AL-GHORBA

(John 6:68): �Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life"

Whenever we are in real trouble encountering devastating and harsh conditions either physically or materially, we unconsciously react with sadness, anger, confusion, helplessness and feel abandoned. When in a big mess, we expect our family members and friends to automatically run to our rescue. But in the majority of such difficult situations, we discover with great disappointment that in reality our heartfelt expectations do not unfold as we wish.

What is frustrating and shocking is that very few of our family members and friends would stand beside us during hardships and endeavour to genuinely offer the needed help. Those who have already walked through these rocky life paths and adversities definitely know very well the bitter taste of disappointment. They know exactly the real meaning of the well-know saying, "a friend in need is a friend indeed".

Sadly our weak human nature is driven by inborn instincts that often make us side with the rich, powerful, healthy and strong over the poor, weak, needy and sick. Those who have no faith in Almighty God find it very difficult to cope in a real mess.

Meanwhile, those whose faith is solid stand up with courage, refuse to give up hope, and call on their Almighty Father for help through praying and worshiping. They know for sure that our Great Father is loving and passionate. He will not abandon any one of us when calling on Him for mercy and help because He said and promised so. Matthew 11/28-30: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

One might ask, 'Why should I pray?' And, 'Do I have to ask God for help, can't He help me without praying to Him?' The answer is 'no'. We need to pray and when we do so with faith and confidence God listens and responds (Mark 11/:24): "Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them"

Yes, we have to make the effort and be adamant and persistent. We have to ask and knock in a bid to show our mere submission to Him and He with no doubt shall provide. (Matthew 7/7 & 8): "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened".

On this second Sunday of Lent in our Catholic Church's Eastern Maronite rite, we cite and recall the miraculous cure of the bleeding woman in Matthew 9/20-22, Mark 5/25-34, and Luke 8/43-48. As we learn from the Holy Gospel, the bleeding woman's great faith made her believe without a shred of doubt that her twelve years of chronic bleeding would stop immediately if she touched Jesus' garment. She knew deeply in her heart that Jesus would cure her even without asking him. Her faith cured the bleeding and made her well. Her prayers were heard and responded to.

Luke 8/:43-49: "A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any, came behind him (Jesus), and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped. Jesus said, �Who touched me?� When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, �Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, �Who touched me?�� 8:46 But Jesus said, �Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.� When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. He said to her, �Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.�

The woman's faith cured her chronic bleeding and put her back in the society as a normal and acceptable citizen. During that era women with uterus bleeding were looked upon as sinners, defiled and totally banned from entering synagogues for praying. Meanwhile, because of her sickness she was physically unable to be a mother and bear children. Sadly she was socially and religiously abandoned, humiliated and alienated. But her faith and hope empowered her with the needed strength and perseverance and enabled her to cope successfully against all odds.

Hallelujah! Faith can do miracles. Yes indeed. (Luke17/5 & 6): " The apostles said to the Lord, �Increase our faith.� The Lord said, �If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, �Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,� and it would obey you". How badly do we today need to have a faith like that of this women?

Let us all on this second Lent Sunday pray with solid faith.

Let us ask Almighty God who cured the bleeding women, and who was crucified on the cross to absolve our original sin, that He would endow His Holy graces of peace, tranquility, and love all over the world. And that He would strengthen the faith, patience and hope of all those persecuted, imprisoned, and deprived for courageously witnessing the Gospel's message and truth.

Bryan Denton for The New York Times

The Zaitunay Bay development, which opened in December with shops and restaurants, is built on reclaimed land.

By RACHEL B. DOYLE

ALTHOUGH many residents of Beirut were strolling along the newly opened waterfront promenade, Zaitunay Bay, on a mild January morning, it was almost eerily quiet. The Lebanese capital is not exactly known for tranquillity — a cacophony of car horns provides the soundtrack for nearly all strolls here — but on this attractive marina nestled below street level, you could hear the water lapping against the hulls of docked pleasure craft.

“Ten years ago, this area of Beirut was dead,” said Raphael Sabbagha, co-chairman of Zaitunay Bay’s development company.

Indeed, during the 15-year Lebanese civil war, a nearby section of Mediterranean coastline served as a notorious dumping ground. Where there was once an open sewer outlet bordering a mountain of garbage there’s now a stunning teak boardwalk, ample terrace seating and gray basalt walkways.

The ambitious 215,000-square-foot development, designed by the architect Steven Holl, literally grew out of the stabilized landfill. “All of this was reclaimed and rebuilt after the 1975 civil war,” said Farouk Kamal, the other chairman of the development company. Pointing about 2,000 feet inland, he added, “The seafront used to be in front of that church.”

The offerings at Zaitunay Bay are distinctly high-end. There is a Champagne bar, a yacht club and a jeweler. But this is not just another glittery attraction out of reach to average Lebanese. In December the esplanade hosted an open-air Christmas market, with a lighted olive tree. There are also free concerts and “cultural flea markets” planned for the public, including a flower market for Mother’s Day (in March) and a music festival on the summer solstice.

