#dc comics#batman#dc#tim drake#batfam#batfamily#bruce wayne#dick grayson#dc fanart
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Amanda Evert in Tomb Raider Underworld (2008)
Tomb Raider 25th Anniversary - Amanda Electric
The Kazakhstan level in Tomb Raider Legend is probably my favourtie! I enjoy the "modern tomb" vibes, the hidden history unveiled by reading the notes you can find, and of course, where we are reunited with Amanda! I enjoyed working on this piece and I think I captured the vibes of this level and Amanda!
Allegheny Cemetery 72120-22
Alexia Evert, deputy mayor of Athens, member of conservative ruling party New Democracy and offspring of a well-known politicians’ family, called the members of Communist KKE “cockroaches and rodents.” Today, the mayor of Athens Costas Bakoyannis asked her resignation.
Evert commented on social media under a picture of KKE members outside the US Embassy to commemorate the Polytechnic School Students’ Uprising on 17. November 1973:
“We have to learn to live with cockroaches and rodents. That’s how it was, that’s how it is and that’s how it will be!”
Evert’s comment with terms commonly used by the Nazis to dehumanize Jews was met with strongest reactions on social media.
Asking her resignation, Bakoyiannis reportedly said in a statement that he respects her, however, the issue “was not personal but political.”
Karel Cox & Evert.
Prestige Italia Cup
Hamburger Derby 2019
© by me
BMW 2002 (1975)
Image by Evert
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH)’s BIOGRAPHY :Performing Umrah.Part1
(7th year of the Migration, the month of Dhulqadah / AD 628)
One year ago, the Qurayshi polytheists had prevented the Prophet and the Companions from visiting the Kaaba and performing umrah; according to the articles of the Hudaybiyah Treaty signed at that time, the umrah of the Messenger of God and the Muslims had been postponed to the following year.
Thanks to the help of God Almighty, the Prophet obtained many achievements during this period. He informed the rulers of that period about Islam and invited them to Islam. Some of them embraced Islam at once. Besides, he conquered Khaybar and became sovereign almost all of the Jews in the Arabian Peninsula. He showed that Islam got stronger and stronger day by day by sending military expeditions to many tribes and made them accept the sovereignty of Islam.
After those achievements, it was time to visit the Kaaba and perform umrah.
When the month of Dhulqada started, the Messenger of God told his Companions to make preparations for umrah. According to the order of the Prophet, all of those who were present in the Hudaybiyah Expedition would perform umrah.[ Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, Vol. 2, p. 120. ]
Meanwhile, there were many Muslims who came to Madinah from distant places and who were needy. They went to the Prophet and said, “O Messenger of God! We have neither food nor anybody to feed us.”
The Messenger of God asked the people of Madinah to help those needy people and to look after them. Thereupon, the Companions said, “O Messenger of God! What shall we give them? We cannot find anything to give them.”
The Messenger of God said, “It does not matter what you give. Give something even if it is half a date.”
Setting of From Madinah
The Messenger of God appointed Uwayf b. Azbat as his deputy in Madinah and left Madinah to go to Makkah to visit the Kaaba with about two thousand Muslims.[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 120. ]The Muslims had sixty camels with them. The Prophet marked his camel to be sacrificed with his own hands.
The Messenger of God and the mujahids also had one hundred horses and helmets, armors and spears in case they were attacked by the Qurayshi polytheists. However, according to the treaty, they could only have swords in their sheaths. Then, why did the Messenger of God, who never broke his promise, act like that? It caught the attention of the Companions. They asked, “O Messenger of God! You had promised that we would only have swords in their shields. However, we have weapons.”
The Messenger of God said, “We will not take these weapons to the Kaaba; we have them with us in case we need them.”[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 121. ]
The Prophet Enters Ihram
The hearts of the Muslims were full of excitement and joy. The joy and excitement of the mujahids could not be expressed in words. They would rejoin their hometown, which they had left seven years ago, and they would visit the magnificent Kaaba. Above all, they would show the excellence, honor, magnificence and grandeur of Islam to the Qurayshi polytheists, who had despised and tortured them. Therefore, their hearts were full of excitement.
