i recently saw i made a mistake placing a web link. please my apologies and this is the right link. again im sorry to all
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/
just click on any of the icons on the left that says CLICK TO PLAY it is interesting information
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Hatt-i-Humayun and Hatt-i-Sharif of Gulhane
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation (1856) is a confirmation of what the Hatt-i-Sharif of Gulhane established 17 years before (1839). It comes directly from the sultan’s ideas and it is directed to the inhabitants of the Ottoman Empire, Muslim and non-Muslim, man and woman. It is not like other proclamations, the ottoman document did consider woman involvement. Perhaps the sultan considered the potential that women could bring together with men to the empire’s production. Perhaps the document just reflected the fear remaining on the sultan from the powerful western European Empire influence pressing on the neighboring ottoman provinces. The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation is created to make sure the reinforcement of the reforms establishment, consolidation and effects and restructure of its military and social system as well as religious stability promised in previous decrees and proclamations and inclusion of these provinces.
It confirms the previous proclamations and of course promises made by the sultan’s ancestors over the Ottoman Empire. It addresses many points that the Ottoman Empire was not aware before or was simply not important to consider. The release of this document offered a religious security, for non-Muslim religions, mostly Christians and Jews, and promised equality in education, government appointments, administration of justice making people sovereign and gave them power of decision whether to participate in the reformed Ottoman military system or not.
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation is the sultan’s promise to Ottoman population. It tried to create citizens and considered officially the non-Muslim religions as part of the ottoman system instead of just forcing their participation just because they were taken over by the sultan’s army. This time the proclamation includes every single person without discrimination of gender or religious beliefs, or age. The document is revolutionary for its time. It takes care of the discrimination issue and preference in between Muslim and non-Muslim religions. It promised that court disputes will no longer be Muslim-based religious legislation; instead court legislation will be directed by mixed courts, which is the inclusion of non-Muslim members into the court legislation. The proclamation gave the people the right to establish their own school system. It was more advance and covers specifically the points of religion and civic duties that, compared with the U.S. bill of rights, are just left out. This proclamation denotes the French and British influence since they helped the Ottoman Empire to fight against the European power and their modernism.
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation included Christians and Jews communities giving them the choice of joining the army, instead of forcing their participation as it was done before. It was a big advance for the reformation purposes, possibly viewed by other empires. Consequently it served as a sample to neighbor governments. Leverage amongst all ottoman population was promised by the Ottoman sultan. He basically offered to treat everyone equally, not like the past emperors or like in devshirme period of time, when janissaries take the oldest son of the Christian communities that were conquered and forced them into military life style. Now new generation of janissaries were going to be a mix in religion and beliefs and not forcibly converted into Muslim religion.
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation of 1856 involves all the aspects that society needed to synchronize with the new ottoman system in order to function as a whole. It promises individuality, security, ownership, opportunity to have options and choose from them respecting the individual decision without retaliation from emperor’s institutions and its members. As a result the non-Muslim religions of the Ottoman Empire were able to live and work more freely in their homelands. These reforms and freedoms promised in the proclamation made them wealthy and vital component of the Empire they lived in.
It confirms the previous proclamations and of course promises made by the sultan’s ancestors over the Ottoman Empire. It addresses many points that the Ottoman Empire was not aware before or was simply not important to consider. The release of this document offered a religious security, for non-Muslim religions, mostly Christians and Jews, and promised equality in education, government appointments, administration of justice making people sovereign and gave them power of decision whether to participate in the reformed Ottoman military system or not.
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation is the sultan’s promise to Ottoman population. It tried to create citizens and considered officially the non-Muslim religions as part of the ottoman system instead of just forcing their participation just because they were taken over by the sultan’s army. This time the proclamation includes every single person without discrimination of gender or religious beliefs, or age. The document is revolutionary for its time. It takes care of the discrimination issue and preference in between Muslim and non-Muslim religions. It promised that court disputes will no longer be Muslim-based religious legislation; instead court legislation will be directed by mixed courts, which is the inclusion of non-Muslim members into the court legislation. The proclamation gave the people the right to establish their own school system. It was more advance and covers specifically the points of religion and civic duties that, compared with the U.S. bill of rights, are just left out. This proclamation denotes the French and British influence since they helped the Ottoman Empire to fight against the European power and their modernism.
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation included Christians and Jews communities giving them the choice of joining the army, instead of forcing their participation as it was done before. It was a big advance for the reformation purposes, possibly viewed by other empires. Consequently it served as a sample to neighbor governments. Leverage amongst all ottoman population was promised by the Ottoman sultan. He basically offered to treat everyone equally, not like the past emperors or like in devshirme period of time, when janissaries take the oldest son of the Christian communities that were conquered and forced them into military life style. Now new generation of janissaries were going to be a mix in religion and beliefs and not forcibly converted into Muslim religion.
