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**SOLD**
Super condition, working hand-inking proof press with large bed. Exceptional for small batch letterpress/relief printing. $650 OBO.
THE CHALLENGE MCHY CO.
GRAND HAVEN, MICH.
SERIAL # H5921
Could not find an exact spec sheet for this model, but it is most similar to a Nolan Proof Press Model 1 from the late 1950’s
vandercookpress.info/nolan.html
Date of Manufacture: Unknown Bed Size: 34.5 x 15 (Largest estimated printed sheet size around 14x28) Floor Space: 36L” x 17.5W” x 38H” + Roller Press Bed: .968 galley depth, designed to used with a galley or stick proofing Roller: hard rubber, good condition, diameter unknown, rolls freely each way Bed Condition: VG, reconditioned, no rust, no pits, smooth Cabinet: OK condition, functional, sturdy, has ink stains from living in a print shop Other: Speckled gray powercoat finish, Comes with orig side inking attachment (currently unmounted), small, handmade wood shelf inside cabinet (handy for ink cans), press sits unmounted directly on cabinet or can be placed on a table surface Weight: Unknown, the bed/cabinet are separate pieces (it’s heavy, but can be lifted/moved easily with 2 people), Location: Pick-up in Chicago, easy out to street level down one set of stairs. Can assist with moving or deliver to a nearby or reasonable midwest location for reasonable cost.
Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket in Excellent Condition - Never Used
My young son expressed an interest in starting a YouTube channel. The idea was to record his game play and post the videos to the internet, becoming the next online star, making millions and never having to do a day's real work. So, as a diligent dad, I went out and bought him this Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket, portable game recorder. Great - I was going to be able to retire early on the proceeds!
Sadly the Hauppauge was taken out of its box, toyed with for a while...and never, ever used! In fact, I don't think it was even connected up to my son's computer, and it has certainly not recorded anything.
As you will see the Rocket 1527 comes with:
* Original box and packing materials.
* All cables that came with it.
* The lapel microphone that came with it.
* All the documents and instructions that were in the box.
* The original clear protective decal on the red button is still there. It was never removed!
In two of the photos you will see a flash drive (USB "thumb drive") that did NOT come with the unit, and is NOT included in this sale. The PVR does not come with an installation disc, and the application can be googled and downloaded very easily.
On the underside of the recorder, the sticker contains, inter-alia, the following information: HD PVR Rocket 158000 LF Rev B1.
Here's the generic information on the PVR that I found on the internet:
* HD PVR Rocket is portable and USB bus powered. Record your best game play at gaming events or at your friends home: simply plug a USB thumb drive into the slot on the front of the Rocket and you can start recording from your game console or PC game system!
* Record your Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation (PS3 and PS4), PC game system or Wii U Plus game play in HD, directly to a USB thumb drive.
* HD PVR Rocket records video at up to 1080p and can record from either HDMI (without HDCP protection) or Component Video.
* HD PVR Rocket has a build-in audio mixer, so you can record game commentary while you record your video game play.
* HD PVR Rocket records at resolutions up to 1080P30 using H.264 video compression. The H.264 format is used by Blu-ray discs and exceeds other video compression standards in quality and disk space consumption, providing a crisp image and amazing digital sound.
* H.264 uses 1/3 the disk space compared with the popular MPEG-2 format. HD PVR Rocket also can be connected to your PC.
* Use the Capture application to record game play, trim your videos and upload them to YouTube.
* Record your best gaming moves without slowing down your PC. The video compression is done inside HD PVR Rocket so you can record your PC game play in HD without slowing down your PC. Simply plug the HDMI out from your PC gaming system into the HD PVR 2, and then connect HD PVR Rocket to your TV monitor.
* Also supports PC connect mode for recording and uploading to YouTube
Full details on the Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket website.
A brilliant piece of recording equipment, so grab yourself a bargain, and happy bidding!
A B & B Air Conditioning & Heating is a locally owned business in Austin, TX. We provide service like installation, repair, and maintenance in and around Austin.
With AB & B's durable systems and quality, you will always get top quality products with best service that you can think of. All our technicians are NATE certified and are always available when you need help with your heating systems.
A B & B Air Conditioning & Heating
815 Brazos St #600 Austin, TX 78701
Call: (512) 292-1334
I just got this vertical air conditioner, a Whirlpool rebadged as a RCA for the Canadian market. A few years before, they were marketed as RCA Victor. Models from about 1972 and later were made by Westinghouse.
