By Geoffrey Cook, MMNS

Berkeley–September 12th–Paul Larudee was one of the two primary founders of the Free Gaza Movement which has been attempting to bring relief aid to the mini-nation of Gaza beseeched by the Israelis and Egyptians.  Their efforts to break the Israeli naval blockade have had mixed results. At times reaching success, and at other times dismal disaster. Paul recounted the last attempt — led by the Turks — in which the Israeli ships violently attacked the flotilla killing nine souls (the American media only reported one!) leaving two others brain dead plus forty-five through fifty-five seriously injured. This is a serious revision of the incident from the official stories by participant countries in the Middle East and the West.

A little over two years ago two boats of the Free Gaza Movement became the first group to enter the port there on the Gazan coast in the last forty-one years breaking the Israeli naval blockade. Four more missions have intervened.

Mike Esenscher, a member of the organization Labor Committee for Peace and Justice, gave the introductory introductory remarks:  “Good actions are required for freedom!”  At the same time,”The Israelis are changing the facts on the ground!”  The Hebrews are manipulating the reality of (those) factors, but Paul has reversed this on the sea.

Paul was born to an Iranian father and an American mother.  He was a professor for fourteen years in the Middle East, too.

He began his comments that, with millions elsewhere in the world having no shelter, the government in Israel, is pressuring people to leave their homes in their Occupied Territories.  This is an attempt to “…make the Palestinians disappear.” 

In 2006 he found himself in an Israeli jail.  After which, Tel Aviv expelled him perpetually from entrance into the Jewish State:  A non-Palestinian refugee!  He realized, though, it was possible to enter their territory through Gaza by sea in 2008.  There were four subsequent voyages that followed until Operation Cast Iron (the brutal assault by the IDF [Israeli Defense Force] upon the near-defenseless Palestinian citizens there last year) ended the partiality of that opportunity. 

During the sixth voyage, at the time of the War itself, a relief ship carrying the [former] U.S. Congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney, was rammed by an Israeli war vessel!

This year (former) U.S. Ambassador Perk — along with a (veteran) sailor from the American ship, the Liberty, which was sunk by the Israelis in 1956, helped man the flotilla. 

At the moment the Free Gaza Movement is endeavoring to raise the funds for the next voyage, and they are appealing for high profile individuals to come sail with them. 

They have exciting plans for the future:  They are planning on utilizing planes to deliver cargo for those starving there.  They will seek to be non-violent. 

Although the Israeli air force does have top of the line (fighter) F-16 jets, but, if they attacked the Movement’s “antique” low-tech cargo planes, it would send ripples of disgust against Judah at the murder of non-violent protestors. 

Further, they are contemplating transporting by air violently expelled expatriated Palestinians on the same day and at the same time back to their natal land.  This would overwhelm Israel’s immigration enforcement bureaucracy. 

They hope to recruit large media internally and externally to be there to observe.  A conspicuously large legal team would be, further, there to welcome them. 
The waters outside of Gaza are not within the IDF’s legal control under international law.  The Free Gaza Movement is contemplating stationing their ships just outside the zone that Israel claims as within their responsibility. 

Within the Free Gaza’s Movement’s struggle, “We are thinking creatively,” Paul Larudee declared. 

On the recent Turkish-led voyage (in which the Free Gaza Movement was the American contingent), he was on a vessel with forty-four passengers in a convoy of five liner.  Contrary to the media reports, which came from the Israel’s propaganda machine, there was physical resistance in each boat in response to the soldiers of Israel’s sadistic behavior.  The Israelis were extremely malicious to the relief sailors beyond the rules civil or military engagement. 

The American media reported that there was only one causality.  Larudee reported that there were nine dead, two brain dead and somewhere between forty-five through fifty-five physically hurt – many of them seriously.         

Dr. Larudee was flipped over the shoulders of one of the Israeli commandos, and was put into painful hand restraints.  He was able to undo the cuffs only to be put into more painful handcuffs.  After that he agreed to co-operate with the IDF thugs.  A comrade went into a diabetic shock near him, though.

Contrary to the news reports, it was Paul who jumped into the sea, he was not thrown overbroad as most sources reported.  He hurdled himself into the ocean of his own volition out of desperation.  Another Zionist ship came by to pick him up, but he refused to go on board.  He swam in front of the ship to block its progress.  Finally, the Israeli Navy launched a small Zodiac boat, and captured him.  Once he was on board he was viciously beaten.  Because of the cold deep, he almost went into hypodermic shock.

The Israeli media followed him from the capturing boat’s landing into the hospital, but he refused to co-operate with the authorities.  In the hospital itself twelve persons were pitilessly pounded!  It was forbidden for any of them to “…talk to the press.” 

Once they were released from the hospital, the sailors to Gaza were sent to various jails to purposely break them up.  Paul Larudee was not even allowed to keep reading material presented to him by the American Consul-General!  Rather, he was put into a solitary holding cell to keep him away from the other prisoners.

Istanbul offered to evacuate the entire Flotilla constituents, but the Greeks insisted on withdrawing their own nationals.  Finally, he was able to talk to a lawyer, and it was arranged for him to depart on a Turkish airliner.  Professor Larudee balked at this, to which the Israeli diplomats responded, “You have no choice in the matter” to which Paul responded to his American reception this Sunday afternoon in Berkeley, “We all have choices!” 

Paul is a man in his mid-60s, and has diabetes.  The mistreatment he had to undergo was a threat to his very life.  The constant beatings he observed and personally underwent amounted to torture.  “Is this how you treat your old men,” he shout at his captors.  Still, he “…never felt totally helpless” when he was held incommunicado. 

Your reporter was able to ask him about George Galloway (the far Left British Member of Parliament [M.P]), whose Viva Palestina successfully delivered three convoys of assistance trucks to the Gazans, but had to negotiate with the Mubarak government to do so.  P. Larudee replied that his Movement refused to collaborate with the repressive blockading regimes of either Tel Aviv or Cairo. Larudee ended his fielding of questions by stating that there is now an international network of like-minded workers for Gaza City!

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The circumvallate papillae (or vallate papillae) are dome-shaped structures on the human tongue that vary in number from eight to twelve.

They are situated on the dorsum of the tongue immediately in front of the foramen cecum and sulcus terminalis, forming a row on either side; the two rows run backward and medially, and meet in the midline.

Each papilla consists of a projection of mucous membrane from 1 to 2 mm. wide, attached to the bottom of a circular depression of the mucous membrane (some text referred to as moats); the margin of the depression is elevated to form a wall (vallum), and between this and the papilla is a circular sulcus termed the fossa.
The papilla is shaped like a truncated cone, the smaller end being directed downward and attached to the tongue, the broader part or base projecting a little above the surface of the tongue and being studded with numerous small secondary papillæ and covered by stratified squamous epithelium.

