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He explained to us that he felt that his deformity limited his competitiveness in the job market. He thinks that since this deformity is rare many people who see him for the first time assume that he is functionally impaired. He is certain that others are hired before him when he is equally or better qualified for a particular job.
Here is a close-up of Francinaldo's ear deformity.
From the photoblog Chillimatic
Posting a photo of a shop called "Party World" here is an odd way to memorialize someone. Bear with me, I'll explain further down the page. Firstly a little on how I came to know about Jon Claremont and his work.
The service provider for my photoblog, Chillimatic, is called Expressions. Expressions won't be rivalling Flickr any time soon and perhaps due to the small number of subscribers, or perhaps due to the good work of the people who run it, Expressions is a genuine ‘online community’ (prior to joining I had thought this phrase an oxymoron) brought together by a shared love of photography.
Some particularly high quality photoblogs are nestled alonside my own (frankly amateurish) site. Chief among these is a blog I discovered during my earliest nose around Expressions called ClaremontPhoto - Jon’s photoblog.
The aesthetic of Jon’s pictures was so different to that which currently prevails in photography that it was a shock when I first landed there. My eyes had become too accustomed to the diamond-sharp, perfectly colour-balanced images that digital technology has made possible to immediately accept photos taken with film cameras and developed at the local One Hour Photo. Jon's snaps were often blurry and overexposed with no apparent colour scheme. His subjects rarely sat nicely in measured compositions.
Even when he was photographing the patrons of the shabby café-bars of Montemor-o-Novo, the town in Portugal where he lived - subjects who were in fact seated and immobile - there was always a touch of anarchy, a touch of humanity, his photos were alive. He once remarked in an e-mail to me that he didn’t do “pretty pictures”. He was wrong. His photos were beautiful, and in a way that all those diamond-sharp digital images could never be.
I started leaving comments on Jon’s site, he on mine, and our intermittent e-mail exchanges began. Just as one had to get past the aesthetic shock and look carefully at Jon’s photos to fully appreciate them so he looked carefully at others’. More than once he remarked on something in one of my shots that I hadn’t noticed myself. For this reason his words of encouragement were valuable to me; his appreciation was genuine.
Jon's warmth of character was a further quality as apparent in his photos as his mails. Most of his shots were of the inhabitants of Montemor, a village lost in the countryside 40 miles to the east of Lisbon, a town not pretty enough for tourism nor rich enough for chain store homogeneity.
Similarly, Montemor’s inhabitants are neither charmingly rustic nor the neat, presentable Gap-clad men and women that the global economy has moulded. They're a scruffy lot, spending their evenings sitting awkwardly on bar furniture, drinking cheap beer straight from the bottle, looking up slack-jawed at the football on the telly. In viewing Jon’s photos I was often reminded of Oscar Wilde’s famous aphorism “Work is the curse of the drinking classes”.
Most photographers, I think, would maintain a certain distance between themselves and such subjects, one that would translate into a mocking tone in their photos or a falsely reverent one: ostensibly honouring such ‘salt of the earth’ characters, covertly pitying them. Jon did none of that; the section at ClaremontPhoto compiling his ‘people’ shots is titled “Friends and Neighbours”. Quite right, they were not his subjects, he was one of them. The warmth and camaraderie so apparent in his photography were equally evident in his words to me.
Soon after I was first in contact with Jon he was appointed as Community Ambassador at Expressions, bringing to the members’ attention the work of other Expressions contributors, and continuing to offer words of encouragement and genuine appreciation to so many of us. He was very much the glue in our online community and I know that I am not alone in saying how greatly missed he will be.
I learnt of Jon’s passing on Friday and that same day Shanolyno, a fellow Expressions user, posted a comment on my photoblog. I mailed him to say thanks and told him the sad news. His words in reply voiced my own thoughts perfectly: “Seems strange to mourn for someone that I feel I know so well, yet I never met.”
I never met Jon Claremont either, I never even spoke to him and yet he touched me in some way, he inspired me, and I will miss him. For those that did know this clearly exceptional man, his family and friends, the loss must be very great indeed and my thoughts are with them.
So, the photo of “Party World”. It was taken in July of last year with a DSLR which I’d just bought, on the day I arrived in Sardinia, my holiday destination. During the preceding months I had spent much time on photography: taking photographs, tending to my website, reading about photography, viewing the work of others and occasionally exchanging e-mails with Jon.
Shortly before I left we had a quick exchange about Martin Parr, whose work we both admired. I wrote: “Regarding Martin Parr, yes the man is a genius, but I also kind of hate him because it's become impossible to take photos in certain areas (supermarkets and seaside towns in the UK particularly) without thinking of his brilliant photos. He kind of owns all that now. If I ever find myself in a run down bar in Portugal and I'm unable to take photos because you've taken all the ideas and own that environment I'll let you know.”
When I arrived in Olbia this throwaway comment had transformed into prophecy. Maybe it was the intensity of the sunlight (in Jon’s outdoor shots the walls and streets of Montemor appeared sun-bleached) or maybe it was the slightly tattered look that much of Olbia still has despite a recent influx of tourists courtesy of EasyJet, but I was unable to take pictures of the place, I saw Jon’s photos everywhere.
Thwarted in my attempts to take my own photos I decided to produce some imitation Claremonts. I turned the exposure up a notch to get the bleached look, switched the focus setting to “auto” to lose some sharpness and took a couple of shots of shop fronts which I imagined wouldn’t be out of place in Montemor. This shot was the most successful. I had intended to send it to him but, very regrettably now, never got round to it.
But "Party World", though? Surely not the best way to memorialize someone? Like I say - bear with me. This shop, despite its apparent banality, despite the cheap plastic knick-knacks it displays in the window, proudly proclaims itself “Party World” and this is in keeping with the meaning I read behind many of Jon’s photos. Despite the tawdriness of their surroundings; despite their shabby clothes; despite the cheap beer they’re given to drink every night; despite the fact that they live in a forgotten hinterland, held there just above the breadline; despite the fact that they’re old and working class (both characteristics that were once a source of pride but not so much these days); despite all this and much more, the people in Jon’s photos are mostly smiling. They’re happy.
My favourite of Jon’s photos is of a frail old man who sells lottery tickets from in front of a bar. According to the text accompanying the photo he’s there every week with the same patter, every week he has “the big one”. There he is - leaning against a rubbish bin, an expression of rapt wonder on his face as he eyes the little scraps of paper in his hand which, despite the 10-million-to-one odds, are going to bring in the jackpot. The Don Quixote of Montemor, he is both a fool and a hero.
As summations of the human condition go, it's hard to beat. We are born into a world without purpose or meaning where there is but one truth: that one day, soon, we will be gone from it, obliterated. We have no chance; we are playing a machine we will never beat, which metes out suffering so much more than joy... And yet we still believe, holy fools that we are, that we're going to land "the big one", that “A vida é uma festa!” Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Party World.
So rest in peace, Jon Claremont, and thank you for showing me all this.
If you've read this far I hope you'll click on the link for ClaremontPhoto. Many of his older photos (including the lottery ticket seller) have disappeared but there remain many photos of exceptional quality.
Continued from: flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/51683698952/in/dateposted-...
40. Refer all matters to Allah and His Messenger, then defer
يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَطِيۡـعُوا اللّٰهَ وَاَطِيۡـعُوا الرَّسُوۡلَ وَاُولِى الۡاَمۡرِ مِنۡكُمۡ
فَاِنۡ تَنَازَعۡتُمۡ فِىۡ شَىۡءٍ فَرُدُّوۡهُ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَالرَّسُوۡلِ اِنۡ كُنۡـتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَالۡيَـوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ ؕ
ذٰ لِكَ خَيۡرٌ وَّاَحۡسَنُ تَاۡوِيۡلًا
O you who believed!
Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who have been entrusted with authority among you.
Then if you disagree in anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.
That is the best for you and the best determination.
Surah An-Nisa, Verse 59
I had to study the verse in the Tafseer e Jilani. Only Ghaus Pak (ra) would explain what it really meant; obeying!
Ya Ayyuhalladina Amino: By bringing faith, being counted among the Momineen, your duty becomes that you obey Allah and you obey His Messenger (peace be upon him).
Atiu’ Allah: You obey Allah by acting upon His Commands and avoiding what He has forbidden.
Wa Atiu’ Rasool: And you obey the Rasool (peace be upon him), the one He chose Himself as His Khalifa, Vice-regent, for he is the one who guides you towards His One-ness.
Wa: And also obey…
Ulil Amri Minkum: the ones who decide matters and they are those who establish the Sha’ir ul Islam, the Signs of Islam, amongst you. These people are the ones who are leaders, those who have authority and who are judges, who struggle in the application of orders and finding a solution.
I asked Qari Sahib what it means to establish Sha’ir ul Islam – the Signs of Islam. He referred me to the next part of the verse;
Fa in Tanaaza’tum: So if there happens to be a dispute between you and the ulil amr, those who have authority over you…
Fi Shayin: in a matter of whether something is according to the Shari’a, Islamic Law, or not…
Fa rudduhu; return the matter to and turn yourself towards…
Ila: Allah’s Book…
Allah Wa: and the hadith
Ar-Rasool: and present the matter before both of them and find a solution from both of them…
In kuntu tu’mino billahi: if you believe in Allah, the One who gives the reward to His Servants for their deeds, be they good or bad…
Wal Yaumil Akhira: and you believe in the Last Day, which is the Day prepared for reward or punishment.
Dalika: This returning of the matter…
Khairun: is better for you than the injustice you will arrive at from your own reflection…
Wa ahsanu taweela: and will yield the best result for you, better than the result you arrive at on your own and will be more deserving of praise for the conclusion of the matter than your unfairness.
Sheikh Nurjan:
“As soon as you say, “ati`oollah, obey Allah,” it has a power and a secret. There are 500 ma’moorat, obligations, that Allah ordered us to fulfill, and 800 manhiyyaat, things which are forbidden, that we must leave. How can one count and follow 500 orders and leave 800 forbidden actions?
If you repeat that word alone, “ati`ullah, ati`ullah, ati`ullah,” reminding yourself with it, then Allah Subhan Ta’ala will completely dress you as if you have fulfilled all 500 obligations and left the 800 forbiddens. Allahu Akbar! Then you continue with, “ati`ur-Rasool, obey the Prophet,” and with Allah’s order, Prophet (peace be upon him) will dress you with all his Sunnah, voluntary actions, and in the meaning of Khaatam ar-Rasool, “Seal of Prophets,” as if you have obeyed him from beginning to end!
As Grandshaykh and Mawlana Shaykh Nazim said, with every letter of the Holy Qur’an, even if it is repeated hundreds or thousands of times, Allah opens 24,000 oceans of knowledge to His Auliya (the Ulul Amr), which they keep hidden. They give to their followers little by little, as if from a dropper. They give a little bit to the hearts of their listeners and continue to upload that until one day Allah will give permission to fully open it to the hearts of their disciples.
The goal is to reach Allah’s Pleasure and enter into the Divinely Presence and it enters within us. It is to make the house and heart of the believer the House of Allah so that His Light and His Grace can emanate from such a heart. That is why in the Quran Allah describes the Ka’ba as ‘wash your heart, clean your heart, circumambulate your heart, which is My House, the Ka’ba.’ That’s why we call Auliya Allah, the Friends of God, Qiblas (directions) and Ka’ba. Their hearts are like the Ka’ba which direct people towards the Divinely Presence. And they are a Qibla in that they give a direction and focus in life.
Allah knows we are weak and if we were given a thousand lives, we won’t be able to achieve that without this system Allah has put in place. People may have beliefs and love but to enter into that Divinely Light, Allah has a system to reach the Haqaiq, the Realities of ‘La ilaha Illallah.’
So then Allah says ‘ati’ur Rasool’ He is telling us ‘I know you can’t follow Me because that’s the Station of the Messengers. So follow the way and the love of your Beloved Messenger (peace be upon him) who is beloved by Allah and most praised within all of Creation, Sayadna Muhammadan Rasool Ullah (peace be upon him).
So then comes the third piece, Ulil Amr, because the Auliya Allah begin to describe that if our goal was to make our house a Ka’ba, the only one who can bring the law and discipline of Allah, the deen (religion) of Allah, the Message of Allah is Muhammadun Rasool Ullah (peace be upon him). The spiritual paths are the schools of guidance.
For in the Quran Allah says, ‘there is no guidance except if Allah guides’ and that has many degrees of guidance; something basic, something middle, something high and something very high. There are darajaats, spiritual ranks, of guidance and realities of guidance. The highest rank is Maqam Al Mahmood, the highest heaven is Jannat al Firdaus. These are all in fact existent within the reality and the heart of Sayaddna Muhammad (peace be upon him).
So the Auliya Allah, their whole teachings are about only him, Muhammad Ar Rasool Allah (peace be upon him). Through that the heart can be perfected. Allah says in the Quran that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is a guidance. He brings the message, he purifies the believers. He brings lights and blessings into the hearts of the believers. So how does Allah say that? He says if you want to reach Me, following the Prophet (peace be upon him) and I will love you. My Divine Love will emanate from your heart. ”
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Prophet (peace be upon you)), "If you love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive you your sins for God is Much-Forgiving, a Dispenser of Grace."
Surah Al e Imran, Verse 31
You can live a thousand years and a thousand lifetimes and you cannot achieve this without this system. Because Allah is saying come to Me through him. So the perfect line of Tauheed – La ilaha illallah Muhammad ar Rasoolallah – Allah is saying if you want to reach my La ilaha illallah, (Tauheed, My One-ness), come to me through Muhammad ar Rasoolallah. You cannot just say La ilaha illallah. Without Muhammad ar Rasoolallah, you are outside the belief system.”
Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti Ajmeri (ra) said the same in a different way:
If the one who does not believe utters (the words) La Ilaha Illallah, There is no God but God, for a 100 years , he will never attain faith. But if once he says, Muhammad Ar-Rasool Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger, he removes from himself a 100 years of apostasy.
“So the Ulil Amr are dressed and blessed by Allah to open a door on this Earth and the door must have a tongue in which it teaches, trains and guides, everything based on Muhammad Ar Rasoolallah (peace be upon him).
So be wary, when you enter a door and they talk a lot about Allah. Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, that is not the right door. That is not the right room. For all doors in the Universe, above it is only Muhammad Ar Rasoolallah (peace be upon him). So the Ulil Amr should be talking about him so you can try to reach him for he is who is above them. The one who doesn’t talk about him and cuts him out, only talking about Allah, that’s Hizb ul Shaitaan, the party of Iblis. He is the one who says, ‘I don’t accept any of these Adams, only Allah.
So that’s how the student should know; if I enter into a room on the Ulil Amr, their whole existence pivots, like moons, around one sun; the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The moon is guidance. It gives you your time, your coordinates, it nourishes you and raises you. Read the Farmer’s Almanac on what a moon is. The Shams ul Arifeen, the Sun of the Gnostics, is Muhammad Ar Rasoolullah (peace be upon him). It is his light upon them, upon the moons, that makes everything guided and beatific and ripened and sweet.”