The 1956 'Super Compact' and 'Super Dynamic' series was Emerson's most popular air conditioners of the 1950's.
Evening mist over the ice near our house.
(And don't nobody try to tell me the little Canon isn't a great camera...)
I didn't put any description of this picture for a long time due to scheduling of work. People been telling me, about why I self-mutilating, what's the idea? Someone even brought this up to be similar to the VT shooter!
Tsk tsk... I suffer dermographia. RoyalWitCheese explained the condition. So I take advantage of my condition and just wanna have some fun with it. There will be more pictures that might be similar to this in the future. I carry my own canvas in a sense. =p
Pardon for the quality of the picture. I shot this picture with my iPhone.
Day 5. 080510.
One hundred years ago, the sinking of the Titanic sent an electric shock wave through the Gilded Age of progress. People around the world are still fascinated by the disaster, seen as a parable of the human condition, inspiring countless books and a dozen movies. For better or worse, we learn about the past through historical epics which blend fact with fiction, mixing real figures with made-up characters like Jack and Rose in Titanic (1997). We’re left wondering. Which stories are true?
Even the excellent CBC documentary, Titanic: the Canadian Connection made mistakes. Crew member Emma Bliss is on a list of second-class passengers bound for Canada. Well, Mrs. Bliss arrived here eventually, settling in Toronto and living her final years in the Beach. She was a survivor, living to 93, almost as long as the fictional Rose, but she was hardly a pampered passenger. As a stewardess in first class, Mrs. Bliss catered to every whim of her wealthy guests. Like Rose, the ladies often needed a maid’s help to get in and out of their elaborate clothing. (Rose managed well enough when Jack was around!).
Each Titanic film reflects the attitudes of its era. In the 1953 Hollywood version Titanic, a couple is near the end of their relationship on a ship near the end of its life. Stewardess ‘Emma’ waits hand and foot on the fictional upper-class Sturges clan. The plot focuses on the drama of this family in crisis. The iceberg is the only villain. Even the snobbish father finds redemption. The message for a conservative America in the Atomic Age was that in times of trouble the issues that divide us are not important and we must hold fast to traditional values, such as courage and loyalty.
The truth is always a good story. The British docu-drama A Night to Remember (1958) is the most authentic of the Titanic films, depicting the events without fictional characters or subplots. For many survivors the realism was just too painful. A few months before her death in 1959, Emma Bliss was in the hospital and invited to watch a showing of the movie. She couldn’t help but cry at the painful memories the film evoked. Almost all of the stewards and three of the first-class stewardesses lost their lives.
A Night to Remember portrays the stiff-upper-lip British officers as gallant heroes saving noble aristocrats. A true-to-life scene shows yachtsman Major Arthur Peuchen climbing down ropes to help man lifeboat #6. His survival led to his undoing, branded a coward back in polite Toronto society for not being ‘gentleman’ enough to go down with the ship.
Lifeboat #6 must surely be the most famous in popular culture. In Titanic (1953), Mrs. Sturges is saved on this lifeboat, but her young son gives up his seat for a lady (in fact, #6 was lowered less than half-full.) In Titanic (1997), brash Molly Brown implores Rose to climb in, but Rose runs away. The real Margaret Brown was never called Molly in her lifetime. Her nickname was Maggie, but Molly sounded better in The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). Mrs. Brown and Major Peuchen argued with Quartermaster Robert Hichens who refused to go back to pick up people freezing to death in the icy water, saying, “It’s our lives now, not theirs.” It was Hichens who was at the wheel when the great ship hit the iceberg.
The silver screen echoes real events. Wealthy hockey player Quigg Baxter of Montreal smuggled his new girlfriend on board under an assumed name, a forbidden love across class divisions. Quigg introduced Belgian cabaret singer Berthe Mayne to his mother and sister at lifeboat #6. His last words were, “Look after her, au revoir.”
James Cameron’s epic Titanic (1997) is a star-crossed love story set onboard a ship run by incompetent officers and heartless aristocrats. In this romanticized account, steerage passenger Jack teaches privileged Rose to rebel and spit in the face of upper class vultures like Cal. Cameron gives a nod to his Ontario roots by naming the villain ‘Caledon Hockley’ and having Jack from Chippewa Falls (the director grew up in Chippawa, part of Niagara Falls.) A favourite ‘evil queen’ in movies is Lady Duff Gordon, the fashion designer ‘Lucille’, who spent her early childhood in Guelph as ordinary Lucy Sutherland.