Ducts of lingual salivary glands, referred to as Von Ebner’s glands empty serous secretion into the base of the circular depression (moats). The function of the secretion is presumed to flush materials from the base of circular depression to ensure that taste buds can respond to changing stimuli rapidly. (Michael H. Ross, Histology: A text and alas 5th edition)

The circumvallate papillae get SVA innervation from cranial nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve, even though they are anterior to the sulcus terminalis. The rest of the anterior 2/3s of the tongue gets SVA innervation from the chorda tympani of cranial nerve VII, distributed with the lingual nerve of cranial nerve V.

The fungiform papillae are mushroom shaped papillae (projections) on the tongue. They are located on the top (dorsal) surface of the tongue, scattered throughout the filiform papilla but mainly at the tip and lateral margins of the tongue. They have taste buds on their superior (upper) surface which can distinguish the five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. They have a core of connective tissue. They are innervated by the seventh cranial nerve, more specifically via the submandibular ganglion, chorda tympani, and geniculate ganglion ascending to the solitary nucleus (the sensory component of the Vagus nerve in the brainstem).

Taste-buds, the end-organs of the gustatory sense, are scattered over the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue at irregular intervals. They occur especially in the sides of the vallate papillae. There is a localized area at the side of the base of the tongue, the foliate papillae, in which they are especially abundant.

The causes of circumvallate papillae may include trauma, infections, lesions on the tongue and lacerations. Circumvallate papillae is a small bump that is on the tongue which is where the taste buds are located

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By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has found playing time to be few and far between during his season plus in Spain. So when he finally got some much-desired pitch time during Madrid’s 3-0 win over Espanyol over the weekend, he made sure to do what he could to impress the home crowd at the Bernabeu. Benzema’s limited shift came towards the end of the match, and it took only eight minutes for him to find the back of the net to place the third and final nail in Espanyol’s coffin. And this was the French-Algerian’s first goal of the young season.

Many have speculated that Benzema is especially frustrated with his limited playing time and is contemplating a move elsewhere. Manchester United and Liverpool, among other teams, have reportedly coveted his services. But Benzema has been steadfast in his loyalty to Real Madrid. And he has said nothing but positive things about his squad and about his new manager, Jose Mourinho.

“It’s important to use the minutes that the coach gives me, whether it be 15 or 20. I received a good chance to score from Lass [Diarra]. It’s good reason to be happy,” he was quoted as saying afterward by Marca. “He’s a great coach and I appreciate his confidence. I try to take advantage of all situations I have to score goals. It has taken a lot but we won and that allows us to be up in the league standings.”

Benzema originally came through the youth academy at Lyon in France’s Ligue 1. He ultimately became the top goal-scorer in Ligue 1 in the 2007–08 season with Lyon. He ultimately became too big for Ligue 1, and was transferred to the Spanish giants Real Madrid in July of 2009 for a transfer fee of 35 million euros, with incentives pushing the total potentially as high as 41 million euros. Benzema subsequently signed a six year contract.

He has been capped at the senior level for the French National Team, and he played for them in the UEFA Euro 2008. It was there, however, that he was part of a core of young French players that were at the center of some team infighting. And it was this infighting that ultimately kept Benzema and fellow Muslim Samir Nasri off of the French World Cup team this past summer. The disappointment of this exclusion, combined with his failure to crack the starting lineup for Real Madrid, has been a monkey on Benzema’s back. But, inshallah, perseverance will ultimately bring him both professional and national success.

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AFMI – AIQEC – & – AAAT Collaborated with ICC to Organize the Historic First Eid Milan Celebration Program

A well thought-of impressive event was organized this past Sunday, September 19th, 2010, the India Culture Center (ICC) Houston in close association with the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI), the Aligarh Alumni Association of Texas (AAAT); and the All India Qaumi Ekta Committee (AIQEC). ICC was established in 1973. This was the first ever Eid Milan Party in their history organized by ICC at the picturesque India House.

Chief Guest on the occasion was Honorable Sanjiv Arora, Consul General of India. Special message was delivered by Judge Ed Emmett of Harris County. Young Omer Mohiuddin & Nadia Mohiuddin gave the invocation; while young Nisha Azhar gave an excellent review of what is Ramadan, what Eid is, and how Eid is celebrated in India & in USA.

Judge Ed Emmett congratulated all Muslims and Indians for celebrating this inaugural Eid Party and said these days Muslims and broader community are going through challenging times in USA and it is heartening to see events like Eid and Ramadan Dinners that bring diverse people together. He also saluted Indians for being the largest democracy, where billion strong people of various languages, religions, and ethnic backgrounds. “This is astronomical and all Indians deserve to be commended.”

Chief Guest Honorable Sanjiv Arora talked about the stupendous diversity of the biggest democracy and congratulated everyone on the occasion of Eid. He said both diversity and democracy is not only celebrated in India, but Indians especially those outside India, know the challenges that come with this and are doing excellent job in enhancing the good image of India. Consul General of India was lauded by all for his keen interest in coming up with the idea of Eid Milan Party.

Other speakers included Board of Director Member of ICC and Event Chair Colonel Raj Bhalla, President ICC Swapan Dhairyawan, Vice-President AFMI Dr. Syed Azeemuddin, President AIQEC Fayyaz Khan, President AAAT Latafath Hussain, Former Texas Governor Candidate Farouk Shami, Entrepreneur Lutfi Hassan, and others. Sponsors of the event included Dr. Nasrullah Manji, Anwar Khusro, Dr. Rucha Sheth, Rafi Ansar, Lutfi Hassan, Abid Khan, Rajiv Bhavsar, Abeezar Tyebji, Swapan Dhairyawan, and Colonel Raj Bhalla.

Program also included Poster Contest between students, literary and entertainment sessions.

For more information on ICC and its activities, one can visit http://www.icchouston.org/

White Vs Perry: So Near & Yet So Far

Farouk Shami, who in Texas Primaries made history, to become the first person of Middle Eastern Origin, to run for the Democratic Party Governor of Texas Race, which he lost after making much impact and buzz during the campaign: He organized a one of the kind event at the Arab American Cultural Center in Houston, when on Monday, September 20th, 2010, both the leading candidates for the Governor of Texas Republican Party Incumbent Governor Honorable Rick Perry and Former Mayor of Houston Democratic Party Honorable Bill White, came under the same roof to talk to large gathering of voters of diverse background (Hispanic, Arab, African-American, Anglo, Asian, and others). The only thing was both came about two hours apart from each other, as Governor Perry has been seen avoiding a debate with Mr. White.

