Happy new year, Julia! Yes, you are my girl, I love you and I want to marry you. You know, I don't blame you for wanting to spend the Christmas and New Year doing things you used to do as a child, because of your memories, and the happy moments you associate with them. Just remember that I cannot be married to a non-Muslim, so you must keep your philosophy and acts of worship sincere and exclusive to Allah. I personally do not associate any happy memories or best days of my life to any public holiday, or birthday even. I find that my best memories happened on days where I don't even remember the date. Those non-descript, average days when God grants me a taste of the perfect feeling. So whenever I have to follow you on your jaunts home for you to spend time with your parents during the holiday season, I would most likely be in retreat at a mosque, or locked up in a room. InsyaAllah, nothing political would happen. Of course, there are Christians and Jews who are righteous and sincere in their devotion to God. But the human condition is set, and corruption is rampant, and I have to guard and purify my own Islam, and you are my wife. Now do you see how expansive the universe is? Now do you see how far-reaching your part is in this human drama?
Let me repeat that I have no intent or desire to travel anywhere ever again except for the following reasons:
1. to Saudi Arabia, to fulfil and complete my Hajj,
2. to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA to keep my promise with the mysterious piano player,
3. to Germany to get my wife Julia, and anywhere with Julia for her sake, for her happiness.
Yeah, I've decided that I'll go to Germany to get you, when Allah permits me to do so. Otherwise, I will just stay here in Perlis, and create music here and not go anywhere, no tours, no traveling at all. Maybe I might go do some shopping, then again maybe not. After all, the quality of the local food supply is very high, and will stay high as long as the environment is clean. Anything else can be imported, insyaAllah. So if anyone wants to hear me channel, with my singing, the ghosts of Karen Carpenter, Billie Holiday, and Janis Joplin by the Will of Allah, then they are just going to have to come here to Perlis. InsyaAllah.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111228
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Hello Julia, my love. How are you feeling? I pray you are being patient, and trying to slow down, and taking good care of your beautiful self. I assume you have been busy being social during the Christmas and New Year's season, because of the friends, family, and upbringing you have had. I suppose it is easy for me not to celebrate thus season, but not because of the Islam I have. I hardly even celebrate the 2 Eids, other than the prayers and charity. I do enjoy the fasting month of Ramadan, so I guess that is what I celebrate. No, I'm not some stifled up old "fuddy-duddy"- look at my rock and roll past! I'm certainly not an angel or a prophet. I guess I'm merely a rockstar. But I am kinda too lazy to "Mach Schau" for everyone. That's probably one of the reasons why having a fashion show going during my concerts is a good idea. Dance routines have a bad habit of being too damn pagan.
The Qur'an is not here to bring us distress. It is an admonition to those who fear Allah. Life is certainly a trial, and what we feel in the Qur'an to be a hassle, is actually a guidance to the righteous. What if there is that bit of information we need to save our own lives? Or even that bit of information we need to secure an important business? "The most valuable commodity I know of is information, wouldn't you agree?" (from the movie "Wall Street") In the end it is the devil who is the hassle, the trifling annoyance that gets in the way of our happiness, and rewards for our hard work.
Long ago, when Cain killed his brother Abel as an act of jealousy, Allah ordained to the children of Israel that if someone killed a human, other than for murder or the spreading of mischief in the land, then it would be as if that someone killed a whole people. But this did not stop people from commiting evil excesses, and today killing is a numb act of news. What occurs today is part of the countdown to Judgement Day. The Plan of God is to keep the Hour hidden, partly so that the transgressors will increase in iniquity, and the burden of their punishment thereof.
Hello Julia, my love. How are you feeling? I pray you are being patient, and trying to slow down, and taking good care of your beautiful self. I assume you have been busy being social during the Christmas and New Year's season, because of the friends, family, and upbringing you have had. I suppose it is easy for me not to celebrate thus season, but not because of the Islam I have. I hardly even celebrate the 2 Eids, other than the prayers and charity. I do enjoy the fasting month of Ramadan, so I guess that is what I celebrate. No, I'm not some stifled up old "fuddy-duddy"- look at my rock and roll past! I'm certainly not an angel or a prophet. I guess I'm merely a rockstar. But I am kinda too lazy to "Mach Schau" for everyone. That's probably one of the reasons why having a fashion show going during my concerts is a good idea. Dance routines have a bad habit of being too damn pagan.
The Qur'an is not here to bring us distress. It is an admonition to those who fear Allah. Life is certainly a trial, and what we feel in the Qur'an to be a hassle, is actually a guidance to the righteous. What if there is that bit of information we need to save our own lives? Or even that bit of information we need to secure an important business? "The most valuable commodity I know of is information, wouldn't you agree?" (from the movie "Wall Street") In the end it is the devil who is the hassle, the trifling annoyance that gets in the way of our happiness, and rewards for our hard work.
Long ago, when Cain killed his brother Abel as an act of jealousy, Allah ordained to the children of Israel that if someone killed a human, other than for murder or the spreading of mischief in the land, then it would be as if that someone killed a whole people. But this did not stop people from commiting evil excesses, and today killing is a numb act of news. What occurs today is part of the countdown to Judgement Day. The Plan of God is to keep the Hour hidden, partly so that the transgressors will increase in iniquity, and the burden of their punishment thereof.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111226
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Hi Julia. Are you OK, and taking good care of yourself? Don't go showing off now, for there's nothing to show off. Just slow down, and be patient. Do you believe that, like in that old saying, "birds of a feather flock together"? I think it's true to an extent. I do think we suit each other. I'm not sure that good people attract only good people, because life is supposed to be a trial. But I'm absolutely certain that evil people attract evil people, and not necessarily as "allies". Evil is as evil does, even to other evils.
I pray you are eating properly. As my girl, you are automatically an endorser of food products. So don't go showing off. Enjoy, but don't show off. You did not choose Islam: Allah chose Islam for you, and if your relationship with God is sincere, then less and less humans are having an influence on your Islam. But fear God, not people. Anyway, the world is watching you eat. You do understand what is "halal", right? When your knowledge increases, then you must exercise more patience. Allah delineates details of what is forbidden to eat in verse 5:3, as follows:
1. carrion,
2. blood,
3. the flesh of swine,
4. food on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah,
5. that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by being gored to death, and that which has been partially eaten by a wild animal unless the meat was able to be slaughtered in due form,
6. that which is sacrificed on altars,
7. division made by gambling.
This verse is not the same as the other verses I printed for you in terms of detail. That is because Allah is being Lenient to those who are learning how to practise Islam. Seafood is exempt from the above conditions, as long as it's still good and pure. If any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful. Now, when something is printed as "halal" on the label, it usually follows the above details. But couples like us are on the edge, so we find ourselves in the above 7 scenarios more often than not. Study the Qur'an SLOWLY, seek protection with Allah from the influence of the devil, and say "In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful" before the first bite.
You are most certainly the center of attention, aren't you? I like to hide, personally. I'm sorry I can't be there with you to shower you with love, and help protect you, but I'll do the best I can from where I am, until we are well and properly married to each other, insyaAllah. God is the best to help and protect, anyway. If you are sincere about increasing your knowledge, then know this: Muslims know that Allah is above the need to have a son.
Hi Julia. Are you OK, and taking good care of yourself? Don't go showing off now, for there's nothing to show off. Just slow down, and be patient. Do you believe that, like in that old saying, "birds of a feather flock together"? I think it's true to an extent. I do think we suit each other. I'm not sure that good people attract only good people, because life is supposed to be a trial. But I'm absolutely certain that evil people attract evil people, and not necessarily as "allies". Evil is as evil does, even to other evils.
I pray you are eating properly. As my girl, you are automatically an endorser of food products. So don't go showing off. Enjoy, but don't show off. You did not choose Islam: Allah chose Islam for you, and if your relationship with God is sincere, then less and less humans are having an influence on your Islam. But fear God, not people. Anyway, the world is watching you eat. You do understand what is "halal", right? When your knowledge increases, then you must exercise more patience. Allah delineates details of what is forbidden to eat in verse 5:3, as follows:
1. carrion,
2. blood,
3. the flesh of swine,
4. food on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah,
5. that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by being gored to death, and that which has been partially eaten by a wild animal unless the meat was able to be slaughtered in due form,
6. that which is sacrificed on altars,
7. division made by gambling.
This verse is not the same as the other verses I printed for you in terms of detail. That is because Allah is being Lenient to those who are learning how to practise Islam. Seafood is exempt from the above conditions, as long as it's still good and pure. If any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful. Now, when something is printed as "halal" on the label, it usually follows the above details. But couples like us are on the edge, so we find ourselves in the above 7 scenarios more often than not. Study the Qur'an SLOWLY, seek protection with Allah from the influence of the devil, and say "In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful" before the first bite.
You are most certainly the center of attention, aren't you? I like to hide, personally. I'm sorry I can't be there with you to shower you with love, and help protect you, but I'll do the best I can from where I am, until we are well and properly married to each other, insyaAllah. God is the best to help and protect, anyway. If you are sincere about increasing your knowledge, then know this: Muslims know that Allah is above the need to have a son.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111224
Hi Julia! Did you miss me? I miss you, my love. I long for us to be married, and be with each other all the time in love and happiness in this life, as well as the hereafter. Ya Allah, please grant us that. It's nearly 3 years since I proposed to you. I don't remember exactly when I posted my proposal, but I'm sure you and your friends remember. All I know is that I didn't have enough wealth to give you and our children a good life, and I still don't. It's not your fault, Julia. You're just a girl. But you're MY girl. InsyaAllah, God will grant me the means soon to free you from your constraints, so we can be happily married.
I've been so exhausted lately, I don't know why. Usually I go to sleep at midnight, then wake up at 3am, do about an hour's worship, then stay awake until the Fajr prayer at 6am, then go back to sleep until about 9 or 10am everyday, without an afternoon nap, for a total of 6 to 7 hours daily. But yesterday, I fell asleep right after Asr, woke up for sunset, slept again at midnight, did only 20 minutes worship at 3:30am and slept again, woke up for Fajr at 6:30, then passed out until 10:30am. That's about 10 hours sleep. I feel kind of out of it even now. Well, we can't be all sprightly and chipper 100% of the time, can we? I'm sure there are some days when you aren't all your usual enthusiastic self. That's OK, sweetie. I love you all the same.
My parents gave me a little money recently for doing yard work, so I bought some food. I got some sushi fixings, while I was buying my axe! Well, there was a grocery store next door. I also bought some fresh cod at the night market, it came with some roe. The Japanese like to douse their sushi rice with vinegar, but I can't handle a lot of vinegar- it hurts my stomach. So I rolled my sushi with plain rice, cod slices marinated in light soy sauce, cod roe, roasted peppers, fried egg, and green onion shoots. It tasted sweet, almost like a dessert! For some reason, it attracted mosquitoes. You know, those blood sucking insects. I couldn't find any wasabi, so I used sambal belacan instead. That's a Malay condiment, which is a hot pepper sauce, sort of. Want some sushi?
I've been so exhausted lately, I don't know why. Usually I go to sleep at midnight, then wake up at 3am, do about an hour's worship, then stay awake until the Fajr prayer at 6am, then go back to sleep until about 9 or 10am everyday, without an afternoon nap, for a total of 6 to 7 hours daily. But yesterday, I fell asleep right after Asr, woke up for sunset, slept again at midnight, did only 20 minutes worship at 3:30am and slept again, woke up for Fajr at 6:30, then passed out until 10:30am. That's about 10 hours sleep. I feel kind of out of it even now. Well, we can't be all sprightly and chipper 100% of the time, can we? I'm sure there are some days when you aren't all your usual enthusiastic self. That's OK, sweetie. I love you all the same.
My parents gave me a little money recently for doing yard work, so I bought some food. I got some sushi fixings, while I was buying my axe! Well, there was a grocery store next door. I also bought some fresh cod at the night market, it came with some roe. The Japanese like to douse their sushi rice with vinegar, but I can't handle a lot of vinegar- it hurts my stomach. So I rolled my sushi with plain rice, cod slices marinated in light soy sauce, cod roe, roasted peppers, fried egg, and green onion shoots. It tasted sweet, almost like a dessert! For some reason, it attracted mosquitoes. You know, those blood sucking insects. I couldn't find any wasabi, so I used sambal belacan instead. That's a Malay condiment, which is a hot pepper sauce, sort of. Want some sushi?
Qur'an 20111224
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
73. When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them, the unbelievers say to those who believe, "Which of the two sides is best in position? Which makes the best show in council?"
74. But how many generations before them have We destroyed, who were even better in equipment and in glitter to the eye?
73. Say, "If any go astray, the Compassionate One extends to them until, when they see the warning of Allah, either in punishment or in The Hour, they will at length realise who is worst in position, and weakest in forces!"
Mary 19:73-75
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If any go astray, the Compassionate One extends to them until, when they see the warning of Allah, either in punishment or in The Hour, they will at length realise who is worst in position, and weakest in forces!
73. When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them, the unbelievers say to those who believe, "Which of the two sides is best in position? Which makes the best show in council?"
74. But how many generations before them have We destroyed, who were even better in equipment and in glitter to the eye?
73. Say, "If any go astray, the Compassionate One extends to them until, when they see the warning of Allah, either in punishment or in The Hour, they will at length realise who is worst in position, and weakest in forces!"
Mary 19:73-75
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If any go astray, the Compassionate One extends to them until, when they see the warning of Allah, either in punishment or in The Hour, they will at length realise who is worst in position, and weakest in forces!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111221
Hi sweetie! Are you hanging in there? Take good care of yourself my beloved, and have patience. I just got a new axe, with which I am going to do yardwork. It's a big un, the type Paul Bunyan used to carry. You don't know Paul Bunyan? Neither do I, but I think he was a giant lumberjack in Canada or something. Anyway, it's a big axe, and it's heavy! It doesn't have much of an edge, even though I spent most of the afternoon trying to sharpen it. I guess it's supposed to function as a sort of sharp sledgehammer, where the weight and momentum thereof causes most of the damage. I need it too, because the long and short machetes I have don't have the balls to demolish trees and stumps. It's made in China, but it has a German brand name. Interesting. There's this blue paint all over the head, which started peeling as I tried to sharpen it. So, I spent most of the night scraping the blue paint off, until Sasameki Koto 13 came up on Shadowplay TV, and it occured to me that I had to write to my sweetie, so I stopped scraping and started to write and tell my sweetie about my new axe. It's an axe, not a guitar, even though I could sure use an American Deluxe Strat and a Gibson SG 6/12 doubleneck, but that means I should also get a tube stack along with those. I'll settle for a local tube stack. Malaysia is reputed to make some mean tube amps, y'know. But I wouldn't turn away a Marshall or Krank tube stack. Anyway, it looks like I'll be building up more bulk with this axe, and maybe become very buffed and macho. And you thought you were marrying a chick singer!
An average sincere Muslim has to give open warning to the heedless about Judgement Day, and that all humans will have to face God, because everything belongs to God. Some of these humans think they hold you in bonds and contracts, but everything and everyone belongs to God, for God to do with as God pleases. The day will come when the axe of distress will fall upon them. Now, the command for Muslims to give open warning to unbelievers about God and Judgement Day is stated distinctly and repeatedly in the Qur'an. Allah made it somewhat easy for me today, since I am a writer and I blog the Qur'an, but the earliest Muslims had to live as a minority in a pagan society, so they preached their warning in person at the footsteps of the Ka'bah in Mecca. Too many Muslims today haven't a clue of that difficulty because they live in a Muslim majority and they preach to the converted, in fact they pass it over as unimportant and passe, and some even rabidly join cults. I remember being a street musician, and my reading the Qur'an on the streets of Tempe, Arizona, USA. I remember what it's like to have to carry out the commands of Allah as stated in the Qur'an, in a society of non-Muslims. I know what it's like to have to pause work at a pizza joint when it's really busy, to go and pray in the toilet. It sucked, but I did it. The earliest Muslims had it much worse, to the point where God commanded them to fight. Then imagine Abraham, after attaining Awareness of God as a teenager growing up in a family of pagans, having to preach to his own father, to stop worshipping statues. Compared to all that, I feel clueless too. Ya Allah, please have mercy on me, and make my work easy.
