.....you basically branded the sister as a 'kaafir' in your post, which is wholly uncalled for. Really? Did he call her a "Kaafir"? Wow!

^^^ Axem axem...lol Akhyaaryahay, sidii hiddaha iyo dhaqanka noo ahaydba, marka laba beellood gafaf dhexmaraan, amba Godob (vendatta) darteed xiisadaha kacaan, waxaa garta loo geysan jirey: Odayaal gabooboo Garweyn; Garaadna Eebe siiyey; Hiillo iyo Eexna ka saliin ah. Soo war cad ma aha. Odayaashu marka ay dacwadi soo gaarto, waxaa caado u ahayd in ay labada beellood Geed-waaban hoostii ku soo xaadiriyaan, kadib la wada dhageysto sideey wax u dheceen, dabadeedna beellahaas si caddaalad ah oo xeereysan loogu kala gar naqo, kuna qanci-jireen. Soo waxaad garateen ma aha. Odeygii sidaa iyada ah xal ku keeno Soomaalidu way sharfi jirtey, hasahaatee, waxaa iiga caddaatey halkan in sulux anoo kale ah eex iyo hiillo lagu eedeeyo, waana xaal cusuboo fuuley Odeygaa Alle-ubaahne. War ninka in Caana-ku-kaadshe iigu yeerey ma waxbuu iila haray, Illaahbaan idinku dhaarshee? Wallee wax na dhangadeeyo oo mareer dubka looga murxiyo waad istaahishaa Alle-ubaahne Ina Musmaar-calashadoow! Alle-ubaahne Intaas waa iga hor dhac, haatanna aan u daadego qadafkan aad u geysatey gabadha uu Odey Baashi adeerka u yahay. Horta sheeko yar; beri aan samankan ahayn ayaa xiiso tanoo kale ah ka dhexaloosantey laba reer oo kala ah Reer Orgi-ku-guure iyo Reer Cawa-yoon, waxaana la isku heeystey ereyo qadaf ah oo uu odey - la oran jirey Qiil-mawaaye oo u dhashay Orgi-ku-guure - ku habaarey gabar gashaanti ah u dhalatey Reer Cawayoon. Ereyadii Qiilmawaaye kuwii ugu horeeyey waxay ahaayeen markuu inanta ku xodxodiyey: Naa soo dhowoow, Sarmada lagaa salaaxye. Inantuna wey ka dhiidhidey hadalkaa, waaney diidey iney usoo dhowaato (illeen waa gabar sharaf lehe), balse Qiilmawaaye wuxuu hadalkiisa ku daray: Sarmada lagaa malaas hadaba, taasoo kaga oysiisey gashaantida. Markii laga warhelay ereyada gefka ah ee uu gabadha u geystey ayaa reerkii gabadha ay ka dhalatay weerer kadis ah ku qaadeen reer Orgi-ku-guure halkaana dhagta-dhiiga-u-dareen laba kurray oo geel la jira. Dagaalkii ka billowdey ereyadaas wuxuu noqdey mid laga sheekeeyo qarniyo kadib, oo aan dib loogu noqon. Marka Alle-ubaahne, aniga maadaama aan ahay nin Gar iyo Gafuurba leh, waxaan kugu oran lahaa oo iga tala ah Ina-musmaar-Calashadow, inaad gabdhaha reer-dhagax-tuur xaalka kaa fuuley maal ku oofisid. Hadii kale, labada reer hadey is xasuuqaan (illeen dumarka waa sharafta reeraha e'), adigaa ka mas'uul ah wiilyahow! Intaa waxaa ii dheer, waryaa waa adiga dagaal ku goodinaayoo leh waa nala yaqaan e', yaad u caga-jugleyneysaa horta? War soo ma xusuusatid markii magaaladan Habaas-Geel aad fooda isku darteen Reer-Dhagax-tuur sideey idiin geliyeen BAQA-KU-MAAL, ee aadba, cabsi daraadeed cag u qaadi weydeen? Yaanan hadalka kusii dheeraanine, ninyahow col sokeeye ninkii ku adkaado iyo kii laga adkaadoba midba waxba kama calfadaane, dabka aad horineyso jooji, oo yuusan isku-gubin reeraha wiilyahaw. Intaasna waa iga guubaabo ee dhego-nugloow . Baashi Alle-ubaahne waa nin inkiraad ku jira oo aanan damacsaneyn in garta la idiin kala qaado ee Odey waxba wiiilasha ha hubeynin inta aan arrinku ka xallineyno. Haduuse is waalo, horeybaa loo yiri : "wiil iswaalaba waabiyaa hela" .