In the latest polls, 22% of voters have said they are undecided and less than two months until Election Day, which has given much hope to Mr. White, who is behind by just 6-Points in the same University of Texas Poll (four months ago, Bill White was trailing by 12 Points in the same poll: So he has gained quite a ground).

Hosting the inaugural event of his new organization, Arab American Voters (AAV), Mr. Shami welcomed both Gov. Rick Perry and former Houston Mayor Bill White to the chandeliered ballroom of the Arab-American Cultural Center, where the two gubernatorial candidates addressed — at different times — an audience of more than 200 people. Mr. Shami said he was hoping to be introduced by Bill White.

Jamilah Shami, Farouk Shami’s niece, is the executive director of this non-profit, non-partisan organization. Its purpose is three-fold, said Ms. Shami: to get Arab Americans registered to vote, to get out the vote and to educate members of the Arab American community about becoming politically active.

Twenty-two nations are represented in Houston’s Arab American community, which includes 120,000 Houstonians Arabs: Jamilah Shami said.

Both gubernatorial candidates relied on versions of their standard stump speeches, although White was able to remind his audience that they had worked together during his years in the mayor’s office.

“We’ve been through a lot together,” he said.

He also reminded his audience that Shami was willing to debate during the Democratic primary, while Perry has refused.

“We need our state government to be run as an efficient organization using customer-service principles,” he said.

Perry spoke of the four principles of government that he said have guided his administration during his decade in the governor’s office: “Don’t spend all the money, have a tax and regulatory policy that are fair and predictable, have a legal system in place that does not allow for over-suing and appropriately fund accountable public schools.”

“Here in Texas,” Perry said, “you’re free to keep the money that other states would take as income tax. You’re free to worship as you choose. This state is plenty big to embrace many faiths.”

Mr. White is trying to unseat Mr. Perry, who seeks an unprecedented third term in the November election. For more information on Texas Vote, one can visit http://votexas.org/

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By Ryan Singel

The number of U.S. government requests for Google data rose 20% in the last six months, according to data released by the search giant Monday.

U.S. government agencies sent Google 4,287 requests for data on Google users and services from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2010, an average of 23.5 a day. That’s compared to 3,287 for July 1 to Dec. 31, 2009, the company reported Tuesday in an update to its unique transparency tool.

That rise is just a small part of the newest statistics on worldwide government data requests to Google, which are now paired with a comprehensive tool for viewing government blockages of Google services. The new tool lets you check timelines of traffic to 17 Google services from some 200 countries to see blockages and traffic patterns.

The new tool builds upon (and replaces) the up-time monitor that Google custom-built so the public could monitor censorship of its services in China in this spring’s showdown over censorship. However, that tool inadvertantly reported a China-wide blockage in July when none existed, leading to press reports that had to be quickly retracted.

Perhaps as a way to prevent spurring false-alarm news stories, the new tool will have a “tape-delay” of about 30 hours to allow Google engineers to verify and annotate outages. So for instance, if the company suspects a cable outage, not censorship (or vice versa), they can note it and prevent crying “wolf”.

As for why the company would develop such a comprehensive tool?

“Transparency can be a deterrent to censorship,” Google spokeswoman Niki Fenwick told Wired.com. “Free expression is core to Google’s business, and it is a core value.”

For instance, with the tool you can see the effects of Pakistan’s 10-day block of YouTube in response to a “Draw Muhammed” campaign started on Facebook that infuriated the Islamic government. Likewise, you can see the effect of China’s blockage of YouTube in March 2009.

The tool does not record blocking of specific URLs or search terms, as is sometimes used in some governments’ censorship campaigns. Instead the reporting service monitors for widespread outages, though partial blocks and service degradation can be seen in the data visualizations.

As for government data requests, Google added slightly more detail to its reporting on takedown requests, which now indicate how many URLs the government asked to be taken down in total, in addition to the number of requests (because a request could entail multiple URLs).

In the first half of 2010, U.S. government agencies requested removals 128 times, covering 678 items. Google complied with those requests, in full or part, about 83 percent of the time. For instance (as visible in the graphic above), two courts ordered Google to remove location information from its mapping services, 45 items were requested to be removed from Blogger, and a court ordered Google to remove material from search results 30 times.

Brazil remains in first place for data requests, though those numbers might be a bit unfair, because Brazilians remain heavy users of Google’s social networking service Orkut.

Google debuted the government transparency tool in April, and remains the only large tech company in the United States to reveal this kind of data.

Yahoo, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, AOL, Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner, among others, do not publish this data, nor do they make it available when the media asks for it, even though there’s no law requiring them to keep such requests quiet.

Google cannot reveal some government data requests, however, and they are not included in this tally. According to Google, the numbers do not include National Security Letters, a sort-of self-issued subpoena used by the FBI in drug and terrorism cases. At their post–Patriot Act peak, the FBI issued more than 50,000 such letters a year, nearly all with gag orders attached to them. The use of such letters dipped for a time after the Justice Department’s internal watchdog unveiled widespread abuses and sloppy procedures, but are on the rise again.

Also not included are national security wiretap and data requests, known as FISA warrants, that are approved by a secret court in D.C. to combat spies and threats to national security.

Nor is there any information on how much data, if any, the government forces Google to turn over en masse on individuals outside the United States, using broad powers handed to the government in 2008 by Congress. That legislation, initially opposed but later supported by Sen. Barack Obama, lets the government turn online service providers into intelligence collection arms of the U.S. government, so long as the “targets” aren’t known to be U.S. citizens.

When he was a candidate, President Obama pledged to revisit that law — passed as a way to legalize much of the Bush administration’s secret, warrantless wiretapping program, but the law remains in place.

Also not included are civil lawsuit requests (such as those filed in a business dispute or divorce) or copyright takedown requests, although these are types of requests generally filed by private parties, because in the United States, copyright does not apply to government-produced documents.

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Prof. Sohail Anwar selected as editor-in-chief

ALTONA,PA–Sohail Anwar, associate professor of engineering at Penn State University, was recently selected by Taylor and Francis Group to serve as the editor-in-chief of the On-line Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology. The encyclopedia is a major ongoing publication project of the Taylor and Francis Group and contains information regarding state-of-the-art developments in the discipline of energy engineering and technology. This on-line publication is a dynamic resource that continues to grow as the time and knowledge progress. The encyclopedia is sponsored by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

He is the chair of the Penn State system-wide EET Curriculum Committee. Since October 2002 he has served as a member of the Electronics Technology Faculty Committee of Excelsior College in Albany, New York. He has also served as a visiting professor of electrical engineering at the Université d’ Artois, France, since May 1996.

Dr. Anwar has been a program evaluator for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. He has also served in a wide range of editorial positions for various professional publications. He has received awards for contributions in engineering and for teaching at Penn State.

