A very long time has elapsed since the last post. This was due largely to the dispersal of those who promised to contribute.
I think it is important however to let people know what is going on in the streets and with the people, and encourage the ummah to unite especially now as we are facing challenges bigger than ever all over the Muslim world.
Yemen sees this week the convening of the national dialogue, which most people I have spoken to say is just a process to look democratic and to shut up the outsiders. It has been lampooned by the satirists, and when you look around you cant blame them.
Political types have said to me that the opposition agreed to conduct the revolution peacefully and not resort to fighting in order to not spill the blood of the Yemeni people, but to many, the reasons for the peaceful plan was for the leaders who supported the opposition to maintain their lifestyles, and to not spill their own blood.
The situation is akin to hitting one's head against the wall. There is no improvement or forward vision and the bulk of the population continue in the feudal system ignorantly.
Corruption is so entrenched that those practicing common corrupt practices don't even see that what they are doing is corrupt. I have even found some of the corrupt practices in the law, particularly the appointment of family members in government positions. Seriously, it is written in law. So how do we root out the corruption?
Return to the RULE OF ALLAH. And that very well may involve a brawl!
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Friday, 16 September 2011
Taking Photos in Al-Hasaba
Post by Ruqaya
I met up with al-Ghariba (who sometimes posts on this blog) who used to be my neighbor before the war and we thought we'd go out and take some photos of al-Hasaba before things got cleaned up.
We took photos in and around bait al-Ahmar, the house of the tribal sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar, we even got to go inside and get photos from the back garden. We got photos of the Yemenia building, all tall and burnt and then al-Ghariba suggested some photos from the back streets where the aqdam live - this is where we came unstuck.
There are a lot of sandbag walls when you go around in the areas between the big house of al-Ahmar to the bus station and the clock intersection. One street is blocked off by a bus shell filled with these sandbags, and al-Ahmar troops mind these areas and it is all OK to take photos even with them in it. Then as we exited onto the clock intersection near the bus station, some Najda Police stopped us and wanted to take our cameras. Oh no!
Al-Ghariba refused but the policeman got bothered and the remainder of them sitting around chewing qat got up, so we both surrendered our memory cards before we lost our whole cameras and phones too.
ALhamdulillahi Rabbil-alameen that these harsh policemen (who are part of the attacks on al-Hasaba and provoke the tribe fighters into breaking the ceasefire) did not ask for our IDs. I don't think al-Ghariba would have been in a good position being non-Yemeni. Well sister, at least your lahjah is coming along!
Friendly advice from an al-Hasaba resident: Do not take photos in areas with regime forces! or anywhere near them. if you want to take photos inside al-Hasaba do it near bait al-Ahmar!
And when walking by regime forces act as normal as posible and go about your business other than photo taking!
I met up with al-Ghariba (who sometimes posts on this blog) who used to be my neighbor before the war and we thought we'd go out and take some photos of al-Hasaba before things got cleaned up.
We took photos in and around bait al-Ahmar, the house of the tribal sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar, we even got to go inside and get photos from the back garden. We got photos of the Yemenia building, all tall and burnt and then al-Ghariba suggested some photos from the back streets where the aqdam live - this is where we came unstuck.
There are a lot of sandbag walls when you go around in the areas between the big house of al-Ahmar to the bus station and the clock intersection. One street is blocked off by a bus shell filled with these sandbags, and al-Ahmar troops mind these areas and it is all OK to take photos even with them in it. Then as we exited onto the clock intersection near the bus station, some Najda Police stopped us and wanted to take our cameras. Oh no!
Al-Ghariba refused but the policeman got bothered and the remainder of them sitting around chewing qat got up, so we both surrendered our memory cards before we lost our whole cameras and phones too.
ALhamdulillahi Rabbil-alameen that these harsh policemen (who are part of the attacks on al-Hasaba and provoke the tribe fighters into breaking the ceasefire) did not ask for our IDs. I don't think al-Ghariba would have been in a good position being non-Yemeni. Well sister, at least your lahjah is coming along!
Friendly advice from an al-Hasaba resident: Do not take photos in areas with regime forces! or anywhere near them. if you want to take photos inside al-Hasaba do it near bait al-Ahmar!
And when walking by regime forces act as normal as posible and go about your business other than photo taking!
