The Department of Treasury recently released a statement regarding the start of Ramadan. You can read it here. While the greeting for this blessed month is a pleasant and well received initiative, let's hope this marks progress towards open communication and transparency for the government and the community. In this post 9/11 era, the issue of Islamic charities has been one of suspicion, fear mongering, and a complete lack of fairness and due process. Islamic charities have been raided, closed, and investigated without the proper judicial process having its due course. As part of this, millions in funds that Muslims have given these charities have been seized or decimated in legal fees, without any recourse or due process. As a result, many Muslims have been hesitant to give their obligatory zakat or voluntary sadaqa. Even organizations that opened their doors and books to the authorities were not exempt from disparaging and unfair treatment.
Lets hope and pray this era has ended, and opened the door to a new era of cooperation and transparency, both from the chairities side and from the government.

As another positive tidbit, the Boston Globe has now posted its annual Ramadan pictorial, which is wonderful. Enjoy it at
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/08/ramadan_2009.html

Recently, there has been a lot of press about a Malaysian model who was sentenced to be caned for drinking in public. The Malaysian authorities decided to postpone the punishment until after the holy month of Ramadan. See eg.
http://us.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/08/24/malaysia.model.caning/index.html
What struck me from this story are a few things:
1. She plead guilty and asked for the punishment
2. The authorities delayed her punishment.

While it might not be evident to most people, the two things listed above are what make the spirit of our religion special.
Most would take the view that this is some prehistoric archaic form of law and punishment, and we need to wake up and join the civilized world.

In the revealed religions, the concept of divinely ordained punishments is one consistent throughout history. From "an eye for an eye" to the famous stoning statement "let he who is without sin cast the first stone", certain crimes deserve certain punishments in this life in order to prevent the person from suffering eternal punishment in the afterlife.

In Islam, those crimes and punishments are known as Hudud حدود
1. Adultery and Fornication
2. False accusation of Adultery/Fornication
3. Drinking Alcohol
4. Murder
5. Theft

Each one of them has a prescribed punishment.
But what makes these crimes and punishments illustrate the spirit of God in the religion is that in the proper application, with the exception of murder and theft, and even for murder and theft for that matter, the majority of the time someone will be punished for a crime is when they themselves come forward and seek penitence by confessing and asking for the punishment. Which is why #2 is listed, unless you have 4 witnesses who saw the actual specific physical act of Adultery, to accuse someone is punishable.

In addition, the idea of forgiveness is very much entrenched. If someone comes forward to confess, the traditions say you must not rush to punish them. You must verify the facts, and allow for possible ramnifications to manifest.

So if a thief stole because he was hungry and poor, it is not a punishable offense. You also can give them a chance to change their mind. Also, if you are the victim of a crime, you have the ability to forgive the criminal and prevent the punishment.

As I read it, the Malaysian authorities have taken the step of delaying the punishment of this lady for the sake of this blessed month. And she has opted to accept the punishment in this life rather than fight the punishment here for the sake of her salvation in the hereafter. What is so wrong with that?

Israel stands accused of harvesting the organs of the dead and injured Palrestinians. They deny the claims, but it is far too consistent with their policies and methods to be simply disregarded. What especially lends credence to the accusation is the Israeli response of accusing the source of "anti-semitism".

It is a long standing habit of the Israelis and their zionist supporters to avoid actual debate and discussion of the facts and to sidestep valid criticism by levelling this type of accusation in response. It gets even funnier when Jews and other Semites are the ones levelling the criticism, as they become "self loathing". If you have no merit to your action, what better way to defend your crimes then by turning the tables and accusing the other side of being a racist.

It's not a matter of if but when: the world will no longer tolerate the violations of humanity by this regime and its criminal supporters. Let's just hope its sooner rather than later.

http://us.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/08/23/israel.sweden.organ.harvesting/index.html

For more on the Israeli occupation, vist www.occupation101.com

Ramadan is a time of forgiveness, a time of self sacrifice, a time of giving, a time of mercy, a time of peace.



I guess these guys misinterpreted the giving and peace parts (let me give you a piece of my mind), as well as the forgiveness, sacrifice and mercy (I am gonna sacrifice you with no mercy and no forgiveness)

Interesting Story
A married man bought his wife nice jewelry every time he cheated on her. After he and her passed away, the daughter sold off this guilt jewelry for almost half a million dollars.....

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE57H4YG20090818?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=69

While it is a funny story, I personally find the tragedy of it that the daughter is putting her family legacy in the dumpster. I know this day and age is all about information and sharing and exposing, but to protect the legacy and name of your parents after they die is truly a virtue. I don't think the disclosure resulted in the diamonds selling for more.....

What was the CIA thinking?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090821/us_time/08599191775900
So not only are we outsourcing our torture and rendition, we are also outsourcing assassinations. Hey if we can't legally do it, why not outsource it, great thinking.

The legacy of the Bush administration lives on, and we will see more and more of this type of opportunistic garbage come out in the open, which tragically and unfortunately was perpetuated in all our names. We should be offended and ashamed.

Today is the first day of Ramadan, our holy month of fasting.
I hope and pray that each and every one of us is blessed this month and always, makes the most of this blessed month, and comes out of it a better person.
Ramadan Mubarak

Also, President Obama wanted to send his own message....
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Ramadan-Kareem/

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...."
Boy did that proves it merit.
The tragedy in Kuwait where 40+ women and children died when the tent in which the wedding party they were attending took place burned took an even more tragic turn when the fire turned out to be arson. Not only arson, but some odd form of vengeance. The ex-wife of the groom carried in tanks of petrol and spread it out over the tents before setting them alight.....
Wow. Read for yourself....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/17/kuwait-wedding-fire-woman-confesses

WOW
it never ends for the Lions
A year after setting the futility mark of 0-16, the Lions retooled. New management. New coaching staff. New free agents. We are on track. Hear us roar....

oops.
Bryant Johnson our new wide receiver to complement Calvin Johnson misunderstood the roar part. He thought it meant what you do when you inadvertantly roll a golf cart onto your leg while goofing off. I am not making this up.
http://larrybrownsports.com/football/bryant-johnson-injured-golf-cart-accident/8420