adults. They all knew with confidence they were on the side of right and that martyrdom would be a good outcome for them. We also know through history that although they did die that they were the ultimate victors. They were the victors because they achieved their purpose. They never separated their acts from their active intentions. They never sought martyrdom as a merit in itself or an end in itself. If they had wanted martyrdom as an end in itself, they could have achieved it on many prior occasions. Rather, they understood that the worth of their martyrdom was in its purpose of standing against oppression and standing up for truth and upholding the true Islam for mankind even up to today. Yet we also read that Imam Sajjad (as) mourned greatly throughout his life over the tragedy. If we love someone sincerely, then we feel their loss and pain as our own. So the sadness is an outcome of the love, and the love is what we need - love for those close and dear to Allah swt and for Allah swt himself - whatever imperfect love we are blessed with in response to Allah swt's perfect love.
We should feel grateful that they made that sacrifice, and we should honor it through careful attention to real Islam in everything that we do to the best of our ability. But we should also feel pain at their sufferings that were very real. To make the sacrifices they made and to go through the trials they endured was very difficult. It is sad and shameful that it was necessary. It is sad and shameful that still the message is not heeded. If one imagines for a moment that a loved one has died to save another, would not one still feel sadness, loss, and sorrow? What people are more beloved to the true followers of Ahlulbayt (as) than the Ahlulbayt (as)? If one imagines a Muharram observance that takes joy as its means, would the message of reform remain? What is Muharram about if not reform?
Reform for its own sake is again something gone away from true Islam. Real reform is not a departure but a return. It returns our actions to the root of pure active intention of fulfilling our ultimate purpose in existence. Imam Hussain (as) showed us what reform is and how to live it and how to die in it. I feel that is what Muharram observance should be all about.
So whatever someone does that is permissible for observance of Muharram, be it of any type and any fervor, Allah swt bless him with an attentive heart. Love Allah swt, love Ahlulbayt (as), feel the love and then act on it not only in mourning or Muharram observance, but in self-reform in Allah swt's way.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Muharram 3 / 4 - prophecy/history context of sacrifice
What I share are my own thoughts and they may have imperfections so I do not offer them as absolute truth but perhaps matters for thought and discussion.
A second important aspect of the events of Karbala that I feel it is important to discuss is context in prophecy and religious history. The sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as) at Karbala is a monumental event, a pivotal event in religion. Without it, truth is lost. If it is so important, then in the way of Allah swt, it should not be a great mystery or secret.
The passing of successorship by the appointment of Allah swt, as discussed in the last letter, is the way of Allah swt as evidenced by the history of the prophets (sa). So what about the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as)? Is it an event that comes out of nowhere, unlike the other major events of religious history?
Significant events in the plan of Allah swt for delivering guidance to mankind are not sudden unexpected and unforetold events. Early prophets foretold their successors and future events. The preceding scriptures to the Qur’an surviving in the Bible and elsewhere include several references in which prophets foretold the coming of the Prophet Mohamed (saw):
Acts 3:22-25
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, unto him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham: And in they seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed.
Deuteronomy 15, 18-19
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him shall ye hearken. I will them a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto them, and will put My words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My Name, I will require it of him.
These two passages without a doubt prophecy the coming of “that prophet”, Muhammad (saw). Only he fits all the conditions mentioned – being from the brethren of the Israelites – the Arabs, that he came to speak to ALL people and not just a particular tribe or group, that he is descended from Abraham and connected to the covenant of Abraham established with the advent of circumcision after the birth of Ishmael from whom Muhammad is descended, and speaking only the words that God put in his mouth and none other.
Other passages in the Bible show that people were aware of these prophecies and asked about them, looking for the coming of Muhammad (saw):
John 1:19-21
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not, but confessed ‘I am not the Messiah.’ So then they asked him, what then, are you Elias? And he said ‘I am not.’ Are you That Prophet? And he answered ‘No’.
From this line of questioning to the prophet John the Baptist, it is clear that in addition to the Messiah, Jesus (as), the people were also waiting for and expecting someone else, the one in the scriptures referred to as “That Prophet”, and described in the conditions above that only Muhammad (saw) meets.
So, when Jesus (as) came, there was yet another to come, called “That Prophet”. If he did not come, then the prophecies would not be fulfilled, contrary to the ways of Allah swt.
Jesus (as) himself on multiple occasions mentioned that there was yet another prophet to come after him, in accordance with the prophecies.
John 14:7,8
Nevertheless I tell you the truth, that it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter (Arabic: Ahmad, a name of the Prophet Muhammad (saw)) will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send him unto you, and when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
John 16:12,13
I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when the ‘Spirit of Truth’ is come he will guide you unto all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatever he shall hear that alone shall he speak and he will show you things to come.
This ‘Spirit of Truth’ is clearly the same “That Prophet”; we know this because Jesus (as) tells us it is the one who the scriptures say does not speak of himself, and the only person who matches that prophecy is Muhammad (saw). Clearly it is not Jesus (as), because Jesus (as) himself is saying that this prophet is yet to come. And clearly it is not an angel or spirit, because the previous scriptures say it is a man, a prophet.
The successorship of rule is a history with Allah swt beginning with Adam (as) and continuing to Muhammad (saw), but especially firmly established in a covenant between the prophet Abraham (as) and Himself.
The covenant between Abraham and God includes mention even of the 12 imams, the third of which is Imam Husain (as);
Genesis 17:10,23
This is My covenant which ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised…. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day as God had said unto him.
Genesis 17:20 (part of God’s promise in this covenant which is signified and remembered by circumcision)
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly: Twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation.
Some wording in translations of the Bible seem to try to imply the covenant only goes through Isaac, but 17:23 above shows clearly it is between Abraham and “thy seed after thee” which includes Ishmael. The twelve princes are not descended from Isaac so they can in no way be associated with twelve tribes of Israel nor the disciples of Jesus (as); the only people who fit the bill of this promise of God are the twelve Imams (sa) descended from Ishmael from Imam ‘Ali (as), Imam Hasan (as), Imam Husayn (as), and up to the Imam of our age (as).
Therefore it is apparent that the act of circumcision, the sign of this covenant between God and Abraham is a sign for all of us of this promise of the coming of the twelve imams (sa) and the prophets so that we all may be aware of them, listen to them, and follow the right guidance to our own benefit and blessing. God has told us from the time of Abraham (as), then, that all the prophets including ‘that prophet’ Muhammad (saw), and the twelve princes from Ishmael, the twelve imams (sa), would come.
Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son. Abraham obeyed God as did his son and they prepared for the sacrifice. But at the last minute, Abraham was spared of the task, and the sacrifice of the ram was used to replace it and to become a symbol of the later, Greater Sacrifice.
Qur’an 37:105-108
O Abraham! Of course thou hast faithfully fulfilled the dream, thou art of the truthful ones, but verily it is an open test, we have substituted it with a Greater Sacrifice. We have transferred it to later generations.
Hajj commemorates many aspects of prophet Abraham (as)’s life. Why Abraham (as)? I think it is because the covenant is established with Abraham (as); it is through this covenant that Muhammad (saw) and the imams (sa) are promised. One of the hajj rituals centers on this test to sacrifice his son, and the hajj rituals wind down with the reminder of the Greater Sacrifice that is in its place, via the symbol of the slaughter of an animal that is then (ideally) given to the needy. I find it very interesting that the hajj takes place and then shortly thereafter the new year begins and the dates of the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as) occur. It is as if the hajj itself is a reminder of this covenant and a signal of the fulfillment of this covenant in Muhammad (saw) and the twelve imams (as), and a sign of Imam Hussain (as)’s role in this covenant that is to come very soon on the calendar. One leads to the other. At the time of the symbolic sacrifice, the head is shaved. In the old scriptures, shaving the head is a symbol of mourning, as is wearing plain clothes like hajis do.
Isaiah 22:12 (note also the weeping and beating the breast, both of which are central in the modern practices of memoriam of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) and his companions in Karbala – here those practices are, called for by God.)
On that Day the Lord called for weeping and beating the breast, for shaving the head and putting on sack cloth.
I don't know if the parallels between hajj and Karbala are really there or not, but I am amazed how when looking at it there seem to be soooooooo many.
Now the Christians believe that the sacrifice that replaced the one tasked upon Abraham (as) was that of Jesus (as). But the Qur’an tells us no.
Qur’an 4:157
And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Mary, the apostle to Allah; and they did not kill him nor crucify him, but it appeared to them so and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure.
Further the Christians say the sacrifice that was spared was of Isaac, so that the replacement should be of his seed, as is Jesus (as), while the earlier scriptures and the Qur’an say to the contrary that it was Ishmael who was spared; suggesting the replacement may be of his seed, as is Imam Husayn (as). It is in the line of Ishmael that the symbol of the Greater Sacrifice has been maintained in the hajj rituals.
There are numerous prophecies relayed from the Prophet (saw) and preceding imams (as) about the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) at Karbala. In the Bible, there is no prophecy of the crucifixion. Not much in the Old Testament or Torah refers to a sacrifice of a description that would really match the crucifixion events.
But there IS a prophecy that at least seems to match the events of Karbala.
Jeremiah 46: 10
For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries; and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood; for the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
The sacrifice is the means of the vengeance against those who reject to covenant between God and man, those who reject the prophets and imams (sa), because in that sacrifice is the ultimate victory of truth established and the ultimate loss of the losers set solid.
And now that the sacrifice is made, it is a great victory for the martyrs and a great victory for truth, but it is still a case of mourning. Why? It is because of the need for the sacrifice in the first place – the pervasiveness of evil and misguidance and wrongdoing, of oppression and suffering inflicted on the innocents. The matter is not yet over, for the twelfth prince (as) has a further vengeance and further establishment of Truth to fulfill. We await the return of our Imam (as) in completion of the prophecies from the beginning, fulfilling the covenant of Abraham to its fullest. Are we ready?
A second important aspect of the events of Karbala that I feel it is important to discuss is context in prophecy and religious history. The sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as) at Karbala is a monumental event, a pivotal event in religion. Without it, truth is lost. If it is so important, then in the way of Allah swt, it should not be a great mystery or secret.
The passing of successorship by the appointment of Allah swt, as discussed in the last letter, is the way of Allah swt as evidenced by the history of the prophets (sa). So what about the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as)? Is it an event that comes out of nowhere, unlike the other major events of religious history?
Significant events in the plan of Allah swt for delivering guidance to mankind are not sudden unexpected and unforetold events. Early prophets foretold their successors and future events. The preceding scriptures to the Qur’an surviving in the Bible and elsewhere include several references in which prophets foretold the coming of the Prophet Mohamed (saw):
Acts 3:22-25
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, unto him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham: And in they seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed.
Deuteronomy 15, 18-19
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him shall ye hearken. I will them a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto them, and will put My words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My Name, I will require it of him.
These two passages without a doubt prophecy the coming of “that prophet”, Muhammad (saw). Only he fits all the conditions mentioned – being from the brethren of the Israelites – the Arabs, that he came to speak to ALL people and not just a particular tribe or group, that he is descended from Abraham and connected to the covenant of Abraham established with the advent of circumcision after the birth of Ishmael from whom Muhammad is descended, and speaking only the words that God put in his mouth and none other.
Other passages in the Bible show that people were aware of these prophecies and asked about them, looking for the coming of Muhammad (saw):
John 1:19-21
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not, but confessed ‘I am not the Messiah.’ So then they asked him, what then, are you Elias? And he said ‘I am not.’ Are you That Prophet? And he answered ‘No’.
From this line of questioning to the prophet John the Baptist, it is clear that in addition to the Messiah, Jesus (as), the people were also waiting for and expecting someone else, the one in the scriptures referred to as “That Prophet”, and described in the conditions above that only Muhammad (saw) meets.
So, when Jesus (as) came, there was yet another to come, called “That Prophet”. If he did not come, then the prophecies would not be fulfilled, contrary to the ways of Allah swt.
Jesus (as) himself on multiple occasions mentioned that there was yet another prophet to come after him, in accordance with the prophecies.
John 14:7,8
Nevertheless I tell you the truth, that it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter (Arabic: Ahmad, a name of the Prophet Muhammad (saw)) will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send him unto you, and when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
John 16:12,13
I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when the ‘Spirit of Truth’ is come he will guide you unto all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatever he shall hear that alone shall he speak and he will show you things to come.
This ‘Spirit of Truth’ is clearly the same “That Prophet”; we know this because Jesus (as) tells us it is the one who the scriptures say does not speak of himself, and the only person who matches that prophecy is Muhammad (saw). Clearly it is not Jesus (as), because Jesus (as) himself is saying that this prophet is yet to come. And clearly it is not an angel or spirit, because the previous scriptures say it is a man, a prophet.
The successorship of rule is a history with Allah swt beginning with Adam (as) and continuing to Muhammad (saw), but especially firmly established in a covenant between the prophet Abraham (as) and Himself.
The covenant between Abraham and God includes mention even of the 12 imams, the third of which is Imam Husain (as);
Genesis 17:10,23
This is My covenant which ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised…. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day as God had said unto him.
Genesis 17:20 (part of God’s promise in this covenant which is signified and remembered by circumcision)
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly: Twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation.
Some wording in translations of the Bible seem to try to imply the covenant only goes through Isaac, but 17:23 above shows clearly it is between Abraham and “thy seed after thee” which includes Ishmael. The twelve princes are not descended from Isaac so they can in no way be associated with twelve tribes of Israel nor the disciples of Jesus (as); the only people who fit the bill of this promise of God are the twelve Imams (sa) descended from Ishmael from Imam ‘Ali (as), Imam Hasan (as), Imam Husayn (as), and up to the Imam of our age (as).
