Responsibility

I am responsible:

to be loyal to my values
to please myself first
to rid myself of anger and resentment
to express my ideas and feelings instead of stuffing them
to attend Al-Anon meetings and keep in touch with friends in the fellowship
to be realistic in my expectations
to make healthy choices
to be grateful for my blessings

I also have certain responsibilities to others:

to extend a welcome to newcomers
to be of service
to recognize that others have a right to live their own lives
to listen, not just with my ears, but also with my heart
to share my joy as well as my sorrow

Computer Addiction

Somebody sent me this

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess .
He asked if I’d been ‘computering’,
And I had to answer “yes.”

He told me to get off my fanny
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up…
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick…
I was just admiring my work…
I didn’t mean to ‘click.’

But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into…
I was into it all night (Sigh)

Nothing’s changed except my mouse
It’s very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess…
While I sit here on my hiney.

How to Recruit the Right Person for the Job?

Put about 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window.

Then send 3 or 4 candidates in the room and close the door. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours and then analyze the situation.

If they are counting the bricks, put them in the accounts department.

If they are recounting them, put them in auditing.

If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks, put them in engineering.

If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order, put them in planning.

If they are throwing the bricks at each other, put them in operations.

If they are sleeping, put them in security.

If they have broken the bricks into pieces, put them in information technology.

If they are sitting idle, put them in human resources.

If they say they have tried different combinations, yet not a brick has been moved, put them in sales.

If they have already left for the day, put them in marketing.

If they are staring out of the window, put them on strategic planning.

And then last but not least, if they are talking to each other and not a single brick has been moved, congratulate them and put them in top management

Latest research findings

After digging to a depth of 100 meters last year, Russian scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1000 years, and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network one thousand years ago.

So, not to be outdone, in the weeks that followed, American scientists dug 200 meters and the headlines in the US papers read:

“US scientists have found traces of 2000 year old optical fibers, and have concluded that their ancestors already had advanced high-tech digital telephone 1000 years earlier than the Russians.”

One week later, Pakistani daily newspapers reported the following:

“After digging as deep as 500 meters, Pakistani scientists have found absolutely nothing. They have concluded that 5000 years ago, their ancestors were already using Bluetooth and Wireless technology”.

Daughters of UN Special Rapporteur, assaulted

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

The two daughters of Ms. Asma Jehangir, a well known lawyer, human rights activist and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of religion or belief, were assaulted and illegally held for several hours along with their friends by armed persons of the Pakistan Muslim League Q (PML-Q); they were beaten severely and threatened to be killed. One of the girls was pushed into a room and this was only prevented due to the intervention of their mother. Ms. Asma. Ms. Asma herself was also threatened by the gunmen who used very filthy language against her. When police were called to the scene they took the side of the gunmen who claimed to be police officers. However, only two out of this group were policemen and the 20 other gunmen belonged to the PML-Q.

This incident happened at 1.30am when Ms. Muneeza Jehangir, Asma’s eldest daughter along with her younger sister Ms. Sulema Jehangir and other friends, were making a video clip for her television channel, the Geo TV. She was filming the ripped posters and banners of the political parties in Lahore city, Punjab province, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the former premier who was killed on December 27.

When they were filming the torn posters of the ruling party, which contained photographs of President Musharraf and other party leaders, some armed men arrived and held the two sisters and their companions at gun point. They were then ordered to follow the gunmen and when they resisted the gunmen beat them in public and dragged them to the PML-Q main election office of the province. At the office they were once again beaten and the men trained their guns on them. Someone then told the gunmen that the girls were the daughters of Asma Jehangir. The leader revealed that he was aware of their identities and then four of the gunmen started dragging the youngest one into a small room.

When she heard about this incident Ms. Asma Jehangir reached the party office but was refused entry as they physically restrained her and threatened her with their guns. She managed to climb the iron gate of the party office and she saw that her eldest daughter and her friends were detained by more than ten armed persons and her youngest daughter was being carried by some other persons to a separate room. She immediately informed the Ghalib police station who reached the scene after some time. The police took the side of the armed men and pressurized the parents of the friends of her daughters to hand over the video tape which they did. The police then threatened the parents that they should not report this incident otherwise the girls would be kidnapped, raped and killed. The police also pressured the parents to stop Ms. Asma Jehangir from making this incident know and claimed that she would bear the responsibility for whatever might happen in the future.

