Final Cut Pro - Edit Your Life!

OMG! Stunning! Awesome!
(Pardon me! I'm just so excited!)

I was just listening to Sheikh Hamza Yusuf on his Podcast (Zaytuna Knowledge Resources), the episode: Reflections on Surat Al Balad. I was listening "normally", but then he got to the point where he said (and i quote him) :
"{Ayahsabu An Lam Yarahu Ahad}? Does he think nobody can see him?"
and then in a few seconds he goes on :
"You can hide things, but in the end of the day they're gonna come out. There is no hiding on the day of judgement. It all comes out. It's called العرض (Al'ardh--the show, i guess). You know what العرض is? It's when you see everything, your whole life! You have to watch the whole thing! and you can edit it here now! You know you have Pro Cut! like you edit mistakes out! That's what we do. Like when I make a mistake in a podcast. Seriously! I make mistakes, Imam Zaid make mistakes. They edit it out, then you look. Great, you know! No mistakes! But there were, there were mistakes! But we edit it out! That's called توبة (Tawba--returning to Allah)! You edit these mistakes out. 'Astaghfiru Allah, I made a mistake' you need to make توبة - the cut. You make the 'edit'. Seriously! Thats what it is! You're editing your life's movie! That everybody is gonna watch!" (end of quote)

When he got to this point, i was so thrilled that i was "literally" jumping up and down! Isn't it just amazing!
I mean the idea of people watching your life is scary, but to think of Editing!!
Mashallah! I wonder where he get these ideas from!
And when i think of it (and I'm so obsessed with movie making) i feel that توبة is so easy and "accessible"!
Awesome!

P.S. To think, the Sheikh might be a Mac user like me ^_^

How will you end up?

Interesting!
Just listening to the History lecture @college. The professor mentioned the date when Abu Al-Aswad Al-Du'alli died (he's the guy who first set the basics of Arabic grammar-Allah Yir7mah!). The prof. also said that people at that time didn't care about the date of birth. First, because they had no records. Second, it didn't matter when they were born. Later on when they become something great, then people will be affected by their death.
So, it doesn't matter how you start, what matters is how end up!
wow!

Don't Let Me Be Mistunderstood

Here is another song that fits in my mood..
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood..
Thank you Yusuf! You speak for me!


People, do you understand me now,
If sometimes I feel a little mad
Don't you know no one alive can
Always be an angel
When things go wrong I seem a little sad
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

You know sometimes, I'm so carefree
With a joy that's hard to hide
Sometimes seems that all I have is worry
And then you're bound to see my other side
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

If I seem edgy, I want you to know
That I never mean to take it out on you
Life has its problems and I get more
Than my share
But that's one thing I never mean to do
I don't mean it

People, don't you know I'm only human
Don't you know I have faults like any one
But sometimes I find myself alone regretting
Some little thing; some foolish thing
That I have done,
But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood
Don't let me be misunderstood
I'm just someone whose intentions are good
Don't let me be misunderstood,
Don't let me be misunderstood

Sad Lisa

I'm so in a 'gloomy' musical mood,
listening intensely to Yusuf Islam's Sad Lisa..

Here are the lyrics..

She hangs her head and cries on my shirt.
She must be hurt very badly.
Tell me whats making you sadly?
Open your door, dont hide in the dark.
Youre lost in the dark, you can trust me.
cause you know thats how it must be.

Lisa lisa, sad lisa lisa.

Her eyes like windows, tricklin rain
Upon her pain getting deeper.
Though my love wants to relieve her.
She walks alone from wall to wall.
Lost in a hall, she cant hear me.
Though I know she likes to be near me.

Lisa lisa, sad lisa lisa.

She sits in a corner by the door.
There must be more I can tell her.
If she really wants me to help her.
Ill do what I can to show her the way.
And maybe one day I will free her.
Though I know no one can see her.

Lisa lisa, sad lisa lisa.

Rachida

Let me take a deep breath first...

Rachida
Directed by Yamina Bachir-Chouikh
Featuring Ibtissem Djouadi and Bahia Rachedi
Algeria, 2002, 100 minutes
Arabic and French with English subtitles

Rachida is confident, young, elementary school teacher in Algeria. On her way to work one morning, she is stopped by a group of extremists who want her to take a bomb into the school where she teaches. She refuses. The events that unfold following her courageous refusal reveal the tragic consequences of the recent conflict in Algeria for ordinary people, especially women. This award-winning film presents an unflinching look at violence and offers hopeful glimpses of a different future.


Just came from the second movie of the Film Week at KU, Rachida. (I wrote this yesterday December 3rd, but posted it today)
I can say that I spent almost the entire time watching the movie with my hand over my mouth!
It’s so, so moving! So shocking! Wether it’s real or not, and I guess it was real for some period of time, perhaps during the nineties.

The last scene of the film, showing the children go back to school even after it was destroyed. It moved me so much! I mean the children are the future of every nation, and it’s so obvious that sometimes people sorta forget this fact!
Algeria was devastated by the terror spread all over the country, even in the smallest of villages. Despite all the confusion, you can see the innocence of the little children in the movie. One boy’s aunt was kidnapped by the terrorists and was raped. She managed to escape and return to the village, but she wasn’t welcomed back home. Her nephew however saw that she was innocent. That is innocence!
However, the boys at school bullied him just for being her nephew. Even though the teacher - Rachida - stopped them, I think she should’ve at least warned them from bullying each other, or despising someone for something that is not his fault. I mean thats the essence of terrorism! Isn’t it? Hatred.

So, when Rachida writes on the board: “Today’s Lesson”
I guess that should’ve been the lesson to the children, to love one another, to have sympathy for one another, to help one another. I guess thats what I came out with..

Frontiers of Dreams and Fears

I just came back from the “Film Week” event, that took place in Kuwait University, Department of English Language and Literature. The first movie shown this week, tonight, was Frontiers of Dreams and Fears (Ahlam Al-Manfa).

It was stunning! It really was. I was so moved, I am so moved!
Exactly as one of the audience has said, we are used to statistics and numbers when it comes to realizing the pain and struggle of the people and children of Palestine, and this movie helped us realize even more the tribulation they have. We saw tears, laughs, ruins, hands held together, bullets, children..
Everything that could move a human being.

From the very first scene, showing Mona walk in the neighborhood, I was so grateful to Allah for everything I have. Their neighborhood was a typical poor neighborhood that basically looked as if it was made of ruins put together. I felt a rush of gratitude for having such a beautiful neighborhood to live in, such a cozy fancy house to live in, such a peaceful safe homeland to live in. It’s such a blessing, we might sometimes forget to be thankful for.

Frontiers of Dreams and Fears, is very well edited. I wish it could be shown all over the world, not only for people to realize the Palestinian situation, but also for them to realize the struggle of our human brothers and sisters.

For all my brothers and sisters in Palestine and in every place in the world where they have been driven away from their land:
Have faith, and believe that the One who created this universe will elevate the injustice, and that he will return the land to its people. And may Allah strengthen your hearts and guide your way.

About the film
http://www.arabfilm.com/item/208/

To watch the film
http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2006/08/27/frontiers-of-dreams-and-fears/

First Post

Well, well.. here we are at last!
my very first 'blog'!
Hopefully i'll be able to speak myself out, i guess..