This is a blog with various utterances that may be of interest to IB students studying TOK and Business & Management.
Some use - though maybe not a lot......
When companies launch new products there's lots at stake. They pour millions - sometimes billions of pounds - into R&D, package design, manufacturing, advertising, logistics... the list goes on.
It's a huge risk for them because if the launch falls flat - like what happened to that bottled water Coke bought out a few years back - it's a huge waste of money.
No one - not even Coke - can afford that in this economic climate. So instead, companies large and small are turning to regular folks to help them fine-tune their products before they hurl them at the mercy of the wider market.
In short: businesses will pay you for your time and your opinion about their products.
Some firms will send you their new product to use for a few weeks. You report back at the end of that period with your honest opinion; they pay you - either in cash, vouchers or air miles. Some even let you keep the product you're testing as payment!
These types of review are usually conducted by a market research firm on behalf of individual companies and you can sign up online!
There's no catch - you just have to be prepared to share your opinion.
Try these two online review websites for starters:
There are other websites out there if you Google "paid market research"
Other companies will want your help BEFORE the manufacturing stage. So they'll invite you to attend a meeting where they'll ask you a bunch of questions and get you to participate in a discussion about your likes and dislikes.
Or they'll talk to you on the phone, or you'll participate in an online chat. Whatever, they'll usually pay you in cash - sometimes as much as £150 a pop.
Lovely jubbly!
Again, these "Focus Groups" are usually coordinated by research agencies. Here are three to take a look at - but there are more out there if you Google "Focus Group":
And the best bit about all of this? You don't need any kind of qualification to be a paid reviewer.
Okay, not many blokes are going to be asked to test the latest underwired bra (though I know a few who could) but unless the product is gender specific, pretty much anyone can offer - and get paid for - their opinion.
Sounds like money for nothing to me.
If you're not the shy retiring type, give it a go. It could bring the cost of your Christmas down considerably...
Inventor who rejected Dragon's Den offer of £200,000 sells five million luminous balloons
An entrepreneur who rejected a £200,000 Dragon’s Den offer for a stake in his company has sold more than five million luminous balloons in less than a year.
James Halliburton, 29, had dragons Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis and James Caan battling to invest in his firm, Seatriever International, when he appeared on the BBC show two years ago.
The tycoons were impressed with his Waterbuoy gadget, which uses a glowing balloon to keep keys afloat when they fall in the water.
Entrepreneur: James Halliburton has sold five million Illoom Balloons in less than a year. He rejected a £200,000 Dragon's Den offer for a stake in his company
Mr Halliburton, who initially accepted their offer but later changed his mind in favour of going it alone, has now sold five million glowing balloons in under 12 months.
The Illoom Balloon is simply a reinforced balloon fitted with a tiny LED light inside which glows brightly when it is inflated. It is proving to be a Halloween hit after a special orange version was designed to look like a glowing pumpkin.
The balloons sell for £3.50 for a pack of five; the current limited edition Halloween balloons can be picked up in Tesco and Sainsbury's for £3 per pack of five.
Mr Halliburton, from Crewe, Cheshire, said: 'If you had asked me when we started if we would have sold five million so quickly then I would never have believed it.
'This year the interest in the limited edition Halloween Illooms - pumpkin, witch and ghost designs - has been incredible. We have nearly sold out and we're still weeks away from Halloween.
'I took a gamble at first by not going with the dragons' cash but it has really paid off for me now.'
Limited edition: The Halloween Illoom Balloon is flying off the shelves at a cost of £3 per pack of five, 50p less than a standard five pack costs
Mr Halliburton came up with the idea for the Illoom Balloon when he was testing the Waterbuoy.
As he carried out the tests on the gadget at home he was watched by his next door neighbours, James and Alex Firth, aged six and three respectively. The boys eyes 'lit up' at the sight of the glowing balloon.
Mr Halliburton said: 'Over 64billion balloons are sold worldwide each year so it's clearly a very lucrative market to get into.
'We are discovering that we have barely even scratched the surface.
'When I saw how excited James and Alex were about an illuminated balloon I just knew there was an opportunity to tap into that with an innovative new product.
'It left me in no doubt that I could do it on my own, safe in the knowledge that I had an even bigger project in the pipeline.'
Turned down: Mr Halliburton intially accepted then turned down a £200,000 offer from Dragon's Den stars James Caan (left), Peter Jones (centre), and Theo Paphitis (second from right) for a 25 per cent stake in his company
Originally the Illooms were available only in Tesco stores - but now they can be found in branches of Sainsbury's, Booths, Morrisons and Spar as well as online retailers. They will be launched in America next year.
The Dragon's Den stars were desperate to invest in Mr Halliburton's company when he appeared on the hit BBC show in November 2007.
He eventually plumped for a joint offer from Mr Jones and Mr Paphitis for a 25 per cent share of his company, Seatriever International, before changing his mind.
The Waterbuoy proved so popular that earlier this year Mr Halliburton signed a deal with the world's biggest marine retailer, West Marine, to stock the gadget. British company Blacks Leisure Group, which owns Blacks and Milletts camping stores, also signed up to sell the device.
Alborz Fallah is a poster child for what is possible with just one blog.
He was one of the very first people I taught my blogging techniques to and he is BY FAR the most successful student who has ever taken my training.
In 2008, Alborz's blog was independently valued at $5.9 MILLION dollars, he has a team of full time writers producing content and he gets to drive expensive cars, which he then writes about in his blog, and it all started with a computer in his bedroom.
This is an amazing story and a fantastic interview because Alborz doesn't hold anything back. I ask him how he did it and he explains the journey from the beginning up to today, where he is the owner of a million dollar blog.
I promise you, this will be one of the best podcasts you have ever listened to, so go download it now.
One of the more common concerns I'm hearing is people wondering whether they have an audience that will actually buy something from them and if so, what that is.
