Islam the untold story

I watched this documentary, on channel 4

It was very interesting. It tried to discover if Islam was a strong motivator for the rapid expansion of the Arabic empire in the 7 th century. The presenter was seeking evidence of the influence of the prophet, whether the Islamic faith was produced as a complete entity from the outset or whether there was  evidence which was suggestive of its gradual evolution.

Now, I know very little about Islam. I have never studied the texts, although I have read an English translation of the Qur’an.

The television presenter appeared, for the camer I am sure, to be perplexed at the lack of any evidence, save the Qur’an itself.

The various experts interviewed (Western) seem to agree thtraditions an oral tradition. Indeed the presenter spent some time with Bedouin people who shared oral history with him.

The western experts were concerned that the oral tradition could not be verified and it could have been changed or manipulated. There was no written source to verify the existence birthplace or any other historic place reference in the Qur’an. The lack of documents was a problem.

The first visible representation of the Prophet was on a coin. This was the very first record of any kind in a solid form save the holy book itself. I am not so sure that I would be surprised. The Prophet was not in favour of any kind of idolatry. Christians had taken the symbol of Christ on the cross as a symbol of veneration. My understanding is that Alllah is the only God, that he and only he should be worshipped. Mosques do not have likenesses of Allah, nor of any prophet. The representation of any kind of manifestation of Allah would be a blasphemy. I understand that the words of the Qur’an appear among the decoration in a mosque, acceptable as the belief is the word came direct from Allah. Given the strong sense against portraying Allah is it really surprising that no depiction of His prophet can be found. Christ is depicted in every church, his symbol is worn by his followers and icons containing various bits and pieces of saints and items related to Christ and his disciples. This is, in my opinion, a form of idolatry. Is it surprising therefore, that the Prophet and his followers would have ensured that there was no such image of the prophet. The Western historian was frustrated by the lack of clarity over the birthplace of the prophet when viewed from the point of view of a Western historian.

The obfuscation was taken by the presenter as evidence which may or may not point to a developing religeon rather than the fully developed code in which Muslims believe. However, in my view, that obfuscation may be a clue to the truth of the claim of Islamic scholars. Forget religeon for a moment. Any figure of historical significance is hijacked by financial interests, as are mythological beings. In prehistory, we know there was some form of female goddess due to the stone carvings we have found. An idolatrous image? The are places of pilgrimage to Thomas A Beckett, the Tolpuddle martyrs have been used to generate income and provide political propaganda. Guido Fawkes beliefs have been hijacked he has been vilified and pilloried. His image is, though, well known. Boudicca is also well known and we also know how false the image of her on the embankment.

It is entirely understandable that a nomadic people with a strong oral tradition who do not have permanent structures or perhaps very few, with an abhorrence of false images would not want their belief system corrupted by idolatry. Their faith carried in their Holy book, coupled with their oral tradition, or am I mad?

Findon Sheep Fair

A view of the sheep fair at Findon in Sussex as it used to be.

It is that time of year again when the annual fair comes round. I have not been for some years, the last time I went there were only 6 sheep. A far cry from the thousands of previous years.

This year things had improved, we were stuck in traffic for about an hour in a queue to get in to the fair.

Once we got in I initially thought it was going to be another of ye olde country fayre type events. A funfair and variety of stalls selling ‘antique’ country items and other good stuff. The first sheep we saw were in a van used for demonstrating shearing and to tell the history of sheep on the Downs.

However, there was a bio control gate, passing beyond there were pens, no longer hazel or chestnut hurdles, but metal hurdles containing …. Sheep. Several tens of sheep. Different species, different uses, being judged and sold, it was almost as it had once been.

I know there will be some with issues relating to sheep being kept in pens but this is the country raw in tooth and claw. The downs would be a much poorer place without the sheep who have effectively created this landscape.

Of course it was not all sheep.