An average sincere Muslim has to give open warning to the heedless about Judgement Day, and that all humans will have to face God, because everything belongs to God. Some of these humans think they hold you in bonds and contracts, but everything and everyone belongs to God, for God to do with as God pleases. The day will come when the axe of distress will fall upon them. Now, the command for Muslims to give open warning to unbelievers about God and Judgement Day is stated distinctly and repeatedly in the Qur'an. Allah made it somewhat easy for me today, since I am a writer and I blog the Qur'an, but the earliest Muslims had to live as a minority in a pagan society, so they preached their warning in person at the footsteps of the Ka'bah in Mecca. Too many Muslims today haven't a clue of that difficulty because they live in a Muslim majority and they preach to the converted, in fact they pass it over as unimportant and passe, and some even rabidly join cults. I remember being a street musician, and my reading the Qur'an on the streets of Tempe, Arizona, USA. I remember what it's like to have to carry out the commands of Allah as stated in the Qur'an, in a society of non-Muslims. I know what it's like to have to pause work at a pizza joint when it's really busy, to go and pray in the toilet. It sucked, but I did it. The earliest Muslims had it much worse, to the point where God commanded them to fight. Then imagine Abraham, after attaining Awareness of God as a teenager growing up in a family of pagans, having to preach to his own father, to stop worshipping statues. Compared to all that, I feel clueless too. Ya Allah, please have mercy on me, and make my work easy.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111219
Hi there my beloved Julia. How's the spotlight treating you? Do you enjoy being the center of attention? I like to hide, personally. I've always been somewhat of a recluse. Even when I play guitar, I like to crank up the distortion, overdrive and feedback so I can hide underneath all that. Miracles do happen Julia, and they happen everyday. Like the conception of a child, the sprouting of a seedling that turns into a mighty tree, to the songs and migration of birds. It's just that humans pass over those miracles because they want to satiate their own selfish gluttonies. But two people separated by oceans and other barriers can come together and be united in love and marriage, and stay in love and marriage for two lifetimes, with the power of Allah. You must pray! Did you know that your prayers infuriate those who wish to imprison and harm you? So please keep your faith, and maintain your prayers.
Don't forget who you are Mrs. Global, and that the goal in anything and everything that you do is to SLOW DOWN. Remember this law of mass media: the audience wants to run you into the ground as quickly as possible, as miserably as possible, so don't let them. Please look after your precious body. Please try to hide your beauty and be prepared to shield your face with your handbag or book when going out in public. Wear shades or glasses for eye protection. Avoid conversation, especially with strangers and mass media. If you have to say something, tell them you're trying to get closer to Allah and you don't want to talk to any humans.
Don't forget who you are Mrs. Global, and that the goal in anything and everything that you do is to SLOW DOWN. Remember this law of mass media: the audience wants to run you into the ground as quickly as possible, as miserably as possible, so don't let them. Please look after your precious body. Please try to hide your beauty and be prepared to shield your face with your handbag or book when going out in public. Wear shades or glasses for eye protection. Avoid conversation, especially with strangers and mass media. If you have to say something, tell them you're trying to get closer to Allah and you don't want to talk to any humans.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111216
No Julia, it's not me who's trying to restrict you: it is life that restricts you. Even if you had many lovers and swam in diamonds and wealth, wouldn't you feel suffocated, without a purpose? It's not merely the urge to spawn: some people can hump away in public without shame like donkeys, and when Judgement Day arrives, they wouldn't even get arrested for it. No, we seek a purpose in this life because we are not free, so in love we seek a spiritual love, a soulmate. Experimenting with love and lust is corruption imprisoning itself in corruption. You are MY girl, I am the one who loves you, and wants to marry you. The only thing that holds me back is that I don't want to give you my poverty. That is so, because I'm the only human who has faith enough in the music Allah gave me, to invest everything I had in it. Some people say, "It's your music, so you pay for it." I say the inspiration is from Allah, and I am responsible for it.
**sniffle** It's not mango season yet, but the mango tree is blooming and fruiting. Alhamdulillah. The fruit is the high quality type, called the Harumanis. I look forward to eating it. I'm having to fight hard just to sing lately. This sinus allergy is death to my voice. It's like my voice lives on the border of the enemy, in a dynamic equilibrium. **sniffle**
**sniffle** It's not mango season yet, but the mango tree is blooming and fruiting. Alhamdulillah. The fruit is the high quality type, called the Harumanis. I look forward to eating it. I'm having to fight hard just to sing lately. This sinus allergy is death to my voice. It's like my voice lives on the border of the enemy, in a dynamic equilibrium. **sniffle**
Qur'an 20111216
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
105. They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord, and the fact of their having to meet God: vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgement, give them any weight.
106. That is their reward: Hell, because they rejected faith, and took My Signs and My messengers as jokes.
107. As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the gardens of Paradise.
108. Wherein they shall dwell: no change will they wish for themselves.
109. Say, "If the ocean were ink to the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it for its aid."
110. Say, "I am but a man like yourselves, the inspiration has come to me, that your God is One God. Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner."
The Cave 18:105-110
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If the ocean were ink to the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it for its aid.
I am but a man like yourselves, the inspiration has come to me, that your God is One God. Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner
105. They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord, and the fact of their having to meet God: vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgement, give them any weight.
106. That is their reward: Hell, because they rejected faith, and took My Signs and My messengers as jokes.
107. As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the gardens of Paradise.
108. Wherein they shall dwell: no change will they wish for themselves.
109. Say, "If the ocean were ink to the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it for its aid."
110. Say, "I am but a man like yourselves, the inspiration has come to me, that your God is One God. Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner."
The Cave 18:105-110
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If the ocean were ink to the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it for its aid.
I am but a man like yourselves, the inspiration has come to me, that your God is One God. Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111215
**sniffle** Oh dear, I got the sniffles again. I seem to get the sniffles every other week, huh? Maybe even more than that. I've never been this vulnerable to sinus allergies in my life. It's the environment: I hated living in the desert, but the plus side is I hardly ever got allergy attacks. Perhaps this time it's all those amra and mango blossoms in my yard. No, it's not mango season yet. To who it may concern, I can't sing when my nose is stuffed up. Sinus fluids destroy my voice, and accelerate exhaustion. I've been able to sing every day for the past few months, alhamdulillah, due to a regiment of sinus cavity draining. Let's pray that I don't have to empty my sinus cavity in the middle of a concert.
Ah, how I longed for you this morning when I woke up. I want to marry you, Julia. Are you maintaining your prayers, and taking good care of yourself? I want your chastity, Julia. Do know that I am faithful, insyaAllah. I talk to very few people, most of the time only to my parents and my kitty. I had pepper steak and rice for dinner. It was awesome, thank you ya Allah, for the knowledge and the bounty that You have provided for me. I've been using sugar in my savory dishes quite often lately. Not enough to overwhelm, but it's handy to cut acidic bases like chilli or tomato paste. My parents don't like sweet savory dishes, but I don't mind the sugar as long as it doesn't overwhelm the savory.
Until the time when we can buy our groceries and cook our dinner together, please be patient and faithful, and guard yourself from the corruption of others. Make no mistake, the end of the world is coming up soon. But before the armies come pouring down from the high ground to commandeer all the natural resources, perhaps Allah will grant us happiness together, in this life as well as the hereafter. You are my girl, Julia. I love you.
Ah, how I longed for you this morning when I woke up. I want to marry you, Julia. Are you maintaining your prayers, and taking good care of yourself? I want your chastity, Julia. Do know that I am faithful, insyaAllah. I talk to very few people, most of the time only to my parents and my kitty. I had pepper steak and rice for dinner. It was awesome, thank you ya Allah, for the knowledge and the bounty that You have provided for me. I've been using sugar in my savory dishes quite often lately. Not enough to overwhelm, but it's handy to cut acidic bases like chilli or tomato paste. My parents don't like sweet savory dishes, but I don't mind the sugar as long as it doesn't overwhelm the savory.
Until the time when we can buy our groceries and cook our dinner together, please be patient and faithful, and guard yourself from the corruption of others. Make no mistake, the end of the world is coming up soon. But before the armies come pouring down from the high ground to commandeer all the natural resources, perhaps Allah will grant us happiness together, in this life as well as the hereafter. You are my girl, Julia. I love you.
Qur'an 20111215
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
102. Do the unbelievers think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me? Verily We have prepared hell for the unbelievers for entertainment.
103. Say, "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?"
104. Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good through their works.
The Cave 18:102-104
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Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?
102. Do the unbelievers think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me? Verily We have prepared hell for the unbelievers for entertainment.
103. Say, "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?"
104. Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good through their works.
The Cave 18:102-104
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Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?
Monday, December 12, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111213
But snakes eat mice, thus exerting some control over the vermin rodent population. I often hear those loud squeaks outside at night, but they don't come in my house, at least I haven't found any evidence of them (droppings, nibblings, etc). It's probably because I don't have any food. And Chee Cheah is a worthless mouser, she's so spoiled. But I don't want neither snake nor mouse in my house, so I pray they keep their power struggle outside.
All power is with Allah, and Allah grants power to whom God wills. Everybody wants to be somewhere else, "The grass is greener on the other side", you know the saying. The poor want wealth, the wealthy want more wealth, men of power want more power, etc. Sure, I could use more money, but I have absolute faith insyaAllah, that Allah will sustain me. It's not as if I don't work at it, although the fiscal rewards don't come quickly enough for some people, but who wants to please those who have no faith anyway? But I don't really want to go anywhere. I despise the city, so I love the kampung. I'm tired of travel: I've seen enough of the world to know that people are the same everywhere, and the rest is just photographs and adaptation to environment. Luxury can be imported, but there's nothing more luxurious than doing whatever I want with my time. No, I don't really want to be anywhere else than where I am now. I want you here with me of course, but that power too is in the care of Allah.
Hey, I just heard a squeak coming from inside...
All power is with Allah, and Allah grants power to whom God wills. Everybody wants to be somewhere else, "The grass is greener on the other side", you know the saying. The poor want wealth, the wealthy want more wealth, men of power want more power, etc. Sure, I could use more money, but I have absolute faith insyaAllah, that Allah will sustain me. It's not as if I don't work at it, although the fiscal rewards don't come quickly enough for some people, but who wants to please those who have no faith anyway? But I don't really want to go anywhere. I despise the city, so I love the kampung. I'm tired of travel: I've seen enough of the world to know that people are the same everywhere, and the rest is just photographs and adaptation to environment. Luxury can be imported, but there's nothing more luxurious than doing whatever I want with my time. No, I don't really want to be anywhere else than where I am now. I want you here with me of course, but that power too is in the care of Allah.
Hey, I just heard a squeak coming from inside...
Qur'an 20111213
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
83. They ask you concerning the Two Horned One. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story."
84. Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and means to all ends.
The Cave 18:83-84
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I will rehearse to you something of his story.
83. They ask you concerning the Two Horned One. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story."
84. Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and means to all ends.
The Cave 18:83-84
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I will rehearse to you something of his story.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111212
Hi Julia. Are you hanging in there, my love? Of course I think of you all the time, and I pray you are doing well. I have been spending much time in the yard. Remember I told you that my little house is right next door to my grandfather's house? Well, the house and the compound has been overgrown with vegetation, and looks like a miniature jungle. I've been clearing the area out. It's an obvious hazard to the kids and people going to and fro on the road to the local elementary school, and it's right next to my house, so I certainly get the creeps having to look at that eeire old house covered and surrounded with vines and gloomy trees. It's a slow process, because I'm cautious, lazy, and can only work when it's cool enough to work, namely the two hours before sunset right after the Asr prayer. Being slow is for the best though. The compound is crawling with monitor lizards and snakes. Big snakes too about 2 1/2 meters long, most likely cobras, but I'm not sure because they always run when they sense me, and therefore not in a fighting mood. InsyaAllah.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111210
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Life is like the rain. God sends it down from the sky, it nourishes and rejuvenates the vegetation, which bears flowers and fruit, then becomes dry stubble which the wind blows. Meanwhile, God is the Only One Who prevails over all things.
Oh, I'm getting old, Julia. I sing and play the drums for two hours, then I feel like passing out. Two hours! When I was your age, I could go on all night, and dance as well! Well, my wisdom makes the music better, but I gave up much of my libido along the way. But a young man usually has no idea what to do with his libido. What the hell am I saying? Well, you can have what's left of my libido, Julia.
HOW TO COOK WITHOUT COOKING OIL
Perhaps you would like to cut down on the oil content of your foods, or perhaps one does not have access to cooking oil because it is too expensive or unavailable because it was sold in bulk to a wealthier buyer. Most foods, no matter how fat-free, have some level of oil content. Most packaged oils today are produced from plants like soybeans, corn, coconut, peanut, olive, sesame, oil palm, flax, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed etc. While it can be tedious to press or boil meal to extract oil, that is certainly how the ancients did it back whenever, and most of them were dirt poor. Mulch the grain/seed into a meal, then press for oil. Or heat the meal in water, then separate the oil from the water.
More efficient would be to stretch one's oil dollar. One way is to fry items in a closed pot, preferably with the food elevated above the oil by using some sort of grille, so the food does not come in contact with the oil. The oil is heated to evaporation, and coats and cooks the food. Very hot! But less oil is used, and the food tastes less oily. Of course one can recycle cooking oil by straining it, and reusing it. I've heard stories of Italian housewives deep frying calzones in iron drums filled with ancient olive oil.
Animal fat is the way to go for a dense oil supply, plus protein at the same time. Don't throw away that beef fat or chicken skin! Cook the beef or chicken fat first in a dry pot or pan, then separate the oil to be used for cooking vegetables. Animal fat is denser, so you would use less of it. Not too much heat either, because burned animal fat leaves a lingering stench which is unbearable. Now, one would assume that ground meats like sausage would generate more oil, which can be true. But gyro meat, which is beef and lamb sausage, leaves an oil which is disgusting and totally inedible, and is only good for greasing bicycle chains.
Funny, huh? Tick, tock....
Life is like the rain. God sends it down from the sky, it nourishes and rejuvenates the vegetation, which bears flowers and fruit, then becomes dry stubble which the wind blows. Meanwhile, God is the Only One Who prevails over all things.
Oh, I'm getting old, Julia. I sing and play the drums for two hours, then I feel like passing out. Two hours! When I was your age, I could go on all night, and dance as well! Well, my wisdom makes the music better, but I gave up much of my libido along the way. But a young man usually has no idea what to do with his libido. What the hell am I saying? Well, you can have what's left of my libido, Julia.
HOW TO COOK WITHOUT COOKING OIL
Perhaps you would like to cut down on the oil content of your foods, or perhaps one does not have access to cooking oil because it is too expensive or unavailable because it was sold in bulk to a wealthier buyer. Most foods, no matter how fat-free, have some level of oil content. Most packaged oils today are produced from plants like soybeans, corn, coconut, peanut, olive, sesame, oil palm, flax, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed etc. While it can be tedious to press or boil meal to extract oil, that is certainly how the ancients did it back whenever, and most of them were dirt poor. Mulch the grain/seed into a meal, then press for oil. Or heat the meal in water, then separate the oil from the water.
More efficient would be to stretch one's oil dollar. One way is to fry items in a closed pot, preferably with the food elevated above the oil by using some sort of grille, so the food does not come in contact with the oil. The oil is heated to evaporation, and coats and cooks the food. Very hot! But less oil is used, and the food tastes less oily. Of course one can recycle cooking oil by straining it, and reusing it. I've heard stories of Italian housewives deep frying calzones in iron drums filled with ancient olive oil.
