Primist

A quick review on Shirin Ebadi’s “Iran Awakening”

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Culture, History and Archeology, Iran, Middle East, Politics

I just finished reading “Iran Awakening“. The book is somehow Shirin Ebadi’s autobiography written by herself and translated by Azadeh Moaveni.

Briefly, she has tried to produce lots of black and white images of Iran by describing a bit of the crisis happend to the benefit of showing a dark picture of the country. Yes, some parts are true, but skimpy without other bits which were happening in parallel. The book I have has a different cover and sub topic comparing to the one now in the market, not sure why she changed it.

It is also interesting to read one of the last paragraphs of the book where she somehow admits that she has not explained stroies completely! She’s a lawyer and knows what to do and how to do it…

If you read the book, do not just believe most of it, supplementary reading is a must. The book does not say the whole truth happend. Something like Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis“, which does the same thing.

American civilisation fifty years ago

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Africa, Culture, History and Archeology, Politics, USA

On Geert Wilders’ Fitna

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Ahmadinejad, Culture, Europe, History and Archeology, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Middle East, Politics, Religion and Spirituality, USA, United Kingdom, War and Military

I just watched Fitna. What I can shortly say for now is that Nine/Eleven, London’s tube, and  etc were done by Wahabbi extremists which are not effectively Muslims by any possible way. If any one goes and reads about the history of them and the foundation of their idealogy, they’ll realise that it’s actually a product of West, especially the UK. All with a plan for such days, and us watching this type of films. By no means this is not Islam.
All religions have this sort of disordered groups in them, that includes Christianity and Judaism. I won’t call a Zionist thug like Saddam a Muslim, same for Bin-Laden as I won’t call Sharon a Jew, or Bush a Christian.
Islam or in general, religions, and being religious is not what you say, it is what you do and how you live in the real life.

Happy Iranian New Year

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Culture, Iran, Middle East, Personal

Greetings for Norouz 1387.

For those who wonder what Norouz is; Norouz was set up by a Persian king called Jamshid about 15,000 years ago based on Sun. The Persian calendar’s commencements and eras has changed many times in the history. However it is the most accurate calendar in the world by one single day difference after ten million years.

The Iranian calendar has also been appreciated by the 6th Shi’ite Imam, Ja’far asSadegh ibn Mohammad (AS) by saying that the Norouz is the day when Ghadeer happened, Norouz is when Sun rose for the first time, and much more which those who can read Farsi (Persian) can find it in the following text:

امام صادق عليه السلام مي‌فرمايد: نوروز روزیست كه در آن پيامبر صلي الله عليه و آله براي حضرت علي عليه السلام در غدير خم پيمان گرفت و آنانكه آنجا بودند به ولايت آن حضرت اقرار كردند و خوشا به حال كسي كه آن را نگه‌داشت و بدا به حال كسي كه آن را زير پا نهاد.
نوروز روزیست كه در آن پيامبر صلي الله عليه و آله حضرت علي عليه السلام را با وادي جنيان مواجه كرد و از آنان ميثاق گرفت.
نوروز روزیست كه در آن علي عليه السلام در جنگ نهروان پيروز گشت.
نوروز روزیست كه در آن قائم ما اهل بيت ظاهر مي‌شود و خداوند او را بر دجال پيروز مي‌سازد.
و نوروزي نيست كه ما در آن منظر فرج نباشيم چرا كه آن روز از براي ماست.
ايرانيان آن را نگاه داشتند اما شما آن را از بين برديد.
و اين [نوروز] اولين روز سال [براي] ايرانيان است.
معلي مي‌گويد: حضرت [اين مطالب را بر من] املاء كردند و من نوشتم.
و نيز معلَّي مي‌گويد:
در صبحگاه نوروز خدمت امام صادق عليه السلام رسيدم.
امام برمن فرمودند: معلي! آيا مي‌داني امروز چه روزیست؟!
عرض كردم: نخير، ولي [همين‌قدر مي‌دانم] روزي‌ست كه ايرانيان آن را روز بزرگي مي‌دانند و گرامي‌اش داشته و در آن روز بر هم تبريك مي‌گويند.
امام فرمودند: قسم به خانه خدا كه اين روز براي امر بزرگي است كه آن را برايت شرح مي‌دهم تا بداني.
عرض كردم: يادگيري اين مطب برايم دوست‌داشتني‌تر از اين است كه عمري جاودان يابم؛ خداوند دشمنان شما را نابود سازد.
امام فرمودند: معلي! نوروز روزي‌ست كه خداوند در آن از انسان پيمان گرفت كه او را بپرستند و برايش شريك قائل نشوند و به دين فرستادگانش گروند.
نوروز روزیست كه خورشيد براي اولين بار طلوع كرد و بادهاي بارور ساز وزيد و گلهاي زمين آفريده شد.
نوروز روزیست كه كشتي حضرت نوح [كه سلام خدا بر پيامبر ما و خاندانش و بر او باد] [بعد از طوفان ] بر فراز كوه جودي ساحل گرفت.
نوروز روزیست كه فرشته وحي، جبرائيل عليه السلام بر پيامبر اسلام نازل شد.
نوروز روزیست كه حضرت ابراهيم بتهاي قوم خود را شكست.
و نوروز روزیست كه پيامبر اكرم حضرت علي عليه السلام را بر دوش خود بلند كرد تا بتهاي قريش را در‌انداخته و درهم شكند.
_____________________________________
بحار الأنوار : 56 / 119 .

Also my favourite poem for this occasion:

Tasliyats for 10th Moharram

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Culture, History and Archeology, Iran, Middle East, Religion and Spirituality

Condolences for the event of Ashura; the Martyrdom of Imam Hossein (AS) and his loyal companions.

:: Click to Enlarge ::

Click here to learn more about Imam Hussain’s journey to Karbala and the events happened in Muharram.

Tasliyats for Moharram

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Culture, History and Archeology, Iran, Middle East, Religion and Spirituality

Condolences for the events of the month of Muharram ul-Haram.

11th Zee Al-Gha’deh Mubarak

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Culture, Iran, Middle East, Personal, Religion and Spirituality

Greetings for the birthday of Imam Reza (AS).

Three more samples of Iranian Police Comic Strips

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Art, Culture, Iran, Middle East

Further to the pictures I showed you in my posts Iran’s Police using Comic Strip posters and Two more samples of Iranian Police’s Comic Strips; I just found 3 more posters, and here they are:

:: Click on any picture to enlarge ::

One of the posters warns youth of some mix parties, one warns of some improper friendships, and the other tries to prevent youth of following day to day modernism.

To see the previous posters, go here and here.

Halloween with Ahmadinejad

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Ahmadinejad, Culture, Iran, Politics

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was one of the hot Halloween figures this year:

:: Ahmadinejad Mask ::

:: Ahmadinejad Pumpkin ::

:: Ahmadinejad as Frankenstein (Click to Enlarge)::

Ahmadinejad from a different angle

Posted by Ali Sanaei under Ahmadinejad, Culture, Iran, Middle East, Politics, Religion and Spirituality

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad not shaking hands with a Vietnamese woman in Vietnam:

Doing his Zuhr/Asr Prayers on a mat in the streets:

President of Iran having his luxurious meal:

And sleeping simply in peace:

How many of you have seen your leaders actually obeying religious rules, in private life and international relations, and living in such commoner way?