The Hubb Arts Centre in Birmingham
24/05/2011 Leave a comment
The Circle in Native American Spirituality
04/05/2011 Leave a comment
Music “Dawning of the Seventh Fire” by Bill Neal Elk Whistle, video creation by Tim Wozny.
“You have noticed that everything an Indian does in a circle,
and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles,
and everything and everything tries to be round.
In the old days all our power came to us from the sacred hoop
of the nation and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people
flourished. The flowering tree was the living center of the hoop,
and the circle of the four quarters nourished it. The east gave peace
and light, the south gave warmth, the west gave rain and the north
with its cold and mighty wind gave strength and endurance. This
knowledge came to us from the outer world with our religion.
Everything the power of the world does is done in a circle.
The sky is round and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball
and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.
Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.
The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon
does the same and both are round. Even the seasons form a great
circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were.
The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is
in everything where power moves. Our teepees were round like the
nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation’s hoop,
a nest of many nests, where the Great Spirit meant for us to hatch our children.”
Black Elk, Holy Man of the Oglala Lakota (1863-1950).
The Royal Wedding Vows
29/04/2011 Leave a comment
Footage courtesy of the BBC and YouTube.
Like this:
Letter from Benjamin Franklin to Ezra Stiles
14/03/2011 Leave a comment
PHILADELPHIA, March 9, 1790.
REVEREND AND DEAR SIR—
I RECEIVED your kind letter of January 28, and am glad you have at length received the portrait of governor Yale from his family, and deposited it in the college library. He was a great and good man, and had the merit of doing infinite service to your country by his munificence to that institution. The honor you propose doing me, by placing mine in the same room with his, is much too great for my deserts; but you always had a partiality for me, and to that it must be ascribed. I am however too much obliged to Yale College, the first learned society that took notice of me, and adorned me with its honors, to refuse a request that comes from it through so esteemed a friend. But I do not think any one of the portraits you mention as in my possession worthy of the situation and company you propose to place it in. You have an excellent artist lately arrived. If he will undertake to make one for you, I shall cheerfully pay the expense: but he must not delay setting about it, or I may slip through his fingers, for I am now in my 85th year, and very infirm.
Here is my creed: I believe in one God, the creator of the universe. That he governs it by his Providence. That he ought to be worshipped. That the most acceptable service we render to him is doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever sect I meet with them.
I send with this a very learned work as it seems to me, on the ancient Samaritan Coins, lately printed in Spain, and at least curious for the beauty of the impression. Please to accept it for your college library. I have subscribed for the Encyclopedia now printing here, with the intention of presenting it to the college. I shall probably depart before the work is finished, but shall leave directions for its continuance to the end. With this you will receive some of the first numbers.
You desire to know something of my religion. It is the first time I have been questioned upon it. But cannot take your curiosity amiss, and shall endeavor in a few words to gratify it. Here is my creed: I believe in one God, the creator of the universe. That he governs it by his Providence. That he ought to be worshipped. That the most acceptable service we render to him is doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever sect I meet with them. As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is like to see; but I apprehend, it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the truth with less trouble. I see no harm however in its being believed, if that belief has the good consequence, as probably it has, of making his doctrines more respected and more observed, especially as I do not perceive that the Supreme takes it amiss by distinguishing the believers in his government of the world with any peculiar marks of his displeasure. I shall only add respecting myself, that having experienced the goodness of that being in conducting me prosperously through a long life, I have no doubt of its continuance in the next, though without the smallest conceit of meriting such goodness. My sentiments on this head you will see in the copy of an old letter inclosed, which I wrote in answer to one from an old religionist whom I had relieved in a paralytic case by electricity, and who being afraid I should grow proud upon it, sent me his serious, though rather impertinent caution. I send you also the copy of another letter which will show something of my disposition relating to religion.
With great and sincere esteem and affection, I am, &c.