I understand where this doubt comes from - it's because you lack information about your market.
This is actually not that big a problem and the solution is quite easy.
I have a video that explains a technique that shows you how easy it is to find out exactly what problems your audience are dealing with and what they would pay you money for to solve.
As you will see in the video I used a basic email survey and transcribed responses via pen and paper. You may decide to use a more sophisticated solution like SurveyMonkey or a GoogleDocs form as a better way to collect and analyze the data."
If you think you are beaten, you are,overcoming2 If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you like to win, but you think you can’t, It is almost certain you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost, For out in the world we find, Success begins with a fellow’s will. It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are, You’ve got to think high to rise, You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man. But soon or late the man who wins, Is the man who thinks he can.
"Be aware, this book is not light entertainment. You cannot properly digest its contents with a quick read; that is the reason for passing you the chapters individually, to give you the opportunity to read and contemplate the meaning of each, ascertain what you should do to fulfil that step, or take action with what you have learned, before moving on.
Some chapters will resonate with you more than others, but all will be valuable in helping you understand and benefit from the timeless principles for success and the development of personal wealth as defined by Napoleon Hill.
Today we ask you to consider what you want from life and to learn a fundamental step in achieving it. Do you want Money, Fame, Power, Contentment, Personality, Peace of Mind or Happiness? Think and Grow Rich holds the secret that can bring you material wealth, peace of mind, understanding, spiritual harmony and can even help to overcome physical afflictions.
Please don’t dismiss these claims as being ‘too good to be true’. Read on and look forward to a very pleasant surprise as you access and benefit from the book, which has been described as “The book that made a million millionaires”.
The world is ruled, and even the destiny of civilisation is established, by human emotions. When driven by the passion of desire, man develops a keenness of imagination, courage, willpower, persistence, and creative ability unknown at other times. It is inborn and natural.
With this desire harnessed it can be a motivating force and can be used as a powerful creative force in literature, art, or in any other profession or calling, including the accumulation of riches. The person who has discovered how to give these emotions an outlet through creative effort, is fortunate indeed.
We are influenced in our actions not so much by reason, as much as ‘feelings’. The creative faculty of the mind is set into action entirely by emotions, and not by cold reason. Those who don’t recognise this important truth is deprived of the power which has done more to help man achieve success than all other forces combined."
Everything which man creates begins with a thought impulse. Nothing at all can be created if it is not first conceived in thought. It is through the aid of imagination that thought impulses are assembled into plans.
The possibilities of creative effort connected with the subconscious mind are stupendous and imponderable. They are awesome.
In a way psychologists are yet to fathom, the subconscious mind works day and night, drawing upon infinite intelligence for the power with which it transforms our desires into their physical equivalent. You cannot entirely control your subconscious mind, but you can hand over to it any plan, desire, or purpose which you want to be transformed into reality.
When you understand and accept as reality the existence of the subconscious mind and comprehend its possibilities for transforming your desires into their physical equivalent, you will also understand why you have been encouraged to be clear about your desires, to write them down and also the necessity of persistence in not being swayed from achieving your goals.
You can enlist your subconscious mind to orchestrate the life you desire."
Chapter 13 is as follows:
"What is Telepathy? Can two people ‘connect’ with each other from a vast distance? Years ago, Napoleon Hill, working with Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, came to the opinion that the human brain is both a broadcasting and receiving station for the vibration of thought.
If this scenario seems far-fetched, remember: Less than two hundred years ago, men feared lightning, believing it to be the wrath of God. We believed the space between the planets was nothing but a stretch of dead nothingness. We now know that neither is the case and we laugh at those previous generations.
Mankind does not have the power to control the rolling waves of the oceans. Nor the capacity to understand the intangible force of gravity, Man is subservient to the intangible force which comes with a thunderstorm, and he is almost as helpless in the presence of the intangible force of electricity. Are you aware we don’t actually know what electricity is? Although we do put it to good use.
This is by no means the end of our ignorance in connection with things unseen and intangible. Last, but not least, with all our boasts of culture and education, we understand precious little about the greatest of all the intangible forces: Thought.
"The principle we share today is the apex of the Think and Grow Rich philosophy. You will know it, yet it defies description. It is the faculty through which ideas, plans, and thoughts flash into the mind as ‘hunches’ or ‘inspiration’. It is the focus of Chapter 14, the thirteenth step toward riches.
THE SIXTH SENSE
The preceding chapters have led to this, the last principle. If you have mastered each of the preceding steps, you are now prepared for the stupendous claims made in this chapter.
The sixth sense is that portion of the subconscious mind which we have been referring to as ‘creative imagination’. Through the aid of the sixth sense, you will become aware of opportunities in time to embrace them and be warned of impending dangers in time to avoid them. The development of the sixth sense has also been said to bring a ‘guardian angel’ to aid you and open a door to wisdom.
Whether this is a statement of truth or not, you won’t know, until you test the philosophies described in this book."
The final chapter is chapter 15...
"Hello,
This, the last lesson in Napoleon Hill's philosophy offers strategies to erase the negative attitudes that are most common in preventing us from making the great strides to success we long for. This is Chapter 15
THE SIX GHOSTS OF FEAR
The Ghosts of Fear that may suddenly appear and attempt to hold you back are largely imaginary and always self-imposed. Realise you either control your mind or you let it control you. There is no halfway, no compromise. This chapter will help you analyse your fears, then sweep them aside so you can truly be the master of your own destiny.
There is no doubt, to Think and Grow Rich requires self-discipline and habit but perhaps the most significant and inspiring thing you will ever learn is in this chapter:
You have absolute control over only one thing in life: Your thoughts.
I hope you are using them wisely and benefiting from the new knowledge and insights you’re gaining. When you have finished, do not set the book aside for too long, because the lessons cannot be learned in one reading alone. Return to it often, use it as an on-going reference and stimulus to ensure your efforts stay on course to achieve all you desire."