Therefore it is apparent that the act of circumcision, the sign of this covenant between God and Abraham is a sign for all of us of this promise of the coming of the twelve imams (sa) and the prophets so that we all may be aware of them, listen to them, and follow the right guidance to our own benefit and blessing. God has told us from the time of Abraham (as), then, that all the prophets including ‘that prophet’ Muhammad (saw), and the twelve princes from Ishmael, the twelve imams (sa), would come.
Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son. Abraham obeyed God as did his son and they prepared for the sacrifice. But at the last minute, Abraham was spared of the task, and the sacrifice of the ram was used to replace it and to become a symbol of the later, Greater Sacrifice.
Qur’an 37:105-108
O Abraham! Of course thou hast faithfully fulfilled the dream, thou art of the truthful ones, but verily it is an open test, we have substituted it with a Greater Sacrifice. We have transferred it to later generations.
Hajj commemorates many aspects of prophet Abraham (as)’s life. Why Abraham (as)? I think it is because the covenant is established with Abraham (as); it is through this covenant that Muhammad (saw) and the imams (sa) are promised. One of the hajj rituals centers on this test to sacrifice his son, and the hajj rituals wind down with the reminder of the Greater Sacrifice that is in its place, via the symbol of the slaughter of an animal that is then (ideally) given to the needy. I find it very interesting that the hajj takes place and then shortly thereafter the new year begins and the dates of the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as) occur. It is as if the hajj itself is a reminder of this covenant and a signal of the fulfillment of this covenant in Muhammad (saw) and the twelve imams (as), and a sign of Imam Hussain (as)’s role in this covenant that is to come very soon on the calendar. One leads to the other. At the time of the symbolic sacrifice, the head is shaved. In the old scriptures, shaving the head is a symbol of mourning, as is wearing plain clothes like hajis do.
Isaiah 22:12 (note also the weeping and beating the breast, both of which are central in the modern practices of memoriam of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) and his companions in Karbala – here those practices are, called for by God.)
On that Day the Lord called for weeping and beating the breast, for shaving the head and putting on sack cloth.
I don't know if the parallels between hajj and Karbala are really there or not, but I am amazed how when looking at it there seem to be soooooooo many.
Now the Christians believe that the sacrifice that replaced the one tasked upon Abraham (as) was that of Jesus (as). But the Qur’an tells us no.
Qur’an 4:157
And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Mary, the apostle to Allah; and they did not kill him nor crucify him, but it appeared to them so and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure.
Further the Christians say the sacrifice that was spared was of Isaac, so that the replacement should be of his seed, as is Jesus (as), while the earlier scriptures and the Qur’an say to the contrary that it was Ishmael who was spared; suggesting the replacement may be of his seed, as is Imam Husayn (as). It is in the line of Ishmael that the symbol of the Greater Sacrifice has been maintained in the hajj rituals.
There are numerous prophecies relayed from the Prophet (saw) and preceding imams (as) about the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) at Karbala. In the Bible, there is no prophecy of the crucifixion. Not much in the Old Testament or Torah refers to a sacrifice of a description that would really match the crucifixion events.
But there IS a prophecy that at least seems to match the events of Karbala.
Jeremiah 46: 10
For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries; and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood; for the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
The sacrifice is the means of the vengeance against those who reject to covenant between God and man, those who reject the prophets and imams (sa), because in that sacrifice is the ultimate victory of truth established and the ultimate loss of the losers set solid.
And now that the sacrifice is made, it is a great victory for the martyrs and a great victory for truth, but it is still a case of mourning. Why? It is because of the need for the sacrifice in the first place – the pervasiveness of evil and misguidance and wrongdoing, of oppression and suffering inflicted on the innocents. The matter is not yet over, for the twelfth prince (as) has a further vengeance and further establishment of Truth to fulfill. We await the return of our Imam (as) in completion of the prophecies from the beginning, fulfilling the covenant of Abraham to its fullest. Are we ready?
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Muharram 1 / 2– Ulil Amr, Bayat and Voting
Here is my first entry for this Muharram – your feedback/thoughts/reaction, etc., is welcome and appreciated.
O my Allah make me attend to Your cause, sincerely, in every respect following in Husain’s footsteps in this world and the Hereafter – ( allahumma ja’lnee I’ndaka wajeehan bil husayne fiddunyaa wal aaakherate) – Ziyarat Ashura
Muharram 1 / 2– Ulil Amr, Bayat and Voting
One of the major reasons or events that lead to the events at Karbala was related to the concept of Ulil Amr.
In Qur’an, 4:59, it says “O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and “ulil amr” – those who are authorized to command from among you.” From hadith in which the Holy Prophet (saw) explained this verse, we know the ulil amr are those appointed by Allah swt, particularly the Imams (sa) of the Ahlulbayt (sa). It is necessary for everyone to seek out for themselves the truth of who are “ those who are authorized to command from among you.”
Imam ‘Ali (as) and Imam Hasan (as) did not recognize anyone as ulil amr other than themselves. Even though they may not have had political rule at any or every time, they believed that they had religious authority over mankind as per Qur’an 4:59, according to the pronouncement of the Prophet (saw) by the command of Allah swt. So they continued to guide people as the religious leaders of the Ummah.
Yazid son of Muawiyah was well-known as a tyrant, and a corrupt ruler. He demanded bayat (oath of allegiance) from Imam Husain (as). He wanted Imam Husain (as) to swear fealty to him as ulil amr. Imam Husain (as) was obliged to refuse because it would be a lie against the appointment and commandment of God to do so, because Yazid was a tyrant, and because if he did so, then the people forever after would be permanently confused as to the real Islam by this recognizing and giving Islamic authority to one furthest from Islam.
It is very clear that an oath of allegiance (bayat) is a serious matter because it indicates support of someone’s agendas and practices. Particularly in the case of Imam Husain (as), to whom believers looked for guidance, giving an oath of allegiance would signal to the common people a direction to go. If Imam (as) is designated by Allah swt as ulil amr, then it is not something Imam (as) or anyone else can give away. None of the Imams (sa) did so, at the cost of their lives for the generations following Husain (as), and not only Husain (as) was faced with this conflict, but it was a source of conflict for the Imams (as) who succeeded him as well.
Given the importance associated with bayat, I think it is wise for us today to examine the concept of voting carefully. A vote is perhaps not as strong as bayat, because it may indicate support rather than allegiance, but that difference may be a minor or even an imagined one, as by voting for someone we are in essence giving them allegiance for their “rule” in whatever office they run for. We may later take that allegiance away, so a vote may be less permanent than bayat.
However, a vote can have lasting and far-reaching consequences. It is known that many Muslims voted for George W. Bush in his first presidential election. In that term, the president entered the U.S. into war in Afghanistan and Iraq, took away numerous civil liberties in the name of security, and committed many more injustices. The president could try to claim that U.S. Muslims supported his actions because they had voted for him.
A vote for a political candidate, like bayat, is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. The vote of a Muslim for a candidate should not be for someone who is less than worthy for the position, even if no worthy candidate is apparent. It is possible we could be held to account for whom who gave our votes and allegiances.
There are other kinds of voting besides voting for candidates, and that is voting on issues. In that realm it would seem we as Muslims have a duty to vote for whatever is in line with Islam and against whatever is contrary to Islam. When I say whatever is in line with Islam, I mean that which observes people’s rights and does not oppress, that which would be in accordance with true Islam.
The modern dilemma is that democracy is taken as the gold standard of the day, but democracy is not the way of Allah swt. Since the time of Adam (as), Allah swt has appointed leaders and their successors, and the leaders announced their successors in accordance with the will of Allah swt. Democracy is preached as a process that helps ensure good leaders, but in practice it does nothing of the sort. A king who inherits his rule is no less likely to be judged as a quality ruler than someone voted in by the people.
Today many, many Muslims have in essence given their bayat to democracy. This is one of the greatest tragedies and mistakes of the modern era. But we owe our bayat only to Allah swt, the Prophet (saw) and ulil amr. The Qur’an itself tells us so (4:59). We cannot give bayat to both democracy and to the way of Allah swt, for they are not the same way. Either our allegiance, our minds, our hearts, our souls, our lives are given and dedicated to the way of Allah swt or to another way.
Imam Husain (as) and 72 honorable souls with him gave their lives for Allah swt’s way. They gave their lives that we may be able today to find that way and follow it rather than it being lost to Yazid’s horrible way. If we do not take the task to find the right path and adhere to it entirely, then we belittle and refuse their sacrifice. If we do not give our allegiance to those worthy of ulil amr, those bestowed that rank by Allah swt, then we turn away from the right path. And giving allegiance is not a matter of word only. To the contrary, allegiance by word only is no allegiance at all - it is hypocrisy.
The crux of our duty thus lies in investigating and determining who Allah swt has appointed as ulil amr even in this age and then dedicating every aspect of our lives to obeying Allah swt, the Prophet (saw) and ulil amr. Obedience to whomever is ulil amr would never in any way contradict Allah swt or the Prophet (saw), because obedience to one and to all is the same. One cannot obey Allah swt without obeying the Prophet (saw), and one cannot obey Allah swt without obeying ulil amr.
This is the essence of what I think Karbala is about, both in the era of Imam Husain (as) and in today’s era. This is why I think Karbala is commemorated every year with great fervor amongst the Shia. There is no doubt that love and allegiance, and thus bayat, are closely connected matters.
It is not the way of Allah swt to call for allegiance by us to someone who is not worthy and deserving of our love. True bayat requires that we love the one to whom we give our allegiance, because without the love the bayat is incomplete. Obedience to Allah swt absent the love of Allah swt is incomplete; obedience to the Prophet (saw) absent the love of the Prophet (saw) is incomplete, and obedience to ulil amr (as) absent the love of ulil amr is also incomplete.
If we love someone, then we feel joy at his joys and pain and at his pains and we take care to add joy to his joy and avoid adding pain to his pain. We take care to remember and appreciate whatever he has done for us, and we try to do good for him as well. The Qur’an says that those martyred in the way of Allah swt are not dead, they only appear so to us. But whether someone is alive or not alive, love can continue. If someone is alive today and then not alive tomorrow, we do not love him today and then stop loving him tomorrow. If we ever truly loved someone when he was alive, then we continue to love him when he is no longer with us.
The followers of the right path transcend time. It does not matter if we did not meet someone personally. If Imam Husain (as) was ulil amr of his time, then he is worthy of our love and allegiance even today, just as the ulil amr of our age is still worthy. To do respect of either of them, we have to be devoted to both because their authority is the same authority, their religion is the same religion, their path is the same path.
As a community we need to take care not to separate things from their roots. Whatever we do to commemorate Karbala, that commemoration is not for its own sake. That commemoration has its roots in love, in bayat, in ulil amr. We have duties to fulfill that go far beyond shedding tears, and if we shed tears only and forget the rest we have forgotten everything.
O my Allah make me attend to Your cause, sincerely, in every respect following in Husain’s footsteps in this world and the Hereafter – ( allahumma ja’lnee I’ndaka wajeehan bil husayne fiddunyaa wal aaakherate) – Ziyarat Ashura
Muharram 1 / 2– Ulil Amr, Bayat and Voting
One of the major reasons or events that lead to the events at Karbala was related to the concept of Ulil Amr.
In Qur’an, 4:59, it says “O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and “ulil amr” – those who are authorized to command from among you.” From hadith in which the Holy Prophet (saw) explained this verse, we know the ulil amr are those appointed by Allah swt, particularly the Imams (sa) of the Ahlulbayt (sa). It is necessary for everyone to seek out for themselves the truth of who are “ those who are authorized to command from among you.”
Imam ‘Ali (as) and Imam Hasan (as) did not recognize anyone as ulil amr other than themselves. Even though they may not have had political rule at any or every time, they believed that they had religious authority over mankind as per Qur’an 4:59, according to the pronouncement of the Prophet (saw) by the command of Allah swt. So they continued to guide people as the religious leaders of the Ummah.
Yazid son of Muawiyah was well-known as a tyrant, and a corrupt ruler. He demanded bayat (oath of allegiance) from Imam Husain (as). He wanted Imam Husain (as) to swear fealty to him as ulil amr. Imam Husain (as) was obliged to refuse because it would be a lie against the appointment and commandment of God to do so, because Yazid was a tyrant, and because if he did so, then the people forever after would be permanently confused as to the real Islam by this recognizing and giving Islamic authority to one furthest from Islam.
It is very clear that an oath of allegiance (bayat) is a serious matter because it indicates support of someone’s agendas and practices. Particularly in the case of Imam Husain (as), to whom believers looked for guidance, giving an oath of allegiance would signal to the common people a direction to go. If Imam (as) is designated by Allah swt as ulil amr, then it is not something Imam (as) or anyone else can give away. None of the Imams (sa) did so, at the cost of their lives for the generations following Husain (as), and not only Husain (as) was faced with this conflict, but it was a source of conflict for the Imams (as) who succeeded him as well.
Given the importance associated with bayat, I think it is wise for us today to examine the concept of voting carefully. A vote is perhaps not as strong as bayat, because it may indicate support rather than allegiance, but that difference may be a minor or even an imagined one, as by voting for someone we are in essence giving them allegiance for their “rule” in whatever office they run for. We may later take that allegiance away, so a vote may be less permanent than bayat.
However, a vote can have lasting and far-reaching consequences. It is known that many Muslims voted for George W. Bush in his first presidential election. In that term, the president entered the U.S. into war in Afghanistan and Iraq, took away numerous civil liberties in the name of security, and committed many more injustices. The president could try to claim that U.S. Muslims supported his actions because they had voted for him.
