A Weaker U.S in Egypt

As the Arab Spring goes on, blowing the winds of revolution on more Arab countries the position of the U.S becomes weaker and its policy makers panic.

And as the recommendations of various academics and scholars of social sciences -who tried to bridge the gap between these two civilizations apologetically or not highlighted the importance of dialogue- were overlooked as naive and useless, overlooked with arrogance. Now the U.S is seeking dialogue with the new big boys. Namely the Islamists.

Washington has on several occasions gestured that it would like to talk with the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. The EU too on another note has invited the biggest Salafi political party in Egypt to its headquarters in Brussels to "get to know each other".

Sure Islamists generally have reacted positively by stating its positive step from Washington however, no one is thrilled. One of the Muslim Brotherhood spokesman on Aljazeera slammed the U.S and strongly denounced its previous foreign policy, saying that the U.S's global leadership is based on violence, use of force and oppression.

What is There to Discuss ?

Clinton said as she spoke about some dialogue occurring with members of the Muslim Brotherhood that the dialogue: "will continue to emphasize the importance of and support for democratic principles, and especially a commitment to nonviolence, respect for minority rights, and the full inclusion of women in any democracy. You cannot leave out half the population and claim that you are committed to democracy".

Non-violence would most likely refer to some sort of disassociation with Hamas, and committing to peace with Israel. Minority rights obviously to Copts and perhaps tolerance to some of the fishy political practice of the Pope. It could also mean including Copts in the Army, Police,National security and other institutions Copts were variously not included in. Women perhaps was just an ornamental addition to her speech as the Muslim Brotherhood have no objections in women political participation.

The gap between the interests of Islamists and the U.S is huge. What is there to discuss ?

Hamas will be a future topic.

Iran Containment (which is already ongoing)
and any other sensitive topic, which both entities stand on opposite ends with.

I highly doubt the Muslim Brotherhood will simply comply with the U.S on containing Iran, or on any regional politics unless there is mutual interest.

U.S Policies;

The U.S will try to attract the mellow fringe members of Muslim Brotherhood and try to empower them and give them some sort of platform to engage from. Which will be extremely difficult as the Muslim Brotherhood is highly knit and if any of its members acts alone he or she is basically severing them self from the group.

The U.S is trying to empower secularist and liberalist groups, The U.S has already spent millions of dollars on "democratization" which i doubt will continue to do so, as the Military council, the government, Islamists and public opnion/ the revolution is disgusted by it. And the seemingly innocent statement by the current Ambassador of the U.S to Cairo's about giving 40 million dollaars to "support democracy" was met with rage and government formed committees to stop such practice. Either way even if the money keeps flowing it will not undermine Islamists in Egypt.

The Constitution First Campaign.
The U.S has been heavily involved from the start in pushing for a constitution first so that there is more time for secularists and liberalists to gather, harness and mobilize supporters against Islamists. Before the referendum (over accepting the constitutional amendments or rejecting them) the U.S almost tied its aid to pushing for the constitution first, before parliamentary and then presidential elections.

The American Chamber of Commerce also organized a conference with News Paper Al Masry Al Youm (which is owned by a Coptic Billionare Naguib Sawiris currently being investigated for corruption charges) strongly arguing in favor of a constitution first.

The referendum was made and 77% of over 16 million voters approved it. However did the calls for the making a new constitution first stop ? No! they kept ongoing and the U.S kept funding the campaign "Ad-Dustoor Awalan", "The Constitution First", Money was also provided by Sawiris.

All in Vain

Today no one has given any attention to the "constitution first", and it has become no longer heard of. There was a previous Friday in Tahrir Square organized by those calling for this campaign some of them even used slogans against Israel to try and harness more support, in the end only a few thousand people showed up.

On the 8th of July and as the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafis and other Islamists said they will participate in the friday of "The Revolution First".Protestors are over a million if not hundreds of thousands.

