I wanted to write this post about cars. I personally know very little about cars. I probably could tell you a Mercedes from a Mustang or a Mclaren from a Maybach (which is the fastest, horsepower and stuff but nothing more). Don't worry, I am equally worse in the makeup department. Did you know there are four types of makeup equipments you can use on your eyes? Mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow and concealers! LOL Yup ... fascinating and freaky!
So this post won't tell you which car to buy - I am no expert at that. I wanted to write this post about cars because a friend of mine from UK walks to work and back. Everyday, not just my friend but almost everyone in Hertfordshire, UK walks to their destination. First I couldn't believe it then it sort of dawned upon me. It is not just good for the environment, well it is terrific for the environment but it goes much further than that. It is about how we think and how we live our lives. It's an ideology and a culture. Here is what I mean... Just to warn you though, I am a person of tall tangents. If you are awake, you'll see the big picture.
The Expired Earth
Canada's fleet of personal vehicles consists of 16.9 million cars and light trucks. These vehicles are driven on average 21,000 km/year and generate 91 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. Transportation, in particular contributed 165 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the Canadian atmosphere in 1995. How many tons is it in 2011? Probably a billion tons more but who is counting? Scientists theorize that an increase in these greenhouse gases will translate into increased temperatures around the globe, which would result in many disastrous environmental effects. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts in its 'Fourth Assessment Report' released in 2007 that during the 21st century, global average temperatures are expected to rise by 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit. What happens when temperatures go up? Flooding in Asia? Just watch the news and you'll shocked with the Tornado outbreak in the United States. With 867 Tornado hits in April and even more in May, most of Southern, Midwestern and Northeastern US looks apocalyptic. In places like Joplin, Missouri - winds reached 190-198 miles an hour and leveled houses, hospitals, schools, shopping centers; threw cars and trees around. The entire county seems bombed out and climatologists say it is may only be a preview to the real effects of greenhouse gasses and subsequent global warming.
Cars may not be entirely responsible for the deadly climate change but they do contribute to the crisis. If we study the history of cars, it is closely related to promoting the oil business. Business people find oil and make us think that each and every person in the family including high school kids must have a car to go across the street, and this is only possible if roads, miles and miles of them, are built for those cars. So many trees are lost to build roads and highways. Once the concrete is paved over the soil, we can't get that pristine verdant landscape back.
Although it is not just about the green aesthetic look, go to downtown Toronto or Mississauga, the sky scrappers are such daunting monstrosities - it is hard to imagine anyone can fathom living in them or dare walk past them. The trees, which constantly vacuum the atmosphere - suck in carbon dioxide and replace it with clean fresh oxygen, are murdered to build these mutant towers. The sun and the sky is blotted out only to blind the public with artificial lamp posts, traffic lights, shops and billboard signs. When was the last time you saw the sunrise? When did you last enjoy watching the clouds? Chances are, if you live in a busy North American city, your window directly peers at another window from a building across the street. Your view is totally eclipsed by high-rises, advertisements and cars. You wake up in the morning to the sound of traffic, all your day is sandwiched between getting to one building to the next. At night, you need to use extra draperies to block all the synthetic brightness from flashing into your room. Also, if you live in cosmopolitan North American city, the grass and wildlife in your neighbourhood is strangled under the concrete sidewalks and roads, many helpless creatures are displaced because of the human ruinous construction or killed by our roaring gas guzzlers (cars).
Only after the last tree has been cut down
Only after the last river has been poisoned
only after the last fish has been caught
Only when will man find that money
cannot be eaten - Cree Indian prophecy.
Fatal Food
Since our cities are taking over plantation fields and farms, more chemically abused substances made in labratories are sold as foods in the market. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) says that "there is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is a causation." Long-term independent several animal studies indicate serious health risks caused because of GM foods, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation and changes in major organs and gastrointestinal system.
For example, after GM soy was fed to pregnant female rats, 90% of them gave birth to dead babies or smaller babies. Male rats fed GM soy became sterile. About two dozen farmers said thousands of GM fed pigs had false pregnancies; they gave birth to bags of water. Another example is GM corn and cotton which are engineered to produce a built-in pesticide called Bt-toxin. The Bt-toxin produced in GM plants, is a thousands of times more poisonous than normal anti-pesticide spray. In an Andhra Pradesh village, India, buffalo grazed on cotton plants for eight years without incident. On January 3rd, 2008, 13 buffalo grazed on Bt cotton plants for the first time and all died in three days. Bt corn is also implicated in the deaths of cows in Germany, and horses, water buffaloes, and chickens in the Philippines. In lab studies, twice the number of chickens fed Liberty Link corn died; 7 of 40 rats fed a GM tomato died within two weeks. That is scary or what? It's war! Today's food kills! And if you don't die from eating this food, you'll just become sterile. Great huh?