This is a download link for the 72-page document I wrote to explain how exactly I created a website that generated $250,000 during the first year after launching it.
You may already have this report as I gave it away back in April 2009, but chances are if you are like most people, you never finished it the first time I gave it to you (tisk tisk!)
Take this email as a little push from me to set aside a full 60 minutes sometime today and finish reading the report. I promise you will get more out of it than most products or books you have paid for before.
Even if you did finish it the first time, it's worth going through it again as you are in a different place now and you will "see" different ideas.
If you take away one break-through idea that helps you move one step closer to making life-changing money from the Internet, then I consider my report a success, and I think you will too.
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MASTERPLAN?
The Masterplan report takes you through a process I learned through experience to finally break through and make what I consider life-changing money from the Internet.
When I opened my first membership site I tripled my income !
That one website made me over $250,000 in sales and obviously I learned a lot going through the process of setting it up, marketing it and then managing it. I had essentially created a new business, so there was a lot to learn.
Of course not everything went smoothly and at first I lost a lot of my customers.
Through some clever thinking and testing I was able to fix most of the problems and today I'm still making consistent income from the same website, leveraging work I did years ago.
I wrote the Masterplan report to explain to you exactly what I learned and give you the steps so you could replicate all the right things I did and avoid the mistakes I made.
If you've made the decision to create an information product like a membership site, ebook, coaching course, or some form of expert based service as your path forward, then this report is a must-read.
Next week, on Tuesday October 27th, I'm opening up my Membership Site Mastermind coaching program.
This is the last time this year I'm going to make my course available to a new intake of students.
If you like what you read in the Masterplan and you're ready to learn more and get support to help you make significant income from the Internet, then my course is a good choice.
It takes the concepts and techniques introduced in the Masterplan to a whole new level.
However, as with all things in life, you have to start at the beginning, so please make sure you study the Masterplan now as it's the best resource I can give you to get started quickly and introduces you to what I believe is the single best way to make money today.
Make sure you mark your calendar for October 27th too so you don't miss your chance to join my program.
P.S. You can download the audio version of the Masterplan too, which you can listen to in your car, on your ipod or on your computer. It's available as an MP3 with me narrating from here -
I heard on a tape that whoever insults the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) should be executed even if he shows that he has repented. Should he be killed as a hadd punishment or because of kufr? If his repentance is sincere, will Allaah forgive him or will he go to Hell and his repentance will be of no avail?
Praise be to Allaah.
The answer to this question may be given by addressing the two following issues:
1 – The ruling on one who insults the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
The scholars are unanimously agreed that a Muslim who insults the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) becomes a kaafir and an apostate who is to be executed. This consensus was narrated by more than one of the scholars, such as Imaam Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad, al-Khattaabi and others. Al-Saarim al-Maslool, 2/13-16
This ruling is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
In the Qur’aan it says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The hypocrites fear lest a Soorah (chapter of the Qur’aan) should be revealed about them, showing them what is in their hearts. Say: ‘(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly Allaah will bring to light all that you fear.’
If you ask them (about this), they declare: ‘We were only talking idly and joking.’ Say: ‘Was it at Allaah, and His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger that you were mocking?’
Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed”
[al-Tawbah 9:64-66]
This verse clearly states that mocking Allaah, His verses and His Messenger constitutes kufr, so that applies even more so to insulting. The verse also indicates that whoever belittles the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is also a kaafir, whether he was serious or joking.
With regard to the Sunnah, Abu Dawood (4362) narrated from ‘Ali that a Jewish woman used to insult the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say bad things about him, so a man strangled her until she died, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ruled that no blood money was due in this case.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in al-Saarim al-Maslool (1/162): This hadeeth is jayyid, and there is a corroborating report in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas which we will quote below.
This hadeeth clearly indicates that it was permissible to kill that woman because she used to insult the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Abu Dawood (4361) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that a blind man had a freed concubine (umm walad) who used to insult the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say bad things about him. He told her not to do that but she did not stop, and he rebuked her but she did not heed him. One night, when she started to say bad things about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and insult him, he took a short sword or dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it and killed her. The following morning that was mentioned to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He called the people together and said, “I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right over him that he should stand up.” The blind man stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I am the one who did it; she used to insult you and say bad things about you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not give up her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was kind to me. Last night she began to insult you and say bad things about you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.” Thereupon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Bear witness, there is no blood money due for her.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3655)
It seems that this woman was a kaafir, not a Muslim, for a Muslim could never do such an evil action. If she was a Muslim she would have become an apostate by this action, in which case it would not have been permissible for her master to keep her; in that case it would not have been good enough if he were to keep her and simply rebuke her.
Al-Nasaa’i narrated (4071) that Abu Barzah al-Aslami said: A man spoke harshly to Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq and I said, ‘Shall I kill him?’ He rebuked me and said, ‘That is not for anyone after the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) .’” (Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 3795)
It may be noted from this that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had the right to kill whoever insulted him and spoke harshly to him, and that included both Muslims and kaafirs.
The second issue is: if a person who insulted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) repents, should his repentance be accepted or not?
The scholars are agreed that if such a person repents sincerely and regrets what he has done, this repentance will benefit him on the Day of Resurrection and Allaah will forgive him.
But they differed as to whether his repentance should be accepted in this world and whether that means he is no longer subject to the sentence of execution.
Maalik and Ahmad were of the view that it should not be accepted, and that he should be killed even if he has repented.
