Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Azmi on Azmi

I met Azmi Sharom about a year ago... I made some snide remarks at a law conference and he said something about how Azmis are always looking for trouble with authority.... hmmm...

A detailed commentary on Azmi Sharom's The buck stops at the state shall be completed within the next 24 hours.

For the time being, please refer to the bold portions of his article which is reproduced below.

Discuss.

The buck stops at the state
BRAVE NEW WORLD By AZMI SHAROM


The Bukit Antarabangsa landslide need not have happened. Laws to safeguard our hills are already in the statute books, only they were not invoked.
IN the midst of yet another landslide tragedy, much has been said. The past Selangor Government vehemently denies any responsibility, while the present one says that scores of hillside developments were given the green light by the former.

Experts chip in about the possible causes and the best ways to prevent such disasters from happening again.

High-ranking politicians make statements about stopping any future projects while they go on walkabouts to show their concern.

None of this talk is going to bring back the departed or lessen the pain of those left behind. But the issue must be dealt with so that it is not repeated. We have had such disasters before, and it would appear that we have learnt nothing from them.

My question is simply this: Why should we have hillside housing anyway?
I have read about some developers saying there is a shortage of flat land upon which to build. I am not sure if this is a good enough reason.
From what I can see, be it on the slopes of Ulu Klang or the hills of Batu Ferringhi, no hillside development project is of the low-cost variety. The poor, the dispossessed, the urban settlers are surely the ones most in need of housing.
Yet there are no low-cost flats looking down at us from above.
It seems to me that when homes are built on high land, they are built for the wealthy. This means the houses and apartments cost more and the developers reap higher profits.
The reason to build in the hills therefore appears to be based on economic gain and not some sort of virtuous desire to house the homeless.
The highlands are important to us for many reasons. They provide a water catchment area and thus are vital for our water supply. This ability to absorb rain water also means that they play a role in flood prevention.
Furthermore, it is harder for soil erosion to occur (which can then lead to inland water pollution) if our hills are dense with vegetation.

We ought to remember also that the world’s climate is changing. Our weather patterns are not the same as they used to be. There is strong evidence to suggest that although our average annual rainfall remains constant, the intensity of our rainfall has changed. This means that when it rains, it does so in intense bursts in such volume that it poses a greater risk than ever before.

Uncovered hill land is becoming more and more vulnerable.

So why should we allow our highlands to be destroyed, for whatever reason? And considering the human cost of such development, can we honestly say it is worth it?

I suggest that it is not. Any development on our hills in the future must only be allowed if it is absolutely necessary. We have the laws to control it if the state governments so wish to invoke them.

The Land Conservation Act gives tremendous power to the state governments to declare land as hill land and to control or prevent completely any sort of development on it. The Town and Country Planning Act empowers the local planning authorities to designate certain areas as being off limits to development.

The power is there, it is up to the governments involved to use it.
And if it doesn’t use it, or is negligent in its use of it, then it should be held liable. Ouster clauses which absolve local authorities of any legal responsibility like those found in the Street Drainage and Building Act have to be done away with.


It is simply not good enough to point fingers at the developers. It is true that they are the ones who would like to build wherever they can make a dollar. They are motivated by profit; that is the nature of the beast.

But what ought to be remembered is that we the people did not elect them. We elected our state and federal governments, and one of their jobs is to ensure that any sort of development does not harm us.


The developers can only do what they are allowed to do. They do not dictate the type of development we should have. At least, they should not be dictating it. It is our elected officials and the local authorities who determine this.

Is it too much to ask that they live up to that responsibility so that we don’t have to read any more stories of needless deaths? I certainly don’t think so.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Thank you Boss!

Am i long-winded?

Long-winded: the inability to use an economy of words....

I've been churning out opinions like nobody's business for the past 3 weeks...

but today was the first time for Big K... "Alah bro... long-winded sangat..."

