As the decade approaches a close
I dwell on the type of clothes I wore on my soul
on a host of different shows
at times I was bold but mostly unknown
open type of person like highway tolls
but never open like bi-way doors
in the dark of night try to grow some more in the light
of the year one-oh like a batch of dro
hope the new decade don't blow
most of the time im feelin so-so
not frequent to visit Soho
cuz I hear there's lots of hobos
then bounce like a yo-yo
mess with me that's a no-no
best watch your back if you're a foe that's on my bro yo
but seriously though
I'm not really trying to say anything with this rap
but its not like I'm saying its crap
everything I say is a craft and all I wanna convey is that
the past 10 years have gone too fast like a nap
there were some fun times
but many years felt like doing time
in other words the last word at the end of the 2nd line
in this verse and yea I know its not a curse
but it still hurts when you think about what you bring with you in the dirt
no time to dwell on that
cuz you can't bust a cap to the brain like Kurt
Cobain even though you feel the pain
you gotta look at the situation and really think again
about what you're blessed with, dressed with
the virtues you're possessed with
not just all the things you messed with
it'll be ok if you confessed it, with the Almighty
its the Message, read it and understand it
then go ahead with your plan kid
cuz nobody will figure this life out for you
you gotta read the cues and pay your dues
follow the rules and be that dude
no time to waste in being rude just brush it off
cuz the Lord wants to dwell in a heart that's soft
and clean ya know what I mean? So get your green
in the year 2010 but don't forget your friends
and if you wanna spread this message go ahead
with the copy and paste and hit send
and as for this rhyme its the end. Happy 2010!
Just kidding. Seriously though, I know that for the longest time I've turned my blog into this deposit for my creative writing (poems & raps) and haven't had a "real" blog post in a really long time. Part of that has to do with my being divided on what I should ultimately make this blog. (Well that and because I had actually started up a 2nd blog back in April but that was more for introspective, analytical, personal, and even professional content as compared to this one which is mostly for my creative juices to collect into half-gallon cartons to be sold on the market.
I know in my very first entry (I believe) I said I was going to make this a variety blog with all sorts of topics and surprises and I see how far from that idea I've strayed and I really would just like to apologize to those [few?] who actually [read?] my blog [lol?] or check up every now and then at least to see if I'm still (A:) alive (B:) crazy or (C:) creative. I hope that I can qwell your concerns by saying that I am still all three of these, by the grace of God. Soooo basically I'm writing this as a disclaimer and I guess as a cheezy promo for future posts, rants, and projects to come (once I finish my semester in approx. 3 weeks.) So please continue to stay tuned my loyal loonies! I love you all. -prisoner #786 (a.k.a Ruhudeen Ali a.k.a -yea right im not writing my real name ;p)
p.s- methinks Rolfina needs to come out for another stroll very soon....
Now ever since I learned the color scheme in the days of my pre-teens you taught me 'there'll be, a solution for everything except death' 'character is in your hands son, then comes respect' Mama, you always prepared me for the road ahead and you know your boy is prone to reflect but at times I'm confronted by challenges unmet cuz life's been throwing me left and right hooks I can't make it make sense even with the right books paths ahead of me not sure which one I took of saints and crooks I fear I might've mistook looking at the path with the less light even though I'm blessed right I'm shook, too obsessive over depressed nights unhealthy like pain from an abscess site at times left to feign like an actress might my dear Mama.
Feelin like a distressed knight but not dressed right with this broad sword in hand but no real plans and a righteous word but no mission that childhood you gave me I'm missin that kind of peace I was seekin through prayer and wishin in other words the 'religion of submission' but my prayers are like dissin cuz most of em are missing from lack of clear vision like I'm far-sighted but not distant I'm here sittin, feelin stricken by my thinkin cooking in the kitchen, sickened by my condition meanwhile people are climbing up positions passing me by, earning provisions cuz I'm on the road's shoulder I can't catch up cuz you see I got this stone boulder like everyone's burdens are dumped on my broad shoulders my face suggests the remnants of harsh torture narcissistic gone ballistic feelin hectic self-reproached at times with a death wish outside lookin plastic inside its drastic the walking contradiction, seeking to give reparation to the nations I'm seeing out-patients but inside I'm impatient my soul's derision results in self-infliction, and the absence of wisdom to better times got me reminiscing.
But with all this in the background do I still make you proud? Like when me and you go out and everybody shouts out a "Wow, wish my son could be like yours" they say "he's got that charm and good-boy sway" and all I can say is "oy vey" that's like dousing a wound with a soy sauce tray its like what they say they parlay and wager like im something major calling for my attention like a surgeon's pager Ma, I wanna do something major to make you proud but right now I feel lamer than the crowd knowing you want me to earn some titles like pronouns but I'm stuck in a showdown between aspirations and abilities spiritually, in-between taxation and tranquility One day I'm gonna earn my pay and with your prayers I'll find my way as a man and hold the hand of a fair maiden married with children, my dreams you contract em by your conversations with the Lord who enacts em the ultimatim - is to serve the both of you til adieu no matter how much I give for your love I can never make due Mama, I will always and forever love you.
Blank sheet, spare me your empty speech come to me instead with joyful glee tell me a story that's just about you and me take me across the world's seven seas without me having to say 'please.'
Show me the place of ideas again I don't care if its a lovely terrace or lonely shed for right now, my intelligence has fled I need to be where couplets are bred.
Endow me with inspirational thoughts accompany me on my lonely walks you should know me by now, my life you stalk but you cannot write me a word, like a broken chalk.
In days long past, you would send me gifts to my bed in my dreaming state couplets would dance 'round my head moments like this I did not have to dread wondering whether it's my brain or pen that is dead.
But now seeing you is no longer the same you and I together, it's no longer a game words strung together can only be so lame when spoken from apparent lack of pain.
I face you now with glimmering hope won't you lend me some colors from your kaleidoscope? In this chair and quiet solitude, only you are my host together there's no hoax, we must make this the most.
So now with pen I write fresh new lines hoping there's quotes for tomorrow's times of writing, an example that shines of a work I can claim as mine!
And now you are no longer blank the cogwheel of mind can do without the crank I wonder at times, if this was all your silly prank but I care not anymore, it is to you I owe my thanks.
