Sura 36: Ya Sin

From:: www.islamicity.com translation to Picketal

36:1 Ya Sin. يس (36:1) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:2 By the wise Qur'an, وَالْقُرْآنِ الْحَكِيمِ (36:2) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:3 Lo! thou art of those sent إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (36:3) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:4 On a straight path, عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (36:4) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:5 A revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful, تَنزِيلَ الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ (36:5) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:6 That thou mayst warn a folk whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless. -
لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَّا أُنذِرَ آبَاؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَافِلُونَ (36:6) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:7 Already hath the word proved true of most of them, for they believe not. لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى أَكْثَرِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (36:7) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:8 Lo! we have put on their necks carcans reaching unto the chins, so that they are made stiff necked. إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ أَغْلاَلاً فَهِيَ إِلَى الأَذْقَانِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ (36:8) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:9 And We have set a bar before them and a bar behind them, and (thus) have covered them so that they see not. وَجَعَلْنَا مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ (36:9) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:10 Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not, it is alike for them, for they believe not.
وَسَوَاء عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (36:10) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:11 Thou warnest only him who followeth the Reminder and feareth the Beneficent in secret. To him bear tidings of forgiveness and a rich reward. إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَن بِالْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ (36:11) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:12 Lo! We it is Who bring the dead to life. We record that which they send before (them), and their footprints. And all things We have kept in a clear register. إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ (36:12) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:13 Coin for them a similitude: The people of the city when those sent (from Allah) came unto them; وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلاً أَصْحَابَ الْقَرْيَةِ إِذْ جَاءهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ (36:13) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:14 When We sent unto them twain, and they denied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, and they said; Lo! we have been sent unto youإِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ اثْنَيْنِ فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَيْكُم مُّرْسَلُونَ (36:14) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:15 They said: Ye are but mortals like unto us. The Beneficent hath naught revealed. Ye do but lie! قَالُوا مَا أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا وَمَا أَنزَلَ الرَّحْمن مِن شَيْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ تَكْذِبُونَ (36:15) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:16 They answered: Our lord knoweth that we are indeed sent unto you, قَالُوا رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ (36:16) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:17 And our duty is but plain conveyance (of the message). وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلاَّ الْبَلاَغُ الْمُبِينُ (36:17) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:18 (The people of the city) said: We augur ill of you. If ye desist not, we shall surely stone you, and grievous torture will befall you at our hands. قَالُوا إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهُوا لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (36:18) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:19 They said: Your evil augury be with you! Is it because ye are reminded (of the truth)? Nay, but ye are froward folk? قَالُوا طَائِرُكُمْ مَعَكُمْ أَئِن ذُكِّرْتُم بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ (36:19) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:20 And there came from the uttermost part of the city a man running. He cried: O my people! Follow those who have been sent! وَجَاء مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَى قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ (36:20) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:21 Follow those who ask of you no fee, and who are rightly guided. اتَّبِعُوا مَن لاَّ يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ (36:21) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:22 For what cause should I not serve Him Who hath created me, and unto Whom ye will be brought back? وَمَا لِي لاَ أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (36:22) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:23 Shall I take (other) gods in place of Him when, if the Beneficent should wish me any harm, their intercession will avail me naught, nor can they save? أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَن بِضُرٍّ لاَّ تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يُنقِذُونِ (36:23) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:24 Then truly I should be in error manifestإِنِّي إِذًا لَّفِي ضَلاَلٍ مُّبِينٍ (36:24) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:25 Lo! I have believed in your Lord, so hear me! إِنِّي آمَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ (36:25) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:26 It was said (unto him): Enter Paradise. He said: Would that my people knew قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ (36:26) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:27 With what (munificence) my Lord hath pardoned me and made me of the honored ones! -
بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ (36:27) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:28 We sent not down against his people after him a host from heaven, nor do We ever send.
وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ (36:28) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:29 It was but one Shout, and lo! they were extinct. إِن كَانَتْ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ (36:29) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:30 Ah, the anguish for the bondmen! Never came there unto them a messenger but they did mock him! يَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُون (36:30) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:31 Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, which indeed return not unto them; أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنْ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ (36:31) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi
36:32 But all, without exception, will be brought before Us. وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ (36:32) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:33 A token unto them is the dead earth. We revive it, and We bring forth from it grain so that they eat thereof; وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمُ الْأَرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَاهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبًّا فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ (36:33) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:34 And We have placed therein gardens of the date palm and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein. وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّاتٍ مِن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ الْعُيُونِ (36:34) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:35 That they may eat of the fruit thereof, and their hand made it not. Will they not, then, give thanks? لِيَأْكُلُوا مِن ثَمَرِهِ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ (36:35) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:36 Glory be to Him Who created all the sexual pairs, of that which the earth groweth, and of themselves, and of that which they know not! سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (36:36) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:37 A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمْ اللَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظْلِمُونَ (36:37) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:38 And the sun runneth on unto a resting place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ (36:38) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:39 And for the moon We have appointed mansions till she return like an old shrivelled palm leaf. وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ (36:39) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:40 It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbitلَا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِي لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ (36:40) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:41 And a token unto them is that We bear their offspring in the laden ship, وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ (36:41) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:42 And have created for them of the like thereof whereon they ride. وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ (36:42) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:43 And if We will, We drown them, and there is