just vomited in my mouth, a little…

today i made the mistake of reading the muslimmatters.org blog.   actually, i don’t know if i can call this a mistake anymore if i do it more often than once a month.  perhaps i just hate myself so damn much that i read the blog as a means of self-flagellation. anyway, i came across this post (i will spare you the language i would rather use to describe it) on terrorism and related bunk. the post was long and too pathetic to warrant much of a description. the gist of it was something like this:

“terrorism is baaaaaad and harrraaaaaam! and the shuyookh and kibaaaar ulema say so! and if you are a terrorist you will burn in hell while being forced to watch reruns of America’s Next Top Model for all eternity! Any poor soul who dares even utter a word to the contrary is now one of the kharwaaaaarij!” btw, after the cult of SalafiPublications/TROID/Salafitalk.net/ “Akh-ees” in general, Muslimmatters has now taken upon itself the use of such terminology and they’ll go at it with you if you disagree with them one iota (on anything of substance).  it is garbage taken right out of the playbook of the neo-salafi cult/groups, but i digress.

the post goes on…and on…and on while they round up the usual suspects. Al Qaeda is to blame for all of the problems of the world … everything from the global financial crisis to breast cancer to the whole Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift fiasco. Omg, wait a minute, duuuuude, maybe that wasn’t Kanye West jumping on stage after all?! What if it was an Al Qaeda inspired Somali sleeper cell agent who jumped on stage pretending to be Kanye West in order to disrupt the entire MTV vma’s?  Then with America distracted by the controvery – and Kanye West’s career in jeopardy – Qaeda khawaaaarij militants could unsuccessfully mount yet another attack somewhere and NOT achieve the goal of establishing an Islamic State! Ohhhhh crap! I think i’m on to something really big here guys…lemme contact the investigatory body of muslimmatters at once!

at this point in my life i hate blogging…i genuinely do.   so, in order to make me actually write something on this pathetic excuse for a blog must mean that i was irritated to say the very least.   the Muslim “blogosphere” is at times quite disgusting – but muslimmatters is worse…

what bothered me the most was when amad of muslimmatters defending the article by giving examples of the billions-upon-billions of posts the blog did on other “serious” issues confronting the Ummah…palestine, the “Lal masjid incident” (where you kinda sorta blamed the students of the red mosque for their own demise br. Amad), Dr. Afia Siddiqui (a lady who actually did take a shot at a US law enforcement official), Dr. Ali al Timimi.    Seriously, the two or three little lame posts on Dr. Ali al Timimi?  What the?!   Are you kidding?   Would Dr. Ali really approve of such a post?  Even if he did, i would imagine that he would have been more balanced in his approach and far less dramatic than the author(s) in this case.   I personally found the use of Dr. Ali al Timimi (and other examples) as a defense of the article to be unfortunate and mildly distasteful, yet fully in keeping with the modus operandi of Muslimmatters.

it is sad, but if this is the kind of sentiment that is going to be the “new-normal” or future of thought in the Ummah (vis-a-vis Islamic organizations, scholars, blogs, etc) count me out ahh-kees!   i’m done.   time to pack up and head home.    UFC anyone?

an anniversary, of sorts…

Howdy ya’ll! I hope everyone is having an absolutely splendid Ramadan…

Synkronyzer (aka Imam Abdul Rahman Chao) takes an interesting look at the Magna Carta Unity Based on Renewal and Guidance…one year on.

Since we are in the blessed month of Ramadan, I’ll hold back my critiques of this “pledge” – but I do intend on expanding upon it soon, Allah willing. Needless to say, Synkronyzer takes a truly fair and balanced approach in his commentary on this Unity pledge. For those who are concerned … don’t worry! There will be plenty of “gyrating hips” and establishment of the “Haaaaq” (pronounced HA-cK) to look forward to in his commentary.

Anyway here is just a taste that I felt encapsulated the entire post (yep … I’m giving you a taste like a dealer around the corner so that you’ll get hooked):

“If unity is the true issue, then let’s have all the signatories come up with concrete steps. The longer this drags on the more people are going to view that this pledge is a blank check to legitimize opposing views which is not the point of this pledge. We should treat the problems that Muslims are facing and not mumble over it and watch immature groupies scream at each other defending the honor of this teacher at this institute or another.”

Synkronyzer, Did you ever know that your my hero? … Everything I would like to be? I could flyyyyyyy higher than an eagle … because you are the wind beneath my wings!

(Caution: the video above is blatantly haraam. please feel free to throw me off the manhaj now!)

Muslim astronauts…

I think that the news of Muslims in space must have the NeoCons a bit alarmed. Quick! Somebody raise the Terror Alert Level!

a question…

Where do contemporary Neo-Traditionalists find the nerve to attack Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah (mainstream Muslims & Scholars alike) with serious accusations of shirk when one of their most famous figures, Ibn Arabi (the deviant mystic), is clearly guilty of such crimes? How about al Hallaj (kaffir mystic)? Rumi, where he states, “I am God.”? Until, and unless, we have real intellectual honesty — and clarity — amongst Muslim scholars (on a whole host of issues including Aqeedah) … I find that “pacts” of any description will easily be rendered meaningless.