Sideedana reerka Dhagax-wada-heyste hadaanu nahay xeer iyo dhaqan baanu leenahay. Halka aad tiri Dhuubo sida loo xod-xodo iyo sida gabdhaha wax loogu akhriyo ama loo baashaaliyo yaan ragaan la xididi lahaa ka wareysanyaa halkaas awoowe khatif baa ku jira. Bal in aan xaal kuu dhigto iyo inkale yaan isku hayaa. Baashi, Mar haduu ninkii Alle-ubaahne ahaa caynkaa u aflagaadeeyey reer-Dhagax-Tuur dumarkooda, Geedku waa uu har-qabow yahay, goobtuna wey xaarantahay, Guurtidana way idishahay, Gartoo la gooyo, iyo xaalkoo la idiin kala qaado ayunbaa inoo harsan hada! Alle-Ubaahne, War iyo ilkaba waa la caddeeyaayee, ula jeeddada aad ula lahayd hadalka kaa soo yeerey cadee.

CHE' stop starting meaningless topics please. If you have complaints contact the Admin or the Moderators in private. Follow the procedures please. And this topic is closed.

Who is doing that? That’s what I wanna know buddy. Surely, Qabiil was imposed upon us by the refusal of honouring Truth itself. And by claiming to BE that which we have choice-lessly found ourself in, we have altogether neglected Consensus to the thresholds of ignorance. If one has not yet CONSENTED to that which he is said to be, then, that which he claims to be is an imposition. In the case of the Somalis, consent is alien to them. And its always denied to children by their parents. Moreover, there is no such thing as Somaliness or Qabiil identity. These indentities are simply baseless and bogus, since no one asked whether we wished to be what is said we are. More importantly, the fundermental questions, which the so-called Somalis or Qabiilist must address to find social cohesion are: How does one belong to or become part of a Qabiil? By Birth or by Consent? Have all those who are dubbed Somali consented to Somaliness, and/or do they accept the responsibilities consenting to be Somali entails? PS: ...and Baashi, are you going to be interested in a new group called 'Danteed-Garad'?

A very early morning break, might I say NGONGE .

Baashi: Now lets go back to the topic and ask why would we want to denounce qabiil which is the basis in which our society is organized? Baashi, this is an organization which is imposed upon us. It stands contrary to reason and logic; it legitimizes use of force to irreponsible actors; its corner stone is emotional blackmail via blood ties; it limits individual production and success; it encourages underdevelopment by stigmatizing artisanship and farming. All these things are deliberately created to enable the effective operation of the clan structure, which is faulty from the outset. The initial purpose for doing so is the control of societal wealth. The mechanism with which to achieve such an outcome is what is known as politics, or what I call the management (control) of wealth amongst individuals and communities. Unlike other structural systems, the clan's operation is blood driven, in that blood ties were created via inbreeding. Inbreeding (such as marriage to close relatives, i.e. cousins) shifts allegience and loyalty towards the clan, and assures that one is put in dilema when he/she is confronted with either morals or reasons, wrongs or rights and truths or fallacies. Its this that the saying 'blood is thicker than water' rightfully describes. It is painful to choose what is right over your clan for doing so will endanger the clan welfare. So the individual must adopt "Gar iyo Gardarro" philosophy. For once, it would be wonderful if reason and morality can be presented to Somalis without the pinalization of the clan. What do we want to achieve by doing that? Illumination NGONGE: What compels someone to be loyal to a tribe? If everyone is economically independent and the country is (relatively speaking) peaceful, why would people toe the tribal line? NGONGE, the clan serves many purposes, and one these purposes is 'protection' from total (economic and political ) ruin; 'insurrance' in the face of 'loss' or commision of crime to/or by one and its subsequent 'compensation'. And since 'imprisonment in the Somali culture is virtually non-existent ( due to inability to maintain it) wrongs (killings) committed against others is only settled via joint compensation of the clan. One then cannot afford - literary- to be disloyal or shift allegience away from the only hope he/she has on meeting life's ends. It is a clever sytem; it second to Somali nature and there is no escaping it unless one is economically independent. There is so much intricacy involving the clan system.