Thursday, 8 September 2011
On the Streets
Post by Admin
Walking the streets of Sana'a one can get a feel when things are getting bad. The usual bus chatter increases and heats up. But what we have on the streets and in the skies is something more telling - troop build-ups, extra armored vehicles, new road blocks, and the ever present thud of not to distant bombing.
State media recently reported Shaikh Sadeq Al-Ahmar to have ordered civilian evacuation of al-Hasaba. This is NOT true and life continues, though after the report aired on Saba-TV, the market on the street disappeared a few days.
Fortifications in the suburb have increased, one street is blocked off by a bus body filled with sand bags, and exchanges of gunfire can be heard especially at night.
Petrol prices have risen a little after decreasing to 3000 from 10,000. But everyday items of food are getting harder and harder to afford and some people have taken the step to drink tea with only half the sugar! Now that is a rare thing!
The Change Square sit in is as strong as ever and the tents have undergone renovations such as being put up on stilts to avoid the rain run-off. English translations of coalition signs and handouts remains awful at best. Protesters are still marching around town shouting slogans and chanting the downfall of the regime, and at the end of it, one can only wonder where it is all going.
School and university terms are planned to start on 17 September. It is unclear how term will start at Sana'a and Science and Technology universities with main entrances still blocked off by tents and an uncertain security situation. Almost all schools have had high numbers of unenrolments, especially high end private schools.
Walking the streets of Sana'a one can get a feel when things are getting bad. The usual bus chatter increases and heats up. But what we have on the streets and in the skies is something more telling - troop build-ups, extra armored vehicles, new road blocks, and the ever present thud of not to distant bombing.
State media recently reported Shaikh Sadeq Al-Ahmar to have ordered civilian evacuation of al-Hasaba. This is NOT true and life continues, though after the report aired on Saba-TV, the market on the street disappeared a few days.
Fortifications in the suburb have increased, one street is blocked off by a bus body filled with sand bags, and exchanges of gunfire can be heard especially at night.
Petrol prices have risen a little after decreasing to 3000 from 10,000. But everyday items of food are getting harder and harder to afford and some people have taken the step to drink tea with only half the sugar! Now that is a rare thing!
The Change Square sit in is as strong as ever and the tents have undergone renovations such as being put up on stilts to avoid the rain run-off. English translations of coalition signs and handouts remains awful at best. Protesters are still marching around town shouting slogans and chanting the downfall of the regime, and at the end of it, one can only wonder where it is all going.
School and university terms are planned to start on 17 September. It is unclear how term will start at Sana'a and Science and Technology universities with main entrances still blocked off by tents and an uncertain security situation. Almost all schools have had high numbers of unenrolments, especially high end private schools.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
I am not Paying my Zakat to Ali Saleh!
Post by Ayman
As you make your way around Sana'a you may notice billboards reminding people to pay their Zakat to the state. The reminder is a good thing, but paying zakat to the corrupt state is another thing.
Ideally, Muslims pay their zakat to the zakat collecting authority of the government, but what if that government is so corrupt and far from Islamic rule? What if you are sure all they'll do with your zakat money is stuff it down a pipe and explode it for your entertainment?
Paying zakat the to government is done if the government is ISLAMIC or very close to it. Would you see Muslims in the USA paying zakat to the Barak Obama government? NO! why? Because it is a kafir government of a kafir country. so why would I pay my zakat to Obama's agent in Yemen? The corrupt regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Let's look more closely, my source, fiqh as-Sunnah by Sayyid Sabiq.
It is permissible to pay zakat to a Muslim leader whether he is just or not provided he rules mainly according to Islamic rules. At present the majority if not all Muslim rulers do not have Islamic governance which establishes Islam, propogates and defends it, calls for jihad, and collects and distributes zakat according to rules laid down by ALlah the Most Just.
SOme Muslim rulers are under the influence of western powers while others are influenced by polytheists. Foreign powers employ Muslim rulers as tools to subjugate the people in the name of Islam and to implement their kafir foreign interests in our countries, thus destroying Islam itself. To such rulers, it is NOT permissible to pay zakat regardles of their profession of faith and that they pray.
So there you have it in a nutshell and I feel relief that I can give my zakat directly to eligible recipients which are most people in Yemen.
Allahumma bestow upon me vast wealth so I can spend it in your cause and let me be of the Successful one's who you are please with Amin.