no help for them, neither can they be saved; - وَإِن نَّشَأْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ فَلَا صَرِيخَ لَهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنقَذُونَ 36:43) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:44 Unless by mercy from Us and as comfort for a whileإِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَى حِينٍ (36:44) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:45 When it is said unto them: Beware of that which is before you and that which is behind you, that haply ye may find mercy (they are heedless)وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُوا مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ (36:45) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:46 Never came a token of the tokens of their Lord to them, but they did turn away from it! وَمَا تَأْتِيهِم مِّنْ آيَةٍ مِّنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا كَانُوا عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ (36:46) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:47 And when it is said unto them: Spend of that wherewith Allah hath provided you. those who disbelieve say unto those who believe: Shall we feed those whom Allah, if He willed, would feed? Ye are in naught else than error manifest. وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمْ اللَّهُ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَاء اللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ (36:47) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:48 And they say: When will this promise be fulfilled, if ye are truthful? وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (36:48) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:49 They await but one Shout, which will surprise them while they are disputing. مَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً تَأْخُذُهُمْ وَهُمْ يَخِصِّمُونَ (36:49) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:50 Then they cannot make bequest, nor can they return to their own folk. فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَوْصِيَةً وَلَا إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (36:50) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:51 And the trumpet is blown and lo! from the graves they hie unto their Lord, وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُم مِّنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ (36:51) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:52 Crying: Woe upon us! Who hath raised us from our place of sleep? This is that which the Beneficent did promise, and the messengers spoke truth, قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا مَن بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ (36:52) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:53 It is but one Shout, and behold them brought together before Us! إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ (36:53) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:54 This day no soul is wronged in aught; nor are ye requited aught save what ye used to do. - فَالْيَوْمَ لَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَلَا تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (36:54) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:55 Lo! those who merit paradise this day are happily employed, إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ (36:55) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:56 They and their wives, in pleasant shade, on thrones reclining; هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِؤُونَ (36:56) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:57 Theirs the fruit (of their good deeds) and theirs (all) that they ask; لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ (36:57) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:58 The word from a Merciful Lord (for them) is: Peace! سَلَامٌ قَوْلًا مِن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ (36:58) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:59 But avaunt ye, O ye guilty, this day! وَامْتَازُوا الْيَوْمَ أَيُّهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ (36:59) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:60 Did I not charge you, O ye sons of Adam, that ye worship not the devil Lo! he is your open foe! أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ (36:60) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:61 But that ye worship Me? That was the right path. وَأَنْ اعْبُدُونِي هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (36:61) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:62 Yet he hath led astray of you a great multitude. Had ye then no sense? وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمْ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًا أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْقِلُونَ (36:62) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:63 This is hell which ye were promised (if ye followed him). هَذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ (36:63) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:64 Burn therein this day for that ye disbelieved. اصْلَوْهَا الْيَوْمَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ (36:64) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:65 This day We seal up mouths, and hands speak out and feet bear witness as to what they used to earn. الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (36:65) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:66 And had We willed, We verily could have quenched their eyesight so that they should struggle for the way. Then how could they have seen? وَلَوْ نَشَاء لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَى أَعْيُنِهِمْ فَاسْتَبَقُوا الصِّرَاطَ فَأَنَّى يُبْصِرُونَ (36:66) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:67 And had We willed, We verily could have fixed them in their place, making them powerless to go forward or turn back. وَلَوْ نَشَاء لَمَسَخْنَاهُمْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِهِمْ فَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا مُضِيًّا وَلَا يَرْجِعُونَ (36:67) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:68 He whom We bring unto old age, We reverse him in creation (making him go back to weakness after strength). Have ye then no sense? وَمَنْ نُعَمِّرْهُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِي الْخَلْقِ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ (36:68) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:69 And we have not taught him (Muhammad) poetry, nor is it meet for him. This is naught else than a Reminder and a Lecture making plain, وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُّبِينٌ (36:69) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:70 To warn whosoever liveth, and that the word may be fulfilled against the disbelievers. -
لِيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ (36:70) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:71 Have they not seen how We have created for them of Our handiwork the cattle, so that they are their owners, أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ (36:71) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:72 And have subdued them unto them, so that some of them they have for riding, some for food? وَذَلَّلْنَاهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ (36:72) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:73 Benefits and (divers) drinks have they from them. Will they not then give thanks? وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مَنَافِعُ وَمَشَارِبُ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ (36:73) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:74 And they have taken (other) gods beside Allah, in order that they may be helped. وَاتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً لَعَلَّهُمْ يُنصَرُونَ (36:74) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:75 It is not in their power to help them; but they (the worshippers) are unto them a host in arms. لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مُّحْضَرُونَ (36:75) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:76 So let not their speech grieve thee (O Muhammad). Lo! We know what they conceal and what proclaim. فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ (36:76) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:77 Hath not man seen that We have created him from a drop of seed? Yet lo! he is an open opponent. أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الْإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ (36:77) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:78 And he hath coined for Us a similitude, and hath forgotten the fact of his creation, saying: Who will revive these bones when they have rotted away? وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَنْ يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ (36:78) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:79 Say: He will revive them Who produced them at the first, for He is Knower of every creation, قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ (36:79) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:80 Who hath appointed for you fire from the green tree, and behold! ye kindle from itالَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا فَإِذَا أَنتُم مِّنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ (36:80) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:81 Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the like of them? Aye, that He is! for He is the All-Wise Creator, أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ (36:81) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:82 But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that he saith unto it: Be! and it is. -
إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ (36:82) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