When they reached Dhul-Hulayfa, the Messenger of God sent the weapons and the camels to be sacrificed with the cavalrymen led by Muhammad b. Maslama before him and he entered ihram there.[ The places of entering ihram are as follows: Dhul-Hulayfa for the people coming from Madinah, Juhfa for the people of Damascus, Dhat Irq for Iraqis, Qarn for the people of Njad and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. ]
Everywhere was resounding with the voices of the Messenger of God and Muslims uttering talbiya:
“Labbayk! Allahumma Labbayk! Labbayka la sharika Laka Labbayk! Innal hamda wan’nimata laka wa’l-mulka la sharika laka. (Here I am, O God, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.)”[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 121; Ibn Kathir, Sirah, Vol. 3, p. 435. ]
The Fear and Panic of the Polytheists
The cavalrymen of one hundred Muslims and the weapons led by Muhammad b. Maslama proceeding before the Messenger of God and other Muslims were seen by some polytheists near the place called Marru’z-Zahran.
They asked, “What are these?”
Muhammad b. Maslama said, “They are the cavalrymen of the Messenger of God. He also will be here tomorrow morning inshaallah.”[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 121. ]
They were astonished and rushed toward Makkah to give the news. The polytheists were terrified and panicked. They said to each other, “Muhammad will attack us!”
As a matter of fact, the Messenger of God said after the Battle of Khandaq, “From now on, we will go and fight them; they will not dare to come and fight us!” However, the aim of this expedition was different. They came in order to circumambulate the Kaaba and perform umrah, as it was stated in the treaty.
Despite this, the polytheists were very worried. They sent their men to the Prophet in order to find out about the reason of the expedition.
The Prophet is in Marru’z-Zahran
Leaving Dhul-Hulayfa among the sounds of talbiya, the Prophet reached Marru’z-Zahran. He sent all of the weapons to the place called Batn Ya’jaj from there. He appointed two hundred Muslims led by Aws b. Hawli to guard the weapons.[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 121. ]
The Prophet is in Batn Ya’jaj
Then, the Prophet and his Companions went to the place calledBatn Ya’jaj, from where Makkah could be seen very clearly.
Meanwhile, the Qurayshi delegate arrived. They said, “O Muhammad!” We have not committed any treachery or disloyalty. Despite this, are you going to enter Haram with your weapons? You had agreed to enter there only with your swords, which are regarded as the travelers’ weapons, in their sheaths.”
The Prophet explained the issue as follows: “We will enter Haram with our swords in their sheaths. I have always been known as a person who keeps his promise and who is loyal. However, I would like the weapons to be in a place near me.”
Mikraz b. Hafs, the leader of the Qurayshi delegate, confirmed his words: “What is expected from you and what befits you are goodness and loyalty.”[ Tabari, Tarikh, Vol. 3, p. 101; Ibn Kathir, Sirah, Vol. 3, p. 436. ]
Makkah is Evacuated
The Qurayshi delegates informed the Qurayshis about the situation. As a result of the feeling of jealousy, they evacuated Makkah so as not to see the magnificent joy and luminous festival of Muslims.[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 121; Ibn Kathir, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 436; Halabi, Insanu’l-Uyun, Vol. 2, p. 780. ]
The Prophet is in Makkah
The Messenger of God entered Makkah on his camel called Qaswa with an exceptional magnificence and dignity. The Muslims looked like luminous stars around him. The Messenger of God shone like the sun among those stars. They were approaching the Kaaba, the house of God, step by step in an order and grandeur. The sounds of “Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk!” resounded everywhere in Makkah; the mountains and rocks replied it. The polytheists went to secluded places and mountains; they virtually closed their ears so as not to hear that lofty sound and closed their eyes so as not to see that majestic view.
