Is Pride in the Middle East a Virtue or Curse?

People of the Middle East including the people of the European countries that have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea; Italy, Greece, Spain, France in general, and Arab and Muslim people in particular, are famous in describing themselves as people of pride. And they have through out history engaged in military battles mainly because ordinary people or leaders feel that their pride has been injured by their offenders.

Pride played a major role in the Middle East when foreign occupied forces invaded the region. Their political plans were to play on the Pride issues to split people and gain some alliances from them, which in the end proved to be false sympathies of individuals or groups that hailed the occupants to seek revenge against their own opponents, basically because of hurt feelings.

Arabs specifically are people with long history of feuds caused by hurt feelings and pride. They are proud of their pride, and famous historic wars were made between their tribes because of this pride.

Pride is a very nice human feature, however if it is stubbornly practiced it can become an ugly beast that can eat its owner.

It plays between high sensitivity and ego, and can be the direct antonym of humility or guilt. The excess of pride as a vice leads to vanity. And vanity can manifest very fast to tyranny. Tyranny is certainly a killer.

When pride involves a nation it becomes National Pride and this can turn easily to Ethnic Pride.

When pride is a rebel on slavery it becomes a victory of morals and liberates the person or group from remaining subservient.

The slogan "Black Pride" helped black people in America to take their liberty and be identified as a respected heritage with equal rights in the country.

Whereas the slogan "White Pride" was used in the USA not only to identify the White Race but also to indicate the White Supremacy.

In religion when pride becomes a vanity, it directs immediately to the story of creation and the rebel of Lucifer against God. Later all world dictators were and still are hit by this disease.

The German National Pride for example is a term that is usually associated with the Nazi regime. Here the term is just the opposite of Patriotism.

The famous Chinese/Japanese conflicts and wars through out history were based on national pride that the people of both countries shared against each other. In this case Honor was touched, and National Pride definitions can vary in each country.

Honor is touched in a different way when Europe colonized most of the Middle East. People considered themselves really hurt in their Pride and Honor. They were treated with real humiliation, and were forced to accept every singly oppression practiced against them.

Several revolutions erupted for liberty. People got their freedom, however their pride was not released after their new rulers kept a strong grip over them.

Some dictators, social groups and political parties developed narcissism and they become in love and obsessed with their own images. So they put their slogans, photos and images everywhere where they can see them and they make sure that all public can see them.

In recent history, hereditary dictatorship remained a common phenomenon. In Muslim and Arab countries of the Middle East, such dictatorship are seen in republican regimes, where rulers practice and absolute monarchy, and power is transmitted between members of the same family due to the overwhelming authority of the leader.

Most of the hereditary regimes in the Middle East are under totalitarian rules, where the state is under power of a single political person, faction or political party. In such regimes, ordinary citizens do not have even a minimal share in the state decision making. Such regimes are usually bound schemes of ideological beliefs that direct all aspects of public and private life.

Ironic enough, such dictators and for different reasons, always have some kind of supports from Western countries, consequently they use those supports as an advantage in helping them remain in power, and attempt to transmit this power to other individuals in their families.

When normal people rebel against their leaders, they do so because their tolerance against oppression has reached its limits, and suddenly their pride become more important than their lives.

Igniting such rebels is a different story.

The pride of rulers is also emerged by their refusal to respond positively to people’s demands, and their resistance to leave the authority. They find in such rebels a deep insult to their honor. Their resistance in this case becomes brutal against their people because it is vital for their existence.

After decades of ruling, rulers find it difficult to believe that their people do not like them, and absolutely impossible to leave the authority.

They relate any kind of rebellion to an outside conspiracy against them and the country, and they believe without doubts that rebelled groups in the streets are not from people but rather foreign groups that penetrate the streets and influenced innocent people.

They try to inject some rapid reforms to absorb the anger.

In the end they leave or forced to leave.

Recent history gave many examples; Hitler, Marcos, Mussolini, Idi Amin, Milosevic, Chowchesko, Saddam Husein, Husni Mubarak, Zain Eddine Bin Ali etc...

Today the struggle in the Middle East is a struggle of existence.

It is a struggle to control.

It is a struggle of challenges.

Above all, it is a struggle of pride and prejudice.

May be Pride in the Middle East has become a virtue and a curse at the same time.

Sami Cherkaoui

www.samicherkaouiarabicblog.blogspot.com

Mesopotamia and Canaan Under Muslim Eras

Past, Present and Future of the Cradle of Civilizations (6)

Continue Station Fifteen…

Jews specifically, enjoyed more freedom under Muslim rule than anywhere else in the world. They were granted in Palestine considerable autonomy to make and enforce their own religious, judicial and social traditions. Many Christians and Jews held important posts under various Muslim Caliphs.

Muslims rulers in Jerusalem removed all restrictions that Romans and Byzantines had placed on the right of Jews to visit and inhabit Holy City.

Station Sixteen

Muawiya Bin Abu Sufyan started what is called the Omayyad Era. He was proclaimed the 5th Caliph of Islam, and he took Damascus as his Capital city.

Damascus emerged as a significant city, and its new leaders were keen to link it with Jerusalem in an attempt to embrace the three religions.

Muawiya insisted to have excellent relations with the Christian communities of Syria, and actually one of his closest advisers was Sarjun who was the father of Saint John of Damascus. Sarjun also supervised taxes for the Omayyad Caliph for the entire Middle East.

John of Damascus served before being ordained as Chief Administrator to the Muslim Caliph.