The U.S is still active on the Economic front through the IMF and using other methods to keep Egypt weaker, however on the grassroots level the U.S has failed miserably. Islamists are going very strong, the Muslim Brotherhood is very organized other Islamists are catching up, the U.S will be unable to anything about it, but try to engage in "dialogue".

How much will you go ?

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Alhamdullelah I know I am very fortunate, but I also know I have stuck to my ideals, and somehow, even though I can be a horrible Muslim at times, Allah has helped me out. I have never done anything to harm anyone, nor sugarcoat anything unworthy of praise. I have had a friend told me that,,, that I am living up to my ideals, and I have not worked at a single place that cannot accommodate that.

I have always been outspoken, and never backed down in a debate, even if it is very controversial or potentially standing up for the "bad guys".

My advice to you in general and specifically if you are going into media, politics, NGOs etc. is that dont work for scumbags, dont work for embassies. I was once naive enough to think that if you work for the American embassy you can really show them that "Islamists" are not terrorists, that we love freedom just as anyone else, that if they can see that shariah is not horrible and that Islam is a true message of justice, peace and mercy.

Yet you alone cannot change the work of institutions, you are just a lowering ranking employee that can change nothing in the bigger picture, sure you can show that Arabs and Muslims are just as human like anyone else but that doesnt save a rat's ass.

Do not call someone a terrorist if they are not, dont stand up for the oppressors and abide by all their discourses, sure Muslims wrong others too, but dont make that obscure the bigger picture, that the Ummah is oppressed.

unfortunately those willing to compromise so much, do not start with that, its first "small" things" such as not praying on time so that people dont know you practice Islam, or you shave your beard or not wear hijab at all, or you attend parties or gatherings with drinking and so on.

Key is, you have done something other than for the sake of Allah, you have dignified other than Allah, and you have chosen to enslave yourself to the pleasure of others aconcerning you.

in the end all of this doesnt matter, in the end it is if you stand to up to Allah - who needs you not- and to this Ummah, and to the weak and oppressed, that you can find peace in yourself, and the assistance of Allah, those who debate you can talk trash all they want, yet when you confront them, they will back down, if not- rarely the case- you still know where you stand and you aint moving.

It is sickining how much people change as a result of wishful thinking, that they can actually change something by working for oppressive institutions, or engaging in a conference which the info that comes out of ultimately leads to the undermining of the Ummah. In the end you are pathetic, you can never be one of them nor you are of the Ummah. You become a despicable uncle tom, sure they might laugh with you, but they know you are a piece of shi* for selling out your own people. The more you stay in it the more you will need a radical shift in lifestyle to cure your illness, and so as anything in life which is wong.

remember that you are the slave of Allah, and Allah accepts only those who are pure and do actions only for his sake. Yet there are others too in this world who stand for their ideals not necessarily Muslim, yet they are better than you, they stood for their ideals and stood up for what they saw as just, and you saw the truth and stood for falsehood. fear Allah and say nothing bu the truth......... how much will you go...?? make the right turn and stand for righteousness

Week of Dieting

Am Back to Dieting alhamdullelah, since I stopped shortly after the revolution.

Its been almost a week, today is my cheat meal day,
pasta with alfredo sauce, mashed potatoes, meatballs and turkish meatballs and some sald

Just did my Cardio a bit late, on an empty stomach had my protein shake and a cup and a half of grind oatmeal, which is about 75 grams of carbs, I go to juma and hit shoulders traps and tris,

I have to do this for at least 2.5 months, see where it leads.

think am not getting enough calories as i often do a some out of office trips for work, thin i might add some protein and carbs, yesterday, I had a little less than kilogram of steak. felt so good !