As the world turns another day, I sit with my cup of tea while a thousand and one affairs take place across land, air, and sea but all I can do is stare at the beautiful scenery in front of me.
History saw the rise and fall of nations they've built the world's ancient wonders and now build space stations But I'm sitting here in a garden of impatiens sipping my tea, admiring their creations.
People change lives and the season changes leaves a woman accepted bribes, while a man today grieved a boy became a hero while his brother became a thief I am only here, lost in the greenery just me and my tea.
A tale of lovers somewhere blossomed, while some have ended somewhere a man himself amended I am still here with nothing to pretend there is so much in myself to which I must attend with me and my cup of tea.
Some rejoiced and became healthy today while others became sick and infected I am sitting here calm and collected with nothing to expect on this quiet deck only me and my tea.
A friend reached out, her friend retracted neighbors were peaceful while others over-reacted "Why are you so lazy ol' friend?" some are asking my tea is not yet finished, these thoughts they are distracting.
Soldiers fought a battle and lost their lives their platoon carried on the fight, pregnant were their wives I only sip tea until the sunset dives awaiting some kind of drive, hoping it arrives
Cities and nations gained and lost today people earned reward from self-restraint again others sinned, the lines they've crossed again I was here all day just thinking my thoughts as I finish up my tea and what remains.
The sun and moon traversed the sky a dog chased tail, traders struggled and failed a man told a lie while at home his beloved she wailed I am left to wonder for what purpose created was I?
Those who fought and struggled today who worked hard and earned their pay and at night with lover lay have not the time of day, like I to enjoy the aroma of Earl Grey.
But some they've laughed, others they've cried some were born and some have died some gave up and others continued and tried as I relaxed, the entire day went by without so much as having to swat a fly!
Night-time came and I rest my head lying there on my bed I realized the only thing I did all day was let out a long and heavy sigh with just me and my cup of tea....
I am the fewer among the few
I am the sewer you never knew
I am the blandness of taste
I am the place of gathered waste
I am the gong of broken bell
I am the well of sensual hell
I am the sting in moments of bliss
I am the abyss of apathy remiss
I am the wish you don't want to make
I am the example of mistake
I am the circuit's broken switch
I am the program's system glitch
I am the vacuum of vibrant energy
I am the heathen to holy clergy
I am the whore of receptivity
I am the door of impulsivity
I am the blood of dying victim
I am the lie of painted wisdom
I am the glue of the sealed heart
I am the pandora's box in mart
I am the clothes of prostitutes
I am the imbecile absolute
I am the obstacle to light
I am the darkness of the night
I am the grave of sincere tears
I am the slave of suffering years
I am the ignorant cursed fool
I am the belligerent devil's tool
I am sin's wicked apprentice
I am the lost and sunken Atlantis
I am the elect of the damned
I am the surprise when scammed
I am the chosen of the wretched
I am the blight of the blessed
I am the bane of human existence
I am utter lack of resistance
I am the blackhole of despair
I am hope's final distress flare
I am the lack of all care
I am beyond any repair
I am the sick composite
I am purity
for by me, you will come to know its opposite.
I am a freedom seeker
searching for the day after tomorrow
when tomorrow seems bleaker, than today
I am weaker
searching for an antidote for my soul
in the words of a gifted speaker
to uplift the hungry and the meager
because food is all around either
but in reality feeding neither
so I can't eat my cake and be its keeper
I search for a meaning that is deeper
cuz its not about the cars and clothes you hold
nor the style that is sleeker
but that you wake up the internal activist
and not be a sleeper
I search for companionship in that I'm eager
cuz if she's got all I need to stand firm on my feet
all the more reason to go and seek her
she's most definitely a keeper
I'm far from being a teacher
there's more reasons why I come up to greet you
I have hopes when I meet you
because I see potential in you as a healer
People with no patience see the prize
before their eyes and they steal her
unhealthy cycles lead to addictions
can't even work a job being a sweeper
stress got us all depressed
up late nights crying like weepers
feeling like life defeats us
when the suffering invites to keep us
some turn to Moses, Muhammad, and Jesus
searching for guidance among the scripture they leave us
reading the word trying to figure out the thesis
they say move on like telekenesis
its not meant to be a weakness
take it in stride, why so serious?
I am facetious though not always heedless
still not always strong I go searching for my song
sometimes I curse out in wrong so bleep this
I like to sleep on the matter like I creep this
but I got a secret for your ears so peep this
I think we need this, inspirational kinda speeches
because each one of us masks a hidden genius
that won't surface cuz its stuck underneath the pieces
of a broken person being submerged under feces
cleansed with spiritual ammonia and bleaches
seeking to liberate the Dionysus just beneath it
some hearts and minds I hope this reaches
my message, go leak it go out and preach it
every moment carries an opportunity so seize it
I know you and I both feel this
afterall, we're freedom creatures.
