Abla's Eyes

My dad forwards some really nice material of generally islamic, political and cultural nature. This poem I quite liked and thought I'd share.


عيون عبلة

(1) كَفْكِف دموعَكَ وانسحِبْ يا عنترة
فعيونُ عبلةَ أصبحَتْ مُستعمَرَه
( 2 ) لا ترجُ بسمةَ ثغرِها يوماً، فقدْ
سقطَت من العِقدِ الثمينِ الجوهرة
( 3 ) قبِّلْ سيوفَ الغاصبينَ.. ليصفَحوا
واخفِضْ جَنَاحَ "الخِزْيِ".. وارجُ المعذرة
( 4 ) ولْتبتلع أبياتَ فخرِكَ صامتاً
فالشعرُ في عصرِ القنابلِ ثرثرة
( 5 ) والسيفُ في وجهِ البنادقِ عاجزٌ
فقدَ الهُويّةَ والقُوى والسيطرة
( 6 ) فاجمعْ مَفاخِرَكَ القديمةَ كلَّها
واجعلْ لها مِن قاعِ صدرِكَ مقبرة
( 7 ) وابعثْ لعبلةَ في العراقِ تأسُّفاً
وابعثْ لها في القدسِ قبلَ الغرغرة
( 8 ) اكتبْ لها ما
كنتَ تكتبُه لها
تحتَ الظلالِ، وفي الليالي المقمرة:
( 9 ) "يا دارَ عبلةَ" بالعراقِ "تكلّمي"
هل أصبحَتْ جنّاتُ بابلَ مقفرة؟!
( 10 ) هل نَهْرُ عبلةَ تُستباحُ مِياهُهُ
وكلابُ أمريكا تُدنِّس كوثرَه؟!
( 11 ) يا فارسَ البيداءِ.. صِرتَ فريسةً
عبداً ذليلاً أسوداً ما أحقرَه!!
( 12 ) متطرِّفاً.. متخلِّفاً.. ومخالِفاً
نَسَبوا لكَ الإرهابَ.. صِرتَ مُعسكَرَه
( 13 ) عَبْسٌ.. تخلّت عنكَ.. هذا دأبُهم
حُمُرٌ -لَعمرُكَ- كلُّها مستنفِرَه
( 14 ) في الجاهليةِ.. كنتَ وحدكَ قادراً
أن تهزِمَ الجيشَ العظيمَ وتأسِرَه
( 15 ) لن تستطيعَ الآنَ وحدكَ قهرَهُ
فالزحفُ موجٌ.. والقنابلُ ممطرة
( 16 ) وحصانُكَ العَرَبيُّ ضاعَ صهيلُهُ
بينَ الدويِّ.. وبينَ صرخةِ مُجبَرَه
( 17 ) "هلاّ سألتِ الخيلَ يا ابنةَ مالِكٍ"
كيفَ الصمودُ؟! وأينَ أينَ المقدرة؟!
( 18 ) هذا الحصانُ يرى المَدافعَ حولَهُ
متأهِّباتٍ.. والقذائفَ مُشهَرَه
( 19 ) "لو كانَ يدري ما المحاورةُ اشتكى"
ولَصاحَ في وجهِ القطيعِ وحذَّرَه
( 20 ) يا ويحَ عبسٍ.. أسلَمُوا أعداءَهم
مفتاحَ
خيمتِهم، ومَدُّوا القنطرة
( 21 ) فأتى العدوُّ مُسلَّحاً بشقاقِهم
ونفاقِهم، وأقام فيهم منبرَه
( 22 ) ذاقوا وَبَالَ ركوعِهم وخُنوعِهم
فالعيشُ مُرٌّ.. والهزائمُ مُنكَرَه
( 23 ) هذِي يدُ الأوطانِ تجزي أهلَها
مَن يقترفْ في حقّها شرّاً.. يَرَه
( 24 ) ضاعت عُبَيلةُ.. والنياقُ... ودارُها
لم يبقَ شيءٌ بَعدَها كي نخسرَه
( 25 ) فدَعوا ضميرَ العُربِ يرقد ساكناً
في قبرِهِ.. وادْعوا لهُ.. بالمغفرة
( 26 ) عَجَزَ الكلامُ عن الكلامِ.. وريشتي
لم تُبقِ دمعاً أو دماً في المحبرة
( 27 ) وعيونُ عبلةَ لا تزالُ دموعُها
تترقَّبُ الجِسْرَ البعيدَ.. لِتَعبُرَه