A vote for a political candidate, like bayat, is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. The vote of a Muslim for a candidate should not be for someone who is less than worthy for the position, even if no worthy candidate is apparent. It is possible we could be held to account for whom who gave our votes and allegiances.
There are other kinds of voting besides voting for candidates, and that is voting on issues. In that realm it would seem we as Muslims have a duty to vote for whatever is in line with Islam and against whatever is contrary to Islam. When I say whatever is in line with Islam, I mean that which observes people’s rights and does not oppress, that which would be in accordance with true Islam.
The modern dilemma is that democracy is taken as the gold standard of the day, but democracy is not the way of Allah swt. Since the time of Adam (as), Allah swt has appointed leaders and their successors, and the leaders announced their successors in accordance with the will of Allah swt. Democracy is preached as a process that helps ensure good leaders, but in practice it does nothing of the sort. A king who inherits his rule is no less likely to be judged as a quality ruler than someone voted in by the people.
Today many, many Muslims have in essence given their bayat to democracy. This is one of the greatest tragedies and mistakes of the modern era. But we owe our bayat only to Allah swt, the Prophet (saw) and ulil amr. The Qur’an itself tells us so (4:59). We cannot give bayat to both democracy and to the way of Allah swt, for they are not the same way. Either our allegiance, our minds, our hearts, our souls, our lives are given and dedicated to the way of Allah swt or to another way.
Imam Husain (as) and 72 honorable souls with him gave their lives for Allah swt’s way. They gave their lives that we may be able today to find that way and follow it rather than it being lost to Yazid’s horrible way. If we do not take the task to find the right path and adhere to it entirely, then we belittle and refuse their sacrifice. If we do not give our allegiance to those worthy of ulil amr, those bestowed that rank by Allah swt, then we turn away from the right path. And giving allegiance is not a matter of word only. To the contrary, allegiance by word only is no allegiance at all - it is hypocrisy.
The crux of our duty thus lies in investigating and determining who Allah swt has appointed as ulil amr even in this age and then dedicating every aspect of our lives to obeying Allah swt, the Prophet (saw) and ulil amr. Obedience to whomever is ulil amr would never in any way contradict Allah swt or the Prophet (saw), because obedience to one and to all is the same. One cannot obey Allah swt without obeying the Prophet (saw), and one cannot obey Allah swt without obeying ulil amr.
This is the essence of what I think Karbala is about, both in the era of Imam Husain (as) and in today’s era. This is why I think Karbala is commemorated every year with great fervor amongst the Shia. There is no doubt that love and allegiance, and thus bayat, are closely connected matters.
It is not the way of Allah swt to call for allegiance by us to someone who is not worthy and deserving of our love. True bayat requires that we love the one to whom we give our allegiance, because without the love the bayat is incomplete. Obedience to Allah swt absent the love of Allah swt is incomplete; obedience to the Prophet (saw) absent the love of the Prophet (saw) is incomplete, and obedience to ulil amr (as) absent the love of ulil amr is also incomplete.
If we love someone, then we feel joy at his joys and pain and at his pains and we take care to add joy to his joy and avoid adding pain to his pain. We take care to remember and appreciate whatever he has done for us, and we try to do good for him as well. The Qur’an says that those martyred in the way of Allah swt are not dead, they only appear so to us. But whether someone is alive or not alive, love can continue. If someone is alive today and then not alive tomorrow, we do not love him today and then stop loving him tomorrow. If we ever truly loved someone when he was alive, then we continue to love him when he is no longer with us.
The followers of the right path transcend time. It does not matter if we did not meet someone personally. If Imam Husain (as) was ulil amr of his time, then he is worthy of our love and allegiance even today, just as the ulil amr of our age is still worthy. To do respect of either of them, we have to be devoted to both because their authority is the same authority, their religion is the same religion, their path is the same path.
As a community we need to take care not to separate things from their roots. Whatever we do to commemorate Karbala, that commemoration is not for its own sake. That commemoration has its roots in love, in bayat, in ulil amr. We have duties to fulfill that go far beyond shedding tears, and if we shed tears only and forget the rest we have forgotten everything.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Quartet Meme
Mom and I saw Glory Road tonight. It is formulaic in the sense that it is similar to lots of those sports movies - Coach Carter, Miracle, etc. - which are all good, by the way. It is a nice movie worth watching. It is about the first NCAA team of mostly black players and the coach who fielded them. In their first season at a school no one had heard of they went on to the biggest upset ever in NCAA to win the national title.
We had suicide prevention training this afternoon for teachers at school. A fellow talked about his own son who killed himself. They taught the warning signs and how to respond, etc. He showed that the Bible had no verses condemning all suicides to hell. I've seen people try to commit suicide and known someone who succeeded and had thoughts when I was an emotional teenager. It is one of the most tragic things to have someone in such a state of mind that they decide to that and actually succeed. They have no opportunity left, and the people they live behind have the worst kind of pieces to pick up after. I read the police blotter and know that many people check into motels to kill themselves, but youth usually do it at home. Colorado has the 7th highest suicide rate in the nation as the mountain states as a whole are higher than the rest of the country put together. No one knows why for sure. And you really cannot stop someone who has decided that is what they are going to do - it is out of your hands.
I am very grateful for what Islam gave me in life because I honestly believe I could never find myself in that state (insha'allah) knowing what I know and having what I have through Islam by the grace of God.
Work has been fine but very busy and tiring. The new Problem Solving class so far is a success, so I am happy for that.
The meme:
Four Jobs I’ve Had in My Life
1) Broadmoor Hotel Laundry - the worst one by far - horrible working conditions
2) night shift assembly line packing computer stuff - "interesting" people
3) Mcdonald's and a Mexican restaurant at the mall - definitely work at the mall for fast food - better pace and better hours
4) everything teaching - public school, charter school, tutoring, Sylvan Learning Center, madressa, etc. - that's what I do
Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over, and Have
1) Thunderheart - I love this movie, always have, but can't really say why. Maybe it just speaks to my native blood.
2) Lord of the Rings trilogy - Takes a lot of time to watch over and over, but these are just fantastic.
3) The Saint - The Saint books are terrible reads, but the movie was fun.
4) Star Trek IV - Always loved Star Trek, especially as a kid when most of fantasies were in Star Trek and I had tons of Star Trek books, figures, etc. Very enjoyable movie.
Four Places I Have Lived
1) Colorado Springs - born, raised, native for three generations.
2) Fort Collins (college) - loved campus, the rest of town was just okay.
3) Troy, NY (summer college internship) - dead place.
4) Knoxville, TN (summer college internship) - way too humid.
Four TV Shows I Love To Watch
1) Mythbusters - I get tired of the reruns but new ones are fun.
2) House - I didn't want to watch it, accidentally did and found I liked it.
3) Nova - I love good documentaries especially about science/archaeology, etc.
4) Sherlock Holmes - the good ones with Jeremy Brett - I have all the DVD's.
Four Places I Have Been On Vacation
1) Four Corners - our most common vacation place that's not just a few hours away. Part of me could live there.
2) Yellowstone - I was 5 but I still remember mud volcanoes, bald eagles and moose, and of course Old Faithful.
3) Southern California / Florida - all kinda the same to me, the standard family vacations, went a few times.
4) Colorado mountains- camping - did some neat things like ghost towning, gem hunting, snowshoeing, etc.
Four Websites I Visit Daily
1) bloglines and then the updated blogs in my list
2) naseeb
3) local news page
4) the district webpage - I have to go through it to enter attendance/grades
Four Favorite Foods
1) good ice cream
2) spaghetti
3) mom's cheese enchiladas
4) a good salad bar
Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now
1) I like being here at home
2) Vancouver
3) Karbala
4) some isolated self-sustaining, quiet beautiful place
We had suicide prevention training this afternoon for teachers at school. A fellow talked about his own son who killed himself. They taught the warning signs and how to respond, etc. He showed that the Bible had no verses condemning all suicides to hell. I've seen people try to commit suicide and known someone who succeeded and had thoughts when I was an emotional teenager. It is one of the most tragic things to have someone in such a state of mind that they decide to that and actually succeed. They have no opportunity left, and the people they live behind have the worst kind of pieces to pick up after. I read the police blotter and know that many people check into motels to kill themselves, but youth usually do it at home. Colorado has the 7th highest suicide rate in the nation as the mountain states as a whole are higher than the rest of the country put together. No one knows why for sure. And you really cannot stop someone who has decided that is what they are going to do - it is out of your hands.
I am very grateful for what Islam gave me in life because I honestly believe I could never find myself in that state (insha'allah) knowing what I know and having what I have through Islam by the grace of God.
Work has been fine but very busy and tiring. The new Problem Solving class so far is a success, so I am happy for that.
The meme:
Four Jobs I’ve Had in My Life
1) Broadmoor Hotel Laundry - the worst one by far - horrible working conditions
2) night shift assembly line packing computer stuff - "interesting" people
3) Mcdonald's and a Mexican restaurant at the mall - definitely work at the mall for fast food - better pace and better hours
4) everything teaching - public school, charter school, tutoring, Sylvan Learning Center, madressa, etc. - that's what I do
Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over, and Have
1) Thunderheart - I love this movie, always have, but can't really say why. Maybe it just speaks to my native blood.
2) Lord of the Rings trilogy - Takes a lot of time to watch over and over, but these are just fantastic.
3) The Saint - The Saint books are terrible reads, but the movie was fun.
4) Star Trek IV - Always loved Star Trek, especially as a kid when most of fantasies were in Star Trek and I had tons of Star Trek books, figures, etc. Very enjoyable movie.
Four Places I Have Lived
1) Colorado Springs - born, raised, native for three generations.
2) Fort Collins (college) - loved campus, the rest of town was just okay.
3) Troy, NY (summer college internship) - dead place.
4) Knoxville, TN (summer college internship) - way too humid.
Four TV Shows I Love To Watch
1) Mythbusters - I get tired of the reruns but new ones are fun.
2) House - I didn't want to watch it, accidentally did and found I liked it.
3) Nova - I love good documentaries especially about science/archaeology, etc.
4) Sherlock Holmes - the good ones with Jeremy Brett - I have all the DVD's.
Four Places I Have Been On Vacation
1) Four Corners - our most common vacation place that's not just a few hours away. Part of me could live there.
2) Yellowstone - I was 5 but I still remember mud volcanoes, bald eagles and moose, and of course Old Faithful.
3) Southern California / Florida - all kinda the same to me, the standard family vacations, went a few times.
4) Colorado mountains- camping - did some neat things like ghost towning, gem hunting, snowshoeing, etc.
Four Websites I Visit Daily
1) bloglines and then the updated blogs in my list
2) naseeb
3) local news page
4) the district webpage - I have to go through it to enter attendance/grades
Four Favorite Foods
1) good ice cream
2) spaghetti
3) mom's cheese enchiladas
4) a good salad bar
Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now
1) I like being here at home
2) Vancouver
3) Karbala
4) some isolated self-sustaining, quiet beautiful place
Monday, January 23, 2006
Eid e Mubahila
From ziaraat.com newsletter - not sure I'll have time to write my own piece at this time....
Historical perspective of Eid-e-Mubahila
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Najran was a fertile land located in the Northern mountainous region of Yemen about 20 Kms from Sanaa. About 40,000 Christians inhabited the land divided into 73 small towns. They were idol worshipers historically just like the Arabs but a priest named Femeon, a constructor by profession, preached Christianity in the area of Najran and soon all the population converted to Christianity and Najran became a powerful center of activities of Christians. They also constructed a church and named it 'Kaba-e-Najran'. They prayed and offered various offerings there which resulted in an annual income of about two hundred thousand Dinars which was used for the priest who lived and studied there.
After the conquest of Makkah when Islam started spreading rapidly and the warring groups came under the flag of Islam, the Holy Prophet(sawaw) starting sending emissaries to the tribes who had not yet accepted Islam. In 10 A.H. a similar message was sent to the Christians of Najran and they were offered either to accept the teachings of Islam or live in the protection of Muslims and give 'Jazia' - a kind of fee for protection services. When the Bishop of Najran received this message, he invited all the scholars and influential people of Najran and asked them to think and find a solution to this situation. This news spread rapidly among the masses and some people got infuriated as well but the Bishop of Najran pacified them and advised them to be mindful of the military might of the Islamic regime and try to find a peaceful solution.
Christian mission heads to Madina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After deliberations, it was finally decided to send a mission to Madina and have a dialog with the Muslims. A 14 member deligation headed by Aqib Saidawar and Abu Harisa started off for Makkah. Abu Harisa was considered as the greatest Bishop and scholar of the Christian world at that time and Aqib Saidawar was the biggest strategist and negotiator of the time. When the delegation reached Madina, the people got impressed by their lavish dressing and pomp and show since it was the first time that a mission had arrived in such a manner.
When they entered the Masjid-e-Nabawi, the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) looked at the precious stones, gold and silk clothes that they were wearing and turned away his face and did not pay any attention to them. After a while when no one noticed their pomp and show, they got out of the Masjid-e-Nabawi and met Hazrat Usman and Ubaid-ur-Rehman outside and asked them as to why they were invited by the Muslims and then treated in this manner. Hazrat Usman mentioned that he did not have a clue about that but if they consult Imam Ali(a.s.), he would be able to tell them what was going on. They took the delegation with them and arrived at the house of Imam Ali(a.s.) and mentioned about the whole incidence to him. Imam Ali(a.s.) said to the delegation that they were wearing dresses of silk and ornaments of gold which depicted their superior mentality and that they should take them off and dress simply. Only then the Prophet(sawaw) would allow them to visit him and entertain them. When they followed the instructions of Imam Ali(a.s.), they were allowed to visit the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) after the Prayers of Asar and have discussions with him.