Between Safa and Marwa you wander, lost - aimlessly seeking a solution to your problems. Seven times you go to and fro through each of the heavens for an answer. When will you discover the eternal spring of zamzam within yourself? and the Lord says: "Behold! Safa and Marwa are among the Symbols of Allah" [2:158]
My focus is falling short like a Keebler elf I'm working on my feebler self but I'm needing help from the scripture that we keep on the shelf searching for somethin spiritual like a feeling felt Ramadan shows me my deeper self showing me my spirit's asleep like a sleeper cell hoping I escape the Reaper's Hell I wrote this on a freakin Dell prayer I need this well so I can grow like a fetus swells and await the day when Jesus tells the Law to the people well and ring the steeple's bell before he'll make us peep through shells freaked as hell cuz we can tell the heedless fell deep in Hell cuz they bleep and yell stuck in the heathens' jell in pits with reeking smells snuck in sales on Adidas' shares now they're creeps in jail that act a fool like needless dares people lost in feeble pairs weakness glares seekin affairs with fleeting care mocking vows cuz nobody's keepin theirs
I'm strugglin to keep my prayers observin the ego slayers who preach to the evil sayers I'm eyeing peaches and pears but I'm fasting and eagerly aware of the hour when I devour the food shares and though I'm no sooth-sayer I can predict we'll meagerly share the rations among utensils and dinner-ware pack the rest in tupper-ware where it goes in the refridgerator for later masticator's gotta stop eating before fajr prayer breaking his wudhu cuz he's a flatulator sitting there with a calculator figuring when he can eat his apple n' bagel
Yo its rough like the skin of an alligator meals delayed like procrastinators appetite's shot like a bullet from the terminator stop being a hater don't be spiritual girly men call up a friend and have him come from afar to an iftar even if he's from Agrabah and his name's Jafar but yo this ain't Aladdin get to food-grabbin take a napkin and before Taraweeh take a nap in the sack bin but don't let your nafs become the captain that's why you gotta slap him, cap him put you in control of the cabin anything to make it happen so we can reap rewards that we can't fathom the path is described in the Lord's Canon supported in the testimony of His banner all's well when you make Him your daily Planner so stop the silly banter and pick up the Prophet's mantle and dismantle all that which is mangled and make this your Ramadan anthem crescent moon and star-spangled. Salam
My song, where is my song? Where could it possibly be? I have searched my entire life for it and as of yet, to no avail. I wander around this earth in hopes that I will encounter it and that it may speak on behalf of what I could never express.... I smile from afar when I think I've found it, only to be let down when I get closer. I feel peace when I recognize a part of its intoxicating tune, but feel unrest when I cannot find it. I try to express this thirst of longing in my heart with words but it is fruitless. When speech's words are exhausted beyond expression and the tongue is tired from her dance; the heart's content is still not met. That is when I search for my song, that it may speak on behalf of my heart - my very essence.
As I explore this world I see young lovers together, embracing one another and picture myself in their shoes, thinking to myself, "that is not my song." I see beautiful women all over the place and picture myself among them but feel in my heart, "that is not my song." I go to fancy restaurants and eat of the gourmet meals and think to myself, "that is not my song." I watch all kinds of movies and feel moved by its drama that I might find myself within it, yet think to myself, "that is not my song." I listen to all kinds of music and search for the mood that soothes me, yet think to myself, "that is not my song." I talk to the rich and hear their stories; trying to identify, and yet I say to myself, "that's not my song." I see all kinds of bribery, trickery, and deceit and feel in myself, "this is not my song." I see the life of the wicked and think to myself, "that is not my song." I enjoy all the luxuries of the world, still feeling unsatisfied, I remind myself, "that is not my song." For my song will bring peace and satisfaction to me and nothing else.
Then I go and speak to the humble and weak, and think to myself, "I hear some of its words." I sit with my brothers and sisters and hear what they have to say, and think to myself, "I recognize this tune." I read the Qur'an and say to myself, "I remember this rhythm." I visualize the Prophet (saw) and his companions (ra) and think to myself, "I feel its beat." I feel the pain and sorrow of longing from them and say to myself, "I'm beginning to hear." I humble myself before my Creator and think to myself, "Could this be my song?" I break down and cry, and cry, and hear it's tune getting louder. Yes, it sounds similar, but still not quite there....
My Lord! I've come to realize, my song is not on this earth, but only with You.
For You are the Singer and everyone dances to Your tune. How can I possibly find what I'm searching for because what I'm searching for is actually You. Traces of Your tune can be heard when I turn here and there, but still the whole melody is not played - anywhere. Running frantically to and fro, I search for Your song in this world but feel rejected and frustrated when I don't find it, so I await Your Glorious surprise and throw myself before You in the hope that You will give me Your tune and pleasure and fulfill for me my purpose in being Your slave. Lord, give life to my heart and help me be who I am meant to be, happy as can be - THIS is my song and I will not fully hear it until I meet You.
Oh singers! You who claim that you speak to the hearts! Hear your King and gather around me for His Majesty shall need your assistance. You have talent for speaking from your hearts and the depths of your souls, so I will need you for a task; that you may sing me a song - telling the tale of this one's heart.... This I ask of you all, for his is a tale of sorrow and grief. His is a tale of riches; a tale of poverty.... He is the Prince, and without him my kingdom is lost, for I have no other heir. I need you to rescue him with your song, for by God he will not respond to anything else! My words are of no avail to him, nor are his to me. With each moment that passes, with each heart beat, he awaits your song of redemption to ease his longing to be understood. In my foolishness, I was not able to understand him, but your song will convey to me his grief and true message.
Now hear me, I bid you to go to him. With him are the troops you will need on your task. With these, could you muster up such a thing? Who among you has such talent? Now then, I tell you go see his tears, which will travel down-stream and moisten your words. Go and feel his heart-throbs which will lend rhythm to your words. Go and witness his pain which will give more power to your words. Whereby with these, you shall be able to sing his heart's pain to all. Is this army not enough to support you on your task? Oh, what song is there that can sing the sorrow of this sad Prince?
You must accomplish this task, for I fear that if he is not awoken, our kingdom will be in utter ruin. He, my beloved son, in whom I entrusted the kingdom's daily affairs. He, my beloved son, who strengthened this one and his kingdom and brought honor to it. He, my beloved son, for whom I was doing all. He, my beloved son, to whom I promised so many things. My beloved son, who I neglected and because of my neglect, he suffers me and I him. I now weep for him, and he for me.
I tell you, truly this was not my kingdom from the start, but it was his. My son, although I thought myself wiser, was wiser than His Majesty. I governed my people with firm command, reason, and justice, but he had pity, compassion, and empathy for all in the kingdom. All this time, His Majesty thought he guarded his kingdom well, but failed to realize his kingdom was actually his own son! Oh woe is me! How often does one brush-off that which is closest to him!? How often is one blinded by what he takes for granted!?
So my loyal subjects, I beg you hear the plea of your King and save your Prince! For this I tell you my story, and request thy aid in the restoration of this kingdom of ours, for I address you all, that this kingdom lies in the Prince's heart. If that is not cured by your song, then all is for naught. But if, By God, you succeed you will help the Prince and His Majesty resume our harmony and govern the kingdom with peace once again. Until you accomplish this task, the kingdom must needs suffer and she must be patient, for I can not do the job myself nor can my son on his own, but that we work together. So, go my faithful people! Go and awaken the Prince's heart so that the heart of this kingdom will be restored and peace restored throughout our lands!
