Embroidery from Siwa

Walk into one of several fashion stores in Italy and you might see the designs and embroidery of the women of Siwa in Egypt. Closely associated with Adrère Amellal and its two partner hotels, which range in price from $45 to $330 a night, the Siwa initiative started off by helping 50 Siwan women to upgrade their embroidery skills and thus  ensure workmanship of the highest standard. The project allows women to work from home or in an all-women setting, in keeping with Siwan tradition. Within a year, the number of women participating in the project had reached 300. Siwa Creations has worked with several haute couture companies in Italy, including Ermanno Scervino and Nia Ferrante. Read more about the many projects of Siwa and Adrère Amellal, a luxury hotel that proves you don’t need electricity to be bright.

Travelling like a ship through the desolate, monotonous and dry sea of sand and rock for hours on end you lose track of time. Looking out across the harsh, flat landscape your mind plays tricks and as Siwa approaches the traveler can be forgiven for believing he has stumbled into a mirage fantasy from his imagination… Unfortunately, having traveled through the pitch black night by bus, and arriving at 6:00am, we were denied that experience.

Nevertheless, Siwa welcomed us with a beautiful, sunrise of pink and orange hues above the date-palm top. The sun slowly rising allowed us to see the line of the desert just behind the green of different trees where birds spread out to join the cacophony of the waking town in the shadow of the ancient fort of Shali.

Cairo could take a lesson from Siwa’s hospitality. It is a small bustling town and full of life. The Berber lifestyle has survived here by being wonderfully independent and also infectious to it’s inhabitants and visitors. Siwa is a great place to decompress after the pressure of three days in Cairo. There is a lot to do but no need to do it. Plus: the food is great! Date pancakes rock.

Droga przez pustynie jest jak podroz lodzia przez opustoszaly, monotonny i suchy bezmiar piasku i kamieni w ciagu dlugich godzin, podczas ktorych gubi sie poczucie czasu. Patrzac w pusty i zapomniany krajobraz umysl zaczyna platac figle. Kiedy oaza Siwa pojawia sie na horyzoncie wedrowiec przeciera oczy, by upewnic sie, ze nie jest to wymysl jego wyobrazni… Niestety, zostalismy pozbawieni tego doswiadczenia, jako ze nasza podroz trwala w nocy i przybylismy do oazy o 6:00 rano.

Niemniej jednak, Siwa przywitala nas pieknym, rozowawaym wschodem slonca nad pasem daktylowych palm. W miare podnoszenia sie slonca naszym oczom ukazywaly sie nowe szczegoly. Za pasem zieleni ukazala sie ogromna, niekonczaca przestrzen pustyni, a z drzew zerwaly sie stada ptakow, ktore razno dolaczyly do kakofonii, ktora budzila miasto ukryte w cieniu antycznej fortecy.
Kair moglby nauczyc sie goscinnosci od mieszkancow Siwy. Siwa jest malenkim, ale ruchliwym i pelnym zycia miasteczkiem. Styl zycia Berberow przetrwal tutaj w cudownej niezaleznosci, ktora udziela sie mieszkancom i gosciom. Siwa jest wspanialym miejscem do uwolnienia sie od stresu i napiecia spowodowanego 3-dniowym pobytem w Kairze. Jest tam masa rzeczy do robienia, ale nie ma musu do tego. Dodatkowo jedzenia jest fantastyczne. Nalesniki z daktylami rzadza!

The first time I went to Siwa, I went with Norman, Kate, and Naya, and like so many others before us, we discovered the charm of The Desert Rose, a smallish complex about three kilometers outside the main oasis town, just a little further away than Fantis Island. The Desert Rose is a true gem of Egypt; it’s owned by a German who invariably is never there, but run to its credit by the ever-efficient Ali, who is a resource of myth and legend and information about food, culture, and the availability of bicycles.

That’s how you get around, see: Siwa is best negotiated via bike. You can walk, of course, but bike is much more fun — especially around the old city, when you weave your ways through mud huts and stop to watch kids playing soccer or take a swig from your canteen. The fact that the Desert Rose is three kilometers away is also a motivation for renting one; the hour-long walk shortens to half an hour to twenty minutes (if you’re confident of the road).

