Montazeri attacks clerical regime

QOM, Iran (Reuters) - Iran's Islamic system has been abused to deny the president real power, sapping public interest in next month's election, the country's top dissident cleric says.

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, an architect of the Islamic revolution, told Reuters Iranians would not vote in large numbers on June 17 because real authority lay not with the president but with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Some figures have power, while responsibilities have been given to the president," Montazeri, one of the authors of Iran's constitution, said on Thursday at his office in the holy city of Qom, a centre of Shi'ite Muslim learning.

"That is why young Iranians do not want to cast their votes. That is why I have remained silent about this election," he said, adding that the constitution had been misused by people who wielded Islam "as a tool to put pressure on people."

Opinion polls have predicted a low turnout in the presidential election.

Montazeri, a frail but mentally sharp 83-year-old, called the seizure of American hostages at the U.S. embassy in 1979 a mistake and said Tehran should now resume ties with Washington.

He also said the United States had done well to topple Saddam Hussein, but should get out of Iraq for its own good.

"Some people criticise America, saying they invaded Iraq in search of an atomic bomb while there was no bomb.

"I say that Saddam himself was more dangerous than 1,000 atomic bombs. It was a great job, but they should let Iraqis enjoy their freedom," Montazeri said.

Asked whether Iraq's new Shi'ite-led government could quell a raging insurgency on its own, he said:

"The presence of Americans in Iraq causes the insurgency. If they leave, then this thing will be finished."

FALL FROM GRACE

Montazeri was hailed as "the fruit of my life" by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, spiritual father of the 1979 Islamic revolution, who designated him as his successor.

He fell from grace in 1988 after criticising Iran's rulers and was kept under house arrest in Qom from 1998 until 2003.

Montazeri helped develop the political system in Iran, which is based on a theory called the "rule of the jurisprudent" that says clerics should directly supervise political life.

He said the constitution he helped to write had not only been misused but also was flawed -- a mistake he put down to inexperience.

He said it should be changed to give the president control over state matters, including the military, the police and official media.

"There is a contradiction in our constitution. It gives a lot of responsibilities to the president without giving him enough authority," Montazeri said.

"Responsibility and authority should come together. You cannot give responsibility to someone (the president) without giving him authority."

He said Iran's Supreme Leader should limit his role to religious matters and to ensuring that laws conformed to Islam.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

Montazeri said he had an important message for the United States -- that it had lost popularity in the Middle East by seeking to impose democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"You cannot impose democracy on Islamic countries. You should help people to develop their country and decide their own fate," he said.

Montazeri was among leaders who endorsed the 444-day occupation of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, when radical Islamic students held 52 hostages. The event led Washington to break diplomatic ties, which Montazeri said should now be restored.

"What Americans are doing in the region is against their own interests. One of the mistakes was occupying Iraq. One of our mistakes was occupying the American embassy," he said.

"Our Prophet says all human beings make mistakes but the wise learn from their mistakes."

Easy and Difficult

Easy is to get a place is someone's address book.Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.Easy is to judge the mistakes of othersDifficult is to recognize our own mistakesEasy is to talk without thinkingDifficult is to refrain the tongueEasy is to hurt someone who loves us.Difficult is to heal the wound...Easy is to forgive othersDifficult is to ask for forgivenessEasy is to set rules.Difficult is to follow them...Easy is to dream every night.Difficult is to fight for a dream...Easy is to show victory.Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...Easy is to admire a full moon.Difficult to see the other side...Easy is to stumble with a stone.Difficult is to get up...Easy is to enjoy life every day.Difficult to give its real value...Easy is to promise something to someone.Difficult is to fulfill that promise...Easy is to say we love.Difficult is to show it every day...Easy is to criticize others.Difficult is to improve oneself...Easy is to make mistakes.Difficult is to learn from them...Easy is to weep for a lost love.Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.Easy is to think about improving.Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action...Easy is to think bad of othersDifficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt...Easy is to receiveDifficult is to giveEasy to read thisDifficult to followEasy is to keep the friendship with wordsDifficult is to keep it with meanings.