word

Ahmad matter

Ahmat Mattar is an amazing poet, and I'm proud to say he's iraqi as well. His poetry is political about both the arab street and the global status quo. If you can arabic, you're very lucky to read his poetry because it'll really make you think, otherwise, too bad, I've already butchered enough arab poems by translating them, never again.


!نعـم .. أنا إرهابي
الغربُ يبكي خيفـةً
إذا صَنعتُ لُعبـةً
.مِـن عُلبـةِ الثُقابِ
وَهْـوَ الّذي يصنـعُ لي
مِـن جَسَـدي مِشنَقَـةً
.حِبالُها أعصابـي
والغَـربُ يرتاعُ إذا
إذعتُ ، يومـاً ، أَنّـهُ
.مَـزّقَ لي جلبابـي
وهـوَ الّذي يهيبُ بي
أنْ أستَحي مِنْ أدبـي
وأنْ أُذيـعَ فرحـتي
..ومُنتهى إعجابـي
!إنْ مارسَ اغتصـابي
والغربُ يلتـاعُ إذا
عَبـدتُ ربّـاً واحِـداً
.في هـدأةِ المِحـرابِ
وَهْـوَ الذي يعجِـنُ لي
مِـنْ شَعَـراتِ ذيلِـهِ
ومِـنْ تُرابِ نَعلِـهِ
ألفـاً مِـنَ الأربابِ
ينصُبُهـمْ فـوقَ ذُرا
مَزابِـلِ الألقابِ
لِكي أكـونَ عَبـدَهُـمْ
وَكَـيْ أؤدّي عِنـدَهُـمْ
!شعائرَ الذُبابِ
وَهْـوَ .. وَهُـمْ
سيَضرِبونني إذا
.أعلنتُ عن إضـرابي
وإنْ ذَكَـرتُ عِنـدَهُـمْ
رائِحـةَ الأزهـارِ والأعشـابِ
سيصلبونني علـى
!لائحـةِ الإرهـابِ
**
رائعـةٌ كُلُّ فعـالِ الغربِ والأذنابِ
أمّـا أنا، فإنّني
مادامَ للحُريّـةِ انتسابي
فكُلُّ ما أفعَلُـهُ
!نـوعٌ مِـنَ الإرهـابِ
**
هُـمْ خَرّبـوا لي عالَمـي
فليحصـدوا ما زَرَعـوا
إنْ أثمَـرَتْ فـوقَ فَمـي
وفي كُريّـاتِ دمـي
عَـولَمـةُ الخَـرابِ
.هـا أنَـذا أقولُهـا
..أكتُبُهـا .. أرسُمُهـا
أَطبعُهـا على جبينِ الغـرْبِ
:بالقُبقـابِ
!نَعَـمْ .. أنا إرهابـي
زلزَلـةُ الأرضِ لهـا أسبابُها
!إنْ تُدرِكوهـا تُدرِكـوا أسبابي
لـنْ أحمِـلَ الأقـلامَ
!بلْ مخالِبـي
لَنْ أشحَـذَ الأفكـارَ
!بـلْ أنيابـي
وَلـنْ أعـودَ طيّباً
حـتّى أرى
شـريعـةَ الغابِ بِكُلِّ أهلِها
.عائـدةً للغابِ
**
.نَعَـمْ .. أنا إرهابـي
أنصَـحُ كُلّ مُخْبـرٍ
ينبـحُ، بعـدَ اليـومِ، في أعقابـي
أن يرتـدي دَبّـابـةً
لأنّني .. سـوفَ أدقُّ رأسَـهُ
!إنْ دَقَّ ، يومـاً، بابـي

Ahmad matter

Ahmat Mattar is an amazing poet, and I'm proud to say he's iraqi as well. His poetry is subtle and loud at the same time. mostly it's against the status quo of arab leadership now and 30 years ago, however this one is against the opression caused by the so called war on terror.

