Man with hurt leg gets brain op 14/11/2007 23:04 - (SA) Dar Es Salaam - Tanzanian Health Minister David Mwakyusa has apologised for a recent surgical mix-up that resulted in a knee patient undergoing a complex and life-threatening brain operation. Surgeons at the country's main Muhimbili hospital opened the skull of Emmanuel Didas to remove a non-existent brain tumour, while Emmanuel Mgaya, who had the tumour, underwent knee surgery on November 8. "We are all saddened by the incident and I would like to say sorry to the victims on behalf of the government," Mwakyusa told parliament in the country's administrative capital of Dodoma late on Tuesday. Mwakyusa said a preliminary report was expected later by a team formed to probe the incident that occurred in the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute. Surgeons had been suspended The bungle, caused by the confusion of the patients' first name, sparked condemnation across the impoverished east African nation, known for its poor healthcare infrastructure. "I have instructed a thorough review of theatre procudures so that such an incident is not repeated," said MOI's director Lawrence Museru. Saying it was the worst scandal that had ever happened at the hospital, official Juma Mkwawa said: "Sharing a first name cannot be an excuse." Didas, who is now recovering from the brain surgery, had come to hospital for a knee operation after a motorcycle crash, while Mgaya needed brain surgery to end a persistent migraine. The two surgeons responsible have been suspended while other staff involved have been ordered to provide written explanations on the incident. Earlier this month, the Tanzanian Surgical Association said the country has around 100 professional surgeons for a population of at least 35 million. source

Been watching the airshow all week. Saw a huge airbus doing 'twirls' in the sky the other day and a bunch of red arrows flew over head yesterday. Now for the motorshow this wknd :cool: On the topic, it looks like a good deal which will put tourism in Djib on the map and who knows further towards the south east :cool:

Been watching the airshow all week. Saw a huge airbus doing 'twirls' in the sky the other day and a bunch of red arrows flew over head yesterday. Now for the motorshow this wknd :cool: On the topic, it looks like a good deal which will put tourism in Djib on the map and who knows further towards the south east :cool:

Facts? Do you know what they are? All (International media, security experts etc) believe it was an invasion and now an occupation. But hey we should all go with the uncorroborated 'opinions' of a few 'bright' SOLers!

funny how people dont even know the flags of other countries. Travel a little ya ku yidhaahda? The Iranian flag (Iran is in Asia by the way) and not Iraq's is the closest to the SL flag.

funny how people dont even know the flags of other countries. Travel a little ya ku yidhaahda? The Iranian flag (Iran is in Asia by the way) and not Iraq's is the closest to the SL flag.

Originally posted by GJ: Patriotism means nothing....you can sit infront of your computer, chew some khat, put on your macawis and play some loud Wadani Music whilst waving the Somalia Flag....this can be considered as patriotism.... LoL, wave the flag and support occupation and your a patriot miya?

Gun Powder My child awakes to the smell gun powder in the air Not the smell of sweet loxoox made by his mother The sounds of war have become as frequent as his nightmares Not the entertainment of kicking a ball with his brother School is off limits for the time being Red-eyed men with AKs roam the street If they are not killing those who are fleeing We still keep hope and pray for their defeat