Animal fat is the way to go for a dense oil supply, plus protein at the same time. Don't throw away that beef fat or chicken skin! Cook the beef or chicken fat first in a dry pot or pan, then separate the oil to be used for cooking vegetables. Animal fat is denser, so you would use less of it. Not too much heat either, because burned animal fat leaves a lingering stench which is unbearable. Now, one would assume that ground meats like sausage would generate more oil, which can be true. But gyro meat, which is beef and lamb sausage, leaves an oil which is disgusting and totally inedible, and is only good for greasing bicycle chains.
Funny, huh? Tick, tock....
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111207
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
But out of my cave again comes this reclusive writer, to do some work! For to Allah belongs all power. Oh Julia, I really want to snuggle up with my sweetie on a bunch of fluffy pillows, and kiss longer. The problem is that I'm actually some sort of workaholic, I actually enjoy working, at things that I enjoy working at. But since I'm also a contradiction, I'm lazy, and just want to snuggle up with my sweetie on a bunch of fluffy pillows, and kiss longer. But I guess I can get up to cook a nice meal for my honey, if I have the right ingredients. How about a cheese and asparagus omelette with grilled jumbo shrimp, with a bunch of sweet purple grapes on the side? Ah, alhamdilillah.
Once upon a time there were two men. God granted one of them two gardens, surrounded them with date palms, and in between the two gardens there were cornfields. Each garden brought its produce without fail, and in the midst of them flowed a river. This man boasted to the other that he had greater wealth, honor and power. And he went into his gardens with an unjust state of mind, saying, "I deem not that this will ever perish, nor do I deem that my time will run out. Even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find something better in return." The other guy said, "Do you deny God Who created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then fashioned oyu into a man? For my part God is Allah my Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord. Why didn't you enter your garden saying, 'Allah's Will! There is no power but with Allah!' If you see me less than you in wealth and children, it may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and God will send thunderbolts and turn your garden into sand, or the water will run off underground and you will never find it." So the gardens were destroyed by calamity, and the owner was filled with regret, saying, "Why wasn't I appreciative to God while I had the chance?"
But out of my cave again comes this reclusive writer, to do some work! For to Allah belongs all power. Oh Julia, I really want to snuggle up with my sweetie on a bunch of fluffy pillows, and kiss longer. The problem is that I'm actually some sort of workaholic, I actually enjoy working, at things that I enjoy working at. But since I'm also a contradiction, I'm lazy, and just want to snuggle up with my sweetie on a bunch of fluffy pillows, and kiss longer. But I guess I can get up to cook a nice meal for my honey, if I have the right ingredients. How about a cheese and asparagus omelette with grilled jumbo shrimp, with a bunch of sweet purple grapes on the side? Ah, alhamdilillah.
Once upon a time there were two men. God granted one of them two gardens, surrounded them with date palms, and in between the two gardens there were cornfields. Each garden brought its produce without fail, and in the midst of them flowed a river. This man boasted to the other that he had greater wealth, honor and power. And he went into his gardens with an unjust state of mind, saying, "I deem not that this will ever perish, nor do I deem that my time will run out. Even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find something better in return." The other guy said, "Do you deny God Who created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then fashioned oyu into a man? For my part God is Allah my Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord. Why didn't you enter your garden saying, 'Allah's Will! There is no power but with Allah!' If you see me less than you in wealth and children, it may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and God will send thunderbolts and turn your garden into sand, or the water will run off underground and you will never find it." So the gardens were destroyed by calamity, and the owner was filled with regret, saying, "Why wasn't I appreciative to God while I had the chance?"
Qur'an 20111207
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
28. And keep your soul content with those who call on thier Lord morning and evening, seeking God's Face. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this life, nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the rememberance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.
29. Say, "The Truth is from your Lord." Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject. For the wrongdoers We have prepared a fire which is like the walls and roof of a tent will hem them in: if they implore relief, they will be granted melted brass that will scald their faces. How dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!
The Cave 18:28-29
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The Truth is from your Lord.
(God does have a sense of humor! Life in hell is often referred to in the Qur'an as "entertainment", where, in the example of verse 18:29, an inhabitant kicks back on a couch of flames, and drinks a cocktail of melted brass.)
28. And keep your soul content with those who call on thier Lord morning and evening, seeking God's Face. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this life, nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the rememberance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.
29. Say, "The Truth is from your Lord." Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject. For the wrongdoers We have prepared a fire which is like the walls and roof of a tent will hem them in: if they implore relief, they will be granted melted brass that will scald their faces. How dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!
The Cave 18:28-29
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The Truth is from your Lord.
(God does have a sense of humor! Life in hell is often referred to in the Qur'an as "entertainment", where, in the example of verse 18:29, an inhabitant kicks back on a couch of flames, and drinks a cocktail of melted brass.)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111205
Hello again, my beloved beautiful Julia. Are you maintaining your prayers, and taking good care of yourself? I've been holing up here in my cave, and I've been marveling at how things turn full circle. The more things change, the more the stay the same. I remember praying over and over again for God to get me out of the pizza joint, out of the food business, and out I went, on a crazy rollercoaster which is too long-winded to explain. But I still have to eat. And since I don't have money, I have to make the best I can out of cheap stuff. And suddenly, the cheap stuff becomes expensive, but how can it be my fault, since I don't have money to buy the expensive stuff? So, I'm always looking for options. Lord, I hate the food business. BUt I'm never going to work in a restaurant ever again, insyaAllah. I pray that you are able to eat properly without other people making a huge fuss. Probably not, but hey you are just so gorgeous, I love you, and I want to marry you. So you must try hard to take good care of your precious body.
Then I remember long ago, when I had no skill at singing. People kept complaining and criticizing my singing, wanting to replace me, telling me how to sing, etc etc etc. Do it for the music, they said. Maybe I was being superficial, I don't know. You can't stay in music business if you don't love music, y'know. Today, since Allah gave me some ability to mirror some famous singers, I am hated even more. See what I mean: trying to please the crowd is the worst mistake in art. But that's Rock and Roll, I suppose, it's the nature of the beast. Except for the kids, of course. Whenever I practise, they seem to pop out everywhere then instantly evaporate, like ghosts. Maybe they were ghosts.
Whoops! I'm talking too much. But I gotta talk to my sweetie, y'know? She's so beautiful. I have to run back into my cave now, and just kick back with my kitty, and watch Shadowplay TV. As for you, you are my wife, then your closest friends are the ones who believe best in God. So keep that circle closed, and do not take for friends and intimates others outside your ranks, for they will not fail to corrupt you. Their mouths already speak hatred, and what their hearts conceal is far worse.
Then I remember long ago, when I had no skill at singing. People kept complaining and criticizing my singing, wanting to replace me, telling me how to sing, etc etc etc. Do it for the music, they said. Maybe I was being superficial, I don't know. You can't stay in music business if you don't love music, y'know. Today, since Allah gave me some ability to mirror some famous singers, I am hated even more. See what I mean: trying to please the crowd is the worst mistake in art. But that's Rock and Roll, I suppose, it's the nature of the beast. Except for the kids, of course. Whenever I practise, they seem to pop out everywhere then instantly evaporate, like ghosts. Maybe they were ghosts.
Whoops! I'm talking too much. But I gotta talk to my sweetie, y'know? She's so beautiful. I have to run back into my cave now, and just kick back with my kitty, and watch Shadowplay TV. As for you, you are my wife, then your closest friends are the ones who believe best in God. So keep that circle closed, and do not take for friends and intimates others outside your ranks, for they will not fail to corrupt you. Their mouths already speak hatred, and what their hearts conceal is far worse.
Qur'an 20111206
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
21. Thus did We make their case known to people, that they might know the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgement. Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair. Said, "Construct a building over them." Their Lord knows best about them. Those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them."
22. Saying they were three, the dog being the fourth among them. Saying they were five, the dog being the sixth, doubtfully guessing at the unknown. Saying they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say, "My Lord knows best their number: it is but few that know them." Enter not therefore into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear. Nor consult any of them about the Sleepers.
23. Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow,"
24. Without adding, "So please, Allah!" And call your Lord to mind when you forget, and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer than this to the right road."
25. So they stayed in their cave three hundred years, and add nine.
26. Say, "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With God is the secrets of the heavens and the earth, how clearly God sees, how finely God hears! They have no protector other than God. Nor does God share God's Command with any person whatsoever."
The Cave 18:21-26
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My Lord knows best their number: it is but few that know them.
Allah knows best how long they stayed. With God is the secrets of the heavens and the earth, how clearly God sees, how finely God hears! They have no protector other than God. Nor does God share God's Command with any person whatsoever.
21. Thus did We make their case known to people, that they might know the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgement. Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair. Said, "Construct a building over them." Their Lord knows best about them. Those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them."
22. Saying they were three, the dog being the fourth among them. Saying they were five, the dog being the sixth, doubtfully guessing at the unknown. Saying they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say, "My Lord knows best their number: it is but few that know them." Enter not therefore into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear. Nor consult any of them about the Sleepers.
23. Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow,"
24. Without adding, "So please, Allah!" And call your Lord to mind when you forget, and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer than this to the right road."
25. So they stayed in their cave three hundred years, and add nine.
26. Say, "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With God is the secrets of the heavens and the earth, how clearly God sees, how finely God hears! They have no protector other than God. Nor does God share God's Command with any person whatsoever."
The Cave 18:21-26
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My Lord knows best their number: it is but few that know them.
Allah knows best how long they stayed. With God is the secrets of the heavens and the earth, how clearly God sees, how finely God hears! They have no protector other than God. Nor does God share God's Command with any person whatsoever.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111203
Hi Julia my love, how are you feeling? I'm just sitting here, writing a love letter, and watching TV. It's been a busy week for some reason, but unproductive. I did a lot of unnecessary running around. For instance, I went to the government clinic to pick up some antifungal cream for my left toe, but it was a long wait because the place was packed, as it usually is. Normally I am prepared to wait, but that day my stomach had some urgent business to attend to, and it started to protest, so I took my stomach home to the comfort of the toilet it so loves, as opposed to a public restroom in a public hospital. That's another reason why I don't like to travel anymore: I don't like to be far away from my bathroom! Wouldn't you prefer to use only your own restroom that you are familiar with? Especially considering the lack of privacy we have to put up with? It's not as simple as taking a roll of toilet paper along with us wherever we go.
Well, I guess I'm stubborn, huh? God gave me this baby, and I have been raising it alone for many, many years already. And I want you. I don't have faith in the morning, then turn back in the evening, like some others. Now please excuse me, I'm going to go and hide in my cave.
Well, I guess I'm stubborn, huh? God gave me this baby, and I have been raising it alone for many, many years already. And I want you. I don't have faith in the morning, then turn back in the evening, like some others. Now please excuse me, I'm going to go and hide in my cave.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111201
**sniffle** Oh Julia, I've gone and gotten myself the sniffles again. **sniffle** I just barely got over the sniffles I had last week, then I got a sniffle attack while I was voice training. **sniffle** I can't sing when the sinus fluids overflow. They ruin my voice. So I have to spend hours draining all those fluids into a small bucket. Nothing else seems to work. This process takes my entire concentration, so I can't multitask while I empty out my sinus cavity, but I must protect my voice. Disgusting though as this may seem, I have managed to maintain voice training and Qur'an reading everyday for over 2 months, because of this strict regimen. Disgusting though as this may seem, sinus fluids are crystal clear, but viscous as a jellyfish. Fascinating, huh? Right now, only Allah and I seem to know how important it is that I sing everyday. Perhaps someday, others will catch on, and offer enough financial aid so that I can marry my sweetie. Yeah, right. I can only trust Allah for that. **sniffle**
I was about to blog a love letter to you yesterday, but my USB drive died. That's too bad, because I wrote up a dissertation on the dangers and intricasies of singing. Oh well, I suppose it's to stay a secret, because I can't remember exactly what I wrote, and I suppose Allah was the One who killed my USB drive, thus I don't want to blog such a topic right now. Instead, I'll just say what I'm supposed to be saying in a love letter. You're the prettiest girl in the world to me, Julia. I love you, and I want to marry you.
I was about to blog a love letter to you yesterday, but my USB drive died. That's too bad, because I wrote up a dissertation on the dangers and intricasies of singing. Oh well, I suppose it's to stay a secret, because I can't remember exactly what I wrote, and I suppose Allah was the One who killed my USB drive, thus I don't want to blog such a topic right now. Instead, I'll just say what I'm supposed to be saying in a love letter. You're the prettiest girl in the world to me, Julia. I love you, and I want to marry you.
Qur'an 20111201
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
99. See they not that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth, has power to create the likes of them? Only God has decreed a term appointed, of which there is no doubt. But the unjust refuse except with ingratitude.
100. Say, "If you had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold! You would keep them back for fear of spending them, for humans are selfish!"
(The Night Journey 99-100)
106. A Qur'an which We have divided, in order that you might recite it to humans in intervals: We have revealed it in stages.
107. Say, "Whether you believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration."
108. And they say, "Glory to our Lord! Truly has the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled!"
109. They fall down on their faces in tears, and it increases their humility.
110. Say, "Call upon Allah, or call upon the Compassionate One. By whatever name you call upon God, for to God belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak your prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between."
111. Say, "Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in dominion, nor any to protect God from humiliation. Yea, magnify God, for God's Greatness and Glory!"
(The Night Journey 17:106-111)
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If you had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold! You would keep them back for fear of spending them, for humans are selfish!
Whether you believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration.
Call upon Allah, or call upon the Compassionate One. By whatever name you call upon God, for to God belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak your prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between.
Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in dominion, nor any to protect God from humiliation. Yea, magnify God, for God's Greatness and Glory!
99. See they not that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth, has power to create the likes of them? Only God has decreed a term appointed, of which there is no doubt. But the unjust refuse except with ingratitude.
100. Say, "If you had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold! You would keep them back for fear of spending them, for humans are selfish!"
(The Night Journey 99-100)
106. A Qur'an which We have divided, in order that you might recite it to humans in intervals: We have revealed it in stages.
107. Say, "Whether you believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration."
108. And they say, "Glory to our Lord! Truly has the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled!"
109. They fall down on their faces in tears, and it increases their humility.
110. Say, "Call upon Allah, or call upon the Compassionate One. By whatever name you call upon God, for to God belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak your prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between."
111. Say, "Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in dominion, nor any to protect God from humiliation. Yea, magnify God, for God's Greatness and Glory!"
(The Night Journey 17:106-111)
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If you had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold! You would keep them back for fear of spending them, for humans are selfish!
Whether you believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration.
Call upon Allah, or call upon the Compassionate One. By whatever name you call upon God, for to God belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak your prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between.
Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in dominion, nor any to protect God from humiliation. Yea, magnify God, for God's Greatness and Glory!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111128
Of course, when the time comes when Allah allows me the means to travel to you and get you, I would have prepared a home and a means of living for you, insyaAllah. A life of marriage that I have been talking about all this while to you, happiness in this life as well as the Hereafter, insyaAllah. Be aware that there are greater issues at stake, considering that your suitor is a one with a spiritual agenda, to please Allah with music. It is a larger existence than you have ever experienced before, a space larger than the glitz of a ballroom with crystal chandeliers and gold adornments. A pressure greater than the deepest chasm in the ocean, an awareness of life far beyond the sensation of motion perceived by your eyes and fuzzy blond hairs on your forearm. Much more important than the amount of cash and material possessions I am able to accumulate in order to give you a comfortable existence. It is something you need to figure out for yourself, if Allah wills. I can't slap a collar around your neck and pull you upstairs. If Allah refuses to guide you, then you will not be helped. I can't save anybody, no matter how much I love them, not my parents, not you. Allah is the One who saves people, not me.
Qur'an 20111128
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
85. They ask you concerning the Spirit. Say, "The Spirit by command of my Lord. Of knowledge, it is only a little that is communicated to you."
86. If it were Our Will, We could take away that which We have sent to you by inspiration. Then would you find none to plead your affair in that matter as against Us.
