ExpatPragmatist.com — ExpatPragmatist.com

Non-Muslim fasts during Ramadan

tenobliss — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:45:25 +0000

A Mormon, Aaron Toponce, decides to fast during Ramadan and keeps a daily journal. It is an interesting read. He also is getting a different perspective that shows how Americans view Muslims in a negative sense.

Wing Chun scene with Donnie Yen in IP Man

tenobliss — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:56:05 +0000

IP Man was a great film starring Donnie Yen as Yip Man who brought Wing Chun to international attention. Below are some great fight scenes demonstrating the Wing Chun fist:

No related posts.

Nine Nursi followers jailed in Tashkent Region – Uznews.net

tenobliss — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:46:54 +0000

Uznews.net – The Tashkent Region criminal code jailed nine graduates of the Turkish lyceum in Angren for membership of the banned Nurchilar (followers of Nursi Said) religious organisation.

Three Nursi followers – Jasur Hasanov, Farhod Hasanov and Dilmurod Rahmatov – were sentenced to five years in prison under Item 2 of Article 244 of the Criminal Code “creating, leading and participating in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist and other banned organisations”.

A further six followers – Tohir Vakkasov, Oybek Latypov, Sherzod Haytboyev, Jamshid Jabborov, Jahongir Tillayev and Asilhuja Turayev – were found guilty under Article 216 of the Criminal Code “illegal establishment of public and religious organisations”.

They were fined 70 minimum monthly wages (3.2 million sums or about $1,450) each.

Surat Ikramov, the head of the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Activists of Uzbekistan who observed the trial, said that the men had been jailed even though their guilt was not proven.

Nursi followers were subject to constant psychological pressure during the investigation, their lawyers said.

Source: http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=hot&cid=3&nid=14771

No related posts.

First Ramadan in a long, long time

tenobliss — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:59:47 +0000

Today was the first day of the Ramadan fast. It is my first Ramadan fast in a long while, my first in Vietnam. It is not as difficult as I expected it to be, luckily the weather in Saigon is much, much cooler than normal. I woke up at 3:55 AM and ate about 3 bananas, 4 yogurts, drank some green tea and a lot of water. At 4:18 AM the fast started and lasted about 9 and a half hours already. The fast will end around 6:20 PM tonight and I will have Iftar at my school.

I do not remember the Ramadans for my first 5 years in Vietnam. I just lost track of them. Last year I was working with my IT consultant with an Indonesian company near Haiphong in northern Vietnam. The IT manager was fasting on the first day. Ramadan 2009, though I never fasted, will be memorable. It was during this Ramadan that my ex-fiancée, committed fraud against this very company mid-way through Ramadan without any remorse. Within a couple months, my company would be destroyed and I ended up losing money and revenue.

This Ramadan is making me reflect back to that Ramadan. One year has changed me a lot. I have moved on, learned my lessons.

What will happen to me by Ramadan 2011? Only God knows…

MOOZ-lum Trailer

tenobliss — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:14:13 +0000

Mooz-lum, the Movie, is giving a different perspective of Muslims and Islam. The trailer itself is heart inspiring:

Better be nice :-)

tenobliss — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:33:32 +0000

A cute video. Do not mess with pooches!!!

Ramadan 2010

tenobliss — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:51:30 +0000

Ramadan 2010 is coming up on Wednesday, August 11, 2010.

Islam and Religious Freedom in America

tenobliss — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:49:04 +0000

Below is an interesting blog post on Islam and building of a mosque near the World Trade Center at Alas, a blog:

For all our nation’s many faults, there is one thing that our country got inarguably right, and that is freedom of religion. From the founding of the republic, religious tests for office have been banned, religious freedoms supported. The right to worship as one pleases, free from government coercion, is one of the cornerstone liberties of our nation, one equal to the freedom to speak and write as one pleases. By allowing all Americans to seek out God (or not) in the manner of their choosing, the Constitution has recognized that the freedom to profess one’s faith is, at its heart, one of the most important freedoms one can exercise.

New Dreams

tenobliss — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:53:04 +0000

My dreams have changed the last couple of weeks. They seemed to be focusing on more pragmatic approaches to my life in the near future.

Inshallah…

No related posts.

Zen Buddhism

tenobliss — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:24:30 +0000

Zen Buddhism and Sufism have many similarities. Some can argue that Buddhism greatly influenced the Sufis of Central Asia. Here are two good videos looking at Zen Buddhism:

Buddhism vs. Islam