36:83 Therefor glory be to Him in Whose hand is the dominion over all things! Unto Him ye will be brought back.
فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (36:83) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

Wars of Self-Destruction

From: wwww.iviews.com

By: Chris Hedges

War is a poison. It is a poison that nations and groups must at times ingest to ensure their survival. But, like any poison, it can kill you just as surely as the disease it is meant to eradicate. The poison of war courses unchecked through the body politic of the United States. We believe that because we have the capacity to wage war we have the right to wage war. We embrace the dangerous self-delusion that we are on a providential mission to save the rest of the world from itself, to implant our virtues-which we see as superior to all other virtues-on others, and that we have a right to do this by force. This belief has corrupted Republicans and Democrats alike. And if Barack Obama drinks, as it appears he will, the dark elixir of war and imperial power offered to him by the national security state, he will accelerate the downward spiral of the American empire.


Obama and those around him embrace the folly of the "war on terror." They may want to shift the emphasis of this war to Afghanistan rather than Iraq, but this is a difference in strategy, not policy. By clinging to Iraq and expanding the war in Afghanistan, the poison will continue in deadly doses. These wars of occupation are doomed to failure. We cannot afford them. The rash of home foreclosures, the mounting job losses, the collapse of banks and the financial services industry, the poverty that is ripping apart the working class, our crumbling infrastructure and the killing of hapless Afghans in wedding parties and Iraqis by our iron fragmentation bombs are neatly interwoven. These events form a perfect circle. The costly forms of death we dispense on one side of the globe are hollowing us out from the inside at home.


The "war on terror" is an absurd war against a tactic. It posits the idea of perpetual, or what is now called "generational," war. It has no discernible end. There is no way to define victory. It is, in metaphysical terms, a war against evil, and evil, as any good seminarian can tell you, will always be with us. The most destructive evils, however, are not those that are externalized. The most destructive are those that are internal. These hidden evils, often defined as virtues, are unleashed by our hubris, self-delusion and ignorance. Evil masquerading as good is evil in its deadliest form.

The problems with the American empire began long before the current economic meltdown or the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It began before the first Gulf War or Ronald Reagan. It began when we shifted, in the words of the historian Charles Maier, from an "empire of production" to an "empire of consumption." By the end of the Vietnam War, when the costs of the war ate away at Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and domestic oil production began its steady, inexorable decline, we saw our country transformed from one that primarily produced to one that primarily consumed. We started borrowing to maintain a lifestyle we could no longer afford. We began to use force, especially in the Middle East, to feed our insatiable demand for cheap oil.


The years after World War II, when the United States accounted for one-third of world exports and half of the world's manufacturing, gave way to huge trade imbalances, outsourced jobs, rusting hulks of abandoned factories, stagnant wages and personal and public debts that most of us cannot repay. The bill is now due. America's most dangerous enemies are not Islamic radicals, but those who promote the perverted ideology of national security that, as Andrew Bacevich writes, is "our surrogate religion." If we continue to believe that we can expand our wars and go deeper into debt to maintain an unsustainable level of consumption, we will dynamite the foundations of our society. "The Big Lies are not the pledge of tax cuts, universal health care, family values restored, or a world rendered peaceful through forceful demonstrations of American leadership," Bacevich writes in "The Limits of Power." "The Big Lies are the truths that remain unspoken: that freedom has an underside; that nations, like households, must ultimately live within their means; that history's purpose, the subject of so many confident pronouncements, remains inscrutable.


Above all, there is this: Power is finite. Politicians pass over matters such as these in silence. As a consequence, the absence of self-awareness that forms such an enduring element of the American character persists." Those clustered around Barack Obama, from Madeline Albright to Hillary Clinton to Dennis Ross to Colin Powell, have no interest in dismantling the structure of the imperial presidency or the vast national security state. They will keep these institutions intact and seek to increase their power. We have a childish belief that Obama will magically save us from economic free fall, restore our profligate levels of consumption and resurrect our imperial power. This naive belief is part of our disconnection with reality. The problems we face are structural. The old America is not coming back. The corporate forces that control the state will never permit real reform. This is the Faustian bargain made between these corporate forces and the Republican and Democratic parties. We will never, under the current system, achieve energy independence. Energy independence would devastate the profits of the oil and gas industry.


It would wipe out tens of billions of dollars in weapons contracts, spoil the financial health of a host of private contractors from Halliburton to Blackwater and render obsolete the existence of U.S. Central Command. There are groups and people who seek to do us harm. The attacks of Sept. 11 will not be the last acts of terrorism on American soil. But the only way to defeat terrorism is to isolate terrorists within their own societies, to mount cultural and propaganda wars, to discredit their ideas, to seek concurrence even with those defined as our enemies. Force, while a part of this battle, is rarely necessary.

The 2001 attacks that roused our fury and unleashed the "war on terror" also unleashed a worldwide revulsion against al-Qaida and Islamic terrorism, including throughout the Muslim world, where I was working as a reporter at the time. If we had had the courage to be vulnerable, to build on this empathy rather than drop explosive ordinance all over the Middle East, we would be far safer and more secure today. If we had reached out for allies and partners instead of arrogantly assuming that American military power would restore our sense of invulnerability and mitigate our collective humiliation, we would have done much to defeat al-Qaida.


But we did not. We demanded that all kneel before us. And in our ruthless and indiscriminate use of violence and illegal wars of occupation, we resurrected the very forces that we could, under astute leadership, have marginalized. We forgot that fighting terrorism is a war of shadows, an intelligence war, not a conventional war. We forgot that, as strong as we may be militarily, no nation, including us, can survive isolated and alone. The American empire, along with our wanton self-indulgence and gluttonous consumption, has come to an end. We are undergoing a period of profound economic, political and military decline.


We can continue to dance to the tunes of self-delusion, circling the fire as we chant ridiculous mantras about our greatness, virtue and power, or we can face the painful reality that has engulfed us. We cannot reverse this decline. It will happen no matter what we do. But we can, if we break free from our self-delusion, dismantle our crumbling empire and the national security state with a minimum of damage to ourselves and others. If we refuse to accept our limitations, if do not face the changes forced upon us by a bankrupt elite that has grossly mismanaged our economy, our military and our government, we will barrel forward toward internal and external collapse. Our self-delusion constitutes our greatest danger. We will either confront reality or plunge headlong into the minefields that lie before us.

Chris Hedges spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. His column appears Mondays on Truthdig.com

Chomsky: Is There Truth in Obama's Advertising?

From: http://www.alertnet.org/

By Noam Chomsky, Democracy Now!. Posted November 28, 2008.
In a fascinating speech, Chomsky warns, "Changes and progress very rarely are gifts from above. They come out of struggles from below."

Let's begin with the elections. The word that the rolls off of everyone's tongue is historic. Historic election. And I agree with it. It was a historic election. To have a black family in the white house is a momentous achievement. In fact, it's historic in a broader sense. The two Democratic candidates were an African-American and a woman. Both remarkable achievements.