US and Canadian cows are injected with rBGH (recombinant bovine somatotropin) to enhance milk production. rBGH increases Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) by 10x. Increased levels of IGF-1 causes breast and prostate cancers. Anyone notice an increase in breast cancer amongst women? I can tell you 3 people who were diagnosed suddenly without any prior family history of any cancer. And in case you are thinking you won't get cancer, get a load of this - rBGH-treated cows also suffer higher rates of mastitis, an infection of the udder. Milk from infected cows is contaminated with pus and bacteria...yummy?
Livestock is also injected with six different kinds of steroid hormones estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate, and melengestrol acetate. Estradiol and progesterone are natural female sex hormones; testosterone is the natural male sex hormone; zeranol, trenbolone acetate and melengesterol acetate are synthetic growth promoters (hormone-like chemicals that can make animals grow faster). Excessive levels of estrogen is linked with breast cancer in women and testosterone with prostate cancer in men, while progesterone increases increases the growth of ovarian, breast and uterine tumors.
What happens when kids eat/drink all these hormones and chemicals? Obesity...early puberty? High levels of stupidity? What happens when little girls eat food pumped with testosterone? Do they become more manly? And would eating estrogen imbued food make little boys gay? Scientists refuse to study the effects - maybe because it will shut down the oil industry, food industry, the hospitals, pharmaceuticals and the government? Whether there is any scientific data or not, our society is becoming increasingly transgendered. Guys paint their nails, keep long hair and wear pink. There are now many man-creams to soften (not moisturize) the skin. Women keep shorter hair, are encouraged to work out more to build muscle mass. They are averse to housework, raising children and getting married (ehem). There are more homosexuals (not that they were in the closet before and just taking the streets now), homosexuality is acceptable so more and more people are experimenting. The teachers are telling kids in kintergarten that it is okay to be transexual. Just the other day on the bus, I saw/heard a man in his 40s (now a woman) talking about his sex change surgery with the bus driver (also a transgendered). For the life of me, I couldn't stand their sight or their speech. It was the worst 10 minutes I have ever spent in a public transit.
Civic Community
Like with any piece of technology, the more we use it, the more ensnared we become by it. Can you imagine a day without your phone? What would life be without laptops? If you are like me, then you probably can't imagine this either. Same thing with cars - we are so used to driving around in our cars, even if it is to get across the street. We find less opportunities to appreciate the gift of legs. More and more kids don't know how to bike, skip rope or run. They plump themselves from a coach to a bed or the car seat. Since we just get around in a car, we don't really get to say hello to people in other cars. Everyone is cut off and cubed in pieces of metal.
So much life is wasted on talking about cars, visiting car showrooms/watching car shows, covering up every inch of space of your bedroom wall with car posters and saving monety to buy the car of your dreams. Recently I found out someone I know drives a $15,000 car. Like WOW? Yes, it is not haram to enjoy life but if a car is the only thing of any importance in your life then there is definately a problem. I have some boys (students) in my class. They have to think three times before they tell me the articles of faith but they can tell a ford focus from a forrester (subaru) - from a mile away!
What is the real problem? Let's get honest!
The terrestrial desolation is a clear indication of spiritual desolation within. The wasteland outside is a reflection of the wasteland within. Having failed in the stewardship of soul, we have now, through pursuit of illusory progress, given up on stewardship of the earth and its inhabitants. When everything around is so advanced and sophisticated than why are we more insecure and anxious? If we have reached the pinnacle of modernity than why are we so inhumane and ignominious? We have despaired of Paradise and created it on earth. If this is not nihilism then what is? Just look at the economic underbelly of Dubai, you'll get the idea.