However, Muawiya at the same time was tough on the Byzantine Empire. He took Rhodes and Crete and launched from there several attacks against Constantinople.

Muawiya also expanded his military power towards North Africa and founded the city of Kairouan, and Central Asia where he invaded Kabul, Bukhara and Samarkand.

 

The Byzantine province of Palaestina Prima became a military sub-province named Jund Filastin under the Omayyad rule. It formed a division of Greater Syria or Jund Al Sham. Jund Filastin extended from Sinai to the Plain of Acre or Akko (Akka) which extends from Lebanon borders in the north to the Carmel Promontory in Palestine in the south, including Rafah, Caesarea, Gaza, Jaffa, Nablus and Jericho. Lod or Al Lid was the capital of the province and later Ramla city took the lead. Jund Al Urdunn was the region to the north and east of Filastin that included cities of Acre or Akko, Bisan and Tiberias.

When Abed Al-Malik Bin Marwan became Caliph, he ordered to build the Dome of Rock near Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Later Al Aqsa Mosque was rebuilt by orders of Caliph Walid Bin Abed Al-Malik.

The site where the Dome was built is also known in Judaism as the Foundation Stone, the spot where Jacob saw in his dreams a ladder to the sky that he climbed and God gave him the name Israel.

Muslims believe that this is also the spot from where Muhammad ascended to heaven in the course of a night journey.

By building the Dome of Rock, Muslims actually were expressing their reverence for Jerusalem, as city of the Prophets from Abraham to Muhammad who according to Islam is the "Seal of Prophets".

Christians and Jews under Omayyad rule were given the official title "People of the Book" with reference to the common roots they share with Muslims.

A group of Jewish attendants were reported to be in charge of cleaning the Mosque and Temple Mount, and also responsible for the maintenance of their lighting. They were rewarded by being exempted from poll taxes.

The Omayyad Caliphs employed Jews and Christians and some of them attained high posts in the government hierarchy. More churches were built.

Muawiya established the principle of heredity for caliphate and before his death he appointed his son Yazid as his successor, whose opposition centered mainly in Persia, Iraq and Hejaz.

The end of Omayyad regime was plagued by natural disasters. A number of earthquakes occurred in Palestine and they caused heavy loss of life and the collapse of the Dome of the Rock.

Station Seventeen

Supported by the province of Khorasan Iran, Ibrahim Al Imam a fourth descent of Abbas Bin Abed Al Muttalib, the youngest uncle of Muhammad, rebelled against the Omayyad Caliph Marwan II, but was captured and died in prison. His brother Abdallah known as Abu Al Abbas Al Saffah, carried on the rebellion, defeated the Omayyad and was subsequently proclaimed Caliph.

The first change he made was to move the caliphate’s capital from Damascus to Baghdad. The Persian Mawali(s) in Iran (who were non Arab Muslims supported) the new caliph. Part of the Mawali(s) demanded less Arab dominance in the region.

Baghdad by now is a significant city, which is already equipped to embrace polymath scientists as well as religious scholars.

Abu Abbas Al Saffah sent his forces to Central Asia, Sindh, Arabia, Anatolia, North Africa Egypt and entered Damascus to set up a new dynasty controlled from Baghdad.

He killed the remaining members of the Omayyad family at one dinner party, but one survivor Abed Al Rahman I, escaped to Al Andalus (Spain) where he assumed the title of Caliph and took Cordoba as a rival Caliphate’s Capital to Baghdad. He built up a Kingdom that dominated North Africa and lasted for about three hundred years.

Jews, Nestorian Christians and Persians were well represented in Abu Al Abbas’s government and in succeeding Abbasid administrations.

Before his death, Abu Al Abbas appointed his brother Abu Ja’far Al MansourAbi Taleb, the cousin of Muhammad and the fourth Caliph. Al Mansur also founded the House of Wisdom in Baghdad.

Shia’s believed that after the death of Muhammad, his cousin Ali was the one who should be the first Caliph and not Abu Bakr. They were very annoyed when Omar Bin Al Khattab and Othman Bin Affan became the second and third Caliph respectively.

When Ali Bin Abi Taleb proclaimed the fourth Caliph, Muawiya fought him and managed to be a Caliph instead of Ali after the latter was surprisingly murdered while praying in the mosque.

Later Ali’s son Al Hasan abandoned the Caliphate to Muawiya on the condition that he becomes the Caliph after him, which Muawiya accepted, but then appointed his son instead, and Al Hasan later was mysteriously murdered by his wife who poisoned him for no unknown reasons.

The other son of Ali, Al Husein decided to fight Muawiya claiming the Caliphate for himself after his supporters urged him to do so. But Yazid the son of Muawiya who is by now the new Caliph defeated him, and he was brutally killed and later all his wives and sons were murdered except one.

Shi’as believe that Ali is the first Imam of the line of twelve Imams who are the rightful successors of Prophet Muhammad. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam with the exception of Husein bin Ali who was the brother of Hasan bin Ali.

The Twelfth and final Imam is Muhammad Al Mahdi who the Shi’as strongly believe that he is still alive and hidden until his return to bring justice to the world.

Same belief that the Christians apply on Jesus Christ that he shall return to save the world.

It is reported that Al Mansur flogged to Muslim scholars, Abu Hanifah and Imam AL Malki who both were founders of two out of four Muslim schools of law (Shari’a).

Under the rule of the second Abbasid Caliph AL Mahdi, the Barmakid family gained greater powers and worked closely with him to ensure stability and prosperity of his kingdom.