An unusual kid with unusual kicks sweater in the summer time a shy 7yr-old misfit caught up in the mix sitting quiet in the corner seat til the devil approached to greet said 'hey wanna see some things you don't normally see?' that's when he whipped it out in the classroom and started to pee he took the shy kid by his hand made some demands and if he didn't like it he fought him in the sands placed his hands in the boy's netherlands and threatened to hurt him and his fam if he didn't take it like a man the shy boy didn't understand 'why do I follow his demands?' he asked, still lunch money he had to flash and be the subject of the bully's private flash by forking up his cash and snacks he was spared from getting felt up the ass his situation became delicate like a glass for help he couldn't ask cuz he knew if he did, he'd be put to task so for two years the boy put up with his trash being tested and molested, wrestled and harrassed with time the little boy began wearing a mask everyday they would bash on the playground everyday a new perversion found a playful bully and a tortured victim separated by the teacher's dictum til one day it was clear to everyone's vision the bully had psychotic dispositions the teacher called him to account, he pout socked the teacher in the eye and straight knocked her out got suspended and was never seen again but he might as well have left the little boy dead.
Cuz sadly the lil boy learned how to pretend to show he was alright inside his whole life he learned how to hide the outside was a lie cuz inside he cried struggling through the years he tried among his peers he was denied smuggling the tears as he sighed in pursuit to answer why in the back of his mind he secretly wanted to die learned at an early age about heaven and hell in a place of crayons and school bells as a teen he continued to decline and nobody could tell and the further he fell the deeper he retracted into his shell searching for relief from his hell wasn't prepared for his path enwrapped in satan's wrath over the years his heart turned black and got depressed cuz he knew his future got jacked feeling like God turned His back on him cuz of the spiritual things he lacked but one day he snapped fell prostrate on a mat and thanked God for everything he had and now that he's a man he understands its part of God's plan the events of his life were meant to expand his tolerance for feeling damned even still, at times he rewinds back to the time when the boy in his mind was subject to crimes as the grime remains, stained to a time-frame in his mind and if he could re-write the story he would do it for a dime and this I can surely say, since this story is actually mine.
The only plant we harvest at Seiryou Junior High is Chinese citron. When I went to go pick weeds where all these trees were, the guys made fun of my walking. "What kind of walking is that? You look like a kindergartener." "Haha you seem eager, your feet is bowlegged." They laugh saying every possible thing to make me mad. Of course, I ignored them. If I put up with all this, the water in the ocean would be gone. But it was really hard not to cry. Luckily, I was able to keep the tears from falling...
Today something very frustrating happened. During P.E., I changed and went out to the field. The teacher said, "Today we'll be running to the park 1km away. Then we'll practice making basketball passes." My heart thumped. Running,passing...I can't do either. "Kitou what are you gonna do?" I dropped my head low and the teacher continued, "Well, you can have a study hall with O-san." (O-san forgot her P.E. clothes). Hearing this, I immediately hear my classmate's voices. "Aww study hall~ how lucky." I was boiling with anger. "If you want study hall so much, I'll trade places with you. Even if it's only a day, I wanna switch bodies. Then maybe you'll understand the feeling of a person who can't do anything they want to do." Everytime I walk, in every step I take, I can feel my unsteady body, it makes me feel weak, I feel humiliated and miserable not being able to do what everyone else is capable of doing. Is that something you can't understand unless you experience it? Even if you can't feel what that person is feeling, I want you to at least try to think in my point of view. But I think that's hard to do. Even for me, I only first realized this after it happened to me.
When I pass from this world it will be like the flower that withers away. Dry are its leaves and lifeless its stem the sky's tears do not revive it.
When I pass from this world it will be like the winter snowflake. Its life was in falling and its death upon landing beautiful and intricate, it melted away.
When I pass from this world it will be like the autumn leaves. Countless petals of all colors, all falling down yet the cycle continues.
When I pass from this world it will be like the melting of an ancient glacier. Many eons did it take to reach its peak only to fade away and become one with the sea.
When I pass from this world it will be like the orange sunset on a cold spring sky. Its warm smile deceives the earth's chilly climate will it ever return to smile upon us again?
When I pass from this world it will be like the flowing river. Violently raging throughout its journey only to find peace and calm when reaching the sea.
When I pass from this world it will be like the erupting volcano. Pent up feelings explode in a moment of vulnerability. Its warm tears scorch the face that released them.
When I pass from this world it will be like the ballad of the insects upon dusk. Each different, yet all singing in unison eulogizing throughout the night.
When I pass from this world, in my final hour, it will surely be difficult. Without you by my side, there is only remorse in looking back.
I contemplate in frees imagining what life would be for me without a pedigree no way to start my family tree so I freeze but wait its up for me to believe I can change degrees like 180s ain't gettin on my knees for no tease, please I only accept rings from pre-selected wifeys so I can pass on the good genes and my seeds can fight the hood fiends I know my dreams require green but I'm feelin yellow n' skimpy like Sailor V so until the day I can say 'I love thee' all I can say is "c'est la vie."
But I ain't gonna front for no dame fools be out here tryin to talk about game but they're lame so I give em the lane to explain how to get the girl to change her maiden name to yours so that it'll be the same they say ain't no reason for disdain but there's no need for locket chains put her budget on pocket change and she can leave if she complains but I already got my lion's mane plus my fame's assured you already know my game so take your place and be tame in this thang I'm the rap king universally acclaimed not just self-proclaimed.
Son I got the brains to retain control over the plains and unlike your flight simulator games air traffic gives me control of the planes I make dough for the insane but only roll with the sane I don't snort cocaine don't wanna end up like someone on a cane at work who can't operate the crane trying to numb the pain so that I go muggin for novacaine til people sayin things like "dayyum!" that ain't who I am that ain't my aim so flush that down the drain and put that on the refrain.
I write rhymes in the AM cuz I'm quick to say em girls - aint quick to lay em cuz I respect em like "mame" and wait for the hour with the dower when I pay em my rhymin is a mayhem lyrics killin em like I spray em call my name in a jam I got your back, your crew and your fam I give a smack to Uncle Sam cuz he don't give jack not even a lousy gram blast this out your speakers like "BLAM!" my lyrics you can cram but my method can't understand goddamn I just gave you a plan now take these commands and make yourself a man before you return to the sand! phew...
