It was easy to start a journey to the place that I heard so much about before. I walked into the heart of Islam with a long history of ups and downs.
We took off around 13:00 on Saturday April 05, 2008.
The first impression of the brown khaki sands of the deserts, covering all across the Saudi Arabia, fills you with the sense of loneliness and holiness. We were on an airbus of Saudi Airlines accompanied by more than 280 pilgrims. Most of those pilgrims were nice old people. Many of us were experiencing our first journey to Islam. Having been disturbed by the way Arab officers received us at the gates of the airport; we got to the hotel near the Masjed Al-Nabi.
Our room number was 802. At 22:00, Fateme and I walked up the street to the door 7 of the holy mosque and hang about the green dome, enjoying the pleasant weather of the mosque yard. It was our first night of stay in Saudi Arabia and the weather was kindly cool to let us feel it was home away from home.
The Morning Prayer was a miracle! Something strange, that I had never been through before. The pray was as different as the place was. The unity, the humbleness, the large crowd of Muslims from different countries was quite amazing! The call to prayer!
I will never forget the echo of the call for the Morning Prayer in Maddinah. I'm still living with that call....
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
the echo of the call for the Morning Prayer in Maddinah
Thursday, April 03, 2008
a Journey to Islam
a Journey to Islam
Next Saturday (April 05, 2008), my wife (Fateme) and I would start a journey to Mecca and Medina as the two holiest cities of the Islamic nation.
There is a feeling inside that I can't explain!
I'm a little bit nervous about how to make it a success.
Anyway, we would be on the flight to the land, wherein lies the long history of one of the largest religions of humankind.
Dear reader, when I return, I will share with you my experience of such a religious journey.#
Next Saturday (April 05, 2008), my wife (Fateme) and I would start a journey to Mecca and Medina as the two holiest cities of the Islamic nation.
There is a feeling inside that I can't explain!
I'm a little bit nervous about how to make it a success.
Anyway, we would be on the flight to the land, wherein lies the long history of one of the largest religions of humankind.
Dear reader, when I return, I will share with you my experience of such a religious journey.#
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Islamic media and sustainable development
Now on I'd post more on media and journalism as my MA studies. I appreciate if you kindly share your comments on them...
Islamic media and sustainable development
By: Ehsan Abadikhah
ehsanabadikhah@gmail.com
Introduction
Sustainable development theory is part of international studies carried out after the Second World War and coincided with the establishment of the United Nations (1945). The UN named 1960s as the “decade of development” to encourage the then newly established countries and other nations to improve their socio-economic status. Gradually, the role of communication technologies became more important. The fulfillment of human needs while maintaining the quality of the social life made it urgent to be update about the changes. Economy should meet the needs of the present generation and oversee the future generations' potentials for their needs. Therefore, the role of new-tech communication systems in sustainable development remained as a challenge for all the nations, even in the 21st century.
Communication technologies boost the process of development. Existing competitive markets necessitate the knowledge that is in the hands of the developed countries with high-tech communication systems. In this article, we would briefly look at the role of Islamic mass communication systems in the prosperity of Muslim nations.
Sustainable development depends on the welfare as the corner stone of citizens’ willingness to participate in the plans of their governments. However, it does not focus only on economy. Relative policies encompass some general areas of economy, society and communication.
Economy
Economic and social challenges may create opportunities for development. Here we have an ambiguous concept, and a wide array of views to fall under. The concept includes sustainable and unsustainable development if we divide the developed and developing nations into northern and southern countries respectively.
Sustainability in economy is to continue to function properly without causing irreversible damage to the planet’s ecosystems. This may involve providing the current needs of society while ensuring the welfare of future generations. It should minimize poverty, save the ecosystems, increase the value of a currency and reduce inflation.
Some Islamic nations, mostly in the Middle East are naturally gifted with considerable crude oil resources, so we can take oil industry, as an example, to define Islamic nations’ share of natural resources; how they are limited to it and how it pushes them toward losing their opportunities of investing in other resources.
