Stressful situation

It is a stressful situation for my older brother, the middle brother of the three of us. His job situation with all of those business trips and dealing with a daughter living 165 miles away from here whose husband has cancer with no chance of making it. I don't know what the end of the year will bring but alhumdulillah, I continue to bow in prostration and pray about this situation because right now God is the head healer and physician. If it is His Will to bring her husband's back to Him, then there is nothing none of us here on Earth can do. So why worry? If this seems cold, I don't mean it to be. But, death is reality and we never know if we will live to see tomorrow or any time beyond that. I will end this for now.

Conflicts

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem

Too many things are going on for me to probably not go to the homecoming game after all. My niece may be visiting this weekend. Who knows if her and her husband will come by if they do at all. They stay at my brother's house when they come to visit and that is about all. My niece's husband has cancer real bad and some doc down in Houston who claim to be the best M.D. of modern time said he can't do anything for him. So, he gives up hope when the real true physician we can rely upon is God or Allah. I am definitely praying for him as I have been praying for him from time to time. I have to admit. I don't know him all that well and it has hbeen almost two Christmases ago since I have seen him, my niece, and their son, my grand nephew. I am not losing hope for him yet, but I don't expect them to pay a visit.

Also, my brother's wife occupies herself around thinking about people who are ill concerning her son-in-law and her sister's husband. It is just enough to make my brother sick. If I had to live around her, it would drive me crazy because I am not likely to get sick. If it is time for him to go meet God in paradise, then that's what it will be. If it's not, then there might enough vigor in him provided by the Lord to fight this cancer. Cancer is the number one cause of death in America, today. It is much more widespread than AIDS. Why isn't there a cure for it? Chemotherapy? That sometimes work to the disadvantage of the patient with cancer. This procedure could kill the good cells and leaving him with the bad, hence ending his life to meet with the Lord a lot sooner. There must be a better way. I hope he considers any alternative that comes his way. The problem with him may be a clear as a bell. He may not believe in the Almighty, el Shaddai, al-Rabbiealamin, al-Jabbar. He is a radio disc jockey personality and I know how they are. They are self-absorbed, organic, arrogant, little gods. Maybe that's the problem. Hope is the key and faith is part of the hope we linger to. That's what keeps us going. It does for me anyway.

The Qur'an has many ayats concerning disbelievers and it is not good. They end up in hell and I hope he gets it right before it's too late if that is the case. I don't want to make judgments.

"The Unbelievers will be led to Hell in crowd: until, when they arrive, there, its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say, 'Did the apostles come to you from among themselves, rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of This Day of yours?' The answer will be, 'True:but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against the Unbelievers!'" (to them) will be said: 'Enter ye the gates of Hell, to dwell therein: and evil is (this) Abode of the Arrogant.'"

Surah 50, the Believer, 71-72.

I was informed that as a DJ in his home town, he is making pleads for people to donate money to pay for his medical bills on the radio. If this sickness happened to me or to people closest to me, we would not have the privilege to broadcast our pleads.

It looks like I get to stay

It looks like I get to stay on first shift. Bismillah Wahumdulillah Rabbiealamin al-Annoor. This is all that matters right now.

Homecoming at UCA in Conway is this weekend, along with the tailgating and the football game. I may go to that. And tailgating seems to be a big tradition at football game, especially at any college football game. As more Americans are getting bigger and fatter, many people find that they love to eat. This overeating is what eventually took the life of one of the members of the rap group, The Fat Boyz, at a very young age. Foods that are haram are served at these games. I don't know, because it depends on the individual. Folks prepare their own cuisine of foods and people go and sample them out. Burgers and hot dogs are commonly served. Anyway, the weather now is quite cool and nice. Fall is finally here.

Update

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem Allah Hu Akbar al-Jabbar al-Qahhar al-Adl Rabbiealamin

It's good to be back on day shift. It makes all the difference in the world. It's nice to come home in the afternoon and to have the evenings back. Even if the job was the same job I've done on nights, it's still better. The time makes it better. I go to work real early in the morning. Some folks do not like that. I don't mind. I rather go to work and get the work day over with than to go in the afternoon and not get off until late at night. That's just me.