The Path to Paradise – Part 1 Setting the Goal By Khurram Murad The path to God is only illuminated when a person recognizes the central place of God in his life and strives to develop his self accordingly. The Messenger of God said: If someone wants to know what position he enjoys in the eyes of God, he has only to look at what place he gives to God [in his heart and life]. (Hakim) The term nearest in meaning to self development in the Quranic vocabulary is: tazkiyah. Tazkiyah means purification and refers to the cleansing of the human self from all that is unwholesome, undesirable and unwelcome. It also refers to the nurturing and strengthening of all the qualities within the human self that are essential for growth and development, for blossoming and flowering. Success and happiness in this world and the Hereafter depend ontazkiyah, the purification and nurturing of our personality. The Quran states that true success is only reserved for those who seek to purify themselves: [successful indeed is the one who purifies his whole self.] (Ash-Shams 91:9) Our personality comprises not only the physical body but also the mind and the heart, feelings and attitudes, character and behavior. Proper nurturing and development of these elements of the personality will achieve desirable goals. When goals are desirable, the process of aspiring to, working towards and achieving them also becomes desirable. This is part of human nature. It is critical, therefore, that we recognize and understand the true nature of our ultimate goal in life. For the believer, the most coveted goal in life is to seek the good pleasure of Allah Paradise. Our Creator has set this goal for us: [And surely Paradise – it is the goal.] (Al-Nazi`at 79:41) [indeed the Next abode – it is truly the life!] (Al-`Ankabut 29:64) [The companions of Paradise – they are the triumphant ones.] (Al-Hashr 59:20) Know, however, that attaining the pleasure of Allah takes precedence over seeking Paradisebut the two are closely connected. Paradise can only be attained through seeking Allah's pleasure, and when Allah's pleasure is gained, we will indeed be granted Paradise. Reflect upon the following two verses in the Quran: [And there is a kind of person who would willingly give up personal interests, seeking Allah’s pleasure; and God is Most Compassionate towards His servants.] (Al-Baqarah 2:207) [indeed Allah has purchased from the Believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise, in return.] (At-Tawbah 9:111) The alternative to attaining Paradise in the Hereafter is to be placed in Hellfire and to receive its punishments. The Quran states: [but in the life to come: [it is either] severe suffering, or God’s forgiveness and His goodly acceptance.] (Al-Hadid 57:20) What is it that makes a person deserving of such a suffering? The answer is to be found in the second part of the same verse: [for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion.] (Al-Hadid 57:20) Hell, therefore, is for those who seek as their ultimate goal in life, not the pleasure of Allah or Paradise, but the enjoyment of worldly gains. The pursuit of worldly gain is but a mirage. All worldly gains are left behind when you die. All that is on earth is bound to perish while Allah and His good favor will remain forever. It is for this reason that the Quran advises: [Vie with one another in seeking to attain to your Sustainer’s forgiveness, and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for those who have attained to faith in God and His messengers: such is the bounty of Allah which He grants unto whomever He wills – for Allah is limitless in His great bounty.] (Al-Hadid 57:21) All your efforts in this world should therefore be focused only on seeking Paradise. It is the promise of the Almighty that: [You will only be rewarded fully for all your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection, and [on that Day] whoever will be drawn away from Hell-fire, and admitted into Paradise, will indeed have triumphed.] (Al-`Imran 3:185) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Khurram Murad (1932-1996) studied civil engineering at the universities of Karachi, Pakistan and Minnesota, USA, and was actively involved in the Islamic movement and in the training of Islamic workers. Many of his books, both in English and in Urdu, are being published posthumously. source