Proposal of Mubahila
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After exchange of views on several issues, the delegation did not seem to be willing to accept the observations about the incorrect beliefs of Christianity and the logical explanations proving the incorrectness of their beliefs. At that time Allah(swt) send down the famous Ayat-e-Mubahila of the Quran:
Glorious Quran Chapter 3 Verse 61:
And unto him who disputeth with thee therein after the knowledge hath come unto thee, Say ! ( O' Our Apostle Muhammad ! ) ( Unto them ) come ye, let us summon our sons, and ( ye summon ) your sons, and ( we summon ) our women and ( ye ) your women, and ( we summon ) ourselves and then let us invoke the curse of God on the liars !
Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) recited this Ayat and invited them for Mubahila - praying to God(swt) to destroy and banish the liars.
Mubahila became necessary since the Christian delegation was adamant to accept the truth. After some hesitations the delegations asked to be given one day to reconsider their options and then accepted to have the Mubahila after two days. In their consultations among themselves, the grand Bishop Abu Harisa told his companions that if tomorrow, Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) brings his companions and his tribesmen and military might with him for Mubahila then they should accept the challenge without fear but if he brings only the members of his family, then never accept the challenge.
Whom did the Prophet(sawaw) take with him
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) selected a place close to Madina for the Mubahila which was then cleaned and prepared by Hazrat Salman Farsi(r.a.) and the next day the Christian delegation reached the designated place. A number of muhajirren and ansaar also gathered at the site. The Holy Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) took with him Imam Hasan(a.s.), Imam Hussain(a.s.), Bibi Fatima(s.a.) and Imam Ali(a.s.) and headed towards the site in a manner that Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) was leading the group holding Imam Hasan(a.s.) and Imam Hussain(a.s.) and Bibi Fatima(s.a.) was behind him and Imam Ali(a.s.) was behind Bibi Fatima(s.a.).
Saad bin Abi Waqas relates that when the Ayat-e-Mubahila was sent down, Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) called Imam Ali(a.s.), Bibi Fatima(s.a.), Imam Hasan(a.s.) and Imam Hussain(a.s.) and said "O my Allah(swt), these are my Ahl-e-Bait" . (Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, Page 287).
Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) sat down under a tree with these weighty personalities and said that when I pray to God, you all should say 'Ameen'. When the Christian delegation saw a woman, two children and only one man with the Prophet(sawaw), they got scared and worried and Abu Harisa chanted "O my christian friends, I am seeing such bright faces that if they pray that God move this mountain from its place then the mountain will be moved. I warn you, do not have Mubahila with them or you all will be destroyed and banished."
The Christian delegation was still amazed and frightened when the brother of Abu Harisa, Karz ibn-e-Alqama stated that "O my fellows, it appears that Mohammad(sawaw) is the same last apostle and prophet that has been mentioned in our sacred books. We should not have Mubahila with them because anyone who had Mubahila with the prophets in the past as well was destroyed. Look around you and observe that the signs of your destruction are appearing." When they looked around, they observed that the entire atmosphere had changed and it appeared that a furious storm is in offing.
Result of the Mubahila
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Witnessing this, they backed off from the contest and requested that their friendship be accepted. Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) accepted their request and asked Imam Ali(a.s.) to write the agreement according to which they Najran tribes accepted to pay 'Jazia' and live under the protection of the Muslims.
Historical perspective of Eid-e-Mubahila
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Najran was a fertile land located in the Northern mountainous region of Yemen about 20 Kms from Sanaa. About 40,000 Christians inhabited the land divided into 73 small towns. They were idol worshipers historically just like the Arabs but a priest named Femeon, a constructor by profession, preached Christianity in the area of Najran and soon all the population converted to Christianity and Najran became a powerful center of activities of Christians. They also constructed a church and named it 'Kaba-e-Najran'. They prayed and offered various offerings there which resulted in an annual income of about two hundred thousand Dinars which was used for the priest who lived and studied there.
After the conquest of Makkah when Islam started spreading rapidly and the warring groups came under the flag of Islam, the Holy Prophet(sawaw) starting sending emissaries to the tribes who had not yet accepted Islam. In 10 A.H. a similar message was sent to the Christians of Najran and they were offered either to accept the teachings of Islam or live in the protection of Muslims and give 'Jazia' - a kind of fee for protection services. When the Bishop of Najran received this message, he invited all the scholars and influential people of Najran and asked them to think and find a solution to this situation. This news spread rapidly among the masses and some people got infuriated as well but the Bishop of Najran pacified them and advised them to be mindful of the military might of the Islamic regime and try to find a peaceful solution.
Christian mission heads to Madina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After deliberations, it was finally decided to send a mission to Madina and have a dialog with the Muslims. A 14 member deligation headed by Aqib Saidawar and Abu Harisa started off for Makkah. Abu Harisa was considered as the greatest Bishop and scholar of the Christian world at that time and Aqib Saidawar was the biggest strategist and negotiator of the time. When the delegation reached Madina, the people got impressed by their lavish dressing and pomp and show since it was the first time that a mission had arrived in such a manner.
When they entered the Masjid-e-Nabawi, the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) looked at the precious stones, gold and silk clothes that they were wearing and turned away his face and did not pay any attention to them. After a while when no one noticed their pomp and show, they got out of the Masjid-e-Nabawi and met Hazrat Usman and Ubaid-ur-Rehman outside and asked them as to why they were invited by the Muslims and then treated in this manner. Hazrat Usman mentioned that he did not have a clue about that but if they consult Imam Ali(a.s.), he would be able to tell them what was going on. They took the delegation with them and arrived at the house of Imam Ali(a.s.) and mentioned about the whole incidence to him. Imam Ali(a.s.) said to the delegation that they were wearing dresses of silk and ornaments of gold which depicted their superior mentality and that they should take them off and dress simply. Only then the Prophet(sawaw) would allow them to visit him and entertain them. When they followed the instructions of Imam Ali(a.s.), they were allowed to visit the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) after the Prayers of Asar and have discussions with him.
Proposal of Mubahila
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After exchange of views on several issues, the delegation did not seem to be willing to accept the observations about the incorrect beliefs of Christianity and the logical explanations proving the incorrectness of their beliefs. At that time Allah(swt) send down the famous Ayat-e-Mubahila of the Quran:
Glorious Quran Chapter 3 Verse 61:
And unto him who disputeth with thee therein after the knowledge hath come unto thee, Say ! ( O' Our Apostle Muhammad ! ) ( Unto them ) come ye, let us summon our sons, and ( ye summon ) your sons, and ( we summon ) our women and ( ye ) your women, and ( we summon ) ourselves and then let us invoke the curse of God on the liars !
Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) recited this Ayat and invited them for Mubahila - praying to God(swt) to destroy and banish the liars.
Mubahila became necessary since the Christian delegation was adamant to accept the truth. After some hesitations the delegations asked to be given one day to reconsider their options and then accepted to have the Mubahila after two days. In their consultations among themselves, the grand Bishop Abu Harisa told his companions that if tomorrow, Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) brings his companions and his tribesmen and military might with him for Mubahila then they should accept the challenge without fear but if he brings only the members of his family, then never accept the challenge.
Whom did the Prophet(sawaw) take with him
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) selected a place close to Madina for the Mubahila which was then cleaned and prepared by Hazrat Salman Farsi(r.a.) and the next day the Christian delegation reached the designated place. A number of muhajirren and ansaar also gathered at the site. The Holy Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) took with him Imam Hasan(a.s.), Imam Hussain(a.s.), Bibi Fatima(s.a.) and Imam Ali(a.s.) and headed towards the site in a manner that Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) was leading the group holding Imam Hasan(a.s.) and Imam Hussain(a.s.) and Bibi Fatima(s.a.) was behind him and Imam Ali(a.s.) was behind Bibi Fatima(s.a.).
Saad bin Abi Waqas relates that when the Ayat-e-Mubahila was sent down, Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) called Imam Ali(a.s.), Bibi Fatima(s.a.), Imam Hasan(a.s.) and Imam Hussain(a.s.) and said "O my Allah(swt), these are my Ahl-e-Bait" . (Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, Page 287).
Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) sat down under a tree with these weighty personalities and said that when I pray to God, you all should say 'Ameen'. When the Christian delegation saw a woman, two children and only one man with the Prophet(sawaw), they got scared and worried and Abu Harisa chanted "O my christian friends, I am seeing such bright faces that if they pray that God move this mountain from its place then the mountain will be moved. I warn you, do not have Mubahila with them or you all will be destroyed and banished."
The Christian delegation was still amazed and frightened when the brother of Abu Harisa, Karz ibn-e-Alqama stated that "O my fellows, it appears that Mohammad(sawaw) is the same last apostle and prophet that has been mentioned in our sacred books. We should not have Mubahila with them because anyone who had Mubahila with the prophets in the past as well was destroyed. Look around you and observe that the signs of your destruction are appearing." When they looked around, they observed that the entire atmosphere had changed and it appeared that a furious storm is in offing.
Result of the Mubahila
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Witnessing this, they backed off from the contest and requested that their friendship be accepted. Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) accepted their request and asked Imam Ali(a.s.) to write the agreement according to which they Najran tribes accepted to pay 'Jazia' and live under the protection of the Muslims.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Think you know Pike? Guess again
Part of the series celebrating 200 years since the "discovery" of Pikes Peak by "American" explorer Zebulon Pike - interesting history - of particular interest to Colorado Springs folks since the majestic mountain graces our skyline.
By ED SEALOVER - THE GAZETTE
In the 200 years since Zebulon Pike explored this region, historians have struggled over whether to label him as hapless or heroic.
This, after all, was a man who slogged through snow without socks in a failed attempt to climb the peak towering over the Plains, yet survived a frigid winter without losing men to death or defection. Pike was an ambitious and obedient soldier, but when he was captured by the Spanish, he surrendered without a fight.
History lovers still debate Pike’s abilities and accomplishments as an explorer, but they agree on this: He was an excellent spy.
But just whom was he spying for?
Pike’s adventure was spurred by the Louisiana Purchase, the same land deal that launched Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their trek to the Pacific. President Thomas Jefferson bought 820,000 acres in the West from the French in 1803, and he and others were eager to explore the new lands.
Jefferson handpicked Lewis to be his eyes and ears in the territory, but Pike got his travel papers from a man who turned out to be one of the great scoundrels in U.S. history.
James Wilkinson, commanding general of the Army, first tapped Pike to explore the upper Mississippi River and find the source of the waterway in 1805. Pike returned 8½ months later with “disappointingly meager” results, according to a National Park Service account. He produced no accurate maps and failed on his mission to persuade prominent American Indian leaders to meet with U.S. military leaders.
Still, less than three months later, Wilkinson had another job for the 27-year-old soldier, and this was the one that sent him to the Rockies.
Pike’s journey has to be seen in the context of the suspicion and hostility between the United States and Spain over the boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase.
“The thing from today’s perspective . . . is he was right in the middle of a Cold War,” Pioneers Museum Director Matt Mayberry said. “We could have gone to war at any moment with Spain over what was the definition of the Louisiana Purchase.”
Before Pike left on July 15, 1806, he and Wilkinson discussed that he might be caught while wandering so close to Spanish territory. They even laid out a plan of how Pike would say he was lost and allow Spanish troops to escort him and his men through their land, an event that would “gratify our most sanguine expectations,” according to a letter from Pike.
Pike headed west with one civilian doctor and 23 military men from the St. Louis area with few skills. In his journal Pike wrote that he served as “astronomer, surveyor, commanding officer, clerk, spy, guide and hunter.”
For the first three months, they meandered through present-day Kansas and Nebraska. In October, they reached the Arkansas River, where Pike sent some men downstream and took the majority northwest to find the source of the Red River.
Spanish troops sent out an expedition to find Pike almost as soon as he began the journey. A National Park Service history notes that while Lewis and Clark would have been concerned their mission would be compromised by such attention, Pike reported with pride that he was being hunted.
He was not to be found for three more months, though — months when the men endured a rugged winter. Pike spotted the peak that would be named after him on Nov. 15, when starvation and frostbite were setting in.
In the midst of this misery, one member of Pike’s party made a strange move. Dr. John Robinson left, supposedly to collect a debt near Santa Fe. Not surprisingly, he was quickly found by the Spanish, who sent out patrols.
This, said Colorado Historical Society chief historian Modupe Labode, seems a sign that Pike wanted to be caught. The Spanish took him and his men into custody in February.
As the group was escorted to Santa Fe, Pike made mental notes of the placement of forts and the size of the garrisons. He had long meetings with priests along the way to gather information. Pike even worked on biographical sketches of Spanish military officers.
After Spanish authorities in Chihuahua determined Pike had ulterior motives, they grabbed his papers and ordered him to stop taking notes. He kept scribbling, though, and hid notes in empty gun barrels as the group was escorted across Texas to the United States.
Pike’s journals were mundane in his description of American lands and showed little imagination, Labode and others said. The confiscated journals were forgotten until 1907, when Mexico returned them to the United States.
But Pike perked up during his detour through Spanish territory. His writings on the trip home chronicled the people of New Spain, natural resources and military arrangements. The National Park Service describes his work as “the first adequate report on the Spanish provinces of North America ever brought back to the United States.”
“That he was able to make fairly extensive notes and keep them hidden and return with them intact, that was incredible,” said David Heidler, an author and history professor at Colorado State University-Pueblo. “In terms of informing the (American) government of things they wouldn’t have known about otherwise, it was a pearl without price.”