Several of the Abbasids’ caliphs were known to spent time in Jerusalem on their way to and from Makah. When Caliph Al Mansour visited Jerusalem, he ordered the destruction of the crosses on the churches and forbade the Christians to hold services at night.

However later Caliph Harun Al Rachid who was known to be a close friend of King Charlemagne of France, allowed the building of many new churches in the city including monasteries, a hostel, a marketplace and a library.

His son Abu Is’haq who was the Governor of Egypt, and later was Caliph Al Mu'tasem, had the inscription of the Dome of the Rock altered by inserting his own name in place of Abed Al Malik the Omayyad Caliph who first built the Dome.

Harun Al Rachid moved his capital city from Baghdad to Al Raqqah, close to the borders of the Byzantine borders.

Al Rachid depended heavily on his mentor and long-time associate Yahya Al Barmaky, and later his son Ja’far. He appointed him his first minister and his vizier and granted him full executive powers. Yahia and his sons served the Caliph faithfully and sincerely.

Yahia Al Barmaki was Persian and a member of the Barmakids family.

He and his sons helped in translating many Persian works. Ja’far convinced Harun to open a paper mill in Baghdad, which they had its paper making secrets from China.

Ja’far was executed for allegedly having a love affair with Harun’s sister. Some say it was a conspiracy that made the Caliph fears a Shi’a movement against him led by the Barmakids.

During the Abbasid period the Muslim world became a challenging intellectual center of science, knowledge and education. Both Arab and non Arab Muslim scholars translated and gathered the entire world’s knowledge into Arabic.

The Muslim scientists without doubt significantly advanced the knowledge of ancient Roman, Greek, Chinese, Indian, Persian and Egyptian civilizations.

Many thinkers and scientists believe that the Abbasid Era played an important role in transmitting Islamic science to the Christian West.

The Abbasids however made a fatal turn against the Shi’as, who most of them fled to the Maghreb to establish the Idrisid and later other Kingdoms. They also executed their Imam Jafar Al Sadiq.

The Byzantine Empire was continuously fighting the Abbasids in Syria and Anatolia.

Former supporters of Abbasids split and formed their own kingdom in Khorasan in northern Persia.

By the 10^th century the Abbasids lost most of Iraq.

Outside Iraq all provinces became de facto states.

The Ismaili Fatimids challenged the Abbasids’ authority. They ruled in Tunisia and moved to Egypt, Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, Malta, Levant and Hejaz. They were Arabo Berber Muslim Shi’a.

The Fatimids, although had a swift successful era, they could not avoid the ethnic conflicts that split their armies mainly between the Berber and the Turks. The Turkish forces managed to seize Cairo.

Eventually the Berber declared their independence from the Fatimids and recognized the Sunni Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad by 1040.

Later the Fatimids were challenged by the Turkish invasion in the Levant coast and parts of Syria. After the first Crusades the Fatimid’s territory shrank to only Egypt. However, by 1160, the Seljuks ended them, and a new Era of the Ayyubids under Saladin began in Egypt and Syria.

The Seljuk Empire, a Sunni Empire was founded in 1037, and controlled a large area stretching from The Hindu Kush to Eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Arabian Gulf.

The Seljuks played a vital role in the first and second crusades.

Station Eighteen

The First Crusade

 To be continued .....

Sami Cherkaoui

www.samicherkaouiarabicblog.blogspot.com

Wrath of Wealth 2: Mysteries Of The Pyramids

 Continued from Quantum Leap to Ancient Egypt...

At this point, Asef turned to him and asked: do you notice any strange or distinguished things in this place?

“Yes. I see like electric lamps in the ceilings and on the walls. Also I feel that the place is air-conditioned. Is this real – Are we really in the old ages or this is a trick”? Adam asked Asef mockingly.

Then he looked around with more attention and he saw a large screen in-front of the king and his wife.

Is this an LCD screen? – A surprise look covered his face.

Asef put a humble smile on his face and said: do you think that technology started only in the age you are living in. You are only picking up what they have started thousands of years before. And you are trying to develop it but you are still in very early stages. 

Adam disagreed and said: but history told us that those ages were living on preliminary science only....

Asef interrupted: It seems it is quite to the contrary. The ancient Egyptians were first to practice scientific arts. Indeed, the word chemistry is derived from the word Alchemy which is the ancient name for Egypt. Egyptians really excelled in medicine and applied mathematics. Their exploits in engineering, astronomy and administration continue to be excellent resources to modern scientists.

They were the first to produce 365 days calendar (12 months of 30 days + 5 feast days).

They invented the making of glass articles with a glass blowing process that is used still in your time.

Lights you see in this hall are real electricity which you use in your time. They have generated electricity from solar energy, and used the solar energy to make other technologies which you will see shortly after we finish from here Let us listen to what the pharaoh is saying…” 

Amon: Kofo built the great pyramid in outstanding scientific accuracy. He put to the generations coming after some scientific basis; physics and mathematics formulas to work on and develop.

What the hell he is talking about? He asked Asef curiously.

Chapter 4

Mysteries Of The Pyramid

Asef began to explain “He is talking basically about PI and the Golden Ratio”

“What?!! – He exclaimed with big astonishment… How do you know about PI and the Golden Ratio … Then he corrected… I mean how they know”

 

“As told you before  ... they are the fathers of technology and modern science”

He could not believe his ears… Is this true what he is hearing.. But how …?