Subhan Allah!
“The room we want to enter is the room that teaches all the realities of the beatific nature of Rasool Allah (peace be upon him) and his creation. Everything they say is about his reality and the realities of his essence – The Muhammadan Reality. So the door to that reality, how will you find it? By picking up a book? No! These people are the Ulil Amri minkum.’
Now understand the levels of Ulil Amr. A president is Ulil Amr. Allah has given him that authority. Even if he’s an oppressor, Allah gave him the authority. It doesn’t matter what they believe or not. There are duniya Ulil Amr, who have authority of the matters related to the world. Then there are people who give guidance within religions like the clergy.
But the Ulil Amr minkum that Allah is describing are of a different nature and reality. They understand the alif-meem-ra of the word Amr. They are dressed by the Alif which makes them have Izzatullah (Honour of Allah), they’re dressed with the realities of the Meem which is Izzat ur Rusool (the honour of the Messenger (peace be upon him)), the might and majestry and authority of his person and Izzat ul Mo’mineen (the honor of the believers). It is by virtue of these three realities that power is bestowed upon this Earth.
The Ulil Amr represent the Honour of Allah on this Earth, they represent the honour of the Rasool (peace be upon him) and they are the Auliya Allah. The authority granted to them does not require speech. It is not from this world but from the World of the Unseen. The Ulil Amr are a door upon this Earth. Our life is to find that door.
The Spiritual Masters who can teach that reality, speak to it, they are from that door. They’re from the Ulil Amr. As a result, the doors that are established on this Earth at all time, for all time, Allah will keep guidance on this Earth through them for the sake of the nation of Sayyadna Muhammad (peace be upon him). Some of them have been given blessings but not guidance.
Those who have been given guidance are inheritors of the 313 Messengers of Allah. They have been given a support from Allah through their ears, and their eyes, and their breath and their hands and their feet and their Lisaan as Sadeeq – a truthful tongue.
41. Who are the Faithful – The Momineen? The Truthful
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلصِّدِّيقُونَ ۖ
وَٱلشُّهَدَآءُ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْ ۖ
˹As for˺ those who believe in Allah and His messengers, it is they who are ˹truly˺ the people of truth. And the ones who witness, with their Lord, will have their reward and their light.
Surah Al-Hadeed, Verse 19
Tafseer e Jilani:
Alladina a’mano billahi wa rasooli hi: Those who are sincere (akhlasu) in their faith and then attested that sincerity by goodness in their deeds and their ehsaan, which is humility in the presence of Allah…
O’laika: these are the lucky ones who are accepted (by God).
Humuss siddeeqoon: They are the truthful one, who have reached the highest ranks of truth and have restricted themselves upon sincerity, steadfast and still in the Way of truthful certainty.
Wa Shuhuda: They are the ones who unveil, the ones who witness and the ones who are present…
I’nda Rabbihim: near their Lord, seeking further submergence in Him through their desire for a prolonging of that meeting.
Lahum: For them is in the next life…
Ajarhum wa nooruhum: is their reward and their light promised to them from Allah for they don’t want anything other than that.
Qari Sahib asked me, “Why are they getting two things, ajr and noor?”
As usual I was dumb because as usual I had no idea.
The Ajr, reward, is for their deeds and the noor is for their ikhlaas, sincerity. Then there’s a second layering to it; the reward, ajr, is for the faith in Allah, imaan. The noor is for following the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). See the reference:
يَٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِرَسُولِهِۦ
يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ
وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ نُورًۭا تَمْشُونَ بِهِۦ
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ
وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
O you who believe! Be mindful of Allah and believe in His Messenger;
He will give you double portion of His Mercy
and He will make for you a light,
you will walk with it,
and He will forgive you.
And Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Surah Al-Hadeed, Verse 28
42. The Healing of the Heart
يَٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌۭ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O Mankind! Verily has come to you an instruction from your Lord,
and a healing for what is in your breasts,
and guidance
and mercy
for the believers.
Surah Yunus, Verse 57
Tafseer e Jilani:
Ya Ayyun naas: O Mankind, those who have forgotten their original purpose and their true abode…
Qad Ja’atkum: indeed has come to you (a Prophet (peace be upon him) and The Book, 5/15) to awaken you and warn you…
Muazzatun: as an admonishment and to remind you…
Mir Rabbikum wa shifa ullima fi sudoor: from your Lord. And heal you from your anger and grudges that have taken firm residence in your hearts.
Wa hudan: And they will guide you to those who are in the know (about Allah) and bring you before Him.
Wa rahmatun: and they are the mercy in abundance which encompasses everything…
Lil Momineen: for those who are virtuous and conscious of Allah.
43. Allah’s Bounty; the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Quran
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا۟ هُوَ خَيْرٌۭ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
Say O Prophet (peace be upon him), "In (this) is the Bounty of Allah and His Mercy so in that let them rejoice."
It is far better than what they accumulate.
Surah Yunus, Verse 10
Tafseer e Jilani:
Qul: O Messenger (peace be upon him) who completes the Message, say to the one who follows you reminding them and guiding them,
Bi fadlillah hi: with Allah’s Bounty and His Best Acceptance and with His endowing of Honour and His Presence…
Wa bi rahmatihi: and by His Mercy, which is expansive for everyone and which is for all His Reflections in the Universe, “They should try to attain the blessings (of them both, the person of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Quran) and unveil them.
Fa bi dalika: By the delight they will receive from them both, they will attain presence before Allah.
Fal yafrahu: So let them rejoice, instead of being of those who do not experience this happiness and do not experience this joy because they prioritize the few moments of their physical, yet perishable desires.
Huwa: Your spiritual joy and happiness…
Khairun Mimma Yajma’oon: is far better than the lusts of your nafs, your base self, and what it demands from your being, if you are of the sincere and those who possess certainty.
44. What is Steadfastness?
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَقَمُوا۟
Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord, (is) Allah," then stand firm.
Surah Fussilat, Verse 30
Tafseer e Jilani:
Innalladina : The ones who believe in One-ness…
Qalu: they say in happiness and in difficulty, in secrecy and openly…
Rabbuna Allah: Our Lord is Allah, The One who is One, by Himself, Alone, beyond need who is lam yalid wa lam yulad…
Summastaqamu: the ones who then have to prove what they have claimed. And they acknowledge, realize and confess that (claim) through their deeds as well and their states and their intentions in their daily, ordinary actions.
45. All happiness and pain comes from Allah
مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ
وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ
وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
No calamity befalls anyone except by Allah’s Will.
And whoever has faith in Allah, He will rightly guide their hearts.
And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.
Surah At-Taghabun, Verse 11
Tafseer e Jilani:
Then He said Subhan Ta’ala, to make us steadfast and firm footed for the ones who possess ma’rifat and iqaan, certainty, on the station of entrusting and reliance.
Ma asaba: That which comes upon one and what it entails…
Min museebati: i.e. whether it is an incidence of happiness that reaches you or of pain…
Illa bi idnallah: it doesn’t happen except with Allah’s Permission according to His Order.
Wa mayyomin Billahi: And the one who believes in Allah and entrusts his matters to Him and makes Him his Disposer of Affairs and makes Him Sufficient and His Protector…
Yahdi qalba hu: He will give guidance to and enlighten his heart and He will show him the Kingdom of Tauheed, One-ness and the symbols of certainty.
Wa: and overall
Allahu: The One who is fully Aware of what is hidden and what is present…
Bi kulli shayan: all that which is under His Control…
Aleem un: because His Knowledge is forever present and nothing can be hidden from Him.
46. The Door of Truth
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍۢ
وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍۢ
وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَـٰنًۭا نَّصِيرًۭا
And say (in your prayer O Beloved), “O my Sustainer!
Cause me to enter (in whatever I do) in a manner, true and sincere,
and cause me to leave it in a manner true and sincere.
And grant me of from Your Presence, a sustaining support.
Surah Al-Isra’, Verse 80
Tafseer e Jilani:
“O my Lord, enter me into the place of being settled, which is the place of Tauheed where everything else vanishes. And place me forever in it without doubt and change within me.
And take me out of the demands of egoism and selfish desires towards dissolution in You, that enjoins me to the Honor of Your Eternity, with a meeting to a place without jolts and slippage, all the while when I am embattling my ego and my nafs Ammara is trying to control me, with that which silences them once and for all and never turns me towards them but towards an appearance before You, that helps me against my enemies and rescues me when they attack me.”
There is Doer except Allah
لا فاعل في الحقيقة و لا مؤثر الا الله
There is no doer except Allah and there is no effect except that which is caused by Allah.
Ghaus Pak (ra)
47. The Ones given knowledge
بَلْ هُوَ ءَايَتٌۢ بَيِّنَتٌۭ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ ۚ
Nay, it is the verses clear in the breasts of those who are given the knowledge.
Surah Al Ankaboot, Verse 49
Tafseer e Jilani:
Bal huwa: The Quran in its essence…
Ayatun: has signs and proofs which prove the One-ness of Allah…
Bayyinatun: which are so clear that no other evidence, is needed, firm…
Fi Sudoor: in the hearts of the ones who are believers of One-ness…
Alladina utol ilm: and have been granted Knowledge from Him, which emanates directly from the Knowledge of Allah, and is received by them from His Divine Treasures according to their capacity and ability due to His Bounty and His Favour upon them.
Are you an Enemy or a Friend?
Hazrat Najmuddin Kubra (ra) says in the Tafseer e Jilani;
“When Allah sends a trial or a difficulty, He is testing to see who is an enemy and who is a friend.
The one who is a friend and close to Him, in their state of pain, returns to Allah with sighs and remembrance. They rely only upon Him, holding on to the rope of patience and surrender and seeking his Pleasure and firmly holds onto the Support of Allah.
Whereas the enemy of God, in the time of difficulty becames impatient and impulsive. They become ungrateful of His Blessings, impatient and do not surrender to the Destiny of His Lord. Then they turn their face away from Allah and start running to people.”
48. I am a man like you except...
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ
Say O Last Messenger (peace be upon you),
“I am only a man like you, to who has been revealed that your God is one God.”
Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 110
Tafseer e Jilani:
Qul: O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), after you have conveyed to them, the Words of Allah, endless, Words which are devoid of trying to show-off and to impress which leads to arrogance. These Words are only for wisdom and intellect.
Qari Sahib; Allah never says about him that he is a man. He makes him say it, not Himself; You say it! For it is wisdom and for the intellect.
Inna ana basharum mislukum: No doubt, I am a man in appearance like you, accepting of certain knowledge and knowing according to Mankind. There is no difference between me and you in terms of human nature. But there is one difference…
Youha illaya: Revelation comes upon me and pours upon me Ilm ul Yaqeen, Ayn ul Yaqeen and Haq ul Yaqeen (Knowledge of the Divine, Witnessing of the Divine and the Truth of the Divine).
Qari Sahib; This word yufadu – pouring - reminds me of the hadith when Nabi Kareem (peace be upon you) was praying and he was seeing the grapes of Heaven while he was praying – Ayn ul Yaqeen. He reached his hand upwards as if to break off a bunch – Haq ul Yaqeen.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا ،
قَالَ : خَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَصَلَّى ،
قَالُوا : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْنَاكَ تَنَاوَلْتَ شَيْئًا فِي مَقَامِكَ ، ثُمَّ رَأَيْنَاكَ تَكَعْكَعْتَ ،
قَالَ : إِنِّي أُرِيتُ الْجَنَّةَ ، فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا ، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا .
Narrated by Hazrat `Abdullah bin `Abbas (ratu):
Once a solar eclipse occurred during the time of Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him).
He offered the eclipse prayer.
His companions asked, O Allah's Apostle! We saw you trying to take something while standing at your place and then we saw you retreating.
The Prophet answered, “I was shown Paradise and wanted to have a bunch of fruit from it. Had I taken it, you would have eaten from it as long as the world remains.”
49. How to receive honour
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًاۚ إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ ٱلْكَلِمُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ وَٱلْعَمَلُ ٱلصَّلِحُ يَرْفَعُهُۚۥ
Whoever for him desires the honor, then for Allah is the Honor all.
To Him ascends the good words, and righteous deeds raises it.
Surah Fatir, Verse 10
Tafseer e Jilani:
Man kana yureed ul izzata: The one who wants honour, endless, after which never comes humiliation ever, then he should turn towards Allah and makes his focus His One-ness.
Fa lillahe izzatu: For only Allah is the True Owner of Honour, which includes control, eternal majesty and all kingdoms…
Jami-an: overt (zahiri) and inner (batini). And the one who desires that Allah bestow upon him honour and control and absolute kingdoms and abundance that remains forever, then he should, in his initial stages toward Allah, praise Him by way of His Perfect Names and Exalted Attributes till his remembrance reaches the stages of their reflection in him.
This (the reflection) is the last effort and then he becomes a reflector of Allah’s Being, wanting to unveil the Veils of His Omnipotence, till he becomes present before Him, able to unveil Him and witness the Signs of His Names and Attributes on the surface of the Universe without the distortion created by others.
And overall (in summary), the one who seeks honour should be occupied in the Remembrance by Allah in the early stages because
Ilayhi yasadu alkalm at tayyabu: towards Him ascend good words which are the Prefect Names of Allah and His Exalted Attributes, increasing in frequency from the tongues of The Sincere and The Ones who Reflect in Allah’s Blessings and His Bounty…
Wal al amal as saleh: and (they should be occupied) in good deeds enjoined with ikhlas, sincerity and tabbatul, devotion to Him (also ascending towards Him)…
Yarfa’uhu: (which will be why) He then raises that deed founded upon sincerity and those good words allowing them to reach towards the stages of Closeness with Allah. So for the one whose sincerity in his deed is perfect, then the ranks of his words which are raised towards Allah Subhanahu are the highest and the most supreme to Him.
50. The Prayer of Tahajjud
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ
And rise from your sleep and pray during the part of the night and extra voluntary prayer,
it may be well that your Lord will raise you (to) a station praiseworthy.
Surah Al Isra’, Verse 79
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa: And if you want even more closeness (to Allah) and blessings, then awaken your heart and body, in the last part…
Min al layli: of the night and leave sleep out of desire for the Pleasure of Allah…
Fatahajjad bihi: and pray the Prayer of Tahajjud, prolonging your recitation in it so it becomes…
Nafilatan: extra…
Laka: than the dutied prayers for you. It will increase your Closeness and your honour (before your Lord).
51. Seek help through prayer and patience
وَٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلْخَشِعِينَ
And seek help through patience and the prayer.
And indeed it is surely difficult, except for those who are humble.
Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 45
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa: And so Allah commands to ask for help through them both (prayer and patience)…
Asta’ino: with (tawajju) focus upon Him and (taqarrab) achieving nearness to Him…
Bis sabr: with control of that which creates lust in the body and that which causes attraction to the world…
Wa salat: and instead incline yourself towards the focus and the nearness and turn away from everything except Allah. Don’t ignore this Command and don’t take it lightly.