By the time Pike was released on July 1, 1807, his commanding officer, Wilkinson, was on trial for treason. The exact nature of the Burr-Wilkinson Conspiracy has never been determined.
Some historians think Wilkinson and Vice President Aaron Burr wanted to separate the Louisiana Territory from the rest of the country by force. Others say they wanted to raise a private army, invade Mexico and overthrow the Spanish. Still others think it might have been a benign mission to encourage commerce with the Spanish.
Both were tried and acquitted. It was learned later, however, that Wilkinson had sworn allegiance to Spain and was on its payroll.
Pike was linked to the conspiracy because of his relationship with Wilkinson — his loyalty remained long after Wilkinson was no longer his commander, Heidler said. Pike was never accused of being a part of it, though, and was cleared. He died in the War of 1812.
“I really do think he was following orders, and he interpreted following orders very literally,” Labode said.
No examination of Pike’s life is complete without considering his journeys through Spanish lands, where he might have done his best work.
As an explorer, Heidler argued, Pike was a conundrum of failure — someone who drew inaccurate maps and got badly lost but kept the loyalty and confidence of his men. But as a soldier doing reconnaissance in a foreign country, he did a good job of gathering information and relaying it to his government.
Mayberry called Pike “the explorer most of us would be” — a man who made mistakes and seemed generally dumbfounded by the West.
“I think that Pike was touchable in a way Lewis and Clark never were to me,” he said. “Certainly he should be remembered because of what he did, even his failures had a significant impact on American history.”
Then, asked whether Pike was an explorer or a spy, Mayberry considered the question, smiled and replied:
“I think Pike would say, ‘Absolutely, I was a spy.’”
CONTACT THE WRITER:
636-0184 or ed.sealover@gazette.com
By ED SEALOVER - THE GAZETTE
In the 200 years since Zebulon Pike explored this region, historians have struggled over whether to label him as hapless or heroic.
This, after all, was a man who slogged through snow without socks in a failed attempt to climb the peak towering over the Plains, yet survived a frigid winter without losing men to death or defection. Pike was an ambitious and obedient soldier, but when he was captured by the Spanish, he surrendered without a fight.
History lovers still debate Pike’s abilities and accomplishments as an explorer, but they agree on this: He was an excellent spy.
But just whom was he spying for?
Pike’s adventure was spurred by the Louisiana Purchase, the same land deal that launched Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their trek to the Pacific. President Thomas Jefferson bought 820,000 acres in the West from the French in 1803, and he and others were eager to explore the new lands.
Jefferson handpicked Lewis to be his eyes and ears in the territory, but Pike got his travel papers from a man who turned out to be one of the great scoundrels in U.S. history.
James Wilkinson, commanding general of the Army, first tapped Pike to explore the upper Mississippi River and find the source of the waterway in 1805. Pike returned 8½ months later with “disappointingly meager” results, according to a National Park Service account. He produced no accurate maps and failed on his mission to persuade prominent American Indian leaders to meet with U.S. military leaders.
Still, less than three months later, Wilkinson had another job for the 27-year-old soldier, and this was the one that sent him to the Rockies.
Pike’s journey has to be seen in the context of the suspicion and hostility between the United States and Spain over the boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase.
“The thing from today’s perspective . . . is he was right in the middle of a Cold War,” Pioneers Museum Director Matt Mayberry said. “We could have gone to war at any moment with Spain over what was the definition of the Louisiana Purchase.”
Before Pike left on July 15, 1806, he and Wilkinson discussed that he might be caught while wandering so close to Spanish territory. They even laid out a plan of how Pike would say he was lost and allow Spanish troops to escort him and his men through their land, an event that would “gratify our most sanguine expectations,” according to a letter from Pike.
Pike headed west with one civilian doctor and 23 military men from the St. Louis area with few skills. In his journal Pike wrote that he served as “astronomer, surveyor, commanding officer, clerk, spy, guide and hunter.”
For the first three months, they meandered through present-day Kansas and Nebraska. In October, they reached the Arkansas River, where Pike sent some men downstream and took the majority northwest to find the source of the Red River.
Spanish troops sent out an expedition to find Pike almost as soon as he began the journey. A National Park Service history notes that while Lewis and Clark would have been concerned their mission would be compromised by such attention, Pike reported with pride that he was being hunted.
He was not to be found for three more months, though — months when the men endured a rugged winter. Pike spotted the peak that would be named after him on Nov. 15, when starvation and frostbite were setting in.
In the midst of this misery, one member of Pike’s party made a strange move. Dr. John Robinson left, supposedly to collect a debt near Santa Fe. Not surprisingly, he was quickly found by the Spanish, who sent out patrols.
This, said Colorado Historical Society chief historian Modupe Labode, seems a sign that Pike wanted to be caught. The Spanish took him and his men into custody in February.
As the group was escorted to Santa Fe, Pike made mental notes of the placement of forts and the size of the garrisons. He had long meetings with priests along the way to gather information. Pike even worked on biographical sketches of Spanish military officers.
After Spanish authorities in Chihuahua determined Pike had ulterior motives, they grabbed his papers and ordered him to stop taking notes. He kept scribbling, though, and hid notes in empty gun barrels as the group was escorted across Texas to the United States.
Pike’s journals were mundane in his description of American lands and showed little imagination, Labode and others said. The confiscated journals were forgotten until 1907, when Mexico returned them to the United States.
But Pike perked up during his detour through Spanish territory. His writings on the trip home chronicled the people of New Spain, natural resources and military arrangements. The National Park Service describes his work as “the first adequate report on the Spanish provinces of North America ever brought back to the United States.”
“That he was able to make fairly extensive notes and keep them hidden and return with them intact, that was incredible,” said David Heidler, an author and history professor at Colorado State University-Pueblo. “In terms of informing the (American) government of things they wouldn’t have known about otherwise, it was a pearl without price.”
By the time Pike was released on July 1, 1807, his commanding officer, Wilkinson, was on trial for treason. The exact nature of the Burr-Wilkinson Conspiracy has never been determined.
Some historians think Wilkinson and Vice President Aaron Burr wanted to separate the Louisiana Territory from the rest of the country by force. Others say they wanted to raise a private army, invade Mexico and overthrow the Spanish. Still others think it might have been a benign mission to encourage commerce with the Spanish.
Both were tried and acquitted. It was learned later, however, that Wilkinson had sworn allegiance to Spain and was on its payroll.
Pike was linked to the conspiracy because of his relationship with Wilkinson — his loyalty remained long after Wilkinson was no longer his commander, Heidler said. Pike was never accused of being a part of it, though, and was cleared. He died in the War of 1812.
“I really do think he was following orders, and he interpreted following orders very literally,” Labode said.
No examination of Pike’s life is complete without considering his journeys through Spanish lands, where he might have done his best work.
As an explorer, Heidler argued, Pike was a conundrum of failure — someone who drew inaccurate maps and got badly lost but kept the loyalty and confidence of his men. But as a soldier doing reconnaissance in a foreign country, he did a good job of gathering information and relaying it to his government.
Mayberry called Pike “the explorer most of us would be” — a man who made mistakes and seemed generally dumbfounded by the West.
“I think that Pike was touchable in a way Lewis and Clark never were to me,” he said. “Certainly he should be remembered because of what he did, even his failures had a significant impact on American history.”
Then, asked whether Pike was an explorer or a spy, Mayberry considered the question, smiled and replied:
“I think Pike would say, ‘Absolutely, I was a spy.’”
CONTACT THE WRITER:
636-0184 or ed.sealover@gazette.com
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Cat calls 911 to help owner, police say
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Police aren't sure how else to explain it. But when an officer walked into an apartment Thursday night to answer a 911 call, an orange-and-tan striped cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. The cat's owner, Gary Rosheisen, was on the ground near his bed having fallen out of his wheelchair.
Rosheisen said his cat, Tommy, must have hit the right buttons to call 911.
"I know it sounds kind of weird," Officer Patrick Daugherty said, unsuccessfully searching for some other explanation.
Rosheisen said he couldn't get up because of pain from osteoporosis and ministrokes that disrupt his balance. He also wasn't wearing his medical-alert necklace and couldn't reach a cord above his pillow that alerts paramedics that he needs help.
Daugherty said police received a 911 call from Rosheisen's apartment, but there was no one on the phone. Police called back to make sure everything was OK, and when no one answered, they decided to check things out.
That's when Daugherty found Tommy next to the phone.
Rosheisen got the cat three years ago to help lower his blood pressure. He tried to train him to call 911, unsure if the training ever stuck.
The phone in the living room is always on the floor, and there are 12 small buttons - including a speed dial for 911 right above the button for the speaker phone.
"He's my hero," Rosheisen said.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Police aren't sure how else to explain it. But when an officer walked into an apartment Thursday night to answer a 911 call, an orange-and-tan striped cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. The cat's owner, Gary Rosheisen, was on the ground near his bed having fallen out of his wheelchair.
Rosheisen said his cat, Tommy, must have hit the right buttons to call 911.
"I know it sounds kind of weird," Officer Patrick Daugherty said, unsuccessfully searching for some other explanation.
Rosheisen said he couldn't get up because of pain from osteoporosis and ministrokes that disrupt his balance. He also wasn't wearing his medical-alert necklace and couldn't reach a cord above his pillow that alerts paramedics that he needs help.
Daugherty said police received a 911 call from Rosheisen's apartment, but there was no one on the phone. Police called back to make sure everything was OK, and when no one answered, they decided to check things out.
That's when Daugherty found Tommy next to the phone.
Rosheisen got the cat three years ago to help lower his blood pressure. He tried to train him to call 911, unsure if the training ever stuck.
The phone in the living room is always on the floor, and there are 12 small buttons - including a speed dial for 911 right above the button for the speaker phone.
"He's my hero," Rosheisen said.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Beautiful and Powerful Words of Imam Sadiq (as)
Do not covet anything avariciously; for if you ignore it, it will come to you anyway, if it is destined to be yours. Then you would find ease in your heart with Allah swt, praise for leaving it.
But you will be blamed for your haste in (instead) seeking it, for not trusting Him, and for not being content with the decree. Allah swt created this world the same as a shadow: when you chase it, it tires you out and you can never catch up with it. If you leave it alone, it follows you inexorably, and gives you not cause for fatigue.
Imam Sadiq (as), Lantern of the Path
But you will be blamed for your haste in (instead) seeking it, for not trusting Him, and for not being content with the decree. Allah swt created this world the same as a shadow: when you chase it, it tires you out and you can never catch up with it. If you leave it alone, it follows you inexorably, and gives you not cause for fatigue.
Imam Sadiq (as), Lantern of the Path
Saturday, December 31, 2005
New Year
Happy New Year everyone, wishing you the best.
1. I hope this year would not find anyone facing the great disasters like the Tsunami or Katrina or the Pakistan Earthquake. In reality we know these things happen continually and may be happening more because of Global Warning (some of them), and if you are the one affected it doesn't matter if the disaster is one on a global scale or only your home. So maybe I should just wish that we all are safe in the new year and that we avoid disasters, and if we do face one that we recover easily and it brings out the best in us rather than the worst.
2. Last year I almost lost my father. But now he is better than he had been in years. I hope everyone gets to enjoy their families.
3. I have been divorced now just over a year, although I've been alone much longer. I hope everyone can find the love they need in the coming year if they don't have it already, and if they do have it, I pray they can nurture it and appreciate it.
4. I hope everyone finds good health this year - mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.
5. I hope if we make it to the end of this year, that we are better than when it started - mentally, physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.
6. I finished my Master's Degree this past year. I pray everyone is able to obtain their educational goals and continually learn and grow.
7. Now I have to pay that school loan! I pray for everyone that we could all get out of debt. Come on, Publisher's Clearinghouse. :)
1. I hope this year would not find anyone facing the great disasters like the Tsunami or Katrina or the Pakistan Earthquake. In reality we know these things happen continually and may be happening more because of Global Warning (some of them), and if you are the one affected it doesn't matter if the disaster is one on a global scale or only your home. So maybe I should just wish that we all are safe in the new year and that we avoid disasters, and if we do face one that we recover easily and it brings out the best in us rather than the worst.
2. Last year I almost lost my father. But now he is better than he had been in years. I hope everyone gets to enjoy their families.
3. I have been divorced now just over a year, although I've been alone much longer. I hope everyone can find the love they need in the coming year if they don't have it already, and if they do have it, I pray they can nurture it and appreciate it.
4. I hope everyone finds good health this year - mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.
5. I hope if we make it to the end of this year, that we are better than when it started - mentally, physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.
6. I finished my Master's Degree this past year. I pray everyone is able to obtain their educational goals and continually learn and grow.
7. Now I have to pay that school loan! I pray for everyone that we could all get out of debt. Come on, Publisher's Clearinghouse. :)
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Two of my Favorite Easy Everyday Good Things
I've mentioned it before, but it is worth mentioning again.
Almost every town/city/community in the country and beyond has a Freecycle network set up. It is a great concept - instead of throwing away what you can't or won't use, offer it to someone else on Freecycle. Have some canned goods in the cupboard that you're probably never going to want to eat? Someone on Freecycle needs it and wants it. Furniture, pets, duplicate Christmas gifts, appliances, clothes, food, exercise equipment, craft stuff, material and sewing stuff, computers, computer parts, car parts, moving boxes, printers, cell phones, wrong brands of stuff bought by mistake, books, all kinds of baby stuff, toys, holiday decorations and anything else you can imagine is offered - no charge, ever. You may sometimes see something you'd love to have. You may have some stuff sitting around taking up space that would delight someone else.