Among all the heroes of men this simple man defies the acumen how great is he who's love in our hearts force to scatter our demons apart.
How humble and noble is he who's resemblance in mirror faces me And yet the tale of the oak tree and his seed are as disparate as the foam and the sea!
And the substance that reigns in him bars any complaint in him though he fares among the simpletons he withholds his discretion to inform us of our ignorant impression.
Communion of angels - this is your proof of why men were destined to dwell upon heaven's roof! Gangs of Iblees - admire and look closely at why you have no right to be haughty!
For men such as these separate the degrees of the blessed from the thieves among the seeds of Adam and Eve for this, my father was conceived.
Clement and magnanimous he entails a character so tremendous! Being the paragon of the selfless man he is the fairytale with limbs and hands.
His gentle wisdom is always solicited though his humility makes it elicited in all honesty words do fail to convey the glory and praise of his starlight's rays!
So thank you dear Lord for bestowing me my father I would truly and sincerely ask for none other he is my role model, my benefactor, my hero were it not for our kin surely I'd be nothing.
Such a gift is beyond the son's pay to thank the Lord for His Spirit in clay for if not for the fraction of father in me ignorant would I be to know and worship Thee!
I'm like a ceiling fan cuz I'm going around in circles I can't fake a smile man so don't say 'cheese' like Steve Urkel but the wind blows a refreshing air I got plans like Hertzl with a grain a salt like a pretzel makin' blueprints with the pencil map out my dreams like I stencil producing is my art, I'm like a stem cell I got ideas locked up doing life in my dome trying to crack the code like the human genome while others try to find a wife and a home I'm contemplating the knife in chrome but that's only when I'm hurt and alone sometimes wishin I was in the dirt and unknown dear God I'm a jerk and its shown.
Failing in stealth I'm ailing in health size 34 and not wearing a belt feelin like I'm waiting to melt but patient when hating is dealt to me and myself but I'm just being stupid like I'm debating an elf contemplating the self confiscating the shelf seeking books of wisdom though investigating ain't help I'm instigating a yelp praying cuz I feel like a prey like I'm imitating an elk cuz I need a helping hand to be felt I'm asking G-O-D cuz that's how His name is spelt.
Does this ring a bell? Yes I'm going through hell but it wasn't like you crawled in my shell and asked me how I fell my life I try to compute like a Dell but I can't understand the language like its in braille, my mind is frail I'm feelin like I'm facing termination but I seek salvation like Christian Bale evil world wanna touch me like a friskin jail but that's gay like Sodom & Gomorrah cuz they fell to briskin hail my lifestyle's risking hell I'm not thinkin well find myself in sticky situations like knappy frickin jell while you're laughing like I'm Steve Carell my sins I'm not supposed to tell but I confess to it all cuz we were fathered from the Fall when I dropped this your girdle broke and your fat belly fell one day I'll be like Grandmaster Melle Mel rhyming on the tele tel and if that ain't my fate all I can say is "oh well" cuz its all good in other words its all swell!
As-sabiqoon, the foremost you are ill-equipped in worldly armor but of all people, you will be Heaven's hosts for you are equipped with a mettle like none other.
Selfless, though you have your needs you are out looking for others to feed. And though you were tired and exhausted you tended to your duties and never boasted.
Burdened to defend our everything others turn to you for you are their shepherd. And all your effort pays off when the staple of sheep fall asleep For this, your sword of strength is raised, for the meek!
An invisible strength you have that none comprehend a helping hand you lend because you are God's friend. Poise and tranquil, your services go unnoticed pressing times shrink not your capacious character while divine words prevent you from being unfocused.
You may not see it yourself but others rely on your fortitude your example, in one word, is simply 'gratitude.' Like the vanguard, you are everyone's shield though you wither away yourself, you care not how you feel.
You are one in a thousand but a thousand in one. Alone, your worth should have you encased. But when bravery is called upon at the forefront, you are second to none though danger tempts you to flee you aboutface.
Putting yourself down doesn't suit your grandeur conducting yourself with humble modesty and polite gesture. A thousand servants should be crafting a throne for you but you would rather be unknown, not alone in view.
For this and more you deserve God's right-hand bliss known to none but the most righteous and blessed. Exceptional men and women - what a praiseworthy band! Who got to their station because they are possessed of a meticulous spirit that obeys God's commands.
So peace to the sabiqoon, the vanguard! You are our pride and honor. Humankind without you is illegitimate like the bastard Please intercede for us on the Day of Clamor when all will be at the mercy of the Almighty Master!
Glancing toward the heaven's twilight I catch a glimpse of you; a lone star in the sky. You send your signal to my eyes tonight you tell me that your life may end tonight, and suddenly the thought brings a tear to my eye.
It amazes me how, our great distance despite I am still able to sense your plight. Is it possible? Could it be that our stories share similarities? It makes me question and wonder why do all beautiful things die?
How is it that a star can communicate with me while being away so incredibly far? Your light finally reaches me.
You allow me to see all the suffering you endure. Your twinkling affects me my heart you allure!
Or is it that you merely assert your existence? Like all the clamor I make, for instance. Or perhaps you fancy your observers can save you too but unfortunately all we can do is merely look at you.
Your luminous twinkling indicates the painful chaos inside. But sadly none among your peers can help you, the universe wide. How you call attention to yourself makes me examine myself.
My dear star, you see, your situation perplexes me. Could it be true? That you are like me and I am like you?
If this feeble servant is saddened upon hearing your cries how then does the Lord react if I were to implore? For the Lord is not affected by distant ties. Nay! For the greater the distance, He gives the more!
My lovely star, seeing you now gives me a sense of peace that if your pleas can even be detected from afar, so can mine would that I might, like you, become deceased. I rejoice, in that instead of being heard by a worthless servant I am heard by One who is Divine.
So my twinkling darling, sadly I can do nothing for you except that on your behalf I pray that despite all the suffering, you persevere and make it through and remain in this world of lights to stay.