!نعـم .. أنا إرهابي
الغربُ يبكي خيفـةً
إذا صَنعتُ لُعبـةً
.مِـن عُلبـةِ الثُقابِ
وَهْـوَ الّذي يصنـعُ لي
مِـن جَسَـدي مِشنَقَـةً
.حِبالُها أعصابـي
والغَـربُ يرتاعُ إذا
إذعتُ ، يومـاً ، أَنّـهُ
.مَـزّقَ لي جلبابـي
وهـوَ الّذي يهيبُ بي
أنْ أستَحي مِنْ أدبـي
وأنْ أُذيـعَ فرحـتي
..ومُنتهى إعجابـي
!إنْ مارسَ اغتصـابي
والغربُ يلتـاعُ إذا
عَبـدتُ ربّـاً واحِـداً
.في هـدأةِ المِحـرابِ
وَهْـوَ الذي يعجِـنُ لي
مِـنْ شَعَـراتِ ذيلِـهِ
ومِـنْ تُرابِ نَعلِـهِ
ألفـاً مِـنَ الأربابِ
ينصُبُهـمْ فـوقَ ذُرا
مَزابِـلِ الألقابِ
لِكي أكـونَ عَبـدَهُـمْ
وَكَـيْ أؤدّي عِنـدَهُـمْ
!شعائرَ الذُبابِ
وَهْـوَ .. وَهُـمْ
سيَضرِبونني إذا
.أعلنتُ عن إضـرابي
وإنْ ذَكَـرتُ عِنـدَهُـمْ
رائِحـةَ الأزهـارِ والأعشـابِ
سيصلبونني علـى
!لائحـةِ الإرهـابِ
**
رائعـةٌ كُلُّ فعـالِ الغربِ والأذنابِ
أمّـا أنا، فإنّني
مادامَ للحُريّـةِ انتسابي
فكُلُّ ما أفعَلُـهُ
!نـوعٌ مِـنَ الإرهـابِ
**
هُـمْ خَرّبـوا لي عالَمـي
فليحصـدوا ما زَرَعـوا
إنْ أثمَـرَتْ فـوقَ فَمـي
وفي كُريّـاتِ دمـي
عَـولَمـةُ الخَـرابِ
.هـا أنَـذا أقولُهـا
..أكتُبُهـا .. أرسُمُهـا
أَطبعُهـا على جبينِ الغـرْبِ
:بالقُبقـابِ
!نَعَـمْ .. أنا إرهابـي
زلزَلـةُ الأرضِ لهـا أسبابُها
!إنْ تُدرِكوهـا تُدرِكـوا أسبابي
لـنْ أحمِـلَ الأقـلامَ
!بلْ مخالِبـي
لَنْ أشحَـذَ الأفكـارَ
!بـلْ أنيابـي
وَلـنْ أعـودَ طيّباً
حـتّى أرى
شـريعـةَ الغابِ بِكُلِّ أهلِها
.عائـدةً للغابِ
**
.نَعَـمْ .. أنا إرهابـي
أنصَـحُ كُلّ مُخْبـرٍ
ينبـحُ، بعـدَ اليـومِ، في أعقابـي
أن يرتـدي دَبّـابـةً
لأنّني .. سـوفَ أدقُّ رأسَـهُ
!إنْ دَقَّ ، يومـاً، بابـي

Here is the very rough translation (Note: Qubqab is an old style arabic shoe)
_______
Yes I am a terrorist,
The west screams in terror
if I made a toy
from a match box

Though he is the one who makes for me
From my body, a noose to hang me
Its ropes are my nerves

The west panics if
I, one day claimed
That he tore my clothes

He is the one that intimidates me into
Being shy of my morality
And to broadcast my happiness
And my utter awe
If he starts to rape me

The west panics if
I worshipped one god
In the serenity of my temple

He is the one who makes for me
From the hair on his tail
And from the dust of his shoes
Thousands of deities
To perch up on high
So that I may be THEIR slave
And so that I would carry out at their feet
the rituals of flies