The first time I went to Siwa, I promptly lost my way on the return back from the day’s excursion; I biked too fast and soon found myself without a Norman, a Kate, or a Naya, and in my efforts to find the way back, I found the sun setting and the road ending at the picturesque spot called Fantis, which overlooks the western salt flats and has a small hut with an enterprising attendant willing to set up a good apple sheesha and a tea for an exorbitant price. It was there I first met Andrea.

He sat apart from a group of rather boisterous Egyptians (one of which was an officer of the mukhabarat, the secret police, though he was doing a poor job of keeping secret with his pistol at his side), looking contemplative and brooding. He wore what I would discover was his typical “kit”: a knee-length leather jacket, a thick wool pullover, and a floor-length galabiyya, his  neck wrapped in an enormous scarf, his feet in what looked like the sandals of a Franciscan friar. He seemed perfectly dressed for being exactly where he was, which is another way of saying that he looked only slightly less ridiculous than I did.

I sat next to him and made a few remarks in Arabic. After a few sentences, he said in English, “Do you mind if we switch to French, or perhaps English? My Arabic is not so good.” I liked him immediately and made a point of visiting every time I passed through the oasis.

It’s good to have friends in places like Siwa.

As I later learned from Abdou on my other excursions, Andrea is known locally as “The Italian” and is considered something of an oddity, though by no means exotic. There is a smallish expat population in Siwa consisting mainly of British and Italians — including only recently a bizarre English millionaire-painter who had a caleche custom-made in Cairo for a donkey. Andrea arrived some fifteen years ago, bough land, and has been building a house on the side of Shali (the big, ruined, salt-brick castle in the center of town) for some time.

I’m writing about the Italian because it was just yesterday I finally talked to him; his house is finished (for the most part) and he’s living in it. The date crop has come in, and he’s settled down for the season (until March). He comes for about six months of the year, spending the other six making enough money as a Florentine tour guide to last for his six-month life (Andrea’s English is extremely well-chosen: he refuses to refer to his time in Siwa as a vacation, because it sounds too much like “vacant” — “My life here is never vacant of anything,” he says.)

Basically, he’s my hero.

Looking forward to seeing him — and I confess, his house! — after Christmas.

In order to drive across the desert to the remarkable oasis town of Siwa we would – at the request of the government – have to travel in convoy with a departing tour group. Surprisingly our convoy was led by a familiar face, proving once again just how small the world is.

I’m sure many of you have marvelled at the years of speculation and numerous unconfirmed sightings of Freddie Mercury, but like myself have probably dismissed them out of hand. However, I can confidently confirm that the great man did in fact manage to escape his demons and is now living in exile in the Egyptian desert.

With Pendulum blaring out of the speakers our grey hairs grew in direct correlation with the increased number of tank slappers as we tore through the desert at 120kmph in the apparently reliable wake of Freddie. The irony of being lead through the desert by the dead didn’t go unnoticed – lets just hope Siwa is to die for!

Who They Are

Siwa Oasis, located about 70 kilometers east of the Libyan border, has been inhabited since 10,000 BC but was re-created just a few years ago by Environmental Quality International, an environmental consulting company.  EQI’s president, Mounir Neamtalla, first visited in 1996 and was so inspired by the beauty and spirituality of this remote corner of Egypt he expanded EQI’s advisory services to include direct investments in sustainable development – and so Siwa was reborn.

Steeped in history, it is renowned for being the site of the Oracle of Amon, whom Alexander the Great consulted. Visiting Siwa today you will find it very much the same as Alexander did, featuring majestic rock formations, luxuriant groves and dazzling salt lakes throughout the oasis.

Pool at Adrère Amellal

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative includes three different accommodations, ranging in price from $45 to $330 per night. The most luxurious, Adrère Amellal, is 20 minutes outside of Siwa and has 40 en-suite rooms overlooking Lake Siwa and is nestled at the foot of the White Mountain cliffs.  Built with indigenous material using traditional Siwan building techniques, the lodge has a minimal impact on the environment.  There is no electricity, rooms are lit with beeswax candles. the stars light up the nights, and the swimming pool is fed by local springs.

Shali Lodge, set in the middle of a lush palm grove in the heart of Siwa, is built of rock salt in the traditional architectural style. It has 20 charming suites that are simply but luxuriously furnished, all overlooking an internal courtyard.