Abdullah b. Rawaha, the poet, was holding the bridle of Qaswa, the Prophet’s camel, and reciting a poem:
“O sons of unbelievers! Keep clear from the way of the Messenger of God! God, who is the most merciful, has sent down verses stating that he is the true Prophet. All good deeds and favors belong to the Prophet and his path. The best death is to die while fighting in his way!”[ Ibn Kathir, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 432. ]
Amidst this lofty view, the Messenger of God and the Muslims arrived at the Kaaba. When the Messenger of God entered the Kaaba, he placed the end of his rida under his right arm and put the top part of it over his left shoulder; he left his right shoulder open and said, “May God show mercy on the heroes who will show their strength and fitness to the polytheists.”[ Ibn Hisham, Sirah, Vol. 4, p. 12-13. ]
Then, he ordered the Companions to circumambulate the Kaaba three times by running and moving the shoulders.[ (It is called “rami” in shariah.) Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, Vol. 2, p. 123; Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 1, p. 306; Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 2, p. 923. ]The Prophet ordered so because the polytheists had spread the following rumor: “Muhammad and his friends suffered illnesses and poverty after he left us.” They tried to console themselves like that.
God Almighty informed His beloved Messenger about the rumors; so, he ordered the Companions to look strong and powerful.
Circumambulating the Kaaba
The Seal of the Prophets was on Qaswa. Abdullah b. Rawaha was holding the bridle of Qaswa. The Companions were waiting for the circumambulation with bare shoulders.
The Prophet went to Hajar al-Aswad (the Black Stone), touched it with his staff, greeting it; then, he kissed the staff. The Companions did the same thing.
In the first three tours of the circumambulation, the Companions walked fast and stately. They completed the first three tours like that.
Abdullah b. b. Rawaha was both circumambulating the Kaaba and reciting poems:
“I start with the name of God, out of whose religion there is no real religion.
I start with the name of God, whose Messenger is Muhammad.
Move out of the way of the Messenger of God; O sons of unbelievers!”[ Ibn Kathir, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 432. ]
Hazrat Umar did not like this act of Abdullah b. Rawaha. He said,
“O Ibn Rawaha! Will you keep reciting this poem in front of the Messenger of God and in the House of God?”, asking him to stop.
The Messenger of God answered Hazrat Umar instead of his poet: “O Umar! Do not stop him! By God, his words are more effective that shooting arrows at the polytheists.”[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 123; Halabi, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 784. ]Then, he turned to Abdullah b. Rawaha and said, “Go on, go on o Ibn Rawaha!” Thereupon Hazrat Umar kept silent.[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 122. ]
After a while, the Messenger of God ordered Abdullah b. Rawaha to recite the following prayer: “There is no god but Allah. He is unique; it is He who gave victory to His slave and strength to his soldiers; It is He who defeated the tribes that gathered.”[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 122. ]
The Companions started to recite this prayer, which the Messenger of God taught, altogether.
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (pbuh) AS COMMANDER : The Holy Struggle in the Way of God.Part4
Some rules of the struggle in the way of God
A believer cannot transgress the limits established by God. Therefore, he must observe the rules prescribed by God for fighting.
Some of these rules which we have deduced from the Qur'an and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, are as follows:
A believer is one from whom God has bought his life and wealth in exchange for Paradise (al-Tawbah, 9.111).
He has dedicated himself to the cause of God and intends only to gain His good pleasure. So, whoever fights for other causes such as fame or material gain, or for racial or other ideological considerations of similar nature, he will not be regarded as a fighter with whom God is pleased.