And he, and tHEY
Would beat me if
I called a strike

And if I speak in their presence
Of the fragrances of the roses and the herbs
They will crucify me
On the stake of terrorism

All the deed of the west and their allies are achievements
Except for me, for if
As long as I belong to freedom
Then anything I do
Is counted as terrorism

They destroyed my world
So let them reap what they sowed
If over my mouth
And in my blood cells
The globalization of corruption came into fruition

Here I am, saying it
Writing it, drawing it
Imprinting it on the west’s forhead
With the Qubqab

YES I am a terrorist
The earth has its reasons for quaking
If you understand that, you’ll understand my reasons

I will not carry my pens
But my claws
I will not sharpen my thoughts
But my fangs

And I will not be happy
Until I see
The law of the jungle with all its decrees
Return to the jungle

Yes, I am a terrorist
I advice every investigator
Barking –after today- after me
To dress in a tank
Because I will knock him downIf he came one day knocking at my door

The subjectivity of art.

So I was talking to Tarek (aka The Gist) about movies and life, and he mentioned a movie he was planning to watch called Peppermint Candy, "Appearantly it's good, it's like the movie momento, it tells the story backwards". I looked it up on imdb and the feedback was good, so I aquired it to gain some cultural depth etc...

Well I'm watching it now, and maybe my cultural depth meter is broken, maybe I just don't see things like other people do, but I don't like this movie.
I can't judge it fully though since I'm only 40 minutes into this 2 hour movie, and it does give me a glimpse into korean society so that's cool.

Otherwise it's a depressing slow movie, there is no soundtrack, there is a depressed as guy who dances randomly, cried randomy. Also I've observed the most facinating way to deal with a man who sleeps with your wife, korean style. . .

People say art is subjective, I don't want to sound like a knowitall, however I can since I'm not a world class blogger, I can afford to say anything I want on my blog.

I think art is not as subjective as people hype it out to be, and this movie is a perfect example, it might be interesting, but it's not really that good that I have to sit through 2 hours of it.

The other day I went to a photographic exhibition for a bunch of professional photographers, I looked around and I have to say some shots were quite nice, and some were even jaw dropping. But some shots were so ordinary that I'm left wondering, why the frick is that guy exhibiting his work ? he should be knee deep in workshops etc... trying to fix his crappy photography !

A lot of mass consumption art 'concepts' are attractive for one reason only, not because they're especially good in any way, but because they're hyped in a way so that any person who isn't in that concept would feel shallow and redneck-esque (I just made up a term). Or at least that's my opinion.

Anyways, back to watching this crappy movie.

Jesus is Shi3a

'Islamic Jesus' hits movie screens
Tuesday Jan 15 15:31 AEDT

The thing about most art is that it almost always has an agenda behind it.

"A director who shares the ideas of Iran's hardline president has produced what he says is the first film giving an Islamic view of Jesus Christ, in a bid to show "common ground" between Muslims and Christians.

Nader Talebzadeh sees his movie, Jesus, the Spirit of God, as an Islamic answer to Western productions like Mel Gibson's 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ, which he praised as admirable but quite simply "wrong"."

"Talebzadeh insists it aims to bridge differences between Christianity and Islam, despite the stark divergence from Christian doctrine about Christ's final hours on earth.

'It is fascinating for Christians to know that Islam gives such devotion to and has so much knowledge about Jesus," Talebzadeh said.' "


This is interesting however.


"The director is also keen to emphasise the links between Jesus and one of the most important figures in Shiite Islam, the Imam Mahdi, said to have disappeared 12 centuries ago but whose "return" to earth has been a key tenet of the Ahmadinejad presidency."

"Shiite Muslims, the majority in Iran, believe Jesus will accompany the Imam Mahdi when he reappears in a future apocalypse to save the world.

And Talebzadeh said the TV version of his film will further explore the links between Jesus and the Mahdi whose return Ahmadinejad has said his government, which came to power in 2005, is working to hasten."

I'd love any shia's reading this to tell me the difference between the shia mahdi and the sunni mahdi (I know this is not a PC to say it, but... whatever).

Original link here http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=350858

The emirates is sinking.