“It’s the phoenix of downtown Beirut coming back,” said Samir Boubess, owner of the Cozmo Café (961-136-1650; boubess.com) at Zaitunay Bay.

Karim Haidar, a chef who runs three restaurants in Paris, returned to Lebanon after 25 years to open the creative Lebanese kitchen Zabad (961-137-6620; zabadrestaurant.com). A recent nine-course tasting menu (86,000 Lebanese pounds, or $59 at 1,453 pounds to the dollar) began with a chickpea and tahini espuma, featured a tiger prawn kibbeh with figs and dates, and wrapped up with a dessert pancake of pistachio and blackberry caramel.

Starting March 1, visitors will be able to rent a boat to sail around the inviting, aquamarine-hued Mediterranean at Water Nation Sports Center (961-3204-455;waternation.com.). Water Nation also offers scuba courses (from $150), 12-hour sailing courses ($400), or 12 sessions of water skiing ($400).

Amarres Bistro & Café Français (961-137-2292; amarresbeirut.com) channels the South of France with well-executed standbys like duck confit (38,000 pounds) and steak tartare with truffles (35,000 pounds) and an interesting French and Lebanese wine list.

A different aesthetic reigns at the Cro Magnon Steakhouse & Bar (961-1371-276; lecromagnon.com). “We wanted to go for something very industrial, like a dockyard,” said its owner, Joey Ghazal. The restaurant serves dry-aged U.S.D.A. prime beef cuts. The bone-in filet mignon special ($48) added a caveman touch to a normally dainty cut of meat. There’s a cigar cabinet, leather banquettes and a vaulted brass ceiling.

Mr. Ghazal’s other offering at Zaitunay Bay is the nautical St. Elmo’s Brasserie (961-1367-356; stelmosbrasserie.com), which he described as “Boston fisherman style”: “I wanted it to be a place where sailors would go and have a drink and meet girls,” he said. With its sleek décor and lobster rolls (30,000 pounds), it is more reminiscent of Martha’s Vineyard.

The Canadian-born Mr. Ghazal was working in the restaurant business in Montreal when the chance to move to his family’s native Lebanon arose. It was as much a mission as a business opportunity. “It’s kind of humbling,” said Mr. Ghazal. “You’re coming back to your roots and doing something that advances your country.”

Un cri douleureux d'un étranger dans un pays étrange
**
Dédié à l'âme de mes parents bien aimés

**
Une Lettre depuis l'exil

Non, Non
Je ne suis pas là-bas
Non, je ne suis pas là-bas
Je n'y suis plus
J'y étais
Mais maintenant , je suis ici
Ici, dans un monde révoltant
Sombre, triste
Insensée, impitoyable
Et sans amour ni nostalgie

Dans un monde noyé dans l'inquiétude
Les douleurs et l'ennui
Etouffé par la matité
Ample de la monotonie
Sans but ni espoir
Sans début et sans fin
Avec des cris stridents
Et des douleurs
Ornés de lamentation

**
Je suis ici maintenant
Dans un monde de mirage
D'exil et de décombres
Je me nourrit de terre
J'embrasse les cailloux
J'allonge mes veilles
En jouant mes cordes
Et contemplant la lune
Je ferme les yeux à peine

Dans mon exil
La nuit se révèle longue
Lourde
Dévore la lumière du jour
L'envahit d'obscurité et d'ombre
Et lui fait perdre sa dignité
Le maudit et le maudit
Maudit même le grain de poussière
Maudit les pierres
Les arbres et les humains

**

Autrefois, j'étais bien là-bas
Sur les collines de mon village
Avec mes semblables !
J'admirais ma terre
Là où réside ma gloire et mon espoir
La gloire de ma dignité, mon soufle
Et ma splendeur

J'étais là-bas
A ma Mirun
Où se trouvent mes origines
Mon peuple
Mon identité
Là où rampaient mes troupeaux
Et où se trouve mon lieu de prière

**
Avant, j'étais là-bas
Je me consolais par des espoirs
Cherchant le soulagement
La sérinité
Ne connaissant pas le chagrin
Ni les larmes
Ni la douleur
Ou les pleurs et les gémissements

Autrefois, j'étais là-bas
Plein d'espoir
Cherchant la grandeur
Et mon long chemin
Flirtait l'écho
Et le coucher du soleil
Apportant de la joie à mon âme
Il n y avait pas d'echo
Sauf un chant d'amour lointain
mon hymne si beau et si proche

**
Et voilà que je suis ici
Je ne suis plus là-bas
Je suis ici
Tout seul avec mon oreiller
Sur un lit sans bonheur
Dans un monde qui n'est pas le mien
Un monde vaste, très vaste
Comme je voudrais qu'il soit petit

Je n'ai pas d'autre choix
Obligé de serrer mon oreiller
Et rester dans mon lit
me nourrir de terre
Embrasser les pierres
Mais ma conscience ne cesse
De me torturer
Mon âme est submergée par les cris
qui baisseront le ton, bientôt
Cèdant la place
A la voix solonelle du destin

**
Et voilà que je suis ici
Dans le monde des ventrus
Monde des oppresseurs
Qui multiplent les péchés
Le monde, Où la musique
Des tambours stridents
perce les oreilles

je suis ici maintenant , je suis là
Bien que je ne serai jamais
Et jamais
Et pas dans un million d'années
Flux de la terre
Ni embrasser les pierres
Dans ce monde impur et suspect
Bizarre et Étrange
Qui rabaisse les sages
Maltraite les intellectuels et les génies
Et décourage le bien-aimé !

