Burned?
Ibn Hazm of Andalus was considered to be among the scholars who had the biggest libraries. Like many influential people, there were people in authority that hated him. Perhaps it was because he had ill manners and a sharp tongue. He always spoke against the people.
It is said that the tongue of ibn Hazm and the sword of AlHajjaj are twins. AlHajjaj was a general who killed about 70,000 Muslims in a short period of time.
Because people didn't like ibn Hazm, most of these books were burned by the authorities of his time. After they burned them, he re-wrote them from memory.
...What's the lesson?Recently I spent a good amount of hours making the next tajweed poster. Recently I learned that is
dissapeared. Frustrating at first...
...inshaAllah redoing the poster again :-)
If you mess up. Try again. just get up and do it again. -----------------
Epi-Storm Conclusion...and the winner is:
- A young man's journey to Islam and the challanges he faces between culture and deen.
Epi-storm ideas to implement in the future:
- "good idea-bad idea" of dawah
- Documentary style show, where random people are asked question and thier responses are posted up -- "Where is Iraq on the map?" and have people point to it or "What does a Muslim believe?" a different question every week.
To view progress of any video stuff, go to the Ephemeral Mind Production website: http://www.empfilms.net
Epi-Storm Finale
Time to Pick 3 ideas that are good. The ones in Bold are the ones I really like: If you like other than the bold, do share your thoughts.
- Series about live, and the funny things that happen from infancy to adulthood.
- 25 "Good Idea, Bad Idea" Episodes
- Series addressing the generation gap between muslim youth and parents.
- Documentary style show, where random people are asked question and thier responses are posted up -- "Where is Iraq on the map?" and have people point to it or "What does a Muslim believe?" a different question every week.
- "Imagine This" - series about a kid playing with his toys and the adventures he pursues
- Story about how toys come to life though jinn. There are good toys and bad toys. The bad toys are out to make life harder for the kid who owns the toys, while to good toys are out to keep the bad from completing thier plan.
- A scifi series about 3 alien races colliding with each other. A journey of one race that began as a search for discover lead to conquest and arrogance.
- Story about a youth who becomes king, but he must go to an island after 1 year for the rest of his life.
- Story of the Boy and the King as told in the Quran and Sunnah.
- After the du'aa of a poor man, a family is embodied with 'super' powers
- A squirrils daily errands and the mishaps it runs into.
- A young man's journey to Islam and the challanges he faces between culture and deen
- "Heros of Islam" 5 episodes per hero
- Story of playground politics - expanded version of Azhar Usman's Abdullah vs. Jonny Ashcroft joke.
- Story about a desi FOB youth trying to fit in to American society.
- A child that grows up without TV and the adventures he faces
- "good idea-bad idea" of dawah
- A brother SCARED of getting married, so he's in major denile and drives everyone crazy. Girls think he's attractive until he calls them all fat. His journy from learning about marriage to actual rejection
- stories from the grave - jinn stories
- A guy who was pretty well off living in america who wasnt so religious, was popular, etc. moves to a muslim country, meets someone good who starts to change him. he then loses his good job, and cant find any other job now , so he becomes more religious, while now he's "lower class" and society looks down upon him
- Seventh Seal --- An individual running from death and an oncoming destruction.
- How far does the dollar go? -- how the money is spent and where it actually ends up and who's hands.
- Different fun and crazy stuff youth do together.
- A lost Muslim kid who good Muslim people seek out and change him episode by episode. They can meet in some very strange way or something. And they can change one bad characteristic in each episode.
- A kid comes from a REAL muslim enviorment from over seas to america, only to find the bad aspects of this culture to be very haram. Slowly the culture envelops him.
- Story about a desi youth who smells like salan and other stinky masalas so people avoid him. He grows up isolated and becomes insane in the end. He can be a super villian and can be doing all sorts off crazy plots. And these other people always stop him from doing it.
- A lil girl comesA kid comes into her big brothers room and 'accidently' kicks the computer causing it to over react and go BOOM. Result..visuses enter the real world and big brother has to spend the weekend batteling corrupt files and evil virii...while tyring to also fix his computer
- A series about Latin Dawah and how some latino bros are spreading Islam in Latino communities.
Last but not Least
3x10 Epi-storm -- Day
10- Story about a desi youth who smells like salan and other stinky masalas so people avoid him. He grows up isolated and becomes insane in the end. He can be a super villian and can be doing all sorts off crazy plots. And these other people always stop him from doing it.