The Hatt-i-Humayun Proclamation of 1856 involves all the aspects that society needed to synchronize with the new ottoman system in order to function as a whole. It promises individuality, security, ownership, opportunity to have options and choose from them respecting the individual decision without retaliation from emperor’s institutions and its members. As a result the non-Muslim religions of the Ottoman Empire were able to live and work more freely in their homelands. These reforms and freedoms promised in the proclamation made them wealthy and vital component of the Empire they lived in.
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
During the Spring break week, I had time to watch some movies and i happen to find one that interested me. The movie is about a actor that is sent to research the comedy in the Muslim world and investigate what make them laugh.
First he goes to New Delhi. The actor performs in a theater that is lack of the basic needs to hold an audience and a well performance. The theater that all Americans know is laid out with certain basic but fundamental needs. Just to mention a few to illustrate a sample, bathroom. It has to be accessible to people and close to the theater. A store to buy snacks and/or beverages. Backstage rooms, for actor to take a break, change clothes, or just relax a bit before the function. But while in America this is the standard basic need in New Delhi, the nearest to the theater bathroom is 3 block away, also a key is required to have access to it. No store to buy snacks and/or beverages, and actors do no have a place out of the audience view to even change their clothes, so the audience watched whatever is happening on stage even what they are not suppose to.
The central comedy researcher, that happens to be American, start his show telling some of the funniest jokes of his career, but nothing worked. Now the information given in this movie says that New Delhi Muslims do not have sense of humor and lack of basic need in building theater for a successful play.
Then he arranges a secret meeting in Pakistan with some comedians, they look more like soldiers and the surroundings were very hostile looking. This raised the nervousness and concern for safety, but the actor found that this people were different, Pakistanis pull a joke on him and he was greeted with laughs and humor. The actor performs the same act in front of the hostile looking audience and his jokes worked. Everyone was laughing with their guns on hand but laughing.
This interesting fact made me think on the other side of this people projected as highly violent .
Why is this contrast in people?Violent ones had a good sense of humor while peaceful ones had none? Is it real information or just the movie plot? that will be the questions that I will ask my professor next time we meet.
First he goes to New Delhi. The actor performs in a theater that is lack of the basic needs to hold an audience and a well performance. The theater that all Americans know is laid out with certain basic but fundamental needs. Just to mention a few to illustrate a sample, bathroom. It has to be accessible to people and close to the theater. A store to buy snacks and/or beverages. Backstage rooms, for actor to take a break, change clothes, or just relax a bit before the function. But while in America this is the standard basic need in New Delhi, the nearest to the theater bathroom is 3 block away, also a key is required to have access to it. No store to buy snacks and/or beverages, and actors do no have a place out of the audience view to even change their clothes, so the audience watched whatever is happening on stage even what they are not suppose to.
The central comedy researcher, that happens to be American, start his show telling some of the funniest jokes of his career, but nothing worked. Now the information given in this movie says that New Delhi Muslims do not have sense of humor and lack of basic need in building theater for a successful play.
Then he arranges a secret meeting in Pakistan with some comedians, they look more like soldiers and the surroundings were very hostile looking. This raised the nervousness and concern for safety, but the actor found that this people were different, Pakistanis pull a joke on him and he was greeted with laughs and humor. The actor performs the same act in front of the hostile looking audience and his jokes worked. Everyone was laughing with their guns on hand but laughing.
This interesting fact made me think on the other side of this people projected as highly violent .
Why is this contrast in people?Violent ones had a good sense of humor while peaceful ones had none? Is it real information or just the movie plot? that will be the questions that I will ask my professor next time we meet.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Video to Die in Jerusalem
After watching this video, my point of view of life changed. Most importantly my understanding of the conflicts in Palestinian-Israeli people. It is very difficult to take sides or to sympathize with either side. Both sides of the conflict, Israelis and Palestinians, have their reasons to fight. And right to protect their space and territory. It is ashamed that it has to be that way, killing each other.
But most difficult is to be the mother of the 17 yr. old victim Abigail Levy. Just to know that she was randomly selected by a suicidal person to make up a point on their Jihad, means to me to appreciate much more who we have around and the kind of living and freedom we have in America.
The Palestinian bomber's mother did not have an idea of her daughter's whereabouts. That fact could tell us as outsiders and analysts of the information that parents do not have an idea of what their kids are doing or thinking, what the plans are and what groups they are involved in. the kind of friends and all those questions that come up with a mother's testimonial like the one of the suicidal girl mother.