We go back say 40 years, it would have been unthinkable. So something's happened to the country in 40 years. And what's happened to the country -- which is we're not supposed to mention -- is that there was extensive and very constructive activism in the 1960s, which had an aftermath. So the feminist movement, mostly developed in the 70s -- the solidarity movements of the 80's and on till today. And the activism did civilize the country. The country's a lot more civilized than it was 40 years ago and the historic achievements illustrate it. That's also a lesson for what's next.

What's next will depend on whether the same thing happens. Changes and progress very rarely are gifts from above. They come out of struggles from below. And the answer to what's next depends on people like you. Nobody else can answer it. It's not predictable. In some ways, the election -- the election was surprising in some respects.

Going back to my bad prediction, If the financial crisis hadn't taken place at the moment that it did, if it had been delayed a couple of months, I suspect that prediction would have been correct. But not speculating, one thing surprising about the election was that it wasn't a landslide. By the usual criteria, you would expect the opposition party to win in a landslide under conditions like the ones that exist today. The incumbent president for eight years was so unpopular that his own party couldn't mention his name and had to pretend to be opposing his policies. He presided over the worst record for ordinary people in post-war history, in terms of job growth, real wealth and so on. Just about everything the administration was touched just turned into a disaster.

[The] country has reached the lowest level of standing in the world that it's ever had. The economy was tanking. Several recessions are going on. Not just the ones on the front pages, the financial recession. There's also a recession in the real economy. The productive economy, under circumstances and people know it. So 80% of the population say that the country's going in the wrong direction. About 80% say the government doesn't work to the benefit of the people, it works for the few and the special interests. A startling 94% complain that the government doesn't pay any attention to the public will, and on like that. Under conditions like that, you would expect a landslide to a opposition almost whoever they are. And there wasn't one.

So one might ask why wasn't there a landslide? That goes off in an interesting direction. And other respects the outcome was pretty familiar. So once again, the election was essentially bought. 9 out of 10 of the victors outspent their opponents. Obama of course outspent McCain. If you look at the -- and we don't have final records yet from the final results, but they're probably going to be pretty much like the preliminaries a couple of months ago. Which showed that both Obama and McCain were getting the bulk of their financing from the financial institutions and for Obama, law firms which means essentially lobbyists.

That was about over a third a few months ago. But the final results will probably be the same. And there is a -- the distribution of funding has over time been a pretty good predictor of what policies will be like for those of you who are interested, there's very good scholarly work on this by Tom Ferguson in Umass Boston, what he calls the investment theory of politics. Which argues essentially that elections are moments when groups of investors coalesce and invest to control the state and has quite the substantial predictive success. Gives some suggestion as to what's likely to happen. So that part's familiar. The -- what the future is as I say, depends on people like you.

The response for the election was interesting and instructive. It kept pretty much to the soaring rhetoric, to borrow the cliche, that was the major theme of the election. The election was described as an extraordinary display of democracy, a miracle that could only happen in America and on and on. Much more extreme than [what] Europe [could accomplish]. There's some accuracy in that if we keep to the West. That couldn't have happened anywhere else. Europe was much more racist than the United States and you wouldn't expect anything like that to happen.

On the other hand, if you look at the world, it's not that remarkable. So let's take the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti and Bolivia. In Haiti, there was an election in 1990 which really was an extraordinary display of democracy much more so than this.
In Haiti, there were grassroots movements, popular movements that developed in the slums and the hills, which nobody was paying any attention to. And they managed, even without any resources, to sweep into power their own candidate. A populist priest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
That's a victory for democracy when popular movements can organize and set programs and pick their candidate and put them into office, which is not what happened here, of course.

I mean, Obama did organize a large number of people and many enthusiastic people in what's called in the press, Obama's Army. But the army is supposed to take instructions, not to implement, introduce, develop programs and call on its own candidate to implement them. That's critical. If the army keeps to that condition, nothing much will change. If it on the other hand goes away activists did in the sixties, a lot can change. That's one of the choices that has to be made. That's Haiti. Of course that didn't last very long. A couple of months later, there was military coup, a period of terror, we won't go through the whole record. Up the present, the traditional torturers of Haiti, France, and the United States have made sure that there won't be a victory for democracy there. It's a miserable story. Contrary to many illusions.

Take the second poorest country, Bolivia. They had an election in 2005 that's almost unimaginable in the West. Certainly here, anywhere. The person elected into office was indigenous. That's the most oppressed population in the hemisphere, those who survived. He's is a poor peasant. How did he get in? Well, he got in because there were again, a mass popular movement, which elected their own representative. And they are the source of the programs, which are serious ones. There's real issues, And people know them. Control over resources, cultural rights, social justice and so on.

Furthermore, the election was just an event that was particular stage in a long continuing struggle, a lot before and a lot after. There was day when people pushed the levers but that's just an event in ongoing popular struggles, very serious ones. A couple of years ago, there was a major struggle over privatization of water. An effort which it would in effect deprive a good part of the population of water to drink. And it was a bitter struggle. A lot of people were killed, but they won it. Through international solidarity, in fact, which helped. And it continues. Now that's a real election. Again, the plans, the programs are being developed, acted on constantly by mass popular movements, which then select their own representatives from their own ranks to carry out their programs. And that's quite different from what happened here.

Actually what happened here is understood by elite elements. The public relations industry which runs elections here -- quadrennial extravaganzas essentially -- makes sure to keep issues in the margins and focus on personalities and character and so on-and-so forth. They do that for good reasons. They know -- they look at public opinion studies and they know perfectly well that on a host of major issues both parties are well to the right of the population. That's one good reason to keep issues off the table. And they recognize the success.

So, every year, the advertising industry gives a prize to, you know, to the best marketing campaign of the year. This year, Obama won the prize. Beat out Apple company. The best marketing campaign of 2008. Which is correct, it is essentially what happened. Now that's quite different from what happens in a functioning democracy like say Bolivia or Haiti, except for the fact that it was crushed. And in the South, it's not all that uncommon. Notice that each of these cases, there's a much more extraordinary display of democracy in action than what we've seen-important as it was-here. And so the rhetoric, especially in Europe is correct if we maintain our own narrow racist perspective and say yeah, what happened was in the South didn't happen or doesn't matter. The only matters is what we do and by our standards, it was extraordinary miracle, but not by the standards of functioning democracy. In fact, there's a distinction in democratic theory, which does separate say the United States from Bolivia or Haiti.