God decrees in the Qur'an:
Fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. God does not love transgressors. (al-Baqara, 2.190)
The believers are told that they should not take up arms against those who are not in opposition to the true faith, and that they should not resort to unscrupulous methods or to the indiscriminate killing and pillage which have characterized the wars of every era of ignorance, whether in the past or at present. The excesses alluded to in the verse above are acts such as taking up arms against women and children, the old and the injured, mutilation of the dead bodies of the enemy, devastation through the destruction of fields and livestock, and other similar acts of injustice and brutality. The verse stresses that force should be used only when its use is unavoidable, and only to the extent that is absolutely necessary.
Where fighting is absolutely necessary and inevitable, the holy Qur'an exhorts believers not to avoid fighting. To this end:
a) They must not show any neglect in making the necessary preparations and taking the required precautions. They must prepare themselves morally and attain the spiritual state that twenty of them can overcome two hundred of the enemy:
O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast men they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred steadfast they shall overcome a thousand of those who do not believe, because they [the unbelievers] are a folk without understanding and sound judgement. (al-Anfal, 8.65)
Those who knew that they would meet their Lord exclaimed: 'How many a little company has overcome a mighty host by God's leave! God is with the steadfast.' (al-Baqara, 2.249)
In order to attain such a rank, the belief and trust of a Muslim in God should be very strong, and he should do his utmost to refrain from sins. Belief and God-fearing are two unbreakable 'weapons' of a Muslim, his two sources of inexhaustible power :
Faint not nor grieve, for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true men of faith. (Al-'Imran, 3.139)
The sequel is for the God-fearing people. (al-A'raf, 7.128)
b) Besides the moral strength coming from sound belief and God-fearing, believers should also equip themselves with the most sophisticated weaponry. Force has an important place in obtaining the desired result, so believers cannot be indifferent to it. Rather, they must be much more advanced in science and technology than unbelievers so that they should not allow unbelievers to use 'force' for their selfish benefit. According to Islam, 'right is might'; so, in order to prevent might from being right in the hands of unbelievers and oppressors, believers must be mightier than others. This is explicit in the Qur'an:
Make ready for them all you can of armed force and of horses tethered, that thereby you may dismay the enemy of God and your enemy, and others beside them whom you know not, God knows them. Whatever you spend in the way of God it will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged. (al-Anfal, 8.60)
An Islamic state should be so powerful as to discourage the party of unbelief and oppression from attempting to attack it, nor should they be able to contemplate subjugating weak states of the world. It should be able to secure peace and justice in the world and no power should have the courage to make corruption in any part of the earth. This will be possible when Muslims equip themselves with a strong belief and righteousness in all their affairs, and also with scientific knowledge and the most sophisticated technology. They must combine science and technology with faith and good morals and use them in the service of humankind. For, as stated at the beginning of the chapter, belief in God calls for serving people and the deeper one is in belief in God, the deeper one's concern for the created. When Muslims attain to this rank,
God will never give unbelievers any way (of success) against the believers (al-Nisa', 4.141).
Otherwise, what the Prophet predicted will happen. (The forces of unbelief) will be united to make a concerted attack upon you. They will snatch the morsel out of your mouths and pillage your table. ( Abu Dawud, Malahim, 5; I. Hanbal, 5.278. )
c) When fighting is unavoidable, Muslims must not hesitate to take up arms and hasten to the front. The Qur'an exhorts Muslims to fight when necessary and severely reprimands those who show reluctance in mobilizing in the way of God:
O you who believe! What ails you that when it is said unto you, 'Go forth in the way of God', you sink down heavily to the ground. Are you so content with the life of the world, rather than the world to come? Yet the enjoyment of the life of the world, compared with the world to come, is a little thing. If you go not forth, He will afflict you with a painful doom, and instead of you He will substitute another people; and you will not hurt Him anything. God is powerful over everything. (al-Tawbah, 9.38-39)
God loves those who battle for His cause in ranks, as if they were a solid structure. (al-Saff, 61.4)
O you who believe! Shall I show you a commerce that will save you from a painful doom? You should believe in God and His Messenger, and should strive for the cause of God with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if you did but know. He will forgive you your sins and admit you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, and to dwelling places goodly in Gardens of Eden. That is the mighty triumph; and other things you love, help from God and a nigh victory. Give you good tidings to believers. (al-Saff, 61. 10-13)
d) A community is like a 'body' in structure and functioning; like a body, it demands a "head" having intellect. Therefore, obedience to the 'head' is of great significance for the prosperity of the community.
