Monday, October 09, 2006

Moonshine

It happens every year. Its middle of Ramadan now.. it has happened at its start and now it will happen at its end. Its ridiculous. It makes us a laughing stock but we do not care!

It is called Moon Sighting. It is done becasue Islamic calendar is lunar based. You have to go by the new moon for the advent of Ramadan or Hajj dates etc. The problem is that certain parts of the country observe Fast earlier than the rest becasue they say that they have witnessed the moon which indicates start of Ramadan. The rest of the country (headed by Head Clergymen of Government) say that its not the case therefore no ramadan!

The Government started the month of Ramadan 2 days later than the Saudis! how come a single moon for the whole world appears at different places at different 'days' (not times even!) The 'New Moon' is new moon for the whole world! not different for Iranians, Saudis or Pakistanis!

Its the fossilized mentality of our clergy. In earlier times people used to 'sight' the moon to know when will the new month start. Now after such advancement in science and technology.. you do not need to see the moon to know whether it will appear as new or not! just do the calculation or visit a website! for heavens sake! Grow Up!

Monday, October 02, 2006

72 Virgins

For Quranic view on 'virgins'.. read my post 72 Virgins - Part II

Now this is being pointed out more and more. That muslims who "blow themselves up" (sic) get 72 virgins in heaven or in other words.. they blow themselves up for the virgins. As Jay Leno said in the Tonight Show... there are so many suicide bombers now that it turns out that there will be only 1 virgin for 72 bombers! :p

Jokes apart.. this is a serious issue as this casts a totally malevolent and perhaps sadistic shadow on what the suicide bombers do and what they want. Let me me make my stance clear. I am not at all in favour of suicide bombings as this entails killing of innocent lives and for me.. killing of one innocent is like killing of humanity (Quran 5:32)

Now the suicide part and getting 72 virgins. Tell me.. how can it be that when Quran says that killing of an innocent is like killing of humanity and on the other hand it says you'll get virgins if you die blowing up innocent people? ridiculous. 72 virgins are not mentioned in Quran - its sources are other than Quran which are not authentic. So people who blow themselves up for their own interests won't get any virgins... all they will get is hell fire.

Understand the motives of taking this route. The usual ignorance of West's public is more obvious and brushing under the carpet by commentators and media personnel of the reasons of such act more prominent. Suicide bombing is evident in two forms. One is the desperate situation in which a person finds himself/ herself after being persecuted to his/ her limits. Case in point - Palestine. (this still does not allow taking innocent lives). The other situation is in Iraq where people are blowing themselves apart to get rid of Iraq from Americans. The usual suspects are foreigners interested to drive Americans out and perhaps Iraqis themselves. I am not quite sure about the latter.

Anyways... taking innocent lives either in case of suicide bombings and Daisy Cutters is abominable act. And NO! nobody is getting virgins!

By the way... if muslims will get virgins.. what would Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka get in return for their suicide bombings?

Also Check This Post
  • 72 Virgins - Part II
  • Suicide Bombings