^^^ Nice to see you again sxb. IN regards to the banning of Nationalist, I do believe the brother has gone abit out of control and for that reason he has paid the price for it. We all make mistakes but forgiveness is always a virtue. I do believe Nationalist should be pardoned . Mistakes done out of anger arent as worse as those done deliberately. I for one hope we see Nationalist amongst us again. Thanks again Admin, for your vigil watch.

The East African Standard (Nairobi) January 24, 2005 Posted to the web January 24, 2005 Nairobi The death toll from Saturday's fighting over water and pasture in Naivasha's Mai Mahiu area stood at 15 yesterday and was believed to be rising. And 12 people, among them three children, were admitted to Kijabe Hospital and Mai Mahiu Health Centre with serious injuries suffered during the attacks. But independent sources put the number of injured at 25, adding that some had not been taken for treatment. One person, who had arrows lodged in his body, was undergoing operation at the Naivasha Sub-District Hospital. Doctors said they hoped the arrows were not poisoned. The Kijabe and Naivasha hospitals and the Mai Mahiu Health Centre were a hive of activity as grieving relatives and friends searched for their injured and missing kin. An estimated 40 homes were burnt in the skirmishes and hundreds of livestock stolen and others maimed. And seven suspects were arrested in connection with the killings as a contingent of administration and regular police patrolled the affected areas. But tension remained high even as the government deployed security personnel to pursue those involved in the fighting. The trouble spot in Mai Mahiu is about 80 Kilometers South West of Nairobi and nearly 35 kilometres North East of Naivasha. The clashes erupted after the pastoralists destroyed water pipes and disconnected electricity from the home of a former Limuru councillor, Mr Ndung'u Njenga. Angered by the move, his neighbours and supporters beat up the local Chief, Mr Samuel Kiberegenye, and set his vehicle on fire, accusing him of colluding with his kinsmen to terrorise their neighbours. The angered residents said the chief was to blame for the escalating cattle rustling in the area over the last four months. In retaliation, the pastoralists attacked anybody from the farming communities, resulting in the grisly murder that left residents in shock and fear. Hundreds of people have fled their homes for fear of revenge attacks. Most of the families have camped at the Mai Mahiu trading centre, but others have moved as far away as Naivasha town. The situation threatened to escalate as houses were burnt in Kigecha, Nyakinyua, Kirima and Satellite by rampaging mobs. Residents, who have fled their homes for fear of further attacks, said there were more uncollected bodies in the villages. The most affected areas were Kigecha, Satellite and Karima. Police took eight bodies to the Naivasha sub-District Hospital mortuary, but a senior police officer at the Rift Valley Provincial Police headquarters in Nakuru, said a total of 13 people had been killed. But sources on both sides told The Standard there were many people who were still missing and that some of the dead and injured had not been taken away from the villages. The bone of contention is the use of River Ewaso Kedong', whose volume of water has reduced drastically because of the current drought. The Maasai, who live downstream, claim their neighbours upstream are using the river water for irrigation, thereby complicating the drought situation for themselves and their animals. Angry and displaced villagers who converged at the trading centre charged that the police had been slow to act and contain the situation. It was a grotesque scene at the centre where three men from the Maasai community were pulled out of a Narok-bound matatu and met a cruel death in the hands of the mob. The fighting paralysed commuter services on the busy Mai Mahiu/Narok road that leads to the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve. In retaliation, the Maasai speared to death a Kikuyu man near Karima Primary School. The usually busy centre was turned into a ghost town as local business people, fearing further attacks, closed their shops early. Area police boss, Simon Kiragu, made frantic efforts to get reinforcements from other areas as his officers appeared overwhelmed by the situation. Area MP Jane Kihara accused politicians from outside the area of stoking the fire by issuing inflammatory statements. A furious Kihara asked the Government to send more police officers to the area and arrest perpetrators of the violence who, she said, are well known. "The outsiders have on a number of occasion held meetings in my constituency and they should be investigated and arrested as they are to blame for the violence," she said. And Leader of the Official Opposition, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, has asked the Government to immediately restore peace in Mai Mahiu. Uhuru said it was sad to see brothers and sisters who have been living in peace suddenly turn violent and start killing each because of a misunderstanding over the use of a water resource. "I am appealing to the communities to approach the problem with restraint and allow reason to prevail. You must uphold peace and calm, as the problem is being resolved. Maiming and killing each other will only aggravate the problem," said Uhuru in a statement. Roads minister Raila Odinga called for an end to the fighting, saying security is paramount if people have to produce wealth and earn a decent living. The conflict in Mai Mahiu has been simmering for some time, with the two communities differing mostly over pasture, grazing rights, water and politics. Last month, leaflets calling on members of one community to vacate the area for allegedly seeking to dominate others were distributed in Naivasha town and its environs. Area leaders accuse the Provincial Administration of fanning the clashes by failing to take action even after being informed of the rising hostilities. "We called on the Nakuru District Commissioner, Mr James Mwaura, last week during a leaders meeting to send more police but he dismissed our concern as petty and warned us against introducing trivial issues in the meeting," local leader David Mwangi said. In Trans Mara, displaced victims of clashes between Maasai and Kipsigis at the Emarti area yesterday asked the Government to provide them with relief food and other necessities. And the leaders asked the Government to return the General Service Unit personnel it had withdrawn on Saturday, saying they feared full-scale fighting would erupt again. The victims said they lost everything in the clashes, which left more than three people dead and needed assistance until they can get on their feet again. Speaking in Emarti area where they have camped, the victims also said they feared an imminent outbreak of diseases because of overcrowding in makeshift camps. Area councillor, Naisheki Kimojino, said the Government should provide the victims with food, medicine, mosquito nets and all other necessities. He said they had not received assistance from Government since they were displaced. In Kedong area where the dispute over Mai Mahiu water started, women who spent the night at the centre arrived to collect some of their belongings and to ferry the injured to hospital. Security officers led by Provincial Administration officials from the Rift Valley, held a meeting with Maasai leaders at Suswa about getting the morans to withdraw from Mt Longonot. Police were forced to fire in the air when farmers started hurling stones at some of the administrators. Women and youth scampered for safety as the officers shielded some people, mainly Maasai, who had attended an earlier meeting at Mai Mahiu trading centre. Nakuru District Commissioner, Mr James Mwaura, his Narok counterpart, Mr John Egessa, and District Officers from Kajiado District attended the two meetings. Residents feared the more than 100 morans who are suspected to have trekked from the neighbouring districts of Narok and Kajiado had gathered at Mt Longonot were planning an attack at nightfall. "We have been told that some of your youth have moved to the mountain and it is fair if you recall them back to the homes," the Narok DC said. Speaking to the Maasai in Suswa, Egessa said security officers turned back many morans who were heading to Kedong from Narok on Saturday night apparently to go and fight. Mwaura said the Government had started investigations into the cause of the fighting. An elder, Mr Gishano ole Simba, said 10 elders from Nakuru, Narok and Kajiado should come together as soon as possible to solve the problem before more people are killed. "We want them to return our animals for peace to prevail in this area," he said amid cheers from the pastoralists.