At Albabenshal

Albabenshal is located, quite spectacularly, outside the jagged ruins of Old Shali, a 13th-century citadel in the center of Siwa.  A restoration of what were once rundown Siwan dwellings, Albabenshal has 13 rooms on three levels, linked through a system of alleyways and terraces overlooking the town center.

What They Are Doing

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative has brought significant benefits to the local community, while protecting Siwa’s delicate ecology and revitalizing its unique cultural heritage.  It has renewed Siwans’ pride in their cultural heritage, creating a wave of building in the Siwan traditional architectural style and has resulted in a decree by the governor of Matruh that all new constructions be built in the traditional style.

Siwan Woman Doing Embroidery

Most importantly, the initiative has created environmentally and culturally sustainable employment and income-generating opportunities that draw on local materials and expertise. At least 600 Siwans are employed in areas such as the supply of raw materials, production of furniture and handicrafts, transport of goods and workers, and as tour operators.

Creations of Siwa

In partnership with the International Finance Corporation, EQI is working to develop Siwa into a center of excellence for the production of organically grown produce and agro-culinary products, while improving the standard of living of Siwan farmers. The project, which hopes to benefit up to 450 farmers and 50 off-farm workers,  aims to add value to Siwan agricultural produce by promoting the adoption of organic farming and farm management systems that are compatible with international certifications. There are crop-prefinancing and cattle-financing schemes, a renewable energy initiative, and a packaging warehouse.

In August 2001, EQI launched a cottage industry aimed at revitalizing Siwa’s traditional handicrafts and promoting a culture of artisanship among women in the oasis. An initial grant from the British embassy went towards upgrading the embroidery skills of 50 Siwan women to ensure workmanship of the highest standard. The project allows women to work from home or in an all-women setting, in keeping with Siwan tradition. Within a year, the number of women participating in the project had reached 300. Siwa Creations has worked with several haute couture companies in Italy, including Ermanno Scervino and Nia Ferrante.

(Hotel View and Creations photos by Khaled Nagy.)

Nu har jag lagt upp busstidtabeller från de flesta turistorter i Egypten för dig som vill resa lite mer på egenhand.

Vill du veta mer kan du numer ställa dina frågor via facebookgruppen “Resor till Egypten”.

Johannes

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This is cool.  You can also read the story here.

APA YANG ANDA KETAHUI TENTANG DEWA GANESHA???

Dewa Ganesha adalah dewa dalam agama Hindu yang berkepala Gajah. Dewa Ganesha juga sering disebut VINAYAGAR yang berarti pemimpin yang paling istimewa. Dewa Ganesha mempunyai banyak sebutan diantaranya Yanai Mugatthon karena bermuka gajah, Thumbikkaiyar karena mempunyai gading dan Ainggaran karena bertangan lima. Dipercaya apabila kita memuja Dewa Ganisha sebelum memulai suatu pekerjaan maka kita kan terbebas dari kesialan dan kita kan selalu mendapat keberuntungan. Itu salah satu alas an kenapa saya menamai blog ini Ainggaran. Tahukah anda kenapa Dewa Ganesha berkepala Gajah??? Ceritanya………Seperti yang kita  ketahui Dewi Durga adalah sakti atau istri dewa Brahma. Suatu hari Dewi Durga ingin pergi mandi dan beliau berpesan kepada salah satu pengawalnya untuk tidak mengijinkan siapa pun untu masuk. Tak beberapa lama berselang datanglah Dewa siwa. Begitu sampai di pintu masuk Sang pengawal tidak kuasa untuk melarang karena itu juga merupakan rumah Dewa Siwa sendiri. Begitu Dewi Durga melihat dewa siwa masuk , beliau sangat marah kepada pengawalnya. Namun tetap saja Dewi Durga tak berdaya karena tentu saja Dewa Siwa berhak masuk karena itu juga rumahnya.