Martyrdom of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA)

Today is the first day of month of Muharram and also the first day of Lunar year now known as Hijri. On this day a great Muslim, close companion of Prophet, second Khalifa-i-Rashid, Ameer-ul-Moamneen, Umar ibn al-Khitab, razi Allah unh, was martyred. So, I thought of copying some historical facts about his martyrdom.

The famous Tabi’i, Sa’id ibn al Musayyab (RahimahuLlah) mentions, “Upon occasion we were returning from Mina to Makkah when we reached the outskirts of Makkah, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (Razi Allah Anh) wanted to rest. He took some sand and made a pillow out of it. Before he lay down, he made a du’a, ‘Allahumma Inni As’aluka Shadatun FeeSabilikWa Mawtun Fee Baladi Rasulik.’”

The incident leading to the Martyrdom of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) was that, there was Zoroastrian slave of the famous Sahabi Mughir ibn Shu’bah (RA). Abu Lu’lu’ was a very skilled carpenter; he would work and give a portion of his wealth to his master. Upon occasion he came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) and complained that the amount he had to give to his master was excessive. ‘Umar (RA) said, “I will speak to Mughira and I will get back to you.” And ‘Umar (RA) spoke to Mughir (RA) and came to the conclusion that the amount he (Abu Lu’lu’) had to give to his master wasn’t excessive. When Abu Lu’lu came back, ‘Umar (RA) informed of his decision, Abu Lu’lu’ became enraged and he said, “O’ ‘Umar! Is your justice for everyone in this Dunya besides me?” And then he would go around Madinah and say, “’Umar has eaten my liver!” Once ‘Umar (RA) was walking by and he saw Abu Lu’lu’ and he (‘Umar {RA}) said, “I’ve heard you make great windmills, make me a windmill!” He said, sarcastically, “I will make you a windmill that the Dunya will speak about!” ‘Umar (RA) turned back and said to his companions, “Do you know what he is eluding to? He is eluding to the fact that he will try to kill me.” The companions said, “O’ Ameer ul-Mu’minin! If that’s the case, then let’s deal with him now!” He said, “Pre-emptive action can not be taken on the basis of suspicion.”

The day ‘Umar ibn al Khattab (RA) passed away, ‘Amru bin Maimoon (RahimahuLlah) mentioned that, “Between me and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was only one person. In front of me was ‘AbduLlah ibn ‘Abbas and then was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA).” He mentioned that ‘Umar (RA) came and strained the Sufoof and he said Allahu Akbar and began the Salah. Abu Lu’lu’ was hiding in the Mihrab and he had bought a two-edged knife which was dipped in poison. When ‘Umar (RA) began the recitation, Abu Lu’lu jumped out and stabbed him Ameer-ul-Mu’minin a number of times. When ‘Umar (RA) was falling down, he managed to hold the hand of ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf (RA) and he dragged him upon the Musallah. Then Abu Lu’lu ran out and he was stabbing the Sahabah. He stabbed 13 Sahabah out of which 7 passed away until finally he was overpowered and they threw a cloak over him when he knew game over, he slit his own throat. And ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf (RA) recited two very short Surahs and then turned to Ameer-ul-Mu’minin and the first thing ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) said was to ‘AbduLlah ibn ‘Abbas (RA) to find out who stabbed him. And ‘AbduLlah ibn ‘Abbas (RA) came back and informed Ameer-ul-Mu’minin that it was Abu Lu’lu’ the Zoroastrian slave. And even in this state, Ameer-ul-Mu’minin became elated, became happy and said, “AlhamduLilahi Ladhi Lam Yaj’al Mitati ‘Ala Yadi Rajulin Yasjudu LiLlahi Sajdatun” “AlhamduLilahi Ladhi Lam Yaj’al Mitati ‘Ala Yadi Rajulin Yashhadu La Ilah IllaLah” AlhamduLilahi Ladhi Lam Yaj’al Mitati ‘Ala Yadi Rajulin Yuhajuni Bi La Ilah IllaLah Yawm al-Qiyamah” “O Praise be to Allah! That He did not make death fall upon the hands of a person who did even did one Sajdah in his life for the sake of Allah (SWT)” “O Praise be to Allah! That He did not make death fall upon the hands of a person who recited the Kalimah La Ilaha IllaLah” “O Praise be to Allah! That He did not make death fall upon the hands of a person who will come on the Day of Qiyamah and will argue with me with the Kalimah La Ilaha IllaLah”