I've always been a believer in descriptive writing... it brings the reader into the realm of the writer... I guess it doesn't work that way in my line of work....

take this for example: "Therefore, your client's claims on the above basis are unfounded"

This is what I wrote: "Therefore, we are of the view that your client’s claims for rentals for the remaining unexpired tenancy period and all other costs and expenses arising from the premature termination including solicitors’ costs on a solicitor and client basis for the recovery of the rental(s) due and /or for seeking a new tenant is unfounded and baseless.
Furthermore, from the circumstances, it is evidently clear that your client is now attempting to renege on its contractual bargain with regards to the early termination of the Agreement."

Hmmm... I guess it was a bit too long.... :)

Well Big K did say it was alright and I should develop my style as the months pass... but I guess if you can put it in print in 3 pages, why would you need 6.

I don't know.... should I cut out on the lyrical gymnastics and keep it short? It's kind of boring isn't it?

Who am I to decide... "don't worry bro... aku punye England taklah bagus sangat... apa kau nak tambah, kau tambah..."

Thanks Boss....

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

A letter to my father

Hello,

Daddy.

You know, I remember a lifetime ago I was about three and a half feet tall, weighing only 12 kilos, but every inch your son. Those Saturday mornings, going to work with my dad and we'd pile into that big, grey Pajero.

I thought that Pajero was the... was the biggest car in the universe, Daddy. I remember how important the job you did was. How, if it weren't for you, people couldn't fill their cars with petrol. I thought you were the best man in the world.

Remember the times, when Mummy would try to bake cakes? Ice creams, football games, playing badminton.... the day I left for KL only to come home with the UIA chasing after me, that DEAN... When she had to chastise me, you said, "That's where you belong, finish what you started."

That was a good one, Daddy. That was really something. You remember that? And that time you told me that money wasn't real? Well, daddy, I'm 25 years old and I've finally realised what you were trying to tell me years ago.

I finally understand. You're the best, Daddy. I just wish I could've done more for you.

Anyway, may the wind always be at your back, and the sun always upon your face, and the winds of destiny to carry you aloft, to dance with the stars. I love you, Dad.

Love,
Azmi

I'm watching...


Alright, what I do is.. I watch people.

Do you ever watch someone who doesn't know that your..watchin' 'em?

An old lady on a street corner, or some girls hanging out at the mamak, or some guy at the 24-hour convenience store?

Well, they stand there and you look, and all of a sudden this -- flash comes over them, and you know it has nothing to do with anything external, because that hasn't changed.

They just suddenly become realer and more alive. If you look at someone long enough, you can discover their humanity...

when I'm CROSS

My mother says when I am cross
As I am now and then,
It’s better not to talk at all,But count inside, to ten.
‘Cos if you do it slowlyJust like this: one, two, three, four!

By the time you’ve finished,You’re not angry anymore!
It sounds all right, but then somehow,It doesn’t work with me,
And when I’ve counted up to tenI’m cross as I can be.

And so I’ve found another way,I whisper very low,And so that no one else can hear

The rudest words I know:Bother, bloomin’, hang and drat,Female, blazes, beast and cat.

Golly, blinkin’, pig and mug,Spit and stomach, bosh and slug.

When I’ve said all these I findI can feel quite good and kind.Aunt Jane comes to stay with us,She’s awfully tall and thin.

She always makes me very cross,As soon as she comes in.Because she says ‘Now don’t do that’And ‘Don’t make such a noise’She says ‘Be seen and never heard’s The rule for little boys.’

She tells me not to slam the door, And not to tease the cat, And ‘Don’t speak with your mouth full, child’And silly things like that.

I often think I’d like to throwAn ink pot at her head.But then I’d get in such a row,And so I say instead:-Bother, bloomin’, hang and drat,Female, blazes, beast and cat.Golly, blinkin’, pig and mug,Spit and stomach, bosh and slug, Then I say it all again,Out loud I say ‘Yes, aunt Jane.’I know you won’t believe it, But I’ve seen it, - and it’s real!

My mummy’s bought a baby girl

Imagine how I feel.It’s not a nice one, either‘Cos it’s ugly, and it’s bald.It’s not the leastest bit of good,It won’t come when it’s called.If she’d only bought a puppyWell, that wouldn’t be half bad!But to go and waste her pennies on a baby – makes me mad!