Asef interrupted: “ Even scientists in your time agree that for example when the height of the great pyramid is equal = 146.515 meters, and its base equals 230.363 meters they used a simple math to find that half of the base is 115.182 m and the "slant height"  is 186.369 meters. Dividing the "slant height" 186.369 meters by "half base" 115.182 meters gives 1.6180, which is practically equal to the golden ration! “

“Oh my God – you talk like a real scientist!”

“The Pharaohs bring this ratio by discovering that the earth/moon relationship is the only one in the solar system that contains this unique golden section ratio that "squares the circle".  If the base of the great pyramid is equated with the diameter of the earth, then the radius of the moon can be generated by subtracting the radius of the earth from the height of the pyramid. 

This proportion results from elegant design of the pyramid with the height equal two diameters of a circle and the base equal to the circumference of the circle.

The number Pi is the mathematical constant 3.1415, with the ratio of the diameter to the distance around the circle, called the circumference. In the pyramid it is the ratio of the height to twice the length of the base.”

“What?” Adam exclaimed with more astonishment

“You should also know that it is aligned with the four points of the compass. This means that its four sides point toward true East, West, North, and South.”

“Compass? East. West!” Adam was about to loose his mind.

Asef continued: “Each side of its base is 365.2422 cubits, which is the exact number of days in a solar year.”

“Solar Year?”. Adam was not able to absorb that all these scientific information is coming from a 4000-year-old man and even hinted by a 5000-year-old man.

Asef went on: “The Pyramid's perimeter, the distance around the four sides of the base, correlates with the circumference of the earth.

And by multiplying the height of the Pyramid's 35th layer by 10 derives the distance of the earth from the sun. Don’t you agree with Amon that all these information and scientific formulas were put to the generation coming after to follow and develop?”

“Yes I agree?” Adam confessed… “But how they were able to do all this amazing science? What was their secret?”

Asef said mockingly: “What would be in your opinion the secret of your civilization?

How did you come to the invention of electricity, electronics and other inventions such as airplanes, cars, and the destructive traditional and nuclear weapons?”

Adam did not know what to answer. Not only because he did not know the answers; but also because he was more amazed to hear Asef talks about these matters…as if he is actually living in the present times. He knows about all these technologies we used in our times! 

Asef carried on: “You have to believe that when life was created; all the basic science and technology were created with it.

Man worked on developing those bases… and kept on developing repeatedly every time the creation is destroyed.”

“I don’t understand”- Adam said. “What do you mean by *repeatedly*? What is destroyed?”

Asef made a modest smile again and said: “You will understand later – after all - this is the purpose of our trip.You will see what man made and what he destroyed.

You will see what money made in all aspects.” 

Before Asef completed what he was saying – they heard strong movement of people in the hall.

Asef said – “This is Akhnaton – here he comes …. Let’s see what he is up to”

Chapter 5

Akhnaton And His New Religion

Akhnaton: I hope my lord allows me to share with him what’s keeping me busy these days… My wife Nefertiti and I decided to make some basic changes in the temples and holy places. 

Can you elaborate more? Amon asked

Akhnaton: we will start to dismiss some of the chief priests and appoint new ones who will in turn make certain changes in some employments and positions.

Amon: and how you want to do this?  Will you tackle also the beliefs of your ancestors?

Akhnaton: Of-course not- but I will make some development and modernization. Also I will make sure that the real power which is giving our civilization its strength and sovereignty is not neglected any more. The Sun which is giving us all these magnificent powers must be really and truly appreciated and worshiped. God Aten must be recognized. This is why I want to remove the chief priests who may oppose the new administration, which I see very vital if we want to keep on developing our civilization.

Amon: But I can see just the opposite.  Any changes in our beliefs will certainly have a negative impact on the development of our civilization. It will definitely delay any progress not to mention it will exhaust the priests and ministers and confuse their works.

Akhnaton: My lord means that I will make them weak and limit their strength. I can see their grab on the kingdom is almost absolute, and my Lord is doing nothing to stop their vicious ambitions.

Amon: This is because I do not see any harm in what they are doing. To the contrary, I see what their science and inventions are thrusting the strength of the Kingdom more and more every day.

Akhnaton: But they are also weakening my Lord’ power. And I see that your disease is keeping you away from them. Your severe pains are preventing you from noticing what they actually doing in the Kingdom.

Amon: You mean that I became old and weak and not fit to rule my Kingdom?

Akhnaton: I do apologize if my Lord understood this from my talks. I only mean that you can rely on me and give me full proxy so I can make you see what you are not able to see due to your disease and pains.

Amon: I fear if I give you the authority, your religious ambitions will drive you to un-change the balances. You are saying that you want to change some chief priests and ministers.

Akhnaton: I want to form a new crew who work only under our control and instructions. My Lord will have the upper hands all the times, and he will be consulted before any decisions are taken. I only care for your comfort and the prosperity of the Kingdom. 

Amon: Then I have to consult my administration and advisers to see all advantages and disadvantages of what you are proposing. After that we will give you our final decision.

Akhnaton: I am much obliged that my Lord will consider my proposal and I am ready to accept whatever decision he will finally takes. 

Akhnaton withdrew from the hall.

Amon looked to his Queen Taya and said: The end has started.

Taya: But he is still saying that the final word is to you.

Amon: This is the tongue and brain of Nefertiti. I think she also convinced the rest of my ministers and advisers

Taya: What to do in this case?

Amon: The best is to step down voluntarily to avoid massacres. And I hope I can still preserve the Kingdom from the imminent risk I can see coming by the hands of our son.