87. Except for Mercy from your Lord, for God's Bounty is indeed to you great.
88. Say, "If the whole of humans and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support."
89. And We have explained to humans, in this Qur'an, every kind of similitude. Yet the greater part of humans refuse, except with ingratitude!
90. They say, "We shall not believe in you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth."
91. "Or you have a garden of date trees and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst, carrying abundant water."
92. "Or you cause the sky to fall in pieces, as you say, against us. Or you bring Allah and the angels here, face to face."
93. "Or you have a house adorned with gold, or you mount a ladder right into the skies. No, we shall not even believe in your mounting until you send down to us a book that we can read." Say, "Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man, a messenger?"
94. What kept humans back from belief when Guidance came to them was nothing but this: they said, "Has Allah sent a man to be messenger?"
95. Say, "If there were settled on earth angels walking about in peace and quiet, God would certainly sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger."
96. Say, "Enough is Allah for a witness between me and you, for God is Well-acquainted with God's servants, and God Sees."
The Night Journey 17:85-96
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The Spirit by command of my Lord. Of knowledge, it is only a little that is communicated to you.
If the whole of humans and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.
Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man, a messenger?
If there were settled on earth angels walking about in peace and quiet, God would certainly sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger.
Enough is Allah for a witness between me and you, for God is Well-acquainted with God's servants, and God Sees.
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
85. They ask you concerning the Spirit. Say, "The Spirit by command of my Lord. Of knowledge, it is only a little that is communicated to you."
86. If it were Our Will, We could take away that which We have sent to you by inspiration. Then would you find none to plead your affair in that matter as against Us.
87. Except for Mercy from your Lord, for God's Bounty is indeed to you great.
88. Say, "If the whole of humans and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support."
89. And We have explained to humans, in this Qur'an, every kind of similitude. Yet the greater part of humans refuse, except with ingratitude!
90. They say, "We shall not believe in you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth."
91. "Or you have a garden of date trees and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst, carrying abundant water."
92. "Or you cause the sky to fall in pieces, as you say, against us. Or you bring Allah and the angels here, face to face."
93. "Or you have a house adorned with gold, or you mount a ladder right into the skies. No, we shall not even believe in your mounting until you send down to us a book that we can read." Say, "Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man, a messenger?"
94. What kept humans back from belief when Guidance came to them was nothing but this: they said, "Has Allah sent a man to be messenger?"
95. Say, "If there were settled on earth angels walking about in peace and quiet, God would certainly sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger."
96. Say, "Enough is Allah for a witness between me and you, for God is Well-acquainted with God's servants, and God Sees."
The Night Journey 17:85-96
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The Spirit by command of my Lord. Of knowledge, it is only a little that is communicated to you.
If the whole of humans and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.
Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man, a messenger?
If there were settled on earth angels walking about in peace and quiet, God would certainly sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger.
Enough is Allah for a witness between me and you, for God is Well-acquainted with God's servants, and God Sees.
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111126
High, my butterfly! Ah, my Julia. You are so pretty, and beautiful. You are all I could dream of in a girl. How I long for us to be together all the time and spend the rest of our life and afterlife together. Yeah, I think of you all the time, my precious. But I don't go looking for you, or for news for you. You know that. Who knows what bad news, or lies, I might find about you. It's better that I don't know, and nurture this pure, uncorrupted love that I keep in my fantasies and heart, until the day when Allah allows me the means to travel to you and get my answer face to face, or not at all, which means no, of course. For when that time comes, I will be prepared, insyaAllah.
Everyone has a second voice in their heads, a whispering that promises great rewards and glory, for acts of evil. Some may be confused as to whose voice it is. Since it is in my head, surely it must be there for a reason? Surely it must be my own voice, telling me what to do? Surely it must be my thinking? As I told you before, Satan swore long ago to destroy all humans. He and his minions represent themselves by that whispering in your thoughts that prod you to commit acts of evil, of arrogance, to convince you that the One and Only God is inferior to other beliefs, and that those thoughts are yours, when the thoughts only becomes yours after you succumb to them. So what thoughts are actually yours? The thoughts that compel you to think of goodness, of acts of goodness, of faithfulness, of humility. For God is all that is good, and God protects those who turn to God from the coaxing of evil. Don't let anyone ever convince you that God tells you to do acts of evil, God is only all that is good. The polarity is distinct, is black and white, there is no gray area. For when your thoughts and acts of good are even slightly corrupted, then you have succumbed to the whisperings of evil. And corruption is the majority, is the norm, is the conformity. Very, very few people are pure.
Everyone has a second voice in their heads, a whispering that promises great rewards and glory, for acts of evil. Some may be confused as to whose voice it is. Since it is in my head, surely it must be there for a reason? Surely it must be my own voice, telling me what to do? Surely it must be my thinking? As I told you before, Satan swore long ago to destroy all humans. He and his minions represent themselves by that whispering in your thoughts that prod you to commit acts of evil, of arrogance, to convince you that the One and Only God is inferior to other beliefs, and that those thoughts are yours, when the thoughts only becomes yours after you succumb to them. So what thoughts are actually yours? The thoughts that compel you to think of goodness, of acts of goodness, of faithfulness, of humility. For God is all that is good, and God protects those who turn to God from the coaxing of evil. Don't let anyone ever convince you that God tells you to do acts of evil, God is only all that is good. The polarity is distinct, is black and white, there is no gray area. For when your thoughts and acts of good are even slightly corrupted, then you have succumbed to the whisperings of evil. And corruption is the majority, is the norm, is the conformity. Very, very few people are pure.
Qur'an 20111126
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
80. Say, "O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and grant me from Your Presence an authority to aid."
81. And say, "Truth has arrived and falsehood perished, for falsehood is bound to perish."
82. We send down in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe. To the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.
83. Yet when We bestow Our favors on man, he turns away and becomes remote on his side, and when evil seizes him, he gives himself up to despair!
84. Say, "Everyone acts according to his own disposition, but your Lord knows best who it is that is best guided on the Way."
The Night Journey 17:80-84
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O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and grant me from Your Presence an authority to aid.
Truth has arrived and falsehood perished, for falsehood is bound to perish.
Everyone acts according to his own disposition, but your Lord knows best who it is that is best guided on the Way.
80. Say, "O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and grant me from Your Presence an authority to aid."
81. And say, "Truth has arrived and falsehood perished, for falsehood is bound to perish."
82. We send down in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe. To the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.
83. Yet when We bestow Our favors on man, he turns away and becomes remote on his side, and when evil seizes him, he gives himself up to despair!
84. Say, "Everyone acts according to his own disposition, but your Lord knows best who it is that is best guided on the Way."
The Night Journey 17:80-84
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O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and grant me from Your Presence an authority to aid.
Truth has arrived and falsehood perished, for falsehood is bound to perish.
Everyone acts according to his own disposition, but your Lord knows best who it is that is best guided on the Way.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111124
YOOOOOOLIIIIIEEEEE!!!!
Oh dearest Julia my beloved beauty, I've suddenly got the sniffles. **sniffle** It also seems like I might have to take Chee Cheah in for another antifungal shot. Seems like she's gained some weight, as well. She was once a dainty litlle kitty, I must have spoiled her too much. It's been raining almost non stop for the past 3 days, but there was anough of a break for me to write yesterday's letter. And today's letter, obviously.
Perhaps you wonder why skeptics remain skeptics despite all the Signs of God that are obvious to people of faith. All populations will be destroyed before Judgement Day, that is certain. God only sends Signs by way of fear, but it only increases their transgression. Then God refrains from sending Signs because they were treated as false. The only thing left is for the people to get wiped out by God. You've seen the ruins of cities, haven't you?
Oh dearest Julia my beloved beauty, I've suddenly got the sniffles. **sniffle** It also seems like I might have to take Chee Cheah in for another antifungal shot. Seems like she's gained some weight, as well. She was once a dainty litlle kitty, I must have spoiled her too much. It's been raining almost non stop for the past 3 days, but there was anough of a break for me to write yesterday's letter. And today's letter, obviously.
Perhaps you wonder why skeptics remain skeptics despite all the Signs of God that are obvious to people of faith. All populations will be destroyed before Judgement Day, that is certain. God only sends Signs by way of fear, but it only increases their transgression. Then God refrains from sending Signs because they were treated as false. The only thing left is for the people to get wiped out by God. You've seen the ruins of cities, haven't you?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111123
Since I am alone and unmarried right now, it is rather easy to stick to a budget, even though my income is far beyond pathetic. Knowing how to cook for myself really helps, and Chee Cheah is my only dependent, and she doesn't have professional, entertainment, apparel, transportation and education expenses. In fact, she eats like a King Cat since I can't afford to buy her packaged cat food. Today she ate nothing but fried fish heads. Fish heads galore! She's also quite healthy for a kitty: I've only had to take her in for antifungal shots, and the last one was 3 months ago, Besides the sinus congestions I sometimes get, Allah has blessed us both with good health, alhamdulillah.
Even if I had money, I believe I have learned not to spend just for the sake of spending, insyaAllah. I know I'm not pretty, so I wouldn't spend much of anything on vanity. Perhaps some new clothes and boots, when my cargo pants and jungle boots get too worn out from gardening. I really like those cop boots, you know the type those motorcycle cops wear. I wonder how they'll work for gardening? I also prefer a small house. Right now I sleep on the floor, and I don't receive guests because I have no friends, so I don't have any furniture other than kitchen cabinets, closets and the occasional chair and table. My profession is entertainment, so those 2 expenses are one, but it would be substantially larger than an average person's expense because of the need for research. My having no vanity means that I won't need flashy cars. I would use the motorcycle most of the time anyway, and if I feel the urge to drive fast then I just play GTA. I'm sick of traveling, so I would have limited travel expenses. I would certainly spend more on ingredients, because I enjoy cooking at leisure, and I like my own cooking. I might even order live cattle from USA or Japan to be slaughtered here, plus build a walk-in cooler for my cheese collection and the occasional salmon. Is that extravagant? I don't know. I would definitely donate some of that meat to the poor, I would prefer to eat the cheese than to show it off, and the local seafood is superior in quality to the rest of the world as it is, as long as the environment remains clean. Between all that, I have to give in charity and worship to Allah. Every other expense is all about you, so I pray you have a disciplined budget. We Muslims must not be spendthrifts and wasteful, so I would appreciate you to be respectful in that as well.
Anyway, when you speak, please speak for the best. You are a role model, for people you may not see or hear, and some of them are very small. And you are my girl, and I love you. Please be patient, maintain your prayers.
Even if I had money, I believe I have learned not to spend just for the sake of spending, insyaAllah. I know I'm not pretty, so I wouldn't spend much of anything on vanity. Perhaps some new clothes and boots, when my cargo pants and jungle boots get too worn out from gardening. I really like those cop boots, you know the type those motorcycle cops wear. I wonder how they'll work for gardening? I also prefer a small house. Right now I sleep on the floor, and I don't receive guests because I have no friends, so I don't have any furniture other than kitchen cabinets, closets and the occasional chair and table. My profession is entertainment, so those 2 expenses are one, but it would be substantially larger than an average person's expense because of the need for research. My having no vanity means that I won't need flashy cars. I would use the motorcycle most of the time anyway, and if I feel the urge to drive fast then I just play GTA. I'm sick of traveling, so I would have limited travel expenses. I would certainly spend more on ingredients, because I enjoy cooking at leisure, and I like my own cooking. I might even order live cattle from USA or Japan to be slaughtered here, plus build a walk-in cooler for my cheese collection and the occasional salmon. Is that extravagant? I don't know. I would definitely donate some of that meat to the poor, I would prefer to eat the cheese than to show it off, and the local seafood is superior in quality to the rest of the world as it is, as long as the environment remains clean. Between all that, I have to give in charity and worship to Allah. Every other expense is all about you, so I pray you have a disciplined budget. We Muslims must not be spendthrifts and wasteful, so I would appreciate you to be respectful in that as well.
Anyway, when you speak, please speak for the best. You are a role model, for people you may not see or hear, and some of them are very small. And you are my girl, and I love you. Please be patient, maintain your prayers.
Qur'an 20111123
I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the rejected.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
41. We have explained variously in this Qur'an, in order that they may receive admonition, but it only increases their flight.
42. Say, "If there had been gods with God as they say, behold! They would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!"
43. Glory to God! God is high above all that they say, Exalted and Great!
44. The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein,, declare God's glory. There is not a thing but celebrates God's praise, and yet you understand not how they declare God's glory! Verily God is Oft-Forbearing, most Forgiving.
45. When you do recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, a veil invisible.
46. And We put coverings over their hearts lest they should understand the Qur'an, and deafness into their ears. When you do commemorate your Lord and God alone in the Qur'an, they turn on their backs, fleeing!
47. We know best why it is they listen when they listen to you, and when they meet in private conference, behold! The wicked say, "You follow none other than a man bewitched!"
48. See what similes they strike for you, but they have gone astray, and never can they find a way.
49. They say, "What? When we are reduced to bones and dust, should we really be raised up, a new creation?"
50. Say, "Be you stones, or iron!"
51. Or created matter which, in your minds, is hardest. Then will they say, "Who will cause us to return?" Say, "God, who created you first!" Then will they wag their heads towards you and say, "When will that be?" Say, "Maybe it will be quite soon!"
52. It will be on a day when God will call you, and you will answer with God's praise, and you will think you tarried but a little while!
53. Say to Our servants that they should say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to humans an avowed enemy.
54. It is your Lord that knows you best. If God please, God grants you mercy, or if God please, punishment. We have not sent you to be a disposer of their affairs for them.
55. And it is your Lord that knows best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth. We did bestow on some prophets more gifts than on others, and We gave to David the Psalms.
56. Say, "Call on those, besides God, whom you fancy. They have neither the power to remove your troubles from you, nor to change them."
The Night Journey 17:41-56
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If there had been gods with God as they say, behold! They would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!
Be you stones, or iron!
God, who created you first!
Maybe it will be quite soon!
Call on those, besides God, whom you fancy. They have neither the power to remove your troubles from you, nor to change them.
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
41. We have explained variously in this Qur'an, in order that they may receive admonition, but it only increases their flight.
42. Say, "If there had been gods with God as they say, behold! They would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!"
43. Glory to God! God is high above all that they say, Exalted and Great!
44. The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein,, declare God's glory. There is not a thing but celebrates God's praise, and yet you understand not how they declare God's glory! Verily God is Oft-Forbearing, most Forgiving.
45. When you do recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, a veil invisible.
46. And We put coverings over their hearts lest they should understand the Qur'an, and deafness into their ears. When you do commemorate your Lord and God alone in the Qur'an, they turn on their backs, fleeing!
47. We know best why it is they listen when they listen to you, and when they meet in private conference, behold! The wicked say, "You follow none other than a man bewitched!"
48. See what similes they strike for you, but they have gone astray, and never can they find a way.
49. They say, "What? When we are reduced to bones and dust, should we really be raised up, a new creation?"
50. Say, "Be you stones, or iron!"
51. Or created matter which, in your minds, is hardest. Then will they say, "Who will cause us to return?" Say, "God, who created you first!" Then will they wag their heads towards you and say, "When will that be?" Say, "Maybe it will be quite soon!"
52. It will be on a day when God will call you, and you will answer with God's praise, and you will think you tarried but a little while!
53. Say to Our servants that they should say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to humans an avowed enemy.
54. It is your Lord that knows you best. If God please, God grants you mercy, or if God please, punishment. We have not sent you to be a disposer of their affairs for them.
55. And it is your Lord that knows best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth. We did bestow on some prophets more gifts than on others, and We gave to David the Psalms.
56. Say, "Call on those, besides God, whom you fancy. They have neither the power to remove your troubles from you, nor to change them."
The Night Journey 17:41-56
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If there had been gods with God as they say, behold! They would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!
Be you stones, or iron!
God, who created you first!
Maybe it will be quite soon!