Wa innaha la kabeera: Indeed this (turning towards Allah) is heavy and burdensome upon everyone…
Illa ala al-Khashiyeen: except the ones whose hearts are in prostration.
52. Who are the Khashiyeen? – The ones whose hearts are in prostration
ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَجِعُونَ
(They are) the ones who believe they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.
Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 46
Tafseer e Jilani:
Alladeena: They (the Kashiyeen) are the ones who lift the grime of other-ness (from Allah) from the eye (of the heart). And drop the blemish of duality to attain clarity.
Yadunoona annahum mulaqu Rabbihim: They believe in the meeting with their Lord in this life because they worship him as if they see Him.
Wa: And they know with certainty…
Annahum ilayhi: they will, without doubt, towards Him and no one except Him, because there is no one in existence except Him…
Raji’oon: return, making their abode in the Hereafter.
Then he (Ghaus Pak (ra)) prays: Please Dear Lord, Make us of the one who follow these people and love these people - (who possess certainty of their return to You and worship You as if they see You and make their abode the Hereafter).
53. Man is created Weak
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ ۚ وَخُلِقَ ٱلْإِنسَنُ ضَعِيفًۭا
Allah wishes to lighten your burdens because Man has been created weak.
Surah An-Nisa, Verse 28
Tafseer e Jilani:
Yureed Allah u: Allah wishes, as The One who manages your affairs,…
Ayyukhaffifa ankum: that He makes it light for you, the ones who are believers – the Momineen - the burdens you carry. For these (burdens) are the reasons for your needs and your state of being dependent on the world.
Wa: And the condition is that…
Khuliq al Insaan: Man is created, in his original nature…
Daeefan: weak. He cannot carry the burden of being needful of the world, just like other animals.
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) prays: Dear Lord, Make light for us the weight of our sins by Your Bounty and remove from us the evilness of evils by virtue of Your Generosity and grant us the life of the ones that were devoted to You.
54. Man was created in hardship
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
Certainly, we have created Man to be in hardship.
Surah Al Balad, Verse 4
Tafseer e Jilani:
And overall, Allah takes oaths upon so many things (Verses 1-3) because
Laqad khalaqnal insaana: Surely, We created Man and revealed his life in this world, to be buried…
Fi kabad: in extensive exhaustion and toil, which makes busy his entire external physical being as well as his internal organs so much that (that life) envelops all his internal and external parts. This is caused by the needs of his livelihood and its means.
Thus he becomes distracted from Allah and because of those needs, he leaves the affairs of his return to Him. Then begins the gathering of money and the collection of fuel and sins which make him distant from Al Hakeen Al Allaam, The Wise and All Knowing Lord.
So he becomes so intensely busy with this world, forgetting the Afterlife and his feet slip from the Path of His Lord.
55-57: Time
وَٱلْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّلِحَتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
The human being is surely in a state of loss
Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and enjoin (each other) to the truth and enjoin (each other) to [the] patience.
Surah Al-Asr, Verses 1-3
Wal Asr: Then Allah Suban Ta’ala takes an oath upon time and the ages, the meaning of which is about the Eternal Essence of Allah, from the beginning till the end, timeless and everlasting.
Innal Insaana: Indeed, the human being, created such to have a natural propensity towards the nature of ma’rifa, the Recognition of God and imaan, faith according to the his share of the Lahoot, the Realm of the Divine where there is no time and space…
Lafe khusr: is in a state of loss, immense and humiliating failure, as a result of their busyiness in that which is useless due to the requirements (and needs) of his physical being, as related to his share of the world of Nasoot, the life in this world.
Illa: Except the Muqinoon, those who possess inner certainty…
Alladina Aamami: about the One-ness of Allah Subhan Ta’ala and are conscious, through their steadfastness, in their behaviour continuously in His Kingdom and about His Authority.
Wa: And with this faith and certainty…
Amilos Sualihaat: they do good deeds which points towards their ikhas, sincerity and their yaqeen, absolute conviction, and niyyat, intention.
Wa: And in this condition…
Tawasau bil Haq: they enjoin each other towards the Path of God and His One-ness…
Wa tawasau: and they also enjoin each other…
Bis sabr: towards patience for the practice of matters that require obedience and (patience towards) their tiredness from striving hard and (patience towards) from what they suffer as a result of cutting themselves off from their love of the world and (patience towards) leaving their animalistic desires which are attached to human nature.
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) prays: May Allah grant us the ability to be rid of and cut off (from these desires).
58. And you (O Beloved (peace be upon you)) indeed, possess the Best of Manners
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
And truly you possess the most outstanding manners.
Surah Al Qalm, Verse 4
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa Innaka: Indeed you, O beloved (peace be upon you), who are the personification of the most perfected adoption of Allah’s Akhlaq, Etiquette and Attributes, and proved to be the most truthful and steadfast in fulfilling your friendship with Allah and in being the most exemplary Vice-regent,…
La’ala khuliqin azeem: possess the most excellent of manners. No one’s akhlaq, behavior, is better than yours because you have gathered and brought together the etiquettes of all the ones before and all the ones after, in line with the ranks you were granted, which are the most exalted (of anyone in existence).
Ikhlas
الإخلاص سر من سري استودعته قلب من أحببت من عبادي
And Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that Allah Ta’ala said:
“Ikhlas, sincerity, is a secret from My Secrets
and I place it in the heart of my servant who is my beloved.”
Ikhlas (sincerity) of intention, action and then perseverance on it is the highest station of love and servitude to God. Ikhlas is defined and explained as:
• The honourable `arif and the wise wayfarer, Khwajah `Abd Allah al Ansari (qs) says: “Ikhlas means purging action of all impurities.” And the ‘impurities’ mean desire to please oneself and other creatures.
• The great scholar Shaykh al-Baha'i (ra) has narrated that the people of the heart (those who love Allah by heart) say that: "Ikhlas means keeping action free from other than God having a role in it and that the performer of an action should not desire any reward for it in the world and the Hereafter."
Ikhlas is subsequent to action
One must exercise vigilance as it some¬times happens that man carries out an action faultlessly without any shortcoming and performs it without riya' (showing off) or `ujb (self-love) but after the action he becomes afflicted with riya' through mentioning it to others, as pointed out in the following noble hadith:
• Imam al Baqir (a) said: "Perseverance in an action is more difficult than the act itself."
He was asked, "What is meant by perseverance in action?"
He (a) replied, "A man does some kindness to a relative or expends something for the sake of God, Who is One and has no partner. Thereupon the reward of a good deed performed secretly is written for him.
Later, he mentions it to someone and that which was written earlier is wiped out and instead the reward of a good deed performed openly is written for him. Later, when he makes a mention of it again, the vice of riya' (showing off) is written for him (instead of the reward written earlier)."
The Reality of Action is Intention
• It is the sincere intention and pure purpose on which depend the perfection or defectiveness of 'ibadat (worships) and thus their validity or invalidity. Spiritual traits constitute the soul's primary character and intentions, to which actions are subservient, making up its secondary character. And as long as self love remains in the heart and a person remains in the oppressive habitat of the self, he is not a wayfarer toward God (musafir ila Allah); rather, he is one of those who cling to the earth (mukhalladun ila al 'ard).
Shirk in `ibadah' that encompasses all its levels is the inclusion of the good pleasure and satisfaction of anyone other than God, whether it is one's own self or someone else. If it is for someone else's satisfaction and for people, it is outward shirk and fiqhi riya'.
If it is for one's own satisfaction (rida), it is hidden and inward shirk. In view of the `urafa' (gnostics) this also invalidates the 'ibadah and makes it unacceptable to God. Examples of it are offering the nightly prayer (tahajjud) for increase in one's livelihood, or giving zakat for increase in one's wealth;
Although those 'ibadat are valid, and one who performs them is considered to have performed his duty and fulfilled the require¬ments of the shari'ah, they do not amount to the sincere worship of God Almighty, nor are they characterized with sincerity of intention and purity of purpose. Rather, this kind of 'ibadat are aimed to achieve mundane purposes and to seek the objects of lowly desires. Hence the acts of such a person are not rightful.
The Steps to Learning
And it was indicated to me to read the hadith such that these are the means to gain knowledge not that of the world but of the self.
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ مَا اَلْعِلْمُ
قَالَ اَلْإِنْصَاتُ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ
قَالَ اَلاِسْتِمَاعُ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ
قَالَ اَلْحِفْظُ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ
قَالَ اَلْعَمَلُ بِهِ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ
قَالَ نَشْرُهُ
The Prophet of God (peace be upon him) was asked:
“What is Knowledge?” He replied: “To keep silent”.
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To listen.”
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To remember.”
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To act upon (what is learned).”
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To propagate.”
[Ref: Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, pg. 28]
Said the wise:
اَلحِفْظُ فِى الصِّغَرِ كَالنَّقْشِ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ وَ الْحِفْظُ فِى الْكِبَرِ كَالْكِتَابَةِ عَلَى الْمَاءِ
''Learning something during one's youth is like engraving in stone,
and learning something when one is old is like writing on the surface of water.’’
[Ref : Bihar al-Anwar, v. 1, p. 222, no. 6]
The Child
The Prophet of God (peace be upon him) said:
إنَّ لِكُلِّ شَجَرَةٍ ثَمَرَةً ، وثَمَرَةُ القَلْبِ الوَلَدُ
“For every tree there is a fruit and the fruit of the heart is the child.”
[Ref: Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 45415]
Ghaus Pak (ra) in Al Fath Ar Rabbani:
“An incident goes that the people of Bani Israel once were faced with a suffering. They gathered and went to the Prophet of their time. ‘What can we do, O Nabi (as)?’ they asked him. “What is the deed that will please Allah and it becomes the means to deliver us from our hardship?”
The Prophet (as) prayed to Allah to unveil to him what that deed would be.
Allah Subhan a Ta’ala revealed to his Prophet (as), “Tell them! If you seek My Pleasure, become a cause to bring happiness to the needy. Thus if you bring ease to them, in their happiness I will become pleased with you. And if you displease them, I will remain displeased with you.”
59. If you love God, follow me
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Prophet (peace be upon you)), "If you love God, follow me and God will love you
and forgive you your sins for God is Much-Forgiving, a Dispenser of Grace."
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 31
Tafseer e Jilani:
Qul: Say, O Beloved (peace be upon you), who has been created to reflect Our Appearance, who has been shaped according to the collective standards of Our Names and Attributes, who has been made so as to acquire all of Our Manner, (say) to the one who you wish to guide and make them reach a certain status from amongst Creation…
In kuntum: “If you, O one who is wayward and drowning in the sea of heedlessness and being astray,
Tuhuboon Allaha: claim love for God, The One who brought you into appearance from nothingness, and you want to focus towards His Being and you want to be in good standing at His Door…
Fattabi’ouni: follow me, because it is His Command and His Order…
Yuhbibkum Allahu: and Allah will love you i.e. He will allow you nearness of His Essence and He will make you reach the Honour of meeting Him…
Wa yaghfir: And He will hide and make disappear…
Lakum: for you, from your outer and inner eyes,…
Dhunubukum: your sins, which cause you to be veiled from the witnessing of the Beauty of Allah and His Magnificence and the vision of His Names and Attributes.
Wallahu: Allah is The Only Guide for you towards Sirat e Tauheed, the Path of His One-ness.
Ghafur: And He is Most Forgiving for you, lifting the barriers that prevent you from gaining closeness to Him.
Rahim: And Most Affectionate towards you making you reach towards what you desire eagerly.
60. Allah is Sufficient for you and the believers who follow you
يَٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَسْبُكَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O Prophet (peace be upon you), Allah is Sufficient for you and those of the believers who follow you.
Surah Al Anfal, Verse 64
Tafseer e Jilani:
Ya Ayyuha Nabi: O Communicator of the Hidden (peace be upon you), the one who has been succored by Allah with His Help and victory against the enemies…
Hasabaka Allahu: only your Lord is Sufficient for you, who is the Disposer of your affairs…
Wa man attaba’ka: and (He is Sifficient) for the one who is obedient to you by the Permission of Allah and His Will…
Min al Mo’mineen: from amongst the believers, the ones who possess certainty in the One-ness of Allah, Al Mo’qineen, the ones who are fulfillers of their promises, Al Muwaffaween, the ones who are striving hard and struggling, in His Way, Al Badileen.
61. Indeed I am Me, Allah
إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ
Indeed, only I am Allah. (There is) no god but I, so worship Me
and establish the prayer for My remembrance.
Surah Taha, Verse 14
So let the people know from Me, as My Vice-regent,
Innani ana Allah: Indeed, only I am Allah, The Only One, The All Encompassing, gathering all the Ranks and Names.
La ilaha: There is no one else who is The Gatherer of these ranks…
Illa ana: except Me, The Possessor of All Things, The One Worthy of obedience and being bound by…
Fa’budni: so that you worship Me as is rightful of My Worship i.e. with the best of etiquette with Me by being in your manners as My Manners.
Wa iqm as-salat: And always be inclined with all your (physical and spiritual) parts…
Li dikri: with conscious concentration upon Me with all your (inner and outer) parts so that you can remember Me with all of them and express your gratitude to Me with all of them, till I unveil for you (all your veils), from every part of you, such that I become your hearing and your sight and your body and your feet and everything else in your parts until the Hour of Resurrection comes upon you.
And you stand up in front of your Lord and you find your abode in Jannat al Mawa, near Sidrat ul Muntaha, the Lote Tree, where lies the climax of ascension, the ending of your ascent in moving upwards and your advancement.
62. The Breaking of the Pact
بَرَآءَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
The disavowal from obligations by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) from the covenant with the idolators.
Surah Tauba, Verse 1
Commentary by Hazrat Najmuddin Kubra (ra) on the verse:
The symbolic meaning of the verse is this: The mushrikeen, the idolator, is the wayward and polytheist nafs, the base self, who made desires its lord and master and began to worship the idols of the world. When a person is in their early years, the ruh and qalb, the soul and the heart within the heart which is the Station of Recognition of Allah, made a pact with the nafs.
The terms of it being that the ruh and the qalb will not fight and kill the nafs until the person reaches maturity. Similarly, the nafs also makes a pact not to instigate problems with the ruh and the qalb so that the bodily skeleton reaches complete maturity and the physical strength is attained at its peak, which carry the burden of Allah’s Trust and become watchful of Islamic Jurisprudence, the Shari’a.
In this time, the aql, the intellect, the power to reason and reflect, becomes strong which can then accept the invitation of Truth and have the ability to answer it. It is this aql that allows the recognition of the Prophets and their miracles. And it is through this aql that the proof of the Presence of Allah is established and it understands the compulsion of His Worship in order to express gratitude towards Him for His Blessings.
Indeed, Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) withdraw from the pact after maturity is gained.
