Thoughts 2021

[Abu_Zahra]

@El Cid we don't base our guidelines on what other religions or sects do. Rather we take them from the Qur'an and the Ahlulbayt (عليه السلام). 

I intend this in a general sense (not referring specifically to any one incident, rather the mindset that if x can do something then why can't y)

[El Cid]

7 minutes ago, Mahdavist said:

@El Cid we don't base our guidelines on what other religions or sects do. Rather we take them from the Qur'an and the Ahlulbayt (عليه السلام). 

I intend this in a general sense (not referring specifically to any one incident, rather the mindset that if x can do something then why can't y)

But that's the thing. If X can do something halal but stops Y from doing something halal. Then this is just fear tactics. But anyway I don't want this to turn into the discussion about that movie etc. We have discussed it enough.

I just wanted to share something disturbing I saw in my youtube recommendations. this is what i hate about youtube honestly. You look up one thing related to Shi'a Islam.

The next day youtube suggestions show up about lectures from salafis, Mufti Menk, Haroon rashid dramas, Ibn Arabi and all these people despite having no connection with Shiasm. Time to clear my cookies again.

Edited January 24, 2021 by El Cid

[hasanhh]

Several times these last few days, l cIick on a topic, wait and Shi'a Matrimaniac pops up.

l was thinking, is this some kind of S.C plot to torment this old dotard?

Added: Yeah, this is a complaint.

Edited January 25, 2021 by hasanhh

[Guest]

[hasanhh]

l was summarizing some news and info about C-19. How politicized it has become, how superstitious some reactions are, and how frivolous most of the talk is.

My thought: for a Western 'civilization' that built up both academic and scientific traditions, this is kinda sad.

[Haji 2003]

[Berber-Shia]

stock market is going crazy!

[Laayla]

Bismehe Ta3ala 

Assalam Alikum 

Sister @Hameedeh

Did you update the calendar?

In a few days will be the birth of Sayyida Fatemeh az zahra.

The Beloved Daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him & his family)with titles of Umm-ul-Aimma / Umm-e-Abiha

Birth date:- 20th Jamadi us thani - Medina

In half a month, the blessed month of Rajab will begin.

M3 Salamah, FE AMIN ALLAH 

[Hameedeh]

11 minutes ago, Laayla said:

Bismehe Ta3ala 

Assalam Alikum 

Sister @Hameedeh

Did you update the calendar?

In a few days will be the birth of Sayyida Fatemeh az zahra.

Salam. If you check my profile, I updated that calendar event last Monday.

https://www.shiachat.com/forum/calendar/event/689-jumada-al-akhira-20-birth-anniversary-of-fatima-zahra-as/

 

[hasanhh]

1 hour ago, Berber-Shia said:

stock market is going crazy!

Robinhood, Schwab and AME have stopped-trading for buying Blackberry, Game-Stop and a couple of other stocks -which when l last checked <10minutes ago were down 33 and more percent. People can sell on the retail market but not buy -which the hedge funds can buy on other markets and desks.

Both A.0.C ( "____ how l dislike her"), Sen Ted Cruz, Donald Trump JR, Pocahontas, and several others are really vocal about this.

As a l-will-not-cite-this-article-on-a-popular-website-because-it-uses-an-obscenity report commented, (paraphrase) "You really messed-up when these people are on the same side."

At last report on Rush Limbaugh, the hedge funds are on the hook for over $70 BBillion.

l expect massive selling tomorrow because of this and the options trading which has been setting stock prices for a decade has finally hit the sell-button.

[notme]

Anyone else find it ironic that a company called Robin Hood took measures to prevent the poor from taking money from the rich? 

[hasanhh]

Follow-up

 Quote from article: "democratizing finance has been our guiding star since our earliest days."

Comment: ln the corporate financial world those with the most shares (and money) in the entity have the most votes.

https://www.dw.com/en/robinhood-trade-restrictions-prompt-anger-after-reddit-rally-upended-stock-markets/a-56377180 

ln the video, the "short squeeze" is shown. The "squeezed" are the short sellers who face a climbing stock because the Exchange Rules are that every stock shorted must be covered (with shares owned).