Kesokan harinya Dewi Durga pergi mandi. Namun kali ini Dewi Durga membuat seorang anak untuk menjaga agar tak seorang pun bisa masuk kedalam. Membuat seorang anak yang hanya akan patuh terhadap perintahnya. Kemudian terlahirlah seorang anak laki laki. Anak tersebut kemudian berdiri di depan pintu masuk untuk berjaga. Sesaat kemudian Dewa Siwa datang dan ingin masuk. Namun anak ini menghalangi. Dewa Siwa sangat marah karena dihalangi untuk masuk ke rumah sendiri. Kemudian beliau menitahkan pengawalnya untuk menyerang anak tersebut. Namun gagal. Begitu banyak prajurit yang sudah dititahlkan untuk mengalahkan anat itu namun tak satu pun yangerhasil. Kemudian Dewa Siwa meminta tolong kepada Dewa Wisnu dan Dewa Brahma namun keduanya juga tidak berhasil. Akhirnya Dewa Siwa menjadi benar benar murka. Akhirnya Dewa Siwa turun langsung mengerahkan semua kekuatannya untuk mengalahkan anak tersebut. Namu hasilnya tetap nihil, anak itu tak terkalahkan. Kemudian Dewa Wisnu memberikan usul bahwa untuk mengalahkan anak itu dengan cara mengelabuinya. Kemudian rencana itu dijalankan. Saat si anak tersebut bertarung dengan Dewa Siwa, Dewa Wisnu dari arah belakang memenggal kepala anak iut. Tak lam kemudian Dewi Durga yang sehabis mandi melihat anakny meninggal menjadi sangat murka. Langit berubah menjadi gelap dan menyeramkan. Dewi Durga menjadi –benar-benar murka. Sehingga hampir semua dewa yang berada disana menjadi ketakutan. Kemudian Dewa Siwa menenangkan Dewi Durga dengan berjanji bahwa akan menghidupkan kembali anak itu. Setelah berkata demikian barulah Dewi Durga kembali tenang. Kemudian Dewa Siwa menitahkan kepada salah seorang pelayannya untuk berjalan ke arah barat dan membawakan kepala makhluk hidup pertama yang tidur menghadap arah utara. Telah banyak makhluk hidup yang dilewati pelayan tersebut sampai akhirnya ia menemukan seekor gajah yang sedang tertidur menghadap utara. Kemudian ia memotongnya dan membawakannya untuk Dewa Siwa. Dewa Siwa kemudian menyambungkan badan anakitu dengan kepala gajah dan…………kemudian anak itu hidupp dengan berkepala gajah. Dan diberi gelar sebagai Vinayagar yakni pemimpin pasukan yang istimewa pemimpin pasukan Siwa yang terbesar dan terangung.

Di India hari lahirnay Vinayagar diperingati pada Vinayagar Chaturthi.

1. Renting bikes to ride to a view of the sunset from an ahwa (coffeeshop) on the banks of Siwa’s big lake.

First: put a bunch of American and Egyptian college students on rented bikes in a town square in an Egyptian oasis town in the middle of the desert, then add some donkey carts, some angry Egyptian men on motorbikes, a few autobees, some curious onlooking Egyptian children, and some cars. Result? hilarious chaos.

2. The Sahara

Why did no one else think that driving jeeps up and down STEEP, shifting sand dunes while the sunset was rapidly approaching was a horrible, horrible idea? Why did we sleep in the desert with only wool blankets (I could have used about five more, and a heater)? Why was there only a hole in the ground with four walls around it for a toilet? (Rhetorical question). And why did we forget the marshmallows?

3. Dates! lots of them.

I still don’t understand the difference between Belah (dates) and tamr (dates), but there were only belah in Siwa, no tamr.

4. A nine-hour bus ride

Khalid: Okay, everyone with a test tomorrow, you’re on the fast bus. You’ll get to Alex two hours earlier.

Zoe and Me: WE HAVE TO BE ON THAT BUS

Khalid: Zoe and Lydia, why are you on the slow bus? You have a test tomorrow. You’re on the fast bus.

Me: What test??

(An hour later, we catch up to the “slow” bus at the rest stop. and again at the lunch stop. and again at the next rest stop. We get to Alex at the same time.)

Eleven hours later, in the dorms:

Me, studying.

Eman: Zahra, is there a test in your class with Lydia tomorrow?

Zahra: no.

Me: oh.

5. Drinking tea with a man from Siwa in his shop and discussing Siwa and the Siwa language (Conclusion: tourism is good for Siwa and Egyptians drink tea very sweet).