Eid Mubaarak to all of you Nomads! Blessings

Happy Birthday and Eid Mubaarak Dawoco

But you can't have economic order without political stability and security. So political order comes first and it is this order that guarantees security. Dear Baashi, for what purpose do political stability and security exist to begin with? One does not need security if he/she has nothing (no resource) to protect or secure. Let us start from there. No one protects those who have nothing worthy.

You see Somalis are organized into clan communities. This is how our society is structured. You just cannot do away the building blocks of the society. I can’t emphasize this point enough. One has to understand the fact that Somalis are not organized into classes (economic), ethnic groups, ideological parties (political), etc. Baashi, dont you think the clan structure is circumstantial, in that the initial purpose of its constructs is purely economic. Economic welfare determines how social order is constructed. And with economic progress the clan structure can be rendered useless. When the Tumaal or artisan clans achieved success in their individualistic economy, their relience on clan structures deteriorated. However, the problem they faced was in form of all Somali clans failing to follow suit. Thus the maintenance of clan unity by some has undermined the individual successes of the midgaan clans. And as NGONGE mentioned, the key to the abandonment of the clan structure is achieved through economic progress of the inidivual. Originally by NGONGE: The Arabs of the Gulf States were fiercely into tribalism but once they found wealth and each man was able to fend for himself, tribes have been relegated to mere folklore and something to boast about (like owning a nice car or house). Yemen though is the closest example to Somalia. The tribes there still exist, still wield some power in government and parliament (cardboard parliament of course). However, nationality to them comes before tribe! This might be due to the huge efforts the government put into glorifying the unity of the country without demeaning or belittling the tribal concepts.

nice nice, I am spotting a talent in here. Guena, keep on writing this good stuff.