[notme]

I don't know anything about stocks, and I really don't care to, but I think giving these rich people some worries will do them good, and people are having fun for a change. I just hope nobody puts more money in than they can afford to lose, because they're ultimately going to lose. The stock market is gambling and when it comes to gambling the dealer always wins in the end. 

[hasanhh]

18 hours ago, hasanhh said:

Robinhood, Schwab and T.D.Ameritrade have stopped-trading

Name corrected.

[hasanhh]

27 minutes ago, notme said:

I just hope nobody puts more money in than they can afford to lose, because they're ultimately going to lose.

Here is a good example:  Three Days ago, well into the "short squeeze", 26Jan21 https://www.barrons.com/articles/another-gamestop-here-are-the-next-10-most-shorted-small-caps-51611688092 

Why this pump-and-dump?

Because Exchange Rules mandate every short position is "covered" by ownership of shares. So, if anyone buys any of these stocks now, the short sellers will sell both sides. Their short position at a likely loss and their share position at a profit.

Simple. Right?

[notme]

3 hours ago, hasanhh said:

Simple. Right?

Probably simple to those who are interested but it may as well be in another language to me. 

[hasanhh]

lf France24's broadcast is accurate, Robinhood has "shored-up" its finances by selling, got a line of credit from the banks (l kinda know the Fed is guaranteeing this to avoid another LTCM catastrophe) and a reverse dividend for an intial total of $1+ BBillion.

To alleviate "public angry", the online trading firms are now allowing "amateur investors" to buy 1 share per day.  to the Nth

[El Cid]

Youtube suggested this one video to me today:

I honestly got second hand embarrassment from this video. Like I know the intentions are good and all but this is the image Salafis/Sunnis want to portray of the Shi'a as people who just sit around doing this all day instead of being great intellectuals and followers of the Ahyle-Bayt(عليه السلام)

[Abu_Zahra]

@El Cid my main concern on what you have posted is less to do with what others may think, but more to do with our own teachings and guidelines from which I believe we have deviated as a society. 

There seems to be much more emphasis on later practices than the original practices. The narrations of our imams, on the rare occasion that they are presented, are often brushed aside in favor of popular trends and behaviours.

 

More specifically about the video: each place and era has it's methods of expression. Perhaps this may have been the norm in a certain century in certain regions, but in our day and age and in most of our societies this is unlikely to be relatable to people (except those who have digested it as a tradition). 

In reality such trends have only chased people away from religious gatherings and events, and sadly in some cases from religion altogether, because instead of explaining to these people that this expression is cultural they were told that it is religious.

We have lost sight of the 'means' and 'ends'. 

The rememberance of Aba Abdillah (عليه السلام) and his exemplary sacrifice is a means to guidance and inspiration. Sadly some have forgotten the ends and remained stuck in their own adaptations of these means (very few of which can be authentically traced back to the imams). 

[El Cid]

5 minutes ago, Mahdavist said:

@El Cid my main concern on what you have posted is less to do with what others may think, but more to do with our own teachings and guidelines from which I believe we have deviated as a society. 

There seems to be much more emphasis on later practices than the original practices. The narrations of our imams, on the rare occasion that they are presented, are often brushed aside in favor of popular trends and behaviours.

 

More specifically about the video: each place and era has it's methods of expression. Perhaps this may have been the norm in a certain century in certain regions, but in our day and age and in most of our societies this is unlikely to be relatable to people (except those who have digested it as a tradition). 

In reality such trends have only chased people away from religious gatherings and events, and sadly in some cases from religion altogether, because instead of explaining to these people that this expression is cultural they were told that it is religious.

We have lost sight of the 'means' and 'ends'. 

The rememberance of Aba Abdillah (عليه السلام) and his exemplary sacrifice is a means to guidance and inspiration. Sadly some have forgotten the ends and remained stuck in their own adaptations of these means (very few of which can be authentically traced back to the imams). 