Bein Happy

* Being happy requires looking for the good things. One person sees the beautiful view and the other sees the dirty window. Choose what you see and what you think.* There is an inner core in all of us, which is simply beautiful. When we see the plight of the starving around the globe on TV we ache for them. We all care. Accept that you have these capacities to love and emphasize and be HUMAN.Key to Happiness* The key to happiness is not that you never get upset, frustrated or irritated. It is how quickly you decide to snap out of it.* Spend time with children. Learn more about laughter, spontaneity, curiosity, acceptance, resilience, trust, determination, and your imagination. They are here to teach us! * Happiness is not dependent on your circumstances or your bank balance. * Happiness is a daily decision.Do not Postpone your Happiness* We postpone our happiness - “I’ll be happy when....â€‌ (When the house is paid off, when we go to Bali, or Hawaii, etc., when I find a better job...)* We look back to the past and say, “If I have known today was going to be so awful, I would have been happy yesterday.â€‌* HAPPINESS is not a when - Happiness is a now.The Secret of Enjoying* Lots of people will tell you, “I’ll be happier if my job was easier.â€‌ But when work gets easier, they quit, and look for another challenge.* The truth is that we love challenge. Let’s stop kidding ourselves! Nearly every job is repetitious.* Often, the secret to enjoying a job is not to change your job but to change your attitude.Ups and Downs* Everything has ups and downs - nothing travels in straight lines. This applies to your own progress in any project. Keep your eye on your target, keep putting in the effort and you reach your target despite the ups and downs. * Successful people realize that they reach their goals by continuously correcting. We get off course, correct, and get back on course. Ships do it. Rockets and missiles do it.The Risk• To learn to walk, we must risk falling over.• To make a dollar, we must risk losing it.• In loving and caring, we risk breaking our hearts.• Getting a job is a risk. Crossing the road is a risk. Eating in the restaurant is a risk. Starting a family is a risk.• Life is a risk. Winners take more risk than losers. That is why they win so much. Necessarily then, winners lose more than losers, but they are playing so often that their wins add up. • We have a choice between living and merely existing.Give a Compliment• Ever notice how good you feel when you give a compliment?• Even if people are awkward in receiving them, they appreciate them.• When we make it a habit to GIVE genuine compliments, we’ll always be looking out for the good in people.The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