What would it take us to live life consciously? Even when we wear hijab - we'll find the most ostentatious piece of cloth and wrap it so bombastically our head that it only serves to draw attention not avert it. I saw this hijab tutorial on this sister's facebook wall. And the woman conducting the tutorial was teaching how to make your hijab style look like there are grapes dangling from the side or how to crinkle it in such a way that the cloth around your head looks like a flower or as if wind is passing through it. Then match the style with smoky eye shadow and whatever handbag. o_0 ??? You are kidding me right? And does your pretty little thing cover? Your shoulders? Front and back? NOPE! Skin tight silk abayas - why sisters? Tell me why? What are you thinking? Not modestly for sure because your abaya is anything but! And what do you think happens when these sisters go out? First - where do they go out? A place where they can show off their latest achievement (the hijab they spent half an hour putting on). Who do they meet? Other sisters like them who also wear their hijabs like bibelots on a Christmas tree - all smashing and no shyness. What do they talk about? Clothes, cars, cuisine...claptrap?
What did Allah say to the wives of the Prophet (s.a.w)? وَاذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ And remember (memorize and repeatedly mention/discuss) what is recited in your homes from the verses of Allah (Qur'an) and wisdom (Prophet's sunnah, s.a.w). [Qur'an, 33:34] Allah wants us to be وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ - وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ - وَالْقَانِتَاتِ - وَالصَّادِقَاتِ - وَالصَّابِرَاتِ - وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ - وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ - وَالصَّائِمَاتِ - وَالْحَافِظَاتِ - وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ women who beleive, who submit to Him, obey Him, are truthful, patient, humble, charitable, women who fast, guard their chastity and remember Allah profusely. Allah wants to forgive us and give us a great reward in Paradise in exchange for our faith. All this is only possible through the study and teaching of Qur'an. But for the life of me I do not understand how people of Qur'an and be so obsessively beguiled by the dunya. Didn't Allah say, لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
"Do not exten your eyes towrds that by which We have given enjoyment to certain categories of them, and do not grieve over them. And lower your wing [to show kindness] to the beleivers." [Qur'an, 15:88]
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound condescending. My posts are not intended to bash any segment of society. Foremost they are a reminder for me. I write in first person (I, you, we) as a way to not only engage my readers but to admonish myself personally.
Allah says, وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَـٰذَا "Stive in the way of Allah as He deserves to be striven for. He chose you and did you lay any difficulty upon you with respect to the religion. This is your father's creed, Ibrahim (a.s). And He [Allah] named you Muslims before and now." [Qur'an, 22:78] This verse is so precious to me because it outlines a Muslim's culture. We are raised to work in the way of Allah. We are chosen by Allah to live and promote such a religion which is best, blessed, easy, engergizing, peaceful, philanthropic, merciful and natural. For many generations people before us have followed this religion and now it is our turn to bear its flag.
The religion of Islam will never condone the abuse of nature and the affront to humanity. Islam gives respect to all of Allah's creation. The air, the land, it's produce, animals and people are sacred. There is more to life than vain consumption. Al-Dunya mazra'at al-Akhirah - the world is a seedbed of the Hereafter. You will reap what you sow.
We can't change the climate. We can't grow the lost trees but we can reduce our use of cars. We can stop making new buildings and tell people to live with their families for as long as possible. Every 18 year old in this world does not need a personal 2 bedroom apartment or semi-detached house. We can stop buying food from the grocery stores and grow our own vegetables and raise our own chicken. It is not far fetched, my uncle does this. We can stop keeping-up-with-the-Joneses "affluenza". I have only two dozen clothes (it is another story that my mom and grandma keep buying me more dresses which I never wear more than once at someone's shadi or Eid), 5 pairs of shoes and 1 face cream. I survive alhamdulillah. I don't need Mia Thermopolis' royal wardrobe and neither do you.
I will leave you with the words of Brother Abu Ali...(wah wah).
Although it is not just about the green aesthetic look, go to downtown Toronto or Mississauga, the sky scrappers are such daunting monstrosities - it is hard to imagine anyone can fathom living in them or dare walk past them. The trees, which constantly vacuum the atmosphere - suck in carbon dioxide and replace it with clean fresh oxygen, are murdered to build these mutant towers. The sun and the sky is blotted out only to blind the public with artificial lamp posts, traffic lights, shops and billboard signs. When was the last time you saw the sunrise? When did you last enjoy watching the clouds? Chances are, if you live in a busy North American city, your window directly peers at another window from a building across the street. Your view is totally eclipsed by high-rises, advertisements and cars. You wake up in the morning to the sound of traffic, all your day is sandwiched between getting to one building to the next. At night, you need to use extra draperies to block all the synthetic brightness from flashing into your room. Also, if you live in cosmopolitan North American city, the grass and wildlife in your neighbourhood is strangled under the concrete sidewalks and roads, many helpless creatures are displaced because of the human ruinous construction or killed by our roaring gas guzzlers (cars).
