Get acquainted with Dickens

Make no bones about it, this is Britain’s scariest cave! Photographer captures eerie skull in reflection of remote rock face

2011-12-13T22:45:00.003+07:00

The photo of the cave, when turned on its side, displays an ominous image of a skull

Make no bones about it, this is Britain’s scariest cave! Photographer captures eerie skull in reflection of remote rock face - Only the bravest would tackle a cave whose icy waters have already claimed the lives of several divers.

But if there was any doubt about the peril that awaits at Hodge Close Quarry, one need only look at this picture

The lake at the abandoned slate quarry is an eerie enough site - but as this image shows if you turn your head you are greeted with the terrifying sight of a giant skull.

The image was taken by a diver who had just been into the waters of the quarry near Coniston in Cumbria.

The pool is accessed through a 25-metre long a two-metre-square tunnel.

The spot, which is popular with divers, has claimed the lives of at least three over the years.

Photographer Peter Bardsley said: 'Have a look at this photograph. It's taken at a slate quarry called Hodge Close, near Coniston in the Lake District.

'Divers have died here in the underwater tunnels and climbers have fallen to their deaths.

'This reflection when turned 90 degrees shows a skull. It has not been manipulated in any way and is very spooky. It's like something from an Indiana Jones movie.

'I only noticed it when I was processing the image after getting back home from a dive there.'

In 2005 the Coniston Mountain Rescue Team had to help a 48-year-old diver who had surfaced too fast after thinking he had seen a body under the water there.

The flooded slate quarry's sporting passageways still remain popular with divers.

The main tunnel opens to several chambers along its length and presents a good sporting dive at times when most other diving would be blown or washed out.

The water is generally cold at this depth at 6 Celsius or below.

A warning on a website says: 'Visitors would be prudent to consider their level of training before embarking on any penetration dive here. Three inexperienced divers have died here in past years.'

The lake at Hodge Close slate quarry is only accessed by a series of underwater tunnels ( dailymail.co.uk )

Dickens mania

2011-12-09T21:47:00.003+07:00

Dickens mania: Ray Winstone as Abel Magwitch in Great Expectations

A Dickens of a Christmas kicks off before the author's bicentenary - - The BBC is going Charles Dickens crazy before his bicentenary in February.

The first of its adaptations are Great Expectations on December 27 and parody The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff on December 19.

Tim Oglethorpe and Nicole Lampert go behind the scenes.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

BBC1 Tuesday, December 27, Wednesday, December 28 and Thursday, December 29 at 9pm.

THE PROGRAMME: Three-part adaptation by Sarah Phelps of the novel about the life of orphan Pip.

THE STARS: Douglas Booth — Boy George in the BBC film Worried About The Boy — plays orphan Pip, from his teenage years onwards.

X Files star Gillian Anderson is Miss Haversham, Ray Winstone plays Magwitch and David Suchet is the secretive lawyer Jaggers.

THE COST: An estimated £3.75 million.

THE STORY: Pip is brought up by his domineering sister Mrs Joe (Claire Rushbrook) and her blacksmith husband Joe Gargery (Shaun Dooley).

His kindness towards escaped convict Magwitch will have major consequences.

Seeking company for her adopted daughter Estella, Miss Haversham requests Pip visit her fading mansion, Satis.

It’s Pip’s first taste of a more genteel existence, that he’ll become accustomed to when given a fortune by a mystery benefactor.

THE FILMING: The BBC built the Gargery cottage and forge on marshland near Tollesbury in Essex.

Interior scenes, at The Gargery House and at the forge, were shot at Luton Hoo Farm in Bedfordshire.

Holdenby House in Northamptonshire doubled as Miss Haversham’s crumbling mansion.

The owner James Lowther says: ‘The BBC used 80 tonnes of mud, weeds and creepers to turn the outside of Holdenby into decaying Satis House.’

Different role: X Files star Gillian Anderson is Miss Haversham (pictured at a photography gala in London)

AUTHENTICITY: It’s a serious version. Ray Winstone insisted on performing all his own stunts as Magwitch, which meant him spending hours caked in mud, while filming escape and fight scenes on the Essex marshes.

‘They weren’t much fun to do,’ he says.

‘The novelty of having mud in your mouth soon wears off.’

Shaun Dooley attended two courses on blacksmithing to play Joe Gargery.

‘I learnt how to handle the metal, and made a metal leaf, a poker and a toasting fork,’ he says.

Gillian Anderson used two wigs and three wedding dresses to portray Miss Havisham, who remains dressed for her big day, despite being cruelly dumped by her fiancé many years before.

‘I also used a bald cap because Miss Haversham has eventually lost so much hair, you can see through to her scalp,’ she says .

THE SELL: ‘It’s a cracking story with timeless themes, such as envy, jealousy, ambition and the search for happiness,’ says Winstone.

THE BLEAK OLD SHOP OF STUFF

One-hour Christmas special on BBC2 on December 19 at 8.30pm. There will be three further episodes in January.

THE PROGRAMME: A parody of a mixture of Dickens novels, written by Mark Evans, the man behind Peep Show.

THE STARS: The Peep Show’s Robert Webb stars as Jedrington Secret-Past and the IT Crowd’s Katherine Parkinson is his wife.

The Artful Codger: The oldest urchin in town because he never passed his criminal exams

Stephen Fry is evil lawyer Skulkingworm, Celia Imrie Miss Christmasham, Johnny Vegas the Artful Codger.

Jedrington’s uncle and aunts (named after key virtues) are Richard Johnson (Uncle Writes-Prompt-Thank-You-Cards), Una Stubbs (Aunt Good Spelling) and Phyllida Law (Aunt Sobriety).

THE COST: About £1 million.

THE STORY: Nice but dim Jedrington, owner of the The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, and his family are evicted from their home on Christmas Eve by Malifax Skulkingworm and forced into debtors’ prison The Skint.

Distraught Mrs Secret-Past becomes addicted to treacle.

Help comes from the Artful Codger, the oldest urchin in town because he never passed his criminal exams. Is there more to Secret-Past’s history than meets the eye?

THE FILMING: Bound by tighter constraints than most costume dramas, the film was made on set on a former trading estate near Wembley, with cobble stones made out of foam.

AUTHENTICITY: ‘It’s not much of a tweak from the real comedy of Dickens,’ insists Robert Webb. ‘Dickens was a funny writer.’

THE SELL: The first historical comedy since Blackadder. Celia Imrie says: ‘It’s parody, but it is also very very clever.’

WATCH OUT FOR . . .

An adaptation of The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, Dickens’s unfinished novel, starring Matthew Rhys and Freddie Fox, which will air on BBC2 early in the New Year. ( dailymail.co.uk )

Is Lady Gaga a Satanist Illuminati Slave? - Pop-music’s strangest conspiracy theories

2011-11-23T10:26:00.005+07:00

Is Lady Gaga a Satanist Illuminati Slave? — Pop-music’s strangest conspiracy theories — I’m not sure if Eminem has yet managed to escape the grasp of the Illuminati—the secret society of string pullers whose ranks he joined years ago in exchange for wealth, fame, and power—but I know he’s been trying very hard. Numerous people online tell me so. There is, for starters, a Yahoo Answers page that poses the question “Is Eminem trying to break free from the Illuminati?” and offers spirited excavation and analysis of the hidden anti-Illuminati messages Eminem embedded in his song “Not Afraid.” There is a four-page message-board thread titled “Is Eminem an Illuminati slave?” A YouTube video called “Eminem vs. Illuminati” explains, via solemn text and creepy music, that when the Detroit M.C. titled a song “Cinderella Man,” it was not because the redemptive plot of the 2005 Ron Howard film Cinderella Man echoes Eminem’s own comeback from drug addiction, but rather because, like Cinderella with her wicked stepsisters, Eminem was “forced to do the chores for the Illuminati by sending subliminal messages through his music.” Ignore any comment-section sheep who bah that this is ridiculous: When that video ends, the hunt for truth has only just begun. From a list of suggested related videos, you can choose “Eminem: His illuminati sacrifice Part 1”; “Eminem Fights Back Against The illuminati”; “Eminem against illuminati 2011!”; “Eminem My Darling Illuminati” and on and on. Some of the Eminem/Illuminati videos have been viewed 5,000 times. Others, close to 300,000.

Welcome to the world of pop-music trutherism, a bustling, grassroots exposé industry in which Eminem is one of many performers called out by anonymous instigators for Illuminist sympathies. The best conspiracy theories go all the way to the top, and this one goes all the way to the top of the charts. Jay-Z? An “Illuminati puppet.” Lady Gaga? An “Illuminati whore.” Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, Rihanna—Illuminati agents all. (Michael Jackson and 2Pac, it turns out, were victims of Illuminati-ordered assassination.) The Illuminati investigation unfolds sloppily but vigorously across countless sites, from YouTube to Twitter to fan discussion boards to dedicated shops like VigilantCitizen.com. The trained eye can spot Illuminati sartorial choices, like goat-themed jewelry and T-shirts, worn in ostensible tribute to Baphomet, a horned pagan deity who intrigued Aleister Crowley. There is Illuminati semaphore, such as framing one’s eye with the palms tipped together in a pyramid shape or otherwise isolating an eye to evoke the “all-seeing eye” on the back of a dollar bill, an image with Masonic origins. There are Illuminati lyrics, like Eminem’s mention of a “New World Order” on “Lose Yourself” or the references he and Jay-Z have made, separately, to a mysterious, powerful figure they call the “Rain Man” (the theorists are apparently unfamiliar with Dustin Hoffman’s IMDb page).

Spend some time sifting through this stuff and your eyes will roll so far back into your skull you’ll look like you’ve been possessed by Baphomet. The theorists’ “revelations” are presented, variously, in portentous tones and with exclamation-point-riddled urgency: The Illuminati, intent on global domination, treat pop music as a powerful mind-control weapon, weaving secret messages and dark imagery into hits and videos; there is much inveighing that we “wake up” to the “brainwashing.” The Illuminati truthers make 9/11 truthers seem as rigorous and compelling as Woodward and Bernstein on Watergate. The evidence they haul out boils down to little more than far-fetched, oblivious misreads (i.e. Eminem and Cinderella), a stunning allergy to the possibility of metaphor (Lil Wayne rapped that he sold his soul to the devil—smoking gun!), and a hysterical attitude toward occult imagery befitting Ned Flanders. With so many voices chiming in, and with so many of them doing so anonymously, it’s hard to say which of the “theorists” are just having a laugh, but the most prominent—like Vigilant Citizen or the Philadelphia morning-radio host Miss Jones, who grilled 50 Cent at some length about secret-society infiltration in hip-hop—communicate total earnestness.

Is Jay-Z an Illuminati puppet?

The Illuminati-in-pop meme has tremendous traction. References to the secret society began popping up in hip-hop songs back in the early ’90s, but with the rise of broadband Internet, Illuminati conspiracies have enjoyed the same steroidal super-boost as pornography and cat photography. The theorists occupy music’s margins, and yet their message has splashed into mainstream waters. In late 2009, a CNN reporter saw fit to ask Lady Gaga to address the Illuminati rumors (she balked at the question). Rihanna mockingly acknowledged accusations of Illuminati entanglement in her “S&M” video. (Fake headlines flash onscreen describing her as a “Princess of the Illuminati.”) And on a 2011 song with Rick Ross (who may also be under Illuminati control), Jay-Z dedicated a verse to denying his membership in the Freemasons: “I said I was amazing, not that I’m a Mason.”

Who are the Illuminati, and why are so many pop-music observers obsessed with them? The Illuminati were an actual group, founded in Bavaria in the late 18th century by a philosopher and law professor named Adam Weishaupt. In The Fate of Reason: German Philosophy from Kant to Fichte, the historian Frederick C. Beiser describes the Illuminati as “a secret society devoted to the cause of political reform and Aufklärung”— the German Enlightenment. In Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition, the author Glen Alexander Magee notes that the group was marked by its “opposition to traditional religion, superstition, and feudalism” and its “advocacy of scientific rationalism and the rights of man.” It is hard to say precisely why the Illuminati became wedded in the paranoid mind with devil worship, but seeming reasons include Weishaupt’s anticlerical streak and a popular “history” of Freemasonry written in the late 19th century by Frenchman Léo Taxil, who purported to expose Masons’ Satanic rituals. (Taxil later revealed that his “journalism” was actually a satirical hoax.) The melding of secret societies and occultism persists today, of course, in pop-cultural representations of creepy, chamber-congregating Skull and Bones members or masked, orgy-prone captains of industry in Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

Weishaupt’s Illuminati ran afoul of Bavarian Elector Karl Theodor, who caught the seditious wind and issued a decree in 1784, Magee writes, “commanding them to disband.” Born as a reformist bogeyman opposed to, and ultimately snuffed out by, entrenched power, the Illuminati went under in 1787, but it has lived on in the conservative imagination. In a 1995 New Yorker article about the rise of conspiracy theories in America, Michael Kelly mentions the Illuminati as major phantasms in the so-called New World Order theory, the basics of which were laid out in, among other places, the John Birch Society’s 1958 Blue Book. (The Order of the Illuminati figures centrally into the Rev. Pat Robertson’s 1991 book, The New World Order, too.) In the New World Order theory, Kelly writes, the Illuminati are just one link in the nefarious chain of “secret and semisecret societies arcing across time and cultures” from “early-Christian-era agnostics,” through the Freemasons, to “twentieth century schemers.” The perceived goal of shadow puppeteers such as the Illuminati is “to destroy the established Christian order of Western nations and replace it with an atheistic, socialistic global government.”