^^^ Duke - lol but hey i gotta confess the piece is heavy. Thats all I have to say man. Keep it up. PS: am glad you are back to where you belong: the poetry section.

What can I say? Its neat, nice and its meaningful. Armed with the opposites.

^^^ aaah! Dawoco, as usual, you impress me with poetry . Walaahi its such a wonderful response. I had to re-read it several times annd each time it gets more wonderful. Thank you sister. Good poetry as always. Sheherazade thanks

MsWord, Thank you sister. You know I appreciate the comment. I am glad you liked the piece. Viewer discretion, thank you very much. Muad, let me try to say little about the bit you quoted of the piece sxb. I haven’t enough time, so bear with me please. I will answer your other questions later on if time permits me. ------- In God's creation of man, I ponder, why is reality a one-man's domain. If all men were created equal, then, all men must have equal rights to their own realities. Realities are created from what we accept as facts of our lives, thus, everyone’s reality is what he/she perceives. It’s from this premise that we shall base our pursuit of life. Whatever our sense perceptions may be we shall not relegate these perceptions to insignificance, for the simple fact that they cannot obtain the support of the powerful. Some wake in reality they create, some wake in another man's reality. As men of the less wealthy world, we wake in a dictated reality. Once upon a time we possessed a reality of our own making. We lived according to our methods, laboured according to our needs, ruled in accordance with our social laws. This is where we stood, as men of honor, however, greed for that which we could not have trampled on what made us who we were. All societies, like all men, have deficiencies, and are always in search of a remedy. Our deficiency was the lack of new-ness in our lives, while other men’s deficiency was the lack of inner-peace. Our pursuit for a remedy imposed a harsh self-sacrifice of our societal body, so harsh that, (like old trees whose branches are cut before rainfall season to bud newly) we cut away some of (our own people to slavery) from the self we were, to gain new-ness. Unfortunately, that (new-ness) which we sought after came in the form of riffles, and other petty commodities. However, it became to late before we could regain our societal self; apart from severing half of what our self consisted, we bought, along with the riffles, a brand new reality: that of the white man. Hence we colonized ourselves for the benefits of this new reality. There were way too few white men to colonize the whole of Africa, if we opted to stick to their own reality; rather, we did the job for the new reality. The manpower was African and others; only the intent and strategy of colonization was white. From then to this today, we have never awaken in our own reality even a single morning. What prolongs such imposition of another man’s reality, you might ask, its our mistrust of God’s promise to feed and secure us, just as he has fed and secured those who’s reality we dwell in. Since refusal of it is in your choice, chose your reality and your death. These two lines point to the possibility of refusal, by imagining the worst that can happen to man. Once one contemplates the worst-case scenario in the event of refusal of another man's reality, the future becomes clear and the engulfing fear disappeares. People fear hunger, pain and illnesses for what they may lead to, which is obviously death. To escape the difficulties of facing death, one must think beyond death itself, and prepare him/herself for a departure from life, through the transition of death, to that better place - paradise. So if one is at peace with the coming of death, no one can dictate him/her a reality that isn’t native to him or her. PS: sorry Muad, forgive me if you find some errors as I have written the reply in a hurry. Insha-Allah I will tell you more about what had inspired me to write this piece. Thanks for your interest.

Whatever ills the clan system embodies within itself, unless another economically competant system can be put in place, there is no point in trying to eliminate Qabyaalad. Somalis have no other effective system to replace with the one they have. Every sytem is for some people and serves a purpose. And human beings, like all other animals, are slaves to or can be dealt with efficiently through the provision or the refusal of the basic needs: food, shelter and clothing. If one can satisfy such needs for groups of people, one can (let alone shift allegience) create truth and reality.

You are the imitation of a happy child, For if I see a child in a tranquil sleep I see in its nature the truth manifest, For such a truth none can deny or refute. When I sight the glitters of its smiles; I see a ray that makes the sun in eny cry. If I hear the child's joyful laughter; I hear a hyme pleasing to mine heart, That makes even brutes hum in delight When I find a child's eyes staring me; I see the glitters of precious stones. When I see your beloved face a-glow, I know your glow is that of the moon.