They quoted as evidence the Sunnah and proper understanding of the ahaadeeth:
In the Sunnah, Abu Dawood (2683) narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas said: “On the Day of the Conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) granted safety to the people except for four men and two women, and he named them, and Ibn Abi Sarh… As for Ibn Abi Sarh, he hid with ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, and when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called the people to give their allegiance to him, he brought him to stand before the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He said, “O Prophet of Allaah, accept the allegiance of ‘Abd-Allaah.” He raised his head and looked at him three times, refusing him, then he accepted his allegiance after the third time. Then he turned to his companions and said: “Was there not among you any smart man who could have got up and killed this person when he saw me refusing to give him my hand and accept his allegiance?” They said, “We do not know what is in your heart, O Messenger of Allaah. Why did you not gesture to us with your eyes?” He said, “It is not befitting for a Prophet to betray a person with a gesture of his eyes.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2334)
This clearly indicates that in a case such as this apostate who had insulted the Prophet (S), it is not obligatory to accept his repentance, rather it is permissible to kill him even if he comes repentant.
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Sa’d was one of those who used to write down the Revelation, then he apostatized and claimed that he used to add whatever he wanted to the Revelation. This was a lie and a fabrication against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it was a kind of insult. Then he became Muslim again and was a good Muslim, may Allaah be pleased with him. Al-Saarim 115.
With regard to proper understanding of the ahaadeeth:
They said that insulting the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has to do with two rights, the right of Allaah and the right of a human being. With regard to the right of Allaah, this is obvious, because it is casting aspersions upon His Message, His Book and His Religion. As for the right of a human being, this is also obvious, because it is like trying to slander the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by this insult. In a case which involves both the rights of Allaah and the rights of a human being, the rights of the human beings are not dropped when the person repents, as in the case of the punishment for banditry, because if the bandit has killed someone, that means that he must be executed and crucified. But if he repents before he is caught, then the right of Allaah over him, that he should be executed and crucified, no longer applies, but the rights of other humans with regard to qisaas (retaliatory punishment) still stand. The same applies in this case. If the one who insulted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) repents, then the rights of Allaah no longer apply, but there remains the right of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), which still stand despite his repentance.
If it is said, “Can we not forgive him, because during his lifetime the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forgave many of those who had insulted him and he did not execute them?” The answer is:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sometimes chose to forgive those who had insulted him, and sometimes he ordered that they should be executed, if that served a greater purpose. But now his forgiveness is impossible because he is dead, so the execution of the one who insults him remains the right of Allaah, His Messenger and the believers, and the one who deserves to be executed cannot be let off, so the punishment must be carried out.
Al-Saarim al-Maslool, 2/438
Insulting the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is one of the worst of forbidden actions, and it constitutes kufr and apostasy from Islam, according to scholarly consensus, whether done seriously or in jest. The one who does that is to be executed even if he repents and whether he is a Muslim or a kaafir. If he repents sincerely and regrets what he has done, this repentance will benefit him on the Day of Resurrection and Allaah will forgive him.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote a valuable book on this matter, entitled al-Saarim al-Maslool ‘ala Shaatim al-Rasool which every believer should read, especially in these times when a lot of hypocrites and heretics dare to insult the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) because they see that the Muslims are careless and feel little protective jealousy towards their religion and their Prophet, and they do not implement the shar’i punishment which would deter these people and their ilk from committing this act of blatant kufr.
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions.
Source: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/22809
Islam 4 UK: Whoever insults a Prophet kill him!
by sheikyermami on July 26, 2009
The proof of the necessity of killing anyone who curses the Prophet or finds fault with him
It is related that a man forged lies against the Prophet and he sent ‘Ali and az-Zubayr to kill him. Ibn Qani’ related that a man came to the Prophet and said, “Messenger of Allah, I heard my father say something ugly about you, so I killed him,” and that did not distress the Prophet.
Ibn ‘Abbas said that a woman from Khatma[9] satirised the Prophet and the Prophet said, “Who will deal with her for me?” A man from her people said, “I will, Messenger of Allah.” The man got up and went and killed her. He told the Prophet who said, “Two goats will not lock horns over her.”[10]
Islam 4 UK: Incitement to murder
in the UK, where Geert Wilders is not allowed to speak:
Do Not Insult The Prophets and Messengers of Allah
alqaedablackflag
In the last few years we Muslims have seen a lot of attacks directed at the Prophets of Allah (swt) including Jesus (as) and Muhammad (saw) by the Kufaar. Historically and contemporary the Ulemah of Haq have cleared up what needs to be done to those who fall into this cesspit. However astonishingly some Muslims remain confused about what needs to be done and this is where this very small piece of work in the English language will do a small piece of justice to this very sensitive topic.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) said No slave says three time in the evening and morning I am pleased with Allah as a Lord, I am pleased with Islam as a religion and I am pleased with Muhammad (saw) as a prophet except that it becomes his right upon Allah that He pleases him. [Musnad Imam Ahmad]
Allah (swt) honoured our beloved Prophet (saw) by defending him from amongst the barrage of abuse thrown at him by the pagans by revealing many verses of the Quran from the seven heavens Ø¥ِÙ†َّ Ø´َانِئَÙƒَ Ù‡ُÙˆَ الأبْتَرُThe one who makes you angry (or hates you) by saying you have no children, or mocks you, insults you, or ridicules you he will be destroyed and ruined (in this life and the hereafter) [EMQ 108:3]
A man was brought in front of Umar ibn Khataab (ra) who had insulted Muhammad (saw) and Umar (ra) killed him and said anyone who insults Allah (swt) or Muhammad (saw) or any Prophet he should be killed. Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) said Any Muslim who insults Allah or any Prophet he therefore disbelieves in Allah and the Messengers which is equated to apostasy and he must be punished for it. And anyone from the citizens (Dhimmi) of the Islamic State (Khilafah) insults Allah or any of the Prophets or he declares that (publicly) then he violates his contract, violates his treaty, violates his covenant therefore he must be punished and killed.