When I first heard about itI hid down in the shed
At the bottom of the garden,
And right out loud I said:-Bother, bloomin’, hang and drat,Female, blazes, beast and cat.
Golly, blinkin’, pig and mug, Spit and stomach, bosh and slug.I said another one as well,I’d better spell this H-E-L!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Minyak mentah

What do you think of petrol station owners?

You think they're saints? Hah! They're foxy beasts! They say, "We've got no diesel, we've got no petrol. We've got nothing!"

But they have! They have everything! Dig under the floors! Or search the offices! You'll find plenty! barrels and barrels of oil! Look in the valleys, they've got hidden warehouses! They pose as saints but are full of lies!

If they smell a battle, they hunt the defeated! They're nothing but stingy, greedy, blubbering, foxy, and mean! God damn it all! But then who made them such beasts?

You did! You consumers did it! You burn their oil! Raise the prices! Steal their food! Force them to labour! Take their women! And kill them if they resist! So what should they do?

It's FRANK again...


Allow me to be frank at the commencement.

You will not like me. The gentlemen will be envious and the ladies will be repelled.

You will not like me now and you will like me a good deal less as we go on. Ladies, an announcement: I am up for it, all the time. That is not a boast or an opinion, it is bone hard medical fact.

I put it round you know. And you will watch me putting it round and sigh for it. Don't.

It is a deal of trouble for you and you are better off watching and drawing your conclusions from a distance than you would be if I got my tarse up your petticoats.

Gentlemen. Do not despair, I am up for that as well. And the same warning applies. Still your cheesy erections till I have had my say. But later when you shag - and later you will shag, I shall expect it of you and I will know if you have let me down - I wish you to shag with my homuncular image rattling in your gonads.

Feel how it was for me, how it is for me and ponder. "Was that shudder the same shudder he sensed? Did he know something more profound? Or is there some wall of wretchedness that we all batter with our heads at that shining , livelong moment."

That is it. That is my prologue, nothing in rhyme, no protestations of modesty, you were not expecting that I hope. I am Haizul Azmi Dzulkafli... Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya, and I do not want you to like me.

Play me like a Volin... please... baby yeah

Every woman is a mystery to be solved, but a woman hides nothing from a true lover.

Her skin color can tell us how to proceed. A hue like the blush of a rose, pink and pale, and she must be coaxed to open her petals with a warmth like the sun. The pale and dappled skin of a redhead calls for the lust of a wave crashing to the shore so we may stir up what lies beneath her and bring up the foamy delight of love to the surface.

Although there is no metaphor that truly describes making love to a woman, the closest is playing a rare musical instrument.

I wonder...does a Stradivarius violin feel the same rapture as the violinist when he coaxes a single perfect note from its heart?

I am...

I was born in... in Kuching.

Me and my parents moved to Petra Jaya after my PMR. I hated it. When I was 16, my father kicked me down a flight of stairs for coming home at 4.00 am one weekend. My mother, she knew.

Anyway, she didn't feel guilty about it... she was rather smug. So within hours of my being rollie-pollied down a flight of stairs, she was in Indonesia for a holiday, probably laughing at my indiscretion. I had nowhere to go; I didn't know what to do.

So, one day I was looking at this magazine. And there was this article. And I knew it was meant for me... so then I decided... I'd been reading a book, this book...and... I decided to become an ASSHOLE.

So I called up the magazine. They wouldn't help me; they wouldn’t give me any information. So I was about to give up and one day I reached this woman who worked there, I think she was a temp or something. The woman took pity on me and she gave me the writer of the article's number.

So I called her up, said that she's changed my life... and then she called me a creep and she hung up. I just decided that my life was over, so I was going to kill myself… or at least I was gonna make people believe that I would kill myself so I could get some attention, or something. I never really had any intention of killing myself.

:)

Say my NAME B***H

My name is Haizul Azmi. This is my cubicle.
This is everything I own. This is my life. I am 25 years old.