Just have a look for a few days and think of it next time you go to throw something away.
FreeCycle
Also neato:
The Hungersite
Click every day to "donate" free food, mammograms, books, health care, preserve rainforest, care for sheltered animals, etc. (link is also on sidebar)
Almost every town/city/community in the country and beyond has a Freecycle network set up. It is a great concept - instead of throwing away what you can't or won't use, offer it to someone else on Freecycle. Have some canned goods in the cupboard that you're probably never going to want to eat? Someone on Freecycle needs it and wants it. Furniture, pets, duplicate Christmas gifts, appliances, clothes, food, exercise equipment, craft stuff, material and sewing stuff, computers, computer parts, car parts, moving boxes, printers, cell phones, wrong brands of stuff bought by mistake, books, all kinds of baby stuff, toys, holiday decorations and anything else you can imagine is offered - no charge, ever. You may sometimes see something you'd love to have. You may have some stuff sitting around taking up space that would delight someone else.
Just have a look for a few days and think of it next time you go to throw something away.
FreeCycle
Also neato:
The Hungersite
Click every day to "donate" free food, mammograms, books, health care, preserve rainforest, care for sheltered animals, etc. (link is also on sidebar)
2006 Postponed by One (Leap) Second
These past few days I've been mostly hanging out with my mom while she ran errands and then hanging out at home reading Calvin & Hobbes, enjoying my awesome new down comforter and my wonderful new sandwich maker. And trying to figure out all the mysteries of life - no new progress on that front....
John Roach
for National Geographic News
December 29, 2005
For those of you counting the seconds until 2006, add one.
The world's top timekeepers will insert an extra second—or leap second—just before midnight in coordinated universal time (UTC) on New Year's Eve. (That's the same as 6:59:59 p.m. eastern time on December 31.) UTC is determined by atomic clocks and is five hours ahead of eastern time.
Earth's rotation is ever so slightly slowing down, but atomic clocks remain unwaveringly consistent. The extra second will allow Earth to stay in sync with the ultraprecise clocks, which mark time based on the vibration of atoms.
The planet's slowing is mostly due to the friction of tides raised by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon. In fact, a day is now about two-thousandths of a second longer than it was a couple centuries ago, scientists say.
To keep today's atomic clocks synchronized with time as measured by Earth's rotation, timekeepers insert a leap second whenever the difference between the two clocks exceeds nine-tenths of a second.
The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems, near Frankfurt, Germany, coordinates the additions of leap seconds.
This year's "extra" second will be the 23rd leap second added since 1972. In that year atomic timekeeping became the world standard. Before then, authorities relied on the movement of stars.
The most recent leap second was added seven years ago, in 1998.
"For the last several years Earth has behaved well," explained Geoff Chester, a spokesperson for the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. Together with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, the observatory keeps official time for the country.
But Earth is predicted to slow down "on a nearly exponential scale" in the decades to come as tidal friction increases, Chester says. And this is a conundrum that has sparked debate among the world's clock-watchers.
Abolish Leap Seconds?
As the Earth slows, the addition of leap seconds will be required more frequently to keep the Earth and atomic clocks in sync.For a world increasingly dominated by technology, this is a potential headache for people who have to reset personal computers, global positioning systems (GPS), mobile phones, and the like every time a leap second is added.
"They don't like leap seconds because they are irregular and they are inserted on a sort of as-needed basis," Chester said. "We try to give a six-month warning so they can make plans."
Although the addition of leap seconds has never proven a problem, some scientists are afraid that a glitch somewhere along the line will lead to a catastrophic error.
For example, an un-updated GPS navigation system could cause an oil tanker to run aground and spoil a pristine coastline. To avoid such a mishap, critics are pushing for the abolition of leap seconds.
On the other hand, if the atomic clocks and Earth's rotation are allowed to drift apart, eventually—as in, thousands of years from now—"high noon" will come hours before the sun crosses directly overhead.
Seeking to avoid such a distorted view of time, leap second proponents argue for continued coordination among the clocks.
"It's like on a small scale abolishing the leap year—the extra day. If you did that, sooner or later the months would get out of sync with the seasons," said Mark Bailey, the director of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Bailey wants to keep the tradition of leap seconds alive.
Leap seconds may be an inconvenience for timekeepers, he says. But the abolition of leap seconds could come with unintended consequences.
Many telescopes, he notes, are already programmed to account for the occasional addition of leap seconds. If the practice were abolished, astronomers would have to reprogram much of their equipment.
Ongoing Debate
The U.S. Naval Observatory recognizes the pros and cons of leap seconds. But Dennis McCarthy, former head of the observatory's Directorate of Time, opposes the added seconds.
McCarthy is part of a group of U.S. scientists within the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that recently submitted a proposal to eliminate leap seconds to the ITU, which has final say.
For most timing applications, the group argues, the practice of adding the occasional leap second creates more problems than it fixes.
A working group within the International Astronomical Union, which also has some influence in the matter, is reviewing the proposal. The IAU group will report its findings at the union's generally assembly meeting in August 2006.
The U.K.'s Royal Astronomical Society issued a statement on December 23 calling for a "much wider, more informed public debate" on the usefulness of leap seconds before a final decision is made.
Bailey of the Armagh Observatory, who is also a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, added, "It is an interesting question and I think one that deserves wider debate than just among professional scientists."
John Roach
for National Geographic News
December 29, 2005
For those of you counting the seconds until 2006, add one.
The world's top timekeepers will insert an extra second—or leap second—just before midnight in coordinated universal time (UTC) on New Year's Eve. (That's the same as 6:59:59 p.m. eastern time on December 31.) UTC is determined by atomic clocks and is five hours ahead of eastern time.
Earth's rotation is ever so slightly slowing down, but atomic clocks remain unwaveringly consistent. The extra second will allow Earth to stay in sync with the ultraprecise clocks, which mark time based on the vibration of atoms.
The planet's slowing is mostly due to the friction of tides raised by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon. In fact, a day is now about two-thousandths of a second longer than it was a couple centuries ago, scientists say.
To keep today's atomic clocks synchronized with time as measured by Earth's rotation, timekeepers insert a leap second whenever the difference between the two clocks exceeds nine-tenths of a second.
The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems, near Frankfurt, Germany, coordinates the additions of leap seconds.
This year's "extra" second will be the 23rd leap second added since 1972. In that year atomic timekeeping became the world standard. Before then, authorities relied on the movement of stars.
The most recent leap second was added seven years ago, in 1998.
"For the last several years Earth has behaved well," explained Geoff Chester, a spokesperson for the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. Together with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, the observatory keeps official time for the country.
But Earth is predicted to slow down "on a nearly exponential scale" in the decades to come as tidal friction increases, Chester says. And this is a conundrum that has sparked debate among the world's clock-watchers.
Abolish Leap Seconds?
As the Earth slows, the addition of leap seconds will be required more frequently to keep the Earth and atomic clocks in sync.For a world increasingly dominated by technology, this is a potential headache for people who have to reset personal computers, global positioning systems (GPS), mobile phones, and the like every time a leap second is added.
"They don't like leap seconds because they are irregular and they are inserted on a sort of as-needed basis," Chester said. "We try to give a six-month warning so they can make plans."
Although the addition of leap seconds has never proven a problem, some scientists are afraid that a glitch somewhere along the line will lead to a catastrophic error.
For example, an un-updated GPS navigation system could cause an oil tanker to run aground and spoil a pristine coastline. To avoid such a mishap, critics are pushing for the abolition of leap seconds.
On the other hand, if the atomic clocks and Earth's rotation are allowed to drift apart, eventually—as in, thousands of years from now—"high noon" will come hours before the sun crosses directly overhead.
Seeking to avoid such a distorted view of time, leap second proponents argue for continued coordination among the clocks.
"It's like on a small scale abolishing the leap year—the extra day. If you did that, sooner or later the months would get out of sync with the seasons," said Mark Bailey, the director of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Bailey wants to keep the tradition of leap seconds alive.
Leap seconds may be an inconvenience for timekeepers, he says. But the abolition of leap seconds could come with unintended consequences.
Many telescopes, he notes, are already programmed to account for the occasional addition of leap seconds. If the practice were abolished, astronomers would have to reprogram much of their equipment.
Ongoing Debate
The U.S. Naval Observatory recognizes the pros and cons of leap seconds. But Dennis McCarthy, former head of the observatory's Directorate of Time, opposes the added seconds.
McCarthy is part of a group of U.S. scientists within the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that recently submitted a proposal to eliminate leap seconds to the ITU, which has final say.
For most timing applications, the group argues, the practice of adding the occasional leap second creates more problems than it fixes.
A working group within the International Astronomical Union, which also has some influence in the matter, is reviewing the proposal. The IAU group will report its findings at the union's generally assembly meeting in August 2006.
The U.K.'s Royal Astronomical Society issued a statement on December 23 calling for a "much wider, more informed public debate" on the usefulness of leap seconds before a final decision is made.
Bailey of the Armagh Observatory, who is also a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, added, "It is an interesting question and I think one that deserves wider debate than just among professional scientists."
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Merry Christmas - Christmas and Jesus (as) in Islam
In spirit, most Muslims have no problem with the concept of celebrating the birth of Jesus (as). There are some Muslims who avoid celebrating birthdays altogether. But Shia Muslims as a matter of course find it meritorious to honor and remember the saints and prophets of God on the birthdays, death days and other significant dates.
We now know that December 25 is a wrong date for the birth of Jesus (as) and was chosen to coincide with certain pagan activities to ease their conversions from paganism but allowing them to incorporate some pagan traditions. I guess the more favored date now is sometime in April, around 4 or 5 B.C.
Muslims believe in Jesus (as), and in that sense we are Christians.
1. We believe Jesus (as) was born of the Virgin Mary by a miracle from God.
2. We believe Jesus (as) spoke to people while still a newborn.
3. We believe Jesus (as) performed numerous other miracles through the power of God including having the ability to raise the dead.
4. We believe Jesus (as) was a prophet of God who delivered the message (gospel) about how to get saved from hell and that he was supported by Ruh al Quddus, sometimes called the Holy Spirit. The gospel was a scripture revealed to Jesus (as) to deliver to mankind.
5. We believe Jesus (as) never committed a sin ( and actually we believe this of all prophets).
6. We believe Jesus (as) is not part of a triune God - we believe in a Unitarian God.
7. We believe Jesus (as) is not God in the flesh but is a holy man who prayed to God and carried out God's will on earth.
8. We believe Jesus (as) was not crucified on the cross but was raised to heaven by God.
9. We believe Jesus (as) will return at the time of Armageddon to help establish God's rule on Earth.
10. There is no Joseph as a father of Jesus (as) or husband of Mary mentioned in the Muslim Scriptures.
11. John the Baptist is also mentioned in the Qur'an as a prophet of God just preceding Jesus (as) and a supporter and preparer for Jesus (as).
Some pertinent passages from the Qur'an for Christmas about Jesus and Mary:
So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and made her grow up a good growing and gave her into the charge of Zakariya; whenever Zakariya entered the sanctuary to see her, he found her with food. He said: O Mary! where did you get this? She said: It is from God. Surely God gives to whom He pleases without measure. (3:36)
And the angels said: O Mary! Surely God has chosen you and chosen you above the women of the world. (3:41)
She (Mary) said: My Lord! Shall there be a son born to me while no man has touched me? He said: Even so, God creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be! - and then it is. (3:46)
And most certainly we gave Moses the Torah and We sent apostles after him one after another; and We gave Jesus son of Mary clear arguments and strengthened him with the Ruh al Quddus. (2:87)
Say: We believe in God and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit (are Muslims). (3:83)
And We made a covenant with the prophets and with you, and with Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary, and We made with them a strong covenant. (33:7)
And We sent after them in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, verifying what was before him of the Torah and We gave him the Gospel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of the Torah and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard against evil. (5:46)
And mention Mary in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place; So she took a veil to screen herself from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man. She said: Surely I seek refuge from you with the Beneficient God, if you are one guarding against evil. He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord that you will give birth to a pure boy. She said: How shall I have a boy when no mortal has touched me nor have I been unchaste? He said: Even so, your Lord says: It is easy to Me, and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from us; and it is a matter which has been decreed. So she conceived him, then withdrew herself with him to a remote place. And the throes of child birth compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten. Then the child called out to her from beneath her, 'Grieve not, surely your Lord has made a stream to flow beneath you, and shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree and it will provide you with fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal say "Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficient God, so I shall not speak to any man today. And she came to her people with him (Jesus), carry him. They said: O Mary! Surely you have done a strange thing. Your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman. But Mary pointed to the baby. They said: how should we speak to a child in the cradle? But Jesus spoke, and said: Surely I am a servant of God; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live. And He has made me dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent or unblessed. Peace on me the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life again.' Such is Jesus, the son of Mary; this is the saying of truth about which they dispute. It beseems not God that He should take to Himself a son; glory be to Him; when He decrees a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is. (19:16-36)
And when you (Jesus) determined out of clay a think like the form of a bird and by My permission then you breathed into it and it became a living bird, and you healed the blind and leprous by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission. (5:110)
When the disciples said: O Jesus Son of Mary, will you Lord consent to send down to us food from heaven? He said: Be careful of your duty to God if you are believers. They said: We desire to eat of it and that our hearts should be at rest, and that we may know that you have indeed spoken the truth to us and that we may be the witnesses of it. Jesus Son of mary said: O God our Lord, send down ot us food from heaven which should be to us an everrecurring happiness, to the first of us and to the last of us, as a sign from Thee, and grant us means of subsistence, and Thou art the best of Providers. God said: Surely I will send it down to you, but whoever shall disbeliever afterwards from among you, surely I will chastise him with a chastisement with which I will not chastise any one from among the nations. (5:112-115)
And the Messiah (Jesus) said: O Children of Israel! Serve God, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates others with God, then God has forbidden to him the paradise, and his abode is the fire, and there shall be no helpers for the unjust. (5:72)
And Jesus Son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Surely I am the apostle of Allah sent to you, verifying that which is sent before of the Torah and giving the good news of an apostle who will come after me, his name being Ahmad (Comforter). (61:6)
Surely the likeness of Jesus is with God the same as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was. (3:58)
And they say: God has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him; rather whatever is in the heavens and the earth is His; all are obedient to Him. (2:116)
And they say: The Beneficient God has taken to Himself a son, Glory be to Him, Nay! they (all prophets including Jesus) are honored servants, they do not precede Him in speech and only according to His commandment do they act. (21:26-27)
Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely God is the third of three; rather there is no god but the one God. (5:73)
The Messiah, Son of Mary is but an apostle; apostles before him have indeed passed away; and his mother was a truthful woman; they both used to eat food (they were humans, not gods). (5:75)
And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the apostle of God; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Jesus) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure. Nay! God took him up to Himself; and God is Mighty, Wise. (4:157-158)
And God said: O Jesus I am going to terminate the period of your stay on earth and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve and make those you follow you above those who disbelieve to the day of resurrection; then to Me shall be your return. (3:54)
And when God will say: O Jesus Son of Mary! Did you say to men, 'Take me and my mother for gods besides God' he will say: Glory be to thee, it did not befit me that I should say what I had no right to say; if I had said it, Thou wouldst have indeed known it; Thou knowest what is in my mind and I do not know what is in Thy mind; surely Thou art the Great Knower of unseen things. I do not say to them aught except save what Thou did enjoin me with; I said to serve God, My Lord and your Lord, and I was witness of them so long as I was among them, but when Thou caused me to leave, then Thou were the watcher over them. (5:116-117)
We now know that December 25 is a wrong date for the birth of Jesus (as) and was chosen to coincide with certain pagan activities to ease their conversions from paganism but allowing them to incorporate some pagan traditions. I guess the more favored date now is sometime in April, around 4 or 5 B.C.