If that last sentence gets your Tea Party bells ringing, it should—and if you thought people on the Internet wasted far too much energy sussing out Eminem’s secret-society affiliations, do a search for “Obama” plus “Illuminati.” There is a strong religious-right flavor to much of the talk of pop-Illuminism, a barely concealed fear that Lady Gaga and Jay-Z are agents of the Antichrist, here to subjugate the masses and turn “our” children homosexual and/or black. Illuminati suspicions attach, in some degree, to virtually every music star—Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, even Celine Dion! Nevertheless, it seems more than mere happenstance that Jay-Z and Lady Gaga are the biggest targets: a politically outspoken, wildly rich black charmer and a gender-bending, pro-gay weirdo. The pop-Illuminati hunt is a throwback to the time when parent groups would scan the music of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath for hidden occultist mojo, but given a Fox News-era culture-war update.

In a counterintuitive twist, however, Illuminati paranoia turns out to grip not just those on the far right who fear a godless/black/gay assault, but also those at the other end of the political spectrum. On the (black) far left, abiding fears of control and co-optation by the (white) power structure find voice via Illuminati theories. (Michael Kelly used the term “fusion paranoia” to describe this strange left-right overlap.) Mobb Deep’s Prodigy has been hip-hop’s most outspoken critic of Illuminati shenanigans since he rapped “Illuminati want my mind, soul, and my body/ Secret society, tryina keep they eye on me,” in 1995; the video for his 2008 song “Illuminati” depicts a dystopian nightmare of omnipresent surveillance and national I.D. cards. Despite blog posts he’s written about secret-elite rituals in which babies are burned sacrificially, Prodigy distances himself from the frivolous fringe looking for Illuminati on the Billboard Hot 100: “Jay-Z’s a fucking crumb compared to these niggas,” he said in an April interview, dismissing the chatter about Illuminati pop stars as “dumb.” Prodigy locates his anti-Illuminism within greater traditions of black agitation (his eyes were opened, he says, by the writings of the radical Dwight "Dr." York) and social responsibility: “I was doing bullshit, buying mad diamonds … promoting the wrong type of lifestyle, but I snapped out of that shit, got myself together, and refocused on what this shit is supposed to be: Like, what are you trying to promote to the people?” Prodigy has spoken of his preference for Ron Paul over Barack Obama, and he is aligned in this regard with other rap gadflies like KRS-One and Public Enemy’s Professor Griff, both of whom appear in the film The Obama Deception, casting the president as a minion of the New World Order.

The New Yorker’s David Remnick observed in his 2005 piece about Katrina conspiracy theories that they belonged to a long history of such theories (AIDS as weapon of a CIA-orchestrated genocide; Tropical Fantasy sodas as tool of a KKK sterilization plot; etc.). These theories, he wrote, represent “counter-narratives” that indicate and express, however fancifully, the very fraught place that blacks still occupy in American society, despite popular narratives of social progress, the growing black middle-class, and so on.

In a similar way, Illuminati paranoia within rap circles counters and deflates hip-hop’s celebratory master narrative of outsize black success; the Illuminati theory, in this iteration, is symptomatic of broader anger and alienation. The only way Jay-Z, or any black man, could become so successful in America, the thinking goes, would be to capitulate to, and become a pawn of, the people who have always called the shots. When Kanye West raps, on “Power,” “In this white man’s world, we the ones chosen,” he makes an implicit complaint about the limits of black mobility. Ironically, some pop truthers took the line, along with the song’s symbol-rich video, as a confession of Illuminati affiliation.

West has addressed the Illuminati rumors, teasingly, on Twitter. “Is illuminati and devil worshipping like the same thing ... do they have a social network that celebs can sign up for?” he tweeted, adding, “Question... can you devil worship on the new iphone??? LOL!!!” West’s jokes point to one glaring reason why the pop-Illuminati theory has proven so catchy: It’s great fun to turn the act of listening to pop into a symbolism Easter-egg hunt worthy of The DaVinci Code. And why can’t West and Jay-Z have some fun in return? West doubtless knew that the “Eye of Horus” was central to Illuminati lore when he commissioned a gigantic Horus necklace. Jay-Z must have been aware that flashing the image of a Baphomet-ish skull in the “On to the Next One” video would titillate theorists. Recently, West has taken to wearing a variety of garments featuring Rottweiler designs. Spotting the same dogs in the artwork for the Watch the Throne single “H.A.M.,” one Illuminati truther connected them, naturally, to “Hades’ hellhounds.” The rottweilers are, it happens, a recurring motif in the current Givenchy line, in which Rottweiler T-shirts sell for $265. Illuminati members, one hopes, get a discount. ( slate.com )

Read Dickens Now!

2011-11-08T21:07:00.003+07:00

Read Dickens Now! - Two new biographies are a reminder of Dickens’s vast social imagination - Dickens! Should’st be living at this hour and should’st be writing for Slate and publishing fiction online. The world needs vivid laughter, wider vision. Even just to recall the names of characters—Smike, Scrooge, Guppy, Copperfield, Nell—is to wake to lost possibilities of what novels can reach and do. All our talk of the middle class these days is fine, but Dickens knew the higher and the lower, the much lower: the mudlark, the wasting orphan, the prison child, the crossing sweeper, the dun, the dustman, the shabby clerk, the street philosopher. He knew the textures of their everyday lives, their talk, their walk, and the urban abyss yawning near.

He turns 200 in February (party at my house, everyone invited), which is one good explanation for two new biographies appearing just in time. But it will be good for all of us to stage his cell-break from “Classics” and to let him be where he belongs, always on the reading shelf marked “The Way We Live Now.” Think back to the three-and-a-half decades of the career, from the spectacular appearance of The Pickwick Papers in 1836, which brought world fame to a 24-year-old, to The Mystery of Edwin Drood, left unfinished when a stroke blew through his frantic brain in 1870.

During those years, Britain grew more self-regarding and other-dominating, complacent, and imperial. The Podsnap of Our Mutual Friend is a skewering caricature of puffed-up national pride, British exceptionalism. Here he lords it over a “foreign” guest at a dinner party.

Charles Dickens, 1843.

“We Englishman are Very Proud of our Constitution, Sir. It was Bestowed Upon Us By Providence. No Other Country is so Favored as This Country.”

“And ozer countries?—“ the foreign gentleman was beginning, when Mr. Podsnap put him right again.

"We do not say Ozer; we say Other; the letters are ‘T’ and ‘H;’ You say Tay and Aish, You Know; (still with clemency), The sound is ‘th’ – ‘th’!”

“And other countries,” said the foreign gentleman. “They do how?”

“They do, Sir,” returned Mr. Podsnap, gravely shaking his head; “they do—I am sorry to be obliged to say it—as they do.”

Dismissing his gnat of a guest, “with his favorite right-arm flourish, he put the rest of Europe and the whole of Asia, Africa, and America nowhere.” Podsnappery, Dickens knows, is loathsome all on its own, but then it’s even worse in its blighting of other lives. The swarming London poor give the haunting example. But everywhere there is the waste of gift and the decay of promise. For the mid-Victorians, government intervention was unthinkable, the market was king, only private philanthropy was tolerated, “in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only” (A Tale of Two Cities, 1859). So he has caught up to us, or we have reverted to him. Either way, it’s time to return to Dickens if you’ve been away.

Full disclosure: I love these novels the way you're supposed to love only a parent, a partner, a child. I have no patience for the disenchanted readers you can meet along the road: the distracted ones who say they get bored (“so read while you’re awake!”), or the academic ones who see Dickens as complicit with power, in bed with the bourgeoisie (“and what are you?!”).

He was flawed; he was mixed. Growing cold and then colder to his wife, he humiliated her in a cramped statement of 1857, published in the Times and his own journal, Household Words. Casual with the prospects of most of his 10 children, he treated them as he would never want a child in his fiction to be treated. The novels sometimes meet the limits of their sympathy and falter into stereotype. But the flaws are a small price for the immensity. Here is earth’s plenty. The reach of feeling to the least of us (poor Tim), the savage caricature of cold wealth or local cruelty, the accord with booming bristling London, the hilarity, the food, the sentimentality that brings true (as well as false) emotion. And then there’s the thrill of the words, the surprise in sentences that seem to leap into empty space, tumbling through tones and moods, twisting backward over clicking heels of metaphor, only to land where no one, maybe not even Dickens, could have guessed.

Don’t misread the politics either. It’s true that Dickens concludes his tales with warm toes around the cozy hearths. A change of heart—usually kindled by a pure young woman—stands in place of a change in society. But the middles of the stories count as much as the reassuring close: There you find the withering attack on power small and large, the unmasking of economic fraud and political evasion. Several years ago Jonathan Rose looked at the diaries and letters of British working men (in The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes) to find out what they read and what they actually made of it—not what later interpreters assumed they must have. Repeatedly, Dickens appears as an inspiration to social struggle, as anything but a domestic quietist.

Repeatedly, Dickens is also an inspiration to biographers. As both Claire Tomalin (Charles Dickens: A Life) and Robert Douglas-Fairhurst (Becoming Dickens) have to admit, the major episodes of the life have been told again and again. These new books share a mannerism of not noticing precursors, but never mind, here’s a list of just their more recent rivals: Michael Slater (2009), Peter Ackroyd (1990), Edgar Johnson (1977), Fred Kaplan (1988).

The new arrivals aren’t daunted—and can’t help intersecting countless ways, even for instance in their shared catch of the word flare in Dickens’ letters, used as a sign of life’s sudden heightening (as in “[I] shall ‘flare’ briefly in the Chronicle tomorrow”). They take their turns with the by now well-known depths as well as heights: the humiliating work at Warren’s Blacking Factory, when 12-year-old Charles wanted only to return to school and read “as if for life”; the sudden fame; the obsession with his sister-in-law Mary Hogarth, who died at 17; the infatuation with the young actress Ellen Ternan and the public break with his wife.

But they also make very different decisions. Tomalin is a distinguished professional biographer who has already produced some big lives, including Jane Austen, Katherine Mansfield, Samuel Pepys, and Thomas Hardy. Expert, lucid, and nonpartisan, she reads with no special lens; she carries no ax. Of all the biographies out there, hers is the most efficient, balanced, and usable we have. But to keep the life-pace quick, she makes disappointingly brisk work of the work. The novels appear as events to chronicle like a marriage or a holiday. She satisfies herself, but not us, with terse summaries that often become little more than admiring or deploring sounds about this character or that.

Douglas-Fairhurst has taken the opposite tack, and written the more interesting book. Instead of trying to cast the whole life in crisp relief, he takes a piece—from the beginning to Pickwick—and turns it slowly in the light. His idea is that if we draw on all we’ve come to know about Dickens, we might capture the density of self-in-society, especially this blooming self in this bristling society. So we often move a day or an hour at a time in Becoming Dickens, watching the twitchy uncertain discovery of a vocation and then the thrill when this writer realizes he’s a genius.

Douglas-Fairhurst has a clever idea that also happens to work: As the young Dickens moves through London, the biography collects fictional episodes that correspond to the life-stage. So when Dickens is thrown to the blacking factory, Becoming Dickens gathers the tales of lost and abandoned children that will unspool through the career. When he’s an apprentice in a law office (and a career as a writer is still notional), we meet the tribe of clerks who stumble through the novels’ pages. It could have felt like clunky machinery, but the approach deftly shows how much of the future writer lives within the present journalist and the would-be actor. Douglas-Fairhurst lingers over phrases that echo back from the end of the career to the beginnings. He sees life and work as one work; and by slowing everything down, he comes closer than anyone before to cracking the mystery of the erupting young Dickens: the mix of frantic self-making and joyous cordiality. In a clinching passage, he notes the abiding attempt “to show how many private worlds are contained in the public world—his writing is an unflagging celebration of the unique, the freakish, the stubbornly eccentric—while also reminding us of what we have in common.”

So many of Dickens’ fictions start by dividing the world in two, with separate zones of goodness and badness. Then the engine of generosity starts to whirr. Villains often soften; hypocrites relent; misers melt. The more Dickens dwells on any character, the more likely it is to turn toward the light. The deepest urge in his imagination was to invite everyone to the feast of life (“you come too, Mr. Scrooge”), which is why the books conjure an immensity of food: so that there will always be more than enough of everything for everyone, especially enough laughter and ham and happy tears.

At the end of the abundance that is Little Dorrit (1857), the newlywed protagonists (Arthur Clennam and Amy Dorrit) descend the steps of the church: “They went quietly down into the roaring streets, inseparable and blessed; and as they passed along in sunshine and shade, the noisy and the eager, and the arrogant and the froward and the vain, fretted and chafed, and made their usual uproar.” This is his 200th birthday gift to us, an invitation to life’s everlasting mixture, where two can truly wed only by also marrying the uproarious many. ( slate.com )

Before Hitler, Who Was the Stand-In for Pure Evil?