Because Man broke the pact which was between the nafs and the ruh and the qalb. Before maturity was gained, the nafs was only focused on eating, drinking and clothing itself so that the body can develop and all its needs are met. To this extent, there was no problem for the ruh and the qalb from the nafs. But once maturity was gained, lust and desires became added to these needs.
When the lust appeared along with the need for food and drink, its destruction, created physical desires for a mate. When that lust was aroused and started tempting the body, the qalb and the ruh began to become weak. This was the fatal disease for which the Prophets were sent so as to dispel it.
انما بعثت لرفع العادات و ترک الشھوات
Just like Nabi Kareem (peace be upon said),
“I have been sent to end the ways of ignorance and to prevail over the desires of lust.”
63. God bears Witness that there is no god but Him.
شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ
لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
God bears witness that there is no god but Him.
And so do the angels and all who are endowed with knowledge and He is the Upholder of Justice.
There is no God except Him, the All-Mighty and the Truly Wise.
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 8
Tafseer e Jilani:
Shahid Allah: Allah bears witness Himself for His Self that, without doubt, He is…
Annahu la ilaha: The Only One Present and there is no being except His and there is nothing else and there is no reality and nor will there be any presence, being or reality and there is nothing lasting…
Illa hu: except Him Who is, in fact, The Only One Ever-Living with Truth, The Only One who is the Sustainer of All Existence, The One Alone forever, there is nothing except Him.
Wa: And in the way He proffers evidence about Himself…
Al-Malaikatu: so do the angels, which are His Perfect Names and Attributes which exist with the existence of His Essence, because everything is in existence because of His Existence, Unchanging and there is no Authority to resort to except for His.
Wa: And in the way that He proffers evidence about Himself…
Ulol ilm: so do the people who were given knowledge, who are from amongst the phenomenon of Creation (created) upon His Appearance that is nourished by His Attributes and His Names. And indeed, the witnessing of each thing is a returning towards His Witnessing so it is as if everything…
Qaiman: is made to be forever (because He has made it everlasting)…
Bil qist: with His Justice extended across the surface of the Universe from the beginning till the end because…
La ilaha: there is nothing that makes a thing appear…
Illa huwal Aziz: except The One who is Dominant, All Powerful
upon making all things appear…
Al Hakeem: The One who is Perfect in its nurturing and its management, these witnesses say with obedience and with love after they become steadfast in the rank of being worshippers.
64. This religion was made according to your nature
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًۭا ۚ فِطْرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ
لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ
ذَلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So set your face steadfastly to the faith, upright, made by Allah according to the nature Mankind was created upon.
There is no changing God’s Creation.
That is the correct religion but most people do not know it.
Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 30
Tafseer e Jilani:
And after you heard, O Messenger who completes the Message (peace be upon you), that guidance and being astray, indeed, both are entrusted to Me, The Greatest, The Most Exalted…
Faiqm wajhaka: be steadfast and firmly rooted by the focus of your heart, which is a special bestowing from Allah upon you, perfecting your perfection and purifying you from your limitations of being mortal and the shackles of your nature, so that you can reach the Place of One-ness, which is what you have been created for…
Liddini: in the religion that was sent upon you from your Lord, to teach you manners (ta’deebun) O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), and the ones who follow you and to reform your state (islaha-ka) and the states of your followers…
Haneefan: so you are the ones who turn away from the religions of falsehood and untrue perceptions in entirety. And be certain, O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), that indeed…
Fitratallaha allati fatarn naasa aliyha: this is the nature established by Allah upon which He has created Mankind and (the nature) set-up by Allah upon which they have been born, originally moulded, which stays in them forever because…
La tabdeela: it does not alter and it does not change and it does not transform…
Likhalq illah: Allah’s Creation. The One who is All-Wise, All Knowing and His Planning, which is set-up according to His Knowledge and Wisdom as He says, “My Decree does not change - Surah Qaf/29”…
Dalika Adeeno: this is the religion that was sent upon you from your Lord, O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), for safeguarding the original nature, mentioned above. This is the religion…
Al Qayyum: that is the Path that is straight, moderate and steadfast, which will connect to the One-ness of Allah, through this Path which is upright without crookedness and inclinations.
Wa liknna akthar anaasi: But most people, who have been created upon inability to be attentive and are forgetful…
La yalamoon: do not know the reality of this religion. And they do not understand its uprightness and its connection with Allah’s One-ness. So it is dutied upon you all, who follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), that you accept the faith and are obedient in everything from that Allah commands and that which He forbids you from.
66. What you want (in goodness) is only that which Allah wills
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَلَمِينَ
And you cannot will it unless Allah wills it.
Surah At-Takwir, Verse 29
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa: And the end of this chapter is this, that indeed…
Ma tasha’oona: what you will and what you choose in the way of your conscience and guidance for yourselves…
Illa ayyasha Allahu: is not except that which Allah wills for your guidance and gives you ability for with steadfastness and morality, as a favour upon you and His Bounty.
Because the deeds performed by you in your routine are only coming from Allah, generated by Him in their origin, because He is the Only One, Glory be to Him…
Rabbul Alimeen: The Sustainer of the Universe. There is no Sustainer present except Him and there is no Disposer of Affairs in the apparent realms except Him. And the demand of His Nurturing and making perfect and complete is fulfilled by guiding His Servants and granting them ability towards that which is best for them and what is the most suitable for their situation.
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) prays: “Dear Allah! Give us ability to do, by Your Bounty and Your Munificence, that which You love and that which pleases You from us, O Our Protector!
Continued at flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/51722302249/in/dateposted-...
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland is the geothermal area in Haukadalur valley, where we sped early in the morning to get in before the big coaches. Of course we didn't see the great geyser erupt, as it happens only a few times a decade now, but it was a beautiful sunny day and we did very much enjoy Strokkur's regular sapphire-blue spurts and the generally otherworldly, stinky, muggy, misty atmosphere of the place.
The geothermal field in Haukadalur lies on the outskirts of the neovolcanic zone from which it is drifting, and it is therefore gradually becoming a low-temperature field. Magma may have forced its way out of the neovolcanic zone along one or more fissures, forming intrusions, which would explain the sustained geothermal activity. There's no evidence of Holocene volcanism in this area and the bedrock appears to have been formed subglacially towards the end of the glacial period. The geothermal field is believed to have a total surface area of approximately three square kilometres. Most of the springs lie along a 100-metre-wide strip of land running in the same direction as the tectonic lines, from south to southwest. The strip is 500 metres long and ends near a church where the seat of the lords of Haukadalur was once located. A 20-to-150-centimetre-thick layer of siliceous sinter can be found, sometimes covered by earth. The Hvitamelur hill was once a spouting spring, but it is now absolutely dry: the rims of the ancient basin can be seen and the sinter holds quite a few plant fossils. This indicates that the geothermal field has moved and its heart is now two kilometres to the south of the Haukadalur seat. Two little springs--Marteinslaug and Gufubadshver--were left behind. The northernmost springs, such as Geysir itself, are believed to be the oldest. There are around thirty smaller geysers and hot pools in the area, about which one can read in fascinating detail on the Extreme Iceland website.
There are only about a thousand geysers worldwide, most found in Yellowstone National Park; they're rare because they need the simultaneous presence of hot stone, plenty of groundwater, a reservoir for water under the surface of the ground, and fissures to deliver water to the surface. First, cooler groundwater near the surface trickles down through the earth to a heat source like hot magma. When the water reaches the boiling point, however, it can't convert into steam because it's deep underground and confined by the weight of cooler water above. This superheated water--hot enough to become steam but unable to expand--eventually gets to a point where it cannot be contained any longer. The temperature gets high enough, the confining pressure is somehow reduced, the surface tension of water is reduced with soap, etc., and the water explodes into steam in an enormous expansion of volume.
The most famous geyser in the world is of course Geysir, from which we got the word. Based on geological analysis, Geysir has been active for approximately 10,000 years and is the first geyser mentioned in historical documents: the oldest accounts of hot springs at Haukadalur date back to 1294, when earthquakes created several new hot springs. Documents from 1630 describe the geysers erupting so violently that the valley around them trembled. The place name "Geysir" was first used in written sources in the 18th century. A 20-centimetre-thick layer of earth covering an older stratum of siliceous sinter passing under Geysir’s sinter indicates that geothermal activity once subsided long enough for vegetation to flourish until some event, possibly an earthquake, caused a fracture from which water could emerge again. The water's temperature 20 metres down Geysir’s feeder channel is about 125 ºC and it rises from a depth of 1-2 kilometres. Geysir discharges 1.5 litres per second and the entire area discharges 14 litres per second.
Spouting activity is generally heightened by earthquakes and then subsides for a while. In 1845, Geysir's eruption reached a height of 170 metres. The next year, (when Geysir erupted to 43-54 metres), German chemist Robert Bunsen (yes, that Bunsen) went on a research expedition while at University of Marburg and was able to discover and recreate with a model the mechanism of geyser activity. In 1871, William Morris, describing a trip with Eiríkr Magnússon, wrote in his diary that Geysir was spouting once every five or six days. After a period of near-dormancy, an earthquake on September 10, 1896, set off a few years of multiple daily eruptions lasting up to an hour and rising up to 60 metres. In 1910, it was active every 30 minutes; five years later the time between the eruptions was as much as six hours, and in 1916, the eruptions all but ceased.
In 1935, a 50-centimetre-deep channel was dug through the silica rim around the northern edge of the geyser vent to lower the water table and increase activity, and this was periodically cleared as it got clogged with silica. In 1981, it was scraped clean and enlarged to a depth of 70 centimetres and a width of 25 centimetres: Geysir's water level dropped and the spring spouted, sometimes up to 40-50 metres, almost every day until the furrow was covered up and dammed in 1983 (in such a way that it could be reopened). Geysir`s caprice is infamous: in the mid-21st century, a group of people waited eight hours after soap was administered, and Geysir produced one of its most spectacular eruptions as soon as they gave up and moved out of sight. A few weeks later, the soap was put in before the planned arrival of a group of congress delegates who were determined to wait for days if needed; Geysir erupted minutes before they arrived. The practice of artificially inducing eruptions on special occasions by throwing soap into the geyser stopped in the 1990s because of environmental concerns, though authorized government geologists could force an eruption on the Icelandic National Day holiday. An earthquake in 2000 caused on eruption of 122 meters for two days, making it one of the highest geysers in history (Waimangu Geyser in New Zealand erupted up to 460 metres high before it became dormant around 1900).
Nearby Strokkur (Icelandic for "churn") is a fountain geyser erupting much more frequently: once every 6-10 minutes. Its usual height is 15-20 metres, although it can sometimes erupt up to 40 metres high. Strokkur was first mentioned in 1789, after an earthquake helped unblock the conduit of the geyser, and for a year it was extremely powerful and ejected water, gas, and steam with force rivalling even Geysir. Its activity fluctuated throughout the 19th century; in 1815 its height was estimated to have been as much as 60 metres but by 1830 people were tossing in stones and turf to get it to spout and even then it was never more than 20 metres and a rusty red in colour. An earthquake in 1896 blocked the conduit, it rallied in 1907, and it had expired again by 1920. In 1963, upon the advice of the Geysir Committee, locals cleaned out the blocked conduit through the bottom of the basin, drilling a 40-metre hole, and ever since the geyser has been one of the most frequent and reliable natural geysers in the world. Discharge from the spring, or rather from the borehole, is currently 2.5 litres per second.
Until 1894, the geothermal area was owned by a local farmer, who then sold it to James Craig (later Lord Craigavon), a whiskey distiller from Ulster and future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Craig initially erected large fences around the site and charged an entrance fee, but he gave the whole area away to his friend E. Craig, who dropped the entrance fees. Craig's nephew Hugh Rogers eventually inherited the site and in 1935 sold it to film director Sigurður Jónasson, who donated it to the Icelandic people.
In a previous post, I explained why a “blood moon” eclipse is tinted red… this image of a sunrise might explain it a little better. This was taken at the East Fork Overlook at milepost 418.3 along the Blue Ridge Parkway. On the tripod, the camera was at an elevation of nearly exactly 5,000 feet… that makes the horizon where the Sun popped up roughly 85 miles away from the lens. This was shot fullframe with a 400 mm lens, so the distance is compressed, but it shows the effect of denser atmosphere concerning the penetration of sunlight.
Officially, according to the European Space Agency, Earth’s atmosphere extends to 60 miles straight overhead. The atmosphere consists of gasses, mostly nitrogen and oxygen, water vapor, and dust. On a clear day, sunlight when the Sun is at zenith is not merely white but scattered throughout the color spectrum. The reason a leaf on a tree is green is because that leaf absorbs all wavelengths of light except green, which is reflected. The sky is blue not because it’s reflecting blue, but rather that it absorbs only blue light and is transparent… of all the colors, blue has the shortest wavelength of visible light. All the longer wavelengths just shoot right through.
Looking directly to the horizon as in this image, the depth of the atmosphere is nearly 145 miles… more atmosphere absorbs more light, yet the longer wavelength of red light easily affects the visible light of this sunrise. The red band on the Sun is due to a layer of vapor in the distance which scatters just about all visible light but red. Red pouring off that Sun sitting on the distant ridge looks quite like a beacon… it’s bright enough that the fog between mountaintops is reflecting it a bit. Other than evident vapor in the air to the east, there was no cloud cover in that direction on this morning. There’s a steep cliff to my back as I shot this, so I couldn’t tell about cloud coverage in that direction… but if there were clouds in that direction, they would have reflected the deep red light apparent here, and perhaps even more as they would be even further from the horizon. I hope this makes sense.
Yesterday’s project submission (Imani) will explain how I met Kya. We were in the new Student Learning Centre of Ryerson University in downtown Toronto. Kya had declared herself camera shy and basically threw her cousin under the bus when I made my project request. Once I photographed Imani, however, Kya got brave and gave it a go.
I posed Kya facing alongside the windows of the Learning Centre and Imani held my reflector to even out the light a bit. Kya was not that comfortable in front of my camera so I really appreciated her yielding to my friendly entreaties to give it a try. We took a few photos with her hat on and a few without. In an effort to relax things I asked some questions about the wonderful hairstyles both girls had and found out that it’s a rather time-consuming process that one wouldn’t want to have to redo more often than necessary. I followed up by saying “I hope I’m not being too nosey but I’ve always been curious about that hairstyle and figured here was my chance to ask.” They didn’t seem to mind and I wound up feeling pretty darned lucky to be a man. The money I don’t spend on my hair is available for buying coffees.
After the photos were taken, we returned to the spot where Iman and Kya had been sitting and where I had dumped my coat, hat, and bag. Once I completed my interview of Imani, she had to go to class so I proceeded to get acquainted with Kya. That’s when I learned that they are cousins, not classmates.
Kya is also 18 and attending university in Montreal where she lives. She is planning to go into Social Services which is my own former profession so we chatted a bit about that. She wants to specialize in youth services and I mentioned that I worked for several years in a child and family clinic before specializing in adults. When I asked about Kya’s name she said her mother told her she heard the name in a Bob Marley song and liked it. It is a very nice name.
