A lot has been said and will be said with regards the Orion saga and the subsequent 3rd Degree program. I would like to focus on one or two angles that perhaps require some focus and attention.
For me the discussion on how they reacted to Debora Patta is a side issue. I’m not trivialising it,but for me the crux of the matter is, how was it possible for Orion to get away with what they allegedly did? Continue reading
rilliant obituary in London TIMES]
An Obituary printed in the London Times…..
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense , who has
Been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago
Lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
– Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
– Why the early bird gets the worm;
– Life isn’t always fair;
– and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more
Than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in
Charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but
Overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a
Classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and
A teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his
Condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job
That they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent
To administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform
Parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and
Criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar
In your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to
Realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her
Lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his
Wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I’m A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on.
If not, join the majority and do nothing.
In the Footsteps of Prophet Ibraheem (Peace be upon him)
Through the Gracious Mercy and Infinite Blessings of our Allah Most High, we have once again been offered the opportunity to witness and experience the blessed days of Hajj and Qurbani (Sacrifice).
In both the actions of Hajj and Qurbani, we are asked to emulate and commemorate the actions of the Prophet Ibraheem (Peace be upon him). Annually, we dutifully emulate these actions, but do we ponder and reflect over the lessons behind these actions? Do we utilize this opportunity to introspect and ask ourselves the question: “What does the life of Ibraheem (Peace be upon him) teach me? How can I utilize the action of Qurbani as a stepping stone to greater spirituality, as an opportunity to achieve greater closeness to my Creator?
It is difficult to cease marveling at the bravery and compliance of a young thirteen year-old (Ismaeel, Peace be upon him) who was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice; the sacrifice of life! However, we tend to overlook the efforts of the parents of this young boy which resulted in the exhibition of such charming manners. Almighty Allah never intended for the life of an only son to be taken, but desired that lessons be learnt from this colossal act of submission for centuries to come.
To begin with, his parents supplicated for pious offspring:
” My Rabb (Cherisher), grant me pious offspring from yourself.” (37:100),
“My Rabb (Cherisher) make me one who establishes salaah, and my progeny as well.”(14:40)
Qurbani is a reminder of that young Ismaeel (Peace be upon him), responding to the call for the ultimate sacrifice with submission, devotion and humility due to correct spiritual and moral upbringing. Imagine the remarkable relationship that existed between the husband, wife and son that resulted in a mother being prepared to be left alone in a desert with no food, water or shelter for her or her infant son and to boldly announce: “if this is the command of my Lord then he will not desert me!”
How did Ibraheem (Peace be upon him) command such implicit trust and dedication from his family? Qurbani reminds us to re-examine our conduct as parents and spouses. It reminds us to reflect if Islamic and moral orientation is taking place in our homes. It compels us to reflect if we enjoy the confidence, trust and loyalty of our spouses and children. It prompts us to examine the level of obedience we have instilled in our offspring.
May this Eid and Qurbani be the one where we do not carry out the relevant actions in a mere ritualistic mann. May this Eid be the one where we truly follow in the footsteps of Prophet Ibraheem (Peace be upon him).Aameen.
May Allah Ta’ala accept from us and from you. Eid Mubarak!
White first. African second
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By: Adriaan Basson
2011-09-25 10:00
Open letter to AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel
If one will always have to feel white first, and African second, it would be better not to stay on in Africa. It would not be worth it for this. – Nadine Gordimer
Dear Kallie,
Like you, I am a white Afrikaner who lives in Africa. I was glad to read in last week’s City Press that you identify yourself as “an African with a light complexion”.
I do too. I suspect, however, that we have vastly different interpretations of what it means to be an African Afrikaner in South Africa and on the position of Afrikaners in 2011.
You see yourself firstly as part of a minority group whose constitutional and human rights are being disregarded by the ANC. The premise of AfriForum’s campaigns is one of victimhood.
You regard the Afrikaners as a group under threat, a people whose basic rights to expression, association and movement are constantly being undermined by the black majority.
You want to struggle – in the courts, on the streets and in the legislature.This is a dangerous game, Kallie. You are not stupid, I know that.
So why are you refusing to present to your supporters a fairer, more balanced picture of your people’s position in South Africa today?
Is something more sinister at play? Is scaring people a more profitable tactic for AfriForum?
You know as well as I do that the Afrikaner’s cultural, religious and linguistic identity is not under threat. When I visit the Potchefstroom or Oudtshoorn arts festivals, I don’t see people who are suppressed.
In fact, they look happier to me than they were in 1994.
Have you heard of Afrikaner author Deon Meyer’s phenomenal success? We write what we like, Kallie.
You referred to the right-wing publication Die Afrikaner in your interview with us. Would an oppressive regime, hellbent on suppressing its minorities, allow such a publication to appear?
I think not.
You (and Judge Colin Lamont) use the very narrow definition of numeracy to define minorities. Yes, numberwise the Afrikaner is a minority group.
But even the United Nations, whose Minorities Declaration of 1992 is repeated almost verbatim on AfriForum’s website, recognises numbers can never be the only determining factor when defining minorities.
The UN published a report titled “Minorities under international law” in which it specifically (and ironically) quoted the South African example: “In most instances, a minority group will be a numerical minority, but in others, a numerical majority may also find itself in a minority-like or non-dominant position, such as blacks under the apartheid regime in South Africa.”