2011-10-11T10:28:00.003+07:00

Before Hitler, Who Was the Stand-In for Pure Evil? - The Egyptian Pharaoh, of course - ESPN dropped singer Hank Williams Jr. from its Monday Night Football telecast after he publicly compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler on Monday. Today, the Führer is universally recognized as the embodiment of evil and the most convenient example of a truly terrible human being. Before World War II, who was the rhetorical worst person in history?

The Pharoah. In the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, many Americans and Europeans had a firmer grasp of the bible than of the history of genocidal dictators. Orators in search of a universal symbol for evil typically turned to figures like Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, or, most frequently, the Pharaoh of Exodus, who chose to endure 10 plagues rather than let the Hebrew people go. In Common Sense, Thomas Paine wrote: “No man was a warmer wisher for reconciliation than myself, before the fatal nineteenth of April, 1775 [the date of the Lexington massacre], but the moment the event of that day was made known, I rejected the hardened, sullen tempered Pharaoh of England for ever.” In the run-up to the Civil War, abolitionists regularly referred to slaveholders as modern-day Pharaohs. Even after VE Day, Pharaoh continued to pop up in the speeches of social reformers like Martin Luther King Jr.

Adolf Hitler

Generally speaking, hatred was more local and short-lived before World War II. Nineteenth-century polemicists occasionally used Napoleon Bonaparte as shorthand for an evil ruler—they sometimes referred to “the little tyrant” rather than name the diminutive conqueror—but those references were rare. There is little record of oratorical comparisons of political leaders to Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, or Ivan the Terrible. Even Adolf Hitler himself once commented on history’s tendency to forget the sins of bloody dictators. In 1939, the Führer asked rhetorically, “Who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?” (The authenticity of this quote is disputed.)

In the absence of a universal boogeyman, different regions latched on to a particular person as the personification of evil at different historical moments. Yet genocide and murder were less likely to earn a man universal revilement than treason or other forms of disloyalty. During the Civil War, for example, some Southerners spoke of Abraham Lincoln in vaguely Hitler-like terms. Upon Lincoln’s assassination, for example, the editor of the Texas Republican wrote, “the world is happily rid of a monster that disgraced the form of humanity.” (Some Confederates called Lincoln a “modern Pharaoh.”) Part of this scorn was based on their view of Lincoln as a traitor—both of his parents were Virginians, and Lincoln was born on slaveholding soil. Northerners, for their part, focused their ire on the traitorous assassin John Wilkes Booth. In fact, 52 years after Lincoln’s assassination, some Americans compared Woodrow Wilson to Booth, because he betrayed his country by leading the United States into war.

King George III was also a major whipping boy for American rhetoricians for decades after the Revolution. A good example is Walt Whitman’s “A Boston Ballad,” in which he argued that the Fugitive Slave Act, which required Northern States to return escaped slaves to their owners, represented a return of the ghost of King George. ( slate.com )

Satan's Gateways to the Heart

2011-10-06T16:45:00.001+07:00

Satan's Gateways to the Heart - The heart is like a fort and Satan the advancing enemy, who is intent on infiltrating and occupying it.

Hence, only by guarding the gates, entrances and vulnerable positions, will it be impenetrable.

Yet, a person who is unacquainted with the structure of the fortress, particularly its access points, cannot adequately defend it.

By the same token, the obligation of guarding the heart from the whispers of Satan cannot be fulfilled and he cannot be warded off, unless a person knows the gates to the heart that Satan may take.

These gateways are, generally, personal characteristics, of which there are many but, here, we will only refer to the ones that are so wide so as to accommodate all the numerous soldiers of Satan:

- Anger and desire: Anger is the ghoul of the psyche; when it weakens the guards of one's mind, Satan's soldiers immediately seize the opportunity to attack. Furthermore, when a person becomes enraged, Satan toys with him in the same way children play with a ball.

- Envy and greed: No matter how careful man is, his covetousness makes him deaf and dumb. The light of insight reveals the gates of Satan; when envy and greediness mask this light, man becomes at risk. Hence, Satan seizes that opportunity and adorns for an acquisitive person whatever leads to his or her desires, even if it is heinous and evil. The Prophet, peace be upon him, spoke of avarice:

"If two starving wolves were left in a flock of sheep, they would not be as harmful [to them] as a person’s hunger for money and status is to his [or her] faith." (At-Tirmidhi)

- Satiating oneself: This is one of Satan's gateways to the heart; although lawful, eating in excess strengthens one's desires, which, in turn, are his weapons.

- Impetuosity: Haste and recklessness are among the widest gates of Satan to one's heart, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

"Hastiness is from Satan and deliberateness is from Allah." (At-Tirmidhi)

- Miserliness and fear of poverty: They prevent a person from giving in charity, instead justifying hoarding, which only leads to a painful punishment.

- Bigotry toward a specific school of thought or an inclination toward a desire, bearing grudges against opponents or treating them with contempt: This destroys the immoral and pious alike. Defaming people and calling attention to their faults is one of the predatory characteristics inherent in human nature.

- Thinking ill of Muslims:

{O you who have believed! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins.} (Al-Hujurat, 49: 12). Indeed, only hypocrites seek out flaws in others, whereas believers seek excuses for them.

A person may now ask: “How can one ward Satan off? Is it enough to be in constant remembrance of God or to utter [phrases like] ‘Laa hawla wala quwwata illaa billaah (There is no power or strength except in Allah)’?” The answer is that you must know that the course of treatment to save one's heart from the whispers of Satan is to block the gateways [he takes] and to purify the heart from the aforementioned bad characteristics.The remembrance of Allah should indeed suffice in stopping Satan from passing by or whispering in one’s heart. However, that cannot happen unless the heart itself is already of a pious nature and purified from evil characteristics. If not, words of His remembrance will be no more than mere thoughts without any impact on the heart or substance to deflect Satan: {Indeed, those who are pious - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.} (Al-A’raf, 7: 201).

Therefore, since this is only confined to the pious, once a person manages to uproot evil traits from within, Satan may pass by or whisper, but will never be able to reside in the heart.

You see, Satan is like an approaching starved dog; if a person has neither bread nor meat, it will move away just by your voice which commands it to “go away”. However, if you have meat in your hands and the dog is hungry, it will attack the flesh and your mere words will not be enough to keep the animal at bay.

Similarly, if the heart is free from anything Satan can feed on, Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) will be enough to fend it off. On the other hand, if a person’s desires dominate his or her heart, the influence of Dhikr is restricted to the outer edges of the heart and instead, its core becomes a residence for Satan. The Prophet said:

"The heart is touched twice: [one of it is] a touch by the angel [which constitutes] a command of goodness and an acceptance of the truth. So, if a man experiences this, he should know that it is from Allah the Almighty and he should consequently thank Him. On the other hand, [there is] a touch from the enemy [Satan, and that constitutes an] insinuation of evil, disbelief in truth and being barred from good. So, if a person experiences this, he should seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan.” Then, the Prophet recited the Saying of God: {Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality.} (Al-Baqarah, 2:268).” [An-Nasa’i and At-Tirmidhi]

Expounding on this, Al-Hassan, may Allah have mercy upon him said: "They [i.e., the two touches] are actually two concerns that occur to the heart: one from Allah the Almighty and the other from the enemy [Satan]. May Allah have mercy upon a slave who examines his concerns and lets that affect him which is from Allah, and strives against whatever he deems from the enemy.”

You Decide

By nature, the heart equally accepts both the inspiration of an angel and the incitement of Satan, such that there is a balance. However, the latter aspect dominates when a person acts ravenously and indulges in desires, whereas the former overrules it if a person turns away from wants and whims, and resists them.

When man becomes subservient to his desires and his actions become driven by rage, the influence of Satan will prevail via whims, which are his haven, and the heart will become Satan’s nest and pasture. On the other hand, if a person strives against his or her desires, barring them from impacting him or her and adopts some angelic traits, his or her heart will become the dwelling and station of angels. Thus, the soldiers of angels and of Satan are in an epic struggle, until the heart opens to one of them, allowing them to reside within and dominate; the other party, then, will only be able to pass with stealth.

Unfortunately, most hearts are conquered by the soldiers of Satan, sustained by obedience to desires and whims, and, therefore, the organs are riddled with base notions that give preference to this temporary life, with clear disregard of the Hereafter. The heart cannot be recaptured except when it is purified from the nutrition of Satan and is supported with the remembrance of Allah the Almighty, which is the haven of angels.

Responses of the Heart to Temptation

Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

"Temptations are presented to hearts in the same way as a reed mat is woven, stick by stick. Any heart which is saturated by them will receive a black mark, whereas any heart that rejects them will have a white mark put on it. The result is that there will be two types of hearts: a black and dusty heart, which is like an uneven vessel that neither recognizes good nor rejects evil, except what is impregnated into it of desires; and a white heart that will never be harmed by any temptation, as long as there are heavens and the earth." (Muslim)

Heart Types

When the lure of desire and doubts are presented to the heart, it transforms into either of two types:

1- A heart that absorbs temptation in the same way a sponge soaks up water. This one will get a black stain every time it gives in to a temptation, until it becomes wholly dark and uneven. When this happens, the heart will be susceptible to two dangerous diseases: firstly, it will be unable to differentiate between good and evil, to the extent that it will not recognize either of them. Thereafter, the illness will pervade the organ until a person believes that good is evil and evil is good, the Prophetic Sunnah is a religious innovation and vice versa, and that truth is falsehood and the opposite holds true as well. Secondly, the heart will begin to be subservient to its whims, making them a criterion for judging the teachings of the Prophet.

2- The second is the white heart that is illuminated by the light of faith. When temptations are presented to it, it will immediately deny and reject them, thereby increasing in brightness and radiance.

As for the temptations themselves, they are categorized into two: desires and doubts. While the first leads to the corruption of both intentions and one’s will, the second taints a person’s knowledge and belief.

Heart Diseases

Accordingly, diseases of the heart are also of base desires and doubts; the former can be interpreted by the verse in which Allah the Almighty Says (what means): {Do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet.} (Al-Ahzab, 33: 32)

Unlike a healthy person, a patient is more sensitive to the slightest changes in heat, cold or movement; likewise, when the heart suffers from an illness, even a small amount of whims or doubts harms it and it is unable to ward them off. On the other hand, a sound heart powerfully fends off these temptations, even in the face of more attacks.

As for the other kind, God referred to the disease of doubt, when He said: {In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease.} (Al-Baqarah, 2: 10) Commenting on this verse, Qatadah and Mujahid, may Allah have mercy upon them, stated that “disease” here refers to misgivings.

Remedy

Although illnesses of the heart come in these two forms, the Glorious Quran is a remedy for both. It includes decisive proofs that distinguish between truth and falsehood; with them, the disease of doubt, which corrupts a person’s knowledge and intellect, is removed, and a person can perceive things in their real form. Thus, the Quran is the true cure for malicious allegations and doubts. Yet, its effectiveness is contingent on understanding the Quran and comprehending its essence. And, if God grants that to a person, his or her heart will as clearly distinguish between truth and falsehood, as it does between night and day.

Additionally, the Quran heals the other of the two diseases: desire; for, it includes wisdom, admonition and encouragement. It also contains verses warning people against indulging in the worldly life and instead urging them to work for the Hereafter. Furthermore, it has parables and stories that illustrate various lessons and warnings. Contemplating all this, a sound heart will surely incline towards what benefits it in both worlds and turn away from what will be of harm. The heart will then love guidance and detest vice.

Thus, the Glorious Quran removes diseases that result in corrupt yearnings; it reforms the heart, and so, reforms its wants, thus restoring it to the natural, pure state that it was created in. Referring to this, God says: {And We reveal of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though it increase the evil-doers in naught save ruin.} (Al-Isra, 17: 82)

{O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.} (Yunus, 10: 57)

The heart feeds on faith and the Quran, taking from it what purifies and strengthens it. Both the heart and body require growth and development until they become perfect and sound. Hence, just as the body needs nutrients that build it and a healthy diet that protects it from harm, so does the heart. But, it can only obtain its nourishment from the Quran; and if it attempts to get something similar from another source, it would be provided with very little and not be able to reach its potential. Similarly, plants do not grow or become ripe without nutrients and proper environment; only when those are available, can we say they do.

Therefore, a person should study the signs of an ill and a sound heart, so he or she is able to discern which type he or she possesses. If the heart is sick, a slave of Allah must do his or her best to treat it before he or she meets Him with a sick heart, which will deprive him or her from entering Paradise. If the heart is sound, then he or she must nonetheless continue to safeguard its soundness until he or she dies in this state. If, however, the heart is dead, he or she can take solace in the fact that Allah gives life to the dead, as He Says (what means):

{Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.} (Al-Hadid, 57: 17) - ( onislam.net )

Gays Are Part of Satan

2011-07-14T22:42:00.003+07:00

Gays Are Part of Satan - We know where Michele Bachmann stands on heterosexuality: She's very for it! At least according to the binding contract she recently signed with Jesus, in which marriage was explicitly defined as being "between one man and one woman." We also know where her husband, Marcus Bachmann, falls on the topic of homosexuality: He's firmly against it! So against, in fact, that he runs a small gay exorcism business, despite he himself being seemingly possessed by the demonic spirit of an off-duty drag queen named Big Mama. But where does Mrs. Bachmann stand on homosexuality?