You have taught me that if even a star from afar can communicate and despite being light years away have one who observes. My chances of being heard are far greater when I supplicate because, as the Lord's vicegerent, that I deserve.
I am indebted to you for the lessons you teach me: That there is no distance between the hearts of the grieved. That even on the other side of the universe can one find sympathizers. That our tears are seen - makes me feel relieved. For you cry to me and I cry to my Lord, the Wiser.
I can do nothing for you, but for us He can do all to Him shall we turn, for all must fall. So my dear this I do say: let us not forget. Let us move on forward, and cast aside the shackles of regret!
Marriage is a blessing, full of lessons that we should heed. It is a lesson, dear friends, in tawhid. Shocking it seems that marriage and the Lord should compare but God is One, while we are pairs. We need consultation with our partners, while He needs none in His affairs. We bicker and argue over each matter and decision While alone He executes them with exact precision. We grow together as one through love in affection while He knew that the path to unity lies in this direction. The woman covers the faults of men, while he covers the faults of women. The Lord forgives our sins so long as we forgive our brethren. Man and woman are day and night, together replete. Lord and servant are together complete. Marriage is duality, while Lordship is unity but in principle, marriage is the same in all its purity.
Parenting is a gift from the Almighty. It surely is a lesson in divinity. From its fruit begins the first stage of civility. Parents toil after their child ceaselessly while the Lord loves His creatures unconditionally. The child is a rascal - forever ungrateful for each of his parents' sacrifices while in return, for the parent, a warm smile will suffice. How similar is the matter with our Lord, while He gives us everything when in return He only asks us for a few simple things? The child is designed to drive the parents crazy only to illustrate that to our Lord we are rebellious and savy. The child is a resemblance of his parents when born just as Adam was created upon His Lord's Form. Seeds are like a man's deeds my friend, at first you toil them with hardwork, to have them benefit you or bring you ruin in the end.
Siblings are a treasury they reflect the community. With parents acting as governing lords, their children seek to either comply or deny their words. The righteous friend is like the faithful sister or brother, they will teach you the meaning of service to your father and mother. Through their good example, you can also attain your parents' pleasure only to obtain rewards without measure. Together we should help each other in seeing that through the family we can see our reason for being. So you see, all of these lessons are hidden within the beautiful shell known as the story of marriage; for each its left to tell. Now you should better understand what the Prophet (saw) means when he says that "marriage is half your deen."
How great is the Creator supreme!? Who gives us what we want as in a dream. How fortunate we are that Allah made us as humans if He desired, He could have made us albumin! But instead He created us and blessed us with lives, He gave us health, wealth, parents, children, husbands and wives. He blessed us with options and opportunities, He honored us and made us Muhammad's (saw) community.
He put us on this earth as a Trust, And because of that He created everything - just for us! He created Father Adam (as) in the Garden, but His plan was for him to fall to earth and be its warden. From his rib He created his mate, Mother Eve (as), so we could be grateful and appreciate. He placed us on earth for a reason, promising punishment for those who commit treason. but for the righteous He promised the Home of Peace - the land of the blessed, to those who worked in His cause, obsessed. How undeserving we are of such a reward! Nothing can I give in turn to pay off such a debt, I eternally can't afford.
There is no limit to the Lord's Mercy, Despite our rebellion, He gives to the thirsty. He gives us shelter, clothing, and food, despite anyone's feelings or mood. With Him is the blessed Treasure that no one can measure, Which He promises to those who seek His Pleasure. Things that are unimaginable, no heart has ever felt nor seen, not even to those who are most keen. The praises of the Lord can go on forever who but His Majesty can endure such an endeavor?
They see no death, no blood, no pain; too blinded by an ancient claim. So take the land, destroy the man, And bomb the babe in mothers’ hands, Uproot the olive, kill the dove, to Hell with charity and love. When those twain die, so too does hope, a victim of the hangman’s rope. And who is there to fear the Reaper when no one is his brother’s keeper.
Our tribe we must ourselves protect with murder, which we must perfect. So goes that atavistic claim, To justify the bombs that maim, to justify the phosphorous shells, the fire of this worldly hell. A worldly hell the Gazans know, that testing ground, that weapons show. But from that ground the will persists. From pools of blood rise clench’d fists. And then those fists hurl sticks and stones, that smash the walls of stolen homes.
From mounds of rubble come the words, of futile cries to just be heard. Heard through the death, the blood, the pain; that others have a valid claim. And through the fog of war it’s clear, no one alive would care to hear. So kill them all so be their fate, their claim is ours, but theirs can wait. So take the land, destroy the man, and bomb the babe in mothers’ hands, Uproot the olive, kill the dove, to Hell with charity and love. When those twain die, so too does hope, it’s Gaza in the hangman’s rope.
Michael Jackson was the Elvis Presley of our time, and his passing is not unlike that of Elvis' either.
Neither before them nor after them had, (nor will) entertainers like them ever come again. Comparisons have been made between the two many times, and MJ even got to marry Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie. They are both cultural icons for generations of people and made lasting changes to the industry. But what is even more un-nerving about the similarities is that today (June 26th 2009) happens to mark the 32nd anniversary of Elvis' final performance in 1977, just one day after Jackson's passing; almost as if the two had "left the building" together. The King of Rock 'n Roll (Elvis) and The King of Pop (Michael) even share similar aliases. Both of their deaths came as a shock to the world and their legacies leave behind vacant shoes that can never be filled.
I believe Michael's death is a lesson from God to the world, that even those we revere in our times are not immune to the call of death, no matter their stardom or how much larger than life they seemed to be. Michael's memory is bringing the world together through his good works in charity, music and dance at a crucial time when the world is being pulled apart. Michael's death is a personal loss to me as well as to his billions of fans across the world because Michael was an inspirational figure who transcended the limitations we set for ourselves, he was a true perfectionist in his work ethic. Those who knew him said he was shy, and humble in person, soft-spoken. He fought the lies of the media and those who were in pursuit of his fame and money with honesty and self-less work in humanitarianism. He inspired thousands of artists across the world and donated millions to profit those who are less fortunate than we are. May Allah/God accept of him his good works, forgive him of his mistakes and make him a means to bring peace across divides, as a final gift to us all (ameen.) I will end this with a beautiful quote of his I just stumbled upon: "“If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.” “And my goal in life is to give to the world what I was lucky to receive: the ecstasy of divine union through my music and my dance.” - Michael Joseph Jackson. Rest in Peace.