Dr. Anwar has conducted numerous technical training programs for business and industry. He developed and delivered customized technical training programs for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Dr. Anwar has a B.S. and an M.S. in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in industrial vocational education, with an emphasis on quality control and management. He is a member of the American Society of Engineering Education, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Pennsylvania Academy of Science, and the Electronics Technicians Association.

Setback for Del. Saqib Ali

MONTGOMERY, MD–Del. Saqib Ali lost his bid for the state senate in Maryland to incumbent Sen. Nancy King in the primaries, the Business Gazette reported.

With primary election day ballot results final and half of all absentee ballots counted, King leads the race by 249 votes, according to the most recent information available.

In District 39, some 554 absentee ballots remain uncounted and more may be turned in until 10 a.m. Wednesday. In the first round of absentee ballots counted, which included 210 voters from District 39, King widened her lead over Ali by 26 votes.

Ali called King before midnight on the night of the primary election to concede.

In what has been termed as the nastiest campaign in Montgomery County there were accusations of racism.

Ali said King’s negative campaign mailers – one of which featured a photo of Ali with darkened skin – did not help her gain ground with voters. Her campaign sent six negative mailers attacking Ali, according to the blog Maryland Politics Watch.

Dupage County mosque plans put on hold

CHICAGO,IL–The DuPage Zoning Board of Appeals has voted to restart the public hearing process for a proposed mosque. It says people who live near the proposed site were not given enough notice of a meeting on the matter.

The Muslim Educational Cultural Center of America (MECCA) wants to build a mosque, school and recreation center on 91st Street west of Illinois Route 83 in Willowbrook.

The board held a meeting on Tuesday, during which testimony in support of the planned facility took up 2 1/2 hours, the Chicago Tribune reported. MECCA president Abdulgany Hamadeh said approving the community center would help the cause of “encouraging mainstream Muslim organizations that promote tolerance (so) can we fight and defeat extremism,” the Tribune reported.

The group currently uses a storefront in a shopping center located on Plainfield Road east of Route 83, the Tribune reported.

Free Arabic classes offered at West Virginia U.

MORGANTOWN,WV–West Virginia University students interested in Muslim culture can participate in a free Arabic language and Islam religion class,the student newspaper reported.

The class is offered by the Muslim Student Association and aims to introduce a language and religion that is foreign to American students, said Sohail Chaudhry, professor of the class.

The class began eight years ago to help tear down some of the myths regarding Islam and Muslims that began after Sept. 11, 2001, he said.

The American media propagates and promotes these misconceptions, Chaudhry said. The Arabic and Islam class started as an effort to bring light and knowledge regarding Islam’s peaceful disposition.

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Forget the neoconservative hype. The facts show Iran is not and has not been a nuclear threat to either the United States or Israel.

By Scott Horton

Los Angeles — Politicians, lobbyists, and propagandists have spent nearly two decades pushing the lie that Iran poses a nuclear weapons threat to the United States and Israel. After a brief respite in the intensity of the wolf cries over the past two years, the neoconservative movement has decided to relaunch the Must Bomb Iran brand.

The fact that Iran is not and has not been a nuclear threat to either nation is rendered irrelevant by a narrative of universal concern about its nuclear program.
US media distortions

In mid-August, for example, after The New York Times quite uncharacteristically ran a piece diminishing the supposed danger of Iranian nukes, the story was misrepresented in newspapers and on TV stations across the country in the most frightening terms. As MSNBCs news reader put it that afternoon: Intelligence sources say Iran is only one year away from a nuclear bomb!

On August 13, on Fox News, former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton implicitly urged Israel to attack Iran’s new light-water reactor at Bushehr before it began functioning, the implication being that the reactor represented some sort of dire threat. But the facts are not on Mr. Bolton’s side. The Bushehr reactor is not useful for producing weapons-grade plutonium, and the Russians have a deal to keep all the waste themselves.

On September 6, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a new paper on the implementation of Iran’s Safeguards Agreement which reported that the agency has continued to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran to any military or other special purpose.

Yet despite the IAEA report and clear assertions to the contrary, news articles that followed were dishonest to the extreme, interpreting this clean bill of health as just another wisp of smoke indicating nuclear fire in a horrifying near-future.

A Washington Post article published the very same day led the way with the aggressive and misleading headline UN Report: Iran stockpiling nuclear materials, shorthanding the facts right out of the narrative. The facts are that Iran’s terrifying nuclear stockpile is a small amount of uranium enriched to industrial grade levels for use in its domestic energy and medical isotope programs, all of it safeguarded by the IAEA.

More sensational claims

If the smokescreen wasn’t thick enough, late last week a group of Marxist holy warrior exiles called the Mujahadeen-e-Khalq, working with the very same neoconservatives who sponsored Ahmad Chalabi’s Iraqi National Congress which manufactured so much of the propaganda that convinced the American people to support the invasion of that country accused the Iranian government of building a secret nuclear enrichment facility buried deep in tunnels near Qazvin.

Headlines once again blared in total negligence and without verification that here indeed was, an official told Fox News, proof that Iran has a hidden, secret nuclear weapons program. TV news anchors on every channel furiously mopped sweat from their brows, hearts-a-tremor. When will the forces of good rise to stop this evil?!

Yet even US officials quickly admitted that they’ve known about these tunnels for years. [T]here’s no reason at this point to think its nuclear, one US official said a quote that appeared in Fox’s article, but only after five paragraphs of breathless allegations. All day long, top-of-the-hour news updates on TV and radio let the false impression stand.

IAEA inspectors have had open access to the gas conversion facility at Isfahan, the enrichment facility at Natanz, and the new lightwater reactor at Bushehr, as well as the secondary enrichment facility under construction at Qom.

An ignored clean bill of health

The September 6 IAEA report confirming for the zillionth time the non-diversion of nuclear material should be the last word on the subject until the next time they say the same thing: Iran, a long-time signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is not in violation of its Safeguards Agreement.

So what’s all the hubbub about Iran’s nuclear defiance and danger?

The IAEAs latest report does note that Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the Agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities. Indeed, the agency’s frequent mentions of Iran’s lack of full cooperation is a big reason why US media reports portray Iran in ominous terms.

But here, too, US media frequently miss the point. Never mind that 118 nations around the world have signed a statement criticizing the IAEAs peaceful activities conclusion as a departure from standard verification language. More broadly, Iran’s lack of full cooperation by itself is an outcome of Western bullying and propaganda.

Real reason for lack of cooperation

The US and the UN, acting upon no legitimate authority whatsoever, have demanded that Iran submit to an Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement, which would ban any further enrichment on Iranian soil, as well as demanded they submit to an endless regime of IAEA inspections and questioning, based mostly on the alleged studies documents, which several sources have said are forgeries posing as a pilfered laptop of a dead Iranian nuclear scientist.

