Sunday, April 17, 2005
Muslim Tartars
I really do want to rant about exams but I've decided not to. You may ask why? Mainly because everyone has them and the last thing they want is to hear other people complain about it.
For those who think they know everything about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, be ready to get shocked. Watch the four videos, a documentary by PBS (highly recommended)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/israel/view/
I read an interesting article the other day and thought to share it with everyone:
"The Muslim Tartars have been in Poland for centuries and there are an estimated 4,000 residing in the country today, occupying a handful of towns. There are of course immigrant communities in Poland as well, but they are not the ones whose history I am tracing today.
The mosques in the settlements of Bohoniki and Kruszyniany were built over 300 years ago when King Jan III Sobieski gave land to the Muslim Tartar officers and soldiers of the Tartarian Company in exchange for back pay.
After I took some photos, the driver in a gesture of compassion, indicated with hand signals that he would approach the nearby houses to find someone, anyone. A few moments later, a large, Polish, Tartar-looking lady with a huge smile and dressed in three-quarter length jeans and a hat emerged from a nearby home. The driver informed her that I was a visiting “American” (must have been my accent), and that I spoke no Polish. She was kind enough to open the mosque for me, while at the same time, a Polish couple who had strayed into the village thought to go inside and take a look as well.
While unlocking the door, the lovely middle aged lady decided that her dress wasn't quite appropriate and donned a jilbab (long Arab-style coat) and a head scarf that are widely available in Poland and notoriously famous. As she progressed to giving us a brief introduction of the history of the mosque and the Muslims in Poland, I looked around.
The 19th century mosque had a cozy atmosphere and whilst I didn't understand a word the lady spoke, the fact that she took the time to explain to the other tourists the history of the Muslims in Poland, followed by a short introduction to Islam, suggests to me that while we couldn’t communicate in this life, she will undoubtedly be one of the people of Paradise, by the Mercy of God."
It is mind blowing if you think about what she does. She lives in pretty much the middle of nowhere, with no real contact with any Muslims and yet has the decency to dress appropriately while entering the mosque!!!!!
I did a good deed the other day and some people whom I knew saw me doing it. They praised me and I felt like the next Salahuddin!!!!!! And here this lady is introducing people to Islam in this remote corner of the world and she would in all likelihood get no recognition whatsoever.................atleast in this world.......
"So, he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it" (al-Zalzala verse:07)
(meaning every good deed, no matter how small, will not be forgotten)
For those who think they know everything about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, be ready to get shocked. Watch the four videos, a documentary by PBS (highly recommended)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/israel/view/
I read an interesting article the other day and thought to share it with everyone:
"The Muslim Tartars have been in Poland for centuries and there are an estimated 4,000 residing in the country today, occupying a handful of towns. There are of course immigrant communities in Poland as well, but they are not the ones whose history I am tracing today.
The mosques in the settlements of Bohoniki and Kruszyniany were built over 300 years ago when King Jan III Sobieski gave land to the Muslim Tartar officers and soldiers of the Tartarian Company in exchange for back pay.
After I took some photos, the driver in a gesture of compassion, indicated with hand signals that he would approach the nearby houses to find someone, anyone. A few moments later, a large, Polish, Tartar-looking lady with a huge smile and dressed in three-quarter length jeans and a hat emerged from a nearby home. The driver informed her that I was a visiting “American” (must have been my accent), and that I spoke no Polish. She was kind enough to open the mosque for me, while at the same time, a Polish couple who had strayed into the village thought to go inside and take a look as well.
While unlocking the door, the lovely middle aged lady decided that her dress wasn't quite appropriate and donned a jilbab (long Arab-style coat) and a head scarf that are widely available in Poland and notoriously famous. As she progressed to giving us a brief introduction of the history of the mosque and the Muslims in Poland, I looked around.
The 19th century mosque had a cozy atmosphere and whilst I didn't understand a word the lady spoke, the fact that she took the time to explain to the other tourists the history of the Muslims in Poland, followed by a short introduction to Islam, suggests to me that while we couldn’t communicate in this life, she will undoubtedly be one of the people of Paradise, by the Mercy of God."
It is mind blowing if you think about what she does. She lives in pretty much the middle of nowhere, with no real contact with any Muslims and yet has the decency to dress appropriately while entering the mosque!!!!!
I did a good deed the other day and some people whom I knew saw me doing it. They praised me and I felt like the next Salahuddin!!!!!! And here this lady is introducing people to Islam in this remote corner of the world and she would in all likelihood get no recognition whatsoever.................atleast in this world.......
"So, he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it" (al-Zalzala verse:07)
(meaning every good deed, no matter how small, will not be forgotten)
Faraz Ahmed 8:19 p.m.