Question is what is a democracy supposed to be? That's exactly a debate that goes back to the constitutional convention. But in recent years in the 20th century, it's been pretty well articulated by important figures. So at the liberal end the progressive end, the leading public intellectual of the 20th century was Walter Lippman. A Wilson, Roosevelt, Kennedy progressive. And a lot of his work was on a democratic theory and he was pretty frank about it. If you took a position not all that different from James Madison's. He said that in a democracy, the population has a function. Its function is to be spectators, not participants. He didn't call it the population.

He called it the ignorant and meddlesome outsiders. The ignorant and meddlesome outsiders have a function and namely to watch what's going on. And to push a lever every once in a while and then go home. But, the participants are us, us privileged, smart guys. Well that's one conception of democracy. And you know essentially we've seen an episode of it. The population very often doesn't accept this. As I mentioned, just very recent polls, people overwhelmingly oppose it. But they're atomized, separated. Many of them feel hopeless, unorganized, and don't feel they can do anything about it. So they dislike it. But that's where it ends.

In a functioning democracy like say Bolivia or the United States in earlier stages, they did something about it. That's why we have the New Deal measures, the Great Society measures. In fact just about any step, you know, women's rights, end of slavery, go back as far as you like, it doesn't happen as a gift. And it's not going to happen in the future. The commentators are pretty well aware of this. They don't put it the way I'm going to, but if you read the press, it does come out. So take our local newspaper at the liberal end of the spectrum, Boston Globe, you probably saw right after the election, a front page story, the lead front page story was on how Obama developed this wonderful grassroots army but he doesn't have any debts. Which supposed to be a good thing. So he's free to do what he likes. Because he has no debts, the normal democratic constituency, labor, women, minorities and so on, they didn't bring him into office. So he owes them nothing.

What he had was an army that he organized of people who got out the vote for Obama. For what the press calls, Brand Obama. They essentially agree with the advertisers, it's brand Obama. That his army was mobilized to bring him to office. They regard that as a good thing, accepting the Lippman conception of democracy, the ignorant and meddlesome outsiders are supposed to do what they're told and then go home. The Wall Street Journal, at the opposite end of the spectrum, also had an article about the same thing at roughly the same time. Talked about the tremendous grassroots army that has been developed, which is now waiting for instructions.

What should they do next to press forward Obama's agenda? Whatever that is. But whatever it is, the army's supposed to be out there taking instructions, and press work. Los Angeles Times had similar articles, and there are others. What they don't seem to realize is what they're describing, the ideal of what they're describing, is dictatorship, not democracy. Democracy, at least not in the Lippman sense, it proved -- I pick him out because he's so famous, but it's a standard position. But in the sense of say, much of the south, where mass popular movements developed programs; organize to take part in elections but that's one part of an ongoing process.

And brings somebody from their own ranks to implement the programs that they develop, and if the person doesn't they're out. Ok, that's another kind of democracy. So it's up to us to choose which kind of democracy we want. And again, that will determine what comes next.
Well, what can we anticipate if the popular army, the grassroots army, decides to accept the function of spectators of action rather than participants? There's two kinds of evidence. There's rhetoric and there's action.

The rhetoric, you know, is very uplifting: change, hope, and so on. Change was kind of reflective any party manager this year who read the polls, including the ones I cited, would instantly conclude that our theme in the election has to be change. Because people hate what's going on for good reasons. So the theme is change. In fact, both parties put both of them, the theme was change. So the theme is change. In fact both parties, both of them the theme was change. You know, break from the past, none of old politics, new things are going to happen. The Obama campaign did better so they won the marketing award, not the McCain campaign.

And notice incidentally on the side that the institutions that run the elections, public relations industry, advertisers, they have a role -- their major role is commercial advertising. I mean, selling a candidate is kind of a side rule. In commercial advertising as everybody knows, everybody who has ever looked at a television program, the advertising is not intended to provide information about the product, all right? I don't have to go on about that. It's obvious.

The point of the advertising is to delude people with the imagery and, you know, tales of a football player, sexy actress, who you know, drives to the moon in a car or something like that. But, that's certainly not to inform people. In fact, it's to keep people uninformed.

The goal of advertising is to create uninformed consumers who will make irrational choices. Those of you who suffered through an economics course know that markets are supposed to be based on informed consumers making rational choices. But industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year to undermine markets and to ensure, you know, to get uninformed consumers making irrational choices.

And when they turn to selling a candidate they do the same thing. They want uninformed consumers, you know, uninformed voters to make irrational choices based on the success of illusion, slander, and effective body language or whatever else is supposed to be significant. So you undermine democracy pretty much the same way you undermine markets. Well, that's the nature of an election when it's run by the business world, and you'd expect it to be like that.

There should be no surprise there. And it should also turn out the elected candidate didn't have any debts. So you can follow Brand Obama can be whatever they decide it to be, not what the population decides that it should be, as in the south, let's say. I'm going to say on the side, this may be an actual instance of a familiar and unusually vacuous slogan about the clash of civilization. Maybe there really is one, but not the kind that's usually touted.

So let's go back to the evidence that we have, rhetoric and actions. Rhetoric we know, but what are the actions? So far the major actions are selections, in fact the only action, of personnel to implement Brand Obama. The first choice was the Vice President, Joe Biden, one of the strongest supporters of the war in Iraq in the Senate, a long time Washington insider rarely deviates from the party vote. In cases where he does deviate they're not very uplifting. He did break from the party and voting for a Senate resolution that prevented people from getting rid of their debts by, individuals, that is, from getting rid of their debts by going into bankruptcy.

It's a blow against poor people who've caught in this immense debt that's a large part of the basis for the economy these days. But usually, he's a, kind of, straight party-liner with the democrats on the sort of ultra naturalist side. The choice of Biden was a, must have been a conscious attempt to show contempt for the base of people who were voting for Obama, or organizing for him as an anti-war candidate.