Well, thanks to a lecture she delivered to the National Education Leadership Conference back in 2004 that's currently making the rounds, we now know exactly what her thoughts are on The Gays.

Some highlights:

Michele on Satan's involvement in homosexuality:

"We need to have profound compassion for the people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life, and sexual identity disorders. This is a very real issue. It's not funny, it's sad. Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle-we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It's a very sad life. It's part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It's anything but gay."

Michele on gay bondage and enslavement (but not in the fun way):

"It leads to the personal enslavement of individuals. Because if you're involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it's bondage. Personal bondage, personal despair, and personal enslavement. And that's why this is so dangerous."

Michele on the good old days when a gay on TV was there for you to laugh at:

"[Gay activists want to] make gays look good, because [the media] didn't always. If you'll recall television maybe 15, 20 years ago, if you'd see something about gays it would be an outlandish kind of an outfit, it would be a kind of tittering, making fun. But that's different now. Now gays are made to look good."

Michele on Fred "God Hates Fags" Phelps:

"I almost think that the gay community has hired this guy, or created this guy, to do what he does. He is their best friend."

Michele on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and double standards:

"This has really become a mainstream show. It's very popular with the make-over theme. They take style-challenged straight men who need the help of a fashionably superior gay man, in some sort of a cross between This Old House meets a pre-incarcerated Martha Stewart. [...] But tell a gay man that he should change and that is considered homophobic blasphemy."

Michele on Matthew Shepard coverage and double standards:

"Have you noticed that the media is very selective in its compassion? At the very same time that Matthew Shepherd was tragically killed, there was a case of another young boy-you may have heard about him. His name was Jesse Dirkheisen [sic] -that little boy, he was 12 years old. He was kidnapped, he was brutally raped, he was murdered by two gay men. This occurred the same week as Matthew Shepherd. We heard a lot about Matthew Shepherd. We heard almost nothing about little Jesse Dirkheisen [sic]. Why? Because Jesse did not serve the purpose of those sympathetic to homosexuality." [The 12-year-old's name was Jesse Dirkhising.] ( gawker.com )

Scientist seeks to banish evil, boost empathy

2011-05-09T22:31:00.001+07:00

Scientist seeks to banish evil, boost empathy – Simon Baron-Cohen has been battling with evil all his life - As a scientist seeking to understand random acts of violence, from street brawls to psychopathic killings to genocide, he has puzzled for decades over what prompts such acts of human cruelty. And he's decided that evil is not good enough.

"I'm not satisfied with the term 'evil'," says the Cambridge University psychology and psychiatry professor, one of the world's top experts in autism and developmental psychopathology.

"We've inherited this word.. and we use it to express our abhorrence when people do awful things, usually acts of cruelty, but I don't think it's anything more than another word for doing something bad. And as a scientist that doesn't seem to me to be much of an explanation. So I've been looking for an alternative -- we need a new theory of human cruelty."

Baron-Cohen, who is also director of the Autism Research Center at Cambridge, has just written a book in which he calls for a kind of rebranding of evil to offer a more scientific explanation for why people kill and torture, or have such great difficulty understanding the feelings of others.

His proposal is that evil be understood as a lack of empathy -- a condition he argues can be measured and monitored and is susceptible to education and treatment.

NEW THEORY

Baron-Cohen defines empathy in two parts -- as the drive to identify another person's thoughts and feelings, and the drive to respond appropriately to those thoughts and feelings.

It is also, he says, one of the most valuable resources in our world -- one which is currently woefully underused.

"We all have degrees of empathy... but perhaps we are not using it to its full potential," he explained in an interview with Reuters after delivering a lecture in London.

He says erosion of empathy is an important global issue that affects the health of communities, be they small ones like families, or big ones like nations.

If we all used our ability to empathize more, and recognized its value, he says, conflicts such as the decades of tit-for-tat violence between Palestinians and Israelis could be resolved.

"If you think about conflict resolution at the moment, usually we are dependent on diplomatic channels, legal frameworks, or military methods. But all those things operate at a very abstract level and they don't seem to get us very far.

"Empathy is about two people -- two people meeting, getting to know each other and tuning in to what the other person is thinking and feeling."

As an example, Baron-Cohen cites the meeting of minds between Nelson Mandela and the then South African president F. W de Klerk, which helped end apartheid in the early 1990s.

"The progress that came out of just that one relationship -- well, arguably, it broke through where all other methods had failed, and at far less cost in terms of human life," he says.

PSYCHOPATHS HAVE "ZERO DEGREES OF EMPATHY"

A Jewish upbringing peppered with tales about the horrors of the Nazis' treatment of Jews and other minorities was early motivation for Baron-Cohen to seek to deconstruct human cruelty

He cites times when his father told him how the Nazis turned Jews into lampshades, or into bars of soap, and a tale about the mother of a family friend whose hands had been severed by Nazi scientists who switched them around and sewed them back on again so that her thumbs were on the outside.

"Today, almost half a century after my father's revelations...my mind is still exercised by the same single objective: to understand human cruelty," he writes in his book.

In the book, entitled "Zero Degrees of Empathy" in Britain, and "The Science of Evil" in the United States, where it comes out in July, Baron-Cohen seeks to pick apart and define components of empathy -- including hormones, genes, environment, nurture, and early childhood experiences.

Citing decades of scientific research, he says there are at least 10 regions of the brain which make up what he calls the "empathy circuit." When people hurt others, either systematically or fleetingly, parts of that circuit are malfunctioning.

Baron-Cohen also sets out an "empathy spectrum" ranging from zero to six degrees of empathy, and an "empathy quotient" test, whose score puts people on various points along that spectrum.

Drawing a classic bell curve on a graph, Baron-Cohen says that thankfully, the vast majority of humans are in the middle of the bell curve spectrum, with a few particularly attuned and highly empathetic people at the top end.

Psychopaths, narcissists, and people with borderline personality disorder sit at the bottom end of the scale -- these people have "zero degrees of empathy."

But rather than labeling them as evil, Baron-Cohen says they should be seen as sick, or "disabled," and we should seek to understand why they have such an empathy deficiency and help them replace it.

Baron-Cohen shies away from saying that psychopaths can be "cured" of extreme behavior, but he argues strongly against locking them up and saying there is nothing society can do.

"I try to keep an open mind. I would never want to say a person is beyond help," he explains. "Empathy is a skill like any other human skill -- and if you get a chance to practice, you can get better at it." ( Reuters )

'Vampire Woman' Takes Her Love for the Supernatural to a New Level

2011-04-07T16:28:00.003+07:00

'Vampire Woman' Takes Her Love for the Supernatural to a New Level - This is the amazing face of "Vampire Woman" Maria Jose Cristerna — who takes the trend for body art to a whole new level.

The Mexican tattoo artist and trained lawyer showed off her look at a tattoo exhibition in the city of Monterrey Monday.

"Tattoos were a form of liberation for me. My family was and is deeply Catholic,” Cristerna said. "I studied at a religious school, I fell in love, got married in white at 17, followed a career. I wanted to make things right.”

Mexican tattoo artist Maria Jose Cristerna, known as 'Mujer Vampiro' (Vampire Woman), attends a photo opportunity during the "Expo Tatuaje" international tattoo expo in Monterrey April 3, 2011

Cristerna, 35, said constant beatings and abuse at home triggered her reinvention and led her to tattoo nearly 100 percent of her body – and that’s not all. She also has multiple face piercings and titanium implants to create "horns" under the skin on her temples and forehead.

The mother of four has even had dental implants to create "fangs" to complete her look — but claims to live a "normal life.”

"The horns I have are a symbol of strength and were implanted without anaesthetic. I had the fangs done because I loved vampires as a little girl and I changed the color of my eyes so they were how I really wanted them to be," she said.

And her transformation is not yet complete — she plans to have two more titanium implants added to the back of her head.

"Tattooing is my way of being immortal, of really being a vampire and not dying – leaving my work on other people's skin." ( foxnews.com )

The Devil We Know

2011-03-30T18:54:00.000+07:00

The Devil We Know – Critics of America’s intervention in Libya have wondered how much we really know about the antigovernment opposition. This is a legitimate line of inquiry. We should be thinking about the devil we may not know. But in Libya today there is also a devil we do know. His name is Muammar Qaddafi.

Born in the desert near Sirte in 1942, Qaddafi seized power in a military coup in September 1969. He has never relinquished it. During his reign, Libyans have lived under one of the most repressive regimes in the world.

How repressive? Freedom House gives Qaddafi’s regime the worst possible ranking in political rights and civil liberties. Political parties are illegal. Organizing or joining a party is punishable by long prison terms and death. Corruption is pervasive. There is no independent press or freedom of assembly. Human Rights Watch reports that since he assumed power, Qaddafi has repeatedly used arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and political killings to maintain control over the population. Now he is hiring mercenaries to wage war on his own people, promising to “punish [those seeking liberation] without mercy.”

Not content to have turned his own country into a giant prison, over the years Qaddafi has also supported maniacs like Ugandan president Idi Amin, Ethiopia’s Mengistu Haile Mariam, and the Liberian dictator Charles Taylor. He has embarked on military campaigns into Chad and Egypt and provided aid and comfort to a Who’s Who of terrorist groups, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the Italian Red Brigades, the Basque separatist group ETA, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) of Colombia. He has encouraged assassination attempts against dozens of Libyan dissidents and émigrés and political opponents throughout the greater Middle East and Europe.

And let us not forget that he has committed acts of terrorism against America. In April 1986, Qaddafi ordered an attack on the La Belle discothèque in West Berlin, killing several U.S. servicemen and injuring well over 200 others. President Reagan responded to this attack by striking targets in Tripoli and Benghazi. Two years later, on December 21, 1988, a bomb aboard Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 innocent passengers. Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, a Libyan intelligence agent, was convicted of planting the bomb. In 2003, after denying Libyan involvement for years, Qaddafi’s regime formally accepted responsibility for the attack. In February, Libyan justice minister Mustafa Mohamed Abud Al Jeleil told a Swedish newspaper that Qaddafi personally ordered the Lockerbie bombing. It was not for nothing that Ronald Reagan called Qaddafi “the mad dog of the Middle East.”

Qaddafi, while malevolent, is also shrewd. He is capable of adjusting his behavior when under pressure. After America decapitated Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, Qaddafi—fearing he might meet a similar fate—agreed to abandon his support for terrorism, relinquish his programs for developing missiles and weapons of mass destruction, and made payments totaling $1.5 billion to the families of those killed on Pan Am 103. The United States later rescinded Libya’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Libya began to normalize relations with Western nations. Even a mad dog, it seemed, could be contained for a time. But as we have seen in recent weeks, in his response to the uprising of those seeking liberation from his rule, Qaddafi remains capable of wanton brutality and threats of terrorism against the West.

The United States, having gone to war against the Libyan regime, now has to decide whether or not to allow Qaddafi to stay in power. Acquiescing to Qaddafi’s continued rule in Tripoli not only would be a disgrace, but a moral and strategic error of enormous consequence. The only decent outcome that can emerge from Operation Odyssey Dawn is to see Qaddafi gone. A person of unusual cruelty, the Libyan tyrant has built a grotesque and soul-destroying regime. Four decades-plus in power have been more than enough. It is time for the Butcher of Tripoli to leave the stage.

Whether that exit is accomplished by means of exile or cruise missile or hangman’s noose is irrelevant. In this instance justice may be delayed. But it need not be denied. ( weeklystandard.com )

Uproar over "non-Islamic" football jerseys

2010-07-23T19:03:00.000+07:00

Uproar over "non-Islamic" football jerseys - Public says it's 'extreme', 'blown out of proportion' and 'does not represent devil worshipping' - From "extreme" to "not encouraged".

Those were the views of various quarters sought by The Malay Mail this morning on criticism by two religious scholars on Muslims football fans wearing emblems that could 'erode' their faith, such as the Christian crucifix, representation of the devil and beer company logo.

Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan said the 'devil' emblem of England's Manchester United Football Club did not represent devil worshipping.

DEVIL TROUBLE: The controversial Manchester United jersey with the 'devil' emblem — GETTYimages

“It so happens that they are famously called the Red Devils. Not that it means anything.”

He said if wearing the jersey would “erode” Muslim fans' belief, then wearing anything that symbolised Islam for non-Muslims should also be prohibited, too.

“For example, the Malaysian flag has a crescent which symbolises Islam. Should non-Muslim Malaysians stop putting on attires with the Jalur Gemilang printed on it or even stop respecting the flag?

“It is a bit too extreme and does not make any sense. This issue has made it to international Press. People will be puzzled as to why are we getting too worked up over a jersey.

“The religious authorities should look into the objectives of sports and the positive spirit of sports instead.”

National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) chief executive officer Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said the matter had been blown out of proportion.

“It should be up to individuals. We cannot avoid having all the symbols that meant different things to certain culture or religion.”

He said the religious authorities should focus on lifestyles and clothings that conflicted with the religion.

“They have to focus on seeing how to better the Muslims in the country and focus on the more serious social problems. It is all about priority.

"In this case, it all goes back to education. If one is a good Muslim, he or she would know what is allowed and what is not.