Era stato un invito improvviso. Sembrava casuale, ma a pensarci forse l’avevano fatto apposta. Forse sapevano che non avrei rinunciato ad un viaggio con loro. Forse sapevano che dovevo lasciami indietro una brutta storia. Forse perchè poteva essere bello fare ancora un viaggio assieme. L’ultimo si perdeva nella notte dei tempi. L’ultimo ci aveva portato per le vecchie strade, ma a quel tempo quasi mulattiere, dell’isola di Creta. Vieni con noi nel deserto? Era la mia prima volta. Come facevo a dire di no? Partimmo subito dopo Natale. Il tempo giusto per stare prima un po’ in famiglia e poi fuori dalla pazza folla. In fin dei conti l’ultimo dell’anno porta con sè, sempre, pensieri fastidiosi che assomigliano a bilanci e a propositi di essere finalmente migliori. Propositi che non si realizzano mai. Per me andarmene via, proprio in quel momento, era un toccasana. Volevo liberarmi di pensieri tristi e di situazioni dolorose. Volevo finalmente riappropriarmi della mia vita. Certo non era la prima volta. Contavo che stavolta sarebbe stata l’ultima. E arrivammo lì a Siwa. Un luogo fuori del tempo, nato ai piedi della vecchia Shali che dopo tre giorni di pioggia si era sciolta nel fango lasciando, come un urlo disperato,  le sue guglie sperdute, come dita verso il cielo. Avevamo preso alloggio ad un resort ai margini del mare di sabbia. Davanti a noi il deserto libico. Prima una grande pianura spoglia e lontano le dune di questo mare in movimento. Chi pensa che il deserto sia vuoto si sbaglia. Il deserto è emozione. E’ silenzio. E’ ricerca di sè stessi. Guardare quella distesa di sabbia provoca la stessa emozione che si prova di fronte ad un mare sconfinato. Io ne ero attratta. Dal resort cercavo sempre un punto che mi permettesse di vedere il colore della sabbia cambiare nelle ore del giorno. Dune trasformarsi in onde minacciose. Piramidi di calcare e cascate di silicio. M’ero chiesta che odore avesse il deserto. Ora lo sapevo. M’ero domandata cosa avrei pensato in quella solitudine rarefatta. Non ci sono risposte. Il deserto è uno stato d’animo. La notte è una distesa di stelle indisturbate. Il freddo è intenso. I fuochi berberi attirano le nostre mani come fossero falene. Bevendo un bicchiere di tè affumicato e dolce, guardo il cielo nella speranza di ritrovarmi. Il cuore ricerca una fragile preghiera perduta nel tempo. La tua mente non riesce ad innalzarsi. Non vola libera dal peso degli affanni. Ma inevitabilmente giorno dopo giorno lascia su quel mare indomito e silenzioso tutto ciò che non serve. Tutto ciò che è eccesso e che non parla più al tuo cuore. La notte di capodanno la passammo sotto una tenda berbera, con le guide che ballavano strane danze tra uomini e le voci che cantavano del loro lavoro. Nessuna donna. Le donne berbere sono rinchiuse nelle loro povere case. Solo i bambini escono di giorno. Il primo giorno dell’anno siamo andati con la jeep con l’autista e la guida locale. Il pericolo era di piantarsi nella sabbia oppure di sforare e passare il confine libico. Certo il deserto è di tutti. Certo i berberi possono andare dove vogliono, ma per noi è un’altra cosa, si può sempre finire tra le mani dei predoni o dell’esercito di Gheddafi. La guida andava a naso. Nessun punto di riferimento, solo la luce del sole. Duna dopo duna. Onda dopo onda abbiamo costeggiato delle colline di calcare ai piedi delle quali si intravvedevano i resti di una foresta fossile. Ecco il silenzio più puro. Ecco il vento che veniva da lontano. La sensazione di una solitudine primordiale. Ho ascoltato il vento. Ho respirato l’odore di quel mare. Niente era tanto puro. Niente era così antico. Il sole accecante ed il freddo, comunque intenso, mi fecero lacrimare gli occhi. Piangevo? Non lo so, ma era liberatorio. Mi lasciavo dietro tutti i pensieri grevi di pioggia che mi ero portata appresso. Sarei tornata nuova. Sarei tornata alla vita. Corteccia rugosa, sabbia sottile, vecchie conchiglie dimenticate da un mare antico. Questa è l’origine della vita. Questo è l’inizio di un nuovo esistere.