These separate, UN Security Council-mandated investigations have even demanded blueprints for Shahab 3 missiles a subject far removed from hexafluoride gas or any legitimate IAEA function. In 2003, Iran voluntarily agreed to the extra burden of the unratified Additional Protocol during good faith negotiations with the so-called E-3, Britain, France, and Germany, acting on behalf of the US. When those negotiations broke down, Iran withdrew in 2006.

With these details left out of the discussion, the impression is left that Iran is refusing to abide by international law, when in fact, it is completely within its NPT obligations.

An outrageous standard

Meanwhile, Washington continues to apply to Iran the outrageous standard it used in the run-up to the Iraq war: an unfriendly nation must prove it doesn’t have dangerous weapons or a secret program to make them or potentially face military action.

Proving a negative is, to say the least, a difficult obligation to meet: You say you haven’t read Webster’s Dictionary cover to cover? Prove it!

The bottom line is that Iran is still within its unalienable rights to peaceful nuclear technology under the NPT and the Safeguards Agreement a point even Tehrans fiercest critics (grudgingly) acknowledge. The only issues it is defying are the illegitimate sanctions and demands of the US and UN, which themselves defy logic and sense.

Journalists ethical obligation

It is far past time for the members of the American media to get their act together and begin asking serious follow-up questions of the politicians, experts, and lobbyists they interview on the subject of Iran’s nuclear program.

Many of these same journalists still have the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis on their hands from the months they spent continuously and uncritically parroting the lies, half-truths, and distortions of agenda-driven Iraqi dissidents and their neocon champions who pushed us into the Iraq war.

Perhaps this is their shot at redemption.

Scott Horton is host of Antiwar Radio on the Liberty Radio Network and assistant editor at Antiwar.com.

Christian Science Monitor

By Nadirah Angail

TMO Editor’s note:  Polygamy is illegal in the United States, and as such it is arguable that it is also haram and contrary to Shari’ah in the US–because Muslims should obey authority (Ati Ullah wa atiur Rasul wa ulul amri minkum–Obey Allah, obey Prophet (s), and obey those on authority).  This indicates that a Muslim must keep Islamic requirements and also obey the laws and other authorities of the country he or she lives in. 

The following article disscusses the issue of polygamy (polygyny) from the point of view of the practical and emotional impact on the women involved, without discussing legal implications, and without disputing the fact that in Shari’ah polygamy is accepted.  The views expressed are those of the author alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else at TMO in any capacity.  Note also—Nadirah Angail is not in a polygamous marriage.

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Polygyny (marrying more than one woman) is the right of the Muslim brother in Shari’ah, and it was practiced by our beloved prophet Muhammad (s).

I write about the issue of polygyny with some hesitation, but many have asked me to write about it, and there are important practical considerations regarding polygyny, aside from its illegality in this country. 

The difficulty of polygyny for the woman

Yes, under certain circumstances, a man has the right to take additional wives (up to 4), but does that mean the addition of another wife must automatically be easy for the first? Men, you will never know what it is like to have to share your wives with another man, but imagine if you did. Imagine how hard that might be to accept.  Even Aisha, wife of the Prophet, (may Allah be pleased with her) had issues of jealousy toward Khadijah, who wasn’t even alive at the time.

Narrated ‘Aisha:

I never felt so jealous of any wife of Allah’s Apostle as I did of Khadijah because Allah’s Apostle used to remember and praise her too often and because it was revealed to Allah’s Apostle that he should give her (Khadijah) the glad tidings of her having a palace of Qasab in Paradise. (Bukhari, vol. 7, book 62, number 156)

It was not by mistake or mere chance that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) felt this way. Allah is in control. He allowed her jealousy to demonstrate the difficulties that even the most righteous woman can have when it comes to sharing her husband with another woman. If one of the best women in Islam was, at times, jealous of the mere memory and mention of another wife, why are we expected to take it so lightly? Are we better than Aisha? I’m not encouraging jealousy, just pointing out the emotional strain that can come along with being a co-wife.  Husbands should be understanding of these feelings and not see them as rebellion and defiance. 

The type of man best suited for polygyny

Maintaining a happy marriage with one person is a serious task in itself. Adding in other people can make it even harder. It takes a special man to balance the physical, financial and emotional needs of two (or three or four) women. Men often cite that the Prophet had many wives. This is true, but the Prophet was also extremely kind, caring, understanding, empathic and considerate. The Prophet was playful, did housework, and allowed his wives to have their opinions (even if they were against his own).

Narrated Aisha:

That Allah’s Apostle said to her, “I you are pleased with me or angry with me.” I said, “Whence do you know that?” He said, “When you are pleased with me, you say, ‘No, by the Lord of Muhammad,’ but when you are angry with me, then you say, ‘No, by the Lord of Abraham.’ “ Thereupon I said, “Yes (you are right), but by Allah, O Allah’s Apostle, I leave nothing but your name.” (Bukhari, vol 7, book 62. Number 155)

This hadith shows that the Prophet’s wives did, in fact, get angry with him, and he was okay with that. He didn’t yell at them and demand their servitude. He wasn’t disrespectful nor did he treat them as property. He gave them every consideration and allowed them to have a voice.  Is this how most men nowadays approach polygyny or do they hasten to take other wives simply because it is allowed, giving little or no consideration to the one already there?

I’ve seen so many hot-tempered, impatient men passionately defending their right to multiple wives. I find it hard to believe these types of men can keep one wife happy, let alone two. Polygyny is an option, not a necessity; therefore, men should consider their own temperament and that of their current wives before getting into additional marriages that may do more harm than good. 

Using the Prophet’s (s) example for guidance

If we are to examine the example of the Prophet, then let us truly examine it. For most of his married life, he was in a monogamous relationship with one wife, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her).  For 25 years, he lived peacefully with her as his only companion and took no other wives until after her death. His additional marriages were mostly for social, political, and altruistic reasons, not just because there was a new sister in town. 

From this, we can infer that polygyny, while it is a mercy and a safeguard, is not a priority. It is not something a man must to do be a better Muslim, but something he can do if the situation permits. There are times when polygyny is preferred, the most logical choice, but there are also times when it isn’t. For example, if a brother is barely supporting his wife and children, who are just getting by with the help of government assistance, it makes no sense for him to get –or even consider—another wife. That would only increase the burden on his already-strained family.  Another example: If a young brother is newly married and still in the “getting to know you” phase with his first wife, he has no business getting into another marriage when the foundation of the first one is still solidifying. Would it not make sense for him to learn how to be a good husband to one woman before he introduces another? And would it not make sense for the second wife to want to marry a man who has already established himself as a quality husband?