Unfortunately we have many deviant Muslims who are resorting to changing the Hukm (ruling) of Allah by asking those who have insulted the Prophets to apologise for what they have done. They are asking Murtad (apostate) governments to boycott them internationally. They ask the Muslims to boycott for instance the Danish goods (albeit selectively) and the irony is that our biggest enemy which is the satanic USA is being let off the hook because it has only killed millions of Muslims and tortured, imprisoned thousands more! Or is it because it would create hardship on the people to give up computer software like Microsoft, Windows, CNN etc or even more difficult to give up working for American businesses and corporations. Some misguided Muslims have disgracefully asked for the copyright of these pictures and caricatures so they can never be published again. These same people are asking the Tagooth (manmade) regimes (nationally and internationally) to legislate new laws that will protect the Muslims from being insulted in this manner (i.e. commit Shirk by participating in the political process). They even go as far as to applaud some other western or eastern press for being responsible for not publishing these pictures; yet they quite conveniently forget that these media outlets publish pornography, propagate killing Muslim Mujahid all over the world. Whilst others have called for all faiths to be united against religious discrimination. All these so called solutions are false appetizers to pacify the Ummah (One Islamic brotherhood) from its true methodology in dealing with those who belittle the Prophets and Messengers of Allah (swt).
Extracts from the momentous book Raising the Sharp Sword Against Those who Insult the Messengers [Al-Saarim Al-Maslool Ala-Shaatim Al-Rasool] written by Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah [d.728 AH] have been used to clarify the position of those who insult any of the Prophets of Allah (swt). The reader is also directed to The Healing by the Rights of the Recognition of the Chosen One written by Qadi Iyad [d.544 AH] also known as Ash Shifa. Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah says There is no right for anyone to pardon, or forgive, or leave the charge of death penalty because of benefit and interest, or change/replace the penalty from capital punishment to something lesser (e.g. Ta’zir being lashed or sentenced to prison) because this is someone who has harmed Muhammad (saw) and the entire Muslim Ummah [written in the chapter called Can we drop the charge against someone who insults Muhammad (saw)]. The offence is so great that in some cases an apostate can repent and return to the fold of Islam whereas anyone who insults any of the Messengers may repent but will never affect the ruling on him. As Imam Malik [d.179 AH] (rh) said He could become the most pious person in the entire world but that will not detract the penalty of being executed.
Here the espousers of Al-Taaifah Al-Mansoorah (The Divinely Protected and Victoriously Aided Sect) will use the sword of truth to differentiate the Haq (Quran and Sunnah upon the understanding of the Sahabah (ra)) from the Batil (false satanic manmade laws) Inshallah.
The Sword Of The Angels
It is authentically recorded in Tabarani on the authority of Anas ibn Malik (ra) who said Muhammad (saw) passed by a group of people from amongst the Meccans and they blinked their eyes in a mocking way to Muhammad (saw). They spoke behind his back, teased him and pointed to him saying he is the one that claims he is a Prophet of Allah and he is accompanied by Gibrael (as). Upon this Gibrael (as) (descended) touched the mockers by flicking his nail and they all contracted illnesses and diseases that spread into their bodies inducing a stench. This smell forced people to stay away from them until these scoffers died in that state and the following Quranic verse was revealed I promise to deal with any one who mocks you [EMQ 15:95]
An important and famous Islamic principle from amongst the hundreds of juristic principles is one that states “One of the most ugly and heinous crimes is to attack the honour and character of any of the Prophets of Allah”.
Ibn Taymiyyah (rh) writes every single person must know that Allah’s Deen cannot be established upon the earth except by a particular means and that means is to send Messengers to guide the people. Via the noble Messengers people were able to worship Allah (swt) and submit to Allah (swt) (i.e. stay away from Shirk). And whoever insults any of the Prophets (that have been mentioned in the Quran or described as Prophets (via authentic texts)) then he is insulting our Prophets; which means the capital punishment must be carried out on them. For Allah (swt) says … make no distinction between any of the Messengers of Allah…[EMQ 2:285] and having Imaan (conviction in the heart, testifying by the tongue which is manifested by the limbs in total unison) on them is Wajib (compulsory) and this Wajib has certain duties and one of those duties is to defend the Prophets and prevent any insults on them.
The Sword Of Allah
Anas ibn Malik (ra) reported that There was a Christian who embraced Islam and read Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah Al-Imran and he used to write (the revelations) for the Prophet. Later on he became an apostate and he used to say: Muhammad knows nothing but what I have written for him (i.e. mock and ridicule Muhammad (saw)). Then Allah (swt) caused him to die, and the people buried him, but in the morning they saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, this is the act of Muhammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and took his body out of it because he had run away from them (apostatised). They again dug the grave more deeply for him, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, this is an act of Muhammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and threw his body outside it, for he had run away from them (apostatised). They dug the grave for him as deep as they could, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. So they believed that what had befallen him was not done by human beings and had to leave him thrown (on the ground). [Bukhari]
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rh) said The grave spat him out (via Allah (swt) command) because he was cursed and his body was exposed due to the fact he ridiculed and scoffed Muhammad (saw) until no grave (no soil on earth) would accept him and his own companions had to leave his body for the dogs to eat.
The Sword Of The Jinn
The rest of Allah (swt) creation does not tolerate any abuse thrown at our noble Prophet Muhammad (saw). Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) said A man came to Muhammad (saw) in the shape of a man but he was a Jinn (Muslim Jinn). Muhammad (saw) said His name was Samhajj Muhammad (saw) said he was one of the Jinn who believed in me and I named him Abdullah. He told me that he had chased one man who had insulted you for the last three days continuously, so I could kill him (strangle him to death). Imam Ali (ra) said May Allah reward him a great reward because he defended the honour of Muhammad (saw).
The Sword Of The Booty
Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) said A mushrik (idolater) insulted Muhammad (saw) and Muhammad (saw) said Who can deal with my enemy.The youthful Zubair ibn Al- Awaam fought him killed him and Muhammad (saw) said Take all his wealth for yourself.