am Busbahnhof angekommen mussten wir leider feststellen, dass es keine Plaetze mehr fuer den Bus nach Siwa gab. Also nahmen wir einen Bus nach Marsa Martruh (ca. 4-5 Stunden) – dort angekommen mussten wir ein Taxi nehmen. Ich glaube der Taxifahrer hatte einen kleinen Knacks, egal, trotz 150 km/h (ich glaube das ist die Richtgeschwindigkeit in Aegypten) nur diesmal auf nicht so guten Wuestenstrassen kamen wir morgens in Siwa an. Wir gingen in unser Hotel. Von aussen unscheinbar, von innen sehr schoen. Es hatte einen Innenhof mit Tischen und Stuehlen und Sitzecken inmitten von Dattelpalmen: sehr romantisch! Die Gemeinschaftsduschen waren weniger romantisch

Wir versuchten uns ein paar Stunden auszuruhen unter den Dattelpalmen spaeter trafen wir Yousefs Freund Yousef aus Siwa (ich wurde also nun von zwei Yousefs betreut: wohooo!). Yousef Siwa (er studiert Jura in Alexandria) war ein hervorragender Gastgeber und Tourguide! Hier einige Highlights der Siwa Oase:

1. Alte Ruinen und ein Grabhuegel

2. sehr cooles Fortbewegungsmittel durch die Oase: Eselskarren – Kamele sind was fuer Snobs! pah!

3. Besuch in Dattelfarmen und einer Olivenoelfabrik – fuehlte mich ein wenig wie ein Stadtkind, das herausfindet, dass Milch nicht von lila Kuehen kommt

4. Kleopatras Bad – sie hatte wohl viele davon – abends ein Bad in einer heissen Quelle in der Wueste unter dem Vollmond, danach Musik, Tee und andere Drogen am Lagerfeuer – geht es noch besser???

5. Safari in der Wueste – nein, keine Loewenschau – mit einem Jeep mit Allradantrieb hoch und runter ueber die Sandduenen (ich glaube ca. 45 m) – wie Achterbahn! ich wurde vorher gefragt ob ich eine Herzschwaeche habe aehem…anschliessend Tee auf einer Sandduene, Fotos vom Sonnenuntergang in der Wueste und Gespraech mit Franzoesischbrocken mit einem Ehepaar aus Frongraisch (Kommentar der Autorin> ich bewundere dich Inke).

Um 22 Uhr abends ging es zurueck nach Alex ueber Nacht, damit ich dann am naechsten Morgen puenktlich um 9 Uhr bei der Sprachschule sein kann. Leider war es kein leichtes im Bus zu schlafen da entweder eine Korankassette oder ein Film von einem aegyptischen Film lief. Trotzdem: eine perfekte Reise!

“Adalah suatu kehancuran karena mengatakan bahwa Tuhan dapat melakukan sesuatu yang bukan dari sifat ketuhanan (perlakuan yang merendahkan tuhan). Using the word ‘Elohim’ to fool yourselves into thinking Jesus was God” – Gary Miller (Mathematician)

Gary Miller (Abdul Ahad Omar) membuktikan bagaimana dirinya menemukan kebenaran sejati hanya dengan “Kebenaran yang Standard”. Dia mengilustrasikan metode sederhana dalam menemukan arah yang benar dalam mencari Kebenaran.

“Pada Tuhan tiada sesuatu yang mustahil”

Disini ia berkesimpulan “sebagian cara dari injil adalah cara yang mengambil dari sesuatu pemikiran bukan dari kalimat Tuhan (Yesus)“. Hal ini seharusnya dan yang sebenarnya melawan kepercayaan kristen. Ini adalah suatu kehancuran karena mengatakan bahwa Tuhan dapat melakukan sesuatu yang bukan dari sifat ketuhanan (perlakuan yang merendahkan). Dimana seharusnya argumentasi ini adalah hal yang menghancurkan.