Amon pressed a button in his chair and a man appeared on the big screen: Ramos… I want you here right away… Amon shouted.

Taya: What do you want from Military Leader?

Amon: Who is better than Ramos I can trust?

Adam did not believe that Amon and Ramos communicated electronically by some kind of a screen. He turned to ask Asef..

But Asef was quicker in saying: “They were able to consume the energy from the sun and used it in various technologies. They are the Gods of Suns after all.” He smiled

“Their father Ra was able to make out of the sun light so many scientific theories which were developed later and made their civilizations reach the peak.”

“And do they have cars and plane and transport systems like we have”- Adam asked challengingly.

Asef: “And they also have space ships by which they reached out to communicate with other planets.”

“Your are kidding – right – “a yellow smile covered his face.

Asef: “I do not kid… how do you think they were able to put a 2.5 tons stone on top of 140 meters pyramid?”

“I can’t believe this…” Adam firmly said

Asef: “Let’s leave Amon waits for Ramos and go out to the streets”.

Instantly they were outside Amon’s Palace in the ancient streets of Memphis which to him seemed not ancient at all.

Chapter 6

The Big Picture

Adam was extremely amazed when he looked at the traffic of cars in the streets.  Cars on the road and cars flying in the sky...

High buildings with glass facades...

He could not believe that he is in the year 1300 AD.

He asked Asef if he is doing some of his magic. Is this illusions, or hallucinations?

Asef said calmly: What you see here is the peak of their civilization.

They used solar energy to produce electric power which they also used it for their vehicles and air-crafts.

Solar radiation along with other solar resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass create the basic energy on Earth. They had it all; water, sun, wind, and sand – they used it all

Heating, cooling, hot water, thermal energy for cooking, high temperature process, electricity, hydro engines, jet engines, mechanical and electrical engines, electrical and electronic devices and systems, ……you name it they had it.

But how they were able to do it? Adam asked anxiously. How they learned about it?

Asef smiled and asked back... How any body did reach anything? There is always a first Teacher. God chose Enoch (Idris) to be this first teacher, he sent to him a team of angels to assist in spreading the knowledge. And as I said before, with the little knowledge that God gave to Humans during the Creation method, and with little help from some people that God gave them specific visions… * Call them prophets, messengers, scientists, inventors* , humans were able to figure out and develop the idea that Earth's land surface, oceans and atmospheres absorb solar radiation, and this raises their temperature.

When the warm air evaporates, oceans’ waters rise, causing atmospheric circulation or convection. When the air reaches a high altitude, where the temperature is low, water vapour condenses into clouds, which rain onto the Earth's surface, completing the water cycle. The latent heat of water condensation amplifies convection, producing atmospheric phenomena such as wind, cyclones and anti-cyclones. Sunlight absorbed by the oceans and land masses keep the surface at an average temperature of 14 °C.

By photosynthesis green plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, which produces food, wood and the biomass from which fossil fuels are derived.

When all this was really found they were able to fly in their cars as you can see here”

"This is wonderful and really unbelievable" Adam said not able to take his eyes off what he is seeing in the streets of Egypt.

“Well... it is unbelievable for you because you think that technology started only some hundred years before your time... But t is unbelievable for me because they really lost it all for Human greed and lust for power" Asef exhaled a deep breath of sorrow.

"They have it all .... Money - power - science – knowledge - civilization - technology - history ...... and they lost it all in no time"

“What happened" Adam asked intriguingly

“Let me take you few years forward" Asef sighed and swiftly took Adam’s hand and in no time they were both standing on a hill viewing a dry land with no sign of life.

“This is the same spot we were standing a moment ago few years back" Asef explained

"Impossible - what happened??

“As you know by now, the son of Amon wanted to impose a new religion and to take all the wealth and power from the priests who were controlling all the civilization you have witnessed.

His wife Nefertiti was the drive of his ambitions.

The fights between the old and new sects were so fierce and costly more than anyone could ever imagine.

The poor people were stuck in between and were used by the two powers. Amon stepped down to avoid a civil war between his priests and his Akhnaton’s new priests of Aten.

Akhnaton became the new Pharaoh, but he was obsessed with the idea that things will not really work out if Amon is not dead, so he conspired to end his life by poisoning him.

He anointed his wife Nefertiti as Pharaoh besides him to make sure that after his death she takes power and keep the new religion. Scores of people died or killed and lot of catastrophes occurred.

 

Then God decided to interfere and save whatever remained from the people, and sent his prophet and messengers to convince the Pharaohs to follow the right track and abandon their notorious and deadly deeds.

But they chose to defy God, and continue their oppression using the full might of their wealth and power including all the technology of warfare, which managed to fully destroy everything, made the Sea to come over the land and in no time life was wiped out from the surface of earth.

The few survivors had to start from very primitive grounds.

All Civilizations disappeared, all powers gone and most importantly, all the brains which created the knowledge completely vanished together with their inventions, technology, modern systems etc….The people who survived had to strive build it all another time. But this time it was very slow and had to take few thousand years to reach not even a starting point."

“So all is lost?!" Adam exclaimed

“For the money my son.... for the money..." Asef proclaimed “It is the money effect or should we say the money damnation, the money curse? The Wrath of Wealth.

All what remained is some evidence of the wealth and power, but no one was able to discover the real meaning of such evidences.

History which is taught in your times neglected what really happened, for a simple reason that no one remained to write it as it actually happened. There are some hints in religious books, but with no specific details.

How do you think that all the technologies you are seeing in your days actually came?