Call on those, besides God, whom you fancy. They have neither the power to remove your troubles from you, nor to change them.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111121
So, this old soldier remains a soldier. In the past I probably would have felt despair at my still having to fight, but today there is so much evil saturated into the entertainment business that I would feel wrong if I didn't give their shit back to them. InsyaAllah, all their routines and formulas will become unprofitable, or great losses, and they become the object of drama in a reality series.
Then there's my princess. Our love is spiritual, y'know? I fight towards you for our sacred love, for the glory of Allah. We simply must not allow ourselves to be oppressed, can we? You are my girl, Julia. Of course I love you.
Then there's my princess. Our love is spiritual, y'know? I fight towards you for our sacred love, for the glory of Allah. We simply must not allow ourselves to be oppressed, can we? You are my girl, Julia. Of course I love you.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111119
Today, I have been thinking about the chains that bind you, about your imprisonment. It is your work that imprisons you. Do you feel like a prisoner? What is it that makes us normal? It is the drive to find happiness, in love and marriage. But you are MY girl, I am the one one wishes to marry you. Therefore, you are sucked into the matrix that is my life. We can only be where Allah puts us, so really I'm not to blame, insyaAllah. Or would you rather be a prisoner, and not know it? Ignorance is not bliss in matters of oppression. One would only drive to jump off a skyscraper with diamonds around the neck.
But you don't worry so much about it, because you get to be the princess, and wait for this knight in armor of shadow to come release you, and we will live happily ever after together, insyaAllah. We are pawns in a play unfolding itself, which is Judgement Day, so let us be servants of Allah. So pray.
Thus, this is a historical situation, where those that Allah has granted affluence and power use their gifts to commit oppression. We all have some bad habits, but don't you agree that affluence and power amplify those bad habits to an nth degree? People with disregard and disrespect for God do get their dues in this life as well as the hereafter. Hitler was a pagan and a loser with an agenda of revenge, but what good will revenge against Hitler do now? It will only serve to harm the innocent. Again, we all have bad habits, but we can focus on eliminating the worst of our deeds, and pray for good instead of evil. For if we revert to evil, then Allah will make history repeat itself.
But you don't worry so much about it, because you get to be the princess, and wait for this knight in armor of shadow to come release you, and we will live happily ever after together, insyaAllah. We are pawns in a play unfolding itself, which is Judgement Day, so let us be servants of Allah. So pray.
Thus, this is a historical situation, where those that Allah has granted affluence and power use their gifts to commit oppression. We all have some bad habits, but don't you agree that affluence and power amplify those bad habits to an nth degree? People with disregard and disrespect for God do get their dues in this life as well as the hereafter. Hitler was a pagan and a loser with an agenda of revenge, but what good will revenge against Hitler do now? It will only serve to harm the innocent. Again, we all have bad habits, but we can focus on eliminating the worst of our deeds, and pray for good instead of evil. For if we revert to evil, then Allah will make history repeat itself.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111117
Hi there, you sexy thing! You better had be modest and hide your beauty, because you are so gorgeous. Yeah, it's true that i want you all to myself, because you're MY girl. But we have to be patient, my love. As Muslims, if there's anything that we want, or any help that we need, then we have to ask Allah for it with prayer, and be patient and persevering. And I want you. My beloved Julia.
Now Julia, the supernatural is actually quite simple to understand, and once you do understand the supernatural, then you will know the correct place to put your fear. There is not one, but two dominant races on Earth. The first is the human race, made of earth and water. The second is the jinn race, made of fire. Not all jinns are bad or evil, kind of like that not all ghosts are bad or evil, and not all humans are bad or evil. There are jinns that worship Allah, and they pray, and do good deeds. Then there are jinns that trick and torment humans, especially the humans that have incorrect faith. Satan is a member of the jinn race. When God created Adam, the first human, Satan refused to bow to Adam when God ordered him to, because Satan felt himself superior to humans. God banished Satan, and Satan vowed to destroy Adam and all humans. Satan then tricked Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden tree, and God banished both the human and the jinn races to Earth until Judgement Day. Satan was granted respite by God even though Satan swore to destroy all humans, but God will save those who are faithful to and guided by God. So, put your fear in Allah. It's easy for skeptics to be tricked by illusions and audio-visual hallucinations caused by variations of thermal energy because of their arrogance in their perceived human superiority, but YOU put your fear in God. You do not follow Satan and his cohorts, when he whispers into your thoughts and emotions. And do not say things about Allah that you do not understand.
Now Julia, the supernatural is actually quite simple to understand, and once you do understand the supernatural, then you will know the correct place to put your fear. There is not one, but two dominant races on Earth. The first is the human race, made of earth and water. The second is the jinn race, made of fire. Not all jinns are bad or evil, kind of like that not all ghosts are bad or evil, and not all humans are bad or evil. There are jinns that worship Allah, and they pray, and do good deeds. Then there are jinns that trick and torment humans, especially the humans that have incorrect faith. Satan is a member of the jinn race. When God created Adam, the first human, Satan refused to bow to Adam when God ordered him to, because Satan felt himself superior to humans. God banished Satan, and Satan vowed to destroy Adam and all humans. Satan then tricked Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden tree, and God banished both the human and the jinn races to Earth until Judgement Day. Satan was granted respite by God even though Satan swore to destroy all humans, but God will save those who are faithful to and guided by God. So, put your fear in Allah. It's easy for skeptics to be tricked by illusions and audio-visual hallucinations caused by variations of thermal energy because of their arrogance in their perceived human superiority, but YOU put your fear in God. You do not follow Satan and his cohorts, when he whispers into your thoughts and emotions. And do not say things about Allah that you do not understand.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111115
Well, it's about time that I cooked up those ribs I got from the Eid sacrifice. I should have boiled them, but I thought that pan-frying them twice would loosen the meat enough. So, I fried them once until the meat was cooked, then I put barbecue sauce on them then stuck them in the cooler to marinade. Then I fried them again in butter, adding more barbecue sauce and blackening them each time I turned them, which was about 4-5 times. I would have grilled them on a charcoal fire, but my grill disintegrated from all the rainfall. Thus, I had to create a similar effect on a frying pan. Nothing can replace the flavor of an open fire, though. Ah, I love beef bones. Next time, I'll boil the ribs first. Barbecue sauce? I think Malaysia has the edge on the USA when it comes to barbecue sauce. So many options to choose from, while in the USA it's always that same old tomato paste, spices and sweetener combo. This time, I used a tamarind and chilli base, for a sour spicy sauce. Ah, alhamdulillah. Even though I should have boiled the bones, I felt I had something good going when Chee Cheah went berserk while I was cooking. Of course, I gave my Dad a bone too.
So, I hope you are eating properly. Remember that as my girl, you are automatically an endorser of food products. Don't forget the basics: no pig, no blood, no carrion, and you must not eat food which is offered for pagan rituals, or food that in which the name of others than Allah has been invoked. Before the first bite say, "In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful," for Allah is the One who provides all sustenance, but is not fed. Just try your best with the circumstance that Allah has put you in, for Allah is Lenient and Forgiving, and knows all that you think, feel, and undertake. Perhaps in your spare time you are experimenting with cooking. I have a feeling you are. Just remember that I have a sensitive stomach, so please practise with pure and fresh ingredients, and a medium fire. Be patient, and avoid overly processed foods! I guess at this point you won't be able to cook in private, let alone go to restaurants without being observed. So please have fun while you experiment with food, but most of all, please eat properly, and be grateful to Allah for the great beauty that God has given you, by taking good care of your body. Please join me in Islam my beloved, and let's share our life and afterlife together.
So, I hope you are eating properly. Remember that as my girl, you are automatically an endorser of food products. Don't forget the basics: no pig, no blood, no carrion, and you must not eat food which is offered for pagan rituals, or food that in which the name of others than Allah has been invoked. Before the first bite say, "In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful," for Allah is the One who provides all sustenance, but is not fed. Just try your best with the circumstance that Allah has put you in, for Allah is Lenient and Forgiving, and knows all that you think, feel, and undertake. Perhaps in your spare time you are experimenting with cooking. I have a feeling you are. Just remember that I have a sensitive stomach, so please practise with pure and fresh ingredients, and a medium fire. Be patient, and avoid overly processed foods! I guess at this point you won't be able to cook in private, let alone go to restaurants without being observed. So please have fun while you experiment with food, but most of all, please eat properly, and be grateful to Allah for the great beauty that God has given you, by taking good care of your body. Please join me in Islam my beloved, and let's share our life and afterlife together.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111113
But of course you can put cheese, or croutons, or whatever you want on your salad. Whoops! I'm done talking about salads. I just dropped by to say "I love you", and because I had to run a quick errand. I love you! Please keep your faith firm and sincere, maintain your prayers, and take good care of your beautiful body!
Qur'an 20111113
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
101. When We substitute one revelation for another, and Allah knows best what God reveals, they say, "You are a forger," but most of them understand not.
102. Say, "The Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from your Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims."
103. We know indeed that they say, "It is a man who teaches him." The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.
104. Those who believe not in the Signs of Allah, Allah will not guide them, and theirs will be a grievous penalty.
105. It is those who believe not in the Signs of Allah that forge falsehood, it is they who lie!
The Bees 16:101-105
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The Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from your Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims.
101. When We substitute one revelation for another, and Allah knows best what God reveals, they say, "You are a forger," but most of them understand not.
102. Say, "The Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from your Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims."
103. We know indeed that they say, "It is a man who teaches him." The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.
104. Those who believe not in the Signs of Allah, Allah will not guide them, and theirs will be a grievous penalty.
105. It is those who believe not in the Signs of Allah that forge falsehood, it is they who lie!
The Bees 16:101-105
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The Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from your Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111112
Hello again, my beloved Julia. Today, I will give you a technique or recipe for making salads. Yecchh! I hate salads, but I suppose for you models it becomes a sort of staple food. I've made a million salads in my life, because I worked at the pizza joint. Gag! I hate salads. I hate making them, I hate eating them, and I hate people who eat salads, but in your case I will make an exception, and love you instead. Oh, I'm just joking about hating people who eat salads! No, but I really hate salads.
Anyway, lets start with a chunk of boneless chicken breast. First, you heat up a frying pan with medium heat. Rub the breast with honey, the chicken breast that is. Sprinkle some course black pepper onto the meat according to preference. No need for salt! Do not use any oil! When the pan is hot, fry up the meat until it's almost black, but don't burn it! Turn it over, then place a pat of butter on top, so it melts over the meat. Then cook the other side until it's almost black, but not burned. Immediately remove the meat to a cutting board. Note that center of the chicken breast should still be raw, especially if you have a big chunk of meat. Slice the meat lengthwise, exposing the raw area. Then put the chicken breast back on the pan with the raw side down, and cook it until the raw part turns white. Turn off the heat, and remove the meat from the pan onto a plate, and let it cool at room temperature.
Let's use a head of Iceberg lettuce, and a head of Romaine lettuce. Wash the lettuce. Make sure the lettuce is fresh, with snap, and no brown gooey areas! Remove the brown parts if any, and cut of the stem of the lettuce, about 2 inches for the Romaine and 1 inch for the Iceberg. Tear the lettuce with your fingers into strips of about 1 by 1 1/2 inch each, using only the leafy areas, and discarding the spine of each leaf. You may prefer to use only the heart of the Romaine, but I find that the outer leaves have good flavor too, if they are healthy. Yuck! I hate salads! Of course you can use any type of lettuce/greens, provided it is fresh and healthy, and you can use the same guidelines as the Iceberg and the Romaine. Spinach bruises easily, so be gentle! Mix up the strips of lettuce with your hands into an even mix.
OK! Place the lettuce mix into a serving bowl, then you can add fresh peppers, onions, olives, or whatever. Don't mix it into the salad mix, just arrange enough of it on top. I prefer a crescent cut for the peppers (no, don't eat the seeds and stems) and onions, where you cut the vegetable in half lengthwise, or quarters, then you slice the half from one end to the other into crescent shapes, following the arc of the half-circle. Slice up the chicken breast into strips, and arrange it onto the salad. If you had followed my instructions correctly, juices should have seeped out of the meat once it cooled down. Pour the juices onto the meat on the salad. Salad dressing? Just use your favorite salad dressing. I prefer blue cheese dressing, because it goes well with chicken wings, which taste way better than any salad. Amplify the flavor of blue cheese dressing with chunks of real blue cheese from a wedge. You know, the stuff you would nibble as a snack. Ranch? Italian? Honey mustard? 1000 island? I suppose I have some recipes, but that's another love letter. Basically, every salad dressing is just a form of flavored, liquified grease which you pour on your salad. Bleah! I hate salads! But I love YOU!
Anyway, lets start with a chunk of boneless chicken breast. First, you heat up a frying pan with medium heat. Rub the breast with honey, the chicken breast that is. Sprinkle some course black pepper onto the meat according to preference. No need for salt! Do not use any oil! When the pan is hot, fry up the meat until it's almost black, but don't burn it! Turn it over, then place a pat of butter on top, so it melts over the meat. Then cook the other side until it's almost black, but not burned. Immediately remove the meat to a cutting board. Note that center of the chicken breast should still be raw, especially if you have a big chunk of meat. Slice the meat lengthwise, exposing the raw area. Then put the chicken breast back on the pan with the raw side down, and cook it until the raw part turns white. Turn off the heat, and remove the meat from the pan onto a plate, and let it cool at room temperature.
Let's use a head of Iceberg lettuce, and a head of Romaine lettuce. Wash the lettuce. Make sure the lettuce is fresh, with snap, and no brown gooey areas! Remove the brown parts if any, and cut of the stem of the lettuce, about 2 inches for the Romaine and 1 inch for the Iceberg. Tear the lettuce with your fingers into strips of about 1 by 1 1/2 inch each, using only the leafy areas, and discarding the spine of each leaf. You may prefer to use only the heart of the Romaine, but I find that the outer leaves have good flavor too, if they are healthy. Yuck! I hate salads! Of course you can use any type of lettuce/greens, provided it is fresh and healthy, and you can use the same guidelines as the Iceberg and the Romaine. Spinach bruises easily, so be gentle! Mix up the strips of lettuce with your hands into an even mix.
OK! Place the lettuce mix into a serving bowl, then you can add fresh peppers, onions, olives, or whatever. Don't mix it into the salad mix, just arrange enough of it on top. I prefer a crescent cut for the peppers (no, don't eat the seeds and stems) and onions, where you cut the vegetable in half lengthwise, or quarters, then you slice the half from one end to the other into crescent shapes, following the arc of the half-circle. Slice up the chicken breast into strips, and arrange it onto the salad. If you had followed my instructions correctly, juices should have seeped out of the meat once it cooled down. Pour the juices onto the meat on the salad. Salad dressing? Just use your favorite salad dressing. I prefer blue cheese dressing, because it goes well with chicken wings, which taste way better than any salad. Amplify the flavor of blue cheese dressing with chunks of real blue cheese from a wedge. You know, the stuff you would nibble as a snack. Ranch? Italian? Honey mustard? 1000 island? I suppose I have some recipes, but that's another love letter. Basically, every salad dressing is just a form of flavored, liquified grease which you pour on your salad. Bleah! I hate salads! But I love YOU!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111110
Hello again. my beautiful Julia. How are you feeling today, my precious beauty? You must be working hard as usual. So please make sure you eat properly, take good care of yourself, and maintain your prayers.
It is a quiet day at the office for me here today. It's now almost 11 pm on Wednesday, and I just got done filleting a kilo of baby indian mackerel. How tedious! Filleting mackerel is so tedious Julia, but I'm sure you wouldn't eat your herring with the bones and the head intact. It has stopped raining, in fact today was very hot that it dried up the trash, that I was able to burn all of it. And though it was a quiet day today, I did so much running around and work that I haven't had much chance to watch TV and play GTA. But I plan to remedy that deficiency immediately.