In a month or so, I will be MARRIED. Of course, I don't know that yet (I might just die you know), and in a way, I'm married already.

Look at me, posting this blog. This will be the highlight of my day. It's all downhill from here. That's my next door neighbour Wajdi. See the way the he walks to my cubicle to pass a file? That's not an accident.

That's my other neighbour, Kak Habsah, and that's her pal Lily.

Man, I get exhausted just watching her. She wasn't always like this. She used to be happier.

We used to be happier too. My fiance, Mas. Eldest child. Mas' a pretty typical woman: angry, insecure, confused, loving, hates work....

I wish I could tell her that's all going to pass...but I don't want to lie to her.

Both my fiance and myself think I'm this gigantic megalomaniac. And in a way, we're right.

I have lost something though. I'm not exactly sure what, but I know I didn't always feel this...sedated. But you know what? It's never too late to get it back....

How? We'll see...

A love letter..

Dear Mas,

I do not know how to express the conflicting emotions that have surged like a storm through my heart all night long.

I only know that first and foremost in all my thoughts has been the glorious confirmation you gave me last night - without effort, unconsciously, of course - of all I have ever thought of your mind and heart.

You have the greatest soul, the noblest nature, the sweetest, most loving heart I have ever known, and my love and admiration for you have increased so much since we’ve known each other that it still amazes me.

You are more wonderful and lovely in my eyes than you ever were before; and my pride and joy and gratitude that you should love me with such a perfect love are beyond all expression.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Who's the fundeMENTALIST now b***h

Islam is a religion without any mythology. Its teachings are simple and intelligible. It is free from superstitions and irrational beliefs. The oneness of God, the prophethood of Muhammad, and the concept of life after death are the basic articles of its faith. They are based on reason and sound logic. All of the teachings of Islam flow from those basic beliefs and are simple and straightforward. There is no hierarchy of priests, no farfetched abstractions, no complicated rites or rituals.

Everybody may approach the Qur'an directly and translate its dictates into practice. Islam awakens in man the faculty of reason and exhorts him to use his intellect. It enjoins him to see things in the light of reality. The Qur'an advises him to seek knowledge and invoke Allah to expand his awareness: (Say ‘O, my Lord! Advance me in knowledge. ) (Taha 20: 114) Allah also says: (Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed. ) (Az-Zumar 39: 9) It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that: "He who leaves his home in search of knowledge (walks) in the path of God." (Reported by At-Tirmidhi) and that "Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim." (Reported by Ibn Majah and al-Bayhaqi) This is how Islam brings man out of the world of superstition and darkness and initiates him into the world of knowledge and light.

Again, Islam is a practical religion and does not allow indulgence in empty and futile theorizing. It says that faith is not a mere profession of beliefs, but rather that it is the very mainspring of life. Righteous conduct must follow belief in Allah. Religion is something to be practiced and not an object of mere lip service. The Qur'an says: (Those who believe and act righteously, joy is for them, and a blissful home to return to. ) (Ar-Ra`d 13: 29) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is also reported to have said: "Allah does not accept belief if it is not expressed in deeds, and does not accept deeds if they do not conform to belief." (Reported by At-Tabarani)

Thus Islam’s simplicity, rationality and practicality are what characterize Islam as a unique and true religion. Unity of Matter and Spirit A unique feature of Islam is that it does not divide life into watertight compartments of matter and spirit. It stands not for denial of life but for the fulfillment of life. Islam does not believe in asceticism. It does not ask man to avoid material things. It holds that spiritual elevation is to be achieved by living piously in the rough and tumble of life, not by renouncing the world. The Qur'an advises us to pray as follows: (Our Lord! Give us something fine in this world as well as something fine in the Hereafter. ) (Al-Baqarah 2: 201) But in making use of life luxuries, Islam advises man to be moderate and keep away from extravagance, Allah says (…and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant. ) (Al-A`raf: 31) On this aspect of moderation, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Observe fasting and break it (at the proper time) and stand in prayer and devotion (in the night) and have sleep, for your body has its right over you, and your eyes have rights over you, and your wife has a claim upon you, and the person who pays a visit to you has a claim upon you."