One heart-breaking event was the loss of the Allison family as told in the recent miniseries Titanic (2012). Hud and Bess Allison were returning to Canada with 2-year-old Loraine, 11-month-old Trevor and an entourage of servants. In the confusion the nanny took Trevor to lifeboat #11 and both were saved. Holding Loraine, a frantic Mrs. Allison jumped out of boat 6 and refused to leave the ship without her baby boy. Loraine was the only first or second class child lost in the tragedy.
The British miniseries tells the story through the eyes of characters from the crew and the different social classes. An Italian waiter falls in love with an English stewardess who tries to help Bess Allison. An episode shows the real actress Dorothy Gibson, who would survive to make Saved from the Titanic, the first movie about the disaster, released within a month.
The true story of the Titanic is more compelling than anything Hollywood could invent. Behind every scene is a human face with a story to be told and a life to be remembered. And the band really did play on…
www.beachmetro.com/2012/04/03/story-titanic-survivor/
On April 15, 1939 four Toronto-area survivors met for a Titanic reunion dinner. Elizabeth and Madeleine attended along with stewardess Emma Bliss who also lived in the Beach for many years with her three adult children (Mrs. Amy Armstrong on Balmy Avenue, Ernest on Hubbard Boulevard, Henry). The man who arranged the reunion was John Collins, who at 17 had been swept off the deck of the sinking ship while trying to rescue a woman and her two infant children. Collins pulled himself aboard collapsible B and was saved by that same tin whistle, the only teenage crew member to survive, though “the child was washed out of my arms.” It was a memory that would haunt the young man’s mind for the rest of his life. John Collins died in a Belfast psychiatric hospital in 1941. The young assistant cook was fondly remembered by Emma Bliss, who lived to the ripe old age of 93. She died at Nevers Nursing Home on Beech Avenue in 1959; her funeral was held at the long-gone Wear Funeral Home at 2114 Queen St East.
Buried Prospect Cemetery
Condition: Hot Sell Prom Dress, Customs Made Prom Dress, Prom Dress 2011
Fabric: Tulle
Color: Black and Purple or Check from Our Color Chart
Size: Standard Size or Custom Made Size
www.dress-shop.com/short-prom-dress-2011-pm109061600_p416...
A mint condition Steward’s medal from the Royal Commercial Travellers Schools (RCTS) at Elliot Hall near Pinner, Middlesex. This medal would have been issued between 1918 and 1965 before its name changed to The Royal Pinner Schools. The schools closed down in 1967 due to financial difficulties and since then the buildings have gone through many uses before it was purchased by the Harrow Council as a new venue for their Arts Centre. The medal shows the Staff of Mercury which forms the central part of the school’s crest and from which past pupils are known as Old Mercurians.
The RCTS was a boarding school for the sons and daughters of “Commercial Travellers, Sales & Technical Representatives and Manufacturer’s Agents”. Admissions to the schools were prioritised according to the means of their parents for example; orphans of deceased parents or of parents who no longer had the capacity to make a living were given priority. From 1949, fee-paying pupils were admitted provided there were vacancies and subject to the parent’s income with fee levels being set accordingly.
The schools were founded in 1845 by John Robert Cuffley, a commercial traveller, for children of orphaned and “necessitous” fellow commercial travellers. The schools could accommodate around 365 pupils aged from 5 to 18 years and provided education to both O-level and A-level standards. Funding of the RCTS was mainly through voluntary contributions as they received no State grants.
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References:
www.childrenshomes.org.uk/PinnerTravellers/?LMCL=SO7d5D (A good history of the RCTS schools and that at Pinner).
www.royalcommercialtravellersschools.org.uk/ (RCTS website).
www.royalcommercialtravellersschools.org.uk/memorabilia/p... (Interesting article from Picture Post (1956) about everyday life in the RCTS).
drblayney.com/Asclepius.html (Staff of Mercury article).
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Enamels: 1 (blue).
Finish: Bright gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Pin ( 2 ½“ long).
Size: 3 ¼“ x 1 ½“ including the ribbon (about 82mm x 37mm).
Process: Die-stamped.
Maker: Spencer, London.
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.