The Sword Of Your Life
The Sahabah (ra) were willing to sacrifice their lives, their parents lives and ready to kill just to defend the honour of Muhammad (saw). Hassan ibn Atiyyah (ra) said Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) and Abdul Rawahah (ra) were amongst some companions sent to an expedition by Muhammad (saw). One pagan from amongst the enemies insulted Muhammad (saw) publicly, as a result one Muslim came forward and said I am the son of so and so insult me, my father, my mother but not Muhammad (saw). The pagan became angrier and continued his abuse. The same Muslim replied by saying listen to me this is my fathers name, my grandfathers name etc do not insult Muhammad (saw). If you do this I will kill you with my sword. The pagan did not take heed and continued to insult Muhammad (saw). The Muslim chased the pagan all the way back to the heart of the enemies ranks. He struck the pagan down and as a consequence he was surrounded by the enemies who killed him. Muhammad (saw) said Are you surprised from a man that supports Allah and his Messenger. The abusive pagan did not die from the wound that was inflicted on him, rather when he regained strength he became free and embraced Islam.
The Sword Of Having A Covenant of Security
Ka’b ibn Ashraf insulted Muhammad (saw) a lot. Muhammad (saw) requested Who can deal with Ka’b he has harmed Allah and his Messenger in another Riwayah (narration) Who can deal with my enemy. Muhammad ibn Maslamah (ra) arose and said I will deal with him Oh Messenger of Allah, would you like me to kill him. Muhammad (saw) said Indeed yes. [Bukhari]
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) discussed the targeted execution of Ka’b and how Muhammad ibn Maslamah (ra) the Amir (leader) of his small team of assassins (Abaad ibn Bishr (ra) and Abu Naailah (ra)) gave Ka’b security and then killed him. He mentions that the one who insults Messengers has no security or sanctity for his life because he vilified Muhammad (saw). Before Muhammad ibn Maslamah (ra) went to conduct this noble operation he asked Muhammad (saw) if he would grant him permission to say things in this operation so as to deceive the people in order to reach Ka’b. Muhammad (saw) said Say whatever you wish.
The Sword Of The Sunnah Strikes Even Women
Ibn Ishaaq (rh) reported that Abu Ubaida ibn Muhammad Ammar ibn Yasir said four men and two women were ordered by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) to be executed on the day of conquering Mecca. The women (Qaynaqa and Sarah (servant of Abu Lahab)) used to sing gross insulting poetry against Muhammad (saw). Muhammad (saw) said Their lives have no sanctity. Imam Ali (ra) said A woman insulted Muhammad (saw) and a man strangled her until she suffocated to death and Muhammad (saw) said Be my witness I declare her blood has no sanctity. [Abu Dawood]
The Sword Of A Smile
Abi Barza (ra) said I was with Abu Bakr (ra) he was so angry about a particular man. I asked Abu Bakr (ra) what did he do to make you so angry? Abu Bakr (ra) said He insulted Muhammad (saw). Abi Barza (ra) said Oh successor of the Messenger of Allah give me permission I will strike his neck (to kill him). Abu Bakr (ra) anger went away and he smiled and he said you got the permission so he went and killed him. [Abu Dawood] In another Riwayah Abi Barza (ra) said Give me permission to strike his neck. Abu Bakr (ra) said If I order you will you do it Abi Barza said Yes. Abi Barza said What if he insults you (i.e. I am ready to kill him if he insults a Sahabi (companion)) Abu Bakr (ra) said This Hukm (ruling) is only for those who insult the Prophets.
The Sword Of Mutilation
Abdul Rahman ibn Awf (ra) said I was on the front line on the day of Badr. I looked on my left and right and I saw two young men from the Ansar [Ibn Amru Ibn Jarooh (ra) and Ma’oodh ibn Afra (ra)] I wished I was between them. One of them winked and said Oh Uncle do you know where Abu Jahal is. I asked why? He said because he insulted Muhammad (saw) and by the one in whose hand is my soul if I see him I will not rest until I kill this cow or I be killed. Abdul Rahman ibn Awf (ra) said It was so uniquely strange to hear this from such a young person and all he wants to do is kill the one who insulted Muhammad (saw). The other youth said the same thing to Abdul Rahman ibn Awf. After that I saw Abu Jahal in the battlefield going around and I said to them You don’t see him, there is the one you were asking about. By Allah the moment I pointed him out they both raised their swords very high, they ran towards him and kept hacking at him with their swords.
The Sword Of Your House
Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) said A blind mans wife insulted Muhammad (saw) badly by singing songs against Muhammad (saw), he could not tolerate this anymore so he killed her by stabbing her to death and Muhammad (saw) approved of this action. [Abu Dawood]
The Salaf were so keen to defend the honour of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) that they severed all family ties just to implement the death penalty on the one who insults any of the Prophets of Allah (swt). Sufyaan Thawri (ra) and Malik ibn Umayr (ra) reported that a man came to Muhammad (saw) and said I met my father from amongst the pagans I heard very bad things from him about you. I could not take it anymore so I threw my spear at him and I killed my own father Oh Messenger of Allah. Muhammad (saw) replied He had no sanctity.
The Sword Of Ikhlaas
Some deviants say we cannot apply the Hukm of killing unless we have an Islamic State (Khilafah) how ignorant is the one that talks like this. Umayr ibnu Adi (ra) (who was a blind man) said he heard that Asma the daughter of Marwan insulted Muhammad (saw) in the battle of Badr. He said Oh Allah I have a vow on my neck if I return I will go to Medina to kill her. He went to Medina without the permission of Muhammad (saw) and killed her whilst she was suckling her child. He came back and told Muhammad (saw). Muhammad (saw) said to his companions If you wish to see someone who supports Allah and the Messengers by the Ghaib (without informing or asking or telling anyone) look at Umayr ibn Adi. [Ibn Hishaam and Ibn Saads Kitaab Al-Tabaqaat Al-Kabeer]. In other words you needAllah (swt) permission which has already been established and that is all you need.