 

food during Ramadan…

A new French book is aimed at Muslims fasting during the month of Ramadan. The purpose of this book is to encourage healthy eating so that Ramadan, the month of fasting, does not become the month of feasting (and unnecessary weight gain). I think this book is brilliant! There should be similar books written and distributed by medical professionals throughout the Muslim world. I should be the first person in line to buy this book…

interesting…

A historical look at the intersection between mental instability and true religious fanaticism. Ivan Vasilyevich IV, or “Ivan the Terrible” as he later came to be known, plunged Russia into one of its darkest periods in history. Ivan IV gained notoriety, and infamy, for being Russia’s first Czar (Tsar) as well as one of the most brutal rulers in its history. Ivan’s cruelty toward his enemies, and his own people, almost seems something of legend. After all, history is indeed full of countless dictators and ruthless leaders.

However, Ivan the Terrible’s “iron fisted” rule seemed to take tyranny and human savagery to rarely (before) seen depths in early modern times. With disturbing precision, Ivan personally oversaw the torture and execution of tens of thousands of Russians that he percieved as his enemies. Ivan’s bloodthirstiness only grew with each day of his nightmarish reign and the executions he participated in turned more and more into sadistic orgies of violence, torture and brutal inhumanity. Ivan’s “purges” of Russia were cruel, yet calculated, and were designed to instill the utmost level of fear into his subjects. Enemies weren’t simply slated for execution by the Czar…but they were to be tortured and so violated that Ivan would forever be regarded as something more than a mere despot or iron fisted ruler. Ivan would ultimately be regarded — by many of his terrified subjects & political rivals — as the bringer of death for 16th century Russia.

His enemies, which included an enormous list of nearly every cross section of 16th century Russia, were eliminated in some of the most horrendous ways. Ivan’s tortures seemed to be rooted in his obsessive reading of the Bible. One might even argue that, in a strange way, his Biblical tortures were an affront to the very religion he claimed devout adherence to. In that sense, Ivan the Terrible’s awful reign presents us with a number of contradictions. What is certain though is that Russia was never to be the same after the death of Ivan Vasilyevich IV.

A few thoughts I was left with after watching these videos:

1. Ivan the Terrible comes across as more than histories “usual” despot. Rather he seems more like what we might describe today as a serial killer. Only this serial killer had the legitimacy of political rule.

2. Ivan’s seige of Kazan marks one of Russia’s earliest campaigns against Muslims. I could be wrong here.. and I probably am. However, I am correct in stating that Ivan IV was the first Czar to have ever fought against Muslims in any territory.

3. The striking similarities of Ivan’s reign compared with the brutal grip on power held by the Communists during the Cold War. While there are similarities that I will briefly mention in a moment…there is at least one basic difference (I think). Ivan IV’s reign of terror over his subjects reflected, to some degree, his sadistic personal desires. Ivan, after all, was known to not only have personally participated in the gruesome torture and execution of his victims — but he was known to take pleasure and delight out of it as well. The Communists on the other hand, though equally as ruthless and brutal as Ivan, saw executions as something more political and routine in nature. Theirs was a job that involved the elimination/extermination of any, and all, enemies of the state as part of a national duty (or broader national strategy) and not necessarily as part of any personal agenda (this may be a point of contention for some who will raise the spector of Joseph Stalin whose paranoia and ruthlessness seems to have rivaled that of Ivan). Communists’s saw their role in forever silencing all opposition as part of a noble goal — the establishment of a utopian Socialist society in Russia (formerly USSR) and beyond. ANYWAY…I could ramble on…here are the possible similarities:

a. The employment of a secret force to eliminate political opposition…

b. The use of “purges” to eliminate any, and all, opposition…

c. Paranoid leadership…

d. “Iron fisted” rule…

 

Ivan the Terrible – Part 1

 

Ivan the Terribe – Part 2

 

Ivan the Terrible – Part 3

 

what’s the “big news” over at MuslimMatters.org ???

Have you ever wanted to find answers to some of the most important questions confronting mankind? Do you ever wonder what you’re life means in the grand cosmic scheme of things? Have you ever pondered the meaning of life itself? Have you ever been visited by Extraterrestrial beings? Is George W. Bush really that stupid? Is the the purple Teletubby (Tinky Winky) really gay?

Well…you won’t be finding answers to those questions (I think). However, you will find answers for questions related to Ramadan and other key Islamic topics. Actually, I’m not so sure about the whole “gay Teletubby” thing. Who knows, there might be a conclusion on that as well…

Anyway, do yourself a favor and check it out — if you haven’t already done so. Real Islamic scholars (Sh. Yasir Qadhi and Sh. Yaser Birjas) will be taking YOUR questions so feel free to give it to ‘em … Full-Force!