I think I am getting the hang of this iPad slowly, couldn’t work out how to add pictures originally, sorry rough seas!!!!

Wiki leaks is innocent!

Interesting. It seems, according to the BBC that Julian Assange is no longer at risk of arrest for rape as there is no evidence, according to the Swedish prosecutor. So, there is no evidence, there is evidence, there is no evidence!

A couple of questions, how dumb is the Swedish prosecutors office? A senior prosecutor said that the allegation was not strong enough for Assange to be arrested. That initial decision was overruled by the boss. Okay, these things happen, top paid lawyers in senior quasi government positions do get things wrong, their teams of assistants have input into decisions made which can be wrong. However, having made such a fuss, issuing the warrant and then watching as the whole political asylum fiasco played out, it seems incredible that the chief prosecutor now agrees with the first prosecutor.

Perhaps the conspiracists are right, perhaps Uncle Sam was applying pressure in order to achieve its own shady ends.

So, where does this leave Asange?

Even more peculiar is the information contained in the report further into the article, that no-one knows the current whereabouts of Mr Assange, surely he is still holed up in the embassy in London? Oh no, it is thought that he was in Sweden last week!

Deals and double deals among governments are being played out in secret, why not just be transparent about the whole thing. Answer, because those governments allowed the situation to get out of hand enraging hard line fundamentalists on the one hand, not Islamic, much much worse, the hawkish right wing American ‘my country right even when it’s wrong’ types.

Had there been openness, had Sweden been honest about the weight of evidence against Assange, had they told the US that they were not a poodle state like the UK, would any of this happened?

The US ignores the facts, Sweden now appears to be an incompetent, corrupt state, the UK looks stupid for laying siege to a foreign diplomatic mission in London, human rights activists and supporters of the freedom of speech appear to be vindicated. Hardly the result the US was looking for.

Some things need to remain secret, launch codes and such like, details of a rape allegation, at least in the UK are known to the defence at the point a suspect is interviewed, transparency is key to justice and fair play.

Now I am being stupid if I expect governments to play by the rules of justice and fair play.

Frustrated Pig

So, The One has provided me with an iPad because my Mac Book has been taken over by Pickle. It’s lovely, I like the size and simplicity of the thing. It fits in my bag, I can take it wherever I go, should I want to.

HOWEVER, when I access WordPress it is all different. It is like starting over again. I tried to look at the sky is full of blackberries (I would insert the link but I don’t know how) to my delight the post plays aMove song” but I can’t hear it.

😦

Nights

The dark depressing hours pass,

The screen flickers burning the back of my eyes,

The dross of society keeps me busy,

Damaging our society.

The victim, lost, confused and scared,

Lays blame where they can,

You should have prevented this

Where the hell were you?

Dawn filters through the mist,

The light grows bright and strong

Words burn on the screen tumbling

From my fingers.

Reports all done time for home,

The engine roar brings sanity.

Few cars abroad on the twisty

Cold dawn air to waken me

Organic food, good or bad?

The BBC report today, that studies show there is no nutritional difference between organic and non organic food. Now, statisticians will argue til doomsday I am sure. We all know there are lies, damn lies and statistics don’t we?

Surely the point is, and the study does acknowledge this, that by eating organic one is less likelyinjectable pesticide.

If a holistic approach is taken, it can be seen that the food may not actually provide ME with more nutrition, but it provides mother earth with more real sustainable nutrition while at the same time not poisoning me or the localFlores and fauna.

 

Renew

Your words strike like axe blows,
My heart is sundered by the froe of your emotion,
My nerves are stripped by the shave of your eyes.

A reported word received heals like balm,
Another’s meeting restores riven nerves,
Agreement withy binds parts sundered.

Peace descends and darkness fades,
Your news returns to empower and embolden,
A wholeness, like coppice growth, returns.