What happens when a desert city with no preparation for heavy rains, gets heavy rains ?

it sinks, like a USS liberty, like a mafia boss gone snitch, like what would happen if the polar ice caps melted.


These are the streets 2 days ago

Always building by *iraqiguy on deviantART

These are the streets today, after 48 hours of rain.

Ajman winter by *iraqiguy on deviantART

nice, huh ? a half hour trip takes about 2 hours. So to drop someone off and then pick them up again, can you do the math ?

yes, 8 hours of driving today.

In the words of Borat, "NICE!"

And now for some poetry

Abbas Chechan is a famous iraqi poet, since I know f%#k all about iraqi poetry, that's all I can tell you about him, plus the fact that his poems (told in coloquial iraqi) are amazing, insightfull, funny, sad, and just a pleasure to listen to.

So, here is a translation for one of his poems.

I am Iraqi, from Amsterdam, I lived there for years and became dutch
I love people, all people, be they white, black, or indian

If I'm hungry or full, I'm the same way, calm and unmoved
I've tried to be good my whole life, and I've never had hate for people

I've a problem that though that touches my inner being, which never leaves my eyes dry
When I head the children of iraq are starving, I melt and my heart breaks

And when I hear a wounded man in iraq is lacking medicine, yelling out to "help me"
My distress my body shuts down from head to toe

oh my opresses people, do not blame me
For a body dead as mine is, can not help you or itself
_____________

This is an extremely rough translations, and unfortunately some part of the meaning of the poem is lost in 1- translations 2- Some old words I don't know, hopefull nawar will check out my blog and tell me if I've made any mistakes.






I'm still new to embedding youtube videos here, so if you can't see anything, go here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Jpv1PYcRs&feature=related

Bushism

A forward text message that's currently making the rounds in the UAE.

"Happy Bush day to you and your family
May Allah bring Bush to us every week
Long live Bush"

I guess people here aren't all that sad about a day off every once in a while.

I googled my name today

Man, I'm blown away by the websites and publications in which I found my name. Some were stupid sites like bebo and freindster etc... but one mad find was my name, info about me, and MY WORK in a british islamic photography magazine. I tell you, reading about myself in the third person was crazy, my voice became very hight pitched and my corneas widended just a little bit.

Other stuff was just my "media presence" as -ex- media liaizon for FAMSY (www.famsy.com) which is cool too I guess.

This is funny in a way, I don't know why I haven't googled myself untill today, or maybe I did and this stuff hadn't surfaced yet. but now people can research me and I'd be like, this guy you can google and find stuff about. NICE (in a borat voice)

I think I'm updating this blog too often.

Dubai's closed down for the day

It feels like Bush is following me where ever I go.

I came to Sydney from Melbourne, and he comes down to Sydney for the APEC forum, closing down THE WHOLE CITY, these were interesting times, 400 uni and high school students rallying against Bush are surrounded by some 500 police in full riot gear. Fun times, fun times...

Now I'm in the UAE, Bush comes again to tell the arabs what's good for'em. Closing down Dubai for the day as well, causing great inconvenience to people who work and have shit to do in the city, including me. So where does that leave me ? in bed updating my blog. Watching the movie "days of glory" which by the way is an amazing movie.

The difference between the effects of the visit on Sydney and Dubai is quite clear and unfortunate.

In Sydney, there was inevatibly going to be alot of security procedures to protect the most hated man on the planet (Bush), but the government actually made sure that closing down the city and spending $250Million on security had a minimum on the populace. They declared a public holiday a week in advanced and apologised and got a bloody battering by the media.

In Dubai. The roads were closed. a day before Bush's visit, it was declared in a round about way that the next day that main streets in the CBD would be closed off and that goverment offices were closed. this two day confusion caused hours more wasted time in bumper to bumper traffic throughout the day. which could have been avoided had city commuters known about the road closures and security procedures before hand.

They're still learning though, still getting used to the ropes. so I'm not so critical.

Next year I wanna visit my famiy in Sydney again, I hope I won't find myself sitting next to Bush in the plane, he seems to have it for me. (haha ! joke!)