When God's Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, was raised in the desert of Arabia, the people resembled the scattered beads of a rosary. They were unaware of the importance of obedience and the benefits of collective life. God's Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, inculcated in them the feeling of obedience - obedience to God, His Messenger and to their superiors - and used Islam as an unbreakable rope to unite them:
O you who believe! Obey God, and obey the Messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if you have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to God and the Messenger if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end. (al-Nisa', 4.59)
O you who believe! When you meet an army, hold firm and remember and mention God much, that you may be successful. And obey God and His Messenger, and dispute not one with another lest you falter and your strength depart from you; but be steadfast! God is with the steadfast. (al-Anfal, 8. 45-46)
It was because of the consciousness of obedience which God's Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, developed in his Companions that when he appointed a young man of eighteen, the son of his emancipated slave, as a commander over an army in which many elders like Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman were present, none of the Companions thought of objecting to him. ( Muslim, Fada'il al-Sahabah, 63; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah, 336. ) Likewise, in a military expedition, the commander ordered his soldiers to throw themselves into the fire they lighted. This was not an Islamic order, but some attempted to obey it. However, the others prevented them from committing a suicide and persuaded them to refer the matter to God's Messenger and ask him whether they had to obey even the un-Islamic orders of the authority. ( Muslim, 'Imarah, 39; I. Maja, Jihad, 40. ) Although it is unlawful to obey sinful orders, obedience is of vital importance in the collective life of a community, particularly to become victorious in a war.
e) One of the important points to be mentioned concerning jihad is that a believer cannot flee the battlefield. He must be steadfast in fighting and must not turn his back on the enemy in battle. Concerning this, the Qur'an decrees:
O you who believe! When you meet in battle those who do not believe turn not your backs to them. Whoever on that day turns his back to them, unless manoeuvring for battle or intent to join a company, he has truly incurred wrath from God, and his habitation will be Hell - an evil homecoming! (al-Anfal, 8.15-16)
Fleeing on the battlefield is one of the seven major, perilous sins. For the one who commits this grave sin causes disorder in the Muslim ranks and demoralizes the others. He cannot be regarded as having firm belief in God and the Hereafter and his action means that he prefers the world over afterlife. A believer may leave the battlefield only to manoeuvre in battle or as a tactic or to join another company to fight in more appropriate conditions.
In the Battle of Yarmuk during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, 20 thousand valiant men fought against 200 thousand Byzantines, and won the victory. Qabbas ibn Ashyam was one of the heroes of this battle. He lost one of his legs around noon, but he became aware of it only hours later when he dismounted from his horse. Years later, his grandson introduced himself to the Caliph 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, saying:
'O Caliph! I am the grandson of the one who lost his leg at noon but became aware of it towards evening.'
The Muslim army was made up of three thousand valiants in the Battle of Muta which they fought against the Byzantine army of about 100 thousand men. They fought heroically, and both of the armies retreated at the same time. Despite this, the Muslim soldiers regarded themselves as having fled the battlefield and were ashamed to go in the presence of God's Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. However, the Prophet welcomed them and consoled them, saying:
You did not flee. You retreated to join me. You will collect strength and go to fight with them again. ( Abu Dawud. Jihad, 96; Tirmidhi, Jihad, 36; I. Hanbal, 2.70, 86. )
It happened just as God's Messenger foretold when the Muslim army formed by himself just before his death raided the southern part of Syria and two years later the Muslims dealt the Byzantines a deadly blow in the Battle of Yarmuk.