“But in a multiracial country like ours, this should not be brought up.”

Syariah lawyer Mohd Hamidullah Che Hassan viewed the issue as one related to makruh, which means that a Muslim is not encouraged to do it, but it is not sinful.

"By right, Muslims are not allowed to wear anything that represents the devil, for example. Imagine going to the mosque to perform your prayers while wearing the jersey. That's not how you present yourself to God."

When asked what he thought of Liverpool's previous jersey, which bore the Carlsberg beer company logo, he said it was also inappropriate as it promoted alcohol which is forbidden in Islam.
'Muslims should not wear this sort of thing'

THE AFP reported that among 'off-limit' football jerseys were Brazil, Portugal, Barcelona, Serbia and Norway all of which carry images of the Christian cross on their emblems.

It quoted former Johor mufti Datuk Nooh Gadot as saying that the trend of donning football team colours by Muslim fans was dangerous, adding that they should not worship the symbols of other religions or the devil.

He said it could also erode one's belief, saying: "There is no reason why we, as Muslims, should wear such jerseys, either for sports or fashion reasons. Even if it is a gift, we should decline it. It is even more sinful when people realise this is wrong and still buy these jerseys to wear."

Even though there was no fatwa, or religious edict, on the issue, Nooh said, it was not needed as it was clearly wrong for Muslims to don such garments. He also urged Muslims to repent.

Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, in sharing the view, said "Islam do not allow people to wear this sort of thing", adding that the devil was an enemy to the religion. ( mmail.com.my )

History & beliefs of religious Satanists

2010-07-05T15:55:00.002+07:00

History & beliefs of religious Satanists

Beliefs and practices of Religious Satanists:

There is one main Satanic denominations, many smaller traditions, and many solitary practitioners who are unaffiliated with any Satanic organization. They total perhaps ten to twenty thousand adult followers in North America. They differ somewhat in beliefs. The following list is valid for most religious Satanic groups:

Satan in his original pre-Christian Pagan forms is respected, as a principle rather than a deity. Satanists do not worship Satan just as most Buddhists do not worship Buddha." As Vexen Crabtree has written:

"Satanism is Satanism not due to our worship of any deity, but for the philosophy that we stand for. We recognize ourselves as gods, and we hold our own perspective on life as holy and revere our own experiences as the only truth we can ever know. "

"Satanism is the utter rejection of the spiritual way of theistic religions, and the honest admittence [sic] that we are just animals who evolve as any other complex system." ₁

	Major emphasis is placed on the power and authority of the individual Satanist, rather than on a God or Goddess.
	They believe that "no redeemer liveth" - that each person is their own redeemer, fully responsible for their own life.
	"Satanism respects and exalts life. Children and animals are the purest expressions of that life force, and as such are held sacred and precious..." ₂ Children and animals are not abused or killed.

	Those Satanists who believe in Satan or Set as a living entity do not worship or demonstrate their faith in him (as, for example, Christians worship and pray to their God).
	They believe that one should live out their lusts and desires, and enthusiastically explore the "seven deadly sins" with other consenting adults.
	They follow many beliefs, practices and rules of behavior which are in conflict with traditional Christianity, and essentially all other religions.
	Uniqueness and creativity are encouraged.
	Many Satanists use as their main symbol the Sigil of Baphomet. It is a goat's head, drawn within an inverted pentacle (5-pointed star with one point downward and two up, enclosed by a circle). Although elements within the Sigil have been in use since the 19th century, the version as shown has been a registered trademark of the Church of Satan since 1983.
	A second Satanic symbol appears above the Nine Satanic Statements in LaVey's book: The Satanic Bible, page 25. It is an infinity sign (a figure 8 on its side). A shortened Lorraine Cross is placed on top. [A Lorraine cross is a Roman '†' cross, with a second, longer cross piece added below the main cross piece.] This is an ancient symbol which alchemists -- many of whom were Satanists -- used to represent brimstone. ₂ Brimstone is the element sulfur, and was long associated with Satan by the Christian church. LaVey might have adopted a brimstone symbol as a humorous gesture to poke fun at Christianity.

Religious Satanism - its supposed origin:

Modern Satanism is generally (though mistakenly) regarded as a creation of Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). Aleister was in fact a very prominent ceremonial magician who based his rituals partly upon Judeo-Christian principles. He was raised in a Plymouth Brethren family, but developed an early dislike of organized conservative Christianity. After university, he joined the Order of the Golden Dawn, which practiced ceremonial magic based on:

	the Kaballah (a.k.a. Cabbalah, Cabala), a Jewish mystical tradition,
	Rosicrucianism (a mystical blend of alchemy, Judaism, etc.),
	Freemasonry (a men's fraternal organization), and
	Theosophy (a Gnostic tradition believing in a common thread that links all religions).

He resigned from the Golden Dawn and later was appointed chief of the British section of the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), which blended ceremonial magic, sex Magic and Freemasonry. He remained the Outer Head of the Order from 1922 to 1947. He created a religion, called Thelema. Crowley's story was picked up by two tabloid newspapers, which called him the Wickedest Man in the World and the Great Beast 666 of Revelation. It is mainly from these "yellow press" articles that opponents of Crowley have assembled his present-day reputation. He is alleged to have committed at least one animal sacrifice, experimented with many illegal drugs and engaged in some sexual orgies. It is not known how much of this actually happened, and how much is imaginary -- created to satisfy his insatiable desire for publicity. Nor is it known how much of the time he was serious, and when he was behaving with tongue-in-cheek. Crowley has been accused of many criminal activities; however, he was never arrested, charged, tried or convicted of any crime. His prime aim was to contact his Holy Guardian Angel Aiwaz. The religion The Law of Thelema is largely derived from his work. He is known to have practiced a great deal of consensual sex magic with a single partner in private. His goal was to recapture the ancient pagan and Gnostic Christian mysteries of the Middle and Near East, which, he believed, incorporated sexual activity as part of their religious rituals. He was a prolific writer on Magick, a term that he created. (The term refers to ceremonial magic, and is used to differentiate that form of magick from performances by professional magicians.) Although Crowley did not consider himself a Satanist, many Satanists have incorporated elements from his writings into their own rituals. Many authors and TV personalities have stated that Crowley was the first Satanist, even though evidence points to the contrary. He passed through a Satanic phase, and did identify his guardian angel with Satan. But a number of 19^th century literary greats such as Baudelaire, Byron, Shelley, etc. should more properly be regarded as the first Satanists,

Religious Satanism - its actual Origin:

Religious Satanists existed in the 1950's, both in the United States and the UK. But they were little known to the public. There are many beliefs about the origin of modern Satanism:

	It is said to have burst into mass consciousness on Walpurgisnacht, 1966-APR-30, (I Anno Satanas) when Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997). created the Church of Satan. ₃ Actually, he founded the relation later in that year.
	Anton is said to have drawn on his previous experience as a lion tamer and sideshow barker, and on his readings into psychology, Magic etc. There does not seem to be any information confirming that he actually held these jobs.
	Anton is said to have been the technical adviser for the movie Rosemary's Baby in 1968. Again, there is no confirmation of this.

LaVey did write a series of books which are essentially the only readily available books on Satanism available in most bookstores. There have been enormous numbers of books about Satanism written by Fundamentalist or other Evangelical Christians. They are readily available through conservative Christian bookstores. However, they are usually unrelated to religious Satanism. They often contain misinformation that is traceable back to the Witch burning times in Europe (circa 1450-1792 CE) rather than to any present or past reality. Another source for their misinformation was the novel called "Michelle Remembers." This was allegedly a documentary about the sexual and physical abuse of a girl by an underground Satanic group. In reality, the book was a work of fiction. However, it triggered a Satanic Panic in 1980, and helped convince millions of people that Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) was a clear and present danger. It wasn't real then and it is not today. By the turn of the century, belief in SRA had died down, largely because of the absence of hard evidence that any such crimes had ever been committed.

A number of Satanic periodicals exist. Many other Satanic traditions exist in addition to the Church of Satan. These are mainly found in North America and Europe.

Religious Satanism - today:

Local groups of Satanists may be called grottos, pylons, temples, or by a similar name. They correspond to Christian congregations and Wiccan covens. Many Satanists feel that Wiccans are hypocrites, because the latter restrict their work to positive, healing activities. Many Satanists use Magic and other rituals to benefit themselves and their friends, but also use these same rituals to harm their enemies. Some have incorporated some anti-Wiccan elements in their rituals. However, other Satanists practice their religion free of rituals; they simply live their lives in accordance with Satanic beliefs, statements and rules.

Satanists have been accused of conducting rituals that are specifically aimed at attacking Christian beliefs and practices. Many authors, almost all conservative Christians, have described alleged Satanic rituals in which religious Satanists recite the Lord's Prayer backwards, or desecrate and use the host and wine that they have stolen from a cathedral. This fiction can be traced back to books written during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.

Satanists tend to be highly critical of all other faiths. They are particularly opposed to Christianity, because of its paramount position in Western society and the historical persecution of Satanists and other religious minorities by Christians. ( religioustolerance.org )

Program Dajjal Di Balik Film 2012 - ( 3 )

2009-11-20T10:45:00.000+07:00

Program Dajjal Di Balik Film 2012 - ( 3 ). Ketiga, jika kita buka situs www.whowillsurvive2012.com yang merupakan 2012 - Official Movie Site, maka bila Anda klik kotak berjudul ”The Experience”, maka Anda akan temukan salah satu kotak pilihan lagi dengan judul Vote For The Leader of the Post 2012 World (Pilihlah Pemimpin Dunia Paska 2012). Apakah gerangan maksudnya?

Saudaraku, sungguh saya khawatir bahwa gagasan mendasar di balik filem ini ialah keinginan produsernya untuk secara implisit mempromosikan kehadiran Sang Penyelamat Dunia Palsu yaitu Dajjal. Lalu Dajjal akan digambarkan sebagai Pemimpin dan Pelindung para survivors (orang-orang yang berhasil selamat melewati bencana 2012). Sungguh, mereka benar-benar berharap bahwa umat manusia akan memandang Dajjal sebagai figur pemilik surga dan neraka, alias dialah Tuhan. Barangsiapa mematuhinya dan merasa butuh kepadanya bakal diberikan surga kepadanya. Dan barangsiapa yang mengingkarinya dan merasa tidak butuh kepadanya bakal dimasukkan ke dalam neraka Dajjal. Sehingga Rasulullah shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam bersabda:

وَإِنَّ مِنْ فِتْنَتِهِ أَنَّ مَعَهُ جَنَّةً وَنَارًا فَنَارُهُ جَنَّةٌ وَجَنَّتُهُ نَارٌ

“Dan sesungguhnya di antara fitnahnya Dajjal memiliki surga dan neraka. Maka nerakanya adalah surga (Allah) dan surganya adalah neraka (Allah).” (HR Ibnu Majah)

Maka sudah tiba masanya bagi setiap muslim untuk mempersiapkan diri dan keluarganya dari fitnah yang paling dahsyat sepanjang zaman, yaitu fitnah Dajjal. Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam mengajarkan beberapa kiat untuk menyelamatkan diri dari fitnah Dajjal, di antaranya:

Pertama, bacalah doa permohonan perlindungan Allah pada saat duduk sholat tahiyyat terakhir dalam sebelum salam kanan dan kiri:

اللهم إني أعوذبك بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ

وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ

"Ya Allah, aku berlindung kepadaMu dari azab jahannam, dari azab kubur, dari fitnah kehidupan dan kematian serta dari jahatnya fitnah Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal" (HR Muslim)

Kedua, bacalah surat Al-Kahfi di malam Jumat atau hari Jumat sesuai hadits berikut:

من قرأ سورة الكهف يوم الجمعة فأدرك

الدجال لم يسلط عليه ، - أو قال : لم يضره

“Barangsiapa membaca surah Al-Kahfi di hari Jumat, maka Dajjal tidak bisa menguasainya atau memudharatkannya.” (HR Baihaqi)

Ketiga, hafalkan sepuluh ayat pertama surat Al-Kahfi sesuai hadits berikut:

مَنْ حَفِظَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ عُصِمَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدَّجَّالِ

"Barangsiapa menghafal sepuluh ayat pertama surah Al-Kahfi, ia terlindungi dari fitnah Dajjal." (HR Abu Dawud)

Keempat, menjauh dan tidak berkeinginan mendekati Dajjal pada masa kemunculannya telah tiba sesuai hadits berikut:

مَنْ سَمِعَ بِالدَّجَّالِ فَلْيَنْأَ عَنْهُ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَأْتِيهِ

وَهُوَ يَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ مُؤْمِنٌ فَيَتَّبِعُهُ مِمَّا يَبْعَثُ بِهِ

مِنْ الشُّبُهَاتِ أَوْ لِمَا يَبْعَثُ بِهِ مِنْ الشُّبُهَاتِ هَكَذَا قَال

"Barangsiapa mendengar tentang Dajjal, hendaknya ia berupaya menjauh darinya, sebab -demi Allah- sesungguhnya ada seseorang yang mendekatinya (Dajjal) sedang ia mengira bahwa Dajjal tersebut mukmin kemudian ia mengikutinya karena faktor syubhat (tipu daya) yang ditimbulkannya." (HR Abu Dawud)

Kelima, menetap di Mekkah atau Madinah pada masa Dajjal telah keluar dan berkeliaran dengan segenap fitnah yang ditimbulkannya. Sebagaimana hadits berikut:

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْسَ مِنْ بَلَدٍ إِلَّا سَيَطَؤُهُ الدَّجَّالُ إِلَّا مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةَ وَلَيْسَ نَقْبٌ مِنْ أَنْقَابِهَا إِلَّا عَلَيْهِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ صَافِّينَ تَحْرُسُهَا

"Tidak ada negeri (di dunia) melainkan akan dipijak (dilanda/diintervensi) oleh Dajjal kecuali Mekah dan Madinah kerana setiap jalan dan lereng bukit dijagai oleh barisan Malaikat." (HR Bukhari-Muslim)

Program Dajjal Di Balik Film 2012 - ( 2 )

2009-11-19T10:43:00.000+07:00

Program Dajjal Di Balik Film 2012 - ( 2 ). Kedua, filem 2012 ini ternyata berakhir dengan masih adanya segelintir manusia yang dapat survive atau bertahan hidup sesudah dahsyatnya peristiwa hari Kiamat. Padahal dalam keimanan Islam, kita diajarkan bahwa pada saat Malaikat Israfil meniup sangkakala pertama kali sebagai tanda Kiamat berlangsung, maka segenap makhluk bernyawa akan dimatikan Allah. Bukti bahwa semua dimatikan ialah bahwa kemudian Malaikat Israfil akan meniup sangkakala kedua kalinya sebagai pertanda berlangsungnya hari Berbangkit, yaitu hari dimana kembalilah roh-roh ke jasadnya masing-masing untuk hidup kembali.