- A lil girl comesA kid comes into her big brothers room and 'accidently' kicks the computer causing it to over react and go BOOM. Result..visuses enter the real world and big brother has to spend the weekend batteling corrupt files and evil virii...while tyring to also fix his computer
- A series about Latin Dawah and how some latino bros are spreading Islam in Latino communities.
F.E.A.R.
At work my boss asked us, "what is fear?" Every one gave thier answers, but it wasnt what he was looking for.
He said, "Give me a definition..."
Again everyone gave a different answer.
He responded with, "write this down...
False
Eexperience
Appears
Real
If you think about that which you are afraid of too much, you will have more fear and it will push you into inaction.
Do not hesitate. Face your fear. Over come your challenges :-)
Two Horns
Then he followed another way until, when he reached between two mountains, he found before them a people who scarcely understood a word. They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn! Verily, Gog and Magog are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them."
He said,"That in which my Lord had established me is better. So help me with strength, I will erect between you and them a barrier."- Kahf:92-95
Lessons of Leadership:- A leader is a service to society.
- Rizq is from Allah
- Rightousness is for all
Reflections:- How many powers of the world demand payment from the weak to be "protected", especially when that payment is nothign but to purge the land of its resources. How often do people in power do that which is of benefit to the people rather than themselves?
- Duhl-Qarnayn is a good example of how people of power should be.
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 09
- Different fun and crazy stuff youth do together.
- A lost Muslim kid who good Muslim people seek out and change him episode by episode. They can meet in some very strange way or something. And they can change one bad characteristic in each episode.
- A kid comes from a REAL muslim enviorment from over seas to america, only to find the bad aspects of this culture to be very haram. Slowly the culture envelops him.
Walk the Talk
Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said, "A group of my Ummah, seventy thousand, will enter Paradise with their faces shining like the moon on the night when it is full."
Ukkashah bin Mihsan stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to make me one of them."
The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said, "O Allah, make him one of them."
Then one of the Ansar stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to make me one of them."
He sal Allahu alayhi wasallam said, "Ukkashah has beaten you to it." Many times we always talk about doing things.
If we do things, we many times do it late.
If you want to get the full benefit of any action, hasten to do it. Get up early and get a head start.
Be number one!
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 07
- "good idea-bad idea" of dawah
- A brother SCARED of getting married, so he's in major denile and drives everyone crazy. Girls think he's attractive until he calls them all fat. His journy from learning about marriage to actual rejection
- stories from the grave - jinn stories
Moving Forward
My father told me an old Indian fable today...
A long time ago in the villages of India, a father visited a holy man so the holy man can pray for his son who is sick. The holy man says, "perhaps there is some benefit in it.." The man now upset, goes back home.
A week later he now has serious problems that is very difficult for him. He goes back to the holy man and tell him his problems. The holy man says, "perhaps there is some benefit in it..." This time the man is pissed off. He decides to kill him.
The holy man in the morning would talk a walk to the woods and meditate every day. The next the father takes his sword and waits for the holy man. After waiting for much time he decides to go to the holy man.
When he arrives he find that hes laying in bed with a broken leg. The father asks, "what happened to you?". The holy man replied, "This morning as I was leaving, I slipped and broke my leg. Perhaps there is benefit in it..."Perhaps this fable was a forshadowing of what I would face today. I ended up replaceing this blog template after having worked all day on it...perhaps there is benefit in it :-)
As Umar ibn Khattab once said:
"
I do not care in what state I wake up in the morning; whether it's good or bad. Because I do not know what is good for me, nor what is bad."
Lesson: Say Alhumdulillah and move forward :-)
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 06
- 25 Indian Fables
- 25 High school moments
- A child that grows up without TV and the adventures he faces
Snowball
It's amazing how one good action can lead to another. Thus the benefit of doing good actions is new good oppurtunities.
I was preparing my first lesson plan for my little sisters to teach them tajweed. I thought of a creative way to teach them. I'm going to make posters for each tajweed rule that they can put up on their wall after they have learned them.