Thus, Islam does not admit any separation between "material" and "moral," "mundane" and "spiritual" life, and enjoins man to devote all of his energies to the reconstruction of life on healthy moral foundations. It teaches him that moral and material powers must be welded together and that spiritual salvation can be achieved by using material resources for the good of man in the service of just ends and not by living a life of asceticism or by running away from the challenges of life. The world has suffered at the hands of the one-sidedness of many other religions and ideologies. Some have laid emphasis on the spiritual side of life but have ignored its material and mundane aspects. They have looked upon the world as an illusion, a deception, and a trap.

On the other hand, materialistic ideologies have totally ignored the spiritual and moral side of life and have dismissed it as fictitious and imaginary. Both of these attitudes have resulted in disaster, for they have robbed mankind of peace, contentment, and tranquility. Even today, the imbalance is manifested in one or the other direction.

The French scientist Dr. De Brogbi rightly says: “The danger inherent in too intense a material civilization is to that civilization itself; it is the disequilibria which would result if a parallel development of the spiritual life were to fail to provide the needed balance.”

Christianity erred on one extreme, whereas modern western civilization, in both of its variants of secular capitalistic democracy and Marxist socialism has erred on the other.

According to Lord Snell: "We have built a nobly-proportioned outer structure, but we have neglected the essential requirement of an inner order; we have carefully designed, decorated and made clean the outside of the cup; but the inside was full of extortion and excess; we used our increased knowledge and power to administer to the comforts of the body, but we left the spirit impoverished."

Islam seeks to establish equilibrium between these two aspects of life - the material and the spiritual. It says that everything in the world is for man, but man was created to serve a higher purpose: the establishment of a moral and just order that will fulfill the will of Allah. Its teachings cater for the spiritual as well as the temporal needs of man. Islam enjoins man to purify his soul and to reform his daily life - both individual and collective - and to establish the supremacy of right over might and of virtue over vice.

Thus Islam stands for the middle path and the goal of producing a moral man in the service of a just society. Islam, a Complete Way of Life Islam is not a religion in the common and distorted sense, for it does not confine its scope to one’s private life. It is a complete way of life and is present in every field of human existence. Islam provides guidance for all aspects of life - individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, and national and international.

The Qur'an enjoins man to embrace Islam without any reservation and to follow Allah's guidance in all areas of life. In fact, it was an unfortunate day when the scope of religion was confined to the private life of man and its social and cultural role was reduced to naught, as has happened in this century. No other factor, perhaps, has been more important in causing the decline of religion in the modern age than its retreat into the realm of private life.

In the words of a modern philosopher: "Religion asks us to separate things of God from those of Caesar. Such a judicial separation between the two means the degrading of both the secular and the sacred ... That religion is worth little if the conscience of its followers is not disturbed when war clouds are hanging over us all and industrial conflicts are threatening social peace. Religion has weakened man's social conscience and moral sensitivity by separating the things of God from those of Caesar."

Islam totally denounces this concept of religion and clearly states that its objectives are the purification of the soul and the reform and reconstruction of society. As we read in the Qur'an: (We verily sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, that mankind may observe right measure; and He revealed iron, wherein is mighty power and (many) uses for mankind, and that Allah may know him who helpeth Him and His messengers, though unseen. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty. ) (Al-Hadid 57: 25) Allah also says: “The decision rests with Allah only, Who hath commanded you that ye worship none save Him. This is the right religion, but most men know not..” (Yusuf 12: 40) Thus even a cursory study of the teachings of Islam shows that it is an all-embracing way of life and does not leave out any field of human existence to become a playground for the forces of evil.

Balance between the Individual and Society
Another unique feature of Islam is that it establishes a balance between individualism and collectivism. It believes in the individual personality of man and holds everyone personally accountable to God. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “Everyone of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody.

The ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a lady is a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it." I heard that from Allah's Apostle and I think that the Prophet also said, "A man is a guardian of is father's property and is responsible for it, so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care.""(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Islam also guarantees the fundamental rights of the individual and does not permit anyone to tamper with them. It makes the proper development of the personality of man one of the prime objectives of its educational policy. It does not subscribe to the view that man must lose his individuality in society or in the state.