I agree with all you have said but we should take special care of what others may think of us because these are the types of videos used in propaganda against Shi'as and turn people against the Shi'a which results in people not caring for the oppression of Shi'as. Our speakers should know this and not do such things. If I'm not mistaken, I once read something like this whilst looking up hadith of Imam Ali(عليه السلام). Imam Ali(عليه السلام) may have said that during the infancy of Islam, Prophet(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) use to tell his followers to keep their appearance in check and youthful by dyeing hair so they don't resemble jews and Muslims appear attractive. Forgive me if these words are incorrect for I don't remember the exact words but this seemed to be the message for my understanding. But if the words and meaning are correct, then I can say that keeping up appearances is something that is important when it comes to religion and how people perceive that religion.

[El Cid]

1 hour ago, Mahdavist said:

 

 

More specifically about the video: each place and era has it's methods of expression. Perhaps this may have been the norm in a certain century in certain regions

I had the same suspicion once though I think that the Shaitan could've also caused this particular innovation. He has introduced many innovations including idol worship into humanity. It wouldn't be surprising that He started this Matam business by ensnaring a group of people to do this by telling them it's the right way to mourn or he could've taken a human form himself and started doing this.

Allah(سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows best.

[Abu_Zahra]

3 hours ago, El Cid said:

Forgive me if these words are incorrect for I don't remember the exact words but this seemed to be the message for my understanding

If I recall correctly it was in the context of a battle. The prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) advised the elder members of the army to dye their hair and appear more youthful as a military strategy against their opponent.

Regarding your point, I think if we align our gatherings and behaviour with the teachings of the Qur'an and the Ahlulbayt then by default our image will be appropriate. 

[Abu_Zahra]

1 hour ago, El Cid said:

I had the same suspicion once though I think that the Shaitan could've also caused this particular innovation. He has introduced many innovations including idol worship into humanity. It wouldn't be surprising that He started this Matam business by ensnaring a group of people to do this by telling them it's the right way to mourn or he could've taken a human form himself and started doing this.

Allah(سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows best.

I don't the main issue is with different forms of mourning. The issue appears when people believe that the form they are familiar with is the one and only template, whereas this form is only a vehicle and not the objective itself.

In some societies and eras beating yourself might have been a normal and relatable method. Today I believe this is often not the case, yet some Shi'a from immigrant backgrounds seem to think that their main religious duty is to export their cultural rituals to the rest of the world, and that anyone who doesn't partake in them is somehow religiously deficient.

[hasanhh]

On 1/28/2021 at 11:53 AM, Berber-Shia said:

stock market is going crazy!

 

23 hours ago, notme said:

but I think giving these rich people some worries will do them good, and people are having fun for a change.

Now that the "independent media" has mouthed the David vs. Goliath story for the remainder of the week, here is who really made the money:

https://www.investors.com/etfs-and-funds/sectors/gme-stock-gamestop-investors-instantly-make-16-billion-gamestop-stock-squeeze/ 

A 3 minute read

[El Cid]

8 hours ago, Mahdavist said:

If I recall correctly it was in the context of a battle. The prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) advised the elder members of the army to dye their hair and appear more youthful as a military strategy against their opponent.

Regarding your point, I think if we align our gatherings and behaviour with the teachings of the Qur'an and the Ahlulbayt then by default our image will be appropriate. 

I don't recall the hadith mentioning any battle. It just said during Islam's early years.

8 hours ago, Mahdavist said:

I don't the main issue is with different forms of mourning. The issue appears when people believe that the form they are familiar with is the one and only template, whereas this form is only a vehicle and not the objective itself.

In some societies and eras beating yourself might have been a normal and relatable method. Today I believe this is often not the case, yet some Shi'a from immigrant backgrounds seem to think that their main religious duty is to export their cultural rituals to the rest of the world, and that anyone who doesn't partake in them is somehow religiously deficient.

Though you're right about everything. Innovations being a part of satanic influence is a personal theory of mine. On the DOJ, All truths will be revealed. Innovations attached to different sects being a part of satan's work would be one of the biggest plot twists in the history of humanity. Imagine the shock of people who would come to know what they were doing was righteous was part of a scheme of Satan. I wouldn't put this past satan, He's a master of deception.

Anyway. My general rule of innovation is that if I don't see any Holy Personality doing it, then it's probably just something that stuck from somewhere for example I can't see Imam Sajjad(عليه السلام) acting the way they speaker is in that video. Instead He(عليه السلام) turned his grief into worship and that's why His(عليه السلام) title is Imam Sajjad(عليه السلام). 