Again is it is obvious how the news and in this case video takes sides, why is it that news and media make such effort to take sides on the stories they present. Israeli girl Rachel Levy is portrayed as sweet, not daring to hurt anyone, while Ayat Al-Akhras is a martyr on her school, pictures of her with guns and being excused and justified for her actions and deviation from school. It is just projected bye the media as a crazy non sense behavior that is impossible to understand, but easy to reprimand. By this comment i meant that they focus only on the bombing attack but they do not see it as a reaction for an previous action from the other party. I just can think that the reason would be that Israeli and therefore Jewish community is dominant around the world and they are represented in more countries than Palestinians.
Israeli population is much more large and its members are holding positions in society of power and status. Most of the Israeli people I happen to know are holders of PhD's, Masters Degrees, Doctors, Lawyers or somehow they have influence and power in society while Palestinians are barely making it out day by day. To better explain my point is to point the huge Menorah that was placed in NYC commemorating the Hanukkah, or how some regular calendar shows a remainder of Jewish holidays and celebrations.
Changing the perspective a little and going back to the suicidal girl, her family seems to justify her actions by enforcing and promising to kill more people, and that lack of courage of others had push her to blow herself up. But how and what the point of killing people is? What is the purpose of having this kind of madness and ideology around? Maybe Palestinians think that murder is the only option to solve this problem. That radical answer is the only option they have. But as the movie goes along it is understandable that their "resistance" is demonstrated in art, word, or by violence in some cases.
But most difficult is to be the mother of the 17 yr. old victim Abigail Levy. Just to know that she was randomly selected by a suicidal person to make up a point on their Jihad, means to me to appreciate much more who we have around and the kind of living and freedom we have in America.
The Palestinian bomber's mother did not have an idea of her daughter's whereabouts. That fact could tell us as outsiders and analysts of the information that parents do not have an idea of what their kids are doing or thinking, what the plans are and what groups they are involved in. the kind of friends and all those questions that come up with a mother's testimonial like the one of the suicidal girl mother.
Again is it is obvious how the news and in this case video takes sides, why is it that news and media make such effort to take sides on the stories they present. Israeli girl Rachel Levy is portrayed as sweet, not daring to hurt anyone, while Ayat Al-Akhras is a martyr on her school, pictures of her with guns and being excused and justified for her actions and deviation from school. It is just projected bye the media as a crazy non sense behavior that is impossible to understand, but easy to reprimand. By this comment i meant that they focus only on the bombing attack but they do not see it as a reaction for an previous action from the other party. I just can think that the reason would be that Israeli and therefore Jewish community is dominant around the world and they are represented in more countries than Palestinians.
Israeli population is much more large and its members are holding positions in society of power and status. Most of the Israeli people I happen to know are holders of PhD's, Masters Degrees, Doctors, Lawyers or somehow they have influence and power in society while Palestinians are barely making it out day by day. To better explain my point is to point the huge Menorah that was placed in NYC commemorating the Hanukkah, or how some regular calendar shows a remainder of Jewish holidays and celebrations.
Changing the perspective a little and going back to the suicidal girl, her family seems to justify her actions by enforcing and promising to kill more people, and that lack of courage of others had push her to blow herself up. But how and what the point of killing people is? What is the purpose of having this kind of madness and ideology around? Maybe Palestinians think that murder is the only option to solve this problem. That radical answer is the only option they have. But as the movie goes along it is understandable that their "resistance" is demonstrated in art, word, or by violence in some cases.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Muhtasib
During this past few days, history in the middle east class has been very demanding, the readings, source analysis and all of the assignments are getting more complex that in previous classes. In today's class we learned about the Muhtasib. It is an older version of what we now call inspectors. It might be health, food, social or merchant inspector. Muhtasib was in charge of many different task that required a lot of effort and time to do. Muhtasib was important during the Mamluk empire to preserve the order and to control the trade in between merchants. They were very detail oriented in engaging their job.
If they suspect something was going on in a residence, they can suddenly beak in and check that everything is OK and in order. they had the authority of execute anyone that had been braking the law or just tried to take advantage of someone. Overpricing and mishandling anything from food to behavior was severely punishable under Islamic law.
It is a remarkable difference that this type of people had done in the course of history. Also note how punishment was enforced, most of the people accused of any wrong doing was hanged or not in most cases a physical punishment was enough.
The Muhtasib made a great difference in the course of history and how it is perceived from different points of view around the world.
If they suspect something was going on in a residence, they can suddenly beak in and check that everything is OK and in order. they had the authority of execute anyone that had been braking the law or just tried to take advantage of someone. Overpricing and mishandling anything from food to behavior was severely punishable under Islamic law.
It is a remarkable difference that this type of people had done in the course of history. Also note how punishment was enforced, most of the people accused of any wrong doing was hanged or not in most cases a physical punishment was enough.