In Islam, all men are equal, regardless of color, language, race, or nationality. It addresses itself to the conscience of humanity and banishes all false barriers of race, status, and wealth. There can be no denying the fact that such barriers have always existed and continue to exist today in the so-called enlightened age. Islam removes all of these impediments and proclaims the ideal of the whole of humanity being one family of God. Islam is international in its outlook and approach and does not admit barriers and distinctions based on color, clan, blood, or territory, as was the case before the advent of Muhammad.

Unfortunately, these prejudices remain rampant in different forms even in this modern age. Islam wants to unite the entire human race under one banner. To a world torn by national rivalries and feuds, it presents a message of life and hope and of a glorious future. The historian, A. J. Toynbee, has some interesting observations to make in this respect. In Civilization on Trial, he writes: "Two conspicuous sources of danger - one psychological and the other material - in the present relations of this cosmopolitan proletariat, i.e., [westernized humanity] with the dominant element in our modern Western society are race consciousness and alcohol; and in the struggle with each of these evils the Islamic spirit has a service to render which might prove, if it were accepted, to be of high moral and social value.

The extinction of race consciousness between Muslims is one of the outstanding moral achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue ... It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely reinforcement which would decide this issue in favor of tolerance and peace. As for the evil of alcohol, it is at its worst among primitive populations in tropical regions which have been 'opened up' by Western enterprise.

The fact remains that even the most statesmanlike preventive measures imposed by external authority are incapable of liberating a community from a social vice unless a desire for liberation and a will to carry this desire into voluntary action on its own part are awakened in the hearts of the people concerned. Now Western administrators, at any rate those of 'Anglo-Saxon' origin, are spiritually isolated from their 'native' wards by the physical 'color bar' which their race-consciousness sets up; the conversion of the natives' souls is a task to which their competence can hardly be expected to extend; and it is at this point that Islam may have a part to play.

In these recently and rapidly 'opened up' tropical territories, the Western civilization has produced an economic and political plenum and, in the same breath, a social and spiritual void. Here, then, in the foreground of the future, we can remark two valuable influences which Islam may exert upon the cosmopolitan proletariat of a Western society that has cast its net around the world and embraced the whole of mankind; while in the more distant future we may speculate on the possible contributions of Islam to some new manifestation of religion." Permanence and Change The elements of permanence and change coexist in human society and culture and are bound to remain so.

Different ideologies and cultural systems have erred in leaning heavily towards one or other of these ends of the equation. Too much emphasis on permanence makes the system rigid and robs it of flexibility and progress, while a lack of permanent values and unchanging elements generate moral relativism, shapelessness, and anarchy.

What is needed is a balance between the two – a system that could simultaneously cater for the demands of permanence and change. An American judge, Mr. Justice Cardozo, rightly says that “the greatest need of our time is a philosophy that will mediate between conflicting claims of stability and progress and supply a principle of growth." Islam presents an ideology, which satisfies the demands of stability as well as of change. Deeper reflection reveals that life has within it elements of permanence and change - it is neither so rigid and inflexible that it cannot admit of any change even in matters of detail, nor it is so flexible and fluid that even its distinctive traits have no permanent character of their own. This becomes clear from observing the process of physiological change in the human body, for every tissue of the body changes a number of times in one's lifetime even though the person remains the same. A tree's leaves, flowers, and fruits change but its character remains unchanged. It is a law of life that elements of permanence and change must co-exist in a harmonious equation.

Only such a system of life that can provide for both these elements can meet all of the cravings of human nature and all of the needs of human society. The basic problems of life remain the same in all ages and climes, but the ways and means to solve them as well as the techniques of handling the phenomenon undergo change with the passage of time. Islam brings to focus a new perspective on this problem and tries to solve it in a realistic way. The Qur’an and the Sunnah contain the eternal guidance given by the Lord of the universe.