اللهم إكفني بحلالك عن حرامك و بطاعتك عن معصيتك
و بفضلك عن من سواك
اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن تكلني لنفسي طرفة عين
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من سوء القضاء و شماتة الأعداء
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من غلبة الدين و من قهر الرجال
اللهم إني أسئلك عيش السعداء و نزل الشهداء
و مرافقة الأنبياء و النصر على الأعداء
اللهم حبب إلي الإيمان و زينه في قلبي
و كره إلي الكفر و الفسوق و الأعصيان
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الكفر و النفاق و الضلال
اللهم إني أسئلك التقوى و العفاف و الهدى
اللهم إجعلني عبدا شكورا صابرا محتسبا
اللهم إجعلني من عبادك المقربين
اللهم إغفر لي و إعفوا عني و إرحمني
و ثبتني على الحق المبين لا مبدل و لا مداهن للكافرين
اللهم لا مولى لي سواك و لا رب لي سواك و لا قدير سواك
اللهم لا تطردني عن جنابك فأكون من الخاسرين
اللهم إني هالك إلا برحمتك فلا تطردني من رحمتك
اللهم أنت ربي و أن عبدك الفقير
فأتني من جودك و كرمك يا رب العالمين
اللهم بيض وجهي يوم ألقاك و إجعل خير أعمالي خواتيمها
و إجعل كلامة أشهد أن لا إله إلا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله اخر كلامي
سبحانك رب العزة عن ما يصفون
و سلام على المرسلين
و الحمد لله رب العلمين

They asked me how I built my Traps and I Shrugged

Life

alhamdullelah, good stuff going on, good plans, projects, busy, busy, busy; no moe specifics on blog.

It seems sticking to your ideals, is not as easy as you do in university, but I cant see myself kissing butt or doing something I dont like, or working for a cause contradictory to mine. Good things are happening in Egypt, inshaAllah its going very well, and people like me will have a big say in what goes on and the track this country will take.

bodybuilding
So I have been able to pull of 60kg dumbbells (132pounds) in each hand and shrugged them 8 reps.
Since I stopped the diet right before the revolution I ballooned, still fit in my "motivation jeans" though my wife got for me. So I guess I should start dieting again all the way.

Politics

:)

Ibn Taymiyah; the Arabic Language.

قال الامام ابن تيمية: « إنّ اللغةَ العربيّةَ من الدِّين، ومعرفتُها فرضٌ وواجبٌ، فإنَّ فهم الكِتابِ والسُّنةِ فرضٌ، ولا يُفْهمُ إلاّ باللغةِ العربيةِ، وما لا يتُّمُ الواجبُ إلاّ بهِ فهو واجبٌ » .وقوله أيضاً: « وليس أثر اعتياد اللغة الفصحى مقصوراً على اللسان ، بل يتعمق حتى يؤثر في العقل والخلق والدين تأثيرا قوياً بيِّناً، ويؤثر أيضاً في مشابهة صدر هذه الأمة من الصحابة والتابعين، ومشابهتهم تزيد العقل والدين والخلق»

Imam Ibn Taymiyah: " The Arabic language is part of the Religion (deen)and knowing it is mandatory (fard). For understanding the book (Quran) and Sunnah is fard and are not understood without knowing the Arabic language. And whatever is required to complete a must (wajib) itself is a wajib." and also said: " The effect/consequence of getting accustomed to classical/ fus-ha Arabic is not only limited to the tongue, but its effect is profound on the mind, manners and deen; an effect which is clear, and it also affects the imitation of the first generation of this Ummah; Sahaba and Tabien, and their imitation increases the mind, deen and manners. "

Note than Imam Ibn Taymiyah was not an Arab, rather was a Kurd. May Allah have mercy on him.

New Bench-Press Record !

Allahu Akbar !

It was insane, just bench pressed 298 pounds (135kg) for 8 reps ! MAshaALLLAAH! haha
I need to go for 145g 8 reps I think I ll do that inshaALlah in like a month if I keep it up! which is three plates on each side, considering I still never did steroids thats pretty solid.

Alhamdullelah awesome day especially that I wasnt planning at all to improve my bench press.

You betta recognie!