Well, the first post-election appointment was for Chief of Staff, which is a crucial appointment; determines a large part of the president's agenda. That was Rahm Emanuel, one of the strongest supporters of the war in Iraq in the House. In fact, he was the only member of the Illinois delegation who voted for Bush's effective declaration of war. And, again, a longtime Washington insider. Also, one of the leading recipients in congress of funding from the financial institutions hedge funds and so on. He himself was an investment banker. That's his background. So, that's the Chief of Staff.

The next group of appointments were the main problem, the primary issue that the governments' going to have to face is what to do about the financial crisis. Obama's choices to more or less run this were Robert Rubin and Larry Summers from the Clinton -- Secretaries of Treasury under Clinton. They are among the people who are substantially responsible for the crisis. One leading economist, one of the few economists who has been right all along in predicting what's happening, Dean Baker, pointed out that selecting them is like selecting Osama Bin Laden to run the war on terror.

Yeah, I'll finish. This saves me the problem of what's coming next, so I'll finish with the elections. Let me make one final comment on this. There was meeting on November 7, I think of a group of couple, of a dozen advisers to deal with the financial crisis. Their careers were, records were reviewed in the business press, and Bloomberg News had an article reviewing their records and concluded that these people, most of these people shouldn't be giving advice about the economy. They should be given subpoenas.

Because most of them were involved in one or other form of financial fraud, that includes Rahm Emanuel, for example. What reason is there to think that the people who brought this crisis about are some how going to fix it? Well, that's a good indication of what's likely to come next, at least if we look at actions. We couldn't, but it won't. You can bring this up. Ask what we expect to see in particular cases. And there's evidence about that from statements from Obama's website. I'll mention just one thing about Obama's website, which gives an indication of what's happening.

One of the major problems coming is Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's pretty serious. Take a look at Obama's website under issues, foreign policy issues. The names don't even appear. I mean, we're supposed to be ignorant and meddlesome outsiders. We're not supposed to know what Brand Obama is. So you can't find out that way. The statements that you hear are pretty hawkish. And it doesn't change much as you go through the list. So it's up to you to continue.

See more stories tagged with: election, barack obama, noam chomsky

MIT Professor Chomsky, a world-renowned linguist, and author of more than 100 books, spoke last week to a packed audience in Boston at an event organized by Encuentro 5. His talk was titled "What Next? The Elections, the Economy, and the World."

Blogger Comment:

1- Chosmky is one of the best minds in this country. He is very balant and truthful. He is unlike a lot of us who are dancing over the lines they wirte.
2- Obama is the first American black president and we all like him to succeed.
3- His advertise campaing was brilliant not for advertising here only but overseas as well. An American president half African, from Muslim roots and anti-establishement.
4- From Chomsky and other intellectuals in the left including Ralph Nader it appears the man is very pro-establishment and a regular politician. He knows how to ride the wave and knows how to keep the establishemnt happy.
5- He tried to win the hokish guys in the right and the military-industerial complex.
6- You did not see any words of hope or plans to the third world. He declaired one president at a time so why he did not wait with his hokish comments until after inaguration.
7- He is a real politician which means that he respond to the political powers. However, people who fought for him this election, those young people, who are looking for their futures are a very strong political power they did not elect him for empty promises. They know a lot of his rhetric is copied from many web sites. They want a real change.
8- There is no clash of civilization, the young people in the Arab/Muslim countries both Muslims and non-Muslims want a real democracy and want to look for a bright future.
9- They are not looking to join extreme groups but something could be like Obama but a real one.
10- Sorry, I can be wrong and Obama can be better than what Chomsky and me sensing, I would better be wrong than having a dim future to this hopeful young people. I still think he is promising but he has to show us the money.

On Thanksgiving: Let Us All Praise "The Appreciative One"

From: www.islamicity.com

By: Hesham Hassaballa

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Another year has passed, and another Feast of Thanksgiving has come upon us. As families across our great nation gather together, eat turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, gravy, and the like, it is a natural time for us as Americans to reflect over those things for which we should be thankful. As an American Muslim, I took my reflection a little deeper this year, and I have been thinking about this for many days leading up to this week's national holiday (during which I will likely be working...hmpf!).

God is beyond an all-encompassing description. There is no way I can fit the Lord God into a box and say for sure "This is God." Having said that, in His infinite Mercy and Compassion for us, our Creator has sought to describe Himself in the scripture so that the inherently imperfect human mind can begin to comprehend what is truly an Awesome God. Thus, the "99 Names of God" come to mind.

In Islamic tradition, it is believed that God has 99 names or attributes that describe God for the believer. These include the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Loving, the Shaper, the Maker, and many more. A great deal of these names are found in the Qur'an, and others are found in the Prophetic literature. Here is a particularly beautiful example:
This is the God, other than which there is no deity: Knower of the invisible and the evident, the Benevolent, the Merciful. This is the God, other than which there is no deity: the Sovereign, the Holy, Peace, the Giver of Safety, the Protector, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Overwhelming; glory to God, beyond any association they attribute. This is the God, the Originator, the Creator, the Shaper, to Whom refer the most beautiful names, celebrated by everything in the heavens and the earth, being the Almighty, the Perfectly Wise (Quran 59:22-24).

Muslims have placed these 99 names on beautiful frames to be hung in the houses of God and His servants. The 99 names of God have been written in beautiful calligraphy on mosque walls across the Muslim world. They have been stamped on amulets of gold and silver, to be worn around the necks of the Muslim faithful. They have been sung in songs and chanted in Sufi gatherings. They are part and parcel of Muslim spiritual life.

Yet, is this all for which they are useful? Should there not be more to the 99 names of God than wearing them around your neck, or even chanting them aloud in a group? I believe there should. I believe we should deeply reflect over the meanings of each of these names and attributes of God and understand what they mean to each of us. It is essential for us to get to know our Creator, with Whom a strong, loving relationship is key to success in this world and the next.