The posters were made in Adobe Illustrator and will inshaAllah be printed on size 11x17 paper. These are the posters I made today:
As I was making this I had a GEM. There is no good tajweed website out there. Imagine a website were people can not only learn the rules, but have a true visual reference to it. Talk abotu "reward strategy" :-)
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 05
- "Heros of Islam" 5 episodes per hero
- Story of playground politics - expanded version of Azhar Usman's Abdullah vs. Jonny Ashcroft joke.
- Story about a desi FOB youth trying to fit in to American society.
Sharpening the Saw
Imagine yourself as a carpenter. You just got back from the store with a brand new heavy duty saw. You get down to work and begin cutting and making furniture. About 15 tables later you realize that the saw isnt cutting very well. Whats happened...?
What is the solution? Sharpen the saw :-)
Sharpening the saw is a process of self renewal. Emotionally, physically mentally, and most of all spiritually.
I heard Khalid Yasin mention how Shaykh Bin Baaz would sharpen his saw constantly. Shaykh Bin Baaz was known as one of the top five Islamic scholars in the world. Not only that. Hes BLIND. -- How then can he keep up?
Every day he would have other scholars read to hom a few hours on different rulings, and books. Allah (swt) had taken his sight, but blessed his memory. He used that memory to the best of his ability.
If a blind man can do it, why can't you? -- What are you doing to sharpen the saw?
Result to achieve: Learn the fundamentals of Flash 8 animation in 7 days...InshaAllah.
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 04
- After the du'aa of a poor man, a family is embodied with 'super' powers
- A squirrils daily errands and the mishaps it runs into.
- A young man's journey to Islam and the challanges he faces between culture and deen.
"Hatha Dikhr" - Saad:49
Imagine standing on the day of ressurection, being asked, "
Why did you judge injustly between people?"
This is advice from Allah (swt) to those who are in positions of authority.
O Dawud! Verily, We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth and justice and follow not your desire -- for it will mislead you from the path of Allah. Verily, those who wander astray from the path of Allah shall have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.
- Surah Saad:29What does a GREAT leader strive for? What does he DO?This (the quran) is a reminder for those who can remember. In Ayat 30-45 of surah Saad Allah mentions the best of the best and ends it with "Ulil-Aydi walAbsar" which is...
- Righteous deeds
- beneficial knowledge
- strength in worship and insight.
Let us not waste time and be the best inshaAllah.
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 03
- A scifi series about 3 alien races colliding with each other. A journey of one race that began as a search for discover lead to conquest and arrogance.
- Story about a youth who becomes king, but he must go to an island after 1 year for the rest of his life.
- Story of the Boy and the King as told in the Quran and Sunnah.
Bankrupt?
"You will not attain righteousness till you spend in charity of the things you love"- AleImran:93What do you love? Is it money? Time? Toys? Food? Find out what you love and give it for the sake of Allah (swt)...
...Anas bin Malik narrated:
Abu Talha was the richest man in Medina amongst the Ansar and Beeruha' (garden) was the most beloved of his property, and it was situated opposite the mosque (of the Prophet.). Allah's Apostle used to enter it and drink from its sweet water. When the following Divine Verse were revealed: 'you will not attain righteousness till you spend in charity of the things you love',
Abu Talha got up in front of Allah's Apostle and said,
"O Allah's Apostle! Allah says in His Book, 'You will not attain righteousness unless you spend (in charity) that which you love,' and verily, the most beloved to me of my property is Beeruha (garden), so I give it in charity and hope for its reward from Allah. O Allah's Apostle! Spend it wherever you like."
Allah's Apostle appreciated that and said,
"That is perishable wealth, that is perishable wealth. I have heard what you have said; I suggest you to distribute it among your relatives."
Abu Talha said,
"I will do so, O Allah's Apostle."
So, Abu Talha distributed it among his relatives and cousins.
The sub-narrator (Malik) said: The Prophet said: "That is a profitable wealth," instead of "perishable wealth".
- (Volume 3, Book 38, Number 511)
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3x10 Epi-storm -- Day 02
- Documentary style show, where random people are asked question and thier responses are posted up -- "Where is Iraq on the map?" and have people point to it or "What does a Muslim believe?" a different question every week.
- "Imagine This" - series about a kid playing with his toys and the adventures he pursues
- Story about how toys come to life though jinn. There are good toys and bad toys. The bad toys are out to make life harder for the kid who owns the toys, while to good toys are out to keep the bad from completing thier plan.
Where We At?