This guidance comes from God, who is free from the limitations of space and time and, as such, the principles of individual and social behavior revealed by Him are based on reality and are eternal. But God has revealed only broad principles and has endowed man with the freedom to apply them in every age in the way suited to the spirit and conditions of that age. It is through ijtihad (intellectual effort to arrive at the truth) that people of every age try to implement and apply the divine guidance to the problems of their times. Thus the basic guidance is of a permanent nature, while the method of its application can change in accordance with the peculiar needs of every age.

That is why Islam always remains as fresh and modern as tomorrow's morn. Complete Record of Teachings Preserved Last, but not least, is the fact that the teachings of Islam have been preserved in their original form. As a result, Allah's guidance is available without adulteration of any kind. The Qur'an is the revealed book and word of Allah, which has been in existence for the last fourteen hundred years. It is still available in its original form. Detailed accounts of the life of the Prophet and of his teachings are available in their pristine purity. There has not been even one change made in this unique historic record.

The sayings and the entire record of the life of the Prophet have been handed down to us with unprecedented precision and authenticity in works of the Hadith and the Sirah (the Prophet’s Biography). Even a number of non-Muslim critics admit this eloquent fact. These are some of the unique features of Islam that establish its credentials as the religion of man the religion of today and the religion of tomorrow. These aspects have appealed to millions of people in the past and the present and have made them affirm that Islam is the religion of truth and the right path for mankind. There is no doubt that these aspects will continue to appeal to even more people in the future.

Men with pure hearts and sincere longing for truth will always continue to say: “I affirm that there is none worthy of worship except God, that He is One, sharing His authority with no one, and I affirm that Muhammad is His Servant and His Prophet.”

*the above article has been published as a matter for serious and critical debate. No offence is meant to non-believers of the Islamic faith. Any comment would be welcome.

What's it all about?

As I’ve learned by now, I am rather skilled at hiding my feelings. See the things with feelings is that it has this quiet way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it to. You know what I mean?

Yeah… but who would have thought that with this, after all the brashness and cocksure posturing, the one I let my guard down with is the knockout punch.
Ironic… it’s a calendar word…

I always warn them from the beginning… along the lines of… I must advise you, I am stamped with an invisible warning, will not commit, will never rise above… despite my best efforts I’m beginning to feel some small cracks in my faux finish…

You know when I look back on my little life, and all the things I’ve done, I can’t help but think about all that other people have done for me, and how little I’ve done for them. How they’ve looked after me, cared for me, and I’ve repaid them by never returning the favour…
Yeah…I used to think that I had the best end of the deal…

What have I got? Really?

Some money in my pocket, some nice threads, fancy-ish car at my disposal, and I’m decidedly un-single… attached, yet free as a bird….

I’d like to think that I depend on nobody… nobody depends on me… my life’s my own, but I don’t have peace of mind…and if you don’t have that, you don’t have anything…
So what’s the answer, that’s what I keep asking myself…?
What’s it all about?

FBB

You're Lucky
You’re lucky you know…. I rarely let anyone into my feelings….
I know, Iknowiknowiknowiknow, not that interesting… not exactly what you call an award winning life…

But it suits me just fine… to be honest, I rarely spend any time dwelling on my feelings anyway…you see, here’s my theory…
To most women, if a guy is a good provider, generally a nice chap, six pack abs really aren’t a deal breaker.

On the flip-side however, even though that PC boyfriend of yours, sat with his arms slung around your shoulder…he will deny it… and he WILL deny it…. For us boys it’s all about FBB!

FACE!

BOOBS!

BUM!

I’m just being honest….
It’s been said that clothes speak the International Language. I have to admit, I’m a bit of a fashion whore. If you ooze masculinity like some of us do, you have no reason to fear pink.
Now in the cologne department most men overdo it. Most people practically spray it on with a crop-duster, my rule, nothing above the neck… well I do like a small splash on Big Ben… you never know where the day may take you.

Now back home you always hear of some bloke who moves to the big-city and winding up with buckets of money. So not long ago, I packed up my bucket and headed to the
Peninsula. I must admit, I had a second motive…

I was always told that the most beautiful women resided in Kay El… and when it’s about getting birds, it’s always about one thing… LOCATION, LOCATION…LOCATION!
God, I LOVE this city….