Hamzah: The Lion of Allah By Idris Tawfiq In Muslim history there are some extraordinary stories of how people have embraced Islam over the years. As Muslims, these stories encourage and inspire us to learn more and more about the history of Islam, especially in the early days when our Prophet (peace be upon him) was struggling to make its message known and heard. Learning about how others came to Islam allows us to pause and reflect on our own spiritual journey and to thank Almighty Allah for His great gift to us of being Muslims. Such stories of heroism and of spiritual searching help us to put into context our own poor efforts as servants of Allah. One of the most human of these stories is that of Hamzah ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad. The story of his call to Islam is all the more amazing because it was not brought about by the reading of books, nor after hearing a beautiful sermon, nor after searching and pondering over the meaning of life. His return to Islam was a direct result of his very strong sense of family honor. First of all, though, we need to remind ourselves why we use the term 'return' to Islam, rather than saying his conversion. As Muslims we believe that Islam is the natural religion of mankind and that it has existed since the beginning of time. We also believe that right at the start of human history, Almighty Allah gathered before Him all the souls of everyone who would ever live on this earth. He then explained to them that there was no other god but He. As the natural religion of mankind, we believe that if individuals were left on their own in a pure state they would naturally believe in One God. We believe, therefore, that everyone is born into this world a Muslim, but that it is the action of others that makes him or her Christian or Jew or whatever. So, when someone changes his religion to become Muslim, he is not really converting to a new religion, but rather returning to the natural state into which he was born. This is why we say that Hamzah "embraced" Islam, rather than converted to it. Embracing Islam The story is very simple. It happened like this. For three years Prophet Muhammad had spoken to only a few people about the revelations he had so far received from Angel Jibreel (Gabriel), and for a further three years he struggled against great odds to make the message known to the wider community in Makkah. For doing this he was vilified and ridiculed by the people of Makkah, who described him as a madman or a magician. Some Makkans were especially strong in leading this campaign against the Prophet and against Islam. One of these men was Abu Jahl. One day, Prophet Muhammad was walking at the foot of Mount As-Safa in Makkah when Abu Jahl met him. Abu Jahl began to hurl insults at him and to ridicule the message of the Oneness of Allah that he was preaching. Some reports even say that he took a stone and hit Muhammad with it, causing his head to bleed. The Prophet did not respond to the taunts, and Abu Jahl moved to the Kabah at the center of the town, where he boasted to his tribes people of what he had done. It was just at this time that Hamza was coming back from hunting. Hamzah was a brave man, very popular with the people of Makkah, and he used to love hunting. He came across the freed slave woman of `Abdullah ibn Judan, who told him what had happened to his nephew. In a rage, Hamzah rushed off to the Kabah to seek revenge on the one who had harmed a member of his family. Without saying a word he used his hunting bow to hit Abu Jahl, cutting his head. He then asked Abu Jahl how he dared to hurt his nephew, especially since he preached the very message that Hamzah believed in. Hamzah had never said these words before and they were a shock to everyone and set the two tribes in frenzy, Abu Jahl had to admit that he had offended Muhammad and deserved what he got. From that moment on, declaring before the people of Makkah that he believed in the message of his nephew, Muhammad, Hamzah was one of the Prophet's staunchest supporters and did everything he could to protect him. Hamzah was to go on to become known as "Asadullah", the Lion of Allah, so strong was his defense of Islam and so great was he to become as one of its warriors. In the end he died a very cruel and brutal death at the hands of wicked and vengeful people, giving his last breath in the cause of Allah. Lessons to Learn So what, then, can this story teach us today? What does the return of Hamzah to Islam have to say to us now? Well, first of all it teaches us that we don't know what is going on in a person's heart and mind. Who knows what Hamzah had been thinking in those weeks and months before he came out in defense of his nephew and proclaimed his own belief in Islam? Had he all along been quietly thinking about becoming Muslim? Had a special word or phrase convinced him of the truth of Islam? Had it been the message and the personality of the Prophet that had drawn him to Allah? We really don't know, and nor do we know what is going on in the hearts and minds of our non-Muslim colleagues and friends when we talk to them about Islam. The news of the assault on his nephew came not from a very great person or through some great speech, but by the words of a freed slave woman. In the same way, it need not be a sheikh or someone with vast knowledge of Islam and the Qur'an whose words draw someone else closer to Islam. It could be our own very simple words or actions which begin others thinking. We never know, then, the effects our words and our example will have on others. The greatest dawah of all is giving good example to others about how sweet and gentle Islam really is. We must educate ourselves, of course, to the highest degree in being able to explain its teachings and its message, but all we are asked to do is to play our part in letting others know about Islam. It is not we who call them to Islam, it is Allah alone. Another striking thing about the story of Hamzah's return is that he showed himself to be very human. Almost out of rage, in defense of a family member, he came out with the words that he believed Islam to be true. A strong sense of family honor and a very hot temper were the catalysts that brought him to submit and to bow down to Allah. See how Allah uses all things to draw people to Himself? He even uses our weaknesses to speak to us. In our modern world, too, the name and the character of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) is both vilified and ridiculed. Just remember those cartoons in Denmark. In the Qur'an, Almighty Allah says to Muhammad in those very dark days when his message seemed not to be succeeding and when personal insults on the prophet were at their height: [We know that your breast is distressed by what they say.] (Al-Hijr 15:97) But Almighty Allah also told him in the next verse what means: [Therefore, celebrate the praises of your Lord, And be among those who prostrate themselves before Him.] (Al-Hijr 15:98) As Muslims today, we are called to defend our beloved Prophet, even to the shedding of our blood or to the giving up of our last breath. We may not be the brave and valiant heroes that Hamzah showed himself to be, but we are called, in our own small way, to be ambassadors of Islam in everything that we do. If we were to truly live as good Muslims, how the world would look on Islam. Instead of taking distorted ideas about Islam from the television and the newspapers, they would see from us that it is a beautiful and sweet message, which speaks to the hearts of all mankind today. In celebrating the life of Hamzah ibn `Abdul-Muttalib and being inspired by the story of his call to Islam, let us all resolve to be lions of Allah, afraid of no one in proclaiming His message, and showing by the sweetness and the gentleness of our own lives the happiness which that message brings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Idris Tawfiq is a British writer who became Muslim a few years ago. Previously, he was head of religious education in different schools in the United Kingdom. Before embracing Islam, he was a Roman Catholic priest. He now lives in Egypt. For more information about him, visit www.idristawfiq.com. source