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وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ

إِلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنْظُرُونَ

”Dan ditiuplah sangkakala, maka matilah siapa yang di langit dan di bumi kecuali siapa yang dikehendaki Allah. Kemudian ditiup sangkakala itu sekali lagi, maka tiba-tiba mereka berdiri menunggu (putusannya masing-masing).” (QS Az-Zumar ayat 68)

Artinya, kita dapat menyimpulkan bahwa ide di balik filem ini sungguh mengerikan, karena ia ingin mengajak penonton mengingkari adanya Kiamat dalam pengertian aqidah Islam. Islam mengajarkan bahwa hari Kiamat merupakan the day of total destruction of the whole universe by Allah the Al-Mighty Creator (hari penghancuran total alam semesta atas kehendak Pencipta Yang Maha Kuasa, Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Hari Kiamat merupakan berakhirnya kehidupan fana dunia untuk selanjutnya akan hadir kehidupan abadi akhirat yang sangat berbeda dengan dunia fana ini.

Sedangkan Kiamat menurut produser filem peradaban Sistem Dajjal hanyalah sebuah proses evolusi perjalanan kehidupan manusia di dunia. Sehingga setelah berlangsungnya apocolypse masih ada segelintir manusia yang sanggup terus hidup melewati dahsyatnya hari kehancuran tersebut. Lalu tentunya akan ada sejenis kehidupan dan peradaban baru yang muncul di muka bumi. Selanjutnya, siapakah yang bakal memimpin dan berkuasa di dunia sesudah 2012? ( eramuslim.com )

Program Dajjal Di Balik Film 2012 - ( 1 )

2009-11-18T10:37:00.003+07:00

Program Dajjal Di Balik Film 2012 - ( 1 ). Benarlah Ahmad Thomson ketika di dalam bukunya yang berjudul Dajjal – The AntiChrist mengatakan bahwa dunia yang sedang kita jalani dewasa ini –terutama sejak hampir satu abad yang lalu- telah menjadi sebuah Sistem Dajjal. Peradaban dunia semenjak raibnya sistem Islam yang bernama Khilafah Islamiyyah telah perlahan namun pasti mengarah dan membentuk diri menjadi sebuah peradaban yang sarat dengan Dajjalic Values. Kian hari kian nyata bahwa nilai-nilai Ilahi yang suci dan mulia secara sistematis mengalami marginalisasi alias penghapusan.

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Sedemikian hegemoniknya sistem Dajjal sehingga menurut Ahmad Thomson bilamana dalam waktu dekat si oknum Dajjal muncul ke tengah umat manusia, maka ia akan segera dinobatkan menjadi pemimpin sistem tersebut. Sebab sistem yang dibangun dengan sebutan Novus Ordo Seclorum (the New World Order) ini sangat compatible dengan karakteristik oknum Dajjal. Berbagai lini kehidupan telah dirancang dan dibentuk agar cocok dengan the arrival of the AntiChrist (kedatangan Dajjal). Segenap lini kehidupan manusia yang mencakup ideologi, politik, ekonomi, sosial, budaya, militer, pertahanan-keamanan, pendidikan dan hukum dijauhkan dari dienullah alias nilai-nilai Islam. Bahkan aspek entertainment-pun diarahkan untuk menyambut kedatangan Dajjal.

Oleh karenanya saudaraku, waspadailah berbagai filem yang dewasa ini menjadi primadona bentuk hiburan di abad modern. Salah satunya ialah filem box office yang dewasa ini sedang menyedot perhatian sebagian besar penduduk planet bumi, yaitu filem berjudul 2012. Apa sesungguhnya masalah filem ini?

Pertama, filem ini ingin mengkondisikan umat manusia untuk meyakini bahwa the end of time atau apocolypse atau –katakanlah- hari Kiamat bakal terjadi pada tanggal tertentu yang sudah bisa diprediksi, yaitu tanggal 21 desember tahun 2012. Ini merupakan suatu ramalan yang sangat berbahaya dari sudut pandang aqidah Islam. Mengapa? Karena Islam mengajarkan setiap kita untuk menyadari bahwa hanya Allah saja yang tahu kapan persisnya hari Kiamat bakal terjadi. Bahkan Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam juga tidak tahu kapan persisnya hari Kiamat.

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي

لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا

قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

”Mereka menanyakan kepadamu tentang kiamat: "Bilakah terjadinya?" Katakanlah: "Sesungguhnya pengetahuan tentang kiamat itu adalah pada sisi Tuhanku; tidak seorangpun yang dapat menjelaskan waktu kedatangannya selain Dia. Kiamat itu amat berat (huru-haranya bagi makhluk) yang di langit dan di bumi. Kiamat itu tidak akan datang kepadamu melainkan dengan tiba-tiba". Mereka bertanya kepadamu seakan-akan kamu benar-benar mengetahuinya. Katakanlah: "Sesungguhnya pengetahuan tentang hari kiamat itu adalah di sisi Allah, tetapi kebanyakan manusia tidak mengetahui". (QS Al-A’raaf ayat 187)

Satu-satunya isyarat soal jadwal hari Kiamat dari Rasulullah shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam hanyalah bahwa ia bakal terjadi pada hari Jumat. Namun jumat tanggal, bulan dan tahun berapa? Wallahu a’lam. Hanya Allah Yang Maha Tahu. Rasulullah shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam bersabda:

وَلَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ إِلَّا فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ

“Dan tidak akan terjadi hari Kiamat kecuali pada hari Jum’at.” (HR Muslim)

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Maka barangsiapa yang sesudah maupun sebelum menonton filem ini meyakini bahwa hari Kiamat pasti bakal terjadi pada tanggal 21 desember tahun 2012, berarti ia telah mempertaruhkan eksistensi aqidahnya. Sebab seorang muslim senantiasa meyakini bahwa hanya Allah Yang Maha Tahu perkara nyata maupun ghaib. Jika ada fihak selain Allah yang layak memberi tahu kita soal perkara ghaib seperti jadwal Kiamat, maka itu sepatutnya adalah Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam utusan Allah yang seringkali memang diberitahu Allah rahasia-rahasia perkara ghaib. Namun dalam hal ini kita tidak mendapati satu haditspun yang menjelaskan tanggal, bulan dan tahun kejadian hari Kiamat. Sikap mempercayai adanya fihak selain Allah yang mengetahui perkara ghaib bisa mengantarkan seseorang terjatuh kepada dosa syirik...! Sebab ia rela mengalihkan kepercayaannya dalam perkara ghaib kepada fihak selain Allah. ( eramuslim.com )

The World of Jinn

2009-04-13T20:50:00.007+07:00

Throughout history man has always had a deep attraction for the supernatural and the unseen. The existence of a world parallel to our own has always fascinated people. This world is commonly referred to as the spirit world, and almost every set of people have some concept of one. With some people, these spirits are no more then the souls of dead people- or ghosts. With others, spirits are either the forces of good or the forces of evil - both battling against one another to gain influence over humanity. However, both of these explanations are more in tune with folk tales and fantasy. The true explanation of such a world comes from Islam. Like every other way, Islam also claims to explain this realm of the unseen. It is from this realm that Islam explains to us about the world of the Jinn. The Islamic explanation of the Jinn provides us with so many answers to modem day mysteries. Without the knowledge of this world, the Muslims would become like the non-Muslims and be running around looking for any old answer to come their way. So, who or what are the Jinn?

Existence Of Jinn

The Jinn are beings created with free will, living on earth in a world parallel to mankind. The Arabic word Jinn is from the verb 'Janna' which means to hide or conceal. Thus, they are physically invisible from man as their description suggests. This invisibility is one of the reasons why some people have denied their existence. However, (as will be seen) the affect which the world of the Jinn has upon our world, is enough to refute this modern denial of one of Allah's creation. The origins of the Jinn can be traced from the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Allah says:

"Indeed We created man from dried clay of black smooth mud. And We created the Jinn before that from the smokeless flame of fire" (Surah Al-Hijr 15:26-27)

Thus the Jinn were created before man. As for their physical origin, then the Prophet (saws) has confirmed the above verse when he said: "The Angels were created from light and the Jinn from smokeless fire" [1]. It is this description of the Jinn which tells us so much about them. Because they were created from fire, their nature has generally been fiery and thus their relationship with man has been built upon this. Like humans, they too are required to worship Allah and follow Islam. Their purpose in life is exactly the same as ours, as Allah says:

"I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Surah Ad-Dhariyat 51:56)

Jinns can thus be Muslims or non-Muslims. However, due to their fiery nature the majority of them are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Jinns form a part of the army of the most famous Jinn, Iblis- the Shaytan[2]. Consequently, these disbelieving Jinns are also called Shaytans (devils). As for the Jinns who become Muslims, then the first of them did so in the time of the Prophet (saws) when a group of them were amazed by the recitation of the Qur'an. Allah orders the Prophet to tell the people of this event:

"Say (O' Muhammed): It has been revealed to me that a group of Jinn listened and said; 'Indeed we have heard a marvellous Qur'an. It guides unto righteousness so we have believed in it, and we will never make partners with our lord'" (Surah Al-Jinn 72:1-2)

In many aspects of their world, the Jinn are very similar to us. They eat and drink, they marry, have children and they die. The life span however, is far greater then ours. Like us, they will also be subject to a Final Reckoning by Allah the Most High. They will be present with mankind on the Day of Judgement and will either go to Paradise or Hell.

Reported by Muslim - Eng. Trans. Vol. 4, p.1540, No.7134
It must be remembered that Iblis is a Jinn and not an Angel. The concept of the Devil being a fallen Angel is from Christianity and not Islam.

Noble Angels of Allah

2009-04-01T18:23:00.007+07:00

Noble Angels of Allah. Islamic spirituality can only be envisaged in connection with the angels, who are intertwined with all dimensions of human life as seen by Islam. The key events of sacred history, such as the Revelation itself, the Prophet's Nocturnal Ascent, and the battle of Badr, are explicit instances of angelic intervention.

The angels record the deeds of each individual from birth to death. They are the constant companions of the faithful, participating with them especially in their prayers, and play a soteriological and illuminative function for those who follow the path of spiritual realization.

By God's leave they govern all macrocosmic and microcosmic forces, and they accompany man to the next abode on his departure from the earthly plane. To speak of Islamic spirituality from its most popular to its most esoteric level is to call attention to the role of the angelic hierarchy.

Belief in angels is one of the six pillars of belief or faith without which there is no faith. Whoever does not believe in any of these pillars is not a believer (mu’min). These pillars are belief in: Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and that predestination, both good and bad, comes from Allah.

Angels are a part of the world of the Unseen which we cannot comprehend. Allah has told us about them in many places in the Qur’aan and via His Prophet Muhammad . There follows a number of proven reports concerning the angels, which hopefully will make you realize the greatness of the Creator and the greatness of this religion which has told us so much about them:

Of what are they created?

They are created from light, as ‘Aa’ishah reported: "The Messenger of Allah said: ‘The angels are created from light, just as the jinn are created from smokeless fire and mankind is created from what you have been told about.’" (Reported by Muslim, no. 2996).

When were they created?

We have no knowledge of precisely when they were created, because there is no text to tell us this. But they were created before mankind for certain, because the Qur’aan says (interpretation of the meaning): "Behold, your Lord said to the angels: ‘I will create a vicegerent on earth.’ . . ." [al-Baqarah 2:30] The fact that Allah told them of His intention to create man indicates that they already existed. Their great size

Allah says concerning the angels of Hell: "O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern and severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded." [al-Tahreem 66:6]

The greatest of all the angels is Jibreel (Gabriel), upon whom be peace, who was described in the following report: "From ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, who said: the Messenger of Allah saw Jibreel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which covered the horizon. There fell from his wings jewels, pearls and rubies, only Allah knows about them." It was reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, and Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah 1/47 that its isnaad is jayyid.