B. FRANKLIN.
PS. Had not your college some present of books from the king of France. Please to let me know if you had an expectation given you of more, and the nature of that expectation? I have a reason for the inquiry.
I confide that you will not expose me to criticisms and censures by publishing any part of this communication to you. I have ever let others enjoy their religious sentiments, without reflecting on them for those that appeared to me unsupportable or even absurd. All sects here, and we have a great variety, have experienced my good will in assisting them with subscriptions for the building their new places of worship, and as I have never opposed any of their doctrines, I hope to go out of the world in peace with them all.
Prayer for our Brothers and Sisters in our Human Family
12/03/2011 Leave a comment
Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with those who are grieving, suffering pain, or who have been affected by the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
O Allah, may everyone sense Your loving compassion, which calms our troubled hearts and shelters our anxious souls. We remember those who have died and we pray for those who mourn for them. We pray for those who may be affected as the tsunami spreads across the Pacific. We pray with humility with our troubled and struggling brothers and sisters in our human family.
We pray for our brothers and sisters suffering in Japan, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, New Zealand and other countries. May we dare to hope that through the generosity of the privileged, the destitute will receive of Your blessings, to glimpse hope, warmth and life again.
We pray for Earth, may You rejuvenate her and protect her from harm, so she may continue to nurture life, especially our human family for generations to come. May we come to understand how to live in harmony with our planet and stop hurting her or harming Your other creations. Help us to walk lightly on Earth, with respect and compassion, conveying Your blessing, not being ourselves a burden.
We seek only Your divine Mercy and tender kindness and pray for the sake of Your beloved, Prophet Muhammad and his noble family, peace and blessings be upon them.
Ameen
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
07/03/2011 Leave a comment
By Bulleh Shah
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
The lesson of love-rapture when first I read
The mosque my heart began to dread
Into the Thakur’s abode I fled
Where a thousand conches sing
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
When the ways of love-rapture I gained
Differences of me and you were not sustained
The shell and pith were washed clean, unstained
Wherever I look the Friend is befriending
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
Heer-Raanjha came into fusion
Erring Heer search in the moors had begun
In her shawl frolicks beloved Raanjhan
I have no sense now, nor that awareness thing
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
Reading, re-reading the Qur’an, Vedas, scholars are tired
Marks on foreheads by myriad rubdowns are sired
God’s not in Mecca nor in holy shrines mired
Once light enters the heart it’ll forever ring
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
Burn down the prayer-mat, crack the ablutions vessel!
Forsake the rosary, the priest’s scepter, his cudgel!
Hear the Love-raptured declare from the heart and yell
“Give up sanctioned fare, take to carrion eating!”
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
A lifetime wasted in the mosque
The pith a profane, brimming cask
Never Unity focus of the praying-flask
Now why the raving, ranting?
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
Love-rapture made me forget prostrations before You
Now why the shrewish wrangles construe?
Long silent Bullha to silence says adieu
He’s in raptures! loving and loving
Every moment love’s a new surge of spring
Extract from, “Bulleh Shah Within Reach” by Muzaffar A Ghaffaar, part of the Masterworks of Punjaabi Sufi Poetry series.
THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH MUSLIMS SUPPORTS THE AWAKENING!
28/01/2011 Leave a comment
“All God’s creatures are His family; and he is the most beloved of God who doeth most good to God’s creatures.” – Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) The Seal of The Prophets
Egyptian people, in particular young people, are tired of a system that treats them as second class citizens in their own country and denies them their basic human rights, right to life, property, freedom of speech and self expression. The Association of British Muslims calls upon the Egyptian and other governments in the region, to evolve more representative national governments, place emphasis on ensuring and safeguarding the basic human rights of all people, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, sexuality, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Tensions will naturally arise when people are denied these basic rights to which all human beings are entitled by birth and when the distribution of wealth between the rich and poor becomes so extreme, that the rich live like phoroahs while the poor lack even the basic essentials of life.