* Admin asked me to include an ayah from Qur'an which highlighted itself especially for me during my reading this Ramadan. I chose Surah al Hashr ayah 7. This ayah is not about zakat but it mentions the purpose of proper distribution of Ummah wealth.
What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (fa'i - booty without fighting) from the people of the townships,- belongs to Allah,- to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; In order that it may not (merely) be between the wealthy among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah. for Allah is strict in Punishment.
As you make your way around Sana'a you may notice billboards reminding people to pay their Zakat to the state. The reminder is a good thing, but paying zakat to the corrupt state is another thing.
Ideally, Muslims pay their zakat to the zakat collecting authority of the government, but what if that government is so corrupt and far from Islamic rule? What if you are sure all they'll do with your zakat money is stuff it down a pipe and explode it for your entertainment?
Paying zakat the to government is done if the government is ISLAMIC or very close to it. Would you see Muslims in the USA paying zakat to the Barak Obama government? NO! why? Because it is a kafir government of a kafir country. so why would I pay my zakat to Obama's agent in Yemen? The corrupt regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Let's look more closely, my source, fiqh as-Sunnah by Sayyid Sabiq.
It is permissible to pay zakat to a Muslim leader whether he is just or not provided he rules mainly according to Islamic rules. At present the majority if not all Muslim rulers do not have Islamic governance which establishes Islam, propogates and defends it, calls for jihad, and collects and distributes zakat according to rules laid down by ALlah the Most Just.
SOme Muslim rulers are under the influence of western powers while others are influenced by polytheists. Foreign powers employ Muslim rulers as tools to subjugate the people in the name of Islam and to implement their kafir foreign interests in our countries, thus destroying Islam itself. To such rulers, it is NOT permissible to pay zakat regardles of their profession of faith and that they pray.
So there you have it in a nutshell and I feel relief that I can give my zakat directly to eligible recipients which are most people in Yemen.
Allahumma bestow upon me vast wealth so I can spend it in your cause and let me be of the Successful one's who you are please with Amin.
* Admin asked me to include an ayah from Qur'an which highlighted itself especially for me during my reading this Ramadan. I chose Surah al Hashr ayah 7. This ayah is not about zakat but it mentions the purpose of proper distribution of Ummah wealth.
What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (fa'i - booty without fighting) from the people of the townships,- belongs to Allah,- to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; In order that it may not (merely) be between the wealthy among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah. for Allah is strict in Punishment.
Ramadan Reading
Throughout the month of Ramadan we should spend as much time as possible with the Qur'an, reading it and thinking about its meaning and implementation in our lives.
No matter how many times you read Qur'an and read it's verses, you will find something new every time, as if you had never read it before. SubhanAllah.
We usually read Qur'an with our present condition in the back of our mind, so sometimes we read an ayah, and suddenly it means so much more.
This Ramadan, we are living in Sana'a in a time of turmoil and great fitnah, and so we read the verses of ALlah in this condition. This verse jumped out at me this year. It makes a believer feel happy and confident in the promises of ALlah.
The verse is an-Nur 55
" Allah has promised among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that he will certainly grant them succession in the land as he granted it to those before them and that he will grant them the authority to practise their religion which He has chosen for them (Islam) and He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear provided they worship Me and do not associate anything in worship with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this they are Fasiqoon."
Although Allah swt has promised the believers this, it does not mean we sit around and wait for it to fall on us from the sky. We must work hard in our worship and good deeds. We must enjoin good and forbid evil, and we must not be afrain of the creation before the Creator,
Ramadan Mubarak.
No matter how many times you read Qur'an and read it's verses, you will find something new every time, as if you had never read it before. SubhanAllah.
We usually read Qur'an with our present condition in the back of our mind, so sometimes we read an ayah, and suddenly it means so much more.
This Ramadan, we are living in Sana'a in a time of turmoil and great fitnah, and so we read the verses of ALlah in this condition. This verse jumped out at me this year. It makes a believer feel happy and confident in the promises of ALlah.
The verse is an-Nur 55
" Allah has promised among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that he will certainly grant them succession in the land as he granted it to those before them and that he will grant them the authority to practise their religion which He has chosen for them (Islam) and He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear provided they worship Me and do not associate anything in worship with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this they are Fasiqoon."