The Messenger of Allah said, describing Jibreel: "I saw Jibreel descending from heaven, and his great size filled the space between heaven and earth." (Reported by Muslim, no. 177).

Among the greatest angels are those who carry the Throne (of Allah), who were described in the following report: "From Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah from the Prophet , who said: ‘I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of Allah who carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.’" (Sunan Abee Daawood, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab fi’l-Jahamiyyah)

They have wings Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings - two, or three, or four (pairs) adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things." [Faatir 35:1]

Their beauty Allah said, describing Jibreel, upon whom be peace (interpretation of the meaning):
"He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power, Dhoo Mirrah (free from any defect in body and mind), then he rose and became stable." [al-Najm 53:5-6]

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: "‘Dhoo Mirrah means that he has a beautiful appearance." Qutaadah said: "He is tall and beautiful."

The idea that angels are beautiful is firmly established in all people’s minds, so much so that they liken a beautiful human to an angel, as the women said about Yoosuf: ". . . When they [the women] saw him, they did extol him and (in their amazement) cut their hands: they said: ‘Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is none other than a noble angel!’" [Yoosuf 12:31]

Angels oversee all the time

2009-04-01T17:52:00.006+07:00

Angels oversee all the time, Everyone has a succession of angels in front of him and behind him, guarding him by Allah's command. Allah never changes a people's state until they change what is in themselves. When Allah desires evil for a people, there is no averting it. They have no protector apart from Him. (Surat ar-Rad, 11)

How will it be when the angels take them in death, beating their faces and their backs? That is because they followed what angers Allah and hated what is pleasing to Him. So He made their actions come to nothing. (Surah Muhammad, 27-28)

The angels ask those they take while they are wronging themselves, 'What were your circumstances?' They reply, 'We were oppressed on earth.' They say, 'Was Allah's earth not wide enough for you to have migrated to elsewhere in it?' The shelter of such people will be Hell. What an evil destination! (Surat an-Nisa', 97)

Who could do greater wrong than someone who invents lies against Allah or denies His Signs, or who says, 'It has been revealed to me,' when nothing has been revealed to him, or someone who says, 'I will send down the same as Allah has sent down'? If you could only see the wrongdoers in the throes of death when the angels are stretching out their hands, saying, 'Disgorge your own selves! Today you will be repaid with the punishment of humiliation for saying something other than the truth about Allah, and being arrogant about His Signs.' (Surat al-An'am, 93)

As for those the angels take in death while they are wronging themselves, they will offer their submission: 'We did not do any evil.' Oh yes you did! Allah knows what you were doing. Enter the gates of Hell, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. How evil is the abode of the arrogant!' When those who have fear of Allah are asked, 'What has your Lord sent down?' their reply is, 'Good!' There is good in this world for those who do good, and the abode of the hereafter is even better. How wonderful is the abode of those who guard against evil: Gardens of Eden which they enter, with rivers flowing under them, where they have whatever they desire. That is how Allah repays those who guard agaisnt evil: those the angels take in a virtuous state. They say, 'Peace be upon you! Enter the Garden for what you did.' What are they waiting for but the angels to come to them or your Lord's command to come? That is like what those before them did. Allah did not wrong them; rather they wronged themselves. (Surat an-Nahl, 28-33)

Angels That Came In To The Prophet

2009-04-01T17:30:00.004+07:00

Angels that came in to the prophet Ibrahim ( as ). And tell them about the guests of Ibrahim. When they came in to him, they said, 'Peace!' He said, 'Truly we are afraid of you.' They said, 'Do not be afraid. We bring you the good news of a boy of great knowledge.' He said, 'Do you bring me this good news despite the fact of old age having reached me? What kind of good news are you bringing me?' They said, 'We bring you good news of the truth, so do not be among those who despair.' He said, 'Who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for misguided people?' He added, 'What is your business, messengers?' They said, 'We have been sent to a people who are evildoers -with the exception of the family of Luth, all of whom We will save, except for his wife. We have decreed her to be one of those who stay behind.' (Surat al-Hijr, 51-60)

Our messengers brought the good news to Ibrahim. They said, 'Peace!' and he too said, 'Peace!' and brought in a roasted calf without delay. When he saw that their hands were not reaching for it, he suspected them and felt afraid of them. They said, 'Have no fear! We have been sent to the people of Luth.' His wife was standing there and she laughed out loud. So We gave her the good news of Ishaq, and beyond Ishaq, Ya'qub. She said, 'Woe is me! How can I give birth when I am an old woman and my husband here is an aged man? This is indeed an astonishing thing!' They said, 'Are you astonished at Allah's command? May Allah's mercy and His blessings be upon you, People of the House! He is Praiseworthy, All-Glorious.' (Surah Hud, 69-73)

Our messengers brought the good news to Ibrahim. They said, 'Peace!' and he too said, 'Peace!' and brought in a roasted calf without delay. When he saw that their hands were not reaching for it, he suspected them and felt afraid of them. They said, 'Have no fear! We have been sent to the people of Luth.' (Surah Hud, 69-70)

Angels that came in to the prophet Luth ( as ). When the Messengers came to the family of Luth, he said, 'You are people we do not know.' They said, 'We have come to you with what they had doubts about. We have brought you the truth and we are certainly truthful men. Travel with your family in the dead of night, following behind with them in front of you. None of you must look back. Go where you are ordered to.' (Surat al-Hijr, 61-65)

When Our Messengers came to Luth, he was distressed on their account, feeling incapable of protecting them. They said, 'Do not fear and do not grieve. We are going to rescue you and your family - except for your wife; she will be one of those who stay behind. We will bring down on the inhabitants of this city a devastating punishment from heaven because of their deviance.' (Surat al-Ankabut, 33-34)

When Our messengers came to Luth, he was distressed for them, and very concerned for them, and said, 'This is a dreadful day.' (Surah Hud, 77)

Angels that came in to the prophet Zakariyya ( as ). The angels called out to him while he was standing in prayer in the Upper Room: 'Allah gives you the good news of Yahya, who will come to confirm a Word from Allah, and honorable and chaste and a Prophet and one of the righteous.' He said, 'My Lord, how can I possibly have a son when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?' He said, 'It will be so. Allah does whatever He wills.' He said, 'My Lord, appoint a Sign for me.' He said, 'Your Sign is that you will not speak to people for three days, except by gesture. Remember your Lord much and glorify Him in the evening and after dawn.' (Surah Al 'Imran, 39-41)

'Zakariyya! We give you the good news of a boy named Yahya, a name we have given to no one else before.' He said, 'My Lord! How can I have a boy when my wife is barren and I have reached advanced old age?' He said, 'It will be so! Your Lord says, "That is easy for me to do. I created you before, when you were not anything."' He said, 'My Lord, give me a Sign.' He said, 'Your Sign is not to speak to people for three nights despite the fact that you are perfectly able to.' (Surah Maryam, 7-10)

Angels that came to Maryam ( as ). And when the angels said, 'Maryam, Allah has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you over all other women. Maryam, obey your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow.' This is news from the Unseen which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their reeds to see which of them would be the guardian of Maryam. You were not with them when they quarrelled. When the angels said, 'Maryam, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, 'Isa, son of Maryam, of high esteem in this world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near. He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown, and will be one of the righteous,' she said, 'My Lord! How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me?' He said, 'It will be so.' Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decides on something, He just says to it, 'Be!' and it is. (Surah Al 'Imran, 42-47)

And veiled herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to her and it took on for her the form of a handsome, well-built man. She said, 'I seek refuge from you with the All-Merciful if you guard against evil.' He said, 'I am only your Lord's messenger so that He can give you a pure boy.' She said, 'How can I have a boy when no man has touched me and I am not an unchaste woman?' He said, 'It will be so! Your Lord says, "That is easy for Me. It is so that We can make him a Sign for mankind and a mercy from Us." It is a matter already decreed.' (Surah Maryam, 17-21)

Angels Prostrating

2009-03-31T19:30:00.005+07:00

Angels Prostrating themselves TO the PROPHET ADAM (as). When your Lord said to the angels, 'I am putting an overlord on the earth,' they said, 'Why put on it one who will cause corruption on it and shed blood when we glorify You with praise and proclaim Your purity?' He said, 'I know what you do not know.' He taught Adam the names of all things. Then He arrayed them before the angels and said, 'Tell me the names of these if you are telling the truth.' They said, 'Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.' He said, 'Adam, tell them their names.' When he had told them their names, He said, 'Did I not tell you that I know the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you make known and what you hide?' We said to the angels, 'Prostrate to Adam!' and they prostrated, with the exception of Iblis. He refused and was arrogant and was one of the disbelievers. (Surat al-Baqara, 30-34)

ANGELS FEAR THEIR LORD AND DO WHAT THEY ARE ORDERED TO DO Everything in the heavens and every creature on the earth prostrates to Allah, as do the angels. They are not puffed up with pride. They fear their Lord above them and do everything they are ordered to do. (Surat an-Nahl, 49-50)

ANGELS RANK UPON RANK And your Lord arrives with the angels rank upon rank (Surat al-Fajr, 22)

ANGELS' PRAYER THAT BELIEVERS BE BROUGHT OUT OF DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHTSurat al-Ahzab, 41-43) You who believe! Remember Allah much, and glorify Him in the morning and the evening. It is He Who calls down blessing on you, as do His angels, to bring you out of the darkness into the light. He is Most Merciful to the believers. (

ANGELS' ASKING FOR BLESSINGS ON THE PROPHET Allah and His angels call down blessings on the Prophet. You who believe! Call down blessings on him and ask for complete peace and safety for him. (Surat al-Ahzab, 56)

ANGELS' DESCENDING TO BELIEVERS AND GIVING THEM GLAD TIDINGS The angels descend on those who say, 'Our Lord is Allah,' and then go straight: 'Do not fear and do not grieve but rejoice in the Garden you have been promised. We are your protectors in the life of this world and the hereafter.You will have there all that your selves could wish for. You will have there everything you demand. Hospitality from One Who is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.' (Surah Fussilat, 30-32)

Allah ASSISTS BELIEVERS WITH ANGELS Remember when you called on your Lord for help and He responded to you: 'I will reinforce you with a thousand angels riding rank after rank.' Allah only did this to give you good news and that so your hearts would be at rest. Victory comes from no one but Allah. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat al-Anfal, 9-10)

Allah helped you at Badr when you were weak so have fear of Allah, so that hopefully you will be thankful. And when you said to the believers, 'Is it not enough for you that your Lord reinforced you with three thousand angels, sent down?' Yes indeed! But if you are steadfast and guard against evil and they come upon you suddenly, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels, clearly identified. Allah only did this for it to be good news for you and so that your hearts might be set at rest by it (help comes from no one but Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise) and so that He might cut off a group of those who are disbelievers, or overwhelm them so that they retire, frustrated. (Surah Al 'Imran, 123-127)

You who believe! Remember Allah's blessing to you when forces came against you and We sent a wind against them and other forces you could not see. Allah sees what you do. (Surat al-Ahzab, 9)

ANGELS' DESCENDING TO EARTH ON THE NIGHT OF POWER BY THEIR LORD'S AUTHORITY Truly We sent it down on the Night of Power. And what will convey to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. In it the angels and the Spirit descend by their Lord's authority with every ordinance. It is Peace -until the coming of the dawn. (Surat al-Qadr, 1-5)

THEIR CURSE UPON DISBELIEVERS But as for those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, the curse of Allah is upon them and that of the angels and all mankind. (Surat al-Baqara, 161)

ANGELS ARE HONOURED SERVANTS They say, 'The All-Merciful has a son.' Glory be to Him! No, they are honoured servants! They do not precede Him in speech and they act on His command. He knows what is in front of them and what is behind them. They only intercede on behalf of those with whom He is pleased, and even they are apprehensive out of fear of Him. Were any of them to say, 'I am a god apart from Him,' We would repay him with Hell. That is how We repay wrongdoers. (Surat al-Anbiya, 26-29)

Anggels in The Qur'an

2009-03-31T18:40:00.009+07:00

Anggels in The Qur'an THE ANGEL POSSESSED OF POWER: JIBRIL (also called Gabriel / Jibreel) Truly it is the speech of a noble Messenger, (Surat at-Takwir, 19)

He is the Raiser of ranks, the Possessor of the Throne, He sends the Spirit by His command to whichever of His servants He wills so that he may warn mankind about the Day of Meeting: (Surah Ghafir, 15)

It is nothing but Revelation revealed, taught him by one immensely strong, possessing power and splendour. He stood there stationary - (Surat an-Najm, 4-6)

And veiled herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to her and it took on for her the form of a handsome, well-built man. She said, 'I seek refuge from you with the All-Merciful if you guard against evil.' He said, 'I am only your Lord's messenger so that He can give you a pure boy.' She said, 'How can I have a boy when no man has touched me and I am not an unchaste woman?' He said, 'It will be so! Your Lord says, "That is easy for Me. It is so that We can make him a Sign for mankind and a mercy from Us." It is a matter already decreed.' (Surah Maryam, 17-21)

