VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 131, May 16, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

(Ed Note: All advancement in science is by the grace of Allah, and the below technology by which a person who lost his eye sight could literally see with his tongue was truly astounding and we could not but help include this in this E-Zine)

Photograph by: British Ministry of Defence

BLIND SOLDIER "SEES" WITH HIS TONGUE

(Condensed version)

montrealgazette.com

AFP

March 16, 2010

LONDON – A British soldier left blind by a grenade in Iraq has told how his life has been transformed by ground-breaking technology that enables him to "see" with his tongue.

Lance Corporal Craig Lundberg, 24, can read words, make out shapes and walk without assistance thanks to a device developed in the United States which could revolutionise life for other blind people.

Faced with a life of relying on a guide dog, he was chosen by the Ministry of Defence as the first person in the country to trial the BrainPort device, which could revolutionise treatment for the blind. It converts images into electrical pulses which are sent to the tongue, where they cause a tingling sensation. The different strength of the tingles can be interpreted so the user can mentally visualise their surroundings and navigate around objects.

The device consists of a tiny video camera attached to a pair of sunglasses which are linked to a plastic "lollipop" which the user places on their tongue to read the pulses.

The image is created by presenting white pixels from the camera as strong stimulation, black pixels as no stimulation, and grey levels as medium levels of stimulation, although interpreting the images takes intensive training.

"It feels like licking a nine volt battery or like popping candy," Lundberg explained Monday. "The camera sends signals down onto the lollipop and onto your tongue. You can then determine what they mean and transfer it to shapes. "You get lines and shapes of things. It sees in black and white so you get a two-dimensional image on your tongue -- it's a bit like a pins and needles sensation. "It's only a prototype, but the potential to change my life is massive. It's got a lot of potential to advance things for blind people."

Thanks to the device, he can now "pick up objects straight away. I can reach out and pick them up when before I would be fumbling around to feel for them."

ASIA

TURKEY

"PARLIAMENTARY UNION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE" IN ISTANBUL

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, fourth from right, with the members of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Conference. in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, May 10, 2010.

Deniz Baykal, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's party, CHP, speaks to the media at a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, May10, 2010. Baykal resigned from the CHP leadership, ending his four-decades political career, after a secretly-taped video circulating on the internet allegedly showed he was having an affair with his former aide and current lawmaker. Baykal said he was the victim of a political plot. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

LONG LIVE THE WISH FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE

Israeli soldiers stand opposite Palestinian demonstrators as they empty bottles of juice produced by Jewish settlements during a protest against Israel's controversial separation barrier and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank village of Beit Jala near Bethlehem. Israel insisted on Monday it had no plan to halt construction of settler homes in east Jerusalem

PAKISTAN

(Ed Note: Below is yet another misguided deviant Muslim violating the principles of Islam of peace)

A suspected bomber was arrested at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi when batteries and electrical circuits were found concealed in his shoes after a thorough check-up following a scanner alarm.The man identified as Faiz Mohammad, 30, was scheduled to board a Thai International Airlines flight for Muscat.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

(Ed Note:
Many Muslims would consider below Arab female to be unusual because she does not fit into the typical stereotype of an Arab female.

(1) Are this the beginning signs of a major social change that is yet to come ?

(2) If the Global Ummah responds with total intolerance, rigidity, and narrow mindedness, will it HURT the cause of Islam ?

(3) If on the other hand, the Global Ummah responds by being more tolerant, accomodative, broad minded to such changes, would they then be truly implementing the values of Islam in terms of TOLERANCE AND PEACE ?

(4) Is it possible to have greater diversity in gender roles and still be good practicing Muslims ?

(5) Whether we like it or not, we should be prepared to witness many more sisters who may not fit into the "usual" expectations of what a typical "Muslim and/or Arab sister" should be, in terms of gender stereotype. Since when did we have the moral authority to regulate the lives of others, anyway ?)

FIRST ARAB FEMALE BODY BUILDER

JORDAN

Jordanian body-builder Farah Malhass is seen training at a gym in Amman. Malhass is set on winning notoriety as a body-builder, but she faces more than physical challenges in her native Jordan, where social prejudice sits uneasily with this strange brand of feminism

Jordanian body-builder Farah Malhass poses for a photo at a gym in Amman. Malhass is set on winning notoriety as a body-builder, but she faces more than physical challenges in her native Jordan, where social prejudice sits uneasily with this strange brand of feminism.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Emirati national Elham Al-Qasimi demonstrates her strength by pulling a car in Dubai April 8, 2010. Having trained in Australia, France and the United Kingdom, the former investment banker hopes to be the first Arab woman to trek to the North Pole, and is scheduled to set off on the expedition on April 11th. REUTERS/Jumana ElHeloueh

Emirati national Elham Al-Qasimi is interviewed in Dubai April 8, 2010. Having trained in Australia, France and the United Kingdom, the former investment banker hopes to be the first Arab woman to trek to the North Pole. Al-Qasimi is scheduled to set off on the expedition on April 11th. The Burj Khalifa is seen in the background. REUTERS/Jumana ElHeloueh

Emirati national Elham Al-Qasimi reacts after pulling a car to demonstrate her strength in Dubai April 8, 2010. Having trained in Australia, France and the United Kingdom, the former investment banker hopes to be the first Arab woman to trek to the North Pole. Al-Qasimi is scheduled to set off on the expedition on April 11th. REUTERS/Jumana ElHeloueh

DUBAI:

(Yahoo.news.photos)