‘Umar (RA) would become conscious then unconscious and upon occasion he became unconscious for a very long period, the Sahabah (RA) became very concerned. One person said, “Inform Ameer-ul-Mu’minin it is time for Salah for I swear by Allah if he has ounce of life left in his soul, he will respond.” They said, “As Salah Ya Ameer-ul-Mu’minin! As Salah Ya Ameer-ul-Mu’minin!” As soon as they said this, ‘Umar (RA) got alarmed, he regained consciousness. The first thing he asked was, “Have the people prayed?” And they informed him, “Yes O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin!” He said, “La Islama Liman Tarqas Salah” “There is no Islam for the person who disregards prayer.” Then they bought some date water for Ameer-ul-Mu’minin (RA) and he had to drink the water which began to come out of his wounds. Then they brought some milk and he began to drink the milk which also started to come out of his wounds. ‘Umar (RA) was, at that time, lying in the lap of his son: ‘AbduLlah (RA). And he told him, “O’ AbduLlah! Place my face on the floor.” And ‘AbduLlah (RA) kissing the forehead of his father and his tears flowing said, “Why my father?” He (RA) said, “Because if ‘Umar is destined for Jannah then know the pillars of Jannah are softer than your thighs and if ‘Umar is destined for Jahannam then know you don’t want a Jahannami in your thighs!” Then ‘Umar (RA) said to ‘AbduLlah ibn ‘Abbas (RA), “O’ ‘AbduLlah! Go into Madinah and ask the people of Madinah that of there is any person ‘Umar has oppressed today? For let him take their revenge today!” Then ‘AbduLlah ibn ‘Abbas (RA) returned and said, “Ameer-ul-Mu’minin! I have been to all the people of Madinah and I asked them, ‘Is there any person that ‘Umar has oppressed, let him take revenge today,’ I swear by Allah’ I have not passed by one group but they were crying as if they lost their child.” And throughout this ‘Umar (RA) was saying, “If leave me knowing that there is no sin against me I will be happy.” ‘AbduLlah ibn ‘Abbas (RA) said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin! Do not be concerned for I swear by Allah (SWT) you accompany the Prophet َ(sal-Allaho eilaihi wa aalehi was al-lam) and he left this Dunya and he was happy with you! Then you accompanied Abu Bakr and he left this Dunya and he was happy. And you are now leaving the believers and they are happy with you!” And then ‘Umar (RA) said, “O’ AbduLlah! Will you bear testimony to this on the Day of Judgement?” And ‘AbduLlah (RA) said, “I will!” Then ‘Umar (RA) calmed down and organised the Shura, six people from whom one will be the Khalifah out of them, then he sent his son ‘AbduLlah (RA) to ‘Aishah (RA), “Give my salam but don’t say Ameer-ul-Mu’minin because today the believers do not have any Ameer! And ask her, ‘Can ‘Umar be buried next Prophet (sal-Allaho eilaihi wa aalehi was al-lam) and Abu Bakr (RA)?’” ‘AbduLlah (RA) knocked on the door and went inside and found ‘Aishah (RA) crying. And said to her, “’Umar ibn al-Khattab gives you salam and his request is could he be buried next to the Prophet (sal-Allaho eilaihi wa aalehi was al-lam) and Abu Bakr (RA)?” She (RA) said, “I reserved that place for myself but today I give it ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA).” When ‘AbduLlah (RA) was coming back, ‘Umar (RA) told the Sahabah to make him sit up straight. ‘AbduLlah (RA) came and said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin! Your wish has been granted!” He became happy. Then he (RA) said, “When you go to bury me and go past her house, ask her again. Maybe she was compelled to agree but if she allows then bury me next to Prophet (sal-Allaho eilaihi wa aalehi was al-lam) otherwise bury me in the graveyard of the believers ” Then he (RA) said to the companions, “When I die, be moderate in my kaffan because if Allah (SWT) has good for me, the He will give better than shrouds then these and if Allah (SWT) has bad for me, then He will even strip me from these shrouds. Be moderate in my grave, because if Allah (SWT) has good for me, He will expand it and if Allah (SWT) has bad for me, He will this even tighter.” And shortly after this, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) passed away and ‘Uthman (RA) saw him in his dream and asked him, ‘Ameer-ul-Mu’minin! When the Angels came to you in your grave, what did they say to you?’ He (RA) said, ‘When the Angels came to me in my grave, I asked them, ‘Who’s your Lord?’’