Such nations are suffering from lingering problems both economically and socially, though they are rich in natural resources and can spend as much as they extract the crude oil.The growth of GDP is necessary for sustainable development but it is not necessarily interpreted as the development itself.
The oil-oriented economy is different from the service-oriented one. The first one experiences higher risks while the latter carries on healthier. That is why oil production cannot compete with some international leading car manufacturers. Tourism is another good example of such potentials to create job opportunities, where private sector can play a major role in this area. So far, just a few Muslim countries have been active in this regard.
Society
If the growth process continues, in the long term we will see the development in many aspects of social life. In "unsustainable situations", the nature's resources are used up faster than it can be replenished. Therefore, it requires that people only use nature's resources in a way that be replaced naturally. Theoretically, it is impossible at the present speed of destruction. The long-term result would be the disappearing local environments that are no longer able to sustain human populations to any degree. Such degradation on a global scale could imply destruction for civilization.
New-tech communication
Both society and economy play parallel roles in the healthy growth and development of the country. Is there any need for persuading the nation to save the world? Who can take this heavy role? The answer is mass communication systems.
Let us look at the history of destruction and construction in the world. Invention of radio, before the Second World War, and television after that horrible period of history, influenced the world more than any other agents of communication did. The newly born media had the power to cultivate decisions of the owners. Nazism, for instance, exploited the communication instruments of 1930s to declare war against humanity. The emergence of green NGOs and other humanitarian communities, mostly on the cyber space, has gathered a huge power from around the world in favor of peace and human rights.
The mysterious media really frames the audiences' understanding of the place they live in. One can use the media for the sake of peace and prosperity of all the humanity or vise versa.
Muslim nations share the same Islamic rules and teachings about the economy. Media can work on this aspect and help the Islamic governments mobilize the nation to try for unity and prosperity of the entire Muslim nation in a greater scale.
The media can help through informing, agenda setting, priming and framing those visions of the Islamic governments for Muslim NGOs and communities.
Conclusion
Continuous economic growth is necessary to create sustainable development. If we reach this point, we would find the way to make dreams of social development come true.
Participating media educates a participating nation with democracy. Doing well in just one aspect of growth and leaving the rest untouched will not end in development; it just makes holes in the body of the economy. We should consider both growth and social development at the same time with the same pace. If governments pay no attention to welfare, education, health and happiness of their people and just concentrate on the growth, they will lose the human resources to carry out their plans.
We live in the age of information, and we are here to win or lose the opportunities. Those who invest in new-tech communications would control the market and conduct the business, but those who do not would get to anywhere.
If Muslim nations continue on a knowledge-based growth, attracting foreign investment, they can help their dreams come true. It also depends on a variety of factors, namely social, economic and political stability.
Finally, it is with the combination of all the three elements of society, economy and mass media that a prosperous and participative Muslim nation can live happily and save the natural resources for the next generation on the green planet earth.#
Islamic media and sustainable development
By: Ehsan Abadikhah
ehsanabadikhah@gmail.com
Introduction
Sustainable development theory is part of international studies carried out after the Second World War and coincided with the establishment of the United Nations (1945). The UN named 1960s as the “decade of development” to encourage the then newly established countries and other nations to improve their socio-economic status. Gradually, the role of communication technologies became more important. The fulfillment of human needs while maintaining the quality of the social life made it urgent to be update about the changes. Economy should meet the needs of the present generation and oversee the future generations' potentials for their needs. Therefore, the role of new-tech communication systems in sustainable development remained as a challenge for all the nations, even in the 21st century.
Communication technologies boost the process of development. Existing competitive markets necessitate the knowledge that is in the hands of the developed countries with high-tech communication systems. In this article, we would briefly look at the role of Islamic mass communication systems in the prosperity of Muslim nations.
Sustainable development depends on the welfare as the corner stone of citizens’ willingness to participate in the plans of their governments. However, it does not focus only on economy. Relative policies encompass some general areas of economy, society and communication.
Economy
Economic and social challenges may create opportunities for development. Here we have an ambiguous concept, and a wide array of views to fall under. The concept includes sustainable and unsustainable development if we divide the developed and developing nations into northern and southern countries respectively.