Although Allah swt has promised the believers this, it does not mean we sit around and wait for it to fall on us from the sky. We must work hard in our worship and good deeds. We must enjoin good and forbid evil, and we must not be afrain of the creation before the Creator,
Ramadan Mubarak.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Admin note on previous article and other news
Admin would like to clarify that people in Arhab are not necessarily Islahi, but their tribe leaders may be and the people follow their tribe leaders, and that is why their areas are being bombed by the government. It is very heavy handed diplomacy which shouts out NO NEGOTIATIONS and and we (the regime) wont leave until we spill much blood. There is no stopping it except by the will of Allah.
In the English press tribal fighters are often referred to as opposition fighters. Yes, they oppose, but they are not fighters of the opposition parties, they are tribesmen defending themselves as anyone would if such actions happened in their land or house. They tribal fighters, in a ground fight are stronger than the Republican Guard, but the RG have medium range artilliery and air support.
As for the buckets of sh#@. Admin suggests such ability to overcome such stench and filth is due to qat. People chew qat and they become deadened.
The thawra has lost much energy, and seems failed, perhaps their will be thawra part 2 after Ramadan because if the thuar (thawra people) stop completely the remainder of the regime will round them up and imprison them. Easy done, perhaps a few assassinations.
Al-Hasaba is still full of armed tribesmen, as well as a dug trench on many street corners in case of sudden outbreak of shooting, one might take refuge in one. Some have been renovated into rooved foxholes. Many have become garbage dumps.
Sana'a received its first good rain since the first day of the "war"(23 May). Much of the rain season has passed, punishment from Allah perhaps. But the city looks much better after a rain, especially after months of dust.
Ramadan is upon us, so make much du'a and don't waste the opportunity to do much ibada and good deeds.
In the English press tribal fighters are often referred to as opposition fighters. Yes, they oppose, but they are not fighters of the opposition parties, they are tribesmen defending themselves as anyone would if such actions happened in their land or house. They tribal fighters, in a ground fight are stronger than the Republican Guard, but the RG have medium range artilliery and air support.
As for the buckets of sh#@. Admin suggests such ability to overcome such stench and filth is due to qat. People chew qat and they become deadened.
The thawra has lost much energy, and seems failed, perhaps their will be thawra part 2 after Ramadan because if the thuar (thawra people) stop completely the remainder of the regime will round them up and imprison them. Easy done, perhaps a few assassinations.
Al-Hasaba is still full of armed tribesmen, as well as a dug trench on many street corners in case of sudden outbreak of shooting, one might take refuge in one. Some have been renovated into rooved foxholes. Many have become garbage dumps.
Sana'a received its first good rain since the first day of the "war"(23 May). Much of the rain season has passed, punishment from Allah perhaps. But the city looks much better after a rain, especially after months of dust.
Ramadan is upon us, so make much du'a and don't waste the opportunity to do much ibada and good deeds.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Stuck in the Mud
Post by Ayman
Warning: the "s" word appears often in this blog and also contains sarcasm and cynicism.
I am wondering how this thawra (uprising/revolution) can end successfully. I hold a clear contemptuous view of it all, but still hope for its success.
People (non-Yemeni) often comment at how humble and patient Yemenis are in the face of hardship. I can agree to a certain extent. They do put up with a lot of shit and just keep going, but I disagree just as much and say Yemenis lack aspiration and vision of a future that isn't full of it. I also throw in a bucket of laziness for good measure.
So when a Yemeni is handed a bucket of shit they take it and put up with the stink until they don't notice it anymore, then they are handed worse shit and the cycle continues. So thanks to Allah some youths, after seeing Tunisa and Egypt revolution decided, all we need to do is clean out the shit and we can do it peacefully but sitting around in a public space - let's do it! No that's not fair of me, the original youth of the thawra are the one's who aspire to clean out the bucket of aforementioned substance, but some old hands realised that the shi# might actually get emptied out and cleaned up and so joined the thawra, and highjacked the agenda, now the whole lot is stuck in the mud.
We can all go forward and be killed peacefully and be shuhada' (martyrs) because Shaikh Al-Zindane said that those killed in the way of the thawra are shaheed, and I really hope they are, but I add a BIG INSHA ALLAH on the end of that.