SAUDI ARABIA

A man cleans outside a house next to a pile of cars in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on November 29 following a flash flood. Saudi King Abdullah hascalled for the prosecution of an unstated number of officials and businessmen after a flood in Jeddah last year killed at least 123 people and sparked a rare outburst of public anger. (AFP/File)

MALAYSIA

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail arrive at the courthouse in Kuala Lumpur May 10, 2010. REUTERS/Samsul Said

Fact file on Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. The young man who has accused Anwar of sodomising him has confirmed that he met with the primeminister shortly before the incident allegedly took place

INDIA

An Indian soldier stands guard as a Kashmiri woman and a child walk along a deserted street in Srinagar. A security lockdown and general strike calledby lawyers in Indian-ruled Kashmir on Monday shut shops, schools and offices in the revolt-hit region. (AFP/Rouf Bhat)

LEBANON

A driver offers a lift to a Lebanese woman as she walks in a street in Dbayeh, north of Beirut. In a country considered to be one of the most "westernised"in the Arab world, there are no laws in Lebanon to punish acts of sexual harassment, to which many women fall victims.

AFGHANISTAN
THE OTHER SIDE OF AFGHANISTAN



MUSLIMS AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Violence and censorship define Middle East movie ...
Palestinian film makers have made waves recently at Cannes, including Arab Israeli Elia Suleiman last year with "The Time That Remains" and in the previous year, Gaza-born Rashid Masharawi (pictured in 2008) with "Laila's Birthday" and Bethlehem-born Annemarie Jacir for "Salt of This Sea". (AFP/File/Rafa Rivas)

Palestinian film makers have made waves recently at Cannes, including Arab Israeli Elia Suleiman (pictured in 2009) last year with "The Time That Remains" and in the previous year, Gaza-born Rashid Masharawi with "Laila's Birthday" and Bethlehem-born Annemarie Jacir for "Salt of This Sea".«

Iran, which can claim one of the region's most distinguished filmmaking traditions, is represented at Cannes this year by its celebrated director and 1997 Palme d'Or winner Abbas Kiarostami (pictured in 2009) with "Copie Conforme" (Certified Copy), shot in Italy and starring Juliette Binoche. (AFP/File/Haider Shah)

AFRICA

(Ed Note: ANOTHER DEVIOUS EXPLOITATION IN THE NAME OF ISLAM. Muslims should condemn the exploitation of children called "Talibe" who supposedly are students learning Holy Quran but are forced to beg on the streets)

A young "talibe" child begs in Dakar. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has denounced the abuse in Senegal of tens of thousands of children forced to beg and subject every day to "conditions akin to slavery", mainly in the name of religion. (AFP/File/Georges Gobet)

SOMALIA

(Ed Note: While the Muslims in Somalia violate the peace loving principles of Islam and fight with each other, the most affected of course are our Muslim sisters and children)

Somali refugees gathering at a registration center at the Dadaab camp in northeastern Kenya, where Somalis fleeing violence in their capital, Mogadishu,continued to flock, 2008. The UN refugee agency has warned that another 315,000 people are likely to flee their homes in Somalia this year as the flow of refugees and displaced people grows faster than expected. (AFP/File/Tony Karumba)

(Ed Note: OPPRESSION CONTINUES IN EGYPT)

Egypt extends emergency law for two years:

US Secretary of State complains of Egypt's extension ... A demonstrator holds a banner showing a skeleton, with writing in Arabic reading 'The people of Egypt' next to a hangman's noose, with writing in Arabicreading 'Emergency', in front of a line of riot police at a demonstration held against the nearly 30-year old emergency laws in front of the parliament building in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, May 11, 2010. Egypt's government called Tuesday for a two-year extension of the country's controversial emergency law which has been in place since 1981 and gives police wide powers of arrest, but with some new limitations on police powers. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An Egyptian protester (R) holds a sign which reads in Arabic "My age is 21 years of emergency" during a demonstration outside the parliamentbuilding in downtown Cairo against th extension of emergency laws in the country, organized by the banned Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition groups. Egypt's parliament voted to extend the state of emergency by a further two years. (AFP/Khaled Desouki)

Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif is seen addressing the parliament in Cairo. Egypt's parliament voted on Tuesday to extend the state of emergencyin place for three decades by a further two years despite sharp criticism by rights groups and opponents. (AFP)

Egyptian protesters stand on a security fence under the watchful eyes of the riot police during a demonstration, organized by the banned Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition groups, outside the parliament building in downtown Cairo. Egypt's parliament voted to extend the state of emergency in place for three decades by a further two years despite sharp criticism by rights groups and opponents

MATRIMONIAL AD:

A 32 year old, Indian born, Muslim who is currently a MAJOR in the UNITED STATES AIR FORCE is looking for a life partner who is a simple, down-to-earth practicing Muslima, who cherishes close family values and has at least a Bachelor's degree. If interested, please contact amyusuf786@gmail.com.


The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"When a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion, so let him fear Allah regarding the remaining half."

"WIFE IN MARRIAGE" Quotes:

1- The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"If Allah grants a Muslim a righteous wife, this helps him preserve half of his religion (faith). He should, therefore, fear Allah as regards the other half."

( Marriage quotes from At-Tabarani and Al-Hakim)

2- The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"The whole world is pleasure, and the best pleasure of the world is the righteous woman.”

( Quotes on marriage from Muslim)

3- The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Four things bring one joy: a righteous wife, a spacious house, a pious neighbor and a comfortable riding animal."

( Quotes on marriage from Al-Hakim, Abu-Nu`aym and Al-Bayhaqi)

4- The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

`The most perfect believer in faith is the one whose character is finest and who is kindest to his wife.' ( Quotes on marriage from Tirmidhi and Nasa'i)

THE END