Thus, I watched "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" on Shadowplay TV. Well, that was what the computer chose for me to watch at the moment. Do you remember Marilyn Monroe? She was certainly very pretty, she could move very well, and she was blonde, and we both know how much I like blondes. But she's not my type: I prefer tall, thin, androgynous German blondes. Don't get too thin! Please eat properly! Anyway, in the movie she said, "A man being rich is like a girl being pretty." Do you believe that, Julia? I'm certainly am grateful to Allah that you are so beautiful. But I am not rich, and I certainly do not want to give you my poverty: I would rather die alone. That is why it is most important to me that you be straight with God. Please conduct your religion with sincerity to Allah, that is most important to me, and do not attribute to others what only God can do and give.
The greatest mystery is only with Allah, from the routine of the plants and animals to the cycle of the universe. We tell the humans to be grateful to God, still they believe they have the option of turning away, or they just turn away. And it is their turning away that is what ruins them in the next life, after this temporary life is over.
By the way Julia, thank you for your love.
It is a quiet day at the office for me here today. It's now almost 11 pm on Wednesday, and I just got done filleting a kilo of baby indian mackerel. How tedious! Filleting mackerel is so tedious Julia, but I'm sure you wouldn't eat your herring with the bones and the head intact. It has stopped raining, in fact today was very hot that it dried up the trash, that I was able to burn all of it. And though it was a quiet day today, I did so much running around and work that I haven't had much chance to watch TV and play GTA. But I plan to remedy that deficiency immediately.
Thus, I watched "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" on Shadowplay TV. Well, that was what the computer chose for me to watch at the moment. Do you remember Marilyn Monroe? She was certainly very pretty, she could move very well, and she was blonde, and we both know how much I like blondes. But she's not my type: I prefer tall, thin, androgynous German blondes. Don't get too thin! Please eat properly! Anyway, in the movie she said, "A man being rich is like a girl being pretty." Do you believe that, Julia? I'm certainly am grateful to Allah that you are so beautiful. But I am not rich, and I certainly do not want to give you my poverty: I would rather die alone. That is why it is most important to me that you be straight with God. Please conduct your religion with sincerity to Allah, that is most important to me, and do not attribute to others what only God can do and give.
The greatest mystery is only with Allah, from the routine of the plants and animals to the cycle of the universe. We tell the humans to be grateful to God, still they believe they have the option of turning away, or they just turn away. And it is their turning away that is what ruins them in the next life, after this temporary life is over.
By the way Julia, thank you for your love.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111108
Assalamu'alaikum, beautiful Julia! You are MY girl, yes you are! Yes, I love you, and I look forward for us to spend our lives together. InsyaAllah.
All eyes on the kampung lately, huh? I guess it's partially my fault for being here. Being There. What a great movie, you should watch it. But really, I can only be where Allah puts me. As you know, it is the Hajj Eid, which is a public holiday here in Malaysia, so I hope this letter isn't too late for you, since the internet cafe was closed for the holiday. On the Hajj Eid, it is mandatory for the wealthy to make a sacrifice of a livestock animal, namely a goat, sheep, cattle, or camel. I haven't seen any chickens during this ritual. No, not a sacrifice on an altar. Please! A meat is considered halal if a Muslim kills the animal by cutting the throat, and saying, "BismillahirRahmanirRahim (In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful)". This year, I was present at the local mosque for this ritual. I didn't get to see them actually slaughter the beast, it was done elsewhere, where they also skinned and gutted it, as well as separated the legs, head, rib cage, and rump. 2 steers were donated this year to the mosque, one small and one medium. At the mosque, volunteers cut up the meat and bones further for division, and I watched the entire process with great interest. The division of the meat was a very noisy process, with grown men gossiping like nesting hens. It seemed almost primal, like the opening scene of "Apocalypto". As far as I could understand, the sacrifice is supposed to be divided into 7, where the donor got either 2/7 or 1/3. Comprende? Needless to say, none of the villagers were professional butcher-accountants, so there was an element of chaos in the division. But they did their best I'm sure, may Allah be the judge. Cattle here in Malaysia is leaner than US cattle, so the tenderloin and ribeye was nothing spectacular as far as I could see. Beef intestine is what is considered a delicacy here in Perlis, so that was the first to disappear. Me? All I received was a kilo of sirloin/chuck/rump, and some ribs. When you get here insyaAllah, I'll take you to the ritual. Maybe we'll get to see the actual slaughter!
All eyes on the kampung lately, huh? I guess it's partially my fault for being here. Being There. What a great movie, you should watch it. But really, I can only be where Allah puts me. As you know, it is the Hajj Eid, which is a public holiday here in Malaysia, so I hope this letter isn't too late for you, since the internet cafe was closed for the holiday. On the Hajj Eid, it is mandatory for the wealthy to make a sacrifice of a livestock animal, namely a goat, sheep, cattle, or camel. I haven't seen any chickens during this ritual. No, not a sacrifice on an altar. Please! A meat is considered halal if a Muslim kills the animal by cutting the throat, and saying, "BismillahirRahmanirRahim (In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful)". This year, I was present at the local mosque for this ritual. I didn't get to see them actually slaughter the beast, it was done elsewhere, where they also skinned and gutted it, as well as separated the legs, head, rib cage, and rump. 2 steers were donated this year to the mosque, one small and one medium. At the mosque, volunteers cut up the meat and bones further for division, and I watched the entire process with great interest. The division of the meat was a very noisy process, with grown men gossiping like nesting hens. It seemed almost primal, like the opening scene of "Apocalypto". As far as I could understand, the sacrifice is supposed to be divided into 7, where the donor got either 2/7 or 1/3. Comprende? Needless to say, none of the villagers were professional butcher-accountants, so there was an element of chaos in the division. But they did their best I'm sure, may Allah be the judge. Cattle here in Malaysia is leaner than US cattle, so the tenderloin and ribeye was nothing spectacular as far as I could see. Beef intestine is what is considered a delicacy here in Perlis, so that was the first to disappear. Me? All I received was a kilo of sirloin/chuck/rump, and some ribs. When you get here insyaAllah, I'll take you to the ritual. Maybe we'll get to see the actual slaughter!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111104
Hi there my sweetie Julia! How are you, my precious beauty? Today, I'm fasting. No, it's not mandatory, I'm fasting because it's fun. Fun, fun fun! As you know, or I told you before, we Muslims celebrate 2 Eids: the first Eid is celebrated after the fasting month of Ramadan is completed, and the 2nd is a 2 day Eid after the Hajj ritual is completed. Sunday is when we celebrate the Hajj Eid. I guess it's kind of like having 2 Christmases. I'm not one for routine rituals on public holidays, I just do the bare minimum. If I get into heaven, then I'll really celebrate. Yay! No more tedious and disappointing materialism and worldly affairs!
My, you are a pretty thing, aren't you? What are we to do with that huge wardrobe of yours? We're going to have to dress you up appropriately before we go out. Start collecting hats and scarves! Hey, hop on the back of my motorcycle, and we'll go to the seaside. I drive really slowly, but we can still have a conversation as we ride. You can have your own motorcycle of course, but it would be harder to chat, and you probably wouldn't want to drive at 30 kmh. How about you ride a bicycle instead?
As for the plotters, certainly Allah is watching them. How about they get swallowed up by the earth? Or they get jumped on as they go about their daily routine? Or they perish through a process of slow wastage?
My, you are a pretty thing, aren't you? What are we to do with that huge wardrobe of yours? We're going to have to dress you up appropriately before we go out. Start collecting hats and scarves! Hey, hop on the back of my motorcycle, and we'll go to the seaside. I drive really slowly, but we can still have a conversation as we ride. You can have your own motorcycle of course, but it would be harder to chat, and you probably wouldn't want to drive at 30 kmh. How about you ride a bicycle instead?
As for the plotters, certainly Allah is watching them. How about they get swallowed up by the earth? Or they get jumped on as they go about their daily routine? Or they perish through a process of slow wastage?
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Letter to Julia 201111102
WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! HOORAY!!!!!!
Is it your birthday yet? It's almost time for your birthday! When is your birthday? I'm sure your birthday is coming up soon! Oh, I'm so excited! It's nearly time for my sweetie's birthday! Oh, it is my girly-girl's birthday! Happy birthday, my love!
Ah, love letters in this computer age can be so convenient- I can just cut and paste, and then half the letter is written! But we all know that it's not that easy. Having to stay above a general lack of creativity (especially in the mass media), trying to stay true to the heart, having to teach the Qur'an to my wife... no, it's not easy. Ya Allah, please grant me Julia as my perfect spouse, please grant us love, beauty, good health and happiness in this life as well as the hereafter, please don't divorce us. Please grant us a long, happy life together with beautiful, happy, healthy and pious children, please protect us. Please forgive our sins, please make us great Muslims, please grant us heaven together, and please make our path easy.
Now, you've been in the modeling biz for quite a while already, haven't you? Nearly 8 years, right? Eventually, you got used to all that jetting around, the early morning fittings, and the chaos of the runway, right? I've been in the music business as a musician for about 26 years now. Certainly, I'm not at the point of canceling concerts at 50,000+ venues at the last minute. I chose to abandon all the corruption to follow the path of Allah. All the lack of privacy, the acts of spite and jealousy, the Satanism, paganism and atheism, the loss of beloved few friends, the perpetual plots of others to enslave me, the callousness of the listener, etc etc etc, I got used to all that, and it doesn't matter if skeptics believe it or not because they're not even a sub-plot of the story! However, I didn't want to bring all that shit back here to Malaysia with me. I knew it would happen, but I couldn't explain that to anybody back then: they wouldn't listen. If people are listening today, then the credit goes to Allah: Allah made them listen. I could have chosen to become a martyr for Allah in the USA as a street musician, but instead I ran back home to my Mommy. Now don't get me wrong, I love my Mommy with all my heart, and I'm grateful that Allah brought me and my parents together again. But in retrospect, it doesn't really matter where I am. People can never run away from their destiny, no matter how unimportant their problems are to others. Certainly, the entertainment business is the most difficult business in the world, and the audience has a lust for pain and suffering. Wouldn't it be entertaining to achieve happiness together while they seek our destruction? InsyaAllah! I am a servant of Allah, and if I am able to spread the message of Islam with this music that Allah gave me, then perhaps Allah will grant me my reward in this life as well as the hereafter, and trounce those who plot to harm us.
Happy birthday, Julia. I love you, and I want to marry you.
Is it your birthday yet? It's almost time for your birthday! When is your birthday? I'm sure your birthday is coming up soon! Oh, I'm so excited! It's nearly time for my sweetie's birthday! Oh, it is my girly-girl's birthday! Happy birthday, my love!
Ah, love letters in this computer age can be so convenient- I can just cut and paste, and then half the letter is written! But we all know that it's not that easy. Having to stay above a general lack of creativity (especially in the mass media), trying to stay true to the heart, having to teach the Qur'an to my wife... no, it's not easy. Ya Allah, please grant me Julia as my perfect spouse, please grant us love, beauty, good health and happiness in this life as well as the hereafter, please don't divorce us. Please grant us a long, happy life together with beautiful, happy, healthy and pious children, please protect us. Please forgive our sins, please make us great Muslims, please grant us heaven together, and please make our path easy.
Now, you've been in the modeling biz for quite a while already, haven't you? Nearly 8 years, right? Eventually, you got used to all that jetting around, the early morning fittings, and the chaos of the runway, right? I've been in the music business as a musician for about 26 years now. Certainly, I'm not at the point of canceling concerts at 50,000+ venues at the last minute. I chose to abandon all the corruption to follow the path of Allah. All the lack of privacy, the acts of spite and jealousy, the Satanism, paganism and atheism, the loss of beloved few friends, the perpetual plots of others to enslave me, the callousness of the listener, etc etc etc, I got used to all that, and it doesn't matter if skeptics believe it or not because they're not even a sub-plot of the story! However, I didn't want to bring all that shit back here to Malaysia with me. I knew it would happen, but I couldn't explain that to anybody back then: they wouldn't listen. If people are listening today, then the credit goes to Allah: Allah made them listen. I could have chosen to become a martyr for Allah in the USA as a street musician, but instead I ran back home to my Mommy. Now don't get me wrong, I love my Mommy with all my heart, and I'm grateful that Allah brought me and my parents together again. But in retrospect, it doesn't really matter where I am. People can never run away from their destiny, no matter how unimportant their problems are to others. Certainly, the entertainment business is the most difficult business in the world, and the audience has a lust for pain and suffering. Wouldn't it be entertaining to achieve happiness together while they seek our destruction? InsyaAllah! I am a servant of Allah, and if I am able to spread the message of Islam with this music that Allah gave me, then perhaps Allah will grant me my reward in this life as well as the hereafter, and trounce those who plot to harm us.
Happy birthday, Julia. I love you, and I want to marry you.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111031
WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! HOORAY!!!!!!
Is it your birthday yet? It's almost time for your birthday! When is your birthday? I'm sure your birthday is coming up soon! Oh, I'm so excited! It's nearly time for my sweetie's birthday!
Well, I don't really celebrate birthdays, so I wouldn't really care if my birthday weren't celebrated. As Lilith Sternin-Crane so glibly put it: "I fail to see how the reminder of one's passing years can be a cause for celebration." I just want you to know that I (somewhat) remember your birthday, and to me everyday with you is a cause for celebration.
Now, remember that the goal of our marriage is to slow everything down, and truly love and cherish each other and our life together. Is that OK with you? Yeah, we have no privacy anyway, and I'm sure everyone else out there would love to run us both into the ground as quickly as possible just for the sake of entertainment, but that doesn't mean that we should allow them to do that. So let's slow everything down. SLOW SLOW SLOW. I'm a slow worker anyhow, lazy too, and if anyone would tell me how to create music, then they can just do so themselves without my involvement. I try to have the "Act of God" kind of approach, where things build up oh so slowly, then suddenly it comes out of nowhere, from a direction that is not perceived. SLOW SLOW SLOW. Meanwhile, I get to make the love to my sweetie, tend to my garden, experiment with cooking, watch TV, read comics, and play video games. What's the rush? By the Will of Allah, to good people come good things in good time, and the evil ones will get their just dues rammed into them when they least expect it, from directions they did not perceive.
Hey, I'll write back Wednesday or Thursday to wish you happy birthday. It is your birthday, isn't it? I'm such a scatterbrain sometimes! Musicians, huh?
Is it your birthday yet? It's almost time for your birthday! When is your birthday? I'm sure your birthday is coming up soon! Oh, I'm so excited! It's nearly time for my sweetie's birthday!
Well, I don't really celebrate birthdays, so I wouldn't really care if my birthday weren't celebrated. As Lilith Sternin-Crane so glibly put it: "I fail to see how the reminder of one's passing years can be a cause for celebration." I just want you to know that I (somewhat) remember your birthday, and to me everyday with you is a cause for celebration.
Now, remember that the goal of our marriage is to slow everything down, and truly love and cherish each other and our life together. Is that OK with you? Yeah, we have no privacy anyway, and I'm sure everyone else out there would love to run us both into the ground as quickly as possible just for the sake of entertainment, but that doesn't mean that we should allow them to do that. So let's slow everything down. SLOW SLOW SLOW. I'm a slow worker anyhow, lazy too, and if anyone would tell me how to create music, then they can just do so themselves without my involvement. I try to have the "Act of God" kind of approach, where things build up oh so slowly, then suddenly it comes out of nowhere, from a direction that is not perceived. SLOW SLOW SLOW. Meanwhile, I get to make the love to my sweetie, tend to my garden, experiment with cooking, watch TV, read comics, and play video games. What's the rush? By the Will of Allah, to good people come good things in good time, and the evil ones will get their just dues rammed into them when they least expect it, from directions they did not perceive.
Hey, I'll write back Wednesday or Thursday to wish you happy birthday. It is your birthday, isn't it? I'm such a scatterbrain sometimes! Musicians, huh?