Thus, in honor of Thanksgiving, I want to reflect over a particularly fascinating name for God: Al Shakur, or "The Appreciative." There are several verses of the Qur'an which speak of God as "appreciative":...And if anyone willingly does what is good, God is appreciative and cognizant. (Quran 2:158)
Why would God punish you if you are grateful and faithful, since God is most appreciative, most cognizant? (Quran 4:147)
As God will pay them their due and more, from the bounty divine, for God is most forgiving, most appreciative. (Quran 35:30)
And for anyone who brings about good, We will add goodness to it, for God is forgiving, appreciative. (Quran 42:23)
If you advance God a good loan, God will multiply it for you, and forgive you; for God is most appreciative, most clement. (Quran 64:17)

This is truly, truly amazing. The Lord God - Originator of the heavens and the earth, Creator of all that exists, Giver of Life, the Most Powerful of all things, the King of all kings - is al Skakur, or "the appreciative."Appreciative of what, however? What have I done, as a servant of God, so that He would be appreciative of me? He gave me life when I was dead, yet I return that debt by being sinful and disobedient. There is nothing that I could do for God; yet He still is al Shakur, or the Appreciative. He is appreciative when I "do what is good," or "advance God a good loan," or if I am "grateful and faithful." What an amazing, awesome God we have.It is a tremendous manifestation of God's Infinite Love.

He loves us so much that He is merciful towards us. On top of that, He is appreciative of the faith and service we give to Him, even though we constantly sin against Him. What an amazing, awesome God we have.So, what are the implications of that fact? What should it mean to me that God is al Shakur, or the Appreciative? It means that I should redouble my efforts to serve and please the Lord; I should redouble my efforts to try to avoid sinning against Him. It is the best way of my showing gratitude to God for His being so loving, merciful, and appreciative.

If God is al Shakur, then the least I could do is be grateful for this by trying my best to stay on His path of obedience."Every day should be Thanksgiving." I have heard some Muslims say this to me in an effort to persuade me that Muslims should not celebrate Thanksgiving because it is a "non-Muslim" holiday. While I do not subscribe to this view, I do agree that every day should be Thanksgiving. Each and every day, I must celebrate the beautiful fact that God is al Shakur, or the Appreciative. And I do so by following the commands of God to the best of my ability. And If I do that, God told me that He will shower his blessings upon me because He is "most appreciative, most clement." What an amazing, awesome God we have.

Hesham A. Hassaballa is a physician and writer based in Chicago. You can visit his blog at www.drhassaballa.com

Chopra on Larry King: Attack prompts tough questions

From: http://www.cnn.com/

(CNN) -- The Indian city of Mumbai exploded into chaos early Thursday morning as gunmen launched a series of attacks across the country's commercial capital, killing scores of people and taking hostages in two luxury hotels frequented by Westerners.

Deepak Chopra says extremists could be reacting to Barack Obama's gestures toward Muslims.

CNN's Larry King spoke with author Deepak Chopra about the situation.
Larry King: Let's go to Dr. Deepak Chopra, the physician, philosopher. His new book is "Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment."
Where were you born in India, Deepak?
Deepak Chopra: I was born in Delhi, but I have been in these hotels many, many times. I have stayed there, so I know the scene; I know the restaurants. I have been trying to get in touch with my friends and relatives, some of whom I have spoken to, some of whom I can't speak to. The lines are jammed. We're texting each other.
A friend of mine from Egypt was in the restaurant at the Taj hotel when the firing started, and somehow she managed to avoid the fray, hid in a basement and is now holed up in a room which is right next to the Taj hotel and is waiting to be told what to do.
The situation is complex, Larry, because it could inflame to proportions that we cannot even imagine. It has to be contained. We now recognize that this is a global problem, with only a global effort can solve this.
And you know, one of the things that I think is happening is that these militant terrorist groups are actually terrified that [President-elect Barack] Obama's gestures to the rest of the Muslim world may actually overturn the tables on them by alienating them from the rest of the Muslim world, so they're reacting to this.
You know, this is Obama's opportunity to actually harness the help of the Muslims.
Don't Miss
iReport.com: Are you there? Tell your story, send photos
Scores killed in Mumbai rampage
You know, there's 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. That's 25 percent of the population of the world. It's the fastest-growing religion in the world. We cannot, if we do not appease and actually recruit the help of this Muslim world, we're going to have a problem on our hands.
And we cannot go after the wrong people, as we did after 9/11, because then the whole collateral damage that occurs actually aggravates the situation.
In India, this is particularly inflammatory, because there's a rise of Hindu fundamentalism. We saw what that did in Gujarat, where, you know, Muslims were scorched and they were killed, and there was almost a genocide of the Muslims.
India has 150 million Muslims. That's more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. So this is an opportunity right now for India and Pakistan to recognize this is their common problem. It's not a Muslim problem right now; it's a global problem.
...
King: Do you think that this is just the beginning, that there's a potential impact, or more?
Chopra: There is a potential impact of a lot more carnage. But it can be contained. And right now, one of the questions, you know, after I heard Barbara Starr talking about how coordinated this is, that there are militant groups that cross international boundaries, is who is financing this? Where is the money coming from? We have to ask very serious, honest questions. What role do we have in this? Are our petrodollars funding both sides of this war on terrorism? Why are we not asking the Saudis where that money is going that we give them? Is it going through this supply chain to Pakistan?
It's not enough for Pakistan to condemn it. Pakistan should cooperate with India in uprooting this. They should be part of the surgery that is going to happen.
It's not enough for Indians to blame Pakistanis. Indians should actually ask the Pakistanis to help them.
And it's not enough for us to worry about Westerners being killed and Americans being killed. Every life is precious over there. We have got to get rid of this idea that this is an American problem or a Western problem. It's a global problem, and we need a global solution, and we need the help of all the Muslims, 25 percent of the world's population, to help us uproot this problem.
King: What does India immediately do?
Chopra: India at this moment has to contain any reactive violence from the fundamentalist Hindus, which is very likely and possible. So India has to condemn that by not blaming local Muslims. They have to identify the exact groups.
And the world has to be very careful that they don't go after the wrong people. Because if you go after the wrong people, you convert moderates into extremists. It happens every time, and retribution against innocent people just because they have the same religion actually aggravates and perpetuates the problem.
King: Are you pessimistic?
Chopra: I think Mr. Obama has a real opportunity here, but a challenging opportunity, a creative opportunity.
Get rid of the phrase "war on terrorism." Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate.
King: Is it because the war on terrorism really can never be won because the terrorists (inaudible)?
Chopra: Because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron, Larry, a war on war, a war on terrorism.
You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other.
King: Thanks, Deepak Chopra, as always, extraordinarily enlightening.