Just look around… every one of them… unique, special, like snow-flakes.
And with such a plethora-meaning abundance of gorgeousness and diversity- well how can a man just choose one and settle down?

I myself used to subscribe to the more European philosophy of life… my priority leaning towards fun, women… well actually, that’s about it. Fun and Women! Although, woman and woman is always a fine option…

So…to live life to the fullest… I require only enough to cover my modest expenses… I had and still don’t have the desire to be the richest stiff in the cemetery…

Thinking of death makes us all realise that we all have an expiration date…
But women do have a shelf-life for men don’t they?

But Your Majesty...

A little Bigotry Never Hurt…

Lord Denning was perhaps the greatest law-making judge of the century and the most controversial.
His achievement was to shape the common law according to his own highly individual vision of society.

Tom Denning was born in January 1899. His father Charles owned a draper's shop in the Hampshire town of Whitchurch.
The young Denning loved the place so much he made his home there, in a fine Regency house called The Lawn.

He first married in 1932, but wife Mary died nine years later. His second wife Joan, whom he married in 1945, died in 1992.

Rise through ranks
After taking two first-class degrees at Oxford, the young Denning was called to the Bar in 1923.

Some 20 years later, he was Mr Justice Denning. After rapid promotion to the Court of Appeal he became a law lord in 1957.

But the turning point came in 1962. That was the year he stepped down from the House of Lords to a much more influential post - Master of the Rolls.

A year later, the public learned of an affair between prostitute Christine Keeler and John Profumo, then Secretary of State for War.
When the scandal broke Lord Denning was asked by the Conservative Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, to inquire into security aspects of the affair.

He sat alone and in private, even sending the women shorthand-writers out because he thought some of the evidence was so disgusting.
As Lord Denning himself remarked, his report was a best-seller. More than 100,000 people bought copies.
It also put him firmly in the public eye. In an age when judges shunned publicity, Lord Denning became the one judicial figure everybody had heard of.

During his 20 years as Master of the Rolls, he could choose his own cases and the judges who were to sit with him. So on most issues, he effectively had the last word.

Not many cases went on to the House of Lords, Britain's highest court of law.

Law in his own hands
But in seeking justice Lord Denning, considered himself entitled to get round - or even change - any rule of law that stood in his way. There was no need to wait for legislation.

"Parliament does it too late," he argued. "It may take years and years before a statute can be passed to amend a bad law.

"The judge ... should make the law correspond with the justice that the case requires."

But Lord Denning's critics said his willingness to overturn decided cases made for uncertainty in the law. Although he saw himself as champion of the underdog - the ordinary citizen, the consumer, the deserted wife - he supported employers against trade unions, education authorities against students, and the Home Office against immigrants.

Book provokes fury
Lord Denning inspired great affection among lawyers and it gave him pleasure to welcome new recruits to the profession. He was still Master of the Rolls at the age of 83.

But his 1982 book What Next in the Law was his downfall. In it, he seemed to suggest some black people were unsuitable to serve on juries.
His remarks followed a trial over a riot in Bristol. Two jurors on the case threatened to sue him.

Lord Denning backed down and avoided further conflict by apologising. He then announced he would be retiring.

Even in retirement he remained busy. He continued writing, including the books Landmarks in Law and Leaves from my Library.
But his comments in retirement added nothing to his reputation. Another apology followed his claim that the Guildford Four, acquitted on appeal after being jailed for an IRA bombing, were probably guilty of murder all along.

Controversy in retirement
Lord Denning's prejudices demonstrated the risks of letting one man dispense justice.

But they should not detract from a judicial career unique in our time.
Tom Denning stood firm for freedom under the law, a phrase he coined.
His whole life was devoted to justice. His creativity was immense and his legacy will last for as long as the law itself.

His mind remained razor sharp despite old age. And as his epitaph he chose: "Remembrance of me in good works, that is how I should like to be remembered."