By Imam Zahir Mahmood (HafidhahuLlah)

Bomb Blast Kills 25 in Lahore

A bomb blast took place today in front of the Lahore High Court (Pakistan) ahead of a planned protest by lawyers, killing at least 25 people and wounding over 50 others. The dead included 20 police.

U.S. Considers New Covert Push Within Pakistan

President Bush’s senior national security advisers are debating whether to expand the authority of the Central Intelligence Agency and the military to conduct far more aggressive covert operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and a number of President Bush’s top national security advisers met Friday at the White House to discuss the proposal, which is part of a broad reassessment of American strategy. There was also talk of how to handle the period from now to the Feb. 18 elections, and the aftermath of those elections.

Several of the participants in the meeting argued that the threat to the government of President Pervez Musharraf was now so grave that both Mr. Musharraf and Pakistan’s new military leadership were likely to give the United States more latitude, officials said. Many of the specific options under discussion are unclear and highly classified. Officials said that the options would probably involve the C.I.A. working with the military’s Special Operations forces.

The Bush administration has not formally presented any new proposals to Mr. Musharraf, who gave up his military role last month, or to his successor as the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who the White House thinks will be more sympathetic to the American position than Mr. Musharraf. But at the White House and the Pentagon, officials see an opportunity in the changing power structure for the Americans to advocate for the expanded authority in Pakistan, a nuclear-armed country.

The new options for expanded covert operations include loosening restrictions on the C.I.A. to strike selected targets in Pakistan, in some cases using intelligence provided by Pakistani sources, officials said. Most counterterrorism operations in Pakistan have been conducted by the C.I.A.; in Afghanistan, where military operations are under way, including some with NATO forces, the military can take the lead.

The legal status would not change if the administration decided to act more aggressively. However, if the C.I.A. were given broader authority, it could call for help from the military or deputize some forces of the Special Operations Command to act under the authority of the agency.

The United States now has about 50 soldiers in Pakistan. Any expanded operations using C.I.A. operatives or Special Operations forces, like the Navy Seals, would be small and tailored to specific missions, military officials said.

In the past, the administration has largely stayed out of the tribal areas, in part for fear that exposure of any American-led operations there would so embarrass the Musharraf government that it could further empower his critics, who have declared he was too close to Washington.

Even now, officials say, some American diplomats and military officials, as well as outside experts, argue that American-led military operations on the Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan could result in a tremendous backlash and ultimately do more harm than good.
That is particularly true, they say, if Americans were captured or killed in the territory.

The C.I.A. has launched missiles from Predator aircraft in the tribal areas several times, with varying degrees of success.

How To Be On Top

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to give superb performance, that is, above 90. How about achieving 96 to 100 and even 101?

A=1 . . . B=2 . . . C=3 . . . D=4 . . . E=5 . . . F=6 . . . G=7 . . . H=8 . . . I=9 . . . J=10 . . . K=11 . . . L=12 . . . M=13 . . . N=14 . . . O=15 . . . P=16 . . . Q=17 . . . R=18 . . . S=19 . . . T=20 . . . U=21 . . . V=22 . . . W=23 . . . X=24 . . . Y=25 . . . Z=26

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96

H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100

L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D = 12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101

The Killer was Bullet – Video-4