Blogger comment:

1- Mr. Chopra is a great thinker and spiritual leader.
2- He values all lives.
3- He understands that war in terror is a useless term. It looks to most Muslims as terror on terror.
4- Most Muslims are not fans of extremists. I had my round with them in Egypt. They look at the world as black and white, them against us.
5- The tight grip of the west in the Muslim world is resentful to all Muslims.
6- If the west thinks that the Arab tyrants are the moderates they are wrong.
7- I do not see the future to extremists but to a very broad true moderate Muslim movement that can overwhelm the extremists and tyrants.
8- The question is: do the west want to see that happen or they will just continue the old game we are for freedom but we will protect the tyrants by all means.
9- Muslims scholars should speak loudly against the extremists and in the same breath the tyrants. I do not see anyone of them try to contact me. Al-Azhar did not answer my e-mail for fear from tyrants. Still many of the scholars are cowards and are afraid of the tyrants. If we are a lot of people they would not be able to track all of us, we will overwhelm them. Be assured I am strongly against the extremists. That is why the American government let my site in the web. They are looking for help from moderates like me. For moderates please e-mail me magedtaman2000@yahoo.com and we can exchange ideas.
10- President-elect Obama looks promising. However, he is coming to the next stage when words come next to actions.
11- Extremist groups in all religions are a spreading phenomena. One important cause is the economic hardship.
12- One of the most important issues to be tackled is poverty. Who in the earth would think that we are back to the pirate age. I used to see pirates only in the movies not in the news.

2:213 Mankind were one community,

By: Maged Taman

2:213 Mankind were one community, and Allah sent (unto them) Prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guideth whom He will unto a Straight path. كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ فَهَدَى اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لِمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ وَاللّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

2:213 Mankind were one community,: God created mankind as one community despite their differences. What is common between them was more than their differences.

and Allah sent (unto them) Prophets: He continued his communication with them through prophets.

as bearers of good tidings and as warners,: They were carrying the glad tidings of our success in this life and after life if to follow his path and a warning of our misery in this life and after life if we would not follow his path.

and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth: The words of God or scripture as his own words like the Quran or in words of the prophets relaying God message. The scripture had the truth of God.

that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed: The scripture was to judge mankind to what they differ in from knowledge related to the commandments and other aspects of the religion of God.

. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it,: Ironically people differed concerning the scripture itself.

after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another: Despite the messages at the time of each prophet was clear people changed the scripture or differed in its interpretation. See how many sects in the Abrahamic three major religions.

. And Allah by His will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed: Among the three major religions there were always a sect that God guided them to the truth.

Allah guideth whom He will unto a Straight path.: Guidance is in the hands of God. He God guides those who are just and righteous.

This verse tell you the story of God revelations and how people loved to differ. Jealousy, hatred and lack of fairness caused people to differ over the ages. Sometimes they were less in dispute and hatred. This depends on how much they are sincere to be fair and faithful to God's scripture.


كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ فَهَدَى اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لِمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ وَاللّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

Before It Is Too Late: Few Verses of Chapter 3

By Maged Taman

3:190 Lo! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding, إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لآيَاتٍ لِّأُوْلِي الألْبَابِ (3:190)
God many times introduce to his speech the most important in the universes is his creation of the heavens and earth. It give clear evidence to his creation and domain over the world. Many times he uses as well the second most evident to us the difference of the night and day. They are clear evidences to his creation to men of understanding.

3:191 Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain. Glory be to Thee! Preserve us from the doom of Fire. الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىَ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ (3:191)
These men of understanding have considered the creation of the heavens and earth. They were looking for God and expecting his communication. They mention God in all positions upright, sitting or reclining. God mention their saying that the creation is not in vain. Thus they asked him the protection from the hellfire.

3:192 Our Lord! Whom Thou causest to enter the Fire: him indeed Thou hast confounded. For evil-doers there will be no helpers. رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ (3:192)
They attested that those who are to enter fire he confounded them.

3:193 Our Lord! Lo! we have heard a crier calling unto Faith: "Believe ye in your Lord!" So we believed. Our Lord! Therefor forgive us our sins, and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die the death of the righteous. رَّبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأبْرَارِ (3:193)
They were ready to perceive his message. Thus when the prophets came to them with the true communication from God like the Quran they answered the call. They pray to God to forgive their sins and die with those who are righteous.

3:194 Our Lord! And give us that which Thou hast promised to us by Thy messengers. Confound us not upon the Day of Resurrection. Lo! Thou breakest not the tryst. رَبَّنَا وَآتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَى رُسُلِكَ وَلاَ تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ (3:194)
They asked him as well after death to give them the promise in the day of the resurrection which is paradise.

If you review these few verses of the Quran you find the simplicity, glory of God and the compelling story line. He created the heavens and earth---people thought about that-----he sent prophets----they answered them----they want to die righteous so in the day of the resurrection they will avoid hell and they will attain the promise of God.

Out of ignorance, jealousy and stubbornness the disbelievers tried to deny the the Quran is the book of God. Try to make different scenarios that the Quran is not from God and stick with one scenario and try to convince yourself and others including Muslims. Just remember one thing if the Quran is truly from God you are standing against the creator of the whole universe.

Be very strong since when you will stand against him in the day of judgment by yourself you will have to answer him. So have whatever mental stuffiness you need and die with great confidence that the Quran is not his book. Just remember you will be in a grave powerless and your soul will be in his hand and then you will be resurrected in the day of judgment.

You still have some time to think about the Quran and God forgive all sins including denying the Quran if you sincerely return to him before dying and recite his book. Repentance is too late if one is dying or already dead.