Chapter 2 15 years Old (1977-78) - Illness Creeping Up II
Seeing The Doctor
I go to the hospital in Nagoya with my mother. (Written by Aya in English).
We left at 9 a.m. Rika, my baby sister, wasn't feeling well, but she had to go to her nursery school anyway because I was going to the hospital . . . poor girl!
We arrived at Nagoya University Hospital at 11 a.m. We had to wait for about three hours. I tried to read a book, but I was feeling nervous. I couldn't concentrate as much as usual because I was feeling rather worried. "I rang Professor Itsuro Sofue (now Director of Chubu National Hospital)," Mom said, "I'm sure you'll be all right." But . . . At last my name was called out. My heart was beating fast. Mom explained my problems to the doctor: 1. I fell over and cut my chin. (A normal person would put out their arms to break the fall, but my face hit the ground directly.) 2. The way I walk is unstable. (I can't bend my knees much.) 3. I've been losing weight 4. My movements are slow. (I've lost the ability to move quickly.)
Listening to her, I was amazed. Mom is always moving around so busily, but now I know that she's been observing me very carefully! She knew everything about me . . . That made me feel more secure. So, the things I've secretly been worried about have been conveyed to a doctor. My worries will be solved.
I sat on a round chair and looked at the doctor. He was wearing glasses. He had a gentle look and a warm smile, so I felt relieved. He asked me to close my eyes, stretch out both my hands and try to make my forefingers meet. Then I had to stand on one leg. Then I lay down on a bed and he stretched and bent my legs. He patted my knees with a hammer. I was totally under his thumb. Then the examination was over. "Now let's take a CT scan," he said. "Aya," said Mom, "it won't hurt you or anything. It's only a machine tat checks ur brain by cutting it in round slices." "What! Cutting my brain in round slices?" That's a very serious matter to the person being scanned! A big machine slowly came down from above. My head was completely covered. It was as if I was riding in space. A man in a white frock said, "Lie down still and don't move." I lay still just as I was told. Then I began to feel sleepy.
After the examination, we were kept waiting for a long time. Then we got some medicine and went home. I have added one more order to my list: I won't complain about taking medicine-even if it's enough to fill up my stomach-so long as it makes me better. Dr. Sofue at the prestigious Nagoya University Hospital, I beg you, please help to save the life of Aya, the budding beauty. You told me that I should only go and see you once a month because the hospital's far away and I have to go to school. Well, I'll definitely come and see you, and I will do whatever you tell me to do. So please make me better, I beg you!
I feel averse to spit a verse about my curse can't talk about the pain ingrained within but then again its better to relate somethin then nothin and though I know I can't complain cuz I've got everything, I still say it with a grin forgot so much of the me that I used to be around my kin lookin within, still can't figure out alotta things like how did I f*** up in 3 years what I worked up to in 22? that's old news now fast forward to 27 for people like me I hope there's room in heaven can't depend on my Muslim brethren cuz they're equally sabotaged like 9/11 does God descend special friends and God-sents to lend a helping hand when I'm spent? or is it guidance for my soul from the time it was mended? my sorry life I can't end it and neither wish to pretend it will a maiden offer her hand and extend it for me to lend it for my time on Earth to make it splendid? or am I just demented for the silly mention of such a thing, will I face detention in my mind's dimensions? living with dementia or hypertension or the extension of some sort of health tension? I'm stressin cuz the stench in my soul's basin don't know what I'm facin I only know that my heart is racin can't keep up the pacing, from all the chasin cuz its like im runnin from Jason on Friday the 13th come to think of it, it all started when i was 13 got caught up in the discoveries of your average teen not knowin pretty soon I'd be having savage dreams wakin up from nightmares with blank stares like I was walkin down a flight of stairs but not knowin what the hell's down there I was scared and unprepared for the route I fared even back then I feared that my time was near with the way I experimented left me demented hope I'm not so dense that I can't sense heaven's scents what wouldn't I give to get back my innocence! but still God has been clement and benevolent in helping me retain my inner sense one day hope to be with the righteous and pose a winning stance wonder what it'll take to break out this sinning trance cuz for God its just a glance to look at me and feel pity for forever to throw me into serenity time there's plenty when speakin on eternity its my audacity to hope like Obama is no joke when I croak I hope I get a poke from righteous folks and though we're on different strokes I know God is forgiving cuz I studied His notes spoken from the throats of divinely elected *G.O.A.Ts (as) so watchu talkin 'bout Willis? talkin about 'you can't seek forgiveness?' God can forgive a menace so long as you're truly repentant, so don't grimace pass him the coke, the soda, and don't make it diet I'm soundin like Yoda but might spark a riot this deeni stuff is nice man you should try it but now I'm ghost cuz I smell burning toast and there's an egg in the frying pan so guess who's gotta fry it? Adios!
Thinkin of life, dwelling on the good and bad on the joys experienced and on what I never had at times kinda glad other times feelin sad never really mad cuz I took after my dad people blab about what they don't have but never dwell on the slab of crab on the plate of food that they just had or the fat folds of flab around their abs from all of life's blessings that they have sometimes life throws a right jab but inflicts pain like a knife stab don't stress it cuz it's in your bag since God is always keepin tabs of those who lack and those who have some get the full reward and some only half and yet still others get none - what a drag!
So don't feel yellow like a cab the greedy who grab and nab in the end will fall under the weight of their own crap the believer in this life feels trapped but death is only a short nap then its all over jack and once we snap there's no going back and its all up to the good deeds we'd done and the important ones that we lacked surrounded by a sea of humanity brown, yellow, white, and black no one will be saved by their craft or by a plea nor by a pious act some will rejoice others will crack others will be deaf and blind as a bat yet others will zip on by to Paradise like an aircraft still others will get scooped up like the wind's draft from the boiling snares of hellfire's wrath
The aftermath - the feeling of rapt bliss released from torment's wrap transported on a blessed raft toward's heaven's shaft ascending the pillar visualizing its map arriving in a snap like a flash no more hell, they were saved by the bell like Zack rejoicing like a bash in purified baths everybody will laugh livin lavish like a jap enjoying snacks with maidens in their lap forgiven of their past no longer confronted with crap so make a line like a graph heaven is within our grasp God is kind enough to give it to us if we ask we just gotta put ourselves to task find the truth within and remove the masks when it comes to rhymin I got a knack but now I'm ending this cuz its a rap!