DAHWUL ARDH - The Spread of the Earth

DAHWUL ARDH - The Spread of the Earth (falls on 7/01/05)A day that Islam Introduced for more than 1400 years now. Almighty Allah in Surat al-Nazi'aat 79:30 speaking clearly about Dahwul Ardh says:and the earth-after that He spread it out (dahahaa).."1. What is Dahwul Ardh?Dahwul Ardh" - the 25th of Dhulqa'dah, according to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (saww) reported by one of his Sahabas - 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud , is the day when the earth was spread for the advantage of human beings. The phrase "Dahwul Ardh" literally means "The spread of the earth". In another tradition it is reported that the first Rahmah & blessing descended on this very day.Hence it is a very important occasion indeed. According to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (saww), whosoever fasts on this day his fast would equal to 70 years of fasting.Having known these merits, should we limit our celebration with fasting and the expression of joy, or should our struggle transcend beyond that? This obviously would depend on our vision about this important day. And in order to understand properly the importance of this day, we should understand the earth better.2. How is Dahwu'l Ardh applicable in the present era & How must we celebrate it?Islam was not revealed for a certain time and a particular people. Its laws and teachings apply for all ages to come. We should try to appreciate this vital truth and behold the "universality" of the religious teachings. The day of Dahwul Ardh that the Holy Prophet (saww) and our our `Aimma ('as) mentioned in the traditions was not a day of celebration for their time only. Rather it is a day to be celebrated in every epoch and land. The problems the earth faced in their time may be different from the problems the earth confronts in our age. However both have lived in the same earth.Our duty in every age when this Islamic earth day is celebrated should be to ponder over this God-given blessing, the reason why it was created, whether it is utilized for the purpose it was created, the crisis it faces at present, the remedy for such crisis, etc. This would really make the celebration a celebration of true faith and concern, and a celebration of thanking the All-Merciful Creator who created the world for man's good. One must also try to "fast" the true fasting by ensuring that every member of one's body is also fasting. He should also feel the pain of hunger and think about the reason why there exists a class in the world that starves while the giant economic countries like the US have to throw food every year to maintain the value of its currency. Du'as likewise can be recited with sincerity and attention. These noble devotions are very vital elements to enable the human being to come closer to his All-Merciful Creator.But besides all this we should try to understand the contemporary problems of the earth and contribute whatever we can in this auspicious day. Our contribution can take various forms. Examples of a few are as follows:a. Writing thought provoking articles to the news-magazines and informing the public of the crisis the human beings have created for themselves on this transient earth.b. Educating the public on the methods of eradicating these problems that also consist of practical signs of danger that await the human beingc. Practically putting into practice what we can teach the public about the dangers facing the earthd. Making a firm decision and resolve in utilizing this earth as a means for a good and eternally secure Hereafter. We pray to Allah (swt) to enable us utilize this earth for the purpose it was created and we sincerely ask him to uproot the influence of the capitalistic traders of the world whose voluptuous and greedy nature is never satiated, and because of whom the earth is in great crisis.*****************************************************************************************************Understanding the Earth Better1) WHY WAS THE EARTH CREATED?The Holy Qur'an in chapter 20, verse 53 says:He who appointed the earth to be a cradle for you."Allamah Tabataba'i in his Al-Mizan says:Thus Allah stationed man in the earth to live an earthly life, so that he may earn a provision for his heavenly and exalted life, in the manner that a baby is stationed in the cradle, and is brought up for a more sacred and developed life..." (vol. 14, pg. 171)From this we come to realize that the earth was created as a preparing ground & means for human perfection and the purity of the heart. Sadly, however, many a people, instead of maintaining it for a good Hereafter, tend to destroy it for selfish gains.2) DO THE HUMAN BEINGS EMPLOY THE EARTH FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS CREATED?The Holy Qur'an in chapter 30, verse 41 clearly talks of a people who instead of practically thanking Allah (swt) by utilizing the earth for its sacred purpose cause mischief therein and subsequently face its evil consequences:Corruption has appeared in the land and sea, for that men's own hands have earned, that He may let them taste some of that which they have done, that haply so they may return."And in chapter 7, verse 10, Almighty Allah says:Indeed We made you live in the earth and made therein for you the means of livelihood; little is it that you thank."In this verse, "little is it that you thank" should not merely taken as "verbal thanks," for the reality of "shukr" is to use the gift for the purpose it was created.3) WHAT IS OUR DUTY TOWARDS THE EARTH TODAY?From the above discussion the answer is evident: Because the earth was created for achieving human perfection, we should make a firm resolve to utilize it solely for that. This however should not mean that we stop scientific advancements, for such ventures are also a means to help the creation of the earth. But making a resolve in utilizing the earth as a means for achieving human perfection requires us to have a good understanding of how to go about utilizing the earth and its resources properly. Revelation is the best source for guiding us here.We should first try to study the elements that are responsible for mischief both in the physical as well as the spiritual world. So long as we have not searched for the root problem, our resolve to change, however firm it may be, would be futile. And as we make a firm resolve we should humbly pray to Allah (swt) to enable us maintain our resolve so that we have done our duty and removed ourselves from the group that is responsible for the earth crisis.THE ROOT CAUSE:Different seminars and discussions on the issue of the earth crisis have been, are being, and will be held in different parts of the world. Days like "the Earth day" is also celebrated to make the people realize the dangers facing the earth. The earth lovers mention several problems. The brevity of this speech however does not allow me to enumerate all. Some of the problems they cite are:1. The depletion of the ozone layer [which acts like a sunscreen shielding the earth from harmful ultra violet radiation]. This is due to the usage of goods that contain CFC gases. Some dangers of ozone depletion are: skin cancers, eye disorders, global warming, etc.2. The contamination of water. This is due to throwing industrial wastes in the water bodies. The Capitalistic and egoistic attitudes of the producers & manufacturers have no concern about the health risks of those using the waters. It is evident that using contaminated water has great health risks and dangers3. The contamination of air through Industrial wastes and other factors. Those who would like to know the details of the environmental problems may look at encyclopedias and the Internet.But, we ask a fundamental question to ourselves: What is the ROOT CAUSE of the senseless attitude towards environmental pollution? If we answer that, we would then be able to respect the earth and lessen and perhaps even eradicate the ecological crisis that transpires in this oppressed earth.The fundamental reason for such a crisis is an incorrect world-view or a narrow outlook towards this world. So long as the human being has not understood the meaning of this life, the purpose of His creation, the link between the Creator and the creation, he would never be merciful to himself, let alone the earth. The earth is merely a means for the aim of creation, which is the nearness and proximity of Allah (swt). It is due to ignorance of this fact or the lack of obedience on the part of us that causes the chaos in this transient earth. In fact why should the activists that struggle for bettering the physical environment forget the spiritual environment? The spiritual pollution is more grave than the physical one. Rather, the spiritual pollution is the cause of the physical pollution. In conclusion, two reasons may therefore contribute to the chaos that exists in the earth:1. A wrong outlook towards the reality: disbelief in God, Revelation, the Hereafters, or having a concocted belief that is against the innate nature of the human being. These kinds of trends are followed by wrong judgments which come about as a result of ignorance of the correct method of getting to the truth. And when one has a wrong outlook, and does not know the meaning of life, he would do whatever his ego wants. He would tend to forget the serenity of others.2. Disobedience on the part of the believer: If a believer who has convictions about his true faith remains steadfast in following what Allah (swt) commands, the earth would be a place of serenity. Contrarily if he allows his desires to rule over his intellect, and is lax in his belief, he would cause great dangers not only for man, but the entire creation that lives on this earth.