Thousands have died now and the loyalist forces bomb daily the areas in Arhab, North Sana'a Governate, Taiz and Abyan. What are these areas guity of?
Arhab: Many areas are strong supporters of the Islah political party (the Islamic party in the style of Ikhwan - Muslim Brotherhood), and the founder of Islah the late Shaikh Abdullah al-Ahmar is from this region.
Northern Areas of Sana'a Government - also Islahi people.
Taiz- Interlectual heartland of Yemen. The thawra was the strongest here and the most organised and the most able to implement governance at the fall of the regime.
Abyan: al-Qaeda heartland - so they say. But really just a bunch of armed hooligans, not the real AQAP. USA are having a big hand in landing cruise missiles on civilians.
How will the thawra end? Here are some suggestions:
1. Ali Saleh and family will run out of bullets and the remainder of their soldiers will embrace the thawra.
2. USA and Saudi Arabia decide to support the Yemeni people for the good of the people rather than self-interests at the expense of Yemeni freedom and lives.
3.The peaceful protesters have an epiphany and take up arms.
4. The 12,000 mujahideen of Aden/Abyan (as in the hadith) come and save the day.
5. Ali Saleh will come back to Yemen during Ramadan and reopen the petrol resources and the gas, and electricity will run without interuption, there will be affordable food in the markets, and then all the ignorant and starving Yemenis will fall in prostration to Him and declare, "ash-sha,ab yureed Ali Abdullah Saleh" and he will fill there buckets with extra shi#.
Have a Happy Ramadan!!!!
Warning: the "s" word appears often in this blog and also contains sarcasm and cynicism.
I am wondering how this thawra (uprising/revolution) can end successfully. I hold a clear contemptuous view of it all, but still hope for its success.
People (non-Yemeni) often comment at how humble and patient Yemenis are in the face of hardship. I can agree to a certain extent. They do put up with a lot of shit and just keep going, but I disagree just as much and say Yemenis lack aspiration and vision of a future that isn't full of it. I also throw in a bucket of laziness for good measure.
So when a Yemeni is handed a bucket of shit they take it and put up with the stink until they don't notice it anymore, then they are handed worse shit and the cycle continues. So thanks to Allah some youths, after seeing Tunisa and Egypt revolution decided, all we need to do is clean out the shit and we can do it peacefully but sitting around in a public space - let's do it! No that's not fair of me, the original youth of the thawra are the one's who aspire to clean out the bucket of aforementioned substance, but some old hands realised that the shi# might actually get emptied out and cleaned up and so joined the thawra, and highjacked the agenda, now the whole lot is stuck in the mud.
We can all go forward and be killed peacefully and be shuhada' (martyrs) because Shaikh Al-Zindane said that those killed in the way of the thawra are shaheed, and I really hope they are, but I add a BIG INSHA ALLAH on the end of that.
Thousands have died now and the loyalist forces bomb daily the areas in Arhab, North Sana'a Governate, Taiz and Abyan. What are these areas guity of?
Arhab: Many areas are strong supporters of the Islah political party (the Islamic party in the style of Ikhwan - Muslim Brotherhood), and the founder of Islah the late Shaikh Abdullah al-Ahmar is from this region.
Northern Areas of Sana'a Government - also Islahi people.
Taiz- Interlectual heartland of Yemen. The thawra was the strongest here and the most organised and the most able to implement governance at the fall of the regime.
Abyan: al-Qaeda heartland - so they say. But really just a bunch of armed hooligans, not the real AQAP. USA are having a big hand in landing cruise missiles on civilians.
How will the thawra end? Here are some suggestions:
1. Ali Saleh and family will run out of bullets and the remainder of their soldiers will embrace the thawra.
2. USA and Saudi Arabia decide to support the Yemeni people for the good of the people rather than self-interests at the expense of Yemeni freedom and lives.
3.The peaceful protesters have an epiphany and take up arms.
4. The 12,000 mujahideen of Aden/Abyan (as in the hadith) come and save the day.
5. Ali Saleh will come back to Yemen during Ramadan and reopen the petrol resources and the gas, and electricity will run without interuption, there will be affordable food in the markets, and then all the ignorant and starving Yemenis will fall in prostration to Him and declare, "ash-sha,ab yureed Ali Abdullah Saleh" and he will fill there buckets with extra shi#.
Have a Happy Ramadan!!!!
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