Yesterday completed
The Strangers website. Fully functional with gallery, trailer, and a purchase page for anyone that wants to buy a copy of the DVD insaAllah.
Any and all feedback is welcome :-)
http://thestrangers.empfilms.netWhat's Next? - Make an EMP Films account on google video and YouTube
- Seek out business sales assoiciate and setup commission breakdown
- Setup EMPFilm.net Website
- Start a 3x10 brainstorm on the episodes series I want to do.
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3x10 Epi-Storm -- Day 01
- Series about live, and the funny things that happen from infancy to adulthood.
- 25 "Good Idea, Bad Idea" Episodes
- Series addressing the generation gap between muslim youth and parents.
Deep Bearing
Whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out. And He will provide him from where he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.
- Surah Talaq: 2-3
I did some further research on the ayah and found the following hadith:
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that he rode the Prophet's camel while sitting behind the Prophet , and the Messenger of Allah said to him:
"O boy! I will teach you words [so learn them].
- Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you,
- be mindful of Allah and He will be on your side.
- If you ask, ask Allah, and if you seek help, seek it from Allah.
- Know that if the Ummah gather their strength to bring you benefit, they will never bring you benefit, except that which Allah has decreed for you.
- Know that if they gather their strength to harm you, they will never harm you, except with that which Allah has decreed against you.
- The pens have been raised and the pages are dry.
As it is said,
The pen has been lifted, the ink has dried, your fate is sealed. Cowardice will not extend your life, bravery will not shorten it. Woe to the cowards.
Baby Steps
As they say, "chew before you swallow"
I got a new template for this blog site. I think its pretty cool. If you want a cool template too visit: http://blogger-templates.blogspot.com/
Registed www.empfilms.net today. Expect to see a website up very soon inshaAllah. I'm thinking I'll make a website for The Strangers dvd first so that way, any of those people that wish to buy the DVD either in bulk or single can do so online :-)
What's next?
- Schedule 3 hrs ever week to edit high-pocracy script.
- Brainstorm 2 minute 25 episode series idea for empfilms.net
Benefits
Recently joined a weekly mailer from DiscoverU (DiscoverU.mfbiz.com) that gives a hadith and advice coupled with it. Its free to joing: successinislam@getresponse.com
Send an email on it and you will be on the list. my first email was the following:
On the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah, sal Allahu alayhi wa salla, said: "Seek out that which benefits you, seek help only from Allah and never say you can't do it.
"If any adversity comes to you, do not say: 'If I had only acted in such-and-such a way, it would have been such-and-such;' but instead, say: 'Allah has decreed (it) and what He willed, He has done,' for verily, (the word) (if) opens the way for the work of Satan." - Saheeh Muslim
[Lessons from this hadith] If there is something that will benefit you, make every effort and go after it! Seek it out. - There is no failure, only lessons.-------------
What is the benfit I itend to seek?
- Register ad make website for EMP (Ephemeral Mind Productions)
- 25 episode series on EMP (possibley cartoon)
- Setup marketing system for EMP
If you guys have any suggestions, by all means share :-)
What's Been Happening?
About a month ago I had decided not to update anymore, but I realized that seeing my progress help me progress further. One of the ways was via this 'blog'.
So what have I done so far?
- Finish the 1st draft of my script for "High-pocrasy"
- Made a logo for my production company -- The company name is "Ephemeral Mind Productions" The logo is two people holding hands and thinking together.
- Produced "The Strangers" DVD. Why? Figured it would be good marketing for YM (www.ymsite.com) and thier efforts, as well as a means of funding for the movie im writing.
- Here is a trailer that was played at ICNA...
- I talked to a brother who works with Bridges TV and he said that he will do his best to get it played on thier network. This would be great if it happenes inshaAllah.
So whats next...?
Still have to complete the 2nd Draft of my script. Deadline for that is August 15. In the mean time I might get some help to make another film or product :-)
D-Day
Imagine youself in the hospital and the doctor tells you,
"The diagnosis reveals that you have cancer."You say,
"How bad is it?"Doctor responds,
"Its in the advanced stages. There is nothing we can do. You have 6 months max."What would you do? For many this would be devestating, but in actuality its a blessing in disguise. How great of a blessing if you knew when you were going to die...
What to do?- Start preparing...
- Put up a wall calendar and mark "D-Day" (Death Date) 6 months from today.
- Make a list of 100 things you must do before you die...and do them.