Considering the first before choosing the second

Taking another wife doesn’t just affect the man. It affects the first wife and children (if there are any). This new wife is entering into an already existing family. It would be in everyone’s best interest that she is a good fit. It seems some men marry additional wives just because they like them, but do they consider if anyone else will?

Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama:

Ali demanded the hand of the daughter of Abu Jahl. Fatima heard of this and went to Allah’s Apostle saying, “Your people think that you do not become angry for the sake of your daughters as ‘Ali is now going to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl. “On that Allah’s Apostle got up and after his recitation of Tashah-hud. I heard him saying, “Then after! I married one of my daughters to Abu Al-’As bin Al-Rabi’ (the husband of Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet) before Islam and he proved truthful in whatever he said to me. No doubt, Fatima is a part of me, I hate to see her being troubled. By Allah, the daughter of Allah’s Apostle and the daughter of Allah’s Enemy cannot be the wives of one man.” So ‘Ali gave up that engagement… (Bukhari, vol 5. book 57, number 76)

Regardless of how capable Ali may have been of caring for two wives, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not allow it because of who the second wife was and how it would affect Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her). He knew the two of them wouldn’t be good co-wives, and for that reason, he denied the marriage. The match of the two women should be considered up front, not as an afterthought. The point of polygyny is to strengthen families and communities. Bringing in another wife who would do nothing but cause problems does the opposite: weaken families and lead to divorce (which we all know is the least liked of all lawful things).

Having multiple wives is a big responsibility, and it shouldn’t be done just because you can. Men should consider themselves, their first wives, their children, their communities and the example it would set for others before taking such a step. It seems many men are in love with the idea of a second wife without being firmly grounded in the responsibility and gravity of it.  It isn’t just about marrying another attractive sister. It’s about being ready—in more ways than the obvious—to undertake a major responsibility. Done right, polygyny can lead to a bounty of blessings. Done wrong, it can cause a lot of pain. The pain is what led me to write this article. May the blessings be the cause of the next.

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By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS Middle East Correspondent

The scene is like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster, however it occurred too close to home this past week in Kuwait. A silver sports car weaves sharply into another lane to avert crashing into a speeding luxury car racing down the highway. The driver of the silver car, however, does not manage to walk away from the scene and there is no director to yell, “Cut”. Instead his car hits the edge of the curb, which sends it spinning into the air and crashing upside down into a date palm tree. The 17-old-driver dies at the scene and his three passengers are all recuperating in the hospital. The reckless driver that instigated the accident has yet to be found as he left the scene of the crime.

Vehicular manslaughter is one of the leading causes of death in the Middle East with Kuwait having one of the worst records for road safety in the region. Motorists routinely ignore the speed limit and disobey traffic laws even though there are traffic enforcement cameras littered all over the country. Despite the hefty fines and threat of imprisonment motorists continue to disobey even basic traffic laws, such as turning the blinker on when making a turn. As a result, cars and pedestrians are put into harm’s way every time they hit the road. Every other week it seems a pedestrian is run over by a speeding motorist or a multiple car pile up occurs due to negligent driving.

The problem lies in the lack of police presence on Kuwaiti roads. There are no traffic stops to enforce road safety, such as wearing a seatbelt for security. And there is not even a notion of a unified highway patrol, where cops could lurk in the desert shrubs with radar guns in their hands, to catch speeding motorists as they push the pedal to the metal. The fact that most drivers in Kuwait do not fear getting caught for reckless driving is also another issue. “If I’m running late for work I have no choice but to speed,” laments citizen Souad Al-Shammari, “I would rather risk a fine than a verbal lashing from my boss.”

Kuwait is not the only country in the region with a poor road safety record. Saudi Arabia Bahrain and Dubai have all grappled with improving their records for the sake of both motorists and pedestrians. This past spring, Saudi Arabia in particular launched a sweeping campaign to educate the public on road safety and to punish repeat offenders with hefty fines.

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By Yaser Birjas

There is no better place for I’tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadan than the Haram in Makkah. I truly miss those days. What better place do you need more than the hometown of Islam where the Qur’an was first revealed? The emotions and ecstasy experienced there are indescribable. It is one of those beautiful feelings which you cannot describe with words, you have to live it in order to see it and feel it. Although, I have done many I’tikaafs, alhamdulillah, in many different masajid in different places in the world, including the masjid of my beloved Rasulullah, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam in Madinah, but there were none like the experience of al-Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Masjid in Makkah, may Allah preserve it and protect it. The ambience there is just amazingly sensational.

As a student of the Islamic University of Madinah back in the early 1990′s, my colleagues and I were privileged to live in the city of Rasulullah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam for a number of years. We were also privileged to only be four hours away from Makkah. Alhamdulillah, consequently we were able to visit Makkah for Umrah frequently and enjoy the sight of the Ka’bah every chance we could catch out of school days. I can never forget the sight of the beautiful sacred house, the Ka’bah and the enormous number of people of all colors and all walks of life going in circles around it. It was breathtaking.

One of the privileges we had back then was to take the last ten days of Ramadan off, and with an extra few days for the Eid we ended up with almost two weeks off. I remember how we used to start our planning ahead of time, because we knew that we would be leaving Madinah to go to Makkah. We used to spend most of the Ramadan hours, days and nights in the Masjid of Rasulullah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Just thinking of who used to walk around in this same area 1400 years ago, and who used to spend his time in this place was electrifying.

When the last day of school was over, we rushed straight to Makkah for Umrah in order to make sure that we entered the Haram and our I’tikaaf before sunset. If you want your I’tikaaf of the last ten days of Ramadan to be counted for you, then you should be in the masjid right before the first night of the last ten nights start. That means just before sunset on the 20th day of Ramadan.

Regulations in the Haram in Makkah prohibit keeping any kind of luggage, suitcases, clothes or anything of the sort a traveler might need during his stay in the Masjid for I’tikaaf. You have to keep everything outside. This prohibition put limit on what we could really carry with us for the I’tikaaf. So we carried just two or three thoubs, the traditional Arab garb, shimagh or head cover which we also used as an eye cover so that we could get the feeling of dark night, one casual short sleeved thoub for the daily activities which also served as our pajamas, few number of underwear and t-shirts, general hygiene stuff and of course books to read. In the I’tikaaf in Makkah, you need to forget about the luxury of pillows and blankets, let alone a mattress or bed. You use the carpet as your bed and the ceiling as your cover. Well, we still used the stuff we had with us, we would pile them up to make a pillow, and then use the Ihram, the two white sheets, one for a mattress or a mat to be precise and one for a blanket.