Friday, October 28, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111029
Hi Julia my sweetie, how are you? Working as usual, I see. Things are rather.... strange here, as strange a little village can get. Then again, the world has become a small town. I've been spending much time in the garden, cutting and burning. THe music school is renovating, so I haven't had to go there recently. Thus, I do gardening, and enjoy my laptop as Allah allowed me to have it back recently. Alhamdulillah. It's nice to play GTA again, and all the other video games I've collected over the years (besides Krush, Kill and Destroy). Plus my comic collection, which I read while watching Shadowplay TV, which is much smoother on my old laptop, as opposed to the decrepit old computer that I had been using which I dug up from the trash. Your photos are much sharper, too. Is that your left eye gleaming while walking the Victoria's Secret runway? You be a good girl now. Remember that almost everyone is corrupt nowadays, which is out of fashion. Passe. Blah.
You and I, we waste too much of our energy on people who consider themselves self-sufficient, who try to break our hearts with their words, who refuse to show God any respect because they want to have their asses kicked. But it is not our place to kick their asses, all we can do is to turn away and leave God to deal with them eventually. Let them bark and whine, you just maintain your prayers, and don't don't pass over the sincere searchers. We pass them over because of their humility, in preference to people who have wealth and power. Don't pass them by. Please find a way to help them.
You and I, we waste too much of our energy on people who consider themselves self-sufficient, who try to break our hearts with their words, who refuse to show God any respect because they want to have their asses kicked. But it is not our place to kick their asses, all we can do is to turn away and leave God to deal with them eventually. Let them bark and whine, you just maintain your prayers, and don't don't pass over the sincere searchers. We pass them over because of their humility, in preference to people who have wealth and power. Don't pass them by. Please find a way to help them.
Qur'an 20111029
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
88. Strain not your eyes at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them, but lower your wings to the believers.
89. And say, "I am indeed he that warns openly and without ambiguity."
90. As We sent down on those who divided,
91. As have made the Qur'an into shreds.
92. Therefore, by your Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to account,
93. For all their deeds.
94. Therefore expound openly what you are commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah.
The Rocky Tract 15:88-94
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I am indeed he that warns openly and without ambiguity.
88. Strain not your eyes at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them, but lower your wings to the believers.
89. And say, "I am indeed he that warns openly and without ambiguity."
90. As We sent down on those who divided,
91. As have made the Qur'an into shreds.
92. Therefore, by your Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to account,
93. For all their deeds.
94. Therefore expound openly what you are commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah.
The Rocky Tract 15:88-94
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I am indeed he that warns openly and without ambiguity.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111026
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
So as we wait, as we wait for Allah to bring us together, it is easy to succumb to emotions of futility, and actions of despair. But I have not given up hope of our love materializing: it even seems like I'm ready to take our love to the grave, and the next life. Patience is truly a gift from Allah. Meanwhile, it is my duty to teach you what I know about the Qur'an, and others who happen to read this my love letter to you. I pray that Allah will grant you patience and resolve, and do know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful. And that God's penalty will indeed be the most grievous penalty.
Materialize? That is what most people expect out of faith, in the name of "pragmatism". They won't even open their hearts to listen to anything else! If I earn heaven, then Allah will wipe out this resentment that I feel in my heart, and the fatigue as well. Resentment in general my beloved, not for you. When the angels visited Abraham, he didn't recognize them, in fact he felt fearful of them (Al-Hijr 15:52). This is where I believe that Abraham never received any visitation from angels until he was old, therefore his awareness of God was achieved by his own intelligence, at a young age too, growing up in a family of pagans at that. Which is possibly why he is the most beloved of humans to Allah. Anyway, the angels told Abraham good news that he was about to have a son. He retorted that they brought him good news that he was old, then asked them what the good news was. They replied that they had brought the truth, and told him not to despair. He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but such as go astray?" (Al-Hijr 15:56). Then, Abraham asked the angels what their business was. They said they have been to a people in sin (Sodom and Gomorrah), excepting the followers of Lot, for they were to be saved.
Except his wife, who they have ascertained would lag behind. Do you lag behind? You are not my wife, so now I am as yet unmarried. And it is not your fault, for when on the global stage, one can only take what God gives, as the situation is out of your reach. Right? The sickness of Sodom and Gomorrah has become widespread all over the world, so much that one in my position, this "chick singer", is out of place to have a wife.
So as we wait, as we wait for Allah to bring us together, it is easy to succumb to emotions of futility, and actions of despair. But I have not given up hope of our love materializing: it even seems like I'm ready to take our love to the grave, and the next life. Patience is truly a gift from Allah. Meanwhile, it is my duty to teach you what I know about the Qur'an, and others who happen to read this my love letter to you. I pray that Allah will grant you patience and resolve, and do know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful. And that God's penalty will indeed be the most grievous penalty.
Materialize? That is what most people expect out of faith, in the name of "pragmatism". They won't even open their hearts to listen to anything else! If I earn heaven, then Allah will wipe out this resentment that I feel in my heart, and the fatigue as well. Resentment in general my beloved, not for you. When the angels visited Abraham, he didn't recognize them, in fact he felt fearful of them (Al-Hijr 15:52). This is where I believe that Abraham never received any visitation from angels until he was old, therefore his awareness of God was achieved by his own intelligence, at a young age too, growing up in a family of pagans at that. Which is possibly why he is the most beloved of humans to Allah. Anyway, the angels told Abraham good news that he was about to have a son. He retorted that they brought him good news that he was old, then asked them what the good news was. They replied that they had brought the truth, and told him not to despair. He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but such as go astray?" (Al-Hijr 15:56). Then, Abraham asked the angels what their business was. They said they have been to a people in sin (Sodom and Gomorrah), excepting the followers of Lot, for they were to be saved.
Except his wife, who they have ascertained would lag behind. Do you lag behind? You are not my wife, so now I am as yet unmarried. And it is not your fault, for when on the global stage, one can only take what God gives, as the situation is out of your reach. Right? The sickness of Sodom and Gomorrah has become widespread all over the world, so much that one in my position, this "chick singer", is out of place to have a wife.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111024
YOOOOOOLIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!
Hi Julia! No, I'm not upset with you: you are my girl, my love, my beautiful Julia. If anything, what I am is proud of you, and protective of you. I don't want you to get hurt, or come into any harm. I want you to be happy, I want us to be happy together. But we must remember my dearest, that this world is not perfect, but we can have strong resolve, so that we can earn perfection in the next life. Sure, we make mistakes, but we must try with all our might to be good and faithful and righteous, in the sight of Allah. Then Allah will make the world recognize us as righteous people.
Hi Julia! No, I'm not upset with you: you are my girl, my love, my beautiful Julia. If anything, what I am is proud of you, and protective of you. I don't want you to get hurt, or come into any harm. I want you to be happy, I want us to be happy together. But we must remember my dearest, that this world is not perfect, but we can have strong resolve, so that we can earn perfection in the next life. Sure, we make mistakes, but we must try with all our might to be good and faithful and righteous, in the sight of Allah. Then Allah will make the world recognize us as righteous people.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111022
"She's got a ticket to ride, and she don't care!" It's nice to be the woman, huh? Men have to become soldiers, and stuff like that. Can you live without me?
Well, I do want you, and you to be my bride. What matters most is that you be sincere with God, and maintain your prayers. Try to make your business revolve around your prayers. Think you can do that? In times of chaos, the most important thing to do is maintain your prayers. It is the order and consistency sanctified by Allah, it is the soothing security amidst the loss of control. I believe that making business revolve around your prayers is the greatest form of control a human can have, insyaAllah.
Have you ever met an angel? I have. Perhaps someday, I will describe the encounter. Allah only sends angels to decide a matter and they generally appear in human form, so a visit from an angel would not benefit a skeptic. Skeptics believe in what their ancestors practised, and that illumination and intoxication are one and the same.
Well, I do want you, and you to be my bride. What matters most is that you be sincere with God, and maintain your prayers. Try to make your business revolve around your prayers. Think you can do that? In times of chaos, the most important thing to do is maintain your prayers. It is the order and consistency sanctified by Allah, it is the soothing security amidst the loss of control. I believe that making business revolve around your prayers is the greatest form of control a human can have, insyaAllah.
Have you ever met an angel? I have. Perhaps someday, I will describe the encounter. Allah only sends angels to decide a matter and they generally appear in human form, so a visit from an angel would not benefit a skeptic. Skeptics believe in what their ancestors practised, and that illumination and intoxication are one and the same.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111020
Yay! I finally got my old laptop running again! Alhamdulillah! Thanks, Mom! Thus, I can continue work on "Woo Hoo". I started "Woo Hoo" way back in 2006, while I was still in the USA. Actually, it goes back even further than that, when the mysterious piano player put down his part on one of the songs, way back in 1993 (I think) while I was still living in Salt Lake City. Yeah, I'm slow, but since this is a labor of love, and love for Allah, I totally intend to be finicky and meticulous in the production of this album. SLOW SLOW SLOW. Anyway, I don't usually give away the concept of a concept album, but since I'm being so slow, I might as well this time. Not that it's going to make me work any faster on future albums. Anyway again, "Woo Hoo" is a concept album about the Curse of Allah on those who impose interest and slavery. The story will be told from the perspective of evil, except the last word will be from Allah. I'll probably be misunderstood anyway, but oh well. It is not the Plan of Allah to guide everyone. It is part of the general warning that all will be brought to face their deeds on Judgement Day.
I am in the process of finishing off the instrumental tracks, just tidying up and making sure everything is in place, so I don't have to backtrack. Then I will do the vocal tracks, which may take forever. God, I hate chick singers sometimes: damn divas! Then I will complete the storyline, which may take forever again. After that, the whole thing will be taken to America for the mysterious piano player to do his piano parts. I may have to go with the album to Salt Lake City. How many years so far? 5 years since 2006. Finally, it will be mastering, pressing/packaging, and distribution. Then maybe I'll set up a stall by the roadside, and sell mangos and cds. Might as well, seeing how destitute I've been kept.
But I'm sure Allah has a better plan for the music if it pleases Allah. InsyaAllah. I love you, Julia!
I am in the process of finishing off the instrumental tracks, just tidying up and making sure everything is in place, so I don't have to backtrack. Then I will do the vocal tracks, which may take forever. God, I hate chick singers sometimes: damn divas! Then I will complete the storyline, which may take forever again. After that, the whole thing will be taken to America for the mysterious piano player to do his piano parts. I may have to go with the album to Salt Lake City. How many years so far? 5 years since 2006. Finally, it will be mastering, pressing/packaging, and distribution. Then maybe I'll set up a stall by the roadside, and sell mangos and cds. Might as well, seeing how destitute I've been kept.
But I'm sure Allah has a better plan for the music if it pleases Allah. InsyaAllah. I love you, Julia!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111018
YOOOOOLIIIIIIEEEEEE!
Hello, my luscious beauty! Do you believe? We all run out of time, Julia. So, now is your, and others who believe, time to maintain regular prayers, and spend out of the sustenance that God has given you, secretly and openly, before the time comes when there can be no more deals, and no more making friends.
I'm sure you've seen me nowadays. I really don't have much to give at all. I've been eating amra, and cooking everything out of my rice pot. You must have observed from way over there wherever you are how so many people make money off the music while I get nothing? It's obvious to the world, isn't it? I can only ask Allah to provide me with the few worldly things I desire, and better yet, an honored place in heaven. But what do I want right now? Ya Allah, please give me my Julia, and a home with all the necessary things to make us secure and happy together. Please make us great Muslims with good health, beauty, and safety together, with beautiful, happy, healthy, and pious children. Please give me a small local car, and a truck for the big hauls if I have the room for it. Please give me what I need to experiment, record and perform music, therefore I don't have a precise list of items I need: creative experimentation is a go-with-the-flow thing for the purpose of staying unique and ahead, as You know. Please give me the parts I need to fix my old laptop so I can continue my work on "Woo Hoo", and also a modern console computer, and the tiniest laptop for me to take anywhere and everywhere. Please stabilize my finances so I never have to worry about money ever again: I don't want to be filthy stinking rich, I just want to complete my work/worship in comfort, and eat well.
You should ask Allah for what you want as well, Julia.
Hello, my luscious beauty! Do you believe? We all run out of time, Julia. So, now is your, and others who believe, time to maintain regular prayers, and spend out of the sustenance that God has given you, secretly and openly, before the time comes when there can be no more deals, and no more making friends.
I'm sure you've seen me nowadays. I really don't have much to give at all. I've been eating amra, and cooking everything out of my rice pot. You must have observed from way over there wherever you are how so many people make money off the music while I get nothing? It's obvious to the world, isn't it? I can only ask Allah to provide me with the few worldly things I desire, and better yet, an honored place in heaven. But what do I want right now? Ya Allah, please give me my Julia, and a home with all the necessary things to make us secure and happy together. Please make us great Muslims with good health, beauty, and safety together, with beautiful, happy, healthy, and pious children. Please give me a small local car, and a truck for the big hauls if I have the room for it. Please give me what I need to experiment, record and perform music, therefore I don't have a precise list of items I need: creative experimentation is a go-with-the-flow thing for the purpose of staying unique and ahead, as You know. Please give me the parts I need to fix my old laptop so I can continue my work on "Woo Hoo", and also a modern console computer, and the tiniest laptop for me to take anywhere and everywhere. Please stabilize my finances so I never have to worry about money ever again: I don't want to be filthy stinking rich, I just want to complete my work/worship in comfort, and eat well.
You should ask Allah for what you want as well, Julia.
Qur'an 20111018
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
30. And they set up as equal to Allah, to mislead from the Path! Say, "Enjoy! But verily you are making straightway for hell!"
Abraham 14:30
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Enjoy! But verily you are making straightway for hell!
30. And they set up as equal to Allah, to mislead from the Path! Say, "Enjoy! But verily you are making straightway for hell!"
Abraham 14:30
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Enjoy! But verily you are making straightway for hell!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111017
You are a beauty, Julia! Ah, how I LOVE the way you look. Please don't change a thing about yourself, you are the perfect girl for me, how I love you so. I love your intensity, I love your lips, I love your neck, I love your nose, truly you are the most beautiful girl in the world to me.
There's always something to do in this yard. The trees are big and fully grown, and I can't take all of them down even if I wanted to. I've been clearing out the back, by the cesspool. It's doesn't smell like anything, there's just too much vegetation there growing by a ditch which is the neighbor's property. It needs to be bricked up, but it must be cleared out first. Now my parents want me to clear out the entire area which belongs to my mother's family, which is a lot of work, and I'm slow. I work like an ant, I have an increasing pile of work to do, I have more work to do than anyone I know, and I'm rather lazy as well. Only human, you know. Anyway, there's nothing harder to clear than tree stumps, and the ground here is too hard to dig all by my lonesome. I will need a machine for some of this work.
Ah, you must be the practical and shrewd half of our affectionate pair! You ponder on every word of each contract and agreement to make sure you get the best monies thereof, and the best loan factor. Perhaps you perceive that what is practical for us is to have a house large enough to fit your 2000 piece fine china collection, with a walk-in air conditioned closet filled with $10,000 dresses, expensive jewelery, plus extensive hat and shoe collection, for it reflects our rockstar and supermodel couple status. I do not want to restrict you, but I say I am practical and shrewd as you, plus I'm older than you, and I don't want to drag around superfluous and heavy glitter that I don't need. I want to grow slowly, because I have yet to truly know you, my beloved Julia, and our little house grows gradually with the roots of our love and family. Like a tree. And didn't I say you can have an entire room for your wardrobe? Instead of being the flashy and extravagant wealthy celebrity couple who intent on showing off their power and popularity, we are a spiritual and humble wealthy reclusive couple who focus on our love and happiness together. And to do it all without oppressing the poor by consuming interest. InsyaAllah.
There's always something to do in this yard. The trees are big and fully grown, and I can't take all of them down even if I wanted to. I've been clearing out the back, by the cesspool. It's doesn't smell like anything, there's just too much vegetation there growing by a ditch which is the neighbor's property. It needs to be bricked up, but it must be cleared out first. Now my parents want me to clear out the entire area which belongs to my mother's family, which is a lot of work, and I'm slow. I work like an ant, I have an increasing pile of work to do, I have more work to do than anyone I know, and I'm rather lazy as well. Only human, you know. Anyway, there's nothing harder to clear than tree stumps, and the ground here is too hard to dig all by my lonesome. I will need a machine for some of this work.