JIBRIL'S SPLENDID BEAUTY
It is nothing but Revelation revealed, taught him by one immensely strong, possessing power and splendour. He stood there stationary. (Surat an-Najm, 4-6)

PROPHET MUHAMMED'S (PBUH) SEEING JIBRIL
And certainly he saw him in another descent, at the farthest lote-tree; near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to. When that which covers covered the lote-tree; the eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit. Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord. (Surat an-Najm, 13-18)

JIBRIL'S APPEARANCE ON THE HORIZON
He saw him on the clear horizon. (Surat at-Takwir, 23)

JIBRIL'S DESCENT TO MARYAM IN THE FORM
of a Handsome Man

And veiled herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to her and it took on for her the form of a handsome, well-built man. She said, 'I seek refuge from you with the All-Merciful if you guard against evil.' He said, 'I am only your Lord's messenger so that He can give you a pure boy.' (Surah Maryam, 17-19)

TWO OBSERVING AND RECORDING ANGELS AT EVERYBODY'S SIDE
We created man and We know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. And the two recording angels are recording, sitting on the right and on the left. He does not utter a single word, without a watcher by him, pen in hand! (Surah Qaf, 16-18)

Standing over you are guardians, noble, recording, who know what you do. (Surat al-Infitar, 10-12)

Everyone has a succession of angels in front of him and behind him, guarding him by Allah's command. Allah never changes a people's state until they change what is in themselves. When Allah desires evil for a people, there is no averting it. They have no protector apart from Him. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 11)

MESSENGER AnGELS WITH WINGS - TWO, THREE AND FOUR
Praise be to Allah, the Bringer into Being of the heavens and earth, He Who made the angels messengers, with wings - two, three or four. He adds to creation in any way He wills. Allah has power over all things. (Surah Fatir, 1)

STERN AND STRONG ANGELS OVER THE FIRE OF HELL
You who believe! Safeguard yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones. Harsh, terrible angels are in charge of it who do not disobey Allah in respect of any order He gives them and carry out what they are ordered to do. (Surat at-Tahrim, 6)

ANGELS ASCEND TO the PRESENCE OF Allah IN A DAY FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS long

The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day whose length is fifty thousand years. (Surat al-Ma'arij, 4)

ANGELS' WITNESSING

On the Day We gather them all together and then say to the angels, 'Was it you whom these people were worshipping?' they will say, 'Glory be to You! You are our Protector, not them. No, they were worshipping the jinn. They mostly had faith in them.' (Surah Saba, 40-41)

But Allah bears witness to what He has sent down to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge. The angels bear witness as well. And Allah suffices as a Witness. (Surat an-Nisa, 166)

Allah bears witness that there is no god but Him, as do the angels and the people of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no god but Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Surah Al 'Imran, 18)

THE FAVOURED ANGELS' SERVITUDE TO Allah
The Messiah would never disdain to be a slave to Allah nor would the angels near to Him. If any do disdain to worship Him, and grow arrogant, He will in any case gather them all to Him. (Surat an-Nisa, 172)

ANGELS CIRCLING ROUND THE THRONE
You will see the angels circling round the Throne, glorifying their Lord with praise. It will be decided between them with truth. And it will be said: 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.' (Surat az-Zumar, 75)

ANGELS DRAWN UP IN RANKS AND GLORIFYING ALLAH
There is not one of us who does not have a known station. We are those drawn up in ranks. We are those who glorify.' (Surat as-Saffat, 164-166)

The thunder glorifies His praise, as do the angels, out of fear of Him. He discharges the thunderbolts, striking with them anyone He wills. Yet still they argue about Allah when He is inexorable in His power! (Surat ar-Rad, 13)

The heavens are all but rent asunder from above when the angels glorify their Lord with praise and ask forgiveness for those who are on the earth. Allah is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful (Surat ash-Shura, 5)

Who are Angels

2009-03-31T14:30:00.001+07:00

Who are Angels. Angel Gabriel brought Allah’s words to the Prophet Muhammad and therefore we call Gabriel the Messenger Angel. There are many other angels and we can read about them in the Quran.

Each of us has two angels who accompany him. These angels take note of everything we do. They write down our good deeds and our bad deeds. We call these angels the Writing Angels. There are other angels, too. For example, there is an angel who helps people when they die. This angel brings death, so we call him the Angel of Death.

We cannot see the angels because they are made of things which our eyes cannot see. But all the same, we know that they are there, because Allah has told us so. Sometimes, we can even feel the presence of these angels.

Angels are created by Allah, just as man and everything else has been created by Him. Angels obey Allah and are His servants. They perform many tasks and keep the world in being by obeying Allah’s commands.

We know that when the sun rises and sets, when the clouds move in the sky, when the raindrops fall, when the plants grow and many other things happen in nature, it is Allah Who has crated them and Allah Who sustains them. Nothing can happen without Allah’s will. In the same way, Allah created the angels who obey Him. They carry out His will, and take great care that everything goes according to Allah’s will. They are the obedient servants of Allah.

Allah wanted man to obey Him, to pray to Him and to do good. He wanted man to know about Allah. That is why the Angel Gabriel was sent by Allah. The Angel Gabriel told Muhammad what Allah wanted man to do. This was Gabriel’s task. Through the Angel Gabriel, Allah had spoken to many prophets before Muhammad, so that man would remember and not forget what Allah wants him to do. We can read about this in the Quran. Here there are the stories of Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa (Alaih Salwat Ajmaeen) and many other prophets. All of them have said to

man:

IN ALLAH ALONE YOU SHOULD BELIEVE
ALLAH ALONE YOU SHOULD WORSHIP
ONLY GOOD DEEDS YOU SHOULD DO

Dickens and Syirik Enemy Tauhid

2008-07-24T21:34:00.001+07:00

Enemy tauhid the biggestness is syirik that is the infinite something besides God and or denial to singleness of law and God - God law, denial good to prohibition order - prohibition order which have been commanded to be avoided [by] nor denial to comand - comand to be executed
Menyakini that there is power apart from power of God capable to deliver the benefit or mudharat be like object - calendar and also altar place or sacred cow - penaggalan and others also become the archenemy tauhid.

God is Zat which is consistent The Most. What do have been commanded to be done will apply forever without exemption. God have never ever been wrong specify a atauran. [There] no correct reason - acceptable correctness to the [be] killed of execution a obligation which have been commanded to human for the people of - selected people. Statement ascription or and understanding is [be] killed him a obligation which have been commanded to cause human a[n deed or after human is reaching the level or selected understanding step in science tauhid is a[n denial and insult tarhadap law tauhid the correctness

And so do the prohibition order which have been specified by theX God, will never lawful to diperbuat. God will not change a prohibition order to that someones cause someone have reached the high understanding. God only allowing what do - what do have been permitting and mengharakan what is - what is have ever been illicit.

Dickens which have whispered kedalam human liver through intercession of passions with pengkhabaran which is lie and mislead the telling God have and will permit each;every illicit which during the time [by] after passing a[n understanding step tauhid. Only illicit dickens the permitting by theX God and illicit which have been permitting by theX God, Each;Every tauhid which follow the order the dickens is tauhid the errantness

[There] no closer creature with God in this nature apart from Saydina Rasulullah Muhammad SAW. Besides [he/she] is Rasul Allah delegated, that contiguity is obtained passing the understanding tauhid the correctness and deed entire/all mandatory obligation and stop of mandatory prohibition order [of] God

It is of course the example [of] very proper to and precise very to be imitated [by] is Rasulullah Muhammad SAW. just Rasulullah which so close to God and looked after from mistake and sin, have never permitting what is - what is is illicit by theX [of] God and what do illicit - what do was permitting by theX God. God law hold good to Rasulullah. obedient and Obedient [he/she] follow the God law. That tauhid the correctness - correct [of] correctness.

All illegal deeds which have been specified by theX God is stain - stain. If in number a few will destroy tauhid and in number many will break tauhid. In the end will eliminate tauhid from liver. As a result hidayah God have never come even will progressively go away. Remain the human in perverting and Iowliness with dickens

Have to the number of understandings tauhid the wrongness and pervert the expanding along immeasurable growth islam, Melalui introductory study [of] science tauhid this suggested to very have to liver - liver in accepting the understanding of science tauhid, because causing very ugly for life of eternity/the beyond and world, if accepted as by theX understanding [of] confidence is errant understanding and mislead. The understanding coming from dickens and his follower.

unshakeable to tauhid the correctness that is tauhid which pursuant to to Al-Quran and Hadist and also understanding - understanding of moslem scholar which have ever been famous with his science and have got confession of moslem scholar - other moslem scholar concerning truth of his interpretation.

Tauhid the correctness is tauhid capable to become the religious service base to God [is] not tauhid tolerating denial to God. Only Iblislah tolerating denial to God. Mursyd permiting the denial to comand of God is dickens personnel, hence leave before dragged with dickens kedalam the Iowliness dale in

Hopefully God protect us of the dickens obsession damning and membukakakan door hidayahNya to us, so that can pass the diametrical road;street [of] unfolding which have ever been our fore. Amen

Dickens Is Occult Creature

2008-07-17T18:35:00.006+07:00

Dickens. Do the study concerning dickens [is] not meaning the invitation to pal up with the dickens, but study concerning this dickens aim to to recognize the closer dickens as arch-enemy entire/all descendant of ACE Adam prophet with principle recognize the dickens [so that/ to be] you know when do that dickens will groan you

Become the study concerning this dickens will leave for the back by ignoring hence do not recognize, do not recognize hence do not love, do not love hence do not darling but after soybean cake we refrain from, refrain from to safe

Avoid Iblis [is] not meaning we fear to the dickens. Dickens is God creation also. In occult existence. Cannot be seen by theX the eye, is while dickens can see us, so that contact the physical with dickens is something that very is difficult to done

Dickens as God creation in occult existence contain the understanding that, occult [of] of that dickens adalh occult of human view, not occult in the eyes of creature besides human. Dickens not occult for angel, angel can see the dickens, so also with doggish animal, chicken is etc can see the dickens. Dickens humanity is even also can each other seeing and communicate. Occult thus of that dickens just for just human.

If dickens can be seen by human eye, hence natural [of] dickens as occult creature is wrong. Because the can be seen by human eye only God creation in real existence, so that is liing if was people - the people confess can see the other occult creature or dickens. What a get taken of people - is people [of] trust with the someone confess can see the the dickens impossible in consequence according to mind law and unlawful [of] God which have created the dickens in occult existence

From this study is expected the loss of doubt in our x'self concerning existence of dickens. That dickens exist. Dickens is one of [the] God creation in occult existence. Occult for human. Cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be groped, so that human cannot know categorically position existence of dickens truthfully around our.

Phenomenon vision of the dickens is often narrated by theX the people, even possibly [among/between] uses is be which have experienced of it, is a realita the cannot be disregarded off hand since have already been experienced of by many people. Face the phenomenon vision of this dickens [of] ism can at least in three cause :

the human .Human consisting of the physical and non physical, that is [at] physical factor ; the happening of chaos of information current [at] brain, which because of some matters be like fatigue, dilution insuffiency, insuffiency energi so that brain as center conduct the human in managing the information cannot work maximal. Information the stepping into the brain cannot be translated truly. As a result form the mirage - the mirage then expressed [by] as a vision. Is while [at] factor of is non physical is having cold feet the abundant, feel too sure will experience of the vision will become pemicu formed by theX of the mirage believed as that vision

dickens. From itself dickens, that is as ism which have [at] shares early this study, that dickens is God creation in occult existence for human, so that not impossible [of] that dickens can show the reality [at] human because occult [of] of that dickens just for human

Vision of reality by dickens [at] human, good [of] vision is manifestly nor vision in the form of influence [at] the five senses is striving - effort with aim to to influence and generate to have cold feet even can cause worse again from that be like deification of object - place and object - place of keramat even come up with the fetish and repression of object - place and object - place of keramat the.

Become vision of reality by dickens is a[n errant mission to break the eternity/the beyond and world human, including by people - the people confess can see their dickens have partnered with the dickens break human

God is God the the all creator. God live up to his will;desire. For human menusia selected, God have had the pleasure to open the occult screen which blanket the dickens as a mean to give the instruction [at] human
From some the histories have been noted and possibly [among/between] we have very know it that is noted by theX God have permitted the vision to prophets and rasul be like prophet Nuh AS, prophet Ibrahim AS, Mozes prophet AS, ACE Jesus prophet and prophet Muhammad SAW

Is while from some other notes. Vision of dickens [at] sponsor - God sponsor and aulia and also some moslem scholars, more have the character of the obsession such as have happened [at] imam Syafii, Syeikh Abdul Khadir Jailani ( see the dickens factor )

Return in the early of this study fundamental, have ism can that, by recognizing more about dickenses, will assist the human to recognize the dickens strategy in running his mission lure to lure mankind of truth which have been degraded by theX God through prophet and rasul prophet excellency Muhammad SAW and also will dribble the human [go] to ruination, errant and detestable immorality [of] God. Hopefully God open his science secret to us all. Amen

Dickens Is also Creature God

2008-07-16T10:44:00.003+07:00

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