With no lockers anywhere to keep your belongings safe and with millions of people, commuters and travelers from all over the world who come to visit for Umrah, keeping our stuff outside in the open was impossible for us, as there would be no way to keep all of your things for the duration of the I’tikaaf without losing them. So we had to smuggle them in, yes, smuggle them.

We first go back to the Haram right after we are done with our Umrah, as early as possible, to look around for a prime location. The Haram during the I’tikaaf season would be divided, unofficially of course, into small lots the size of a twin mattress each, just enough for you to lay down and get some sleep. 

A prime location meant a place in the corner far away from the traffic. Getting close to the balcony so you could overlook the beautiful sight of the Ka’bah and the Tawaf court, was nice in the beginning, but then as people start jumping all over you to enjoy watching the sight themselves, the location was no longer so prime.

If you couldn’t get a corner location, which was almost impossible, how many corners are there in a masjid, anyways, then you would look for the wall. Taking a wall site is good because it traps your items by the wall so they won’t go anywhere, and it also limits the traffic in that area. The third in the line of favorite locations was the side of one of the main and humongous pillars of the masjid. Although you would be surrounded by others all around you, but having one side of the cubic shaped pillars gives you the base of one side all for you. If you were unable to get any of these spots then you risk ending up in the middle of the crowd and that was never a good place to be during a long I’tikaaf.

It was like a ‘urf or common law among the dwellers of the Haram, that once you settle and unload your stuff in one location that it becomes yours until the end of the I’tikaaf or unless you abandon it and take your things out of that location. Everybody respected that. Well, almost because some visitors as they looked for a place to get their nap, acted like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”  They just didn’t care and would go ahead and violate the rule. They would find themselves a comfy place that did not belong to them and go to sleep. It was not that big of a deal to us but overall, people still honored the rule and respected the privacy of others.

One more thing about prime locations at the Haram is that it’s better to stay on the first floor than the ground floor where most of the heavy traffic exists. You should also stay away from the escalators and the stairways which feed the area with more visitors. And last but not least, stay in a location where you can easily have an access to the bathrooms outside, believe me its one of the most important criteria of your search. It’s not easy to remember your location when the Haram looks all symmetrical and sometimes confusing, but after getting lost a few times, you’ll get there. GPS won’t work there either, therefore you have to rely on your photographic memory, if you have one of course.

Now, how did we get our stuff in? Well, we used to take turns in getting our things through the doors. One would be outside keeping all our stuff with him, another would stay at the location to make sure it is reserved and then the third would be making trips going back and forth to get his things carried in. We would stuff the small things in our pockets, clothes under the books and look for a diversion by going through the most crowded doors. And even if you get caught with your clothes hidden between the books, you could still look for another gate and get through. The funny part was carrying the thoubs in. Some of us used to put them on one on top of another and then take them off as we entered the Haram.

Of course, we do understand why the authorities didn’t allow clothes and luggage to be brought into the masjid because if this was allowed people would abuse the system. Nevertheless, during the last ten days of Ramadan there should be some tolerance because this is temporary and for I’tikaaf purposes only. These items are very important to help those who are in I’tikaaf to stay in good health and good shape. Before we left our spot, we would make sure to fold up our stuff and squeeze them towards the wall so that they would not get messed up while people were praying Taraweeh.

After we have taken care of our accommodations, we began searching around to locate two things. First, where the scholars would be giving their daily and evening classes, and second, where the food spreads were over which some scholars and students of knowledge, especially coming from other countries, would be breaking their fast. We later learned that most of these food spreads were located on the top level of the Haram facing the gutter of the Ka’bah known as “al-Mizaab.” Every time you go there, you will be blessed with one or two or even more scholars coming from different places around the world. On these food spreads, I had the opportunity to meet scholars from Egypt, ash-Sham, India, N. Africa and other areas as well.

On the sunset of the first night of the I’tikaaf, we would already be on the top level asking around to find out who was coming and where they would be breaking their fast. If we received the news about some scholars coming over, we would make sure the others got to know about it as well.

Iftar is usually made of the magnificent, lightly roasted Arabic coffee cooked with cardamom and some other flavors, served with fresh “rutab,” the moist and early stage of the dates. Dates come in different shapes and tastes and it would be a blessing if you were served some of the most expensive Qaseemi dates that grows in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, such as sukkari, maktoomi and khalas. With that comes yogurt and freshly baked bread. Now, Bismillah.

After Maghrib prayer, we go back to congregate around the shuyukh and scholars, to listen, learn, take notes and drink a fresh cup of tea made with ‘hasawi’ mint. That tea used to give the session a whole different flavor, literally.

Later on, we would start getting ready for Isha prayer and Taraweeh afterwards. The prayer in the Tawaf court would have been the best place to stand in salat. However, since we loved to attend the sessions of Sh. al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah after Taraweeh, we had to stay on the top floor and pray right next to his official seat. If you wanted to benefit from the Ilm of the sheikh, you would need to sit as close to him as possible. Thousands attended his sessions and coming after salat to look for a space meant that you would be sitting at least a hundred yards away from him. The place would be crowded with waves of people. I have seen some very dedicated students who would preserve their spot from Asr time, and I really admire them for their devotion to the knowledge.

In the early years, the sheikh used to start right after Taraweeh and finish when they start the Tahajjud at night, that was more than four hours. SubhanaAllah, I have no idea how he was able to keep his energy level  during this time for the entire ten nights. In the later years, the sessions where cut short and lasted until one hour before the Tahajjud, and even then, it was still a very long session.

The sheikh used to start by commenting on some of the ayat recited in Salat at-Taraweeh that night for about 20-25 minutes and then the session would be opened to Q & A. SubhanaAllah, the amount of Ilm one was exposed to in such a short time was amazing. Even today, I still have some of the original notes that I’d taken over the years from these sessions.

When we finished the session, we would go out to get some food for our main Iftar meal. You know the custom there was to delay the main course until after Taraweeh, which I love and enjoy. The initial Iftar was nutritious, easy and not overwhelming so that you can survive during  Salat at-Taraweeh, and once you’ve finished your salat, you get to eat your main meal.

Right after that, we used to start our own personal night activities which included reading and reviewing the Qur’an, praying more qiyam, reading books using this time for devotion and meditation and the best of all doing Tawaf, as many times as we were able, around the Ka’bah. There was no way you would get bored at the Haram because every second the scene changes and the experience is different.

We stayed up during the night waiting for Salat at-Tahajjud where eight more rak’as would be performed at a slower pace than the Taraweeh, until it was finished about an hour or so before Fajr time. After that, we would go to eat our modest suhoor which we had purchased earlier when we had our Iftaar and then we prepared ourselves for Fajr prayer.