Ah, you must be the practical and shrewd half of our affectionate pair! You ponder on every word of each contract and agreement to make sure you get the best monies thereof, and the best loan factor. Perhaps you perceive that what is practical for us is to have a house large enough to fit your 2000 piece fine china collection, with a walk-in air conditioned closet filled with $10,000 dresses, expensive jewelery, plus extensive hat and shoe collection, for it reflects our rockstar and supermodel couple status. I do not want to restrict you, but I say I am practical and shrewd as you, plus I'm older than you, and I don't want to drag around superfluous and heavy glitter that I don't need. I want to grow slowly, because I have yet to truly know you, my beloved Julia, and our little house grows gradually with the roots of our love and family. Like a tree. And didn't I say you can have an entire room for your wardrobe? Instead of being the flashy and extravagant wealthy celebrity couple who intent on showing off their power and popularity, we are a spiritual and humble wealthy reclusive couple who focus on our love and happiness together. And to do it all without oppressing the poor by consuming interest. InsyaAllah.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111015
Aw, c'mon Julia! I really prefer small houses, because it's within my strength to maintain! Sure, this house may not look like much right now, but once I jazz it up, you'll never look at a big house ever again. Besides, like I said before, we can build extensions as necessary, and only children would make that necessary. We'll find a way to park your Mercedes-Benz in the back where no one can look at it, OK? All I need is a small local car. But most likely, we'll just be riding our motorcycles everywhere: it's easier to park! We can go and sip tea in the yard if you're feeling confined, I'll even hook up an extension to your satellite TV so you can watch the Bundesliga underneath the mango tree. You can even watch it in bed if you like, just don't make me look at it, because it might turn me off. I've never had much of a taste for watching a bunch of men running around on a field, so I'll have my own TV. Shadowplay TV, of course. The randomizer is the programmer for Shadowplay TV, so that I guess means Allah takes over my computer and chooses the show for me. Lately "Jurassic Park" and "Arrisalah" has been playing repeatedly. But seriously Julia, please don't desire a big house, I really like small houses, with the perfect amount of room and possessions.
Why, do you have female buddies that have become refugees because they converted to Islam? We can't allow them to go back to an oppressive situation. Anyway, I've gotten rather fond of this little yard I have. I've just been observing the miniature vines grow. There are some that have blue flowers and some that have yellow flowers. These ground vines don't grow tall, and they are very pretty. My garden is mostly being taken over by clover which doesn't have flowers, but they attract hundreds of tiny grey butterflies about 1/2 inch across.
Of course I must be grateful for what Allah gives me. That is partially why I am satisfied with a small house. But if Allah gives me more, then I must be appreciative of that as well. I tell you again Julia, I have the strength for a small house insyaAllah, and if I were to have a large house, then I would probably choose a small space to call my own. You and the kids can maintain the rest of the house, just remember that good help is very hard to find. In general, we must try to keep things small, and grow as slowly as possible. With that in mind, make sure you keep all your valuable contacts (friends, medical, industrial, etc) written down on paper. It doesn't matter which part of the planet they are, Mrs. Global. Me? Allah is my friend. InsyaAllah.
Why, do you have female buddies that have become refugees because they converted to Islam? We can't allow them to go back to an oppressive situation. Anyway, I've gotten rather fond of this little yard I have. I've just been observing the miniature vines grow. There are some that have blue flowers and some that have yellow flowers. These ground vines don't grow tall, and they are very pretty. My garden is mostly being taken over by clover which doesn't have flowers, but they attract hundreds of tiny grey butterflies about 1/2 inch across.
Of course I must be grateful for what Allah gives me. That is partially why I am satisfied with a small house. But if Allah gives me more, then I must be appreciative of that as well. I tell you again Julia, I have the strength for a small house insyaAllah, and if I were to have a large house, then I would probably choose a small space to call my own. You and the kids can maintain the rest of the house, just remember that good help is very hard to find. In general, we must try to keep things small, and grow as slowly as possible. With that in mind, make sure you keep all your valuable contacts (friends, medical, industrial, etc) written down on paper. It doesn't matter which part of the planet they are, Mrs. Global. Me? Allah is my friend. InsyaAllah.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111012
Now, all this poverty seems like some sort of plot, especially considering the level of influence the music brings. You know, what is called a conspiracy theory. How else to exert power except by plotting and planning? There is no other way. Even in the smallest circles and tiniest villages, much plotting and planning occurs.
True, I am not a prophet. I am a servant of Allah. My leader is prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), so if I were conveying any sort of message, it would be the same message as prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). This has been my mode of operation for many years already, and becoming more and more fine-tuned as I gain more wisdom and understanding of the Qur'an, insyaAllah. Ever since America. So if there, rather since there is plotting against me, then they are plotting against my Islam because I serve to please Allah with music, therefore they are unbelievers (kafir). Ever since America. What's odd is that I have no desire for fame or power or great wealth, other than to live well and happily with my Julia in this small house, and to please Allah with music.
True, I am not a prophet. I am a servant of Allah. My leader is prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), so if I were conveying any sort of message, it would be the same message as prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). This has been my mode of operation for many years already, and becoming more and more fine-tuned as I gain more wisdom and understanding of the Qur'an, insyaAllah. Ever since America. So if there, rather since there is plotting against me, then they are plotting against my Islam because I serve to please Allah with music, therefore they are unbelievers (kafir). Ever since America. What's odd is that I have no desire for fame or power or great wealth, other than to live well and happily with my Julia in this small house, and to please Allah with music.
Qur'an 20111012
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
42. Those before them did devise plots, but in all things the master-planning is Allah's. God knows the doings of every soul, and soon will the unbelievers know who gets home in the end.
43. The unbelievers say, "No messenger are you." Say, "Enough for a witness between me and you is Allah, and such as have knowledge of the Book."
The Thunder 13:42-43
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Enough for a witness between me and you is Allah, and such as have knowledge of the Book.
42. Those before them did devise plots, but in all things the master-planning is Allah's. God knows the doings of every soul, and soon will the unbelievers know who gets home in the end.
43. The unbelievers say, "No messenger are you." Say, "Enough for a witness between me and you is Allah, and such as have knowledge of the Book."
The Thunder 13:42-43
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Enough for a witness between me and you is Allah, and such as have knowledge of the Book.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111010
So, you are my mate, come and dance with me and follow my lead. As the dominoes fall, we shall see that there is no such thing as coincidence or luck, it's just that our human scope is too meager to notice the connections and nuances. Or we are simply too self-absorbed to care about anything else than "what's in it for me."
I finally got all that trash burned even though most of it was wet, there were enough dry pieces to burn up the rest. Just in time for the next storm, too: it's getting rather dark out there. I don't know if I would get a chance to blog my love for you today. I have to fry some fish for my Mom, hang up her wash, then cook my own meal. Today's menu is teriyaki beef, then I have to cook up a batch of chili. A batch of chili takes hours to brew, but I should be able to get it done while I do my vocal training and gardening in the afternoon. There's still much to do: I have to clean out all the vegetation in the path of the brick wall I plan to build. Which is not easy, because the plants here regenerate very quickly. Please forgive me for not starting on the inside yet, as it is, I'm too lazy to even keep up with myself. But insyaAllah, I'll put in a more vaunted effort once the modifications have taken place. For now, the yard looks better than the house, so the first thing to do is to paint the outside wall. No money for paint yet!
I finally got all that trash burned even though most of it was wet, there were enough dry pieces to burn up the rest. Just in time for the next storm, too: it's getting rather dark out there. I don't know if I would get a chance to blog my love for you today. I have to fry some fish for my Mom, hang up her wash, then cook my own meal. Today's menu is teriyaki beef, then I have to cook up a batch of chili. A batch of chili takes hours to brew, but I should be able to get it done while I do my vocal training and gardening in the afternoon. There's still much to do: I have to clean out all the vegetation in the path of the brick wall I plan to build. Which is not easy, because the plants here regenerate very quickly. Please forgive me for not starting on the inside yet, as it is, I'm too lazy to even keep up with myself. But insyaAllah, I'll put in a more vaunted effort once the modifications have taken place. For now, the yard looks better than the house, so the first thing to do is to paint the outside wall. No money for paint yet!
Qur'an 20111011
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
30. Thus have We sent you among a people before whom have peoples passed away, in order that you might rehearse unto them what We sent down unto you by inspiration. Yet do they reject the Compassionate One! Say, "God is my Lord! There is no god but God! On God is my trust, and to God do I turn!"
31. If there were a Qur'an with which mountains were moved, or the earth were cloven asunder, or the dead were made to speak... but truly, the command is with Allah in all things! Do not the believers know, that had Allah willed, God could have guided all humankind? But the unbelievers, never will disaster cease to seize them for their deeds, or settle close to their homes, until the Promise of Allah comes to pass, for verily, Allah will not fail in God's promise.
32. Mocked were the messengers before you, but God granted respite to the unbelievers, and finally God punished them. Then how was God's requital!
33. Is then God Who stands over every soul, over all it does...? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah. Say, "But name them! Is it that you will inform God of something God knows not on earth, or is it a show of words?" No, to those who believe not, their pretence seems pleasing, but they are kept back from the Path. And those whom Allah leaves to stray, no one can guide.
34. For them is a penalty in the life of this world, but harder is the penalty of the Hereafter, and they have no defender against Allah.
35. The parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised: beneath it flow rivers, perpetual is the enjoyment thereof and the shade therein. Such is the end of the righteous, and the end of the unbelievers is the fire.
36. Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what has been revealed unto you. But there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof. Say, "I am commmanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with God. Unto God do I call, and unto God is my return."
The Thunder 13:30-36
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God is my Lord! There is no god but God! On God is my trust, and to God do I turn!
But name them! Is it that you will inform God of something God knows not on earth, or is it a show of words?
I am commmanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with God. Unto God do I call, and unto God is my return.
30. Thus have We sent you among a people before whom have peoples passed away, in order that you might rehearse unto them what We sent down unto you by inspiration. Yet do they reject the Compassionate One! Say, "God is my Lord! There is no god but God! On God is my trust, and to God do I turn!"
31. If there were a Qur'an with which mountains were moved, or the earth were cloven asunder, or the dead were made to speak... but truly, the command is with Allah in all things! Do not the believers know, that had Allah willed, God could have guided all humankind? But the unbelievers, never will disaster cease to seize them for their deeds, or settle close to their homes, until the Promise of Allah comes to pass, for verily, Allah will not fail in God's promise.
32. Mocked were the messengers before you, but God granted respite to the unbelievers, and finally God punished them. Then how was God's requital!
33. Is then God Who stands over every soul, over all it does...? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah. Say, "But name them! Is it that you will inform God of something God knows not on earth, or is it a show of words?" No, to those who believe not, their pretence seems pleasing, but they are kept back from the Path. And those whom Allah leaves to stray, no one can guide.
34. For them is a penalty in the life of this world, but harder is the penalty of the Hereafter, and they have no defender against Allah.
35. The parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised: beneath it flow rivers, perpetual is the enjoyment thereof and the shade therein. Such is the end of the righteous, and the end of the unbelievers is the fire.
36. Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what has been revealed unto you. But there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof. Say, "I am commmanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with God. Unto God do I call, and unto God is my return."
The Thunder 13:30-36
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God is my Lord! There is no god but God! On God is my trust, and to God do I turn!
But name them! Is it that you will inform God of something God knows not on earth, or is it a show of words?
I am commmanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with God. Unto God do I call, and unto God is my return.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Letter to Julia 20111010
YOOOOOLIIIIIEEEEEE!
Do you know what I miss the most about the city, Julia? It's all the stuff I accumulated before I got ousted from my home and possessions. Sure, it's because I was forced to quit the pizza job, and when I did 5 hours of kitchen work yesterday, the pain in my leg remended me why. I sometimes think that I should have been allowed sustenance as a musician while I was there, but that's all passe now. Anyway, the American brands are of course hard to get over here, but what are the American brands anymore? Everything is made in China, or somewhere in Asia nowadays. I guess I mean the musical instruments, and stuff like that. But it's not even that, that I miss. It's the accumulation of the little things like my collection of plugs, adaptors, and transformers, the antiques and uniques, like my Intel PC featuring a DX386 CPU with a math co-processor which I used only for recording music but it also had a 14.4 kbps modem which allowed me to surf the web way back in 1998, a 3W stereo tube amp which I found at a yard sale, which electrocuted me every time I touched it but drove a pair of 2" speakers like a screaming banshee, my itty-bitty mp3 randomizer with a battery powered fm transmitter relay system which broadcast Shadowplay Radio 24 hours everyday waaaaay below 1W, my tiny little 2.1 stereo system with just a 4" speaker for the subwoofer, but it was the loudest compact vocal amp I ever experienced such as the neighbors complained about the volume on numerous occasions. Not that I wanted to rile the neighbors, but the number of people getting upset about the music is a gauge of Rock and Roll. But as for the city itself, I don't miss it at all.
Of course there was all that music that was lost, which was crap anyway because I had no wisdom back then, but they are my memories, the witnesses to how deep into the abyss I ventured when Allah saved me every time. And I did wander aimlessly, I wasn't searching for Allah because I never really lost my faith, but I wandered for the sake of music business. Allah was and is my only friend on countless occasions, I truly appreciate that. So when I got older, I gave the music back to Allah. I guess that means that the music is for Allah. I wouldn't call the music a collection of hymns though. It's still rock music.
Do you know what I miss the most about the city, Julia? It's all the stuff I accumulated before I got ousted from my home and possessions. Sure, it's because I was forced to quit the pizza job, and when I did 5 hours of kitchen work yesterday, the pain in my leg remended me why. I sometimes think that I should have been allowed sustenance as a musician while I was there, but that's all passe now. Anyway, the American brands are of course hard to get over here, but what are the American brands anymore? Everything is made in China, or somewhere in Asia nowadays. I guess I mean the musical instruments, and stuff like that. But it's not even that, that I miss. It's the accumulation of the little things like my collection of plugs, adaptors, and transformers, the antiques and uniques, like my Intel PC featuring a DX386 CPU with a math co-processor which I used only for recording music but it also had a 14.4 kbps modem which allowed me to surf the web way back in 1998, a 3W stereo tube amp which I found at a yard sale, which electrocuted me every time I touched it but drove a pair of 2" speakers like a screaming banshee, my itty-bitty mp3 randomizer with a battery powered fm transmitter relay system which broadcast Shadowplay Radio 24 hours everyday waaaaay below 1W, my tiny little 2.1 stereo system with just a 4" speaker for the subwoofer, but it was the loudest compact vocal amp I ever experienced such as the neighbors complained about the volume on numerous occasions. Not that I wanted to rile the neighbors, but the number of people getting upset about the music is a gauge of Rock and Roll. But as for the city itself, I don't miss it at all.
Of course there was all that music that was lost, which was crap anyway because I had no wisdom back then, but they are my memories, the witnesses to how deep into the abyss I ventured when Allah saved me every time. And I did wander aimlessly, I wasn't searching for Allah because I never really lost my faith, but I wandered for the sake of music business. Allah was and is my only friend on countless occasions, I truly appreciate that. So when I got older, I gave the music back to Allah. I guess that means that the music is for Allah. I wouldn't call the music a collection of hymns though. It's still rock music.
Qur'an 20111010
In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.
27. The unbelievers say, "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "Truly Allah leaves to stray whom God will, but God guides to Godself those who turn to God in penitence."
The Thunder 13:27
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Truly Allah leaves to stray whom God will, but God guides to Godself those who turn to God in penitence.
27. The unbelievers say, "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "Truly Allah leaves to stray whom God will, but God guides to Godself those who turn to God in penitence."
The Thunder 13:27
--------------------------------------------------------------
Truly Allah leaves to stray whom God will, but God guides to Godself those who turn to God in penitence.
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