To white men morality begets a son, To the black man, it begets none And since God gave men two colours, One that is cool, another collous; Shall a man live for his honour, Or dwell in another man's honour? Men of all kinds are born slaves, But some are slaves to many masters. As the master is slave to his self, Temptation by the neck fetters him. But remains master to me and you, We are slaves to the selves and him. Our beingness is imitation to him, We knew not of him few centuries ago. Our senses have made slaves of us, And senses can make the done undone. Disapointment is relying on others, When in pursuit of joy bridges fall. No man should be slaved but by God, Like the shepherd in freedom dwell. In God's creation of man, I ponder, Why is reality a one man's domain. Some wake in reality they create, Some wake in another man's reality. Since refusal of it is in your choice, Chose your reality and your death. There is no fear to man than death, Intently facing death is a winning Over the man whose weapon is fear. Pain and hunger are agent to death, Face the parent, the agent shall flee.

^^^ LooL Gediid! I think the articles were rather written in Wikipedia encyclopedia. The fellows in dhahar.com seem to have copied the articles in their entirety. A good question is who can edit or write Wikipedia? Can it be possible that Somalis can write in it? Maybe, Maybe not!

Reading some Al-ghazali writings, I have come accross a reflection of what I set out to highlight in this topic of:Dream or Life, which is the true reality? I think the below quote is relevant to topic, and may serve to salvage it from the engulfing jaws of digression. The Subterfuges of the Sophists I then examined what knowledge I possessed, and discovered that in none of it, with the exception of sense-perceptions and necessary principles, did I enjoy that degree of certitude which I have just described. I then sadly reflected as follows: "We can not hope to find truth except in matters which carry their evidence in themselves---that is to say, in sense-perceptions and necessary principles; we must therefore establish these on a firm basis. Is my absolute confidence in sense-perceptions and on the infallibility of necessary principles analogous to the confidence which I formerly possessed in matters believed on the authority of others? Is it only analogous to the reliance most people place on their organs of vision, or is it rigorously true without admixture of illusion or doubt?" I then set myself earnestly to examine the notions we derive from the evidence of the senses and from sight in order to see if they could be called in question. The result of a careful examination was that my confidence in them was shaken. Our sight, for instance, perhaps the best practiced of all our senses, observes a shadow, and finding it apparently stationary pronounces it devoid of movement. Observation and experience, however, show subsequently that a shadow moves not suddenly, it is true, but gradually and imperceptibly, so that it is never really motionless. Again, the eye sees a star and believes it as large as a piece of gold, but mathematical calculations prove, on the contrary, that it is larger than the earth. These notions, and all others which the senses declare true, are subsequently contradicted and convicted of falsity in an irrefragable manner by the verdict of reason. Then I reflected in myself: "Since I can not trust to the evidence of my senses, I must rely only on intellectual notions based on fundamental principles, such as the following axioms: 'Ten is more than three. Affirmation and negation can not coexist together. A thing can not both be created and also existent from eternity, living and annihilated simultaneously, at once necessary and impossible.'" To this the notions I derived from my senses made the following objections: "Who can guarantee you that you can trust to the evidence of reason more than to that of the senses? You believed in our testimony till it was contradicted by the verdict of reason, otherwise you would have continued to believe it to this day. Well, perhaps, there is above reason another judge who, if he appeared, would convict reason of falsehood, just as reason has confuted us. And if such a third arbiter is not yet apparent, it does not follow that he does not exist." To this argument I remained some time without reply; a reflection drawn from the phenomena of sleep deepened my doubt. "Do you not see," I reflected, "that while asleep you assume your dreams to be indisputably real? Once awake, you recognize them for what they are---baseless chimeras. Who can assure you, then, of the reliability of notions which, when awake, you derive from the senses and from reason? In relation to your present state they may be real; but it is possible also that you may enter upon another state of being which will bear the same relation to your present state as this does to your condition when asleep. In that new sphere you will recognize that the conclusions of reason are only chimeras." This possible condition is perhaps, that which the Sufis call "ecstasy" (hal), that is to say, according to them, a state in which, absorbed in themselves and in the suspension of sense-perceptions, they have visions beyond the reach of intellect. Perhaps also Death is that state, according to that saying of the prince of prophets: "Men are asleep; when they die, they wake." Our present life in relation to the future is perhaps only a dream, and man, once dead, will see things in direct opposition to those now before his eyes; he will then understand that word of the Qur'an, "To-day we have removed the veil from thine eyes and thy sight is keen." Such thoughts as these threatened to shake my reason, and I sought to find an escape from them. But how? In order to disentangle the knot of this difficulty, a proof was necessary. Now a proof must be based on primary assumptions, and it was precisely these of which I was in doubt. This unhappy state lasted about two months, during which I was, not, it is true, explicitly or by profession, but morally and essentially, a thorough-going skeptic. God at last deigned to heal me of this mental malady; my mind recovered sanity and equilibrium, the primary assumptions of reason recovered with me all their stringency and force. I owed my deliverance, not to a concatenation of proofs and arguments, but to the light which God caused to penetrate into my heart---the light which illuminates the threshold of all knowledge. To suppose that certitude can be only based upon formal arguments is to limit the boundless mercy of God. Some one asked the Prophet the explanation of this passage in the Divine Book: "God opens to Islam the heart of him whom he chooses to direct." "That is spoken," replied the Prophet, "of the light which God sheds in the heart." "And how can man recognize that light?" he was asked. "By his detachment from this world of illusion and by a secret drawing toward the eternal world," the Prophet replied. On another occasion he said: "God has created his creatures in darkness, and then has shed upon them his light." It is by the help of this light that the search for truth must be carried on. As by his mercy this light descends from time to time among men, we must ceaselessly be on the watch for it. This is also corroborated by another saying of the Apostle: "God sends upon you, at certain times, breathings of his grace; be prepared for them." My object in this account is to make others understand with what earnestness we should search for truth, since it leads to results we never dreamed of. Primary assumptions have not got to be sought for, since they are always present to our minds; if we engage in such a search, we only find them persistently elude our grasp. But those who push their investigation beyond ordinary limits are safe from the suspicion of negligence in pursuing what is within their reach. Source: <a href="http://http://http://http://http://http://www.al-ghazali.org" target="_blank">www.al-ghazali.org