In addition to school, Kya is an accomplished athlete and plays on two basketball teams. I don’t follow basketball but she is a point guard and clearly takes her athletics seriously. In terms of personality, Kya told me she’s an adventurous sort who doesn’t like staying indoors a lot but is known for always being on the go and really knowing her way around downtown Montreal. Her friends are always surprised when they consult her on urban questions because she usually knows where things are and what’s happening. Her biggest challenge? She said it’s balancing out her social time, her sports time, and her study time. She feels pulled strongly in all directions so she is working on finding the successful balance.
She has been in Toronto for a week to visit her cousin and has been having a fun time but will soon have to return to Montreal to resume school and basketball. Thank you Kya for taking a chance and participating in my 100 Strangers project. It was fun meeting you and your cousin. You are #729 in Round 8 of my project. I’m glad you’ve had a fun time in Toronto and I hope you will return to Montreal a little less camera-shy. You took a lovely portrait.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by the other photographers in our group at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
By now it was raining quite hard, so I grabbed a couple of shots from the other side of the road before going in.
Hello I said to the churchwarden, we've come to photograph the church.
Oh I don't know if that's possible, you might be journalists. What do you want the pictures for?
I explained about the website and liking churches and that we had come from Dover to see this church. I gave he my Moo card, and she said it was OK. And then would not shut up, she told us all about the history of the church, the town, businesses. All nice, but I wanted to snap the church.
In the end, Jools took over and I set about snapping. And very fine it is too.
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A huge church that is accessed most days through the coffee shop next door. Saxon in its origins it was extended many times as befits a market town on the main London-Dover road. Today it consists of nave and chancel with aisles and chapels. Much remodelled in the nineteenth century (by Blomfield) and again late in the 20th it may lack atmosphere, but it certainly does not lack appeal.... or its part in national history. The body of Henry V rested here overnight on its journey back from France in 1422. Behind the painting in a medieval vestry, itself a rarity. There are lots of brasses and a large monument to John Spilman who introduced papermaking here in the seventeenth century. In the south chapel is a huge wall painting of St. George - the largest medieval painting in Kent.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Dartford+1
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DARTFORD
LIES the next parish eastward from Crayford, on the high road from London to Dover, about fifteen miles from the former. It was called in Saxon Derentford, in Latin Derenti Vadum, signifying the forde or passage over the river Derent. (fn. 1) In Domesday it is written Tarentefort.
THIS PARISH takes within its bounds almost the whole both of Dartford-heath and the Brent. It contains about 4300 acres of land. The town has about four hundred houses and about two thousand five hundred inhabitants. The upland parts of the parish are but thin and gravelly, the crops of which are greatly increased by the culture of turnips; the vallies are a sertile and rich loam, the northern part of the parish is marsh land, which reaches to the Thames, containing about eight hundred acres, none of which is ever ploughed. The town of Dartford is situated in a valley, between two hills, which rise suddenly and sleep at each end of it. On that at the western extremity are chalk pits, which have been worked underneath to a considerable extent, and have rather a fearful and dangerous appearance to travellers; the opposite hill is a deep sandy loam. Dartford is at present a handsome and wealthy town, still increasing in size and inhabitants, the principal street of which is the great thoroughfare from London to Dover, on which there are built several good inns. From this street southward branches off the high road through Farningham to Sevenoke, in which stands Horseman's-place, now used, with the gardens, by a public gardener; northward from the high street is the Water-lane (so called from the little stream, the Cranford, which rises about a mile and a half southward of the town, at Hawley, which runs through it) and leads to the wharss at the water side, not far distant from which stands the Place-house, formerly the priory, with the buildings belonging to it, now used as a farm house and offices, adjoining to which is a piece of land, inclosed with a wall, formerly belonging to the priory, exceeding rich, which has been for many years been made use of as a public garden ground. The artichokes growing in it are noted for being the largest and best flavoured of any brought to the London markets, and are called, for distinction sake, the Dartford artichoke.
There is a good market for corn and provisions here on a Saturday, weekly; and a fair yearly, on the 2d and 3d of August. The old market house and shambles stood very inconveniently in the middle of the high street, but they were removed some years ago, and the present market place and shambles were built more commodiously elsewhere, by public subscription, to the great embellishment of the town, and the satisfaction of all travellers; at the same time the old uneasy pavement through the town was removed, and a new road of gravel made in its room, with a handsome footway of curbed stone on each side; near the east end of it stands the church, almost adjoining to the river Darent, which here crosses the high road under a handsome bridge. In king Edward III.'s reign there appears to have been no bridge here, the passage or ferry over the Darent at this place being valued among the rents of the manor; however, there was one built before the end of king Henry VI.'s reign, but it was one most narrow, steep, and dangerous for travellers, which continued so till not many years since it was altered to its present more commodious state, at the public charge of the county. A little below this bridge, the Darent becomes navigable for barges; and at the distance of about two miles, receiving the Cray into its channel, at a like distance empties itself into the Thames. On this creek there was formerly a considerable fishery, as appears by the records before mentioned; for so late as king James I.'s reign, the royal manor of Dartford received for the fishery six salmons yearly, a kind of fish now unknown here; and the manor of Dartford priory received a yearly rent of fifty pounds for a fishery likewise here at the same time; but no fishery at this time exists, nor has for many years past.
The trade and manufacture carried on by the several mills on the Darent contribute much to the flourishing state this town is in at present; for besides the powder-mills, first erected by Sir John Spilman as a paper mill, as before mentioned, situated a quarter of a mile above the town; there is a paper mill at a small distance below it, where there was one so early as 1590, erected by one Geoffry Box of Liege, for the cutting of iron bars into rods, being the first supposed to be erected for this purpose in England, and for the more easy converting of that metal to different uses; lower down, at the east end of the town, are two corn mills, and farther below bridge the ruins of the mill, employed as a cotton manufactory, which was burned down in 1796, and now lies in ruins. It was before made use of as a sawing mill, and before that as a brasel mill, for the slitting of iron bars into rods, nails, &c. being first erected for that purpose by John Browne, soon after the death of king Charles I. Near this is the public wharf, to which hoys and barges come up from the Thames. To this wharf is brought the produce of the woods in this neighbourhood, which are of considerable extent, and the manufactures, which are here shipped for the London market, as are the goods for the subsistence of the town and vicinity of it from the metropolis.
In the return of the survey, made of the several maritime places, in this county, by order of queen Elizabeth, in her 8th year, Dartford is said to contain houses inhabited, 182; persons lacking habitation, 6; keys or landing places; 4; ships and boats, 7; three of three tons, one of six, two of ten, one of fifteen; persons for carriage from Dartford to London, and so back again, 14; Sir Thomas Walsingham, steward of the town; Mr. Asteley, keeper of the queen's house; John Beer's; the wardens of Rochester-bridge.
In the reign of king Henry III. the archbishop of Cologne was sent hither, with several noblemen, by the emperor Frederick, to demand Isabella, the king's sister, in marriage, which was solemnised by proxy in this town, and she was then delivered to them, to be carried over. In 1331, king Edward III. at his return from France, held a famous tornament in this town. In the 5th year of king Richard II. a great commotion of the common people begun at this place, occasioned by Wat Tyler's having beat out the brains of one of the collectors of the poll tax, on account of his insolent behaviour to his daughter. The people, who were in general discontented, being inflamed by this circumstance, broke out into open rebellion, and he soon found himself at the head of one hundred thousand men. (fn. 2)
Thus attended, he marched directly to London, freeing, in the mean time, the prisoners detained in the public goals; among these was a priest, in the neighbourhood of Maidstone, one John Ball, vulgarly called John Straw, who, by his seditious sermons, had raised the people's sury to the utmost heighth, insomuch that, in conformity to his maxims, they resolved to destroy all the nobility and lawyers in the realm, for he had persuaded them that all men, being the sons of Adam, there ought to be no distinction; and, confequently, it was their duty to reduce the world to a perfect equality; in consequence of which he preached to the people on these rhymes:
"When Adam delse, and Eve span,
"Who was then a gentleman ?"
The king, hearing they were advanced as far as Blackheath, sent to know their demands, to which, returning a most insolent answer, they immediately marched towards London, and took possession of the borough of Southwark; and the gates of London bridge being thrown open to them by the citizens, they entered the city, where they committed every scene of barbarity that could be expected from such a body, guided solely by their sury. They then seized on the Tower, where they sound the archbishop and the lord treasurer, whom they immediately beheaded. Upon this the king, dreading the consequences of so powerful a body, repaired to Smithfield, with some few attendants, and sent a knight to Tyler, to come there and confer with him, which this rebel, with much deliberation, at last complied with. At this conference he behaved with such insolence, that William Walworth, lord mayor of London, who attended the king, without considering the consequences that would attend it, discharged such a blow at the rebel's head with his sword, that he instantly fell dead at his feet. However, contrary to expectation, the multitude were so terrified, that they threw down their arms, and sued for mercy; and were all, in the space of a few minutes, dispersed, without the effusion of any blood, except of their leader. (fn. 3)
About a mile south-westward from the town is the large plain, called DARTFORD. HEATH, containing about 500 acres of land. It lies high, and on a fine gravelly soil; on it there are a great many of those pits and holes so frequent in these parts. Some of these reach below the gravel as low as the chalk, others no farther than the sand and gravel; many of them have been stopped up of late years, to prevent the frequent accidents which happen of men and cattle falling into them. The occasion of their being first dug has been already explained, under the adjoining parish of Crayford. This heath has been much noted of late, as being the spot chosen by the corps of Toxopbilites, under the appellation of the Royal Kentish Bowmen, for whose use a house has been fitted up at the western side of the heath, not far from Baldwin's, and is now distinguished by the name of the Lodge, being the scene of their exercise and recreation; at which times, on their gala days, butts, apartments, and company, have made the most splen did and costly appearance. It is as delightful and pleasant a spot as any in these parts.
Less than half a mile eastward from the town, the high road to Rochester crossing it, lies another heath, called DARTFORD-BRENT, vulgarly the BRIMPT. This place is famous for the encampment of the army of Richard Plantagenet, duke of York, in 1452, whilst he waited to obtain a parley with king Henry VI. who then lay encamped on Blackheath. In the year 1648 General Fairfax's army rendevouzed here.
The ROMAN-ROAD shews itself very conspicuously on the south side of the high road between Dartford and the Brent, and when it comes to the latter, it shapes its course more to the south south-east, leaving the high road at a greater distance, on the lefthand, and entering among the inclosures and woods, in its way to a hamlet called Stonewood, it goes on to Wingfield-bank, and thence to Shinglewell, towards Rochester.
At a small distance southward from the Romanroad on the Brent, close to the road to Greenstedgreen, are three small barrows, which seem to have been plundered of their contents.
¶The gravel-pit at the entrance of the Brent from Dartford was, whilst the affizes were held in this town, which was frequently, at the latter end of queen Elizabeth's reign, the place for the public execution of criminals; and in 1772, in digging for gravel here, eight human skeletons were sound, lying contiguous to each other; most probably the remains of some of those unhappy convicts. This spot was likewise made use of in the reign of queen Mary, for the execution of those who suffered for religion.
Our HERBALISTS have taken notice of several scarce plants and herbs sound here:
The camæpytis, herb ivy, or ground pine, not only here, but in the adjoining parishes.
Ruta muraria five salvia vitæ, stone rue, or rue maidenbair, on the wall of the church-yard.
Aphaca, small yellow fetch, in the corn-fields about this place.
Buckthorne, in the bedges of this place.
The juniper tree grows in plenty on the downs southward of Dartford-brent.
Mentastrum, horse mint; valde ramosum flore violaceo rubro.
Orchis five tragorchis max. the greatest goat stones, between Crayford and Dartford.
Orchis hermaphroditica, the butterfly satirion; testiculus vulpinus spegodes, the humble bee orchis; orchis melittias, the bee orchis; orchis myodes, the fly satirion; are found on the downs, southward of Dartford brent.
The lizard orchis, has been found in the lane between Dartford and Darent.
Several forts of the orchis ornithophora are found in the meadows adjoining the river Darent, southward of this town.
Trisolium stellatum glabrum, smooth starry headed tresoil, in Dartford salt marshes. (fn. 4)
Charities.
THOMAS AUDITOR, alias BARNARD, gave by will, in 1536, an annuity of 3s. to buy peas, to be distributed among the poor, in the first week in Lent, payable out of four acres of land, called Docklincrost, which bequest has not been paid for many years.
WILLIAM VAUGHAN gave by deed, in 1596, a rent, to be distributed quarterly to the most poor inhabitants of Dartford, out of a house and garden, vested in trustees, and of the annual produce of 13l. 4s.
JEROME WARRAM gave by will, in 1570, for the use of the poor, a house and garden, in the occupation of Mrs. Bugden, of the annual produce of 5s.
MRS. CATHARINE BAMME gave by deed, in 1572, among other charitable bequests, 20s. to the poor of this parish, to be paid out of an messuage and lands in Gillingham, vested in Edward Taylor, of the annual produce of that sum.
JOHN BYER gave by will, in 1572, for the habitation of the poor of this parish, nine alms houses, in Lowfield, adjoining southward to Horseman's-place, and endowed them with a barn and several pieces of land, in the occupation of Mrs. Glover and Mr. Fleet; the former at 17l. the latter at 5l. annual rent, and for the habitation of four poor aged people, and 20d. to be paid quarterly to each of them; now inhabited by paupers; annual produce 1l. 6s. 8d.
JOHN BARTON gave by will, in 1613, the interest of 130l. yearly, to be bestowed on bread, and distributed to the poor by the vicar and churchwardens. N. B. With this money, in 1623, the parish purchased by deed, of Francis Goldsmith and others, thirteen acres of land in Crayford parish, and a house in Dartford, the former vested in William Flint and others, at 12l. per annum rent; the latter in William Nettlefold, at 11l. 10s. per annum; on condition that 20s. should be yearly distributed to the poor on Shrove Sunday, as his gift, out of the rents of the lands purchased of him by Barton's money. He agreed to abate 15l. out of the purchase money; annual produce 1l.
WILLIAM REYNOLDS and WILLIAM HARRISON gave by will, in 1623, the interest of 50l. and 10l. to be laid out in bread, and distributed among the poor every Sunday in the year,
N. B. With these two gifts were purchased a house and piece of land belonging to it, which house has been taken down, and four new houses have been built on the ground, with monies borrowed upon them, which money the rents have discharged. The houses are let to several tenants, at the yearly rent of 5l. each; 2s. worth of bread have been yearly distributed every Sunday, out of the rent of these houses, as was stipulated when they were purchased; the annual produce 20l. per annum.
ROBERT ROGERS gave by deed, in 1629, rent to be distributed among the poor on Easter Monday, payable out of a house and yard, vested in Mrs. Catharine Tasker; annual produce 4l.
JONATHAN BRETT gave by deed, in 1629, for the relief of the poor inhabitants of this parish, four acres of land, vested in Mr. George Hardres, of the annual produce of 9l.