Muslims believe in Jesus (as), and in that sense we are Christians.
1. We believe Jesus (as) was born of the Virgin Mary by a miracle from God.
2. We believe Jesus (as) spoke to people while still a newborn.
3. We believe Jesus (as) performed numerous other miracles through the power of God including having the ability to raise the dead.
4. We believe Jesus (as) was a prophet of God who delivered the message (gospel) about how to get saved from hell and that he was supported by Ruh al Quddus, sometimes called the Holy Spirit. The gospel was a scripture revealed to Jesus (as) to deliver to mankind.
5. We believe Jesus (as) never committed a sin ( and actually we believe this of all prophets).
6. We believe Jesus (as) is not part of a triune God - we believe in a Unitarian God.
7. We believe Jesus (as) is not God in the flesh but is a holy man who prayed to God and carried out God's will on earth.
8. We believe Jesus (as) was not crucified on the cross but was raised to heaven by God.
9. We believe Jesus (as) will return at the time of Armageddon to help establish God's rule on Earth.
10. There is no Joseph as a father of Jesus (as) or husband of Mary mentioned in the Muslim Scriptures.
11. John the Baptist is also mentioned in the Qur'an as a prophet of God just preceding Jesus (as) and a supporter and preparer for Jesus (as).
Some pertinent passages from the Qur'an for Christmas about Jesus and Mary:
So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and made her grow up a good growing and gave her into the charge of Zakariya; whenever Zakariya entered the sanctuary to see her, he found her with food. He said: O Mary! where did you get this? She said: It is from God. Surely God gives to whom He pleases without measure. (3:36)
And the angels said: O Mary! Surely God has chosen you and chosen you above the women of the world. (3:41)
She (Mary) said: My Lord! Shall there be a son born to me while no man has touched me? He said: Even so, God creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be! - and then it is. (3:46)
And most certainly we gave Moses the Torah and We sent apostles after him one after another; and We gave Jesus son of Mary clear arguments and strengthened him with the Ruh al Quddus. (2:87)
Say: We believe in God and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit (are Muslims). (3:83)
And We made a covenant with the prophets and with you, and with Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary, and We made with them a strong covenant. (33:7)
And We sent after them in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, verifying what was before him of the Torah and We gave him the Gospel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of the Torah and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard against evil. (5:46)
And mention Mary in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place; So she took a veil to screen herself from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man. She said: Surely I seek refuge from you with the Beneficient God, if you are one guarding against evil. He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord that you will give birth to a pure boy. She said: How shall I have a boy when no mortal has touched me nor have I been unchaste? He said: Even so, your Lord says: It is easy to Me, and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from us; and it is a matter which has been decreed. So she conceived him, then withdrew herself with him to a remote place. And the throes of child birth compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten. Then the child called out to her from beneath her, 'Grieve not, surely your Lord has made a stream to flow beneath you, and shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree and it will provide you with fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal say "Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficient God, so I shall not speak to any man today. And she came to her people with him (Jesus), carry him. They said: O Mary! Surely you have done a strange thing. Your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman. But Mary pointed to the baby. They said: how should we speak to a child in the cradle? But Jesus spoke, and said: Surely I am a servant of God; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live. And He has made me dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent or unblessed. Peace on me the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life again.' Such is Jesus, the son of Mary; this is the saying of truth about which they dispute. It beseems not God that He should take to Himself a son; glory be to Him; when He decrees a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is. (19:16-36)
And when you (Jesus) determined out of clay a think like the form of a bird and by My permission then you breathed into it and it became a living bird, and you healed the blind and leprous by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission. (5:110)
When the disciples said: O Jesus Son of Mary, will you Lord consent to send down to us food from heaven? He said: Be careful of your duty to God if you are believers. They said: We desire to eat of it and that our hearts should be at rest, and that we may know that you have indeed spoken the truth to us and that we may be the witnesses of it. Jesus Son of mary said: O God our Lord, send down ot us food from heaven which should be to us an everrecurring happiness, to the first of us and to the last of us, as a sign from Thee, and grant us means of subsistence, and Thou art the best of Providers. God said: Surely I will send it down to you, but whoever shall disbeliever afterwards from among you, surely I will chastise him with a chastisement with which I will not chastise any one from among the nations. (5:112-115)
And the Messiah (Jesus) said: O Children of Israel! Serve God, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates others with God, then God has forbidden to him the paradise, and his abode is the fire, and there shall be no helpers for the unjust. (5:72)
And Jesus Son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Surely I am the apostle of Allah sent to you, verifying that which is sent before of the Torah and giving the good news of an apostle who will come after me, his name being Ahmad (Comforter). (61:6)
Surely the likeness of Jesus is with God the same as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was. (3:58)
And they say: God has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him; rather whatever is in the heavens and the earth is His; all are obedient to Him. (2:116)
And they say: The Beneficient God has taken to Himself a son, Glory be to Him, Nay! they (all prophets including Jesus) are honored servants, they do not precede Him in speech and only according to His commandment do they act. (21:26-27)
Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely God is the third of three; rather there is no god but the one God. (5:73)
The Messiah, Son of Mary is but an apostle; apostles before him have indeed passed away; and his mother was a truthful woman; they both used to eat food (they were humans, not gods). (5:75)
And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the apostle of God; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Jesus) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure. Nay! God took him up to Himself; and God is Mighty, Wise. (4:157-158)
And God said: O Jesus I am going to terminate the period of your stay on earth and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve and make those you follow you above those who disbelieve to the day of resurrection; then to Me shall be your return. (3:54)
And when God will say: O Jesus Son of Mary! Did you say to men, 'Take me and my mother for gods besides God' he will say: Glory be to thee, it did not befit me that I should say what I had no right to say; if I had said it, Thou wouldst have indeed known it; Thou knowest what is in my mind and I do not know what is in Thy mind; surely Thou art the Great Knower of unseen things. I do not say to them aught except save what Thou did enjoin me with; I said to serve God, My Lord and your Lord, and I was witness of them so long as I was among them, but when Thou caused me to leave, then Thou were the watcher over them. (5:116-117)
Sunday, December 18, 2005
I just thought this was interesting.....
It snowed all weekend - big pretty flakes, but coooold. Drove up to the mountains and it was clear there because the clouds were all down low and enjoyed a beautiful view of Pikes Peak from Woodland Park. The birds outside were crazy at the feeder - whenever the weather turns bad, the wild birds want to eat like there's no tomorrow - I think they must need the extra food to try to stay warm and it must be instinct when weather turns to eat up trying to store for the future a little bit.
I read this article yesterday and thought it was interesting....
14-point deer turns out to be doe
The Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa — A hunter thought he might have bagged a trophy buck when he shot a 14-point deer in northeast Iowa earlier this month.
Eric Weymiller, 25, of rural Harpers Ferry, started to field dress the animal when to his surprise he noticed it wasn’t a buck at all.
“I noticed right away it was missing some plumbing,” said Weymiller, who shot the animal Dec. 7 in Allamakee County.
He discovered he was dressing a doe sporting antlers with 14 tines, a big rack even for a buck.
“I stopped field dressing the animal and called a DNR biologist,” Weymiller said. “I wanted them to document this.”
Iowa Department of Natural Resources Biologist Terry Hainfield confirmed that the animal was female.
“It is unusual to find a doe with antlers, but what makes this particularly unusual is that the antlers had hardened and grown so big,” Hainfield said.
More research will be required to determine whether the deer’s antlers are large enough to set a record for doe antlers.
I read this article yesterday and thought it was interesting....
14-point deer turns out to be doe
The Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa — A hunter thought he might have bagged a trophy buck when he shot a 14-point deer in northeast Iowa earlier this month.
Eric Weymiller, 25, of rural Harpers Ferry, started to field dress the animal when to his surprise he noticed it wasn’t a buck at all.
“I noticed right away it was missing some plumbing,” said Weymiller, who shot the animal Dec. 7 in Allamakee County.
He discovered he was dressing a doe sporting antlers with 14 tines, a big rack even for a buck.
“I stopped field dressing the animal and called a DNR biologist,” Weymiller said. “I wanted them to document this.”
Iowa Department of Natural Resources Biologist Terry Hainfield confirmed that the animal was female.
“It is unusual to find a doe with antlers, but what makes this particularly unusual is that the antlers had hardened and grown so big,” Hainfield said.
More research will be required to determine whether the deer’s antlers are large enough to set a record for doe antlers.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Masha'allah
Woman found alive from the Pakistan Earthquake after more than 2 months of being buried in rubble.
I still have the link for free aid to victims of the earthquake at left in the sidebar.
I still have the link for free aid to victims of the earthquake at left in the sidebar.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
What's your Childhood Fantasy?
Mine is that I could travel back in time. Not actually being in that time in a way to influence it, but to see how things really were. To see the Saber Tooth Tiger and Giant Sloth. To see answers to mysteries like what really happened to Amelia Earhart or what the Lighthouse of Alexandria really looked like. Similarly, I wished that I could see anything in the present instantly, like where a missing person is or lost money or sunken treasure or the Loch Ness Monster..... And then people would ask me to help them find their lost friends or things and I'd do it instantly for free and make my living off finding some giant piece of gold or diamond somewhere.... So that's my childhood fantasy; what's yours?
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Imam Sajjad (as) - Giving Thanks
His Supplication when Confessing his Shortcomings in Giving Thanks
1 O God,
no one reaches a limit in thanking Thee
without acquiring that of Thy beneficence
which enjoins upon him thanksgiving,
2 nor does anyone reach a degree in obeying Thee,
even if he strives,
without falling short of what Thou deservest
because of Thy bounty.
3 The most thankful of Thy servants
has not the capacity to thank Thee,
and the most worshipful of them
falls short of obeying Thee.
4 To none of them is due
Thy forgiveness through what he himself deserves
or Thy good pleasure for his own merit.
5 When Thou forgivest someone,
it is through Thy graciousness,
and when Thou art pleased with someone,
it is through Thy bounty.
6 Thou showest gratitude
for the paltry for which Thou showest gratitude
and Thou rewardest
the small act in which Thou art obeyed,
so that it seems as if Thy servants' thanksgiving
for which Thou hast made incumbent their reward
and made great their repayment
is an affair
from which they could have held back without Thee,
and hence Thou wilt recompense them,
and whose cause is not in Thy hand,
and hence Thou wilt repay them.
7 Nay, my God, Thou hadst power over their affair
before they had power to worship Thee,
and Thou hadst prepared their reward
before they began to obey Thee;
and that because Thy wont is bestowal of bounty,
Thy custom beneficence,
Thy way pardon.
8 So all creatures confess
that Thou wrongest not him whom Thou punishest
and bear witness
that Thou bestowest bounty upon him whom Thou pardonest.
Each admits
that he has fallen short of what Thou meritest.
9 Had Satan not misled them from Thy obedience,
no disobeyer would have disobeyed Thee,
and had he not shown falsehood to them in the likeness of truth
no strayer would have gone astray from Thy path.
10 So glory be to Thee!
How manifest is Thy generosity
in dealing with him who obeys or disobeys Thee!
Thou showest gratitude to the obedient
for that which Thou undertakest for him,
and Thou grantest a respite to the disobedient
in that within which Thou art able to hurry him.