Who knows why the ANC’s legal team didn’t make this point in the case you brought against them. I’m sure AfriForum would agree that poor black South Africans are in an even less dominant position than middle-class Afrikaners from Pretoria.Which brings me to crime.
Why does AfriForum focus largely on crime against whites when you know black, poor people are by far the most vulnerable members of society when it comes to violent crime?
I see your old foe, the Transvaal Agricultural Union, admitted last week that farm murders were down by almost 100% in the last financial year.
I didn’t see a press statement from them or AfriForum on this.Isn’t there also a responsibility on a civil rights group to inform its members when things improve?
Isn’t there a risk we’ll have more Johan Nels – the young killer from Swartruggens who believed blacks were actively targeting whites in some form of genocide, and murdered four black people out of blind rage – if organisations like yours don’t inform and educate your supporters about what’s really going on?
Or is there some reason you don’t?
If they are a minority, then Afrikaners must be one of the most powerful, wealthy and diverse minorities on the planet.
Remember apartheid? The system that benefited your and my forbears to such an extent that we are still better off today than our black peers?
Have you had a look at the Sunday Times’ most recent Rich List published two weeks ago?
If you did, you would have seen that four Afrikaners – Christo Wiese (Shoprite), Laurie Dippenaar (FirstRand), Johann Rupert (Rembrandt) and GT Ferreira (RMB) – are included in the country’s top 10 richest people.And did you see who the top two earners were for 2010?
Shoprite CEO Whitey Basson (who earned R627 million) and BHP Billiton boss Marius Kloppers (R77 million) – two Afrikaners.
Did you discuss this with the members of AfriForum?
Surely it is not possible for people from a minority group who are suppressed to do business in their country of birth?
And have you asked Wiese, Dippenaar, Rupert and Ferreira whether they regard themselves as minorities? Have they addressed AfriForum’s membership on becoming a billionaire minority?
It doesn’t seem so when I look at your website.
I only see campaigns against Julius Malema, taxi drivers and Judge Nkola Motata (to your credit, you did commission a legal opinion on the Protection of Information Bill).
Did you see Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for 2011?
Did AfriForum tell its supporters that the year-on-year unemployment rate of white people was the only population group to have decreased?
Did you explain to them that 30% of adult blacks (four million people) are jobless, compared with 5% (105 000 people) of whites?
If not, why not?
I suppose you have to emphasise the “threats” to get your supporters to donate to your “Stop Malema” campaign.
This is speculation, but I’m guessing that AfriForum has close to zero legitimacy today for black South Africans (and thousands of whites).
I am not saying you shouldn’t have taken the Dubula ibhunu case to court, but I’m questioning why you decided to pick that case and insisted on a judgment, even when Lamont was trying his best to push for a settlement.
Even your own “Civil Rights Manifest” argues in favour of settlements.I am deeply concerned about the effect AfriForum’s actions are having on our society and this is why I’m writing this letter to you.
Your actions are having a polarising effect and you need to do serious introspection if you want to be respected as a civil rights group.
Otherwise, you risk being a racist lobby group. Is there any reason AfriForum has no black employees (according to your website) and, I assume, no black members?
Have you considered joining forces with other rights groups like Abahlali baseMjondolo, the South African shackdwellers’ movement?
Or even the Landless People’s Movement?
Or do you really only want to represent the rights of (a small group of) Afrikaners, even though your “Civil Rights Manifest” commits you to benefiting “all the citizens of South Africa”?
Do you always have to feel white first, and African second?
Best wishes,
Adriaan Basson
City Press
History of Jumu’a: Nabi SAW could not perform Jumu’a in Makkah Mukarramah due to the restrictions placed upon him by the mushrikeen of Makkah.However,He SAW ordered Mus’ab bin Umair RA (who had been sent to Medinah Munawwarah as a teacher to those who had accepted Islam),to lead the people in Jumu”ah salaah at the time of Thur.Thus Mus’ab RA was the first to lead Jumu’a and this continued untill Nabi SAW migrated to Medinah Munawwarah
| Where will our Children be this Saturday Night? |
| Imagine a youngster who shows a parent on how a child-lock works on a remote control of an electronic device! Is there anything the parent can do to protect that child from the vices propagated by such a device?
In an era where grown-ups have to play catch-up to their children’s technological know-how, online social networking and all the stuff that goes with that, it is important for parents to re-assert their responsibility. |
European school books present a distorted image of Islam and Muslims, using stereotypes that breed mistrust of the faith and its people, a five-country study shows.
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa’s Comment:
The 9/11 Decade
The Muslim world will remember the 10 years after 11 September 2001 as a period when Islamophobia came of age with politicians trying to outdo each other in anti-Islamic rhetoric. Continue reading
Common myths about crime in SA
2011-09-05 10:58Chandré Gould, ISSWhen the SA Police Service reports its annual crime statistics this month, South Africans will continue their debate about crime in their beloved country. This is an important conversation, but it is sometimes undermined by mistaken beliefs. Our research at the Institute for Security Studieshas identified a number of common mistakes the public often make when they think about crime. Continue reading
sulaimaanravat 