Only after the last tree has been cut down
Only after the last river has been poisoned
only after the last fish has been caught
Only when will man find that money
cannot be eaten - Cree Indian prophecy.
Fatal Food
Since our cities are taking over plantation fields and farms, more chemically abused substances made in labratories are sold as foods in the market. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) says that "there is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is a causation." Long-term independent several animal studies indicate serious health risks caused because of GM foods, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation and changes in major organs and gastrointestinal system.
For example, after GM soy was fed to pregnant female rats, 90% of them gave birth to dead babies or smaller babies. Male rats fed GM soy became sterile. About two dozen farmers said thousands of GM fed pigs had false pregnancies; they gave birth to bags of water. Another example is GM corn and cotton which are engineered to produce a built-in pesticide called Bt-toxin. The Bt-toxin produced in GM plants, is a thousands of times more poisonous than normal anti-pesticide spray. In an Andhra Pradesh village, India, buffalo grazed on cotton plants for eight years without incident. On January 3rd, 2008, 13 buffalo grazed on Bt cotton plants for the first time and all died in three days. Bt corn is also implicated in the deaths of cows in Germany, and horses, water buffaloes, and chickens in the Philippines. In lab studies, twice the number of chickens fed Liberty Link corn died; 7 of 40 rats fed a GM tomato died within two weeks. That is scary or what? It's war! Today's food kills! And if you don't die from eating this food, you'll just become sterile. Great huh?
US and Canadian cows are injected with rBGH (recombinant bovine somatotropin) to enhance milk production. rBGH increases Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) by 10x. Increased levels of IGF-1 causes breast and prostate cancers. Anyone notice an increase in breast cancer amongst women? I can tell you 3 people who were diagnosed suddenly without any prior family history of any cancer. And in case you are thinking you won't get cancer, get a load of this - rBGH-treated cows also suffer higher rates of mastitis, an infection of the udder. Milk from infected cows is contaminated with pus and bacteria...yummy?
Livestock is also injected with six different kinds of steroid hormones estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate, and melengestrol acetate. Estradiol and progesterone are natural female sex hormones; testosterone is the natural male sex hormone; zeranol, trenbolone acetate and melengesterol acetate are synthetic growth promoters (hormone-like chemicals that can make animals grow faster). Excessive levels of estrogen is linked with breast cancer in women and testosterone with prostate cancer in men, while progesterone increases increases the growth of ovarian, breast and uterine tumors.
What happens when kids eat/drink all these hormones and chemicals? Obesity...early puberty? High levels of stupidity? What happens when little girls eat food pumped with testosterone? Do they become more manly? And would eating estrogen imbued food make little boys gay? Scientists refuse to study the effects - maybe because it will shut down the oil industry, food industry, the hospitals, pharmaceuticals and the government? Whether there is any scientific data or not, our society is becoming increasingly transgendered. Guys paint their nails, keep long hair and wear pink. There are now many man-creams to soften (not moisturize) the skin. Women keep shorter hair, are encouraged to work out more to build muscle mass. They are averse to housework, raising children and getting married (ehem). There are more homosexuals (not that they were in the closet before and just taking the streets now), homosexuality is acceptable so more and more people are experimenting. The teachers are telling kids in kintergarten that it is okay to be transexual. Just the other day on the bus, I saw/heard a man in his 40s (now a woman) talking about his sex change surgery with the bus driver (also a transgendered). For the life of me, I couldn't stand their sight or their speech. It was the worst 10 minutes I have ever spent in a public transit.
Civic Community
Like with any piece of technology, the more we use it, the more ensnared we become by it. Can you imagine a day without your phone? What would life be without laptops? If you are like me, then you probably can't imagine this either. Same thing with cars - we are so used to driving around in our cars, even if it is to get across the street. We find less opportunities to appreciate the gift of legs. More and more kids don't know how to bike, skip rope or run. They plump themselves from a coach to a bed or the car seat. Since we just get around in a car, we don't really get to say hello to people in other cars. Everyone is cut off and cubed in pieces of metal.
So much life is wasted on talking about cars, visiting car showrooms/watching car shows, covering up every inch of space of your bedroom wall with car posters and saving monety to buy the car of your dreams. Recently I found out someone I know drives a $15,000 car. Like WOW? Yes, it is not haram to enjoy life but if a car is the only thing of any importance in your life then there is definately a problem. I have some boys (students) in my class. They have to think three times before they tell me the articles of faith but they can tell a ford focus from a forrester (subaru) - from a mile away!