THOMAS COOPER in 1629, gave an annuity, to be distributed to the poor in bread, payable out of woodland in Bexley parish, in the occupation of James Craster, of the annual produce of 1l.
ANTHONY POULTER gave by will, in 1629, an annuity of 20s. to be distributed by the minister and churchwardens on Easter day, payable out of a house in Dartford, occupied by Mrs. Pettit, of the annual produce of 1l.
JOHN TWISLETON, esq. gave by deed, in 1660, certain rent, to be applied, one-third of it to the alms houses, and the other twothirds to be given to the poor, issuing out of three acres of land, in the occupation of Edward Rawlins, of the annual produce of 5l. 6s. 3d.
JOHN ROUND, in 1682, gave an annuity, to be distributed among the poor on Christmas day, payable out of the Bell inn, in Dartford, in the occupation of John Elliot, of the annual produce of 1l.
THE REV. CHARLES CHAMBERS gave by will, in 1745, the sum of 50l. vested in the 3 per cents. the interest to be distributed by the minister on Christmas day, among twenty-four poor persons, twenty of whom to be widows, annual produce 1l. 10s.
JOHN RANDALL gave by will, in 1771, 200l. now vested in the 3 per cent. the interest to be distributed among poor housekeepers and widows, at 5s. each; annual produce 7l. 8s. 6d. and he gave 100l. since, vested in like manner, the interest to be laid out in bread, and distributed to the poor on Sundays; annual produce 3l. 14s. 3d.
A PERSON UNKNOWN gave three houses for poor parishioners, to dwell in, now inhabited by paupers.
A PIECE OF LAND, on part of which the present workhouse was erected in 1728, by voluntary subscriptions; the other part, used as a garden to it, was given by a person unknown.
This land was let in 1720, for the use of the poor at 1l. per ann.
CHRISTOPHER HEATH gave lands to the next of kin of Ellen Sherrington, on condition that they should pay yearly out of them, to the use of the poor, 1l. 6s. 8d. and to the churchwardens and their successors, to the reparation of the church, 1l. 13s. 4d.
JOHN BEALE, of Swanscombe, devised 40s. per annum, towards the maintenance of a schoolmaster in Dartford, to be paid out of a messuage, called Hamanslay's, in Halsted, formerly occupied by William Watson.
THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the deanry of Dartford, and diocese of Rochester. The church, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, stands near the east end of the town, and is a large handsome building, consisting of three isles' and two chancels. In 1793, the whole church was repaired and beautified by the parishioners, at the expence of twelve hundred pounds. The pavement within the altar rails, with the painting and gilding over it, was done at the charge of Charles Manning, gent. in 1702. The tower is at the west end of it, in which there is a clock and a good ring of bells; one of which, of the smaller size, used till of late to be constantly rung, as of old custom, at four o'clock every morning, and again at the time of curfew at night.
The church yard formerly surrounded it, but some few years ago that part of it, which was on the southerin side, was given to the public to make the road more commodious for passengers. There is another burying-ground belonging to this church at some little distance from it, adjoining the high London road at the top of the hill, eastward of the town, of which further mention will be made. It is situated on so high an eminence, that it overlooks even the top of the tower of the church.
Among other monuments and inscriptions in this church, are the following: In the great chancel, on the north side of the altar is a monument for Sir John Spilman, inclosed with iron railing; on it are his essigies in armour and that of his lady, kneeling at a desk, each with a book open, and over their heads, on a tablet of black marble, with an inscription in German text for both of them; he died in 1607; on the top of the monument his arms, Or, a serpent wreathed in pale azure, crested, gules, on a mount in base, vert, two slaunches, gules, each charged with three lions passant, or; beneath, on the tomb, are two coats, Spilman, as above, impaling argent, a man cloathed sable, with a long cap on, holding in his hand an olive branch proper, and standing on a mount, inverted, gules. On the south side of the chancel, an altar tomb, inclosed with rails, and inscription, for Clement Petit, esq. of Joyes, in this parish, whose paternal seat was at Dentelion, in Thanet, obt. 1717. Before the rails of the altar, on a grave stone, are the figures of a man and woman, in brass, under a canopy, with labels from their mouths; round the verge of the stone is an inscription in brass, in part torn away, for Richard Martyn, of Dartford, who died in 14 . . . . she died in 1402. Near it is another stone, which had the figure of a man, with a label from his mouth, and an inscription round the verge, all in brass, now lost; but an inscription in brass still remains, on a plate, for John Hornley, S. T. B. who died in 1477. On another adjoining, are the figures in brass of a woman and six children, that of the man is lost; beneath on a plate, is an inscription for capt. Arthur Bostocke, gent. who married Francis, second daughter of Francis Rogers, esq. he died in 1612. On a grave stone, before the step of the chancel, is the figure in brass, of a woman, and inscription, for Agnes, daughter of John Appleton, wife of Wm. Hesilt, one of the barons of the exchequer of Henry VI. afterwards of Robert, brother of Sir Tho. Molyngton, baron of Wemme; she died in 1454. On the south side of the chancel, a monument for Wm. Burgess, late citizen and salter of London, obt. 1640; arms, a sess sret between three rooks. On the same side, before the altar rails, a memorial for Nicholas Tooke, gent. of Dartford, obt. 1672, æt. 90; arms, Tooke, argent, on a chevton, sable, three plates of the field between three greyhounds heads erased, sable collared, or; but this is cut here very erroneous. On the north side, a memorial for Mr. Mark Fielder, 1753, æt. 91; on the south side, a memorial for Mr. Wm. Tasker, of this parish, ob. 1732; and for Wm. Tasker, jun. their second son, ob. 1733. In the south chancel, a mural monument for John Twisleton, esq. of Horseman's-place, son and heir of John Twisleton, esq. of Drax, in Yorkshire, who was uncle and heir of Sir Geo. Twisleton, bart. of Barley, in that county, the antient paternal seat of the family. A memorial for John Twisleton, esq. late of Horseman's-place, ob. 1721. At the east end an altar tomb, inclosed with wooden rails, and on the south of it an inscription for John Beer, of Dartford, who had Nicholas, Anne, and Dorothy; for Nicholas, who had Clement and Edward, and for Clement Beer, who had John and Clement, who both died, s. p. Edward Beer, their uncle, was their heir, and lived unmarried fifty-nine years, and died in 1627. On the north side, an inscription, shewing, that Christopher Twisleton, esq. of Barley, in Yorkshire, married Anne Beer, by whom he had George Twisleton, who had John Twisleton, and Edward Beer, dying, s. p. gave all his lands in Kent to John Twisleton above mentioned, who erected this monument in 1628. On the west side are two shields, one quarterly, 1st and 4th, quarterly, a canton ermine; 2d and 3d, on a fess, three garbs; the other the same arms, impaling a chevron. A grave stone, having a brass plate for John Beer, esq. of Dartford, and Alice and Joan, his wives, and also for Henry Beer, his son and heir, who married Anne Beer, widow of Rich. Howlett, gent. deceased, and had by her a son, Wm. Beer, deceased, which John Beer died in 1572, and Henry in 1574; above, are two coats in brass, both, a bear rampant, on a canton, five escallop shells. On a grave stone, the figures of a man and his two wives, with children and their shields of arms in brass, all of which are lost, excepting the second wife and four children, and a plate with the inscription, for Wm. Rothele, of Dartford, who died in 1464, and Beatrix and Joane, his wives, and their children. Another on the north side, on which were the figures of a man and woman, in brass, now lost, but part of the inscription remains, for Katryn Burlton, who died 1496, and Rich. Burlton, jantilman, her husband, who died 15 . . . the rest torn off. A mont for Margaret, relict of John Pitt, esq. predent of the S. Sea company at Vera Crux, ob. 1731, æt. 49, arms, Pitt impaling a chevron, ingrailed, betw. three eagles heads erased. In the middle isle, are several memorials of Manning; a grave stone in the south cross isle, having the figures in brass of a man between his two wives, and underneath those of fifteen children, with inscription in black letter, for Wm. Death, gent. principal of Staple's inn, who had two wives, Elizabeth and Anne, by the former he had ten sons and six daughters, ob. 1590, Elizabeth, 1582; above a shield of arms, being death, a grissin passant between three crescents, quartering four other coats. (fn. 46) In the north isle are memorials for the Round's, Woodin, Poulter, Dalling, and Chambers, all of this parish. There are many more memorials and tombs of respectable inhabitants of this populous town and parish, as well in the church as the two church yards, but they are by far too numerous for insertion in this place.
In the 7th year of king Edward III. Thomas de Woldham, bishop of Rochester, caused a new window to be made in the chancel of the church.
William the Conqueror confirmed the gift which Hamo his steward had made of the church of Tarentford, in the king's manor, to the church of St. Andrew of Rochester; (fn. 47) which king Henry I. confirmed, with the churches appendant to it, and the tithes of this parish in corn, pannage, cattle, money, and in all other things, in like manner as St. Austin held the church of Middleton, with the tithes of that parish, in the time of his father, (fn. 48) and also the tithes of his mills in Darenteford.
Gundulph, bishop of Rochester, who was elected to that see in the reign of the Conqueror, having recovered the manors and possessions of his church, which had been dissipated and made away with, separated his own maintenance from that of the monks, in which division he allotted this church, among others, to the support of the almonry, belonging to the convent. (fn. 49) The monks did not continue long in the possession of it, for bishop Gilbert de Glanvill, who came to the see in 1185, on pretence that his predecessor had impoverished the see by his too large donations to the priory, divested them of all right to this church, which he restored to the see of Rochester; however, he reserved and confirmed to the monks their antient pension from it. (fn. 50)
Laurence, bishop of Rochester, in 1253, reserving the tithes of sheaves, and of every kind of hay, demised this church, and all the small tithes, oblations, and obventions, and the tithes of sheaves arising in gardens and curtileges not being ploughed, to the convent of Rochester, at the rent of thirty-eight marcs per annum, on condition that they supplied the cure, and they were to deduct their pension of ten marcs, paid by the rector, out of it. (fn. 51) He afterwards obtained pope Innocent IV.'s leave to appropriate this church, during his life, to the use of his table, which he complained was so slenderly provided for; that he and his family had not at times common necessaries for food; the clear receipts for the bishop's table being but five hundred marcs, which were not more than sufficient for half the expence of it, and the receipts from his manors not exceeding sixty marcs per annum. (fn. 52) This was confirmed to the bishop and his successors by pope Alexander IV. and again by Clement IV. Bishop Laurence, on the appropriation, endowed the vicarage of this church, with the small tithes of it, excepting hay, with two acres of arable, and one of meadow; and also with the tithes of sheaves growing from land dug up with the foot, as well for the support of the vicar, as the discharge of the ordinary burthens of his vicarage, and the payment of the above pension to the monks, the profits of the vicarage being then sound by a jury to be worth forty marcs sterling per annum, communibis sannis; which endowment being lost, bishop Thomas de Woldham, in 1299, confirmed it; and as the vicar had no house belonging to his vicarage, he granted him one standing on the soil belonging to the church, as a vicarage house for himself and his successors; and further, the tithe of twenty-one acres of meadow, called King's-marsh, in Dartford, heretofore taken by the bishop and his predecessors, and he decreed, that the vicar and his successors should keep and maintain the books, vestments, and other ornaments of the church, in a proper state and order, and should sustain and acknowledge all other ordinary burthens of it.
Archbishop Robert Winchelsea further endowed this vicarage with the tithe of hay, to the value of forty shillings, in satisfaction of which the whole tithe of hay, arising from the great salt march in Dartford, (excepting to the bishop of Rochester for the time being, the yearly sum of four shillings, due from the Knights Hospitallers to the bishop, as rector of this church) was decreed to the vicar, by the desinitive sentence of Walter, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1315, as an augmentation of his endowment.
Thomas de Woldham, bishop of Rochester, in the above year, granted in mortmain, to Robert Levee, vicar of Dartford, and his successors, a messuage, with its appurtenances, in Overe-street, in Dartford, which the bishop had purchased of Robert de Levee, of Frindsbury. (fn. 53) At the dissolution of the priory of Rochester, in the 32d year of king Henry VIII. the above pension of ten marcs, or 6l. 13s. 4d. was, by the king, in his 33d year, granted, among other pre emises, to his new erected dean and chapter of Rochester, who continue possessed of it at this time. The parsonage and advowson of the vicarage still remain part of the possessions of the bishop of Rochester. (fn. 54)
In the antient valuation of the bishop's revenues, this church was valued at 40l. and the bishop's mill and rent here, at 100s. In the 15th year of king Edward I.'s reign, the church was valued at forty-five marcs, and the vicarage at 100s. In the 33d of king Edward III. the church was valued at the like sum. (fn. 55)
By virtue of a commission of enquiry, in 1650, it was returned, that Dartford was a vicarage, with a house and glebe, all worth, with the privy tithes, seventy pounds per annum, master Charnock then incumbent. (fn. 56) It is a discharged living in the king's books, of the clear yearly certified value of 45l. 5s. 10½d. the yearly tenths of which are 1l. 17s. 1½d. (fn. 57)
This vicarage was, in 1736, augmented by the governors of queen Anne's bounty; at which time the Rev. Mr. Charles Chambers, vicar of Dartford, contributed one hundred pounds for that purpose. (fn. 58)
Bishop Laurence de St. Martin seems to have purchased, in the reign of king Henry III. several of the rents which now constitute the greatest part, if not the whole of the MANOR OF DARTFORD RECTORY, from Robert and Richard de Ripa, John Badecock, William de Wilmington, and others. (fn. 59)
This manor extends over both sides of the Highstreet, in Dartford, from the scite of the old marketplace to the church, and southward, in Lowfield, as far as the house of correction; all which is called the Bishop's liberty. At the leet of this manor, a constable and a borsholder are annually chosen for the liberty. There are several tenants which hold of it in socage, at small quit-rents.
In the 21st year of king Edward I. on a Quo warranto, the jury found that the bishop was feild, in right of his church, of view of frank pledge, and assize of bread and ale of his tenants in Dartford and Stone; and that the bishops, his predecessors, had been possessed of the same beyond memory.
There were TWO CHANTRIES, founded for divine services, in this parish; that of St. Edmund the Martyr, and of St. Mary, otherwise called Stampit. The former stood in the upper burial ground of this parish, which was a cimetary to it, and under this building was a charnel house. This chapel was suppressed at the same time with all other such endowments, and presently sell to ruin; but the cimetary was granted to the parish, as a place of burial for the parishioners, and continues so at this time. The advowson of this chantry was granted to the prioress and convent of Dartford priory, in the 46th year of king Edward III. at their first endowment.
John Bykenore endowed this chapel with five marcs, payable out of lands and tenements in Dartford, for the support of the chaplain of it. This chapel was under the jurisdiction of the archdeacon of the diocese.