11 Thou givest to each of them
that which is not his due,
and Thou bestowest bounty upon each
in that wherein his works fall short.
12 Wert Thou to counterbalance for the obedient servant
that which Thou Thyself hadst undertaken,
he would be on the point of losing Thy reward
and seeing the end of Thy favour,
but through Thy generosity Thou hast repaid him
for a short, perishing term
with a long, everlasting term,
and for a near, vanishing limit
with an extended, abiding limit.
13 Then Thou dost not visit him with a settling of accounts
for Thy provision
through which he gained strength to obey Thee,
nor dost Thou force him to make reckonings
for the organs he employed
to find the means to Thy forgiveness.
Wert Thou to do that to him,
it would take away
everything for which he had laboured
and all wherein he had exerted himself
as repayment for the smallest of Thy benefits
and kindnesses,
and he would remain hostage before Thee
for Thy other favours.
So how can he deserve something of Thy reward?
Indeed, how?
14 This, my God, is the state of him who obeys Thee
and the path of him who worships Thee.
But as for him who disobeys Thy command
and goes against Thy prohibition,
Thou dost not hurry him to Thy vengeance,
so that he may seek to replace
his state in disobeying Thee
with the state of turning back to obey Thee,
though he deserved from the time he set out to disobey Thee
every punishment which Thou hast prepared
for all Thy creatures.
15 Through each chastisement
which Thou hast kept back from him
and each penalty of Thy vengeance and Thy punishment
which Thou hast delayed from him,
Thou hast refrained from Thy right
and shown good pleasure
in place of what Thou hast made obligatory.
16 So who is more generous, my God, than Thou?
And who is more wretched than he who perishes
in spite of Thee?
Indeed, who?
Thou art too blessed to be described
by any but beneficence
and too generous for any but justice
to be feared from Thee!
There is no dread that Thou wilt be unjust
toward him who disobeys Thee,
nor any fear of Thy neglecting to reward
him who satisfies Thee.
So bless Muhammad and his Household,
give me my hope,
and increase me in that of Thy guidance
through which I may be successful in my works!
Surely Thou art All-kind, Generous.
1 O God,
no one reaches a limit in thanking Thee
without acquiring that of Thy beneficence
which enjoins upon him thanksgiving,
2 nor does anyone reach a degree in obeying Thee,
even if he strives,
without falling short of what Thou deservest
because of Thy bounty.
3 The most thankful of Thy servants
has not the capacity to thank Thee,
and the most worshipful of them
falls short of obeying Thee.
4 To none of them is due
Thy forgiveness through what he himself deserves
or Thy good pleasure for his own merit.
5 When Thou forgivest someone,
it is through Thy graciousness,
and when Thou art pleased with someone,
it is through Thy bounty.
6 Thou showest gratitude
for the paltry for which Thou showest gratitude
and Thou rewardest
the small act in which Thou art obeyed,
so that it seems as if Thy servants' thanksgiving
for which Thou hast made incumbent their reward
and made great their repayment
is an affair
from which they could have held back without Thee,
and hence Thou wilt recompense them,
and whose cause is not in Thy hand,
and hence Thou wilt repay them.
7 Nay, my God, Thou hadst power over their affair
before they had power to worship Thee,
and Thou hadst prepared their reward
before they began to obey Thee;
and that because Thy wont is bestowal of bounty,
Thy custom beneficence,
Thy way pardon.
8 So all creatures confess
that Thou wrongest not him whom Thou punishest
and bear witness
that Thou bestowest bounty upon him whom Thou pardonest.
Each admits
that he has fallen short of what Thou meritest.
9 Had Satan not misled them from Thy obedience,
no disobeyer would have disobeyed Thee,
and had he not shown falsehood to them in the likeness of truth
no strayer would have gone astray from Thy path.
10 So glory be to Thee!
How manifest is Thy generosity
in dealing with him who obeys or disobeys Thee!
Thou showest gratitude to the obedient
for that which Thou undertakest for him,
and Thou grantest a respite to the disobedient
in that within which Thou art able to hurry him.
11 Thou givest to each of them
that which is not his due,
and Thou bestowest bounty upon each
in that wherein his works fall short.
12 Wert Thou to counterbalance for the obedient servant
that which Thou Thyself hadst undertaken,
he would be on the point of losing Thy reward
and seeing the end of Thy favour,
but through Thy generosity Thou hast repaid him
for a short, perishing term
with a long, everlasting term,
and for a near, vanishing limit
with an extended, abiding limit.
13 Then Thou dost not visit him with a settling of accounts
for Thy provision
through which he gained strength to obey Thee,
nor dost Thou force him to make reckonings
for the organs he employed
to find the means to Thy forgiveness.
Wert Thou to do that to him,
it would take away
everything for which he had laboured
and all wherein he had exerted himself
as repayment for the smallest of Thy benefits
and kindnesses,
and he would remain hostage before Thee
for Thy other favours.
So how can he deserve something of Thy reward?
Indeed, how?
14 This, my God, is the state of him who obeys Thee
and the path of him who worships Thee.
But as for him who disobeys Thy command
and goes against Thy prohibition,
Thou dost not hurry him to Thy vengeance,
so that he may seek to replace
his state in disobeying Thee
with the state of turning back to obey Thee,
though he deserved from the time he set out to disobey Thee
every punishment which Thou hast prepared
for all Thy creatures.
15 Through each chastisement
which Thou hast kept back from him
and each penalty of Thy vengeance and Thy punishment
which Thou hast delayed from him,
Thou hast refrained from Thy right
and shown good pleasure
in place of what Thou hast made obligatory.
16 So who is more generous, my God, than Thou?
And who is more wretched than he who perishes
in spite of Thee?
Indeed, who?
Thou art too blessed to be described
by any but beneficence
and too generous for any but justice
to be feared from Thee!
There is no dread that Thou wilt be unjust
toward him who disobeys Thee,
nor any fear of Thy neglecting to reward
him who satisfies Thee.
So bless Muhammad and his Household,
give me my hope,
and increase me in that of Thy guidance
through which I may be successful in my works!
Surely Thou art All-kind, Generous.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
some hadith
--
Thus ease comes from considering this world to be insignificant, giving up one's enjoyment of it, and removing the impurity of what is forbidden or doubtful. A person closes the door of pride on himself once he recognizes this; he flees from wrong actions and opens the door of humility, regret and modesty. He strives to carry out Allah swt's commands and to avoid His prohibitions, seeking a good end and excellent proximity to Allah swt. He locks himself in the prison of fear, steadfastness, and the restraint of his appetites until he reaches the safety of Allah swt in the world to come and tastes the food of His good pleasure. If he intends that, everything else means nothing to him.
Imam Sadiq (as), Lantern of the Path
--
It is narrated that Imam Zainul Abideen (as) has said:
The richest of people is [one] who is satisfied with
what Allah has
chosen for him.
Tuhaf al-Uqoul
The Masterpieces of the Intellects
Page 327 Hadith Number 5
Compiled by Abu Muhammad al-Hassan bin Ali bin
al-Hussein bin Shuba
al-Harrani
Translated by Badr Shahin
--
It is narrated that Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) has
narrated from Imam Ali (as)
Indeed, he who treats people fairly even though it be
to his detriment, is only increased in worth and
honor by Allah.
Combat with Self
Page 120 Hadith number 20525
Muhammad b al_Hasan al-Hurr al-Amili
Translated by Nazmina A Virjee
--
It is narrated that Imam Ali (as) has said:
If a person thinks well of you, make his idea hold
true.
A Bundle of Flowers from the garden of traditions of
the Prophet &
his Ahlul-Bayt (as)
Compiled by Ayatullah Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imani
Translated by Sayyid Abbas Sadr-ameli
Page 89
--
I am as My servant thinks I am.
I am with him when he makes mention of Me.
If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention
of him to Myself;
and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make
mention of him in an assembly better than it.
And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw
near to him a fathom's length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
Hadith Qudsi http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/hadithqudsi.htm
--
It is narrated that Imam Sadiq (as) has said:
Dua is more forceful than a sword.
(Odattol Daee)
Thus ease comes from considering this world to be insignificant, giving up one's enjoyment of it, and removing the impurity of what is forbidden or doubtful. A person closes the door of pride on himself once he recognizes this; he flees from wrong actions and opens the door of humility, regret and modesty. He strives to carry out Allah swt's commands and to avoid His prohibitions, seeking a good end and excellent proximity to Allah swt. He locks himself in the prison of fear, steadfastness, and the restraint of his appetites until he reaches the safety of Allah swt in the world to come and tastes the food of His good pleasure. If he intends that, everything else means nothing to him.
Imam Sadiq (as), Lantern of the Path
--
It is narrated that Imam Zainul Abideen (as) has said:
The richest of people is [one] who is satisfied with
what Allah has
chosen for him.
Tuhaf al-Uqoul
The Masterpieces of the Intellects
Page 327 Hadith Number 5
Compiled by Abu Muhammad al-Hassan bin Ali bin
al-Hussein bin Shuba
al-Harrani
Translated by Badr Shahin
--
It is narrated that Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) has
narrated from Imam Ali (as)
Indeed, he who treats people fairly even though it be
to his detriment, is only increased in worth and
honor by Allah.
Combat with Self
Page 120 Hadith number 20525
Muhammad b al_Hasan al-Hurr al-Amili
Translated by Nazmina A Virjee
--
It is narrated that Imam Ali (as) has said:
If a person thinks well of you, make his idea hold
true.
A Bundle of Flowers from the garden of traditions of
the Prophet &
his Ahlul-Bayt (as)
Compiled by Ayatullah Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imani
Translated by Sayyid Abbas Sadr-ameli
Page 89
--
I am as My servant thinks I am.
I am with him when he makes mention of Me.
If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention
of him to Myself;
and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make
mention of him in an assembly better than it.
And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw
near to him a fathom's length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
Hadith Qudsi http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/hadithqudsi.htm
--
It is narrated that Imam Sadiq (as) has said:
Dua is more forceful than a sword.
(Odattol Daee)
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Pikes Peak
By DEB ACORD THE GAZETTE
Lt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike wasn’t sure. But as the explorer stood on a rise in the flat, dry prairie of southeastern Colorado on Nov. 15, 1806, he thought he had spotted something on the horizon with his spyglass.
“At two o’clock in the afternoon I thought I could distinguish a mountain to our right, which appeared like a small blue cloud,” he wrote in his journal.
Pike had been in Colorado four days with his group of soldiers on an expedition to explore the southern reaches of the Louisiana Purchase. He kept quiet about what he saw, talking only to another member of his party. “Yet only communicated it to doctor Robinson, who was in front with me,” he wrote.
But another half hour’s travel brought the party to a hilltop with a clearer view. The group, Pike reported, “gave three cheers to the Mexi- can mountains.”
On this date 199 years ago, Pike’s journal entry about the “small blue cloud” became the first record of the mountain that would someday be named after him.
Throughout the next year, his expedition to the mountain we know as Pikes Peak will be cause for celebration in communities throughout southeastern Colorado. Small towns like Rocky Ford and Las Animas, the cities of Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and such entities as Colorado State Parks, the Santa Fe Trail Association and the Colorado Division of Wildlife have also joined in. The Gazette is planning a year of coverage, including a collector’s edition special section.
Working from old maps and Pike’s journal, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has surveyed the area where Pike camped when he sighted the mountain and will soon set a marker of Pikes Peak granite on the spot.
By the time Pike and his men reached that stretch of land on the banks of the Arkansas River, they had already encountered vast herds of buffalo and signs of Indian war parties. It was a vast, dry prairie cut by rivers that meandered in the shade of cottonwoods.
On Monday, the area still looked like Pike described it, save for the absence of American Indians and herds of buffalo. The prairie was silent except for a constant wind that rustled the remaining leaves on the cottonwoods crowding the banks of the river. Coyote tracks were preserved in the dry clay. Tumbleweeds blew through with little to stop them, and tufts of buffalo grass waved and bent.
And to the northwest, a “small blue cloud” sat on the horizon, topped by bubbly white cumulus clouds. It shimmered, discernible only because an Army Corps of Engineers official pointed it out, changing shape with the angle of the sun or hiding tantalizingly beneath clouds that signaled an encroaching storm.
Looking at that shimmering image from this vantage point allowed a visitor to wonder at the temerity of Pike and his men. The party — 21 men and one interpreter — had set forth four months earlier, on July 15, 1806, from Belfountaine, near modern-day St. Louis.
The group’s mission was to explore the southwestern holdings of the Louisiana Purchase, acquired by the United States from France in 1803. The more famous expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark took a more northerly route across the continent.
In Colorado, Pike and his men followed rivers and creeks, charting their course and noting other geographic features along the way. He followed groups of Spanish cavalry, who may well have seen Pikes Peak, and encountered Indians, who of course already had their own name for it — Taba. But Pike was the first to record an observation of the mountain he first spotted as a blue cloud and later called Grand Peak.
In the week following his sighting, he moved closer to the mountain, and on Nov. 23, 1806, he wrote, “As the river appeared to be dividing itself into many small branches and of course must be near its extreme source, I concluded to put the party in a defensible situation; ascend the north fork, to the high point of the blue mountain.”
Pike misjudged his proximity to the source of the Arkansas, which was still more than 100 miles away. He also misjudged the climb he faced. He thought it would take one day’s march, but after a day he was nowhere near the summit, and by the 27th he realized he had underestimated the climb. He looked at the mountain again.
The first recorded ascent was by the botanist Edwin James in 1820. Nevertheless, the mountain was called “Pike’s Peak” until 1891, when the U.S. Board on Geographic Names took out the apostrophe.
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