This guy just gets better with each speech. This one made me smile if not only for the restoration of faith in politics but also in humanity and honest dialogue, or so the idealist in me wishes to believe :)
Delivered June 4th, 2009
Below, the full text of President Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt, titled "A New Beginning."
Watch video: * * * *
I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.
We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world - tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.
Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights. This has bred more fear and mistrust.
So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.
I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.
I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.
Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.
As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam - at places like Al-Azhar University - that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.
I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers - Thomas Jefferson - kept in his personal library.
So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.
But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire. We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal, and we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words - within our borders, and around the world. We are shaped by every culture, drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept: E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."
Much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected President. But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores - that includes nearly seven million American Muslims in our country today who enjoy incomes and education that are higher than average.
Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.
So let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.
Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.
For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.
This is a difficult responsibility to embrace. For human history has often been a record of nations and tribes subjugating one another to serve their own interests. Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; progress must be shared.
That does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite: we must face these tensions squarely. And so in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.
The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms.
In Ankara, I made clear that America is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.
The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals, and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice, we went because of necessity. I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.
Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.
That's why we're partnering with a coalition of forty-six countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths - more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam. The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace.
We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who have been displaced. And that is why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend upon.
Let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible. Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be."
Today, America has a dual responsibility: to help Iraq forge a better future - and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012. We will help Iraq train its Security Forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner, and never as a patron.
And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States, and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.
So America will defend itself respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.
The second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world.
America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.
Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction - or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews - is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.
On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people - Muslims and Christians - have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations - large and small - that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.
For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers - for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel's founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.
That is in Israel's interest, Palestine's interest, America's interest, and the world's interest. That is why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patience that the task requires. The obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them - and all of us - to live up to our responsibilities.
Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered.
Now is the time for Palestinians to focus on what they can build. The Palestinian Authority must develop its capacity to govern, with institutions that serve the needs of its people. Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have responsibilities. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist.
At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.
Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society. And just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security; neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank. Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be part of a road to peace, and Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress.
Finally, the Arab States must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibilities. The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of Arab nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state; to recognize Israel's legitimacy; and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.
America will align our policies with those who pursue peace, and say in public what we say in private to Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs. We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state. It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true.
Too many tears have flowed. Too much blood has been shed. All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear; when the Holy Land of three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be; when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims, and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed (peace be upon them) joined in prayer.
The third source of tension is our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons.
This issue has been a source of tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically-elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question, now, is not what Iran is against, but rather what future it wants to build.
It will be hard to overcome decades of mistrust, but we will proceed with courage, rectitude and resolve. There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect. But it is clear to all concerned that when it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point. This is not simply about America's interests. It is about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.
I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons. And any nation - including Iran - should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the Treaty, and it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.
The fourth issue that I will address is democracy.
I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.
That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election. But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.
There is no straight line to realize this promise. But this much is clear: governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments - provided they govern with respect for all their people.
This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others. No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.
The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom.
Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia, where devout Christians worshiped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, heart, and soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.
Among some Muslims, there is a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of another's. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld - whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt. And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.
Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it. For instance, in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That is why I am committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat.
Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit - for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretence of liberalism.
Indeed, faith should bring us together. That is why we are forging service projects in America that bring together Christians, Muslims, and Jews. That is why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's Interfaith dialogue and Turkey's leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations. Around the world, we can turn dialogue into Interfaith service, so bridges between peoples lead to action - whether it is combating malaria in Africa, or providing relief after a natural disaster.
The sixth issue that I want to address is women's rights.
I know there is debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous.
Now let me be clear: issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.
Our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons, and our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity - men and women - to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.
Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity.
I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information, but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence. Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities, but also huge disruptions and changing communities. In all nations - including my own - this change can bring fear. Fear that because of modernity we will lose of control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly our identities - those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions, and our faith.
But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradiction between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies while maintaining distinct cultures. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim-majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai. In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education.
This is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground, nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work. Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century, and in too many Muslim communities there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investments within my country. And while America in the past has focused on oil and gas in this part of the world, we now seek a broader engagement.
On education, we will expand exchange programs, and increase scholarships, like the one that brought my father to America, while encouraging more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America; invest in on-line learning for teachers and children around the world; and create a new online network, so a teenager in Kansas can communicate instantly with a teenager in Cairo.
On economic development, we will create a new corps of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim-majority countries. And I will host a Summit on Entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.
On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim-majority countries, and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new Science Envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, and grow new crops. And today I am announcing a new global effort with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.
All these things must be done in partnership. Americans are ready to join with citizens and governments; community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.
The issues that I have described will not be easy to address. But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek - a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God's children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together.
I know there are many - Muslim and non-Muslim - who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division, and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort - that we are fated to disagree, and civilizations are doomed to clash. Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country - you, more than anyone, have the ability to remake this world.
All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart, or whether we commit ourselves to an effort - a sustained effort - to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children, and to respect the dignity of all human beings.
It is easier to start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is also one rule that lies at the heart of every religion - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth transcends nations and peoples - a belief that isn't new; that isn't black or white or brown; that isn't Christian, or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization, and that still beats in the heart of billions. It's a faith in other people, and it's what brought me here today.
We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.
The Holy Koran tells us, "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."
The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."
The Holy Bible tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now, that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you.
A specimen of empathy. A colonel of care. A vicegerent of vices. A general of genesis. A steward of servanthood. A lieutenant of lethargy. A private of passions. A warrior for ideals. A patron of peace. A warden of Paradise. An inmate of Earth. A fraction of a mosaic. A mosaic of a fraction.