Egyptians are being killed; to date, more than 100 have sustained injuries and over 1,000 protesters have been placed under arrest. We at The Association of British Muslims call for increased ‘peaceful non-violent resistance’ against the provocations of the Egyptian Government, further we issue a direct appeal to the Egyptian Military, Intelligence and Police services – that the people who are demonstrating are your people, Egyptians just like you – they are your brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. Do not use violence against them, as the time for change has come. Instead, work together with the people for peaceful and positive solutions.
The demonstrations by the Egyptian people, which prompted Cairo to impose a curfew in the canal city of Suez on Wednesday, were indeed motivated by the recent popular revolution in Tunisia, which ended the 23-year-long rule of the country’s former president, Zine El Abidin Ben Ali. But there is something deeper to this, the self-sacrifice of Mohammed Bouazizi 26. As a dire consequence of the incredible frustration he felt, Bouazizi burned himself as a protest against the government of run-away dictator Ben Ali and the completely unfair distribution of wealth in his country. Like many states in the developing world, the rich live like pharoahs in the lap of luxury, while the poor lack even the basic essentials of life!
Even though a hard working university graduate, Bouazizi was unemployed, driven into the streets, forced to sell fruits and vegetables, yet even this poor means was denied to him, when his wheelbarrow was confiscated by government agents. Full of passionate anger and resilience, he delivered his message in the only way he felt he could; he set himself ablaze!
That was the start of what Tunisia is today; Dictator Ben Ali ran out of his country as people marched with Bouazizi’s spirit of sacrifice for change. That spark lit a flame in the hearts of people in not just Tunisia but the region – and the light of that sacrifice burns in Egypt today.
This is a critical time for the Egyptian people and their nation. This is the time to support the people of Egypt, in their desire for a more representative and just government, committed to basic human rights for all her citizens, without distinction of any kind.
The Egyptian people, like any other people on this planet, simply wish to live their lives in peace and practice responsibility for themselves, their families and have a say in their nation – they have a direct responsibility to see to it that the future of their children is bright, full of promise and opportunity – the hope of all nations beats within the hearts of their peoples.
An Appeal to Leaders in the Arab World:
The people are awakening and The Association of British Muslims appeals to you, to evolve and reform the people’s political systems, to make them more representative of the peoples’ desires.
High unemployment, the current economic crisis, misuse of religion and politics as well as terrorism, is creating anger and hurt in Muslim nations and the wider world.
Let us ask ourselves why the Arab or Muslim world stands near the bottom of every measure of human development or why scientific inquiry is nearly dead in the Islamic world.
Let us ask ourselves where is our Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or Yale?
Let us not shy away from openness and transparency – let us free our peoples to explore their potentials as human beings, with full human rights and the dignity that the Last Prophet of Allah himself taught us.
People when they are enslaved by restrictions in their nations, become emboldened by any glimmer of hope and in Tunisia and now in Egypt – hope is being replaced by action by the people and this will increase pressure in other nations where people – especially young people feel they are being denied basic human rights and freedom of expression.
The knee-jerk response maybe to limit or ban the internet, as if that will control the flow of information. This will be resisted not just within the nations affected but by people everywhere – the people of Tunisia were not alone in their desire for more openness and neither are the Egyptian people.
Grassroots efforts of individuals and groups who desire a say in their futures, are growing in confidence and are attracting people from all backgrounds to their banners for change – most of these people have usually been averse to political outcry.
The Association of British Muslims is appealing to whoever this message reaches, whoever maybe reading this online on facebook, twitter or other sites – to spread the word and let’s wake up and take charge of our own destinies. The Future lies within our own hands – this is the 21st Century and we dare to live in the 21st Century!
We close this with a quote from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) The Seal of The Prophets:
“Riches are not from an abundance of worldly goods but from a contented mind.”
Mohammed Abbasi and Paul Salahuddin Armstrong
Co-Directors
The Association of British Muslims
www.aobm.org
