they survived, but for how long?

[slm]

For many, the help did not reach in time.

It is freezing cold out there - hunger and disease are taking their toll.

Amputations have been taking place in the open, without anasthesia, without proper tools, without medicine.

And the helicopters will be grounded soon.

The money for their operations has dried up.

Soon there will be no way to help.

Glory be! Christian concept of God

please feel free to suggest corrections. I wrote this piece after reading the following topic on christianity.com, and when my previous sole post was removed, and I was banned, as have been other Muslims who were answering the questions in a polite way. All I had asked was why another Muslim poster had been banned.

Is Allah of the Qur`an same as the God of the Bible

What do we have
for God
in Christianity?
I will try
to summarise
what I understand

One God
but wait a minute
there are three Godheads
they are different,
yet they are One
they are separate
yet inseparable

amazing
don't call it stupid
call it incomprehensible
for Faith is amazing

One is the Father
don't call Him God yet
for He is one of three persons
Other is the Son
begotten of the Father
yet equal to Him
and both from Eternity
also eternal is the third
the Holy Ghost
together they make One
as also separately

now you can call Him God
without forgetting that
the Son is also God
the Holy Ghost is also God
yet they aren't three Gods

confused
no matter
call it
Faith

the Father sent His Son
100 percent man
and hundred % God
wait another minute
how can that be?
hundred percent of both

don't ask
call it Faith
it is lovely
isn't it?
Faith will always
rescue you

so the Father sent His Son
His only begotten Son
what does begotten imply?
sexual intercourse
but we can't have that
this begetting did not
involve sex at all

never mind
forget the meaning
of begotten
He begot
without
having sex

just take it on Faith
Faith,
that rescuer of all things
contradictory

God is free of sexuality
at least that is common
to Islam
and Christianity

so the Father sent His Son
for what, you ask
as a prophet?
to set mankind on the straight path?
once again?
like the prophets before him?

no, silly
not as a prophet
for then it would become
almost al-Islam
the religion and the way
prescribed by God
it would become the religion
of Abraham
it wouldn't allow worship
of man
while the whole idea is
to twist the mind of mankind
so that we can worship man
as equal to God
that is why
God has no Son

and the Son is Crucified
on the Cross he exclaimed
"why has't Thou forsaken me?"
he himself is God
if he is, why does he pray
to God
he is
inseparable from God
he is
equal to the Father
yet he prays to the Father

makes sense?
no!
doesn't matter
take it on Faith
Faith is all you need

the Son died on the Cross
Good News
for you and me
if only
we accept
that his sacrifice was
atonement for our sins
if only
we would accept
that God isn't Just
that He sacrificed
His Son
His only begotten Son
for us
(never mind the contradictions)
then we could
live a life of abandon
fornication, rape
exploitation, colonisation
drunkennness
murder, plunder, torture

now you understand where
colonialism comes from?
why are wars fought?
why are cities bombed?
why are babies killed?
and maimed?
why is there a Guantanamao?
and an Abu Gharaib?
and a Bagram?
and others?
why depleted Uranium shells
are rained on the land
of the weak?

for no matter what you do
if you accept
Jesus as the Son
his crucifixtion as atonement
for your sins
then Glory be
you are saved

don't call it
a fib
a story
a wishful thought

call it Faith

Glory be!

earthquake rocks Islamabad

08:50 am, earthquake lasting more than a minute jolts us. We get out. Very severe jolts. Secondary jolt follows.

After awhile we get back in. Then I go out for a survey, and see a lot of people and dust. What happened, I ask people around in the street. Margalla Tower has collapsed, they say. Not quite true, I ascertain, but some damage must have occurred.

Anyway, bring the family out again. MiL needs a walker, so she is slow. Station her on a chair outside. Everyone in the street is out. Some go towards Margalla Towers. Fire Brigade, police sirens, then a helicopter.

See people hanging a rope made of bedsheets from the top floors of Margalla Towers. It is pulled up again, and after a while lowered again, probably enlenghthened. Not enoug, the exercise continues for long.

TV announces collape of a roof in a girls school in Rawalpindi. Then the cable goes out of commission.

Helicopters continue to circle overhead. Son goes out to work. I take the other car out, see a helicopter parked in the football field next to the road. Traffic ahead is choked. I turn back.

After a very long time, Fire Brigade in evidence, trying to get people out of the Towers.


____________________________

update:

I just went out.

There is a gaping hole between the blocks of Margalla Towers. Two of the blocks (ten stories each) have collapsed totally. Extent of loss of life not yet certain, but there is widespread loss throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Heavy removing machinery is being used at Margalla collapse to remove the debris.

Son has come back from work. The Blue Area (housing Islamabad's posh office blocks) have been totally evacuated.

Damage is far worse than it seemed at first.

duas (supplications) in Ramadan

Ramadan is for becoming Muttaqi, obtaining forgiveness of Allah, release from Hell, and gaining entry to Jannatul Firdaws

1. For the first ten days (and nights) ask Allah for forgiveness with the following dua:

اللهم اغفر وارحم و انت ارحم الراحمين

Allahummagfir warham wa anta arhamur rahimeen

O our Allah! Forgive me, and have Mercy on me, and You are Most Merciful One.

2. For the next ten days [and nights :) ] ask Allah to forgive one and accept repentance.

استغفرالله ربي من كل ذنب اذنبته واتوب اليه

astaghfirullaha Rabbi min kulli dhanbinw adhnabtahu wa atoobu ileh

O my Allah! Forgive my sins and accept my repentance.

3. For the next ten days [and nights :) ] ask Allah to save one from fire (hell).

اللهم اجرني من النار

Allahumma ajirni minanaar

O our Allah! Save me from Fire (Hell)

4. For the Lailatul Qadr, (most likely in odd numbered Ramadan nights: (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th of Ramadan, recite this dua:

اللهم انك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني

allahumma innaka a`fuwwun tuhibbul a`fwa fa`afu a`nnee

O our Allah! Surely You overlook (our) trespasses, and You like those who overlook (other’s trespasses), so do overlook mine.

5. And as a corollary of number 2 above, I have added this one:

اللهم اني اسءلك جنة الفردوس

Allahumma inni asalukal Jannatul Firdaws

O our Allah! I ask You for Jannatul Firdaws.

tazkiyah, let us gain it this Ramadan

assalamu aleikum

so Ramadan is almost here.


There is still uncertainty whether all of us will be able to get it. The next moment is uncertain. I pray that we all are able to take advatage and obtain freedom from Hell, and entry into Jannatul Firdaws.


What is Ramadan for?


So that we become mutaqqun. It is that we should try to become.


try to avoid sins; at least try to do the following:

lower the gaze

stop gheebat

stop lies

make sure you eat and drink only halal

speak not just halal, but try to limit non-Quranic conversations, even if halal, to the barest minimum

and stop not just speaking, but also watching and listening to haram

no songs, no stories, no watching sports,

only the Quran, the translation of its meanings, and its tafseer

do not walk knowingly towards haram

do not touch what is haram

it will be difficult, but try to make do without TV during this month

keep your thoughts pure, and towards Allah only