The falling leaves …

As summer tumbles, with the leaves toward the autumn, the Pen has been busy doing garden chores and general tidying. Work merely gets in the way. So, there I was clearing the garage, something shiny caught my eye buried at the back, under the cycle trailer. I had rediscovered my Cobb barbecue. The One had been to a meal with her colleagues from work, she had eaten haloumi and veg kebabs, of the skewered variety. We had talked about cooking these but I had completely forgotten the Cobb, discarded when we stopped eating flesh. Anyway, a wash and shine, later and some locally sourced sustainably managed woodland charcoal purchased a Barrie was called for. A sunny afternoon and the kebabs prepared.

They were delicious and made a lovely end to a days labour in the garden.

At this time of year my thoughts turn to alcohol, well it is pretty much at the forefront of my mind most of the year, but this is Elderberry time! A morning spent rummaging around in the local(ish) hedgerows produced enough of the shiny black jewels for a gallon of the good stuff. Home to turn the raw material into the makings for some of the best country wine money can’t buy.

Just four pounds of fruit and in a few months a gallon of wine to enjoy.
The bug was perfectly placed to stop me picking the fruit but never mind, there was plenty more.

Pure goodness

In the cool of the night,

It is 01:12, it is a pleasantly cool night here in the Pen. We have had just under a call a minute to our control. None for me though. I sit and type this drivel, and wonder whether I am more Poitier or Steiger.

Strange the things that occupy one when all that can be heard is the hum of the PC tower fan and the babble of the radio.

I watched an interesting, for me, documentary about the bomb disposal operatives from Northern Ireland in the 1970’s on the BBC, The Long Walk. I have watched those brave men (sorry there were no female operatives in my day) start the long walk toward possible obliteration. It was interesting for me as it centred around three operatives returning to the province. Each had particular stories to tell. None, so far as I recall, we’re known to me, but the type was thoroughly familiar. Brave quiet souls with a wish for a better deal for the people. A sense of humour that defies the odds, finding humour in black situations.

At the end of the piece, one of the men voiced what I am sure many old soldiers feel, that the Province is now peaceful and a hope, belief, that it may remain that way. The good people of Ulster deserve more than the ever present danger of the early 70’s. More than the fear of either Unionist or Republican or indeed Cromwells Huns.

I am saddened when I read, therefore, that the PSNI have deployed baton rounds at Carlisle Circus in North Belfast. I remember walking the streets of that troubled city, a baton gun slung on my back and a more lethal weapon in my hands. The sadness of a city battered and broken, infrastructure creaking under the pressure of attack and lack of real investment. People afraid to be seen talking to me and others happy to be seen spitting venom towards any kind of uniform.

It seems the Loyalists are revolting again. Petrol bombs, bricks stones and fireworks deployed by the mindless thugs against men and women whose sole desire is to see their city thrive and grow strong. Even in the darkest days of the 1970’s there was strong evidence that the ‘ordinary’ citizen was anything but ‘ordinary’. Mothers and children living day by day trying to live like human beings. Men struggling to work, to keep businesses alive against the tide of sectarianism.

The uniforms may be different, better designed to bear the brunt of a crowd’s rage than my open faced olive drab motorcycle helmet with holes drilled in to accept the hinge for a huge face guard. But the bodies of the officers are the same. Flesh and blood, tired but willing.

I expect that in 5 or 10 years time the current leaders of the extremists will be legitimised, as former PIRA commanders have been. They will pay lip service to the democracy so bitterly opposed. They will decry the very acts of savagery perpetrated in exactly the same manner they themselves employed and shed crocodile tears for the victims of senseless violence and indiscriminate killing. At the very same time that those ‘leaders’ are being so assimilated there will be another creature, pulling itself imperfectly formed from a bog or morass, clutching a weapon in one hand and a manifesto in the other to excuse the violence about to be visited upon the citizens for the benefit of the citizens.

Back in the Vietnam era someone voiced the phrase, fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity. As true then as it is now, why can we never learn?