Orang1 : “ Sifat Tuhan adalah Trinity.”
Orang2 : “ Bagaimana mungkin 1+1+1=1? “
Orang1 : “Pada Tuhan tidak ada sesuatu yg. tak mungkin…”
Orang2 : “Kalau begitu TRINITY adalah bukan sifat-Nya, bagaimana seharusnya Dia. Ini kemungkinan ada beberapa pilihan. Mungkin Ia adalah 3,5,9 atau banyak kemungkinan.”

Kalau kita sejenak melihat sejarah kebelakang, sebenarnya trinitas sudah muncul sejak era sebelum masehi. Kemudian trinitas ini diangkat kembali oleh paulus jauh2 hari setelah Nabi Isa AS. (Yesus) hadir di bumi dan tentunya bukan berasal dari Nabi Isa AS (Yesus) itu sendiri dengan tujuan utamanya untuk mempermudah penyebaran agama kristen di tanah eropa sebab trinitas ini sudah berkembang sejak zaman kuno sehingga bisa lebih diterima oleh masyarakat saat itu. Berbagai macam jenis trinitas tersebut diantaranya adalah :

1. India maka akan kita kenal Trimurti (Siwa, Wishnu, Brahma)
2. Persia maka akan kita kenal Trinitas (HOROMAZDES= tuhan bapak, MITRA= anak, AREMANIUS= roh suci)
3. Mesir maka akan kita kenal Trinitas (OSIRIS – HORUS – TYPHON)
4. Mexico maka akan kita kenal Trinitas (YZONA – BACAB – ECHIAH)
5. Yunani maka akan kita kenal Trinitas ( ORPHIC PHANES –ERICAPEUS – METIS) Dan lain sebagainya.

Mereka berkeyakinan ketiganya adalah satu bahkan di zaman Romawi kuno maka akan kita dapati yaitu anak dewa mata hari yang lahir tanggal 25 Desember, dan ditanah jawapun tidak ketinggalan akan hal itu yang kita kenal yang kita kenal dengan kepercayaan- kepercayaan Aninisme dan dinamisme dan sampai sekarang masih banyak yang menganutnya.

Karena kejahiliyahan itulah maka Allah SWT mengutus para Rasul-Rasulnya untuk membenarkan dan meluruskan akidah mereka dari penyembahan terhadap mahluk atau berhala kepada penyembahan Tuhan yang sesungguhnya, namun sudah menjadi sunattullah maka ada orang yang mau mengikuti ajaran yang benar yaitu ajaran yang disampaikan oleh Rasul-rasul Allah dan ada yang tidak mau bahkan justru malah ada yang memutar balikan ajaran yang dibawa oleh oleh rasul itu sendiri yaitu dengan cara Menuhankan para Rasul-rasul tersebut.

AL QUR’AN
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Katakanlah: “Dia-lah Allah, Yang Maha Esa,
Allah adalah Tuhan yang bergantung kepada-Nya segala sesuatu.
Dia tiada beranak dan tiada pula diperanakkan,
dan tidak ada seorang pun yang setara dengan Dia”
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(QS.Al-Ikhlas 1-4)

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Gary Miller adalah seorang ahli Matematika. Tinggal di Toronto, Kanada. Sebelum memeluk islam, beliau adalah seorang yang bekerja pada sebuah gereja di Kanada. Seorang penyiar di radio dan televisi siaran di Kanada sebagai pencermah agama. Selain itu juga beliau adalah aktivis gereja dalam urusan pencarian kebenaran sesuai misinya sebagai pendeta. Belakangan beliau banyak menemukan Ketidak Konsistenan didalam injil. Semua pekerjaannya ini berhubungan langsung dengan Gereja.

Pada tahun 1978, beliau membaca Al-qur‘an. Dengan perasaan yang antusias dengan setengah tak meyakini bahwasanya isinya adalah dari percampuran antara kebenaran dan kepalsuan. Ternyata beliau menemukan banyak hal yang dicarinya tentang kebenaran itu, pesan pesan didalam Al Quran banyak persamaannya dengan inti kebenaran yang disaringnya dari Injil.