¶The latter chantry of the Blessed Virgin St. Mary was subject to the official of the diocese. (fn. 60) It was founded by Thomas de Dertford, alias Art Stampett, vicar of this parish, in 1338, for one chaplain, to celebrate divine offices daily in the parish church of Dartford, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, and for the health of his soul, &c. and he appointed Ralph de Felthorpe the first chaplain of it, and endowed it with several lands and tenements, to the amount of one hundred and twenty acres, (fn. 61) in Dartford, the chaplain paying twelve pence yearly to the vicar of Dartford and his successors; and he gave the patronage of it, and the nomination of a chaplain to it in future, to the bishop of Rochester and his successors; which was confirmed by the bishop and the prior and chapter of Rochester the same year. (fn. 62) In the year 1553, Robert Bacon, incumbent of this chantry, had a pension of six pounds per annum.
The work of ESA's 'Mars Yard' for planetary rover testing, part of ESTEC’s Planetary Robotics Laboratory, explained to visitors during the Sunday 4 October 2015 ESTEC Open Day by Gianfranco Visentin, head of ESA’s Automation and Robotics section (far left).
Credit: ESA-G. Porter CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
The "reveal" video explaining my Lego color-changing technique is now in production! Shot entirely on an iPhone, so that'll give you an idea of the production values involved here. Just enjoyed a long hot day of filming, mostly under the hot lights of my Lego workshop, although I did manage to get outside at one point, for a nice horrorshow spot of the old "ultra-v"!
Danielle Paterson and Harrison Cole in 'Guy Fawkes It Up!" by Laughing Mirror theatre company, at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.
The play was directed by Chad Porter. I know both Harrison and Chad from last year's Fringe when they were in 'The Baffling Adventures of Question-Mark Man'.
*and other music too!
I wanted to illustrate how pretty much all of my favourite current bands are all connected. This is the result.
There is doubtless some obvious bands I've missed out, so let me know if you think they should be included!
Also, ask if you need any of the connections explaining!
AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR on Nikon 1 J5 using FT1 adaptor. 60 frame focus stack shot as JPEG Basic Small with Nikon Z6 and AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G.
Busy, busy, busy! That explains my week. This is the cake that I made for the wedding I was also photographing yesterday... my cupcake partner and I were suppose to be making the cupcakes too but the bride was over budget so backed out about 10 days before the wedding. C'est la vie. I guess. The groom said it was "f*cking incredible" and the bride said it was perfect and amazing. Her aunt made about 100 (free) chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting that went around it (The bride and groom both confirmed that there was no comparison that mine was way better - it's true btw confirmed by several people lol)
Haha, the title is... I don't know how to explain it. I was at a tennis tournament last weekend, and I heard a kid yell that when he hit a winner, and it's become quite the catch-phrase.
This is probably the best I can do until I get my 7D and a few lenses. This is a little section of my town that's all retro-looking. The lighting looked great, so Sarah and I parked, climbed on top of my truck's canopy, and took the shot with my phone. She got a picture of me "in action." See it HERE.
I tilt-shifted this one. :)
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Explainer: While I wish I could fully dress, wig-up and make-up regularly, those days are rare. So I post these AI renderings. FYI: the photos are AI generated, from actual photos of me, enhanced slightly with FaceApp and then dressed from outfits I see and love on the interweb. Enjoy them or not! I do, that's all that matters! Love, Crystal
When Majorette took over the owners of the Portugese Novacar range of plastic diecasts they continued the line for a few more years as a budget alternative. When I received this kind charity shop found gift a few days ago I assumed it would say Novacar on the baseplate but instead Majorette.
Using plastic didn't diminish the crispness of this casting and probably explains why there are no paint chips even after all these years!
On to another one of the 37 historic properties of Historic New England. This house takes us to the state of Rhode island which, as any good New Englander knows, is almost akin to being in Europe because Rhode Island is quirky and different. I can't really explain that sensation but if you have ever been in Rhode Island you know what I mean.
Learn a lot more about this house and HNE by starting your web visit here:
www.historicnewengland.org/property/clemence-irons-house/
I could put in thousands of words of text here about the property but I won't because no one reads this crap I write anyhow. Visit the link above and if you truly care about what I share here then consider joining this association and help preserve these house museums for the next generations.
In the Garret, Carolyn doing her thing, my doing my best to restrain myself.
.. how scientific claims behind cancer, vaccines, psychiatric drugs and GMOs are nothing more than corporate funded science fraud
Sadly, what often passes for “science” today in the world of health is little more than “Scientism” — a dangerous cult founded on...
Let's show the world we can dance... Bad enough to strut our stuff... The music gives us a chance... We do more out on the floor
Groovin' loose or heart to heart... We put in motion every single part... Funky sounds wall to wall
We're bumpin' booties havin us a ball y'all
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.......***** All images are copyrighted by their respective authors ......
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.....item 1a).... youtube video ... Peaches & Herb - Shake Your Groove Thing(extended version) ...
6:42 minutes ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=45GTRrz2L6s
fab70smusic
Published on Mar 2, 2012
UK hit 1979 peaked at No.26, 10 weeks on chart
Category
Music
License
Standard YouTube License
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.....item 1b)....song lyrics ... LyricsMode.com ... www.lyricsmode.com ...
Peaches And Herb
Shake Your Groove Thing lyrics
www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/peaches_and_herb/shake_your_g...
Shake it, shake it
Shake your groove thing
Shake your groove thing, yeah yeah
Show 'em how we do it now
Shake your groove thing
Shake your groove thing, yeah yeah
Show 'em how we do it now
Show 'em how we do it now
Let's show the world we can dance
Bad enough to strut our stuff
The music gives us a chance
We do more out on the floor
Groovin' loose or heart to heart
We put in motion every single part
Funky sounds wall to wall
We're bumpin' booties havin us a ball y'all
Shake your groove thing
Shake your groove thing, yeah yeah
Show 'em how we do it now
(repeat)
We've got the rhythm tonight
All the rest know we're the best
Our shadows flash in moonlight
Twistin', turnin', we keep burnin'
Shake it high or shake it low
We take our bodies where they want to go
Feel that beat, never stop
Or hold me tight, spin me like a top
Shake your groove thing
Shake your groove thing, yeah yeah
Show 'em how we do it now
(repeat)
There's nothing more that I like to do
Than take the floor and dance with you
Keep dancin'
Let's keep dancin'
Shake it, shake it
Shake it, shake it
Groovin' loose or heart to heart
We put in motion every single part
Funky sounds wall to wall
We're bumpin' booties havin us a ball y'all
Shake your groove thing
Shake your groove thing, yeah yeah
Show 'em how we do it now
Shake your groove thing
Shake your groove thing, yeah yeah
Show 'em how we do it now, yeah
Shake it
Show 'em how we do it now, yeah
Shake it, shake it
More lyrics: www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/peaches_and_herb/#share
.
.
.
..............................................................................................................................................................................................
.
......item 2).... Snapchat, solipsism and stupid cups
... FSU News ... www.fsunews.com/ ...
Jun. 26, 2013 |
.
..........................
img code photo ... What’s the better experience
cmsimg.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CD&D...
What’s the better experience: playing with the dog or snapping the dog to share with friends? / Perry Kostidakis / FSView
..........................
.
FILED UNDER
FSU News
FSU News Views
www.fsunews.com/article/20130627/FSVIEW03/130626021/Snapc...
Phones don’t belong in cups. Tables, desks, car cupholders, possibly pockets (still haven’t figured that one out, have we science?) are all suitable locations for phones. Cups, not so much. However, that is where I discovered mine after a lovely night out in Orlando’s finest establishment. If you desire an image of this bar, think Potbelly’s, but replace the FSU athletes with the broiest of bros and picture it somehow more trashy. It was lovely.
Anyway, the phone in the cup problem is the point here. I’d like to imagine my phone wanted a cozy cover to sleep away the night’s fun dreaming of future Snapchat selfies and inappropriate late-night texting conversations…but no, this is a nightmare where the camera lens is cloudy with moisture and the shutter refuses to open on my iPhone. All is for the worst in the worst of all possible worlds.
The moisture’s bastardly tentacles had only seeped its way to infiltrating my phone and corresponding apps, which meant one thing in particular—no more Snapchat. Okay, full disclosure: I’m sort of a Snapchat whore. I can’t explain its addictive quality, but I now I was like a meth addict on the Heisenberg Blue special the first time I snapped. Okay fuller disclosure: I’m a mass Snapchatter. When I made videos of myself singing Beyonce’s “Ego (Remix) with Kanye West in the mirror without a shirt, sunglasses off, wearing a participation medal from an adventure race like it was my Jesus piece, I felt compelled to share with everyone. I had to give the people what they wanted. They just didn’t know they had wanted that.
But this “no camera” problem posed a particularly difficult situation: I was headed to Itchetucknee Springs with my high school friends. Not to get overly sentimental or anything (a.k.a. that’s exactly what I’m about to do), but, as incoming seniors, this was sort of a last hurrah for us. Of course I wanted some photos to keep (and upload on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and to Snapchat obviously).
While on our car ride to Itchetucknee, a couple of my friends started Snapchatting my caravan, almost as a direct taunt to me. They knew my addiction, they knew my current withdrawals, yet they flashed that wondrous white ghost dancing in front of the kaleidoscope-flashing colors. I missed my ghost friend.
But then my buddy Tom launched an interesting quandary at us: “Speaking as someone looking from the outside on this, isn’t Snapchat kind of strange? Photos are supposed to capture memories, or at least they used to, but Snapchats disappear after like five seconds.”
And he’s right—Snapchat, once you take a step back from the narcissistic, instant gratification of it, is pretty dumb. Some joke Snapchat was created for nude pics sent, but that would entail somebody sending a single Snapchat to a specific person. Unless it’s a response, that never happens. When it comes to sending out those Mission Impossible, self-destructive photos, everyone exists on different tiers, at least that’s how it is for me. It’s Google-Plus circles, except people actually use them.
1) Elite Tier:
Reserved for childhood best friends and possible/current love interests. If we’re dating, you’re receiving every, single Snapchat I send. You will not forget my bushy face.
2) Buddy Tier:
Reserved for people I regularly hang out with and know of my daily adventures (a.k.a. what I read on the Internet that day). These friends receive a large majority of Snapchats, but if things get too personal or emotional, I’m leaving them out of it.
3) Acquaintance Tier:
Reserved for those friends only tolerable for a day or two every three weeks. You’re receiving this Snapchat from me because I need attention and if my buddies or girlfriend don’t respond, you’re my last hope to stroke my ego. Please don’t let me down.
4) D-Tier:
Otherwise known as #drunj tier. If you are in my Snapchat contact list, and I have had a few, I’m sending you some pictures. I don’t care if you respond or not, because we’re not really friends, but it would be a delightful surprise if you did, like discovering an extra jelly bean in what was believed to be an empty bag.
Regardless of where you exist on those planes, each Snapchat isn’t sent to you for memory’s sake. People may have the ability to save by screenshotting, but social media has fundamentally changed our purpose for personal photography (professional photography’s intention has stayed relatively the same). We don’t snapshot our lives to remember later; we snapshot to share with others. Whether this sharing of pictures is more designated so those “friends” who see them will like those pictures on Facebook, or favorite them on Instagram and Twitter, or respond how goofy/attractive/happy/sad you look on Snapchat remains unknown. It seems like social media’s intention is to engage others and include them in our daily lives on a large scale operation. But this may come at the cost of cheapening our own experiences. Instead of simply enjoying a tube ride down the river, or a night at a bar, we’re overly concerned with others knowing we’re doing those things. How many dumb duckface selfies does this world truly need to see?
Maybe this digital era of photography isn’t so different, as we used to share those photo albums the second a relative visited, and maybe I’m just a sad solipsistic bored without Snapchat. Liquid can be a real ponderous bitch like that, sometimes.
.
.
.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
.
.
title.
In front of Brooklyn Bridge. Sunday. in the morning.
The Tokyo Big Sight booth has been decided.
It is as follows.
designfesta.com/about-artist-detail/?md=detail&id=t0%...
Booth No. H-40
■ Venue MAP (available in PDF)
designfesta.com/jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/vol49_map.pdf
If you have time, I will see you.
:)
( LUMIX G3 shot )
Manhattan . New York. USA. 2017. shot ... 4 / 6
(Today 's picture, it is unpublished.)
Images…
Cabaret Noir - Ballade Du Nuage
_________________________________
_________________________________
Profile.
In November 2014, we caught the attention of the party selected to undertake the publicity for a mobile phone that changed the face of the world with just a single model, and will conclude a confidentiality agreement with them.
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2019/02/2019-profil...
youpic.com/photographer/mitsushironakagawa/
_________________________________
_________________________________
Interviews and novels.
About my book.
I published a book in old days.
At that time, I was uploading my interview on the net on the net.
That Japanese and English.
I will make it public for free.
Details were explained to the Amazon site.
How to write a novel.
How to take pictures.
Distance to the work.
They all have a common item.
I made a sentence about what I felt, and left it.
I hope that my text can be read by many people.
Thank you.
Mitsushiro.
1 Interview in English
「interview_eng.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
2 novels. unforgettable 'English version.(This book is Dedicated to the future artist.)
「novel_unforgettable_eng.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
3 Interview Japanese version
drive.google.com/file/d/1w5l2hrV5a6lraDiC_Lz2tG_HqatqUCO5...
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
4 novels. unforgettable ' JPN version.
「novel_unforgettable_jpn.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
5 A streamlined trajectory. only Japanese.
「streamlined_trajectory.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
_________________________________
_________________________________
iBooks. Electronic Publishing. It is free now.
0.about the iBooks.
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2017/03/about-digit...
1.unforgettable '(ENG.ver.)(This book is Dedicated to the future artist.)
itunes.apple.com/us/book/unforgettable/id1216576828?ls=1&...
2.unforgettable '(JNP.ver.)(This book is Dedicated to the future artist.)
itunes.apple.com/us/book/unforgettable/id1216584262?ls=1&...
3. Streamlined trajectory.(For Japanese only.)
itunes.apple.com/us/book/%E6%B5%81%E7%B7%9A%E5%BD%A2%E3%8... =11
_________________________________
_________________________________
My Novel >> Unforgettable'
(This book is Dedicated to the future artist.)
Mitsushiro Nakagawa
All Translated by Yumi Ikeda .
images.
U2 - No Line On The Horizon Live in Dublin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oKwnkYFsiE&feature=related
There are two reasons why a person faces the sea.
One, to enjoy a slice of shine in the sea like children bubbling over in the beach.
The other, to brush the dust of memory like an old man who misses old days, staring at the shine
quietly.
Those lead to only one meaning though they do not seem to overlap. It’s a rebirth.
I face myself to change tomorrow, a vague day into something certain.
That is the meaning of a rebirth.
I had a very sweet girlfriend when I was 18.
After she left, I knew the meaning of gentleness for the first time and also a true pain of loss. After
she left, how many times did I depend too much on her, doubt her, envy her and keep on telling lies
until I realized it is love?