Narrated by Al-Miqdam: The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "Nobody has eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one's own hands. The Prophet of Allah, David used to eat from the earnings of his manual labor." (Shahi Bukhari)

Shift changes

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem

I may finally get out of night shift at my job, and go to days. I worked at this same place of employment for over 20 years now and I find that, in my department, I would be at the low end of the totem pole on second shift. So, I decided that I should move on. I figure I rather be the low guy on days than the low guy on nights. The hours are better and the atmosphere is a little better, too. More later.

Ramblings

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem Eid Mubarak!

Eid was yesterday. I hope yours was a good day. On this day, it is now haram to fast. I have seen on the news where the Empire State Building was lit green. It does remind me of the University of Texas lit the tallest building they have on campus burnt orange anytime their football win a game. Green is a symbol of happiness in Islam. It seems that the Muslims and the Irish have something in common. Though I am partial to the color cyan and arctic blue. I drive a car that is that color, but green is my favorite color. It always has been and always will. Green represents good luck and springtime; renewal. To some people, it represents envy. But, it is the opposite of envy to me. In American culture, green is associated with money resulting in greed. To me, it is not so because the federal reserve can choose to make dollar bills any color it wants. They can make them pink and we would still use them to spend them any way we choose.

Old, outdated encyclopedias like the Encyclopedia Americana from 1954 don't list Eid as a topic of interest.
Eid signifies the end of Ramadan.

It is interesting to note the both Christians and Jews practiced fasting before Islam. The object of fasting is not so much to mortify the body as to atone for evil deeds and to commune more intimately with God.

Thoughts

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheeem Allah Hu Akbar al-Qahhar al-Azim

My friend from my college days is having a birthday. He is a much older guy now. No, I won't be at the party. He lives further away from me and my job inhibits me from going to his party. I am a little concerned about him. He sits by his computer and writes numerous articles a day. Sometimes 5 or 6 times a day. Basically, it about paleontology and mythological stories from different cultures from around the world and post them on Yahoo!. I don't believe he has a job. He has more time on his hands. He lives with his brother in a very small town. He does not have a car to drive. He probably no longer knows how. He is trying to be an established writer. He runs his friends off, because any time I see him, he wants to make copies of his stories at Kinkos or at another copy store taking away a lot of time.

I do consider him as a friend, but I wonder if I am considered as a friend by him. I had a birthday in August. It was people I know from church who gave me a surprise party. Did friends outside of church wish me a happy birthday. No. Only if I told them that I am having a birthday. Nobody from family wished me a happy birthday. You can't imagine how this feels.

Well, I wish my friend a happy birthday through e-mail and Yahoo! It is about the only thing I can do. People in these days have become so cold.

I close for now.

Tidbits

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem Alhumdulillah Rabbiealamin Assalaam Alaykum

New slogan for Whirlpool that seems to be popular amongst folks who work there.
They wear t-shirts that say, "Support Mexico, Buy Whirlpool."
But here's another.
"Whirlpool es el bien padre,
Los Estados Unidos, chinga tu madre!"

In other words, Whirlpool is best company around, but as a company, we are giving Fort Smith and the rest of the good ol' USA the middle finger. The slogan does not need translation. It pretty much says it all. And as far as life goes here on Earth, we are never guaranteed tomorrow any more than working for same company all throughout your worldly life until retirement or death.

Companies shipping jobs overseas and illegal immigration with people coming here looking for work when there are no jobs to be found. When will the madness end? The war in Iraq is a disaster. I have been opposed to it from the beginning. Now, the Bush administration talks about bombing Iran? When will the madness end?

But who has the last say on this madness going on here on Earth with calamities and mass starvation? It is God.

"It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six days, and is firmly established on the Throne of Authority; ye have none besides Him, to protect and intercede for you: will ye not then receive admonition? He rules (all) affairs from the heavens to the earth: in the end will all affairs go up to Him, on a Day, the space whereof will be as a thousand years of your reckoning. Such is He, the Knower of all things, hidden and open, the Exalted in power, the Merciful -." Sura 32, the Prostration, 4-6.

I have nothing to fear and nothing to lose. I still will have a job and work to do. The Lord will provide. Rely on the Lord, not on the government or some corporation. I wish more people who keep with presidential politics would realize that. I guess that will be all for now.