Right after Fajr, Sheikh al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah used to have another session on the ground level for almost two hours. I sometimes felt extremely tired and very sleepy, but subhanaAllah, seeing the energy of the sheikh who was at my grandfather’s age doing what he doing would empower me again to stay until the end of the session.

Thereafter, we used to get back to our hiding places, our sleeping spots, and drop down like dead bodies. We stayed asleep for the rest of the morning until Dhuhr time when we awoke for Salat. We stayed up for a while and then went back to sleep taking a power nap so that we can stay up all night again. After all, there wouldn’t be much going on during that time, anyway. Even the halaqat and sessions of knowledge are scarce and they don’t start until after Asr. Sometimes we seized the opportunity to make a relatively easier Tawaf before we head to bed.

Once Asr time starts, our day officially starts with it. We joined the few halaqat scattered around and then it would be time to get ready for Maghrib. Sometimes, we did Tawaf  before we went to the top level and other times, we just went into seclusion for reading and reviewing the Qur’an. As the time of Iftar approaches, our preparation for the night increased. Once the adhan for Maghrib is announced, a new evening begins.

The program continues the same for the rest of the month except for some occasional changes based on rising opportunities such as receiving guests or family and sometimes meeting new people and old friends. Subhana’Allah, even though the space in the Haram is so huge, and the number of people is so great, but it is still a small world. You always meet some old acquaintance, as if they fell from the sky. One year, I even met my own mother who decided at the last minute to come for Umrah with my father! We didn’t have cell phones back then and there was no way to send me a message about their arrival. It was a friend of mine who met my father and sent me to him.

Although, the entire season is special but two nights were the most special nights in the entire month of Ramadan, the night of the 27th and the 29th. At least that’s how people behaved on these two nights. The 27th is regarded as Laylatul Qadr, and the 29th is the night of Khatmul Qur’an, the completion of the recitation of the Qur’an. I remember when Sheikh as-Sudays used to pray the witr after finishing the Taraweeh and then he would pray the witr again after the Tahajjud, but then it was announced that the witr in the last ten nights would be performed only once after Tahajjud. And even this, was later changed to only after Taraweeh. Another year, the sheikh did not pray the Tahajjud and it was left for other shuyukh to lead but without praying witr at the end.

One of the most dramatic changes that I witnessed during those years of I’tikaaf was moving the Khatmul Qur’an to the night of the 27th. The Imam of al-Haram, announced using the loud speakers, which was unusual, that in order to receive the blessings of that night in particular they wanted to join the Khatmul Qur’an with what is regarded as Laylatul Qadr.  Another reason for this change, was in order to help people, and the visitors in particular, to attend the completion of the Qur’an and then get a chance to travel back home and attend Eid day with their families.

This change created a very dangerous and hazardous situation in the Haram. After the change was announced, people came from all over the country and from the surrounding countries as well, just to witness that night. It was within driving distance for the most of them. The Haram, as huge as it appears, was overpopulated to the extent where people started praying on top of the walls on the top level exposing themselves to an extremely perilous situation. People filled every space you can think of and spaces you cannot even think of. The escalators crashed and the stairways were closed because people were trying to get to the upper levels as the gates to the lower levels were closed. The authorities tried to keep people out but visitors would push their way through. It was a very dangerous situation. In addition to this, once the Imam finished, people were trying to leave as early as possible and the situation almost caused stampedes all over the area of the Haram. The Imams of the Haram, realizing the danger, announced the following night that this combining of events would not happen again next year and that the Khatmul Qur’an would be restored back to the night of the 29th.

That year, when they moved the Khatmul Qur’an to the night of the 27th, the following two or three nights left of the month of Ramadan were the most peaceful nights of the month. Most of the visitors left and the Haram became almost empty. Overall, it was a one-of-a-kind experience that I was able to attend and witness.

I still remember one night when I had to leave quickly with a guest, a friend who was visiting with his mother for Umrah, and we had to go after Maghrib to get ourselves and his mother some food, it was impossible. People were like in a disaster zone, they were all trying to buy food. We didn’t know why it was so different that night but it appeared that they were getting ready for their journey after the Salat. We couldn’t get anything neither for his mother nor for ourselves, and when we tried to get back to the Haram the guards were already closing the doors to the upper levels and the escalators were all closed. I had to take him to some unknown paths, at least unknown to the common visitors, and then find our way up. To our surprise, there was no space at all. We had to wait until the Iqama was called and struggle to squeeze ourselves into the line even if we were standing somewhat sideways. It was an amazing and unforgettable night, which not too many people have had the good fortune to experience.

The blessings of the I’tikaaf are so many, and some of the lessons Imam Ibnul Qayyim, rahimahullah, suggested  we learn from this experience are:

   1. It is a form of ‘Khalwa’ that is living in seclusion – to a certain extent – where you can focus on your nafs and personal Ibadah and worship.
   2. It is a chance to connect with the Divine subhanahu wa ta’ala because your focus is solely on pleasing Him and Him alone.
   3. It is a spiritual rehab and escape from the pressure of this life. You live a stress-free life for few days only for the sake of Allah.
   4. You learn to limit your interaction with people and increase your interaction with your own self. It is like a moment of ‘muhasaba’ were you review your ‘amal -work- and check and balance your book of deeds.
   5. It is a chance to explore your potential and an opportunity to see how much you can really bear of the different acts of Ibadah you expose yourself to in such a very short time.

The last part of this experience for us was witnessing the Eid day. During the last night of Ramadan, everyone is in a high level of excitement in anticipation for the Eid announcement. If the next day was still Ramadan, then alhamdulillah, we would get to pray one more night of Taraweeh and Tahajjud and if Eid was the next day, then there would be an important thing to do before anything else. You had to run to your sleeping space and pick everything up with you, otherwise it would be swept out with everything on the floor. You see, during the last ten nights of Ramadan, other than the vacuum cleaners, the janitorial work would stop temporarily until the night of Eid. So right after Isha, in preparation for the Eid salat, the workers would start to take everything off the floor. Literally, everything. They sweep and wash and mop the floor of the entire Grand Masjid and then they place new carpet. Whatever is left down there will be piled up in one corner and you would be blessed if you can find anything of your own belongings.

SubhanaAllah, that night was one of the most depressing nights for us. After living for ten nights in the Haram, when it was full with people and full with duroos and activities, suddenly the hustle and bustle is gone and you are back to the reality of life. The place would be empty, absolutely empty. A temporary feeling of void would fill your heart and you would suddenly break into tears. At the end, you realize that you’re once again back on your own.

Once Salatul Eid is performed in a majestic ambience and atmosphere, in the Grand Masjid in Makkah, we headed straight to the bus station. We took a bus ride back to Madinah and returned with some unforgettable memories of I’tikaaf.

Yaser Birjas

Ramadan 26, 1431 H.

September 5, 2010

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