Looking back at 2008!!!

Assalamu alaikum!!!

2009 is almost here! Finally! So much stuff has happened... where do I start? Here's a list, from the top of my head, and it's in order from January till now (I Googled the events to get the dates) :

• Price of petroleum rose over US $100.00 a barrel (January 2nd) BAD
• The 2008 Summer Olympics take place (August 8 to 24) GOOD
• This blog was created!!! (August 22nd) GOOD
• Asif Ali Zardari becomes President of Pakistan (September 9th, 2008) HORRIBLE
• The Marriott in Islamabad is attacked (September 20th) BAD
• Global Financial Crisis! (September to now) BAD
• Barack Obama elected 44th President of the U.S. (November 4th) OKAY
• Cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe (November/December) BAD
• Petroleum prices hit a record low in five years (December) GOOD
• Israel launches attacks on Palestinian civilians (December 27th to now) HORRIBLE
• Dubai leaders cancel New Years celebration due to the Israeli attacks (right now) THEY DID A GOOD THING

If 2008 gets one point for every good thing, one point taken away for every bad thing, two points taken away for every horrible thing, and every "okay" or something like that thing remains neutral, then 2008 gets :

-5

Yeah, negative five (-5). Pretty lousy. In Sha' Allah 2009 will be better.

Assalamu alaikum, and happy new year.

A Rare Recording of Sheikh Sudais

Surah Jinn, year 1416/1995. I uploaded this before but it was not complete.

Madain Salih- The remains of Thamud

Salaam

Madain Salih is the place where Thamud, the people of Saalih (PBUH) were punished. I have been there, and pictures do not do justification to the real thing.

The site is about a half hour drive away from the Saudi Arabian city of Al-'Ula. The people of Thamud were skilled in carving rocks, and their homes were dwellings completely carved into mountains.

The Quran tells the story of Thamud in numerous places:

Surah Hud:

61. And to Thamud (people, We sent) their brother Salih (Saleh). He said: "O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other Ilah (God) but Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly, my Lord is Near (to all by His Knowledge), Responsive."

62. They said: "O Salih (Saleh)! You have been among us as a figure of good hope (and we wished for you to be our chief), till this [new thing which you have brought; that we leave our gods and worship your God (Allah) Alone]! Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped? But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us to (monotheism)."

63. He said: "O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord, and there has come to me a Mercy (Prophethood, etc.) from Him, who then can help me against Allah, if I were to disobey Him? Then you increase me not but in loss.

64. "And O my people! This she-camel of Allah is a sign to you, leave her to feed on Allah's earth, and touch her not with evil, lest a near torment will seize you."

65. But they killed her. So he said: "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a promise that will not be belied."

66. So when Our Commandment came, We saved Salih (Saleh) and those who believed with him by a Mercy from Us, and from the disgrace of that Day. Verily, your Lord, He is the All-Strong, the All-Mighty.

67. And As-Saihah (torment - awful cry, etc.) overtook the wrong-doers, so they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes, -

68. As if they had never lived there. No doubt! Verily, Thamud disbelieved in their Lord. So away with Thamud!

Surah Ash Shams:

11. Thamud (people) denied (their Prophet) through their transgression (by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism, and by following polytheism, and by committing every kind of sin).

12. When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel).

13. But the Messenger of Allah [Salih (Saleh)] said to them: "Be cautious! Fear the evil end. That is the she-camel of Allah! (Do not harm it) and bar it not from having its drink!"

14. Then they denied him and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, and made them equal in destruction (i.e. all grades of people, rich and poor, strong and weak, etc.)!

Surah A'raaf:

73. And to Thamud (people, We sent) their brother Salih (Saleh). He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. (La ilaha ill-Allah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Indeed there has come to you a clear sign (the miracle of the coming out of a huge she-camel from the midst of a rock) from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign unto you; so you leave her to graze in Allah's earth, and touch her not with harm, lest a painful torment should seize you.

74. "And remember when He made you successors after 'Ad (people) and gave you habitations in the land, you build for yourselves palaces in plains, and carve out homes in the mountains. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah, and do not go about making mischief on the earth."

75. The leaders of those who were arrogant among his people said to those who were counted weak - to such of them as believed: "Know you that Salih (Saleh) is one sent from his Lord." They said: "We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent."

76. Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in."

77. So they killed the she-camel and insolently defied the Commandment of their Lord, and said: "O Salih (Saleh)! Bring about your threats if you are indeed one of the Messengers (of Allah)."

78. So the earthquake seized them, and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.

79. Then he [Salih (Saleh)] turned from them, and said: "O my people! I have indeed conveyed to you the Message of my Lord, and have given you good advice but you like not good advisers."

These are some pictures:










Inside one of the homes:

Thoughts after making a YouTube account

Assalamu alaikum

I had a very beautiful recording of Surah Insaan, so I tried to upload it onto my blog. Unfortunately, this Blogger upload thingy kept saying there was an "upload error". So I had a few options left:

1. Upload onto Google Video then embed onto blog. I ruled this out because Google videos always come out in really bad quality.
2. Create a Metacafe, Dailymotion, Veoh, or Youtube account and upload onto there. Then embed onto blog.
   
3. Not upload the video at all. I ruled this out pretty fast.

I chose Youtube over Metacafe, Dailymotion, and Veoh because Youtube is more functional, and you can link your Youtube account with your Google account (if you have one).

A lot of people say Youtube is Haraam, and you should never, ever go on there, etc. Actually, if you upload Haraam stuff on there, then only that Haraam thing is Haraam. If you upload a Quran Recitation on there, then Youtube is not Haraam.

So, I created a Youtube account. My ID is jushyosaha604. You can see my page at http://www.youtube.com/jushyosaha604. I'll keep you posted. Until next time,

Assalamu alaikum.

Surah Hud ayahs 6 to 76, Sheikh Shuraim Taraweeh year 1416/1995 (beautiful recitation, Ma Sha Allah)

Surah Insaan, Sheikh Shuraim 1415/1994

Salaam

This is a recording of Surah Insaan from Masjid al Haram Taraweeh 1415/1994, and the reciter is Sheikh Shuraim. The picture is a picture of Masjid al Haram tooken in 1880 (128 years ago!), when cameras had just been invented.




Salaam

Worldwide Religion Percentages

Salaam

Notice the green (Islam):



On this one, Islam is red: