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20:00:00 12/19/11
Havel the Dissident: A Legacy Worth Claiming
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 20:00:00 12/19/11
Former President Havel addresses a European cultural congress on the economics of culture
On a warm evening in 1991, a colleague and I found an out-of-the-way café in the old part of Prague. Two men with blank expressions stood outside. The interior was dim and close, with room for only eight or nine tables. The place was almost empty. Just a sleepy waitress, a bartender polishing glasses, and a single patron who sat alone drinking wine and chain-smoking cigarettes.
The President of Czechoslovakia wasn't reviewing official papers. He was reading a book, a startlingly un-Presidential act to our American eyes. My companion, a neoconservative State Department official, already admired him for defying and defeating a Communist state. He'd impressed me by bringing a writer's sensibility and an affinity for true underground culture to his role as head of state.
Václav Havel even tried to appoint Frank Zappa as his Minister of Culture. "We're not rock musicians," Zappa told a reporter back in the sixties. "We're electronic social workers." The State Department wouldn't let Zappa assume the post, but Havel had made his point to the Czech public by offering this apparatchik's position to the composer of songs like "What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?" ("Some say your nose, some say your toes, but I think it's your mind .")
We never spoke to Havel that night. It didn't seem polite to offer anything more than the curt nod of acknowledgement any café patron gives another at that hour. But Havel spoke to us, to all of us. And on the occasion of his death, the real lessons of his life's work are in danger of being lost.
Today we're told that the Occupy movement is too idealistic, too naïve. Naïve? Try Havel's words if you want naïve: "May truth and love triumph over lies and hatred."
Think of that as the Velvet Revolution's "one demand."
Portrait of the President as a Young Freak
As millions of people know, the underground playwright Havel first made his political mark in Charter 77. That group was formed to defend the Plastic People of the Universe, a banned and imprisoned rock band working in the Zappa mold of musical dissonance and cultural dissidence.
The Occupy movement is not on the cultural fringe, despite what its detractors say. But Havel's movement began as a Yippie-like creature of the underworld. Charter 77 rarely had more than a thousand members. It was a strange blend of political idealism and the hippie subculture where people proudly labeled themselves "freaks" to the conventional world. Despite its later alignment with economically conservative forces, it was more Allen Ginsburg than Alan Greenspan.
And it was created to defend the Plastic People of the Universe, whose grating music makes Occupy's drum circles seem like a children's choir serenading the bored residents of a home for aging veterans.
Words
Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité - what wonderful words! And how terrifying their meaning can be! Freedom in the shirt unbuttoned before execution. Equality in the constant speed of the guillotine's fall on different necks. Fraternity in some dubious paradise ...
Havel addressed the liberal democratic West on words in the 1970s, noting that the suppression of speech can give language enormous power: >
I ... live in a country where a writers' congress speech is capable of shaking the system ... a manifesto served as one of the pretexts for the invasion of our country one night by five foreign armies ... a system in which words are capable of shaking the entire structure of government, where words can prove mightier than ten military divisions.
When a system has become inflexible and is in danger of collapsing, what it fears most is words. Think about that the next time you see a phalanx of cops tear down a tent city on television.
Havel had been burned by language, too: >
The same word can at one moment radiate great hope, at another it can emit lethal rays ... true at one moment and false the next, at one moment illuminating, at another, deceptive. On one occasion it can open up glorious horizons, on another, it can lay down the tracks to an entire archipelago of concentration camps.
And as we approach an election year that will be filled with the rhetoric of freedom, this observation still resonates: >
The same word can at one time be the cornerstone of peace, while at another time machine-gun fire resounds in its every syllable.
Control
In 1975 Havel had the presumption to write directly to Czechoslovakian head of state Gustáv Husák with a few suggestions. There's more than a passing resemblance between the fear-driven Communist society Havel condemned in that letter and the financial anxiety many Americans endure today: >
The technique of existential pressure is ... universal. There is no one in our country who is not, in a broad sense, existentially vulnerable. Everyone has something to lose and so everyone has reason to be afraid. The range of things one can lose is broad, extending from the manifold privileges of the ruling caste... down to the mere possibility of living in that limited degree of legal certainty available to other citizens.
Today, one out of two Americans lives in financial insecurity. Even many upper-middle-class citizens live from month to month, just one layoff notice away from medical bankruptcy or home foreclosure.
"Everyone has something to lose," observed Havel.
Havel's description of his 20th Century Communist society echoes our own: >
The more completely one abandons any hope of general reform, any interest in suprapersonal goals and values, or any chance of exercising influence in an 'outward' direction, the more one's energy is diverted in the direction of least resistance, that is, 'inwards.'"
People today are preoccupied far more with themselves ... They fill their homes with all kinds of appliances and pretty things, they try to improve their accommodations, they try to make life pleasant for themselves, building cottages, looking after their cars, taking more interest in food and clothing and domestic comfort ...They turn their main attention to the material aspects of their private lives.
Havel concluded that "Despair leads to apathy, apathy to conformity, and conformity to routine (political) performance - which is then quoted as evidence of 'mass political involvement.'"
Ambition
Havel understood the psychology of greed and power, too. From his letter to Husák: >
If it is fear which lies behind people's defensive attempts to preserve what they have, it becomes increasingly apparent that the chief impulses for their aggressive efforts to win what they do not yet possess are selfishness and careerism.
It is not surprising that so many public and influential positions are occupied more than ever before by notorious careerists, opportunists, charlatans, and men of dubious record.
From Prague to Washington, from Moscow to lower Manhattan, the opportunities change. But human nature never does: >
Seldom in recent times has a social system offered scope so openly and so brazenly to people willing to support anything as long as it brings them some advantage; to unprincipled and spineless men, prepared to do anything in their craving for power and personal gain; to born lackeys, ready for any humiliation and willing at all times to sacrifice their neighbors' and their own honor for a chance to ingratiate themselves with those in power.
Technocracy
It's a historical irony that those who claim they'll govern with the most efficiency usually wind up governing with the least effectiveness. Today corporate-funded politicians from both parties argue that the country should be led by "technocrats' who'll govern without messy "ideologies."
That's a false premise Havel knew well. He called it the "process by which power becomes anonymous and depersonalized, reduced to a mere technology of rule and manipulation."
Washington's technocratic "bipartisans" dream of a world where, in Havel's words, the "professional ruler is (seen as) the 'innocent' tool of an 'innocent' anonymous power ... legitimized by science, cybernetics, ideology, law, abstraction, and objectivity - that is, by everything except personal responsibility to human beings as persons and neighbors." Havel's Prague is our Beltway: >
States grow ever more machinelike; people are transformed into statistical choruses of voters, producers, consumers, patients, tourists, or soldiers, (where) in politics good and evil, categories of the natural world and therefore obsolete remnants of the past, lose all absolute meaning (and where) the sole method of politics is quantifiable success.
Havel condemned a system of state-orchestrated political theater, and the self-perpetuating failures of imagination which mistook the indifferent and pro forma participation of its citizens for genuine democracy. And he saw its universal nature: >
(It) has a thousand masks, variants, and expressions. Essentially, though, it is the same universal trend ... the essential trait of all modern civilization, growing directly from its spiritual structure, rooted in it by a thousand tangled tendrils and inseparable even in thought from its technological nature, its mass characteristics, and its consumer orientation.
"The contemporary concept of 'normal' behavior is," Havel wrote, "deeply pessimistic."
Responsibility
"I favor 'antipolitical politics,'" said Havel, "politics not as the technology of power and manipulation, of cybernetic rule over humans or as the art of the utilitarian, but politics as one of the ways of seeking and achieving meaningful lives, of protecting them and serving them." >
I favor politics as practical morality, as service to the truth, as essentially human and humanly measured care for our fellow humans.
None of us--as an individual--can save the world as a whole, but . . . each of us must behave as though it were in his power to do so.
Decades later he said this to the leaders of Western countries: >
Today, more than ever before in the history of mankind, everything is interrelated ... Because of this, the future of the United States or the European Union is being decided in suffering Sarajevo or Mostar, in the plundered Brazilian rain forests, in the wretched poverty of Bangladesh or Somalia.
Havel had glaring faults. American neocons offered him small favors during his final rise to power. He reciprocated, consciously or unconsciously, by aiding their destructive military ventures and adopting their foolish economic policies. He succumbed to the politics of personality, both his own and those of the leaders who courted him. But it would be a shame if that's all the world remembered.
Havel seemed unhappy in the role of leader. It's possible than he lost sight of his deepest insights, his truest gifts. It was the outsider Havel, the dreamer of the impossible, the surrealist and absurdist, we should remember. That's the Havel who can and should inspire dissidents everywhere.
"Is the human word truly powerful enough to change the world and influence history?" he once asked. With his life and his words, Václav Havel gave us his answer. He showed us the power in each individual and the responsibility that accompanies that power.
At his best, and above all else, Havel was a dissident outsider who realized his power and used it. Now it's our turn.
7 Views
07:20:25 08/02/11
FMK:Your Woman Must Be Willing to Grow With You (Relationship Advice)
[LESS INFO] 7 VIEWS | ADDED 07:20:25 08/02/11
"The Tao of Freddie's Modern Kung Fu (FMK) is a Martial Arts/Spiritual Life Development Academy on YouTube that specializes in the development of the body, mind, and soul. Freddie teaches on all aspects of life. Freddie's Martial Arts teachings are highly inspired by Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do and his life lessons come from his innate wisdom within that had been sparked by his understanding of the ancient wisdom of Eastern Philosophy, specifically Buddha, Lao-Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Lieh Tzu, Osho, J.Krishnamurti, Eckhart Tolle, Tao, Zen, Tantra, Abraham Maslow, Erich Fromm, and others. Freddie is serving the public as a: 1) Fitness Trainer 2) Martial Arts Instructor 3) Relationship Counselor 4) Spiritual Guide If you have interest in becoming an Official Online Disciple in which to gain access to private instructional survival combat technique videos. Please view this video ""FMK: Official Disciple Exercise Requirements"": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULWNP6gtm34 and read the description section of the video. There are fitness requirements that need to be met before access to the private videos are allowed. There may also be minimal fees that will be charged to gain access to the videos. Payments will be accepted via PayPal. Personal and private instruction is available in Chicago, IL. Personalized videos on Fitness, Martial Arts, and Life Lessons can be purchased via PayPal. Contact Freddie at FreddiesModernKungFu@live.com SPREADING POSITIVE ENERGY The time I put into teaching is not profit motivated, it is out of compassion from the heart. If you feel any videos have provided you with positive energy, please give back by spreading this energy onto others with your outlook in life and also with sharing them videos I or other great sages listed have created. Any donations will also be gladly accepted by emailing: FreddiesModernKungFu@live.com. ADD FREDDIE ON FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/freddielee28?ref=profile RECOMMENDED WEBSITES OSHO one of the greatest sages ever: http://www.youtube.com/user/oshointernational?blend=1
4 Views
15:48:00 05/03/11
Garden Grows Community Care
[LESS INFO] 4 VIEWS | ADDED 15:48:00 05/03/11
Spiritual fulfillment can be found in a lot of places; in nature, hard work, and community. Lilla Marigza shows us how some volunteers went outside church walls to feed bodies, and souls.
413 Views
02:00:00 11/11/10
10 questions with Jeff Potter of Cooking for Geeks
[LESS INFO] 413 VIEWS | ADDED 02:00:00 11/11/10
Working at O'Reilly Media headquarters, I'd been hearing the buzz about the new book Cooking for Geeks for quite some time, so I was thrilled when I saw author Jeff Potter filming a video in the Make: Labs on how to hack your slow cooker into a sous vide rig. Anyone interested in the science behind food and cooking needs to grab a copy of this unique and fascinating book. Check out the video Jeff was filming for a taste, and then hear what he has to say to 10 questions we asked.
Subscribe to the MAKE Podcast in iTunes , download the m4v video directly, or watch it on YouTube and Vimeo .
1. What inspired you to write Cooking for Geeks?
I so want to answer "I was hungry!" and leave it at that. I'm lucky to have parents that took time to cook with me as a kid growing up -- food and cooking was just something that was part of my background. When I got to college, I was surprised to learn that this really wasn't a very common thing; most of my classmates didn't know how to cook. And I also discovered that I didn't really know how to cook dinner -- just breakfast and dessert, since that's what my interests had been as a kid. (Who me, sweet tooth? *Never.*) I spent the better part of a decade learning to turn out a good meal, pretty much by trial and error. In many ways, Cooking for Geeks is the book I wish I'd had ten years ago, so that my trial-and-error stage would have been much, much shorter.
2. Tell us how Cooking for Geeks differs from conventional cookbooks.
Most cookbooks are just collections of recipes. They're really notes from one cook to another, reminders of quantity and steps. But it's rare for a cookbook to actually step back and look at the bigger picture. Being a geek -- somebody who's curious how things work -- I wanted more than just "do this, do that" type of instructions. When it comes to cooking, having some basic food science actually ends up being incredibly important.
3. What's your background? What kind of geek are you?
Let's see, part German, part English, part Norwegian, part Irish. I studied both computer science and visual art at Brown, so I guess you could say that my "geek cred" comes from the CS degree, although really I think anyone who applies any sort of scientific approach would auto-qualify as a geek.
4. When did you start making cookbooks?
My mom dug up one from I think it was 1984? It'd been a class project where each student was assigned to bring one recipe to contribute. I liked pancakes a lot as a kid, so my page was pancakes.
5. You write, "Cooking is about community, and sharing knowledge and food is one of the best ways to build community." Explain.
We all eat, and we all rely on others to some degree or another for food. Whether you're talking about the farmer that supplies the grocery store or the cook who's put together the meal in front of you, food is a social thing. And if you look at community, so much of it is built up around taking care of each other, and cooking and eating food is one of the most important things that we do together. Regardless of your spiritual and political beliefs, sitting down together and breaking bread has the ability to bring people closer together.
6. What's your favorite food hack to wow the masses?
Sous vide, hands down. If someone only has time to try one thing, I'd recommend sous vide. It's probably one of the most important culinary techniques to have come around in the past few decades, but hasn't yet really made it big on the consumer scene.
7. How do you celebrate/embrace failure?
With a bottle of either champagne or whisky? Just joking, although isn't it funny how certain drinks have moods attached to them? There's short-term failure -- whoops, I burnt the dinner -- which I generally don't care too much about, besides trying to pick out the obvious lesson and improve my understanding of how things work. Then there's long-term failure -- whoops, I just spent 2 months on research that is going straight into the trashcan for no reason other than "it just didn't work out." I don't really look back long enough though to be bothered by what I've done. It's generally "On to the next thing!" with me.
8. What new idea has excited you most recently?
Well, there's generic stuff, like "the internet" which is really code for "disruption of traditional models," such as things like TV over the web. (If you think what happened to the music industry was tough, wait until you see what happens in the next 5 to 10 years with TV -- decoupling content creation from content distribution is going to radically change the way we consume, and fund, media.) Then there's specific stuff, such as understanding smell and flavors, and thinking about how new combinations of ingredients can be algorithmically deduced. Bernard Lahousse has done some great work in this area, and has a neat online tool for doing just that (see foodpairing.com ).
"Exciting" generally means up-beat, but I think Douglas Coupland's "Pessimist's Guide to the Next 10 Years" will turn out to be incredibly prescient.
9. Who are your inspirations?
This is going to sound cheesy, but my parents. They worked hard; and sometimes that work paid off, and sometimes it didn't. I think it's too easy to see public figures -- sport players, actors, politicians -- and idealize them, but the danger with that is you never really see just how hard these people have to work to get to where they're at, whereas when you know someone beyond their public image, you get a real sense of who they are and what makes them tick. Not to say that public figures shouldn't serve as role models, but I think too many people look at their achievements and desire the payoff without the work, and without understanding what the odds are really like.
10. What advice would you give to apprehensive chefs just getting started?
As one of the interviewees told me: "Just get in there and try it." It might not come out the way you expected, but that's OK. And learn to see where things are going, and adjust accordingly. Regardless of the profession, every example of a great creative outcome I've seen has been the result of a tight feedback loop: do something, see how it comes out, adjust, repeat. I can't think of many examples or people I've interviewed where they just sat down and knocked out the perfect whatever on their first attempt.
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11 Views
18:40:39 11/02/10
Mishka Live in Studio A - Part 1 - Lonely
[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 18:40:39 11/02/10
Part 1 of Mishka performing live in Studio A of Mevio in San Francisco For the entire interview, CLICK HERE
* WEBSITE
* FACEBOOK
* MYSPACE
* TWITTER
* MAILING LIST ABOUT MISHKA
Mishka’s biography has an almost cinematic sweep. He spent most of his early life on a boat in the Caribbean, sailing from island to island with his seafaring parents and older sisters. A child of the islands, it was almost inevitable that he’d be drawn to reggae, Rastafari, and the natural mystic that inhabits his music and his soul. Talk About is his fourth album and the second release for Matthew McConaughey’s j. k. livin label.
“The music I heard growing up from my parents, sisters and the places we visited gave me a lot of musical and cultural flexibility.” “Everything I’ve ever heard blends together in what I do.” “I’m a huge reggae fan but there’s folk, soul, rock and other elements in the music.” Mishka’s international outlook is a product of his unique upbringing. “My parents met in Bermuda” Mishka explains. “They always had dreams of living at sea and my father built a boat for the family to live on. I moved onto the boat when I was three.”
“We sailed all over the Atlantic and Caribbean” Mishka recalls. “We visited Brazil, all the Caribbean islands, even made a cross-Atlantic trip to Portugal and England.” Mishka and his sisters were home schooled until they went to boarding school for their higher education. “Learning how to read maps and chart a course was my math and geography class, going ashore in different countries and talking to people about their culture was my history class, reading books on board was my literary education, picking up French and Portuguese in the ports we visited was my language school.”
The boat had a small battery-run cassette player and Mishka heard the music his parents loved: The Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, Dylan and Jimmy Buffett who was sailing the same waters as his family in those days. “My sisters turned me on to the Police, Cars and Roxy Music, but when I heard Burning Spear, Culture, and Bob Marley, I got addicted to roots reggae.”
Mishka moved to London and his debut, the self-titled Mishka, became a Top 40 hit in England. “Give You All the Love” cracked the charts in Britain and Japan where it went Top 10. While he was making Mishka, Swedish producer Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, James Morrison) was working in the studio next door. Terefe produced Mishka’s second album, 2005’s One Tree, a blend of electronica, folk and reggae. While on tour, Mishka met Darryl Thompson a long time guitarist for Sly & Robbie. They were working on Above the Bones when Matthew McConaughey showed up and signed Mishka to his newly formed j. k. livin label.
The album started as an independent project produced by Mishka and Guitarist Darryl Thompson but was finished with McConaughey’s creative assistance. It was essentially tracked live with minimal overdubs. “Darryl has played for many years with Peter Tosh and Black Uhuru, but he has a background mainly in rock and blues” Mishka says of Darryl. “He could hear the folk, soul and reggae in the music and really helped bring the songs to life”. “Matthew (McConaughey) has a good ear for picking out the best elements of a song and really brought his positive energy and enthusiasm to the studio.”
In February of 2009, Above the Bones debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts and was followed by an exhaustive world tour. Mishka then provided the soundtrack for summer with two features of his soulful island melodies: a music video for the title track, featuring the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk, that premiered across the Yahoo! Entertainment network that June, and a selection by Starbucks Entertainment and iTunes for their music discovery program, “Pick of the Week,” that was available at Starbucks locations nationwide. By year’s end, Mishka was named 2009’s Best New Artist in the singer/songwriter category by digital music leader iTunes.
Building off the previous year’s momentum, Mishka released Talk About on March 30th, 2010. Setting the tone for the self-described “album of movement,” the lead single “Bittersweet” began as a studio experiment before evolving into a musical space that surprised even its creator.
“When I brought the song to the band it was extremely raw just a few chords and a couple lyrics played at a modest tempo,” says Mishka. “But as we started jamming on it, it started to move into an up-tempo track like I’ve never recorded before a place, musically, that is brand new to me.”
Two of the tracks on Talk About, “Stars Will Be Shining” and album opener “Give Them Love,” are the product of collaboration with super producer Butch Walker (Pete Yorn, Pink, Fall Out Boy). The pair was introduced by label owner, album co-producer, and Hollywood icon Matthew McConaughey.
“This is an album of movement of stepping outside the box of traditional folk-reggae and adding a real mainstream rock influence,” says Mishka. “Butch works fast he works efficiently and he knows how to cultivate those rock tones in the artists he works with.”
The album’s 13 tracks span a distinct ebb-and-flow, from the fast paced and up-beat first half to a more mellow and introspective second half. “In the days of the LP, this would definitely be an A-side/B-side type record,” Mishka commented.
The title track, “Talk About,” explores the imbalance of words versus action, a lyrical theme that runs through much of Mishka’s work. “People make statements about love, equality, and peace and then try to measure their quantity in instant gratification,” he explains. “Whereas those things are really about a long-term way of life where all your actions not words add up.”
An album release showcase at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles also celebrated a new partnership with surf-culture clothing giant, O’Neill, who made Mishka the face of their new eco-friendly apparel line, ECO’Neill. The ECO'Neill Men's Collection, which will be available next spring, includes basic T-shirts, tank-tops and beanies developed with 100 percent organic cotton and board short fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, among other items.
Mishka will be previewing the line during his 2010 tour in support of Talk About. He will also be a part of the creative design of upcoming styles for ECO'Neill and will be featured in advertising and marketing materials before the line hits stores.
"Working with O'Neill is giving me a chance to spread my music to more people -- and specifically those who are into water sports," said Mishka. "I have found such musical and spiritual inspiration out on the waves, so this partnership is a good way to connect with people who probably feel the same inspiration. It's also cool if I can help O'Neill become a more ecologically friendly company along the way. It's a win win situation."
O'Neill Clothing CEO, Toby Bost, elaborated, "Mishka adds a whole new dynamic and direction to O'Neill. Growing up a waterman and having an appreciation for the ocean and earth are attributes that make him a natural fit for us. We're looking forward to incorporating his music, unique spirit and creativity into the ECO'Neill line."
After a momentous 2009 which included an iTunes award, Starbucks feature, and #1 charting debut, it appears 2010 will push the bar even higher, as Talk About debuted at #1 on the iTunes Reggae chart, Mishka gears up for an expansive new tour, and his partnership with one of the leading surf-clothing manufacturers begins to blossom.
13 Views
18:28:42 11/02/10
Mishka Live in Studio A - Part 2 - Way Out of Babylon
[LESS INFO] 13 VIEWS | ADDED 18:28:42 11/02/10
Part 2 of Mishka performing live in Studio A of Mevio in San Francisco For the entire interview, CLICK HERE
* WEBSITE
* FACEBOOK
* MYSPACE
* TWITTER
* MAILING LIST ABOUT MISHKA
Mishka’s biography has an almost cinematic sweep. He spent most of his early life on a boat in the Caribbean, sailing from island to island with his seafaring parents and older sisters. A child of the islands, it was almost inevitable that he’d be drawn to reggae, Rastafari, and the natural mystic that inhabits his music and his soul. Talk About is his fourth album and the second release for Matthew McConaughey’s j. k. livin label.
“The music I heard growing up from my parents, sisters and the places we visited gave me a lot of musical and cultural flexibility.” “Everything I’ve ever heard blends together in what I do.” “I’m a huge reggae fan but there’s folk, soul, rock and other elements in the music.” Mishka’s international outlook is a product of his unique upbringing. “My parents met in Bermuda” Mishka explains. “They always had dreams of living at sea and my father built a boat for the family to live on. I moved onto the boat when I was three.”
“We sailed all over the Atlantic and Caribbean” Mishka recalls. “We visited Brazil, all the Caribbean islands, even made a cross-Atlantic trip to Portugal and England.” Mishka and his sisters were home schooled until they went to boarding school for their higher education. “Learning how to read maps and chart a course was my math and geography class, going ashore in different countries and talking to people about their culture was my history class, reading books on board was my literary education, picking up French and Portuguese in the ports we visited was my language school.”
The boat had a small battery-run cassette player and Mishka heard the music his parents loved: The Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, Dylan and Jimmy Buffett who was sailing the same waters as his family in those days. “My sisters turned me on to the Police, Cars and Roxy Music, but when I heard Burning Spear, Culture, and Bob Marley, I got addicted to roots reggae.”
Mishka moved to London and his debut, the self-titled Mishka, became a Top 40 hit in England. “Give You All the Love” cracked the charts in Britain and Japan where it went Top 10. While he was making Mishka, Swedish producer Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, James Morrison) was working in the studio next door. Terefe produced Mishka’s second album, 2005’s One Tree, a blend of electronica, folk and reggae. While on tour, Mishka met Darryl Thompson a long time guitarist for Sly & Robbie. They were working on Above the Bones when Matthew McConaughey showed up and signed Mishka to his newly formed j. k. livin label.
The album started as an independent project produced by Mishka and Guitarist Darryl Thompson but was finished with McConaughey’s creative assistance. It was essentially tracked live with minimal overdubs. “Darryl has played for many years with Peter Tosh and Black Uhuru, but he has a background mainly in rock and blues” Mishka says of Darryl. “He could hear the folk, soul and reggae in the music and really helped bring the songs to life”. “Matthew (McConaughey) has a good ear for picking out the best elements of a song and really brought his positive energy and enthusiasm to the studio.”
In February of 2009, Above the Bones debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts and was followed by an exhaustive world tour. Mishka then provided the soundtrack for summer with two features of his soulful island melodies: a music video for the title track, featuring the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk, that premiered across the Yahoo! Entertainment network that June, and a selection by Starbucks Entertainment and iTunes for their music discovery program, “Pick of the Week,” that was available at Starbucks locations nationwide. By year’s end, Mishka was named 2009’s Best New Artist in the singer/songwriter category by digital music leader iTunes.
Building off the previous year’s momentum, Mishka released Talk About on March 30th, 2010. Setting the tone for the self-described “album of movement,” the lead single “Bittersweet” began as a studio experiment before evolving into a musical space that surprised even its creator.
“When I brought the song to the band it was extremely raw just a few chords and a couple lyrics played at a modest tempo,” says Mishka. “But as we started jamming on it, it started to move into an up-tempo track like I’ve never recorded before a place, musically, that is brand new to me.”
Two of the tracks on Talk About, “Stars Will Be Shining” and album opener “Give Them Love,” are the product of collaboration with super producer Butch Walker (Pete Yorn, Pink, Fall Out Boy). The pair was introduced by label owner, album co-producer, and Hollywood icon Matthew McConaughey.
“This is an album of movement of stepping outside the box of traditional folk-reggae and adding a real mainstream rock influence,” says Mishka. “Butch works fast he works efficiently and he knows how to cultivate those rock tones in the artists he works with.”
The album’s 13 tracks span a distinct ebb-and-flow, from the fast paced and up-beat first half to a more mellow and introspective second half. “In the days of the LP, this would definitely be an A-side/B-side type record,” Mishka commented.
The title track, “Talk About,” explores the imbalance of words versus action, a lyrical theme that runs through much of Mishka’s work. “People make statements about love, equality, and peace and then try to measure their quantity in instant gratification,” he explains. “Whereas those things are really about a long-term way of life where all your actions not words add up.”
An album release showcase at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles also celebrated a new partnership with surf-culture clothing giant, O’Neill, who made Mishka the face of their new eco-friendly apparel line, ECO’Neill. The ECO'Neill Men's Collection, which will be available next spring, includes basic T-shirts, tank-tops and beanies developed with 100 percent organic cotton and board short fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, among other items.
Mishka will be previewing the line during his 2010 tour in support of Talk About. He will also be a part of the creative design of upcoming styles for ECO'Neill and will be featured in advertising and marketing materials before the line hits stores.
"Working with O'Neill is giving me a chance to spread my music to more people -- and specifically those who are into water sports," said Mishka. "I have found such musical and spiritual inspiration out on the waves, so this partnership is a good way to connect with people who probably feel the same inspiration. It's also cool if I can help O'Neill become a more ecologically friendly company along the way. It's a win win situation."
O'Neill Clothing CEO, Toby Bost, elaborated, "Mishka adds a whole new dynamic and direction to O'Neill. Growing up a waterman and having an appreciation for the ocean and earth are attributes that make him a natural fit for us. We're looking forward to incorporating his music, unique spirit and creativity into the ECO'Neill line."
After a momentous 2009 which included an iTunes award, Starbucks feature, and #1 charting debut, it appears 2010 will push the bar even higher, as Talk About debuted at #1 on the iTunes Reggae chart, Mishka gears up for an expansive new tour, and his partnership with one of the leading surf-clothing manufacturers begins to blossom.
16 Views
17:42:15 11/02/10
Mishka Live in Studio A - Part 3 Home Grown
[LESS INFO] 16 VIEWS | ADDED 17:42:15 11/02/10
Part 3 of Mishka performing live in Studio A of Mevio in San Francisco For the entire interview, CLICK HERE
* WEBSITE
* FACEBOOK
* MYSPACE
* TWITTER
* MAILING LIST ABOUT MISHKA
Mishka’s biography has an almost cinematic sweep. He spent most of his early life on a boat in the Caribbean, sailing from island to island with his seafaring parents and older sisters. A child of the islands, it was almost inevitable that he’d be drawn to reggae, Rastafari, and the natural mystic that inhabits his music and his soul. Talk About is his fourth album and the second release for Matthew McConaughey’s j. k. livin label.
“The music I heard growing up from my parents, sisters and the places we visited gave me a lot of musical and cultural flexibility.” “Everything I’ve ever heard blends together in what I do.” “I’m a huge reggae fan but there’s folk, soul, rock and other elements in the music.” Mishka’s international outlook is a product of his unique upbringing. “My parents met in Bermuda” Mishka explains. “They always had dreams of living at sea and my father built a boat for the family to live on. I moved onto the boat when I was three.”
“We sailed all over the Atlantic and Caribbean” Mishka recalls. “We visited Brazil, all the Caribbean islands, even made a cross-Atlantic trip to Portugal and England.” Mishka and his sisters were home schooled until they went to boarding school for their higher education. “Learning how to read maps and chart a course was my math and geography class, going ashore in different countries and talking to people about their culture was my history class, reading books on board was my literary education, picking up French and Portuguese in the ports we visited was my language school.”
The boat had a small battery-run cassette player and Mishka heard the music his parents loved: The Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, Dylan and Jimmy Buffett who was sailing the same waters as his family in those days. “My sisters turned me on to the Police, Cars and Roxy Music, but when I heard Burning Spear, Culture, and Bob Marley, I got addicted to roots reggae.”
Mishka moved to London and his debut, the self-titled Mishka, became a Top 40 hit in England. “Give You All the Love” cracked the charts in Britain and Japan where it went Top 10. While he was making Mishka, Swedish producer Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, James Morrison) was working in the studio next door. Terefe produced Mishka’s second album, 2005’s One Tree, a blend of electronica, folk and reggae. While on tour, Mishka met Darryl Thompson a long time guitarist for Sly & Robbie. They were working on Above the Bones when Matthew McConaughey showed up and signed Mishka to his newly formed j. k. livin label.
The album started as an independent project produced by Mishka and Guitarist Darryl Thompson but was finished with McConaughey’s creative assistance. It was essentially tracked live with minimal overdubs. “Darryl has played for many years with Peter Tosh and Black Uhuru, but he has a background mainly in rock and blues” Mishka says of Darryl. “He could hear the folk, soul and reggae in the music and really helped bring the songs to life”. “Matthew (McConaughey) has a good ear for picking out the best elements of a song and really brought his positive energy and enthusiasm to the studio.”
In February of 2009, Above the Bones debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts and was followed by an exhaustive world tour. Mishka then provided the soundtrack for summer with two features of his soulful island melodies: a music video for the title track, featuring the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk, that premiered across the Yahoo! Entertainment network that June, and a selection by Starbucks Entertainment and iTunes for their music discovery program, “Pick of the Week,” that was available at Starbucks locations nationwide. By year’s end, Mishka was named 2009’s Best New Artist in the singer/songwriter category by digital music leader iTunes.
Building off the previous year’s momentum, Mishka released Talk About on March 30th, 2010. Setting the tone for the self-described “album of movement,” the lead single “Bittersweet” began as a studio experiment before evolving into a musical space that surprised even its creator.
“When I brought the song to the band it was extremely raw just a few chords and a couple lyrics played at a modest tempo,” says Mishka. “But as we started jamming on it, it started to move into an up-tempo track like I’ve never recorded before a place, musically, that is brand new to me.”
Two of the tracks on Talk About, “Stars Will Be Shining” and album opener “Give Them Love,” are the product of collaboration with super producer Butch Walker (Pete Yorn, Pink, Fall Out Boy). The pair was introduced by label owner, album co-producer, and Hollywood icon Matthew McConaughey.
“This is an album of movement of stepping outside the box of traditional folk-reggae and adding a real mainstream rock influence,” says Mishka. “Butch works fast he works efficiently and he knows how to cultivate those rock tones in the artists he works with.”
The album’s 13 tracks span a distinct ebb-and-flow, from the fast paced and up-beat first half to a more mellow and introspective second half. “In the days of the LP, this would definitely be an A-side/B-side type record,” Mishka commented.
The title track, “Talk About,” explores the imbalance of words versus action, a lyrical theme that runs through much of Mishka’s work. “People make statements about love, equality, and peace and then try to measure their quantity in instant gratification,” he explains. “Whereas those things are really about a long-term way of life where all your actions not words add up.”
An album release showcase at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles also celebrated a new partnership with surf-culture clothing giant, O’Neill, who made Mishka the face of their new eco-friendly apparel line, ECO’Neill. The ECO'Neill Men's Collection, which will be available next spring, includes basic T-shirts, tank-tops and beanies developed with 100 percent organic cotton and board short fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, among other items.
Mishka will be previewing the line during his 2010 tour in support of Talk About. He will also be a part of the creative design of upcoming styles for ECO'Neill and will be featured in advertising and marketing materials before the line hits stores.
"Working with O'Neill is giving me a chance to spread my music to more people -- and specifically those who are into water sports," said Mishka. "I have found such musical and spiritual inspiration out on the waves, so this partnership is a good way to connect with people who probably feel the same inspiration. It's also cool if I can help O'Neill become a more ecologically friendly company along the way. It's a win win situation."
O'Neill Clothing CEO, Toby Bost, elaborated, "Mishka adds a whole new dynamic and direction to O'Neill. Growing up a waterman and having an appreciation for the ocean and earth are attributes that make him a natural fit for us. We're looking forward to incorporating his music, unique spirit and creativity into the ECO'Neill line."
After a momentous 2009 which included an iTunes award, Starbucks feature, and #1 charting debut, it appears 2010 will push the bar even higher, as Talk About debuted at #1 on the iTunes Reggae chart, Mishka gears up for an expansive new tour, and his partnership with one of the leading surf-clothing manufacturers begins to blossom.
11 Views
16:46:01 11/02/10
MIshka Live in Studio A
[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 16:46:01 11/02/10
Mishka performs live in Studio A of Mevio in San Francisco
* WEBSITE
* FACEBOOK
* MYSPACE
* TWITTER
* MAILING LIST ABOUT MISHKA
Mishka’s biography has an almost cinematic sweep. He spent most of his early life on a boat in the Caribbean, sailing from island to island with his seafaring parents and older sisters. A child of the islands, it was almost inevitable that he’d be drawn to reggae, Rastafari, and the natural mystic that inhabits his music and his soul. Talk About is his fourth album and the second release for Matthew McConaughey’s j. k. livin label.
“The music I heard growing up from my parents, sisters and the places we visited gave me a lot of musical and cultural flexibility.” “Everything I’ve ever heard blends together in what I do.” “I’m a huge reggae fan but there’s folk, soul, rock and other elements in the music.” Mishka’s international outlook is a product of his unique upbringing. “My parents met in Bermuda” Mishka explains. “They always had dreams of living at sea and my father built a boat for the family to live on. I moved onto the boat when I was three.”
“We sailed all over the Atlantic and Caribbean” Mishka recalls. “We visited Brazil, all the Caribbean islands, even made a cross-Atlantic trip to Portugal and England.” Mishka and his sisters were home schooled until they went to boarding school for their higher education. “Learning how to read maps and chart a course was my math and geography class, going ashore in different countries and talking to people about their culture was my history class, reading books on board was my literary education, picking up French and Portuguese in the ports we visited was my language school.”
The boat had a small battery-run cassette player and Mishka heard the music his parents loved: The Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, Dylan and Jimmy Buffett who was sailing the same waters as his family in those days. “My sisters turned me on to the Police, Cars and Roxy Music, but when I heard Burning Spear, Culture, and Bob Marley, I got addicted to roots reggae.”
Mishka moved to London and his debut, the self-titled Mishka, became a Top 40 hit in England. “Give You All the Love” cracked the charts in Britain and Japan where it went Top 10. While he was making Mishka, Swedish producer Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, James Morrison) was working in the studio next door. Terefe produced Mishka’s second album, 2005’s One Tree, a blend of electronica, folk and reggae. While on tour, Mishka met Darryl Thompson a long time guitarist for Sly & Robbie. They were working on Above the Bones when Matthew McConaughey showed up and signed Mishka to his newly formed j. k. livin label.
The album started as an independent project produced by Mishka and Guitarist Darryl Thompson but was finished with McConaughey’s creative assistance. It was essentially tracked live with minimal overdubs. “Darryl has played for many years with Peter Tosh and Black Uhuru, but he has a background mainly in rock and blues” Mishka says of Darryl. “He could hear the folk, soul and reggae in the music and really helped bring the songs to life”. “Matthew (McConaughey) has a good ear for picking out the best elements of a song and really brought his positive energy and enthusiasm to the studio.”
In February of 2009, Above the Bones debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts and was followed by an exhaustive world tour. Mishka then provided the soundtrack for summer with two features of his soulful island melodies: a music video for the title track, featuring the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk, that premiered across the Yahoo! Entertainment network that June, and a selection by Starbucks Entertainment and iTunes for their music discovery program, “Pick of the Week,” that was available at Starbucks locations nationwide. By year’s end, Mishka was named 2009’s Best New Artist in the singer/songwriter category by digital music leader iTunes.
Building off the previous year’s momentum, Mishka released Talk About on March 30th, 2010. Setting the tone for the self-described “album of movement,” the lead single “Bittersweet” began as a studio experiment before evolving into a musical space that surprised even its creator.
“When I brought the song to the band it was extremely raw just a few chords and a couple lyrics played at a modest tempo,” says Mishka. “But as we started jamming on it, it started to move into an up-tempo track like I’ve never recorded before a place, musically, that is brand new to me.”
Two of the tracks on Talk About, “Stars Will Be Shining” and album opener “Give Them Love,” are the product of collaboration with super producer Butch Walker (Pete Yorn, Pink, Fall Out Boy). The pair was introduced by label owner, album co-producer, and Hollywood icon Matthew McConaughey.
“This is an album of movement of stepping outside the box of traditional folk-reggae and adding a real mainstream rock influence,” says Mishka. “Butch works fast he works efficiently and he knows how to cultivate those rock tones in the artists he works with.”
The album’s 13 tracks span a distinct ebb-and-flow, from the fast paced and up-beat first half to a more mellow and introspective second half. “In the days of the LP, this would definitely be an A-side/B-side type record,” Mishka commented.
The title track, “Talk About,” explores the imbalance of words versus action, a lyrical theme that runs through much of Mishka’s work. “People make statements about love, equality, and peace and then try to measure their quantity in instant gratification,” he explains. “Whereas those things are really about a long-term way of life where all your actions not words add up.”
An album release showcase at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles also celebrated a new partnership with surf-culture clothing giant, O’Neill, who made Mishka the face of their new eco-friendly apparel line, ECO’Neill. The ECO'Neill Men's Collection, which will be available next spring, includes basic T-shirts, tank-tops and beanies developed with 100 percent organic cotton and board short fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, among other items.
Mishka will be previewing the line during his 2010 tour in support of Talk About. He will also be a part of the creative design of upcoming styles for ECO'Neill and will be featured in advertising and marketing materials before the line hits stores.
"Working with O'Neill is giving me a chance to spread my music to more people -- and specifically those who are into water sports," said Mishka. "I have found such musical and spiritual inspiration out on the waves, so this partnership is a good way to connect with people who probably feel the same inspiration. It's also cool if I can help O'Neill become a more ecologically friendly company along the way. It's a win win situation."
O'Neill Clothing CEO, Toby Bost, elaborated, "Mishka adds a whole new dynamic and direction to O'Neill. Growing up a waterman and having an appreciation for the ocean and earth are attributes that make him a natural fit for us. We're looking forward to incorporating his music, unique spirit and creativity into the ECO'Neill line."
After a momentous 2009 which included an iTunes award, Starbucks feature, and #1 charting debut, it appears 2010 will push the bar even higher, as Talk About debuted at #1 on the iTunes Reggae chart, Mishka gears up for an expansive new tour, and his partnership with one of the leading surf-clothing manufacturers begins to blossom.
21 Views
03:09:00 10/24/10
firestarter bible study: John 15:1-17
[LESS INFO] 21 VIEWS | ADDED 03:09:00 10/24/10
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READ: John 15:1-17
THINK: Have you ever picked flowers because they looked pretty? How long did they stay that way? A few days at best. In reality, no matter how nice they looked, they started dying and stopped producing from the moment they were detached from their source. The same is true of people. No matter how they appear, they%rsquoll wither and die spiritually unless they are connected to their life Source. But if you are joined to God through a personal relation- ship with Jesus, you%rsquoll grow as He intended and God will produce something beautiful through you.
RESPOND: How does the analogy of the vine and branches illustrate Jesus%rsquo relationship with His followers? (See 15:1 note.) What two types of branches does Jesus describe, and what ultimately happens to them? (See 15:2 note.) What does this mean in terms of people%rsquos relationships with Jesus? What does it mean when Jesus tells his follow- ers, %ldquoRemain in me.%rdquo? (See 15:4 note.) How do you do this, and what will be the result if you do? (See 15:9-10 note.) What warning does Jesus give about staying connected to Him? (See 15:6 note.) Why is vital for you to continue to grow spiritually? What is the condition for getting what you pray for? (See 15:7 note.) If you%rsquore in a close relationship with Jesus, what types of things will you desire and ask for in prayer (cf. v. 8)? How can you prove your friendship to Jesus (v. 14)? What%rsquos the ultimate display of love and friendship, and how did Jesus do this for you (v. 13)? What benefits, privileges and responsibilities come with being Jesus%rsquo friend (v. 15)? (See 15:16 note.) For what purpose has God chosen and appointed you (v. 16)? What does it mean to %ldquobear fruit%rdquo spiritually?
PRAY: Ask Jesus to help you stay strongly connected to Him by obeying His Word, following His purposes and growing continually in your relationship with Him.
ACT: Pay attention to plants and trees today. Notice how the leaves and flowers connect to the main stems or branches, and how branches connect to the trunk. The outer parts can only sustain life as they remain attached to the main source. Consider how this illustrates your relationship with God and your ability to be spiritually fruitful. Sit under a tree and read the Bible for a few minutes, reviewing today%rsquos passage and gaining life from God%rsquos Word.
5 Views
21:45:37 08/08/10
Sabbat School Class #16 - Your Prayer Life - Totally Personal
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 21:45:37 08/08/10
This is a personal and sensitive subject. Many people will claim that it's your own business, and then add the "but" which is their fair warning to you that they are going to make it their business. But it is indeed your business.
There is a verse in the Christian Bible that sums up some of the best advice, even if some might not remember that it's there.
But it is also the one assured constant in your spiritual life. Time and circumstance might keep you from making it to gatherings or doing rituals on the schedule that you might like, but your prayer life can be tailored to whatever you need.
A dear friend who is a Roman Catholic priest once told of a retreat just before his ordination where he was told to jealously guard his prayer life, because his ministry would go or grow with it. I can cite many examples of how this has been proven over the centuries.
And here are some ideas of where to look for what you need to make it grow!
Blessed Be!
18 Views
18:48:00 08/06/10
firestarter bible study: John 6: 25-59
[LESS INFO] 18 VIEWS | ADDED 18:48:00 08/06/10
READ: John 6:25-59
FIREuSTARTER
THINK: What do you do when you%rsquore really hungry? You eat. Even when you%rsquore not hungry you eat because you know it%rsquos necessary%mdashand you probably enjoy it. Apply this reasoning to your spiritual life. If you%rsquore truly hungry, you%rsquoll feed your spirit through time with God in His Word and prayer. If you%rsquore not taking this time on a regular basis, it%rsquos either because you%rsquore not hungry for God, you don%rsquot enjoy time with Him, or you don%rsquot realize how necessary it is for your spiritual life, health and well-being. So indulge your spiritual appetite and see how God%rsquos Word satisfies a hungry soul.
RESPOND: How can you work for food that doesn%rsquot spoil but %ldquoendures to eternal life%rdquo (v. 27)? How should believ- ing in Jesus affect your works (v. 29)? Why would people ask Jesus for another sign (vv. 30-31) after they%rsquod already experienced a great miracle (cf. 6:5-15)? What does Jesus mean when He declares, %ldquoI am the bread of life%rdquo? (See 6:35 note.) Why will people who truly believe in Jesus %ldquonever go hungry, and...never be thirsty%rdquo? What hope and assurance can people find by coming to Jesus? (See 6:37 note.) How would you describe %ldquoGod%rsquos will%rdquo and how it relates to your life personally? (See 6:40 note.) How can your choices affect God%rsquos will for your life? How does God the Father draw people to Jesus? (See 6:44 note.) Why is it so important to respond when you sense the Holy Spirit drawing you to God? What does Jesus mean when He says that whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life? (See 6:54 note.) How can you continue to feed on Jesus in order to grow spiritually?
PRAY: Ask Jesus to help you focus your efforts on things of eternal value. Pray for the Holy Spirit%rsquos guidance and power so you can fulfill God%rsquos perfect will. Thank Jesus for being the bread of life that satisfies your spiritual hunger.
ACT: Take your Bible with you, and during free time feed your spirit on God%rsquos Word. Try reading in Proverbs, which is filled with practical wisdom for youth. Make a conscious effort today%mdashand every day%mdashto do things God%rsquos way rather than your own way. And if you%rsquove sensed God%rsquos Spirit drawing you to Jesus%mdashperhaps to accept His forgiveness and new life for the first time%mdashdon%rsquot resist any longer. Entrust your life to Him and let Him restore your ultimate purpose.
12 Views
18:46:00 08/06/10
firestarter bible study: John 6: 60-71
[LESS INFO] 12 VIEWS | ADDED 18:46:00 08/06/10
READ: John 6:60-71
THINK: Certainly, Jesus followers are to live by His example, being kind and gracious to people in an effort to reflect Jesus%rsquo character and influence others to follow Him. But Christians must also realize that God%rsquos Word and way of life will always be offensive to people. That doesn%rsquot mean that Jesus%rsquo followers set out to oppose people, but even when Christians do everything right in their conduct toward others, they%rsquoll still face resistance and rejection. Jesus%rsquo followers must understand that as they live by God%rsquos standards, their lives will stand in sharp contrast to those who choose to defy God and go their own way. This should not surprise of offend anyone who lives to honor Jesus.
RESPOND: What statements from Jesus seemed too hard and offensive to some of His followers? What does Jesus mean when He says, %ldquoThe Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing%rdquo? How does this relate to Jesus previous statements in verse 53-59? According to this passage, what feeds you and gives life spiritually (v. 63)? What might Jesus have meant about knowing from the beginning who would betray Him, and how would this relate to Judas%rsquo choices and actions concerning Jesus? (See 6:64 note.) Why did many who had previously followed Jesus turn back and no longer follow Him from this point on (v. 66)? How does Peter%rsquos response in verse 68 serve as an example to all who desire to follow Jesus?
PRAY: Ask Jesus to give you the strength, determination and dependence on Him that will keep you loyal to Him no matter how difficult things may get.
ACT: Continue the exercise from yesterday by keeping your Bible with you and feeding on it during your free time. If you are reading in the Proverbs, you may be able to get through a good portion of the book in a couple days. Also, perhaps you%rsquove struggled with your attitude toward something in God%rsquos Word that has offended you or been tough to accept. Ask God to forgive you and to help you meet the challenge and be obedient so you can grow deeper in your relationship with Him and in your understanding of God%rsquos Word.
2 Views
10:55:24 06/02/10
Duties Of Young Muslims
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 10:55:24 06/02/10
2. Duties of Young Muslims The first duty of the Muslim youth is to rectify their views and thoughts with a view to knowing their din on the basis of clear evidence and Understanding and according to a proper methodology. The right start is acquiring the proper methodology of comprehending Islam, and of dealing with themselves, people and life. Historically, Muslim scholars have established certain principles and methods which have enhanced the proper comprehension, and deduction of matters and issues whether supported by texts or not. This led to the establishment of the science of usul al fiqh: a discipline which studies the methodology of deriving laws from the sources of Islam and of establishing their juristic or constitutional validity. Thus, they established the principles of the controlling and controlled evidence, the subject and object of controlling aspects of evidence: the main and the subsidiary, the imperative and the negative, the general and the particular, the absolute and the restricted, the pronounced and the comprehend. They also established the total aims of the Shariah, such as safeguarding people's welfare, counteracting evil and harm; they divided needs into: essential, necessary and comforts. This is indeed a unique science of which there is no equal, and of which Muslims have the right to be proud. In addition, there are other principles and rules of fiqh which may not be available in the books of usul but are found in various books on usul al tafsir and Qur'anic sciences, as well as usul al hadith, and Hadith sciences. In addition to these, there are various rules and principles scattered in books of beliefs, hadith interpretation, and jurisprudence which can be observed by those who have acquired an insight into the purpose of Shariah and its innermost recesses. What is required, therefore, is not a shallow understanding of the texts but rather a deep knowledge and a genuine comprehension of the purposes of Qur'anic verses and the ahad'ith. The fiqh, the awareness, and the knowledge required must take the following into consideration First: Knowledge of and insight into Shariah cannot be complete without considering all the particular aspects in relation to the general context of the entire truth of Islam. To issue a judgment a Quranic verse or a hadith must be interpreted in the light of other ahadith, the Sunnah of the Prophet (.SA'AS) as well as the practice of the companions (RA'A), and must be understood in the light of the Qur'an and the general context and purposes of Shariah. Otherwise there will be a defect in this understanding, and a confusion in deduction and derivation which could create contradictions in Shariah and subject it to ridicule and to calumniations. For this reason, Imam al Shatibi set two conditions for ijtihad: (1) understanding the purposes of Shariah in its totality, and (2) the ability to derive and to draw conclusions on the basis of this understanding.' This can only be fulfilled when there is a deep and wide knowledge of the texts, especially the ahaith and the traditions, in addition to an insight into the reasons, the events, the circumstances, and the purposes of each text, as well as an ability to distinguish between the eternal and unalterable and those formulated to meet a temporary need, an existing custom or tradition, or certain transient circumstances which can be changed when the latter change. One day I was lecturing on proper Islamic dress for women, according to the Qur'an and Sunnah, when a person in the audience said that the hijab mentioned in the Qur'an must include an additional outer covering. I replied that the hijab is not an end in itself, but rather a means for decently covering those parts of the body which the Shariah prohibits to be exposed. In this sense, it can differ from one place and time to another. But the man shouted furiously that the garment required is very clearly specified in a Qur'anic text, and we therefore have no right to change it. He cited the following verse: O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad). That is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. I replied that the Qur'an sometimes specifies certain means and methods that were suitable and common at the time of the revelation, but were never meant to become permanently binding if better or similar ones are found. The following example is sufficient enough to demonstrate my point. Allah (SWT) said: Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies. The steed is specifically mentioned above because it was?at the time of revelation-one of the most powerful means known at the time. But there is indeed no reason why Muslims in our times and in earlier days should not use tanks and armored vehicles to achieve the end referred to in the above verse, i.e., to strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of Allah (SWT) and of the enemies of Muslims. Similarly, the woman's outer garment could be any dress which satisfies the objective expressed in verse that Muslim women should be recognized and not molested. If such is the case of the Qurian, which has an eternal and comprehensive nature, it is only logical that the Sunnah is even more open to such an examination. The Sunnah comprise a multitude of teachings, the legislative and the nonlegislative, the general and the specific, the eternal and the changeable: a change necessitated by a change in the reasons and the exigencies. In issues and matterrelated to eating, drinking, and dressing, for example, there are legislative as well as nonlegislative Sunnah. Eating with the fingers rather than with silverware is not compulsory. The former method was more natural and suitable to the simple life and nature of the Arabs at the time of the Prophet (SA'AS). However this does not mean that using a spoon is haram (unlawful) or makruh (condemned or discouraged), since it is now so widely available that it in no way indicates any extravagance or excess. But this does not apply to silver or gold tableware, the use of which has clearly been forbidden. Similarly we have to abide by the injunction to eat with the right hand as the purpose of this teaching is fundamental and unalterable, and because it seeks to establish a uniform custom among Muslims, directing them to follow a right?hand approach in everything. The Prophet (SA'AS) ordered us: "Say bism Allah [before you begin] and eat with your right hand." In another hadith he said: "None of you should eat or drink with his left hand, because Satan eats and drinks with his left hand." Furthermore, during the Prophet's time, Muslims had no idea whatsoever of sieves, which were later known and used to advantage. Could this be regarded as a prohibited innovation or a hateful practice? of course not. Another example is the issue of wearing a short thawb (garment), which pious young Muslims adhere to and insist on wearing despite the problems which it creates for them, as if it was one of the fundamentals of Islam. These young people put forth two arguments: (1) The dress has to be a short thawb because this is the type of dress the Prophet (SA'AS) and his companions (RAA) used. They further believe that other costumes lead us to imitate the kufar, a practice prohibited in Islam; and (2) It has to be short because there are ahadith which prohibit wearing below?the?ankle izar or thawb such as: "The part of an izar which hangs below the ankles is in the Fire. With regard to the first argument, the Prophet's Sunnah knawn to us is that he wore whatever was available to him. For this reason, he wore shirts, robes, and izars. The Prophet (SA'AS) also wore garments and garbs made in the Yemen and Persia, which were embroidered on the sides with silk. He also wore Tmarnah (cap) with or without a turban. Al Imam Ibn al Qayyim says in Al Hady al Nabaw': The best guidance is the Sunnah of the Prophet (SA'AS), the things he regularly practised, ordered, and encouraged people to do. His sunnah in dressing is that he used to wear whatever was available for him whether made of cotton, wool, or linen. He is known to have worn cloaks from the Yemen, green cloaks, jubbah, garments with full?length sleeves, shirts, pants and robes, shoes and slippers. . . He used, sometimes, to grow a plait in the back. The textile industry was unknown then, so people used to wear clothes imported from the Yemen, Egypt, and Syria. In our time, we wear- without any inhibition-underwear, head coverings, shoes, etc., which were unknown during the Prophet's time. Why then this excessive fuss about the thawb in particular? As for the argument of imitating the kuffar, we are actually prohibited from imitating their distinguishing characteristics ? as followers of other religions-such as sporting the cross, wearing ecclesiastical costumes, celebrating non?Muslim festivals, all of which indicate adherence to a different religion. Ibn Taimiyah explained all this in detail in his book: Iqti'al Sirat al Mustaqim fi Mukhalafat Ahl al Jahim. With the exception of such conspicuous matters, judgment is made on the basis of intention and purpose. If a Muslim deliberately imitates the kuffar, he would be held blameworthy on the basis of his intention. But if a person unintentionally does things which the kuffar do, or chooses something which is easier for him, or for his job such as wearing the "overalls" by a factory worker or an engineer, he is not to be held blameworthy. Nonetheless, it is more becoming of a Muslim to distinguish himself from non?Muslims in all material and spiritual matters to the best of his ability. The gist of the matter is that wearing a short thawb is more desirable' but wearing a long one is not prohibited if it is just a habit and is not meant to show arrogance, as has already been pointed out. All the examples given above pertain to purely personal behavior. In that capacity they are less serious than the issues related to the community as a whole, the affairs of the state, and international relations which are more complex and constitute a danger to the community, the state, and humanity at large in the absence of an insightful jurisprudence which takes into consideration the proper dimensions of human needs and social interests. When we ca]l for the resumption of a true Islamic lifestyle and the establishment of a truly Islamic society led by an Islamic state, we must recognize the fact that we live in a world in which human relations are interrelated and complex, ideologies are numerous, distances are shrinking, and barriers are beginning to collapse. It is a world that has become smaller than ever before due to unprecedented technological progress We must also take into consideration the fact that the community includes the powerful and the weak, men and women, adults and children, the righteous and the transgressor. This diversity must be taken into consideration when we seek to guide, legislate, or give fatiawa. A Muslim who seeks Allah's pleasure may choose to place restrictions on himself and stick to the most extreme and cautious opinions in his endeavor. He can deprive himself of all the means of entertainment such as singing, music, photography, television, etc. But can any modern state afford to do without these? Can any effective journalism do without photography? Can any ministry of Interior?or passport office, immigration or traffic department-or an educational institution do without photography which has become the most important means of discovering and preventing crimes and forgery? Can any contemporary state ignore the times it exists in and deprive its subjects of the invaluable services of television and rely only on the radio, on the grounds that television depends upon photography which is haram as some students of "religious education" argue these days? In short, what I wish to emphasize here is that a person's restrictions on himself may be tolerated and accepted, but it would be intolerable and indeed unacceptable to force these restrictions upon the various groups in the community as a whole. The Prophet said: Whoever leads people in salah should shorten it because among them are the weak, the old, and those who have business to attend to. This guidance on leading people in salah is also applicable to leading people in any aspect of life. One of the most serious problems is the failure of some religious people to take account the fact that the ahkam of Shaniah are not equally important or permanent, and therefore different interpretations can be permitted. There are hypothetical judgments which mainly deal with transactions, customs' and manners. These are open to ijtihad. Disagreement-based on authentic ijtihad-on these issues represents no harm or threat. On the contrary, it is a blessing on the Ummah, and demonstrates flexibility in Shariah and a spaciousness in fiqh. There were indeed differences of opinion and disagreement among the Prophet's companions (RA'A)-as well as their successors ? on various issues. But such disagreement never caused or created ill?feelings or disunity among them. On the other hand, there are a.hkam dealing with matters of faith, belief, and 'ibadah which are firmly established in the Qurian and Sunnah and ijma'(consesus), and which have become definitive and categorical. Although they are not requirements of din, they represent the intellectual and behavioral unity of the Ummah. Deviation from these ahkam is a deviation from Sunnah: it is sinfulness, prohibited bida (innovation), and could lead to kufr. In addition, there are those a,hkam which must be necessarily known and obvious toall people, learned or otherwise. Rejection of these ahkam is a clear denial of Allah (SWT) and of His Prophet (.SA'AS). There should be differention between ahkam based on fundamental or subsidiary issues, whether proven textually or by ijtihad; there should also be differentiation between the categorial and the hypothetical ahkam in texts, and between the necessary and the unecessary ahkam in din. Each has its status. Our great fuqaha have differed widely in their interpretation of some issues, and one can indeed ftnd various opinions on a single issue. There is disagreement, for example, on the heinous sin of murdering a Muslim under duress. Should the punishment fall upon the murderer or upon one who compelled him to do it? or should it fall upon both or neither, since the crime was not completely premeditated and committed by a single person? All these possibilities were voiced and supported by some fuqaha' Even within each madhhab we find different opinions, narrations, ways, and approaches among the 'ulama' Suffice it to say that the subject of that disagreement within Imam Ahmad's madhhab-which is established on and follows tradition-has included enough opinions and narration to fill a twelve?volume book, al In.saf fi al Rajih min al Khilaf. In view of this, young Muslims should be fully aware of the issues which are open to disagreement and those which are not. But more importantly' they should know the standard norms of behavior practised in settling differences and disagreements. They must learn adab al khilaf (ethics of disagreement),'! which we have inherited from our a'immah and 'ulama' We must learn from them how to be open?minded and tolerant toward those with whom we disagree about subsidiary religious matters. How can we differ and disagree yet remain united brothers who love and respect each other and who refrain from exchanging accusations? First of all, we must realize that disagreements on marginal and subsidiary matters and issues are natural. There is indeed a Divine wisdom in making a few a,hkam in Shari'ah categorical in both their definitiveness and meaning, and in making hypothetical ones which constitute the bulk of a,hkam and on which there is broad scope for fruitful disagreement. It is a blessing that Allah (SWT) has bestowed on some Muslim ulama' the ability to ascertain, to examine closely, and to decide on matters of disagreement without prejudice against any madhhab or opinion. These include the following a'immah: Ibn Daqiq al 'Id, Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Qayyim, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Hajar al 'Asqalai, al Dahlawi, al Shawkani, al San'ani, and others. But differences are bound to arise and continue because they are deeply rooted in the nature of man, life, language and -Divine commandment. Attempts to eradicate these differences will fail, because they will actually be battling against human nature, against life, against all sunan. As we have already mentioned, disagreement based on authentic ijtihad which does not create discord or disunity is a blessing for the Ummah and an enrichment of fiqh. Objective disagreement in itself poses no threat if it is coupled with tolerance and openmindedness, and if it is free from fanaticism, accusations, and narrowmindedness. The Prophet's Companions differed among themselves on many issues and practical a,hkam, but they still never condemned one another and had very cordial and strong relations. 'Umar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz said: "I never wished that the Prophet's companions had rot had disagreements. Their disagreement was a mercy." Different interpretations even emerged during the life of the Prophet (SA'AS). These were sanctioned by him, and he did not single out one party or group for blame. Immediately after the battle of the Akzab, the Prophet (.SAAS) said to his Companions: 'whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must not perform ,salat al asr until he has reached [the dwellings of] Banu Qurayzah. Some of the Companions found. This practically impossible, and therefore performed salat al Asr before reaching their destination. Others?who were literalists-only performed salah when they reached the dwellings of Banu Qurayzah as the Prophet (SA'AS) had asked them. When the Prophet (SA'AS) was told, he approved of the action of both parties although one of them must have been wrong. This clearly indicates that there is no sin in acting upon an interpretation which is based on solid evidence, sincere genuine intention and ijtihad. Ibn al Qayyim described those who applied the essence of ahadith as Ahl al Qiyas (analogy applicants) and those who applied the letter of a,hadith as Zahiriyah (literalists). Unfortunately, there are people these days who not only assume that they know the whole truth and all the answers, but who also try to coerce other people to follow them, believing that they can eradicate all madhahib and disagreements and unite all people in one single stroke. They tend to forget that their own understanding and interpretation of the texts are no more than hypotheses which may be right or wrong. Moreover, no human (i.e., no 'alim) is infallible, even though he may satisfy all the conditions and requisities of ijtihad. All that is certain is the reward he will obtain for his ijtihad, whether it was right or wrong, should the intention be sincere. Therefore, such people would achieve nothing except the creation of an additional madhhab! It is strange and absurd that while they disapprove of people's adherence to different madhahib, they themselves try to persuade people to imitate them and follow their new madhhab. No one should jump to the conclusion that I reject their call for adherence to the texts or their own interpretations and understanding. This is absolutely the right granted to everyone who can fulfill the conditions of ijtihad and its means. No one has the right to close the gates of ijtihad which were opened by the Prophet (SA'AS) for the whole Ummah What I do reject is their self?presumption, arrogance, vanity, and disregard for the findings of their learned predecessors, their disrespect for the fifh we have inherited from our great forebears. I reject their false claim that they alone are right, as well as their erroneous impression that they can eliminate disparity and disagreement and unite people on one opinion-their own. One of the followers of this "one?opinion" school asked me once why all Muslims should not agree on the juristic opinion supported by the text I replied that the text first has to be authentic and accepted by all, its meaning has to be plain, and it should not be contradicted by another text, whether stonger or similar in evidence. There should be full agreement as regards the three preceding points. A text may be regarded as authentic by an imam, but another imam may see it as weak or as authentic but without proven evidence justifying its given meaning; a text may be regarded as general by an imam but as particular by another, or it may be seen as absolute or restricted; it may also be regarded as categorrical or abrogated. Such variance leads to producing different ahkam i.e. something may be wajib or haram, mustahabb or makruh. In short all these difference fall within the considerations pointed out by Ibn Taymiyah in his book, Raf al Malam an al A'immat al A'lam, and mentioned by Waliy Allah al Dahlaw' in his book, .Hujjat Allah al Balighah, and in his, al Insaf fi Asbab al Ikhtilaf, and detailed by al Shaykn 'Al. al Khafif in his book, Asbab Ikhtilaf al Fuqaha' Let us consider the following ahadah: 1. "Any woman who wears a gold necklace will be made to wear a similar one [made] of fire on the Day of Judgment. And any woman who wears gold earrings will have a similar one [made of fire] on the Day of Judgment. 2. "Whoever desires his beloved to wear a ring [made] of fire [on the Day of Judgment], let him give him [her] [to wear] a gold ring. And whoever desires his beloved to wear a necklace [made] of fire [on the Day of Judgment], let him give him [her] [to wear] a gold necklace. And whoever desires his beloved to wear a bracelet [made] of fire [on the Day of Judgment], let him give him [her][to wear] a gold bracelet. But you can do whatever you please with silver. 3. It is also related by Thawban (RA'A) that the Prophet (SA'AS) warned his daughter Fatimah (RA'A) against wearing a gold chain. In response, she sold it, bought a slave with the money, and set him free. When the Prophet (SA'AS) was told of this, he said: "Thanks to Allah (SWT) who rescued Fatimah from the Fire. Justists have different attitudes toward these ahadith: 1. Some have examined their isnad and, finding them weak, rejected them and considered them insufficiant for prohibition, which requires clear cut evidence and careful investigation, especially with respect to matters of general concern and which Muslims have generally accepted. 2. Others have agreed that the isnad is correct but that the ahadith have been revoked because other evidence in other sources have permitted women to adorn themselves with gold. Al Bayhaqi and others have reported the consensus on this matter which has been accepted in fiqh and become a standard practice. 3. Some considered the ahadith applicable to those who have not given zakah on the gold they have, basing their opinion on other ahadith which have not, themselves, escaped criticism. Furthermore. zakah on women's jewellery is a subject of disagreement among the different madhahib. 4. Some jusrists argue that these ahaith seek to warn women who vainly adorn themselves with gold, deliberately intending to draw attention to their wealth. Al Nasal also reported some ahadith which are relevant to this issue under the title: Bab al Karahiyah li al Nisa'.fi Ihar Hilal Dhahab (Disapproval of Women's Display of Golden Jewelry). Other jurists say that they are related only to excessive adornment out of vanity or pride. 5. In our own times, Shaykh Nasir al Din al Albani has come out with an opinion different from the consensus on permitting women to adorn themselves with gold, which has been accepted by all madhahib for the last fourteen centuries. He not only believes that the isnad of these ahadith is authentic, but that these texts are categorical in this matter; i.e. prohibiting gold rings and earrings. In this he disagreed with the consensus of the fiqh of all madhahib and the practice of the Ummah throughout the past fourteen hundred years. Has the existence of these ahadith prevented disagreement on their authenticity or guidance? Can the modern "traditionalist school" eradicate disagreement and unite all people on one opinion on the basis of ahadith or a tradition which they use as evidence? The answer is clear enough: people will continue to disagree and differ amongst themselves, and this will, in shaa Allah, pose no danger or problem. Allah ta 'ala says: "To each is a goal to which Allah turns him". In this respect, I feel inclined to admit that the religious leader who, in this age, has understood the essence and ethics of disagreements was hasan al Banna (d. 1949). He brought up his followers to believe in and adhere to these ethics. Despite his unflinching commitment to the cause of Muslim solidarity and his sincere efforts to unite the various Muslim groups and make them agree at least on minimum Islamic concepts and principals, as is clear from his own known work al Usul al 'Ishrun, he was convinced of the inevitability of disagreement on the subsidiary issues and the practical ahkam of Islam. This he has eloquently discussed in many of his messages which have proved to be useful In Dawatuna (Our Da'wah), al Banna spoke of the characteristics of his da'wah as being general ones which neither patronize a particular sect nor advocate a particular line of thought. Interest is in the core of din and its essence; it hopes that all endeavors are united so that a more fruitful work can be done to produce greater results; it supports truth everywhere; it likes consensus and dislikes eccentricity; it attributes a great deal of the mishaps which have befallen Muslims to misguided disagreement and to disunity; it believes that love and unity are the major factor of their victories, and that the only hope for invigorating and revitalizing the present?day Ummah lies in reviving and adopting the practice of the early generations of Muslims. But, in spite of his strong belief in the necessity of unity and dislike of disunity, al Banna wrote: We believe that disagreements on subsidiary religious issues are inevitable for various reasons, the most important of which are: Intellectual differences resulting from the level of intelligence and depth of knowledge, the multiplicity and interrelatedness of the facts, and the inherent ambiguities of the Arabic language which are bound to affect the interpretation of the texts. In all these people are different, and therefore disagreement is inevitable. The abundance of the sources of knowledge in some parts of the Islamic world and their scarcity in other places is also an important factor. Malik said to Abu Ja'far: "The Prophet's companions scattered into remote regions, each group possessing specific knowledge. If you were to force them to follow one opinion you would create fitnah. There are also cultural differences. Al Shafi'i (RA'A) used to give different fatawa in accordance with the different conditions prevailing in Iraq and in Egypt. In both cases he used to base his verdict upon what he believed to be truth. The opinion of the imam toward the narrator is another factor. One imam may consider a narrator fully reliable, but another may have doubts about the same narrator and consequently refrain from taking what he has transmitted in full confidence. Also, a cause of difference lies in assessing the evidence of ahkam; some give precedence to people's practices over ahadith narrated through by one single narrator, etc. For these reasons we believe that a consensus on subsidiary religious matters is not only impossible but incompatible with the nature of din, because such a demand is bound to generate rigidity and excessiveness, which are contrary to the Islamic imperatives of flexibility, facilitation, and simplicity. Doubtless, these virtues will enable Islam to meet the requirements of all times. Furthermore, we understand the reasons of those who disagree with us on subsidiary and marginal issues. Such disagreement does not affect our mutual love or cooperation, as we are all contained within the comprehensiveness of Islam. Aren't we all Muslim, required to like for our Muslim brothers what we like for ourselves? Why disagreement then, and why cannot each of us have our different opinions, and also try to reach an agreement, if possible, in an atmosphere of candor and love? The companions of the Prophet (SA'AS) had disagreed in fatwa, but that did not create any disunity or rupture. The incident of the salah and Banu Qurayzah is a case in point. If these who have known the ahkam better than us have had their disagreements, isn't it absurd that we maliciously disagree with each other on frivolous matters? If our a'immah, who more than any one else know the Qur'an and Sunnah, have had their disagreements and their debates, why cannot we do the same? If there was disagreement on even clear and well?known subsidiary issues, such as the five?times?a?day adhan, which were supported by texts and by tradition, what about the more delicate issues which are subject to opinion and deduction? We also need to remember that during the time of the Caliphate, disagreements were referred to, and settled by, the Caliph. Since there are no caliphs these days, Muslims must find a judge to which they can refer their case. Otherwise, their disagreement will lead to another disagreement. Finally, our brothers are fully aware of all this and have consequently more patience and open?mindedness. They believe that each group of people has specific knowledge and that in each da'wah there are elements of truth as well as falsity. They carefully investigate the truth and accept it, and they try with amicability to convince those who are wrong. If the latter are convinced it is indeed very good, but if they are not they remain our Muslim brothers. We ask Allah to guide us and to guide them. The above is a brief summary of Imam al Bannas views on juristic disagreements and his attitude toward them. It clearly shows his deep knowledge of Islam, of history, and of reality. I would also like to relate an ancident in al Bannas life-which could have been the experience of other 'ulama'as well-to illustrate these concepts and views. One day during Ramadan, al Banna was invited to deliver a lecture in a small village in Egypt. The people in that village were divided into two groups which held different opinions regarding the number of raka 'at in salat al tarawih. One group argued that according to the tradition of' Umar ibn al Khattab (RA'A), they should be twenty. The other group insisted that they must be eight, maintaining that it was known that the Prophet (SA'AS) never exceeded this number at any time. Accordingly, each group accused the other of bidah, and their disagreement reached a dangerous level, almost leading to open physical conflict. When al Banna arrived they agreed to refer the matter to him. The way he handled this event is instructive to all of us. He first asked: "What is the juristic status of salat al tarawih?" The answer was: "A sunnah, and those who perform it are rewarded, those who do not are not punished." He then asked: "And what is the juristic status of brotherhood among Muslims?" The people replied: "fard [Obligatory], and it is one of the fundamentals of Iman." He then concluded: "Is it therefore logical or permissible according to Shariah to abandon afard for a sunnah?. He then told them that if they preserved their brotherhood and unity and each went home and performed salat al tarawIh according to his own genuine conviction, it would indeed be far better then arguing and quarreling. When I mentioned this to some people, they said that al Bannas action was evasive?an escape from the truth, i.e., from pointing out the difference between a sunnah and a bidah. This, they insisted, is the duty of a Muslim. I replied that this is a matter where there is room for different opinions, and that although I perform eight raka 'at, I do not accuse those performing twenty of bidah. They persisted that making a decision on such matters is a duty which a Muslim must not evade. I insisted that this is true when the choice is between halal and haram, but in matters on which the juristic schools of thought have had their disagreements and, consequently, each one of us his own view, there is no need for bigotry or zealotry. Many fair Muslim ulama have clearly sanctioned this. The following quotation is from one of the .Hanabilah books entitled Sharh Ghayat al Muntaha: Whoever rejects an opinion reached by ijtihad does so because of his ignorance of the status of the mujtahidun who will be rewarded, be they right or wrong, for their laborious, timeconsuming findings in this respect. Those who follow them commit no sin, because Allah has ordained for each of them that to which his ijtihad had led him, and which becomes part of the Shariiah in that respect. There is an example in the permission to eat, out of dire necessity only, the meat of a dead animal. However, this is prohibited for a person who deliberately chooses to do so. Both of these are wellestablished juristic verdicts. Ibn Taymiyah says in al Fatawa al Misriyah: Consideration of unity [among Muslims] is the right course. The basmalah can be uttered loudly to fulfill a commendable interest. It is also advisable to abandon the preferable in order to create harmony and intimacy, just as the Prophet (SA'AS) gave up the re?building of the Ka'bah [on the foundations laid down by Ibrahim] so as not to alienate 1the people of Makkah]. The a immah, like Imam Ahmad, are of this opinion with regard to the basmalah, to replace the preferable with the acceptable in order to preserve unity. Ibn Taymiyah referred to the following hadith with regard to the building of the Ka'bah. The Prophet (SA'AS) said to 'Aishah (RA'A): "Had your ople not been in jahilyah (the attitudes and mentality of pre?Islamic time) until recently, I would have rebuilt the Ka'bah on the foundations [laid] by Ibrahim." Ibn al Qayyim also discussed the issue of qunut in Salat alfujr. Some people have considered qunut as bidah, others as supererogatory to be practised in times of hardships as well as other times. In his book Zad a1 Ma'ad, he argues that the Prophet's Sunnah sanctions qunut during the times of hardship, and that this has been accepted by hadith scholars who follow what the Prophet (SA'AS) did. They therefore did qanut at the times the Prophet (SA'AS) is known to have done qunut and abstained from it at the times he is known to have abstained from qunut They see qunut as a sunnah and abstaining from it as also a sunnah Therefore they neither object to those who continually do qanut or to those who abstain from it, and they do not consider it bidah. Ibn al Qayyim writes: A proper posture to ask Allah's blessings and to offer thanks to Him is when a person stands up after kneeling in Salah. The Prophet (SA'AS) did both in this posture. It is acceptable for the imam to utter qunut prayers these loudly so that the people behind him can hear. 'Umar ibn al Khatt.ab raised his voice when reciting the Fatihah, and so did Ibn 'Abbas during the salah for the dead in order to let people know that it is sunnah to do so. Such practices are subject to acceptable disagreement; neither those who do them nor those who refrain are blameworthy: the same applies to raising the hands during Salah, the various ways of tashahhud, adhan, iqamah, as well as the types of hajj as ifrad, qiran and tamattu' Our purpose is only to mention the Prophet's Sunnah, which is our guiding principle in this book and which we seek to investigate. Having said that, I wish to point out that I have not tried to deal with what is permissible and what is not. Our concern is with the permissible practice which the Prophet (SA'AS) used to choose for himself, and which is the best and most perfect. If we say that there is no indication in his Sunnah that he consistently performed qunut during Salat ul Fajr or uttered the basmalah loudly, this does not mean or indicate that we should consider consistency in performing them as makruh? or bidah. It only means that his guidance is the best and most perfect. Moreover, an individual is permitted to continue his salah behind an imam of a different madhhab even if he believes that the latter has done something which nullifies his ablution, or makes his salah nugatory, if the imam's madhhab permits that. Ibn Taymiyah says in al Fawakih al Adidah: Muslims are unanimous on the admissibility of performing Salah behind each other as was the practice of the Companions and the Tabi'un, as well as that of the four great jurists of Islam. Whoever rejects this practice is a straying mabtadi' who deviates from the teaching of the Quran, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Muslims. Although some of the companions and the Tabiun uttered the basmalah loudly and other did not, they nevertheless continued to perform Salah behind each other. So did Abu Hanifah and his followers, as well as al Shafi'i and others who used to perform salah behind the Malikiyah in Madinah, although the latter did not utter the basmalah, neither loudly nor in their hearts. It is said that Abu Yusuf performed Salah behind al Rashid who had been cupped.'9 Because al Imam Malik has given afatwa that there is no need to renew ablutions in thicase, Abu Yusuf continued his salah behind al Rashid. However, Ahmad ibn Hanbal was of the opinion that ablution must be done after cupping and nosebleeding. Confronted with a hypothetical situation whether a member of the congregation who notices a discharge of blood from the imam, who does not renew his ablution, should continue his Salah behind him, Ibn Hanbal said: "It is inconceivable not to perform Salah behind Said ibn al Musayyab and Malik." He then added that there are two considerations in this issue: (1) If the man is not aware of anything that invalidates the imam's Salah he should continue behind him. This is agreed upon by the forebears and the four great jurists; and (2) If he was sure that the imam has done something which renders him impure, such as touching his genitals or women out of sexual desire, cupping or vomiting, and did not renew his ablution, he then must act according to his best judgment, because this is an issue about which there is a great deal of disagreement. The majority of our forebears are of the opinion that the salah of those behind such an imam is valid. This is the opinion of Malik's madhhab, but a second opinion in al Shafi is and Abu Hanifah's. Most of Ahmad's texts support this opinion, which is the correct one.
11 Views
00:21:58 01/15/09
Lisa Bitel - Jesus On a Pancake?
[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 00:21:58 01/15/09
Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/11/10/Dr_Michael_Arbib_and_Dr_Lisa_Bitel_Seeing_the_Divine
Religion historian Lisa Bitel examines several contemporary reports of religious visions, manifestations and apparitions.
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How, in this age of scientific rationalism, can we begin to understand religious visions and mystical experiences--now being reported by a growing number of people on the nightly news, across the internet, and by word-of-mouth?
Dr. Lisa Bitel and Dr. Michael A. Arbib discuss visions from the Middle Ages to today, especially the tensions between cultural, spiritual, and neurological explanations for extraordinary sights, and consider new ways to understand these mysterious phenomena - Los Angeles Public Library
Lisa Bitel is the Professor of History and Gender Studies and Chair, Gender Studies Program at USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Professor Bitel studies the social, cultural, and religious history of medieval Europe. She has written four books about religion and/or gender in early medieval Europe, and published articles about sex, dreams, architecture, and Christianity, among other topics. She is currently researching two books about religious vision: a book on the material history of medieval visions and a collaborative book about a modern-day vision event in the Mojave desert.
10 Views
00:21:58 01/01/09
Za Rinpoche - Accepting Life's Struggles
[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 00:21:58 01/01/09
Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/05/02/Za_Rinpoche_on_The_Backdoor_To_Enlightenment
Tibetan monk Za Rinpoche identifies awareness of life's struggles as a necessary step towards personal enlightenment.
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Za Rinpoche shows us The Backdoor To Enlightenment.
Za Rinpoche, a Tibetan monk, first came to the world's attention when his life story was chronicled in the first chapter of Po Bronson's bestseller, What Should I Do with My Life?
While growing up in a refugee camp in Southern India, Za Rinpoche was recognized by the Dalai Lama as the sixth reincarnation of the Za Choeje Rinpoche.
Now, in The Backdoor To Enlightenment, he shares with us the keys to immediate, profound realization and lasting peace, revealing the secrets to enlightenment that have remained hidden in the distant reaches of the Himalayas for more than a thousand years.
This revolutionary work stands out as a smart, clear guide, showing step-by-step how you can use these deep truths to transform every aspect of your life.
Za Rinpoche is the founder of the Emaho Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona, dedicated to sharing Tibetan culture with the West, supporting humanitarian projects, and assisting with personal spiritual development - Cody's Books
Za Choeje Rinpoche was identified by H.H. the Dalai Lama as the sixth reincarnation of ZaChoeje Rinpoche. At the age of 16 he entered Drepung Loseling Monastery where, after ten years of study, he graduated with the Geshe Lharampa degree and continued his studies at Gyume Tantric College in India.