Though, a personal observation from my side into these things is that it's like some general rule that the last 10-15 minutes of the Majlis has to be about the speaker telling an emotional story. It's like some unsaid rule that "Look if you're a speaker, you have to cry and wail in sadness whilst telling this story". I've often seen people criticizing speakers who do not cry whilst reciting a painful event. As for the speakers who do cry and wail in the last minutes, the whole thing looks more like performance art or job requirement rather than sincerity because the whole one hour they were talking with a serious face, making a joke or two here and there in between, keeping it light hearted or very serious depending on the topic. And suddenly as soon as the lights go off in the Majlis, they shift from all that light heartedness or seriousness to sadness. I don't know what's in the hearts and minds of people so I can't be for sure, this is just an observation. 

[Abu_Zahra]

@El Cid, all good points brother. In general as a community I think over the next few years we need to take the time to reflect, analyze and re-evaluate ourselves, our priorities and our habits vs the fundamentals and objectives of our faith.

How are we tackling poverty and illiteracy as a community? Are our youth safe from drugs, alcohol and pornography? How central are the Qur'an and the Ahlulbayt in our daily lives? Etc..

[Quran313]

Iranian Quran Reciter

 

 

[hasanhh]

On 1/28/2021 at 11:53 AM, Berber-Shia said:

stock market is going crazy!

l saw a few moments ago, an advertisement to be an investor in lnvesco. l thought this was a stock, but after looking it up l found out two things: 1] it is the 6th largest mutual fund; and 2] there is a 25% change of it going out of business as of its last financial disclosure -while for all US stocks the chance is 37%.

[Laayla]

What type of cake would you want done?

 

[hasanhh]

57 minutes ago, Laayla said:

What type of cake would you want done?

My boots are caked in mud. She can cake them in polish for me.

Clarification: Cleaned first. Polish over mud probably will not look 'right.'

Edited February 1, 2021 by hasanhh
clarification

[El Cid]

BBQ sauce is so amazing. I can't get enough of it.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Laayla said:

What type of cake would you want done?

I appreciate all the hard work they put into these but I want my cakes to look like cakes. Cakes looking like Shoes, toilet rolls,  animals, electrical appliances are not my thing. While they look good on social media some of them are simply uninviting for something edible, like why on the earth would one want to bite into a real looking toilet roll? For Others- it doesn't give the full experience of enjoying food, like if I want to eat a sandwich or pomegranate I will eat something that not only looks like a pomegranate but also smells like pomegranate and tastes like pomegranate. I don't know, maybe I am weird but my brain can't the whole fulfilling experience. After eating a slice of sandwich looking cake I would probably go looking for sandwich looking like sandwich followed by tiramisu that lookes like tiramisu to satisfy the visual aspects related to food.

Again, I understand the hard work and dedication that goes into this but it's just not my piece of cake. :P 

[hasanhh]

3 hours ago, starlight said:

Cakes looking like Shoes, toilet rolls,  animals, electrical appliances are not my thing.

 "They were to ME !  For my third birthday l wanted a rabbit cake. l can still see my Mom and our babysitter trying to mold the ears to stand up before baking it. lt was the inverse of milking a cow is how they did it. l have the picture somewhere when it is on the table. Then on my fourth birthday, l wanted an elephant cake. Mom said years later that this animal was easy to do. Later that year, a sister of mine wanted a "horsie cake." So Mom got stuck doing that one. lt didn't stand up properly . . . kinda down on its knees. After that she refused to do any more animals."

3 hours ago, starlight said:

After eating a slice of sandwich looking cake

DING !  "A cake sandwich" 

"Urgent, Send a Devil's Food cake sandwich. Add one pumpkin pie sandwich for desert."

Edited February 1, 2021 by hasanhh
clarification

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, hasanhh said:

For my third birthday l wanted a rabbit cake.

I am fine with those cute cartoon characters type of things but draw the line with realistic looking cakes. Would you really want to put a real looking cute bunny under the knife?

This is fine

 

This is NOT

 

[Guest]

Who would wanna eat this???