Thinking outside the box

Recently I recieved an email from a dear friend in Melbourne, I know this guy from uni, he's top notch. I like him because he doesn't twist and turn and play mind games etc... if he thinks something, he says it, if he doesn't like something about me, he tells me straight away. Not in a mean way mind you, but in a brotherly way. (you don't know my brother).

Anyways, so in his email he was asking me about the upcoming famsy camp (http://www.famsy.com/famsy/modules/news/article.php?storyid=131) coming up end of January. He was discussing with his friends about whether to go or not, and for some reason they were convinced, and they had him convinced that I was either a- Salafi, or b- modern salafi and that this camp will ... I don't know what they're expect from a supposed modern salafi camp.

I will take a minute here to assert that I am not salafi, OR modern salafi, I guess if I was gonna put my ass in a box, I would call myself a hanafi coz I was born one.
Also, FAMSY is not a salafi organisation, it's a student organisation that aligns itself to no theology other than following the Quran and the sunnah. We work and accept all organisations and schools of thought within the sunni muslim community in Australia and overseas, and we have done so in all our activities.

What saddens me, what pisses me off, what Diarrhea's me, is that many muslims in melbourne (I say Melbourne because I felt it alot in Melbourne) feel they have to put people in a box, they are either salafi, tablighi, sufi, or neo this, or pseudo that. it kills me.

I've always tried to define myself as being Muslim only because there already so many divisions in the Muslim community, I didn't want to contribute to it. so I had friends and connections with all groups and leaders and shaikhs, and I honestly always tried to respect them all, and I thought it worked, but ofcourse I've also always tried not to align myself to one group specifically. That's why I loved FAMSY because thier powerbase is not a school of thought or a ethnicity, but students and youth.

so yes, if you think I'm salafi, I'm not, and i'm not dissing the salaf, they're a wonderful crowd. One of the most beautifull and beloved brothers to me -Eisa- is from iisca and we get along pretty well... which reminds me I have to note him a salams on facebook.

The return of Rima

Ther is an old iraqi proverb that goes, رجعت ريمة الى عادتها القديملة, which means, Rima is back to her old tricks. its uses are obvious, though I'm unclear of the origin of this proverb.

Anyways, my old habit is late sleep and late wake up times. Something I've always had and I've always hated. Right now it's 11:20pm. I'm listening to stearing ABC newsradio, I love those guys, and the Australian accent is soothing to my ear. It rained today in the early morning and just a few minutes ago. This is worth mention because Ajman and the general emirates weather is desert weather, rain occurs 4 or 5 times a year, and when it happens, it's barakah. or blessing.

I've not been updating my blog, too many things were happening and I needed to have a roughly clear mind for writing. At somepoint though I decided I can't wait for that for ever, so I'm writing again. You never know, I may be be able to continue my short story filim.

running my mind off

I was listening to the Quran the other day and it made me think, I tune out usually when I listen to the Quran on mp3, so usually I remember the tone and pick up a few key words, but generally the message is lost on me, it's alot more effective when I read the Quran or when I listen to the slower recitations. I and just realised why, which is to say I've got theory about why I can't take it Quran at normal listening speed.

It's because I can't REALLY listen to the Quran when it's being recited by the speed of say, Afasy, because for us arab speakers, the quran, with its divinity and purpose and non existant expiry date, is very complex, so complex infact that it's not like a normal book or an interview with someone famous, it's the book of life, written by Allah swt so beautifully for us to ponder.

If you've tuned out like I do sometimes, you need only to remember the word ponder. I listen to Surat Yousef on an mp3 and it lasts what, 20 minutes ? but how long would it take to study the tafseer of surat yousef ? the begining Alef Laam Meem can take a while to read and understand.

So when I'm listening to is, one ayah takes my mind away, I think about it, I try to make i3rab to it, I think about the words and thier meanings and the purpose of using them here and not other words, about the muslims when they first heard it etc... by the time I'm back to listening, the reciter is 5 to 15 ayahs away. and that's when I'm actually listening to the recitation.

I'm not making a fat man here (I mean fatwa), but I really think that you cannot really listen to an mp3 quran unless it was slowely recited. Or if you've already memorized and studied that surah or ayah.



peace