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21:49:23 12/14/07
Earth Keepers Protecting Planet Earth One Person At A Time
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Earth Keeping: A look back at four years of successful projects including an extremely busy 2007The Earth Keeper Initiative honored in 2007 by Lake Superior Magazine, the Acton Institute and World MagazineAs environment ministers from about 190 countries struggle over a global warming treaty in Indonesia, the Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative is completing its fourth successful year.The Earth Keepers have proven that every person can make a difference in their own community.The November 2007 issue of Lake Superior Magazine honors the outcome of numerous Earth Keeper projects.Earth Keeper projects involve more than 400 volunteers from nine faith communities with over 140 churches/temples and Native American tribes including the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community plus youth of all ages.Earth Keeper Initiative volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson reports on another successful year cleaning the environment in northern Michigan and protecting Lake Superior.In the near future, Earth Keeper stories will detail efforts of the Northern Michigan University student team and the Manoomin Project - a wild rice restoration endeavor involving at-risk teens and American Indian guides.Time: 10:00--- (Marquette, Michigan) - The impact of numerous environmental projects created by the northern Michigan Earth Keepers over the past few years is measured in the hundreds of tons as over 15,000 residents have turned in hazardous waste, teens are restoring wild rice beds, businesses and homes are reducing power consumption and thousands of dollars used to protect Lake SuperiorThe non-profit Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative, its nine faith communities, an Upper Peninsula American Indian tribe and over 400 volunteers were honored this week with the “2007 Lake Superior Magazine Achievement Award.”The annual award established in 1994 “recognizes organizations or individuals who have improved the well-being of Lake Superior and it’s residents,” said Lake Superior Magazine Editor Konnie LeMay who traveled from Duluth, Minnesota to honor the interfaith environment project.(Photos by Greg Peterson, Tom Buchkoe, Steve Durocher and Samantha Otto)LeMay cited “734,000 pounds worth of environmental impact just since the signing the Earth Keeper Covenant in July 2004 by nine faith communities.”Presenting an engraved crystal plaque during a Sept. 17, 2007 ceremony at Presque Isle Park in Marquette, LeMay said the “spiritual role model of the Earth Keepers certainly has improved the well-being and environmental awareness of Upper Michigan’s residents - it has offered a concrete way to action.”The Lake Superior Magazine November issue honors the Marquette-based Earth Keepers whose environment projects include annual Earth Day hazardous waste collections, an energetic student team with its own projects, wild rice restoration, an energy summit, and most recently a classical music concert to protect the biggest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes that Native Americans call Gitchie Gummi.The project is co-sponsored by the Cedar Tree Institute, the Superior Watershed Partnership, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the congregations of over 140 churches and temples representing nine faith communities (Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, and Zen Buddhist).Rev. Jon Magnuson, who dreamed of creating the Earth Keepers ten years ago, told LeMay that Lake Superior Magazine first announced the existence of the faith-based environment initiative.“Lake Superior Magazine announced the informal announcement of the Earth Keeper Covenant” and we want to thank the magazine for being a partner that way,” Rev. Magnuson said.The covenant was signed by the leaders of the nine faith communities in 2004 pledging to actively protect the environment and reach out to American Indian tribes.Rev. Magnuson honored the memory of one of the first signers of the covenant - Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan Bishop James Kelsey who was killed in a June 3, 2007 traffic accident.Bishop Kelsey was “one of the Earth Keepers true point people for the religious leaders,” Magnuson said.“Jim Kelsey’s spirit will carry us on - he was known as the environmental bishop and that was because of this work that he partnered with us on,” Magnuson said.Magnuson said the Earth Keepers “lift and honor” the members of the “Keweenaw Bay Indian Community have been with us on every one of our initiatives” including a sister effort called the Manoomin project that involves restoring wild rice to seven remote sites in northern Michigan.United Methodist Church Marquette District Superintendent Grant Lobb accepted the Lake Superior Magazine award on behalf of the nine faith leaders.Over 15,000 residents have participated in annual Earth Day hazardous waste collections (2005-2007) at sites across the U.P. have recycled or properly disposed of about 370 tons of pharmaceuticals, old/broken computers, cell phones, pesticides, raw liquid mercury, drain cleaner, oil-based paint, vehicle batteries and many other substances.2005 - 2007 Earth Keeper Clean SweepPharmaceutical, electronic, household hazardous waste The Manoomin ProjectAmerican Indian guides teach at-risk teens to plant wild rice.The teens learn to respect themselves, nature and tribal customs The Earth Keeper Manoomin Project have planted over one ton of wild rice seeds in the past three years through the hands of at-risk teenagers and American Indian guides. The project teaches teens to respect themselves, nature and American Indian heritage.The Manoomin Project includes classroom time and other learning like Tai Chi relaxation exercises and listening to stories from American Indian elders. In July 2007, KBIC elder Glenn Bressette of Harvey, MI explained how he overcame some of the same obstacles the at-risk teens are currently facing.Bressette described racism in Marquette when he was young when his mother told all her children to lie about their American Indian heritage. Bressette said he was called a "dirty Indian" and an "old drunken Indian." Bresette said when he was in his teens police officers shot at him as he tried to steal gasoline and described how he became an alcoholic trying to numb the pain from racism.The Boreal Chamber Symphony "One night only" July 15, 2007 Lake Superior Day The Boreal Chamber Symphony was formed by Midwest classical musicians during April 2007 that made its "one night only" performance a free benefit for the Earth Keepers on Lake Superior Day. The musicians to raised thousands of dollars for the Lake Superior Defense Fund.Nearly 400 people attended the nearly four hour event - the debut of the Boreal Chamber Symphony directed by Craig Randal Johnson of Minneapolis - raising thousands of dollars for the Lake Superior Defense Fund. Thousands of people watched an on-line video made of a rehearsal on the edge of the lakeshore using Lake Superior as an musical instrument following a June 25, 2007 press conference at Presque Isle in Marquette that promoted the concert.2007 Earth Keeper Energy Summit Over 500 businesses, churches/temples, and homeowners pledged to reduce power consumption, some received energy audits, millions in energy savings in next few years This summer's Earth Keeper Energy Summit inspired 500 businesses, homeowners and churches/temples to reduce their power consumption - and many signed up for energy audits. The participants are expected to reduce their utility bills by millions of dollars over the next few years.The Northern Michigan UniversityEarthKeeper Student Team The Northern Michigan University EarthKeeper (NMU EK) Student Team is creating chapters at three other Upper Peninsula of Michigan universities. The nine Earth Keeper faith leaders and the KBIC President/CEO Susan LaFernier stood together at NMU on April 6, 2006 to announce the creation of the student team.The student efforts have included an adopt-a-watershed project and spreading the Earth Keeper message to children and adults at schools, churches and temples.The NMU EK Student Team participated in all Earth Keeper events. In October 2006, the students recorded a video for an MTV contest.On October 6, 2006, Rev. Lynn Hubbard of Eden on the Bay Lutheran Church in Munising sponsored a benefit concert for the student team with Greg LaCombe and the Loose Ends band.Rev. Hubbard has scheduled a second benefit concert for the student team at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, October 12, 2007 at Upfront & Company restaurant in Marquette. The public is encouraged to attend the free benefit concert.The Earth Keepers have been fortunate to receive several international awards including the Lake Superior Magazine honor.---Pictured left to right (in above photo) are Earth Keeper consultant Ron Sundell; Cedar Tree institute Executive Director Rev. Jon Magnuson, Catholic Earth Keeper Kyra Fillmore representing Roman Catholic Bishop Alex Sample, Lake Superior Magazine Editor Konnie LeMay, United Methodist Church Marquette District Superintendent Grant Lobb, Jewish Earth Keeper Jacob Silver of Temple Beth Sholom in Ishpeming, U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak's District Director Tom Baldini, Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan Operations Coordinator Jane Cisluycis, and Superior Watershed Partnership Executive Director Carl Lindquist.In August 2006 and repeating again in 2007, the Grand Rapids, Michigan based Acton Institute named the Earth Keeper Initiative and the Cedar Tree Institute one of the 13 hardest working faith-based non-profits in America.The Manoomin Project received the hardest working honor in 2006 putting two Cedar Tree Institute projects on the hardest working list. World Magazine did features stories on the projects as part of the award.---On September 8, 2006, the Lake Superior Bi-National Forum presented the Earth Keepers with its Environmental Stewardship award during a ceremony in Marquette attended by the 9 faith leaders.---The Earth Keepers and the Manoomin Project have been fortunate to receive a large amount of positive coverage by the news media including national magazine articles, an United Methodist Church national TV crew did a story in Marquette during the 2007 clean sweep, and Rev. Magnuson was one of the guests on a national Native American radio talk show on September 14, 2007.Numerous national magazines have done stories on the Earth Keepers including Grit, The Lutheran, Thrivent Magazine and others. The Associated Press has run numerous stories on the Earth keepers and the U.P. media has been very supportive.---The Earth Keeper TeamA core group of about a dozen dedicates souls who inspire 400 plus volunteers and whose faith communties have turned out over 15,000 northern Michigan residents to three Earth Day clean sweeps that have recycled or properly disposed of about 370 tons of hazardous waste. ----- Having fun while protecting the environment: Rev. Jon Magnuson, whose dreamed up the Earth Keepers ten years ago, shares a light moment with one of the hardest working volunteers during the Lake Superior Magazine press conference in Marquette, MI on Sept. 17, 2007.Catholic Earth Keeper Kyra Fillmore of Marquette is a mother of two young children who shuffles a busy home life with doing God's work. Her husband and father are also very active in Earth Keepers.--- Over one ton of pharmaceuticals and over $500,000 narcotics was collected during the 2007 Earth Keeper Clean Sweep at 19 free drop-off sites across a 400 mile area of northern Michigan. The drugs were destroyed in a high-tech, low pollution, EPA-approved incinerator near St. Louis, Missouri. --- Over 320 tons of electronic waste (below) was turned in by the public during the 2006 Earth Keeper Clean Sweep. Old/broken computers, cell phones and other electronics were recycled. The photo by Tom Buchkoe of Marquette represents about 80 percent of the e-waste that was turned in by the public, small businesses and schools.---The annual "Blessing of the Wild Rice" (below) is held each September in Marquette as a show of respect for the return of the once native grain - and to thank the supporters of the Manoomin Project. Everyone has a fun time and the meal includes various forms of wild rice.The wild rice is prepared in several ways including searing the grain into a crunchy treat mixed with dried fruit.--- Native American guide Don Chosa created this offering (below) to nature during the 2006 Blessing of the Wild Rice.--- A member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Native American guide Don Chosa and the teens (below) bring the natural offering into the woods where it was placed behind a log during the 2006 Blessing of the Wild Rice in Marquette.---The at-risk teens involved in the Manoomin Project first arrive - in essence doing community service - after being sentenced in juvenbile court. Many of the teens have so much fun planting and testing the wild rice they ask to return the next year.These teens are truly a joy to work with and only need a little bit of positive attention to grow into the great leaders of tomorrow. The Manoomin Project honors the teenagers and the KBIC for working so hard to restore wild rice to northern Michigan. Below are links to a tribute music video honoring those involved in the project. Earth Keeper related website addresses are:Earth Keeper TV:http://earthkeepers.blip.tv/The Cedar Tree Institute:http://www.cedartreeinstitute.com/The Superior Watershed Partnershiphttp://www.superiorwatersheds.org/The Lake Superior Interfaith Communication Network:http://www.lakesuperiorinterfaith.com/-----Earth Keeper TV Manoomin Project Music Video on blip tv:http://blip.tv/file/341528/You Tube - Manoomin Project Music Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0QPBLruQZ8---articles:World Magazine:http://www.worldmag.com/articles/12177Manoomin Project article/photos (scroll down a little bit):http://www.cedartreeinstitute.com/envprojects.html---