Conclusion
The gravity and magnitude of this severe crime can never be accepted in any shape or form, in any era or reality. On the authority of Hassan ibn Ali (ra) The Prophet of Malhama (Slaughter), The Prophet of Maahi (Destruction) said Whoever insults a Prophet kill him.[Recorded in Al-Haakim in his Al-Mustadrak]
Young entrepreneurial talent was recognised yesterday, as the winners of the ‘Make Your Mark with a Tenner’ competition were announced.
Teams and individuals in schools nationwide took on the challenge of taking £10 loans to set up a business and make a good profit in a month. The average return was £42, while the largest profit came to a grand £736.
Supported by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) and funded by entrepreneurs Peter Jones and Michael and Xochi Birch – the founders of social networking site Bebo – the campaign is run by Make your Mark, which hopes to give young people the confidence and ambition to become enterprising.
Peter Jones, entrepreneur and Make Your Mark chairman presented the awards. He said: “These budding young entrepreneurs have shown that they have the drive and determination necessary to make things happen. In a time when teenagers are often portrayed as the source of society’s problems, I’m pleased that Make Your Mark with a Tenner has helped them to demonstrate the opposite – that young people are creative and innovative and that they can be trusted with cold, hard cash to help improve things for themselves and others.”
Henry Pearce from St ThomasChurch in Kent made the greatest return on his tenner: £736. Henry staged a ‘historic fashion show’ and strutted his stuff in a 1920s bathing suit. Like his fellow young entrepreneurs, Henry is donating his profits to a good cause: his choice was a Kenyan school, Molo 220.
The best group return was £493 (on £20) by two students from CullomptonCommunity College, Devon: they compiled a recipe book with recipes collected from local business people.
Other enterprising ideas included a Bollywood Dance performance, a silent disco and a healthy tuck shop.
Everybody recognises the loon that stands in the middle of the dance floor, shaking their hips and contorting their body to a beat that has no correlation what – so – ever with the music you can hear. Most people would spend the rest of their evening trying to avoid this particular type of person in a bid to avoid the impending embarrassment of being caught within close quarters of them.
However it’s taken a pair of Dutch DJ’s to realise that fun could be had in abundance as soon as you provide everyone with their own set of wireless headphones and encourage freestyle dancing to the music only you and half the other dancers can hear.
To puzzled onlookers it’s an odd sight, a tent full of people wearing wireless headphones, half of whom are grooving to Fatboy Slim’s ‘Rockefeller Skank’, while the other half are head banging to the sounds of Nirvana’s ‘Street Spirit’. Odd it may look, but curiosity would get the better of many an onlooker and it wouldn’t be long before the audience made the transition from fascinated bystanders to enthusiastic participants.
Such is the addiction of the Silent Disco that it’s making its appearance this year across the festival scene at Wychwood, Oxygen, T in the Park, Guilfest, Global Gathering, Womad, The Carling Weekend and Electric Picnic.
The Silent Disco is hosted by NO DJ and DJ OD. The former is a tall Dutchman with a love of Hawaii and hard house, while the latter prefers beer, polka and rock – apparently. Whoever you decide to listen to rest assured you’ll be accompanied by the soothing sounds of commentary akin to the vocal accompaniments of first grade acting in 70’s Dutch porn movies.
Interactivity is a key feature of the Silent Disco, bored with one song? Then simply switch channels on your wireless headphones and you can listen to something else. Two Dj’s play simultaneously, offering a hilarious fusion of uncoordinated dancing and even less cohesive singing.
Losing yourself in the music is all part of the fun and occasionally you might want to stop, take your head phones off and listen to what everyone else is singing. It really is a unique experience.
Popularity of The Silent Disco has been soaring since its inception in the summer of 2002. In 2004 there were 78,000 people who had danced/moshed/skanked (delete as appropriate) to the Silent Disco, a number that is continuing to grow.
If you get the chance this summer stop by the Silent Disco and take a look, I promise you it won’t be long before you’re donning a pair of wireless headphones and dancing like that uncontrollable loon.
This summer, in America, the Sci-Fi channel has been broadcasting the popular program, "Mind Control with Derren Brown". Derren Brown, who is immensely popular in the UK, is a mentalist, an illusionist who uses mind control techniques to "get" people to do things for him. It's a highly entertaining show and offers a great benefit for viewers, even teaching them how some of the techniques work!
Of course, Derren doesn't have super powers -- he's a really smart guy who has learned many of the persuasive tricks that people use around us all the time, not the least of which is subliminal perception.
Subliminal perception is a known psychological phenomenon that has been studied and researched since the 19th century. It does affect the way we think and behave in varying degrees.
This article will discuss subliminal perception as a means of mind control and how Derren, in his program, uses it to amaze his audience.
Subliminal Perception – Is It Mind Control?
There are two types of perception, supraliminal perception and subliminal perception.
Supraliminal Perception is when we consciously AND unconsciously experience an event. You are experiencing supraliminal perception right now as you read this page. You see the words, consciously read them, and unconsciously process them and how you feel about their meaning. The vast majority of our experience is supraliminal in nature.
Subliminal Perception is when we experience something while we are consciously distracted or that occurs so fast that we cannot consciously perceive it. This is very important in mind control techniques because it gets information and ideas past the discrimination of the conscious mind.
We live in such a hectic world where we are inundated with visual messages and information, some of which is very useful, so we often experience a visual subliminal perception benefit.
This isn't Orwellian mind control; it's often the transmission of necessary information! When you see the name of a Taxicab company printed on the side of a taxi as it is speeding by, you have a visual subliminal perception benefit. Your unconscious mind records the name of the cab company although consciously, you ignore the cab. Yet the next time you need to phone for a taxi, the chances are that you will unconsciously remember the name of the cab company and hire them.