Akhirnya beliau menjadi Muslim dan sejak itulah beliau selalu aktif dalam banyak negara di setiap kesempatan yaitu memberikan penerangan tentang Islam pada masyarakat disana termasuk di media Radio dan Televisi. Beliau juga mengarang berbagai Artikel dan Buku mengenai Kebenaran Islam, salah satunya adalah The Amazing Qur’an. Dakwah islamnya kebanyakan dalam masalah penyelesaian, perdebatan dengan Non muslim (kristen) dan tanya jawab tentang. Islam di radio dan televisi, khususnya di Kanada.

Mengejar Cahaya Kebenaran Part  I >>

There is funny English all over the world so I thought I would steal a few of my favorites here. Hopefully I’ll add some pictures later.

“Ditck her. Take me.” Probably supposed to be ‘ditch’

“We buy everythings.” I think they want to make sure you know that everything doesn’t mean they buy just one thing-hence the ’s’ at the end.

“Life is too short for bad coffee.” I wouldn’t know, don’t drink it.

Take a read at this sign posted on a pole in the remote town of Siwa. The list has arrows pointing to the direction of where you can find these places: -New Star Cafeteria and Restaurant -Handicraft -Garden -Sitting beside the fire -Arab sitting (Do we need directions to find an Arab sitting??)

“With us alwas the Best” …except for your spelling.

“Wellcome to Alexandria” Is it really well to come to Alexandria? I still have a couple weeks. We’ll see.

“To Swim Here you have to be a Good Swimmer” Tell me about it. It’s like a 10 foot deep spring in the middle of the desert with bubbles floating up and green stuff everywhere. You might even die of fear from what is beneath you. (Not really. I loved swimming in it.)

“Boombeen” This was on a pair of pajamas for little kids. Apparently a new term of endearment.

“Hannah Montana” Ok. Maybe not terribly interesting except it was written in the dust of a car in the middle of no where. What’s the world coming to?

“Believe in Love the Very Opposite of Truth.” This is so deep I don’t get it but it’s on someone’s shirt right now.

Other funnies:

It’s so humid here in Alexandria. I left a box of crackers open and I came back a few hours later to mush.

It’s so humid here in Alexandria. I have ringlets sticking out of my head all the time in odd places. Probably not the hottest look in the world but luckily I’m in Egypt and every guy here thinks I’m gorgeous. I just think it’s funny.

It’s so humid here in Alexandria.  Clothes wilt.

It’s been fun. We go to Sinai and Dhahab/Sharm El Sheik in a couple days.

Haha, pakko postata tällänen p-manin kiusaks. <33334445

http://www.iltalehti.fi/ruoka/200907109908244_ru.shtml

Jumalauta, kyl kuluttajaa huijataan taas oikeen urakalla. Onneks oon vege, nii ei paljo tarvii ressaa tommosista. Eläköön, kasvikunta! Voin vaan sieluni silmin kuvitel millasen älämölön tää meidä yks juippi nostais, jos olis ite alkanu punnittee lihojansa.. tai mistä mä tiän vaik se punnittiski ostamiaa lihoja iltasi huoneessaan. Kai sil riippuu vaatekomeros joku lehmän (eläimen) ruho koukussa, josta se silpoo kebulihaa itellee leivän päällisiks. Joo, sori oo nvähä nostees ku hain karhukaveria siwaaasta tos aiemmi. Nyt lopetan tän kännipostailun ennenku menee pimeemmäks.

Kauniita unia ja sen semmosia. Mors!

This morning I woke up to the sun rising over the desert.  We finished our desert safari last night sleeping under the stars on the sand.

They took us in 4 wheel drive vehicles on a desert excursion, climbing peaks and sliding down.  It looked like one of my brothers’ video games only if we flipped, we probably wouldn’t get a couple more lives to live.  We stopped a few times and I tumbled down one particularly steep mountain of sand and we watched the desert change colors as the sun set.

We were in an Oasis near the Libyan border called Siwa.  We’ve been wearing swim suits all day the last few days because before we took our desert excursion we dipped into fresh water springs hot and cold all over the oasis.  The idea of mirage seems so much more real now.

The Egyptians have a phrase they use, “Har Moot”.  Har means Heat/Hot.  Moot means Death.  In other words, Death by Heat.  But we didn’t die because I’m writing this and back in Alexandria and civilization again…not that I wouldn’t mind staying there for a while.