I wonder whether a nobody like me could have given something to her who was struggling in the
daily life in those days. Giving something is arrogant conceit. It is nothing but self-satisfaction.
I had been thinking about such a thing.
However, I guess what she saw in me was because I had nothing. That‘s why she tried to see
something in me. Perhaps she found a slight possibility in me, a guy filled with ambiguous, unstable
tomorrow. But I wasted days depending too much on her gentleness.
Now I finally can convey how I felt in those days when we met.
1/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24577016535/in/dateposted...
2/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24209330259/in/dateposted...
3/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/23975215274/in/dateposted...
4/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24515964952/in/dateposted...
5/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24276473749/in/dateposted...
6/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24548895082/in/dateposted...
7/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24594603711/in/dateposted...
8/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24588215562/in/dateposted...
9/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24100804163/in/dateposted...
Fin.
images.
U2 - No Line On The Horizon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oKwnkYFsiE&feature=related
_________________________________
_________________________________
Title of my book > unforgettable'
Author : Mitsushiro Nakagawa
Out Now.
ISBN978-4-86264-866-2
in Amazon.
www.amazon.co.jp/Unforgettable’-Mitsushiro-Nakagawa/dp/...
_________________________________
_________________________________
The schedule of the next novel.
Still would stand all time. (Unforgettable '2)
(It will not go away forever)
Please give me some more time. That is Japanese.
_________________________________
_________________________________
An exhibition in 2019.
May 18th. 19th.
theme.
Silence Is the Way.
designfesta.com/about-artist-detail/?md=detail&id=t0%...
Booth No. H-40
■ Venue MAP (available in PDF)
designfesta.com/jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/vol49_map.pdf
place. Tokyo Big Site.
Sponsoring. Design festa.
2020.
Date unknown.
DIC Kawamura Memorial Art Museum attached gallery.
place. Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture.
theme.
From that day, forever ...
_________________________________
_________________________________
flickr.
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/
_________________________________
_________________________________
YouTube.
www.youtube.com/user/mitsushiro/
_________________________________
_________________________________
instagram.
www.instagram.com/mitsushiro_nakagawa/
_________________________________
_________________________________
Pinterest.
_________________________________
_________________________________
YouPic
youpic.com/photographer/mitsushironakagawa/
_________________________________
_________________________________
fotolog
_________________________________
_________________________________
twitter.
_________________________________
_________________________________
facebook.
www.facebook.com/mitsushiro.nakagawa
_________________________________
_________________________________
Do you want to hear my voice?
:)
I updated Youtube.
It is only in Japanese.
I explained comments on photos etc.
If your time is permitted, please look.
:)
1
About the composition of the picture posted to Flicker. First type.
2
About the composition of the picture posted to Flicker. Second type.
3
About when I started Fotolog. Architect 's point of view.
Four
Why did not you have a camera so far?
Five
What is the coolest thing? The photo is as it is.
6
About the current YouTube bar. I also want to tell, I want to leave.
7
About Japanese photographers. Japanese YouTube bar is Pistols.
8
The composition of the photograph is sensibility. Meet the designers in Milan. Two questions.
9
What is a good composition? What is a bad composition?
Ten
What is the time to point the camera? It is slow if you are looking into the viewfinder or display.
11
Family photos. I can not take pictures with others. The inside of the subject.
12
About YouTube 's photographer. Camera technology etc. Sensibility is polished by reading books.
13
About the Japanese newspaper. A picture of a good newspaper is Reuters. If you continue to look at useless photographs, it will be useless.
14
About Japanese photographers. About the exhibition.
Summary. I wrote a novel etc. What I want to tell the most.
New Year’s greetings 2019.
www.youtube.com/user/mitsushiro/
_________________________________
_________________________________
Japanese is the following.
Title of my book unforgettable' Mitsushiro Nakagawa Out Now. ISBN978-4-86264-866-2
_________________________________
_________________________________
タイトル。
ブルックリンブリッジの手前。日曜日。午前中。
( LUMIX G3 shot )
２０１９年の展示。
5月１８日。１９日。
designfesta.com/about-artist-detail/?md=detail&id=t0%...
テーマ。
Silence Is the Way.
ブースNo.H-40
■会場MAP(PDFでご覧いただけます)
designfesta.com/jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/vol49_map.pdf
場所。東京ビッグサイト。
Sponsoring. Design festa.
Manhattan . New York. USA. 2017. shot ... 4 / 6
(Today 's picture, it is unpublished.)
Images…
Cabaret Noir - Ballade Du Nuage
次の小説のイメージ。
Still would stand all time.(unforgettable'2)
（いつまでもなくならないだろう）
_________________________________
_________________________________
プロフィール。
2014年11月、たった1機種で世界を塗り替えた携帯電話の広告を請け負った選考者の目に留まり、秘密保持同意書を結ぶ。
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2019/02/2019-profil...
youpic.com/photographer/mitsushironakagawa/
_________________________________
_________________________________
インタビューと小説。
僕の本について。
僕は、昔に本を出版しました。
その際に、僕のインタビューをPDFでネット上へアップロードしていました。
その日本語と英語。
僕は、無料でを公開します。
詳細は、アマゾンのサイトへ解説しました。
小説の書き方。
写真の撮影方法。
作品への距離感。
これらはすべて共通項があります。
僕は、僕が感じたことを文章にして、残しました。
僕のテキストが多くの人に読んでもらえることを望みます。
ありがとう。
Mitsushiro.
１ インタビュー 英語版
「interview_eng.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
２ 小説。unforgettable’ 英語版。
「novel_unforgettable_eng.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
３ インタビュー 日本語版
drive.google.com/file/d/1w5l2hrV5a6lraDiC_Lz2tG_HqatqUCO5...
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
４ 小説。unforgettable’ 日本語版。(この小説は未来のアーティストへ捧げます)
「novel_unforgettable_jpn.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
５ 流線形の軌跡。 日本語のみ。
「streamlined_trajectory.pdf」
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2018/08/interviews-...
_________________________________
_________________________________
iBooks.電子出版。（現在は無料）
0.about the iBooks.
stealaway.cocolog-nifty.com/stealaway/2017/03/about-digit...
1.unforgettable’ ( ENG.ver.)(This book is Dedicated to the future artist.)
itunes.apple.com/us/book/unforgettable/id1216576828?ls=1&...
For Japanese only.
2.unforgettable’ ( JNP.ver.)(この小説は未来のアーティストへ捧げます)
itunes.apple.com/us/book/unforgettable/id1216584262?ls=1&...
3.流線形の軌跡。
itunes.apple.com/us/book/%E6%B5%81%E7%B7%9A%E5%BD%A2%E3%8...
_________________________________
_________________________________
僕の小説。英語版
My Novel Unforgettable' (This book is Dedicated to the future artist.)
Mitsushiro Nakagawa
All Translated by Yumi Ikeda .
1/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24577016535/in/dateposted...
2/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24209330259/in/dateposted...
3/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/23975215274/in/dateposted...
4/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24515964952/in/dateposted...
5/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24276473749/in/dateposted...
6/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24548895082/in/dateposted...
7/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24594603711/in/dateposted...
8/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24588215562/in/dateposted...
9/9
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/24100804163/in/dateposted...
Fin.
images.
U2 - No Line On The Horizon Live in Dublin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oKwnkYFsiE&feature=related
_________________________________
_________________________________
Title of my book > unforgettable'
Author : Mitsushiro Nakagawa
Out Now.
ISBN978-4-86264-866-2
in Amazon.
www.amazon.co.jp/Unforgettable’-Mitsushiro-Nakagawa/dp/...
_________________________________
_________________________________
次の小説の予定。
Still would stand all time.(unforgettable'2)
（いつまでもなくならないだろう）
もう少し時間をください。それは日本語です。
_________________________________
_________________________________
２０１９年の展示。
5月１８日。１９日。
テーマ。
Silence Is the Way.
designfesta.com/about-artist-detail/?md=detail&id=t0%...
ブースNo.H-40
■会場MAP(PDFでご覧いただけます)
designfesta.com/jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/vol49_map.pdf
場所。東京ビッグサイト。
Sponsoring. Design festa.
２０２０年。
日時未定。
DIC川村記念美術館付属ギャラリー。
場所。千葉県佐倉市。
テーマ。
あの日から、ずっと…
_________________________________
_________________________________
flickr.
www.flickr.com/photos/stealaway/
_________________________________
_________________________________
YouTube.
www.youtube.com/user/mitsushiro/
_________________________________
_________________________________
instagram.
www.instagram.com/mitsushiro_nakagawa/
_________________________________
_________________________________
Pinterest.
_________________________________
_________________________________
YouPic
youpic.com/photographer/mitsushironakagawa/
_________________________________
_________________________________
fotolog
_________________________________
_________________________________
twitter.
_________________________________
_________________________________
facebook.
www.facebook.com/mitsushiro.nakagawa
_________________________________
_________________________________
あなたは僕の声を聞きたいですか？
:)
僕はYoutubeを更新しました。
日本語だけです。
僕は写真などの解説をしました。
もしも、あなたの時間が許されれば、見てください。
:)
1
フリッカーへ投稿した写真の構図について。１種類目。
2
フリッカーへ投稿した写真の構図について。２種類目。
3
Fotologを始めた時について。 建築家の視点。
4
なぜ、今までカメラを手にしなかったのか？
5
何が一番かっこいいのか？ 写真はありのままに。
6
現在のユーチューバーについて。僕も伝え、残したい。
7
日本人の写真家について。日本のユーチューバーはピストルズ。
8
写真の構図は、感性。ミラノのデザイナーに会って。二つの質問。
9
良い構図とは？ 悪い構図とは？
10
カメラを向ける時とは？ ファインダーやディスプレイを覗いていては遅い。
11
家族写真。他人では撮れない。被写体の内面。
12
ユーチューブの写真家について。カメラの技術等。感性は、本を読むことで磨く。
13
日本の新聞について。良い新聞の写真はロイター。ダメな写真を見続けるとダメになる。
14
日本の写真家について。その展示について。
まとめ。僕が書いた小説など。僕が最も伝えたいこと。
www.youtube.com/user/mitsushiro/
_________________________________
_________________________________
新年の挨拶ほか
ブログに書きましたが、諸事情により今回アップした動画のフルバージョンは以下です。(^O^)／
Newyearsg2019.mov - drive.google.com/file/d/1-inz3c7QVLO3rFx1YYC9X3ukH1-eTRWh...
容量が大きいのでスマフォには落とさないように注意してください(^O^)／
_________________________________
_________________________________
Japanese is the following.
Title of my book unforgettable' Mitsushiro Nakagawa Out Now. ISBN978-4-86264-866-2
_________________________________
_________________________________
E
Sports infographic explaining a new take on the physics of knucleballs. Adobe Illustrator, ink pen and watercolours.
~
~
IF you have read the previous "INVITATION" Photo page, you have already seen the invite wording here ...
This is just a new photo "cover" ... did not want to bump any previous photos ... and as mentioned, trying to be sure we don't miss anyone !!
:)
:)
OPEN INVITATION:
If you are reading / seeing this, YOU are invited!!
(Okay, everyone is ALWAYS invited to join in, every month, for this fun flickr group ... called Blythe~A~Day ;) ;)
A lot of you are probably familiar with the “Blythe A Day” flickr monthly group, wherein a NEW group is started each month, with a new Admin. and new cast of members (some are new, some have participated once or twice, some are “regulars”, having participated many, many times :) ... and so most of you know that you don't really NEED this invitation ... ;)
but consider yourself PERSONALLY invited ;) :) ... by the entire Modeling Troupe here at BFA, as we have volunteered to be the Host for the month of September 2014 :)
YES! We here at Blythe Fifth Avenue ... will be Hosting our very FIRST Blythe-A-Day flickr group, and as excited as we are, and as hopeful that you will join us ...
That being said, we concede the basic fact that a lot of us have very, very busy lives, so participating in a group like this is just out of the question ... A lot of us don't like to be held to a "schedule", much less a "theme", and we GET that ...
It is also agreed ... it CAN take up time, and it DOES take effort ... so, if this month finds you in a hectic situation ... if this is just not a good time for you to join in ... or if you simply don’t want to hassle with it ... and/or perhaps this is just not your thing, and you have no interest ...
No need to explain anything ;) ... "It's All Good" as they say :) ... please believe me when I say, “I GET IT” :)
I just wanted to share this invite/ announcement, with as many as possible ... because we really DO want you to join in ... and we would LOVE to have you !!
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The COOL thing about this flickr group is ... it is ONLY for 30 short calendar days, and then ... it's done!
You don't need a lot of props, you certainly don't need to be a professional photographer (otherwise I wouldn't be here ;) ... you don’t need to post every day ... you just need to be a person who LOVES to ENJOY your Blythe family with others who are here for the same reason ... to have fun!!
You do not have to use the same Blythe every day, you do not even have to do every single theme, every single day ... just participate in the level YOU have time for ... the members of the group are not there for any sort of competition or score keeping ;) ... we just like to participate for the FUN and shared love of BLYTHE :)
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And ... last but not least ... I would like to thank each of you ... in advance ... for considering joining in the fun this month ... and why I am inviting as many dolly friends I can reach ... to help come and "hold my hand" during this ... my "inaugural" attempt at being the "Host" for this flickr Blythe-A-Day monthly group!!
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Sooooo... if you're looking for a good excuse to show off (I mean, SHARE) ... your wonderful Blythe family ... this is it! :)
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ACTUAL DAY-TO-DAY THEME LIST is posted below, AND can be seen in the flickr group page by following the link ...
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And I am serious: This is JUST an announcement :) ~ No RSVP required ... IF we see you, we see you ... if not ... well, you will be missed :) :) xo
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LINK TO GROUP:
www.flickr.com/groups/september2014blythe-a-day/
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Olivia was crossing the street when I approached her. I quickly explained my project and she said yes!
I asked her:
How would your friends describe you?
"Independent, adventurous and a clear sense of direction."
Olivia is currently studying a masters degree in environmental engineering - specialising in water treatment. She hopes to one day put the environment back to the way it was before human intervention.
"I want to be at the forefront of helping the environment and assist in any way I can."
She visited China for 6 weeks in the summer and was saddened that there really isn't anything in place by the government to improve the quality of the environment over there and that in possibly around 35 years, everything would probably need to be rebuilt.
"We all breathe the same air. The pollution in Asia affects everyone even in the States and in Europe."
She seemed passionate about the topic and hopes to make a difference to the environment, be it research or working on projects in a different part of the world.
I showed her the photos I took of her and offered to send them to her. As I was taking down her email, we then discussed the use of smartphones:
"I don't want to be reached all the time. I used to keep my phone on complete silence but then my boyfriend got mad because I wasn't answering his calls. So now I just have my messages on silent and only my calls go through."
She's not totally against smartphones though, but whenever she goes away she tries to keep it off so she can enjoy the experiences of travel.
Thank you Olivia for taking part in the project!
**To find out more about the project and photos taken by other photographers please visit 100 Strangers Flickr Group page**