^^typical reer Landan only knows where the tube station is! Sheffield in Yorkshire, just above Nottinghamshire and to the East of Lancashire.

Your thoughts,,,

Originally posted by General Duke: Adeer what is in a prediction? There is more stability, order and governnace than at anytime these past 17 years. This is why he is not taken seriously. The man fancies himself as a spin doctor but is not very articulate.

This half hijaab wearing Bhutto is getting on my nerves! But I agree Somalia is sadly not big news to some networks.

http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=364 Friends of mine. I cant believe what I'm seeing!

Originally posted by GJ: I remember in one of the olympics, an Italian was leading a road race and some guy came out nowhere and restrained him......marka kuwi kala dhafay ....the poor man came third... The guy was Brazilian and yes he would have probably won if that guy didnt get onto the road. John Barnes used to get racist abuse at football grounds all over England back in the 1980s. There is a well know pic showing him kicking a banana out of the pitch which was thrown at him. He went on to score the greatest ever England goal vs Brazil in front of 100,000 people at Brazil's Maracana Stadium in Rio :cool:

I see your feeling confident this year. It will be a very interesting season in the CL. Man Utd can go all the way but many good teams will fall also. Remember Arsenal last year? Or even Barca?

I'm yet to hear what this 'ulterior' motive is apart from 'you from SL so why do you care' which is getting a tad boring to be frank. Are you saying those with alleged 'ulterior' motives shouldnt care for the people in the south? Do they have no right to care because they want to seperate from them? A tad silly not?

^^One can only speak out against the injustice and blatant targetting of civilian life. Even that is difficult for some.

I was waiting for you to finish off the Interupted Dreams one,,,,,,,,

^^you finally admitted it Good stuff two-nuts

What happened to free speech?

So we should take your word for it and not the independent, experienced and renowned media??? As I said, a JOKE!

I'm enjoying seeing these guys run around trying to find something to try and justify why they support the Ethios. Its becoming beyond a joke!

Further down the road is an even better example of the priorities of the corporate media. Around 500 very angry Somalis are holding a noisy protest outside Parliament. The only reporter here is me. 200 civilians, mostly women and children died in Somalia this week. I have to admit that I was totally unaware of this as the coverage in our mainstream press has been zero. The protesters are demanding that US and Ethiopian troops leave their country immediately. Not an unreasonable request as their presence has brought nothing but misery to a country that was only just beginning to recover from a horrendous civil war. Yes, the ‘Islamic Courts’ were a less than progressive dictatorial regime that advocated public hanging and flogging amongst other things. But they were the only stability the country had enjoyed for decades. A far better deal for the average Somali than the orgy of rape and murder that had been delivered by the warlords who had previously been in charge. Who are now in charge again thanks to their western allies. One of the Somalis accosts me and proceeds to vent his spleen about the press: “We all of us hope and pray that this little girl (Madeline Mcann) will be returned unharmed to her mother. We have children too and we feel their pain. But how can all the papers talk about nothing but one missing child, when hundreds of children are being killed by your bombs in our country without so much as a mention?” Couldn’t have put it better myself….. http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/385693.html