What is the real problem? Let's get honest!
The terrestrial desolation is a clear indication of spiritual desolation within. The wasteland outside is a reflection of the wasteland within. Having failed in the stewardship of soul, we have now, through pursuit of illusory progress, given up on stewardship of the earth and its inhabitants. When everything around is so advanced and sophisticated than why are we more insecure and anxious? If we have reached the pinnacle of modernity than why are we so inhumane and ignominious? We have despaired of Paradise and created it on earth. If this is not nihilism then what is? Just look at the economic underbelly of Dubai, you'll get the idea.
What would it take us to live life consciously? Even when we wear hijab - we'll find the most ostentatious piece of cloth and wrap it so bombastically our head that it only serves to draw attention not avert it. I saw this hijab tutorial on this sister's facebook wall. And the woman conducting the tutorial was teaching how to make your hijab style look like there are grapes dangling from the side or how to crinkle it in such a way that the cloth around your head looks like a flower or as if wind is passing through it. Then match the style with smoky eye shadow and whatever handbag. o_0 ??? You are kidding me right? And does your pretty little thing cover? Your shoulders? Front and back? NOPE! Skin tight silk abayas - why sisters? Tell me why? What are you thinking? Not modestly for sure because your abaya is anything but! And what do you think happens when these sisters go out? First - where do they go out? A place where they can show off their latest achievement (the hijab they spent half an hour putting on). Who do they meet? Other sisters like them who also wear their hijabs like bibelots on a Christmas tree - all smashing and no shyness. What do they talk about? Clothes, cars, cuisine...claptrap?
What did Allah say to the wives of the Prophet (s.a.w)? وَاذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ And remember (memorize and repeatedly mention/discuss) what is recited in your homes from the verses of Allah (Qur'an) and wisdom (Prophet's sunnah, s.a.w). [Qur'an, 33:34] Allah wants us to be وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ - وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ - وَالْقَانِتَاتِ - وَالصَّادِقَاتِ - وَالصَّابِرَاتِ - وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ - وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ - وَالصَّائِمَاتِ - وَالْحَافِظَاتِ - وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ women who beleive, who submit to Him, obey Him, are truthful, patient, humble, charitable, women who fast, guard their chastity and remember Allah profusely. Allah wants to forgive us and give us a great reward in Paradise in exchange for our faith. All this is only possible through the study and teaching of Qur'an. But for the life of me I do not understand how people of Qur'an and be so obsessively beguiled by the dunya. Didn't Allah say, لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
"Do not exten your eyes towrds that by which We have given enjoyment to certain categories of them, and do not grieve over them. And lower your wing [to show kindness] to the beleivers." [Qur'an, 15:88]
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound condescending. My posts are not intended to bash any segment of society. Foremost they are a reminder for me. I write in first person (I, you, we) as a way to not only engage my readers but to admonish myself personally.
Allah says, وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَـٰذَا "Stive in the way of Allah as He deserves to be striven for. He chose you and did you lay any difficulty upon you with respect to the religion. This is your father's creed, Ibrahim (a.s). And He [Allah] named you Muslims before and now." [Qur'an, 22:78] This verse is so precious to me because it outlines a Muslim's culture. We are raised to work in the way of Allah. We are chosen by Allah to live and promote such a religion which is best, blessed, easy, engergizing, peaceful, philanthropic, merciful and natural. For many generations people before us have followed this religion and now it is our turn to bear its flag.
The religion of Islam will never condone the abuse of nature and the affront to humanity. Islam gives respect to all of Allah's creation. The air, the land, it's produce, animals and people are sacred. There is more to life than vain consumption. Al-Dunya mazra'at al-Akhirah - the world is a seedbed of the Hereafter. You will reap what you sow.
We can't change the climate. We can't grow the lost trees but we can reduce our use of cars. We can stop making new buildings and tell people to live with their families for as long as possible. Every 18 year old in this world does not need a personal 2 bedroom apartment or semi-detached house. We can stop buying food from the grocery stores and grow our own vegetables and raise our own chicken. It is not far fetched, my uncle does this. We can stop keeping-up-with-the-Joneses "affluenza". I have only two dozen clothes (it is another story that my mom and grandma keep buying me more dresses which I never wear more than once at someone's shadi or Eid), 5 pairs of shoes and 1 face cream. I survive alhamdulillah. I don't need Mia Thermopolis' royal wardrobe and neither do you.
I will leave you with the words of Brother Abu Ali...(wah wah).