You think it just came to people like Newton or Archimedes or Galileo or Al Khwarizmi or Jaber Bin Hayan and others... Just like that.

Those people had divine visions, because God wanted to give another chance to humans.

So God Sent Prophets, Messengers, Scientists and others... some came together, and some in different times and ages, for the purpose of building up life again.

Life as it is supposed to be full of knowledge, science and technology.

But every time power and wealth are reached, man destroyed them all.

Let me take you to another time and other civilization, so you can judge well".

To be continued with the next trip

Sami Cherkaoui

www.samicherkaouiarabicblog.blogspot.com

Wrath of Wealth 1: Quantum Leap To Ancient Egypt

Chapter 1

The Dreams

Every night after a hectic day, Adam lies in his bed staring at the ceiling. He lets his imaginations go as wild as possible, in a hopeless bid to forget the real world and its miserable facts.

Then he tries to link his new dreams with the ones of the previous night… when certain magical abilities gave him special powers to have money immediately as soon as he wishes for it… He could have any amount he wishes for, and instantly this amount can be in his pocket or hand or bag or anywhere he wants it to be.

This is his way to enjoy a comfortable sleep after having a rich dream that makes him able to solve any financial problem to any one he knows ….... or he does not know.

It breaks his heart to see the real world around him full of poverty, drugs, violence, wars and hatred.

He believes that every human being needs a range of basic necessities; food, water, clothing, shelter, education, and health care. He sees that more than 70% of the world lacks the basic economic conditions of these essentials to meet the minimum needs of a human life.

He is disturbed when he knows that in some countries more than one person in five, lives on less than $1 a day, and over 1 billion people live in extreme poverty and nearly half the world’s population live on less than $2 a day. In the more developed countries, poverty results in wandering homeless people, poor suburbs and ghettos.

When he thinks about the causes of poverty he immediately thinks of lack of education, wars, natural disasters, political corruption, and mental illness.

He puts goals to eliminate poverty using the money he would get from his Special Powers, because he does not believe that the international initiatives are enough, and the many international organizations working in the humanitarian fields are not helping much to eradicate poverty. To the contrary he thinks that most governments and organizations help in enhancing poverty worldwide for many reasons.

Combating AIDS, Cancers and other diseases, and ensuring sustainable developments are among the goals he sets for himself. Enabling all people; the poor and the rich to get equal health care, and affordable health treatment are on his top target list. He is so hurt to see people dying because they can not afford to pay for their medical treatments or afford to be hospitalized, or buy their medications.

Every night he has the same dreams, same thoughts and same worries. But that night was different for Adam…

After he started his dreams he went into a deep state of worries that made him sleepless.

Suddenly came to his mind all the problems that these powers can give him… especially when he is not able to find a way to spend this money without any one questioning the sources of his wealth… and how to explain it. Where shall he deposit all this money … and how? How he will declare it? There must be a way – but how?

These new worries exhausted him and this wealth started to be a burden before it comes.

Then he started to think how he got those powers in the first place. Who gave them to him? Of-course he did not sell his soul to the devil. He did not meet the devil in the first place. He also did not find the genie of the lamp, and neither had he found Solomon ring.

But how he got the powers?

Many questions came to his mind, and these dreams started to become a pain in his neck.

He decided not to dream and refrain from wishing.

But he can not get rid of his dreams. Probably deep inside he does not want them to go away. He wants to have all this money. Not for him, but for all those people who are in critical need.

He is a good man, and he likes to give and help. He likes to see poor students complete their educations without financial obstacles. Talented poets and writers publish their works without financial difficulties. Brilliant businessmen get finances to their projects without exploitation and high risk interests. Gifted artists publicize their arts without discrimination. Orphans find good treatments. Devastated people cured from their agonies. Sick people get good medical treatments.

He wants to see good deeds instead of conspiracies, peace covers planet earth and love prevails. He likes to see every one happy and content.

He wants to overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.

He always wanders: if all religions on earth proclaim peace, love and equality, then who on earth changed all this, and why?

The Bible is based on Peace and love “Peace be with you”.

The Qur'an originated the word Islam from Peace, and declared that the true belief in God is when a person loves for others to have what he loves for himself to have.

The Ten Commandments basically are all about Love, Peace and Equality.

Buddha kept talking about Peace and Love and once said that in the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.

This is absolutely true, it is people who create this agony and enslave themselves within it. Something must be done – he decided and closed his eyes for a deep sleep.

Adam woke up in the morning to start a different day.  It was different indeed

It started with an unexpected surprise in his room waiting him to wake up.

Chapter 2

Asef in the bedroom

Adam thought he was still dreaming when he saw a strange man standing in the corner of his bedroom, smiling and staring at him as if he is expecting him to start talking or screaming.

He jumped from his bed and took a defensive position.

“Who are you and what the hell you are doing in my bedroom? How did you get in here?”

He was sure that he will engage in a fight with this stranger at any moment.

The man still smiling waved his hand in a sign of calming him down. “Good morning- I am Asef Bin Barkhia” The man said in a heavy dialect.

Adam remained in his defensive position, and with a stunned face he said: “Who? Asss what?

“ Asef Bin Barkhia” the man said again with a wider smile.

Still unable to comprehend the name “Asef what… what is this? Who are you? What do you want?”

In a very calm tone the man said: “I am Asef Bin Barkhia – best companion of King Solomon and his obedient servant.  I have come from your dreams to take you through time and places in history to see and realize the meaning of wealth and power that you are dreaming of and wishing for”.