A very powerful story (Prayer on time)

He remembered his grandmother's warning about praying on time: "My son, you shouldn't leave prayer to this late time". His grandmother's age was 70 but whenever she heard the Adhan, she got up like an arrow and performed Salah. He, however could never win over his ego to get up and pray. Whatever he did, his Salah was always the last to be offered and he prayed it quickly to get it in on time. Thinking of this, he got up and realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha. He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul Maghrib. While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had prayed. His grandmother prayed with such tranquility and peace. He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while. He had been at school all day and was tired, so tired. He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting.He was sweating profusely. He looked around. It was very crowded. Every direction he looked in was filled with people. Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting. Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was. His heart was about to burst. It was the Day of Judgement. When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of Judgement, but that seemed so long ago. Could this be something his mind made up? No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this. The interrogation was still going on. He began moving frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called. No one could answer him. All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd split into two and made a passageway for him. Two people grabbed his arms and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd. The angels brought him to the center and left him there. His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie. He opened his eyes but saw only another world. The people were all helping others. He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam. His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared. He pleaded his case, "I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah.I performed my Salah. I fasted in the month of Ramadan. Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did. Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not." He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah. He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah. He was sweating like never before and was shaking all over. His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision. At last, the decision was made. The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd. His legs felt like they were going to collapse. He closed his eyes as they began to read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam.His name was read first. He fell on his knees and yelled that this couldn't be, "How could I go to Jahannam? I served others all my life, I spread the word of Allah to others". His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat. The two angels took him by the arms. As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward the blazing flames of Jahannam. He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him. He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him. The Jahannam angels continued to drag him. They had gotten closer to the Hellfire. He looked back and these were his last pleas. Had not Rasulullah [saw] said, "How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times cleanse someone of their sins"? He began yelling, "My prayers? my prayers? my prayers." The two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of Jahannam. The flames of the fire were burning his face. He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him. One of the angels pushed him in. He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames. He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard. He wiped some dust off himself and asked him, "Who are you?" The old man replied, "I am your prayers". "Why are you ! so late! I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the last minute before I fell in". The old man smiled and shook his head, "You always performed me at the last minute, did you forget?" At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah. He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside. He heard the adhan for Salat-ul Isha. He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu.

10 ISLAMIC TIPS FOR A GLOWING BEAUTIFUL FACE:

True beauty is not merely a skin-deep phenomenon. What gives it the glow of Allah's Grace is a purified inner-reality. We sometimes observe this radiance of faith even in colored people with coarse skins. No amount of make-up can be a substitute for it. If you want to be beautiful spend a minute before the mirror, five before your soul and 15 before Allah. Below are some of the major factors which contribute or prevent faces from reflecting their true beauty and glowing potential: 1. Be with Wuzu at all times. 2. Avoid all unclean (Najis) food. 3. Do not use the same towel far wiping the whole body after a bath. Use one for the upper half and another for the lower half of the body. 4. Men should abstain from shaving their beards and women should not attract looks of Na-mahram men. 5. Do not bear any sort of grudge, malice or envy towards others in your heart. 6. Get up little earlier than Namaz-e-Subh and offer 11 rak'at of Namaz-e-Shab (Night Prayers). 7. Eat one pomegranate every Friday or at least once every 40 days. 8. Do not sleep between dawn and sunrise and at the time of sunset. 9. Avoid watching un-Islamic films and late night parties. 10. Keep fasts on 3 days of every month other than Ramadan and keep yourself away from all kinds of sins and bad habits.

An 'UN-FORGETTABLE' Love...

An 'UN-FORGETTABLE' Love...It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman, in his 80s, showed up to have sutures (stitches) removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry, as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.On examination, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors,and got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while, and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease.As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.I was surprised, and asked him. "And you are still going every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me,but I still know who she is."I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life." ........She was one fortunate lady. True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be.