Originally by Viking: Our choices, both conscious and subconscious determine how we perceive reality; we are part of this reality and participate actively in the “making†of it through the choices we make. The above quotes has the hallmarks of a post-positive (reflectivist) theory . Very interesting assertion. Viking, Lol the problem with the multiplicity of reality or the probabilities of the existence of various parallel dimensions of life, are less useful untill a decission comensing an act is committed. Your topic deals with actions I guess. That said, f only we knew what other outcomes there could be. we could have constructed a better reality. However, since that power can only be possessed by God, we are left committing uninformed acts that constitute what we know as reality. The string theory it seems to me, fails to prescribe the causes of an act but succeeds in describing the motions of an act. PS: When does the string reaction commense, before or after we move?

Who am I?? [Thankx to a particular Nomad who influenced this poem] Am I of an African or Arabian descendant? Am I of Israeli seekers or greedy pharaohs? Am I an Unknown child or a slave deluded? Can any one ever figure how I appeared to be? Though I tell the Nigerian brother to strengthen, people wonder when I claim to be vegetarian. There is no doubt that I am of the soils of Africa. My senses hunger driven, I stand for all to see. When the sisters became plain and flirted with unworthy men, the world witnessed the dissipation of a war-stricken queen. It is multicultural they claimed, who are we to complain? When it was we that lost our culture, and who now dwell in shame. We all remember the nation that ended up savaged. When the ears heard its fall, the hearts broke into shreds. Despondent, we embarked on a never-ending journey. Our own leaders failed us, putting us on this ungainly path. Remember Neighbors and strangers armed themselves; with Kalashnikovs to kitchen knifes and chants. Classmates preying on each other like sworn enemies, the injured laid in the open, unattended and helpless. Our bodies were scattered everywhere, wide eyes staring accusingly. Glorious streets packed with Gangsters wielding AK-47s, the mid-day sun scorched and sword blades got bloodied. Daughters raped, sons killed and their throats slit, Fathers tortured, mothers despaired, Reciting verses of curses and insults. The trucks loaded with human flesh, Cars and carts created traffic lines. The out-roads shaped a fleeing snake, Their silence deafening, they slithered away. Fleeing from havoc, victims cried in disgrace. Why should it matter anymore? All friends and enemies, either dead or once shot; those who survived took the flight and fled abroad. Fled to places unknown and far field, Everything left behind, to be forgotten. We that could have ruled in peace, Have died, valiantly trying to live by force. What once was is destined to never be again,