Sustainability in economy is to continue to function properly without causing irreversible damage to the planet’s ecosystems. This may involve providing the current needs of society while ensuring the welfare of future generations. It should minimize poverty, save the ecosystems, increase the value of a currency and reduce inflation.
Some Islamic nations, mostly in the Middle East are naturally gifted with considerable crude oil resources, so we can take oil industry, as an example, to define Islamic nations’ share of natural resources; how they are limited to it and how it pushes them toward losing their opportunities of investing in other resources.
Such nations are suffering from lingering problems both economically and socially, though they are rich in natural resources and can spend as much as they extract the crude oil.The growth of GDP is necessary for sustainable development but it is not necessarily interpreted as the development itself.
The oil-oriented economy is different from the service-oriented one. The first one experiences higher risks while the latter carries on healthier. That is why oil production cannot compete with some international leading car manufacturers. Tourism is another good example of such potentials to create job opportunities, where private sector can play a major role in this area. So far, just a few Muslim countries have been active in this regard.
Society
If the growth process continues, in the long term we will see the development in many aspects of social life. In "unsustainable situations", the nature's resources are used up faster than it can be replenished. Therefore, it requires that people only use nature's resources in a way that be replaced naturally. Theoretically, it is impossible at the present speed of destruction. The long-term result would be the disappearing local environments that are no longer able to sustain human populations to any degree. Such degradation on a global scale could imply destruction for civilization.
New-tech communication
Both society and economy play parallel roles in the healthy growth and development of the country. Is there any need for persuading the nation to save the world? Who can take this heavy role? The answer is mass communication systems.
Let us look at the history of destruction and construction in the world. Invention of radio, before the Second World War, and television after that horrible period of history, influenced the world more than any other agents of communication did. The newly born media had the power to cultivate decisions of the owners. Nazism, for instance, exploited the communication instruments of 1930s to declare war against humanity. The emergence of green NGOs and other humanitarian communities, mostly on the cyber space, has gathered a huge power from around the world in favor of peace and human rights.
The mysterious media really frames the audiences' understanding of the place they live in. One can use the media for the sake of peace and prosperity of all the humanity or vise versa.
Muslim nations share the same Islamic rules and teachings about the economy. Media can work on this aspect and help the Islamic governments mobilize the nation to try for unity and prosperity of the entire Muslim nation in a greater scale.
The media can help through informing, agenda setting, priming and framing those visions of the Islamic governments for Muslim NGOs and communities.
Conclusion
Continuous economic growth is necessary to create sustainable development. If we reach this point, we would find the way to make dreams of social development come true.
Participating media educates a participating nation with democracy. Doing well in just one aspect of growth and leaving the rest untouched will not end in development; it just makes holes in the body of the economy. We should consider both growth and social development at the same time with the same pace. If governments pay no attention to welfare, education, health and happiness of their people and just concentrate on the growth, they will lose the human resources to carry out their plans.
We live in the age of information, and we are here to win or lose the opportunities. Those who invest in new-tech communications would control the market and conduct the business, but those who do not would get to anywhere.
If Muslim nations continue on a knowledge-based growth, attracting foreign investment, they can help their dreams come true. It also depends on a variety of factors, namely social, economic and political stability.
Finally, it is with the combination of all the three elements of society, economy and mass media that a prosperous and participative Muslim nation can live happily and save the natural resources for the next generation on the green planet earth.#
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
how to produce a phenomenon
According to real, exact knowledge, one force, or two forces, can never produce a phenomenon. The presence of a third force is necessary, for it is only with the help of a third force that the first two can produce what may be called a phenomenon, no matter in what sphere.