Before Adam could say anything, Asef continued: “Do not be terrified, and let go all your fears.  I mean no harm for you. To the contrary, you will be safe and sound as long as I am with you and you are with me.  I will be your mentor, your tutor and your friend.

I will answer all the questions you have and you will have in your mind”.

Adam calmed down a little bit “But how you know what I am dreaming of? How you entered my bed room in the first place?

“I already said that I have come from your dreams?  Also know that I have the powers to command earth, influence times and dominate all creatures. I moved Sheba throne from Yemen and put it in-front of King Solomon in Jerusalem in a blink of eye. I employed demons and genies to work effortlessly for him, build his castles and temples, bring him gold and silver from bottom of earth and treasures from deepest seas. I taught him the languages of animals and birds”.

Adam and in the most naive way asked him: “and you will do the same thing with me – to me…?”

“Sure not. You are not King Solomon and no one in this whole universe can be close to what was meant for him to be. But I will take you in a trip to history where you can see in your eyes and listen with your ears, and then you tell me your wishes and I will grant you what you wish for.”

He did not fully understand: “And why all this?”

“Because human is a dreamer, but also very ambitious and above all very demanding and always in a rush. You have a noble heart and innocent dreams, and I think you better be aware of all circumstances and consequences of your dreams should they come true.

And the best way to learn is to learn from previous experiences. Throughout history there were many rich and powerful people. Each one of them made a mark; either a good or a bad mark. Some marks were devastating. Some marks were creative and helped in development and nourishment. Do you want to accompany me in this trip and look to learn first, and then you ask all your questions?”

He kept silent for a moment, and started to feel this conversation drawing all signs of worries on his face. “This is really deep  ... I … I don’t know if I want to do this”

Asef interrupted “Do not be a coward. You have to decide if you want your dreams to come true or not.”

“You will make them come true?” Adam asked innocently, and then added “I am not sure I want them to come true any more – as a matter of fact I decided last night that I want to quit these dreams… Its only imaginations… no this is so scary … go to history and time .., I, I am not sure …  Are you serious?” he asked in a dubious sense

“Test me” Asef challengingly said

Still in a hesitant tone he asked: “And how you ....we will do this?”

“You will not feel a thing… as if you are having a normal picnic…you will just enjoy it “ Asef confidently said “You will travel with me from times to times and from places to places without any effort. You do not have to do anything except holding my hand…  After all it is your decision – I am not forcing you for anything”.

At this moment he realized that he really should decide. The man is standing in his room and he is talking crazy things.  Perhaps he should agree at least to see if this is true or whether he is still dreaming. Most of all, he is also tempted.

Asef interrupted his hesitance “I know it is an immense and unbelievable surprise for you.  But as I said earlier there is no harm and I recommend that you try at least to make sure that you are now not dreaming and I am a real person standing right here in your bedroom”.

“I guess you are right” he said in low voice

The without giving him another instant to re-think, Asef took Adam’s hand and said” Ok then let’s go”

Chapter 3

Trip To Ancient Egypt

In less than a moment he found himself standing in a big hall. The floor is made of white laminated marble and its high ceiling is designed with beautiful figures, colours and shapes. In the middle of the hall there is a huge cylindrical pillar, links the floor with the ceiling. The pillar has different drawings and strange inscriptions all in gold lines. At the end of the hall, a man and a woman are sitting on a big couch, both wearing unusual dresses.

“What is this place and who are these people?” Adam asked with a vague tone.

“You are now in the presence of King Amenhotep III (Amon)” Asef answered.  “The great Pharaoh and the ninth king of Egypt.  He is the wealthiest and the most powerful person on earth at his time. And that is his wife Taya.

I have granted you the gift to speak and understand the hieroglyphic language, so you can follow all the discussions here”

Adam opened his mouth with astonishment, and looked around again to check if all what he is observing is true and real.

He looked again at the man and woman, and then stepped back in a fearful move: “Can they see me- us?” Adam asked fearfully. 

“Oh – do not be scared – no one will see or hear you” Asef calmed him down.

“Can’t you do something to take this scary feeling off me – I am so scared”. Adam seriously requested.

“This is normal – you will get along in few moments” Asef said laughingly. 

“And how long exactly we will stay here?” Adam asked trying to seek an escape time.

“We will stay as long as it takes” Asef firmly said.

“His wife looks very involved with him” Adam said in a way to show interest.

“She is Taya. A great Queen and the right arm of her husband.  She is also his adviser for foreign affairs. She is beloved by her people.  Her decisions are final. And she is an eloquent and articulate speaker, also a talented and skilled diplomat.

Her husband built for her a special temple and constructed an artificial lake in her name in tribute to her special efforts and achievements.

“And why are we here?” Adam asked quickly as if he was not listening to a word Asef was saying. But before Asef spoke, he heard the man asking his wife. “Where is our daughter Isis?” 

“Oh – They have a daughter?” Adam murmured.

“She is finishing some works to the Kingdom and will come momentarily” Taya said

“Is it true that King of Babylon wants to marry her? The King Asked

Taya: He is dreaming of being a kin to the king’s family

Amon: Of-course the king does not wish for this marriage.  Did you check if the girl has any knowledge of this proposal?

Taya: No she has no idea. She does not know anything about this story.  She has her own marriage plans, which will please her father and made her the Goddess of motherhood and fertility throughout all generations.

Asef started to tutor Adam about Isis “Isis is the Goddess of motherhood, magic and fertility. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patron of nature and magic. She was the friend of slaves, sinners, artisans, the downtrodden, as well as the listener to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats and rulers.