Putting Subliminal Perception to Work for Mind Control
While you may feel that mind control is a bad or dangerous thing, it's often just a matter of course, benign and can be used for great benefit.
In the first episode of Derren Brown's program, "Mind Control" he showed how he could get people in an American shopping mall to raise their hands.
He made an announcement over the PA system of a silly offer and that anyone who wanted to take advantage of it should raise his or her hand. He spoke rather quickly, several times mentioned a benefit, gave a sense of urgency, and spoke with his British accent, which some Americans find difficult to understand. Of course, this is a TV program so we saw the visual results. Several people raised their hands!
How did he get people to raise their hands?
The "trick" was a form of subliminal perception and group behavior that was so visual, anyone could see it, if they looked closely.
A few people in the mall, who did not understand fully what Derren said, focused only on the benefit part of the offer he announced.
They basically were "not paying attention", so the benefit is what subliminally got into their minds, and they wanted to have that benefit. They raised their hands. Who wouldn't?
Then, others in the mall did the same, although many of them did not know what they were doing. This is group dynamics based on visual perception. People tend to follow a leader. So when some people SAW others (who they were not really paying attention to consciously) raising their hands (visual subliminal perception benefit desire), they waited a moment and then joined in, not wanting to miss out.
Very clever, Derren! Here we had visual confirmation of the power of subliminal perception, aided by group dynamics.
Real Life Subliminal Perception – TV Ads
Have you ever seen a TV ad for some product, i.e. a kitchen utensil? They demonstrate the product, then tell you to "Hurry and order within the next 15 minutes to get special pricing."
It's well known that most people tend to "filter out" TV commercials. They are often doing something else (i.e. making a sandwich). While there is no visual stimulus because they aren't looking at the TV set, they often can still hear the message.
That's when subliminal perception comes in. While they are consciously focused on making a sandwich or some other activity, they are unconsciously hearing the message of "Hurry and order within 15 minutes..." Of course, in this case, it isn't a visual subliminal perception benefit, it's aural subliminal perception to get a benefit. But the benefit to the advertiser is the same. The audience has a sense of urgency.
This isn't really mind control. It's clever advertising. The technique doesn't work with everyone, but market research has shown that it works with enough people to make the commercial effective and they do get people calling in. Oh, and sometimes, it's a great product, so there is even more benefit!
Remember, it's not really mind control because it doesn't MAKE you do something. It just gives you a sense of urgency, taking advantage of the fact that you are probably not paying attention to the commercial in the first place!
Subliminal Perception For A Great Benefit
In one of the episodes of "Mind Control", Derren "teaches" a woman to play the piano in a week. The woman's own assessment was that she could not play the piano other than to bang out "chopsticks".
Derren worked with her for one week, using a variety of aural, not visual subliminal perception and self hypnosis techniques.
At the end, the woman performed a live concert of a complex piece written by Mozart, based on the theme from the song "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". She played it beautifully.
At the end of the segment, Derren revealed that the woman actually had studied piano until about the age of seven, when for several reasons, she dropped it and went out of practice. So, she always knew how to play the piano, but she was blocked from doing it.
What he did was "re-program" her unconscious mind to eliminate the negative feelings and blocks she had that got her to stop playing the piano in the first place.
Thus she was able to play the complex Mozart piece because her inner unconscious mind was no longer blocking her ability to put into practice (so to speak) her ability to play the piano.
The segment was very inspiring, wonderful, and the music was super!
Empowering Your Own Mind Control Through Subliminal Perception
While the TV show, "Mind Control with Derren Brown" is not a scientific study -- it's an entertainment by a highly skilled and personable celebrity -- it does bring to public awareness something that science has been studying for years, the power of subliminal perception for self induced mind control.
ClydeSight Productions' Digital Subliminal Perception Programs (DSPP) take this process a few steps further along the line. They help you empower your own mind control for visual subliminal perception benefit using techniques found in hundreds of scientific studies to be highly effective for self motivation and mental self help.
Additionally, they use brain wave stimulation to put you in a relaxed state during the process. They are simple to use and work like a movie. You start a program, sit back, and watch your computer screen for 15 minutes. During that time, hundreds of visual subliminal perception affirmations enter your unconscious mind. Over time (a few days to a few weeks), the visual subliminal perception benefit of these programs gives you your own mind control over your own unconscious thoughts, just as the woman who regained her ability to play the piano got over her negative blocking thoughts.
Subliminal Perception Benefit
The TV show, "Mind Control with Derren Brown" is a really entertaining program. Derren doesn't reveal all his secrets, but he has been kind enough to the audience to show how subliminal perception can be used for great benefit. The woman who played the piano after years of neglect was in tears of gratitude, and she will never forget her experience. That segment of the show was particularly moving. Bravo Derren Brown!
Conclusion:
Mind control is a bit of an ambiguous term. Much of what is attributed to mind control is simply clever advertising and good use of subliminal perception. We always experience visual subliminal perception and it is often of great benefit.
The TV show, "Mind Control with Derren Brown" is a wonderfully entertaining program that shows how these techniques are at work in our daily lives.
When we use them in effectively created visual subliminal perception benefit programs, we can take mind control over our own lives and change them, eliminating bad habits, negative and painful thoughts, even re-capturing a long lost talent. As we say on our home page – Seeing Is Believing.
Recently I have come across the work of Natasha Wagner. Natasha was given some urgent work to do yesterday - and managed to turn around the work in just a few hours. Her fees are competitive/modest/realistic - why not give her a try?
If you are an international student her work may well be very useful to you.
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Various websites
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Research papers
Student coursework (essays through to university dissertations and PhD theses)
Never kid yourself you can make something of somebody; instead, find someone who’s making something of themselves, and help them, otherwise years can be expended trying to push the human equivalent of a wet end of spaghetti up a wall.
