passing of a mirror: Michael Jackson
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun
I understand that many regular readers of this blog, might not particularly care for this post, and I would have to wonder if this belong here – yet, to not say anything would be dishonest. Personally, i was never into Michael Jackson and, in fact, was kinda anti. Yet, looking back, he had such a profound impact, that i cannot say that i was not also moved. Michael Jackson’s music may have been what took the world by storm, but there was also more – the acting out of his shadow was just as much part of his appeal to a mass audience. Muslims reserve the word “mirror” for those arifan who have traveled the path and, as part of their service, accept students to show them who they really are. But our world is also full of signs, and there are mirrors who do not necessarily fall in that definition – and, in their own way, show us realities of our humanity that we would much rather not consider.
The photographs on this blog are not meant to make one feel superficially “happy.” The play of light and darkness, the shapes of trees, deserts, and the abstractness of a flower in black and white, can be disconcerting at times, calming, and may move some in other ways. Nature is like that, the embedded signs can, with brutal honesty, reveal sides of who we are, yet with a sense of incredible beauty. And so we may also learn a little from the lives of individuals such as Michael Jackson -from the light and darkness of his life.
night of Qadr
commands Jibraeel to descend to earth, with a phalanx of angels,
carrying a green standard. He fixes it at the rear of al-Ka’bah. And
he has six hundred wings, two of which he never spreads except on
the night of Qadr. He spreads those two wings on that night, till they
go beyond the East and the West. Then Jibraeel disperses the angels
in that night, so they greet everyone who is standing, sitting, praying
and chanting (remembering Allah). They shake hands with them,
and say Amin to their prayers, till the day breaks.
-Rasul Allah (peace and blessings on him and on his Family, narrated in Al Amali ch. 27. h. 3)
AIDS Prevention – Iran
US federal laws prohibits needle exchange as a way to reduce the spread of HIV infection.
The CDC reports that more than 33% of all AIDS cases are among injection drug users, their partners and children, and the numbers continue to climb. Over 63% of AIDS cases among women are related to injection drug use and over 50% of AIDS cases among children are attributable to injection drug use by their parents, according to the CDC.
At this time, there are three separate and distinct prohibitions on needle exchange programs at the federal level.
Meanwhile, Iran has begun a pilot program to distribute syringes and condoms through vending machines!
- Iran is installing vending machines in Tehran to sell cheap condoms and syringes to drug addicts to prevent the spread of AIDS and hepatitis, an official said on Wednesday.
?Five of these machines which have been made will be installed in five of Tehran city?s welfare shelters for addicts,? the deputy head of Iran?s anti-narcotics organisation, Mohammad Reza Jahani, said.
?Condoms, syringes, bandages and plasters will be easily accessible just by inserting a coin. This protects addicts from acquiring AIDS and hepatitis,? he added, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Iran has tried to change its approach to drug addicts by treating users as ?people who need help? rather than throwing them into already overcrowded jails.