If you would like to see some of my friends, please click "here"!
The White Park [Ancient White Park] is a rare breed of horned cattle with ancient herds preserved in Great Britain. It includes two very rare types often regarded as distinct, the Chillingham and the Vaynol cattle. The White Park is a medium-large, long-bodied bovine. A programme of linear assessment, including 200 bulls and 300 cows, has been carried out in the UK since 1994 to define its size and conformation. Mature bull weights vary from 800 to 1,000 kilograms, depending on the quality of grazing, but bulls in good condition may weigh 1,250 kilograms. Average withers height is 146 centimetres, chest depth 88 centimetres, body length (point of withers to point of pin bone (tuber ischii) 167 centimetres, hip (tuber coxae) width 64 centimetres, and scrotal circumference 45 centimetres. The relevant corresponding measurements for adult cows are 500 to 700 kilograms, 132 centimetres, 76 centimetres, 148 centimetres and 60 centimetres. The colour is distinctive, being porcelain white with coloured (black or red) points, namely ears, nose, eye rims, hooves, and teats and tips of the long horns. The colour pattern is dominant to other colours. The horns of the cows vary in shape, but the majority grow forwards and upwards in a graceful curve. The horns of bulls are thicker and shorter, and not so uplifted. In their native environment in Britain, White Park cattle are noted not only for their distinctive appearance, but also for their grazing behaviour, where they show a preference for coarser herbage. They are well-suited to non-intensive production and some herds are kept outside throughout the year on rough upland grazing without shelter or supplementary feed. They are docile, easy-calving, and have a long productive life. Some traits may vary a little in other countries, but the basic type is the same. They are beef animals noted for the quality of their meat.They are capable of converting coarse herbage into high quality meat, and of gaining weight at over 1 kg per day in good conditions. Until relatively recently they were a triple-purpose breed – meat, milk and draught. The 3rd Lord Dynevor (1765–1852) kept a team of draught oxen, and the practice continued up to 1914. The records of one plough ox that was killed in 1871 at 14 years of age, show that he stood 183 centimetres at the withers and weighed 1,171 kilograms. They were used as dairy cattle even more recently. Some cows were being milked in the Dynevor herd in 1951, but yields were moderate. Beef became the main product during the twentieth century, and gained a reputation as a textured meat, with excellent flavour and marbling, which commanded a significant premium in speciality markets. The best quality beef comes from 36-month-old animals, and fine marbling is the key to its eating quality, while the low cholesterol content adds to its attraction for the health-conscious consumers. Several blood typing and DNA studies have revealed the genetic distinctness of White Park cattle and the Oklahoma State University web site confirms the White Park is not closely related to two breeds of the same colour, but which are hornless, namely the American White Park (which actually is British White) and the British White and is genetically distinct from them. The colour-pointed coat pattern also appears in other cattle breeds such as the Irish Moiled, the Blanco Orejinegro, the Berrenda, the Nguni and the Texas Longhorn. The breeds most closely related seem to be the Highland cattle and Galloway cattle of Scotland, but the White Park "is genetically far distant from all British breeds". The Chillingham has diverged from the main White Park population and various stories have grown up around them. Hemming references the work of Hall in the following excerpt: "- – In other words, since the Chillingham cattle, wherever they came from, cannot be aurochsen, they must be Bos taurus just like Jerseys or Herefords or any other breed. They do look more like miniature aurochsen, but that is because they have not been selectively bred for beef or milk, and cattle that have been left to their own devices will tend to revert to ancestral type. Although both the late president and the patron have quoted genetic work done on the cattle to support their arguments, the zoological reports in fact make it quite clear that the Chillingham herd does not have any special relationship to the aurochs whatsoever (Hall 1982-3, 96; 1991, 540)."
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BPI Melbourne is the most reliable inspection company providing various types of inspection and reports according your requirements. For more visit www.bpimelbourne.com.au/
Class 52 1066 Western Prefect stands at Swindon Works awaiting cutting up, despite having lost some of it,s windows it still looks in fairly good condition, Viscount stands along side.01/03/1975.
image Kevin Connolly - All rights reserved so please do no use this without my explicit permission
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Here is my new air conditioner just installed!
See www.flickr.com/photos/hamburger_helper/4681886055/
The old one was dark brown and dingy. This one is cream colored and blends in with my walls. Tried it out and it's deliciously chilly in here.