Gurdjieff (1873-1949)
Russian Adept, Teacher and Writer
Gurdjieff (1873-1949)
Russian Adept, Teacher and Writer
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The hasty holy snow
The hasty holy snow
Winter is here
Snow is falling
It is cold here
Love is calling
Christmas is blessed and saintly
My heart feels it wholly
It is as white as hasty
As I tread my way lonely
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
All the summer was here to measure the treasure I was gifted though getting used to the presence of a beautiful red rose next to me, I had nothing but a fore granted beauty in my eyes. The time passed to remind me the time to say goodbye.How forgetful I was that couldn’t see these days ahead of mine!
Now the cool winds of fall are coming home to slap the feeling of solitude in my face.
My little rose has gone with the winds of the high mountains.
Will here come another spring to love again?!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Space I can recover. Time, never
One day we meet.
One day we leave one another.
We put all our energy into saying "hellos" and hate to say "good byes".
Time is short to live happily.
"Space I can recover. Time, never!" said N. Bonaparte.
We put all our energy into saying "hellos" and hate to say "good byes".
Time is short to live happily.
"Space I can recover. Time, never!" said N. Bonaparte.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
lonely couples
Having been accepted as a permanent teacher, they're so glad about another success in the family. It meant a prosperous life then.
That time they didn't know that it also meant hard days of solitude and depression for both lovers. She had to live on the peaks of the mountains and he'd to stay far far away; she's in a village and he in a metropolis; she in solitude and he among the crowd; she's teaching honesty and love and he's selling and buying money. Quite a paradox!
He'd never forget previous year's fall, winter and even current year's spring.
9 months of separate married life in the first year of coupling!
She had made her mind to go for what destiny had decided for her. The husband was proud of his lover's success.
Now, they're gonna celebrate the first anniversary of marriage and still he lives with her memories for they rarely meet one another. Summer should be the best chance to feel her presence for the whole season! The warmer these sunny days become, the more they might forget those days of cold loneliness. May they one day live as one family, contrary to the cold days of winter!
That time they didn't know that it also meant hard days of solitude and depression for both lovers. She had to live on the peaks of the mountains and he'd to stay far far away; she's in a village and he in a metropolis; she in solitude and he among the crowd; she's teaching honesty and love and he's selling and buying money. Quite a paradox!
He'd never forget previous year's fall, winter and even current year's spring.
9 months of separate married life in the first year of coupling!
She had made her mind to go for what destiny had decided for her. The husband was proud of his lover's success.
Now, they're gonna celebrate the first anniversary of marriage and still he lives with her memories for they rarely meet one another. Summer should be the best chance to feel her presence for the whole season! The warmer these sunny days become, the more they might forget those days of cold loneliness. May they one day live as one family, contrary to the cold days of winter!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Jalise Villagers
Early this new solar year in Iran we decided to make our holidays up in the mountain where Fateme works as a teacher in a village school. We packed our sack to hit the roads.
Langroud to Lahijan, Lahijan to Siahkal, Siahkal to Deylaman and from there to the village called Jalise, where I had been once before and had seen many beautiful scenes full of never ending natural beauty.
Half of the way was ok, though it was 13th of Farvardin( April 2nd 2007) and the roads were heavy with traffic made by the crowds of people enjoying their last days of vacations in the most beautiful parts of Iran's northern cities. There was sun in the sky in Langroud but the weather turned to wet by the time we reached Siahkal town! There were only some miles between Langroud and Siahkal but the climatic conditions were quite different!
The cabbie hit the road and the green journey began! We just reached 2000 meters above the sea level that the cold weather turned the drops of rain into flakes of snow! I actually couldn't believe the scene! More than 10cm snow was on the curb side! Cars couldn't drive with out chains!
All those snow made us stay in a local house for 24 hours.
The very next day the sun was the only empire of the sky!
We continued our journey to Jalise, somehow 3 or 4 thousand meters above the sea level.
Residents of Jalise are not so friendly and as I've realized a little bit more than curious about the strangers who pass the muddy passages of the small village. The nearest neighboring village is half an hour away. The village has around 100 households or less. Families have more than 5 children at least!