The Muhtasib made a great difference in the course of history and how it is perceived from different points of view around the world.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Imperial Harem
The reading assignment of this book is a remarkable difference in history courses approach. What normally focus on males role and male decision making, the assignment and understanding of the imperial harem is a different approach to another structure of the functions of the harem and the role of women in the Ottoman society how they can build their own structure of government, gather themselves, like the Januaries and how they can keep wealth amongst themselves.
The book is hard to read but interesting. on my own experience I had to return 3 or sometimes 4 times to a paragraph to understand it , the use of names and different family levels made the reading difficult. The reading is very explicit and very detail oriented. It would be faster and easier if the book provides a family map where to relate the different names used in the literature.
Besides the complexity of this novel, the language it uses is complicated. To relate and pronounce a name correctly takes a quite few minutes and after that remember who use that name for gets complicated.
It helped me to reestablish the normal point of view of an empire. I realize that woman played an important role, often ignore, in the incidents of man and its roles in history. She is like the back up plan, when options are extinct they seem to have the solution.
The book is hard to read but interesting. on my own experience I had to return 3 or sometimes 4 times to a paragraph to understand it , the use of names and different family levels made the reading difficult. The reading is very explicit and very detail oriented. It would be faster and easier if the book provides a family map where to relate the different names used in the literature.
Besides the complexity of this novel, the language it uses is complicated. To relate and pronounce a name correctly takes a quite few minutes and after that remember who use that name for gets complicated.
It helped me to reestablish the normal point of view of an empire. I realize that woman played an important role, often ignore, in the incidents of man and its roles in history. She is like the back up plan, when options are extinct they seem to have the solution.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Thinking and thinking. What should i write on my blog?
It might get absurd but there is so much to write about history that in fact there is sometimes nowhere to start.
But, going through the class notes i can figure many things and understand what the ideology of people is and it might be based on their past. There is so many incidents, events and interaction of the people of this region that is not only political but mostly religious disputes that have been evolving in each other for generations. In a movie, i remember, that one of the actors said, "the past is the key to the future", It sound a bit philosophical but taking this history courses made me realize the meaning,origin and structure of that phrase. Even, in geology classes the phrase is 100% applicable t hat we know so much about earth just by analyzing the rocks and minerals and studying the formation of the different levels of rock formation and fusion that scientific can tell how old the rock is by analyzing the minerals and formation process it had.
So far, i have seen videos in class, witness the news and analyzing the filters that a cover story that i watch on my scree had been through before it gets to me. A few days ago, checking my email, i read an email from my history professor inviting me to watch a movie about Iran and its revolution, the involvement of woman in this movement and her influence in Iran as well as outside. I had the opportunity to watch how labels are established on Iranies, especially woman, and what they can do and what they should not do but still do. The movie shows aspects of the family values, the struggle to overthrown a tyrannic power and the cruel way of justice. the ridiculous way of enforcing the law, and how kids, as young as 13, are on the streets enforcing the law.
The purpose of the movie is clear. It shows to people the dimensions of the conflict, the purpose of the revolution and the outcome of it.
Many people died during this period of transition and evolution, protecting and fighting for what they believe was just, but was all of that really necessary? Why can they just get along??????
It might get absurd but there is so much to write about history that in fact there is sometimes nowhere to start.
But, going through the class notes i can figure many things and understand what the ideology of people is and it might be based on their past. There is so many incidents, events and interaction of the people of this region that is not only political but mostly religious disputes that have been evolving in each other for generations. In a movie, i remember, that one of the actors said, "the past is the key to the future", It sound a bit philosophical but taking this history courses made me realize the meaning,origin and structure of that phrase. Even, in geology classes the phrase is 100% applicable t hat we know so much about earth just by analyzing the rocks and minerals and studying the formation of the different levels of rock formation and fusion that scientific can tell how old the rock is by analyzing the minerals and formation process it had.
So far, i have seen videos in class, witness the news and analyzing the filters that a cover story that i watch on my scree had been through before it gets to me. A few days ago, checking my email, i read an email from my history professor inviting me to watch a movie about Iran and its revolution, the involvement of woman in this movement and her influence in Iran as well as outside. I had the opportunity to watch how labels are established on Iranies, especially woman, and what they can do and what they should not do but still do. The movie shows aspects of the family values, the struggle to overthrown a tyrannic power and the cruel way of justice. the ridiculous way of enforcing the law, and how kids, as young as 13, are on the streets enforcing the law.
The purpose of the movie is clear. It shows to people the dimensions of the conflict, the purpose of the revolution and the outcome of it.
Many people died during this period of transition and evolution, protecting and fighting for what they believe was just, but was all of that really necessary? Why can they just get along??????
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