She married Osiris, the God of After-life and the Underworld and conceived Horus, God of the Sky. Isis was instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by Set, God of Darkness and Chaos. Her magical skills restored his body to life after she gathered the body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Set. This myth became very important in later Egyptian religious beliefs, and was an integral part in their real lives.

Isis is also known as the goddess of simplicity, protector of the dead and goddess of children from whom all beginnings arose. In later myths, the Ancient Egyptians believed that the Nile River flooded every year because of her tears of sorrow for her dead husband, Osiris. This occurrence of his death and rebirth was relived each year through rituals. Literally, her name means "she of the throne". Her original headdress was a throne. As the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh's power, as the pharaoh was depicted as her child, who sat on the throne she provided.  There were both priests and priestesses officiating at her cult rituals throughout its entire history. Many of them were healers, and also have many other special powers, including dream interpretation and the ability to control the weather, which they did by braiding or by combing their hair. Egyptians considered knots to have magical powers. Because of this association between knots and magical power, a symbol of Isis was the tiet or tyet (meaning welfare/life), also called the Knot of Isis, Buckle of Isis, or the Blood of Isis. In many respects the tyet resembles an ankh, except that its arms point downward, and when used as such, seems to represent the idea of eternal life or resurrection.

The star Sept (Sirius) is associated with Isis. The appearance of the star signified the advent of a New Year and Isis was likewise considered the goddess of rebirth and reincarnation, and as a protector of the dead.

The Book of the Dead outlines a particular ritual that would protect the dead, enabling travel anywhere in the underworld, and most of the titles. Isis gained prominence as the mother and protector of the pharaoh”.

Adam did not comprehend much of what Asef was teaching him, and was more confused.

He could not get a link of what is going on with him and Isis or Taya or Amon. Then he heard Amon saying..

Amon: well then, send a nice refusal to king of Babylon… I leave it to your diplomacy.

Taya: I will work on it to the king's satisfaction.

Amon: Did they complete the renovations at Karnak and Oqsor temples?

Taya: Yes. They are waiting the king to go and give his blessings.

Amon: I still feel pain in my legs. I will visit the temples soon. Where is Akhnaton? Is Nefertiti still keeping him away from us?

Taya: No one dares to keep away from the king for private matters. They are on their way. They will be here soon.

Amon: your kindness and love to your son must not divert you from the fact that he is trying to do a foolish deed. He is not following the rules of his father and ancestors.

Taya: No matter how far he flies in the horizons, he is still on the king’s grounds and in his skies.

Amon: I like your eloquence and diplomacy. No wonder why my kingdom has so much peace and safety, and you are its Minister of foreign affairs

Taya: Because I work under the guidance of my king and his wisdom.

Amon: Sometimes I begin to think that all my wealth and power is nothing compared to your astuteness.

Taya: All what I know I learned it from the great Pharaoh.

Amon: It would be wise to teach Nefertiti so Akhnaton is not lost, because then this great kingdom will be lost with him. My grandmother Hatshepsut paid dearly to build this Kingdom. She connected it with strong international trade networks and established a powerful infrastructure that put strong grounds to a modern, wealthy and influential state.

Taya: I still admire her idea to import trees and plant them in Egypt land.

Amon: Yes- she was gifted. She put the basis to my grandfather Tehutmos III who spread the borders and expanded the land.

Taya: He was a brilliant military leader. But my king is greater because he managed to keep the kingdom intact and made it more prosperous, fruitful and rich without any military force and wars, but with peace, amnesty science and education. So it flourished vigorously and became the wealthiest and most modern, civilized and powerful country on earth.

Amon: This is why I fear it could be lost. Nefertiti has a strong magical influence on our son.

Taya: Nefertiti is luminous and a beauty goddess.

Amon: Exactly this is the reason I am very worried – she is also very ambitious and influential.

Taya: Akhnaton is also mature and tough.

Amon: And stubborn …. Easy to manipulate – What is the use of all this wealth and power if not preserved by the generations? 

Taya: My king has built a vast modern civilization, and money is not its only foundation.

The basic foundation is science and knowledge. These can develop and last for ever.

Money can go like dust but science and knowledge prevail.

Amon: So you think- education and science preserve wealth?

Taya: My king knows better how to answer this.

Amon: Yes – I also know that our son is closer than ever to a great danger that can cease this kingdom from existence.

Taya: you made me worry my king. What is the nature of this danger?

Amon: Religion. Akhnaton is keen to introduce a new religion, and the priests will never accept this. This would be a threat to their power. The priests will never accept any alteration or change in their religious culture and practice. They will ask me as their God to interfere. This is a major challenge to our religious beliefs which our ancestors established since thousands of years. The priests will definitely not accept and they will revolt against him.

Taya: But they will listen to the king and obey him. They are devoted.

Amon: Do not forget that I am leaving this world soon. Akhnaton will inherit all this. If he insists on changing the religion, then confronting the priests is imminent.

Taya: and do you think he is preaching for a new religion?

Amon: I am quite sure of this. And have warned him several times, but in vain. My grandfather Kofo wanted this kingdom and this civilization to be built on science and knowledge and nothing else. He knew then that the only way to preserve this civilization is to enrich it with scientific programs, inventions and discoveries.

At this point, Asef turned to him and asked: do you notice any strange or distinguished things in this place?

To be continued….

Sami Cherkaoui

www.samicherkaouiarabicblog.blogspot.com