Fateme teaches mathematics in the only secondary school of the village! Students aren't good looking in their cloths but have innocent beautiful faces. Their main activity of the villagers is shepherding and working on the farms. One can feel poverty in their eyes or the odor they emit! Life gets it hard on them and half of the year it is cold. It is spring but here on the peak of one of the many mountains of the Alborz chain I can feel what cold weather means though the sun had melted all the snow on the ground!
We had started our journey a few days ago from Tehran in just a T-shirt and ended here in Pullover! I'll write more on that village again….
Langroud to Lahijan, Lahijan to Siahkal, Siahkal to Deylaman and from there to the village called Jalise, where I had been once before and had seen many beautiful scenes full of never ending natural beauty.
Half of the way was ok, though it was 13th of Farvardin( April 2nd 2007) and the roads were heavy with traffic made by the crowds of people enjoying their last days of vacations in the most beautiful parts of Iran's northern cities. There was sun in the sky in Langroud but the weather turned to wet by the time we reached Siahkal town! There were only some miles between Langroud and Siahkal but the climatic conditions were quite different!
The cabbie hit the road and the green journey began! We just reached 2000 meters above the sea level that the cold weather turned the drops of rain into flakes of snow! I actually couldn't believe the scene! More than 10cm snow was on the curb side! Cars couldn't drive with out chains!
All those snow made us stay in a local house for 24 hours.
The very next day the sun was the only empire of the sky!
We continued our journey to Jalise, somehow 3 or 4 thousand meters above the sea level.
Residents of Jalise are not so friendly and as I've realized a little bit more than curious about the strangers who pass the muddy passages of the small village. The nearest neighboring village is half an hour away. The village has around 100 households or less. Families have more than 5 children at least!
Fateme teaches mathematics in the only secondary school of the village! Students aren't good looking in their cloths but have innocent beautiful faces. Their main activity of the villagers is shepherding and working on the farms. One can feel poverty in their eyes or the odor they emit! Life gets it hard on them and half of the year it is cold. It is spring but here on the peak of one of the many mountains of the Alborz chain I can feel what cold weather means though the sun had melted all the snow on the ground!
We had started our journey a few days ago from Tehran in just a T-shirt and ended here in Pullover! I'll write more on that village again….
Saturday, April 14, 2007
hard college
seems difficult to keep pace of the running sessions of college when one has gotta work hard too!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Saturday, December 02, 2006
snow inside
Nature still plays cold and I feel the cold inside. There is snow on the street outside and a frozen heart next to the fire place inside. My dear lady lives far away from me and I can't even feel her presence next to my heart. She is gone to the mountains covered with snow and left me here in the middle of a city at the bottom of the same mountain. It is like a wall in between us that separates us to feel the solitude now and then. She is in me and I'm lost in love! She is gone and I'm feeling lonely deep inside. It is cold outside and inside!
Saturday, October 07, 2006
if proved reliable
From desperate loneliness to fall in love is a refuge from nothing to many things.
We might live a short life together but can learn many things out of what people call it love.
All gaps and needs might be filled if proved reliable companions to make one another’s dreams come true.
We might live a short life together but can learn many things out of what people call it love.
All gaps and needs might be filled if proved reliable companions to make one another’s dreams come true.
Friday, July 28, 2006
My Pretty Rose
My Pretty Rose Tree
by William Blake
A flower was offered to me,
Such a flower as May never bore;
But I said "I've a pretty rose tree,"
And I passed the sweet flower o'er.
Then I went to my pretty rose tree,
To tend her by day and by night;
But my rose turned away with jealousy,
And her thorns were my only delight.
by William Blake
A flower was offered to me,
Such a flower as May never bore;
But I said "I've a pretty rose tree,"
And I passed the sweet flower o'er.
Then I went to my pretty rose tree,
To tend her by day and by night;
But my rose turned away with jealousy,
And her thorns were my only delight.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
to fly
It’s time to start to change.By the seashore over the cliffs of life, I open both arms to fly
It’s less than a moment to metamorphosis.
I’m not the way that I used to be.
But life says I should carry on.
Will happen whatever that should.
Heart still beats impatience.
and can’t help flying until tomorrow,
forever, to the invisible.
Maybe, I start again.
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