Copenhagen 2012

Sheikh Dr.\ Mustafa Rashid

Professor of Shariat law

World of Al-Azhar University

Faculty of Sharia in Damanhur Branch general

We strive to provide opinions and fatwas in the shape of many steady steps on the road to readjustments of the wrong commentaries and strayed points of view about the texts of the Koran and the purposes of Shariat. A lack of comprehensive understanding of the integrated ideology of the book in some of the commentators represents a portion of numerous reasons for errors. Other reasons are represented by the short sighted understanding that is motivated by personal biased opinion (due to personal mood or desire) of the pioneer sheikhs. So to confront whoever uses the religion for personal gain motivated by his ignorance or evil violent nature, we are delighted to respond to the question we have received from Doctor Mohammad Omran. He requested a fatwa regarding; who has the right to apply the Shariat law contemporarily?

As an introduction to our response, we say; The Islamic shariat law should never be applied according to personal desire or according to the belief of a small group of individuals. Rather it is to be predominantly approved by the majority and under the provision of existence of a just ruler. These conditions are not currently present at this point in time. The world is now going through an era that is controlled by a group of hypocrites and forgers who fraud evidence using religion for personal gain. They crown themselves agents of God whilst God has nothing to do with them. However, they used this approach successfully with people who were raised on delusion and superstition. For centuries they were denied liberty, justice and basic human rights. These fake religious leaders have found a lucrative trade in religious myths and deception. History is the best witness for this since the era of succession until now. Saudi Arabia and Iran represent the best contemporary example. Both apply Islamic Shariat. However they are substantially contradictive to each other. They are also each other's worst enemies. Is there more than one god, each of whom has different Shariat? God forbid. Both countries apply the same shariat of the only God.

Saudi Arabia applies Shriat law only to the poor and the general public. They exclude the royal family's princes and the rulers, while they are the ones who do all the evil. The “Commission of the Promoting of Virtue and Preventing of Vice” would not dare to confront the rulers and the princes. It dominates and bullies the simple and the poor. Is there a greater corruption of the law?

Iran gives the Jurist the status of God. His orders are mandatory and to be obeyed. Millions of people can never object or even discuss as the Faqih is above all the state's institutions. He may dismiss the elected president of the people or any member of the parliament or even dissolve the whole parliament or legislative council. The Shariat law applied by the Iranian regime is one of the most oppressive - killing opposing citizens and forging election results.

Freedom of opinion does not exist either in Saudi Arabia or Iran. Could this possibly be the Shariat Law of God?

The Sunni citizen in Iran is oppressed, persecuted, denied his rights and treated as a second-class citizen. The Shiite citizen in Saudi Arabia is also treated this way.

I have met a number of these citizens in both countries, listened to many of them speaking about oppression and persecution which led them to refuge to western countries that don’t have an Islamic religion. They live there to escape these dominant dictators, extremists and religious traders.

These people are cursed in every book because they have traded in the name of religion to reach, keep in authority and indulge in the people’s wealth. They carry criminal ruthless attributes such as the domination and narcissism that know no compassion or mercy. They cover themselves in the religion for protection. Does this affiliate to the law of God? No and a thousand times moreover. They are liars and they have only hell as their destiny - not only them, but also whoever follows or supports them. The oracle of God in the verse 116 of Surat El Nahl applies to them: “Don’t say when your tongue describes lies that this is halal (permitted by God) and this is haram (illicit by God), lest u invent a lie against God”.

Conclusively, our opinion is; it is impossible to apply the Islamic Shariat law for the time being as we have looked at it from a practical point of view. Muslims have become divided into sectors and parties such as Sunni, Shiite, Alawi, Ahmadi, Sophie, Dorzi, Malki, Shafii, Hanbali, Hanafi and so forth. Considering this, if we apply the Islamic Shariat Law and if a judge, for example, is dissolving a contention between a Sunni and a Shiei or an Alawi or even between a Sunni and another Sunni - but one was Hanbaly and another Hanafy - which Shariat and which law will the Judge apply? Let alone if the country includes citizens from various religious backgrounds such as Christian, Jewish, Bahaii or Sabaii and so forth. This in itself is a sufficient reason to make the application of Shariat law impossible because Shariat law cannot apply to the non-Muslim.

Only God is behind the intent and the motive. God is our support.

Mufti

Sheikh Dr.\ Mustafa Rashid

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