AZB Diaries

Those days the attitude was "None for himself but all for Kingswood!" and I was loyal to that ideology. It did not do me much personal good at the time and many envied while many others secretly laughed at my capacity to think that way and be like that. Some took me for a fool. But it was all training for a much bigger goal Alhamdulillah! For every current Kingswoodian, I challenge you, if you can live a life at Kingswood emulating the school song that the founder wrote, and trust me it is tough, only the very rare few have ever done it successfully, I promise you that you will find a wisdom in such a life beyond measure! I know because I did it Alhamdulillah. (And beside me here is my brother in school and otherwise Althaaf, may Allah guide you and protect you and your family, and all of us! Ameen.)
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11.03.2011 - L.E. Blaze Memorial Hall of Kingswood
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The 2008 Kinsgwood Scout Day, the first of its kind, was incorporated into the Kingswood Week of that year. We felt very happy and proud about that and we organized a 'Shramadana' and Tree plantation campaign for the occasion, some of which have grown big today. It was a quick job, simple and well executed considering the very limited time & budget we had. But the support our Principal provided us has to be mentioned. He was kind enough to allow the one free day we had in the week, for this event. A step away from tradition, but one that we still felt grateful for.
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25.09.2008 - L.E. Blaze Memorial Hall of Kingswood
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BTS to the inaugural mega Islamic Competitions held in 2010 at Kingswood! :) We thought we were invincible at the time. And for me, Kingswood was my life! Truly what a life that was! I am thankful, to the boys, to the college and to God!

At the time I truly believed that we were on track to change Kingswood Scouting for the better. And in some ways I guess we did. But in others we failed. :) Baden Powell would have been proud. I can definitely say that as long as there is unity, there is real power! ✊

07.05.2008 at the President Scouts Camp, held at Rajans.

Let us not forget that the Gaza strip in Palestine is under brutal attack by the US backed Israeli Occupiers at this very moment. Northern Gaza is besieged and Israel has a plan already in motion to murder 750,000 innocent civilians. May Allah SWT punish the tyrant appropriately for only He can do justice to the punishment deserved by the oppressor. More than 42,000 innocent civilians, half of which are women and children have been killed. The United States of America (its Government) has finally shown the world what it truly is, a brutal and oppressive empire with no regard for human life and it only cares about furthering its interests and global hegemony. I urge all of you to be fearless, spread the word, raise you voice, protect your dignity and fight oppression wherever you see it, even if it's by a supplication, stone or speech.

‘Plan for ethnic cleansing’: Israel’s north Gaza siege sets off alarms | Al Jazeera Newsfeed Analysts warn that the Israeli military’s siege on northern Gaza could be the first step in the so-called “General’s Plan” that many consider a roadmap for e...

All. Brothers. Kingswood.

https://youtu.be/hveJHCx-dFY?si=Z1wE9gz6ZorgTXhF

Final moments of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab regenerated with AI “Please, come get me.”These are the last words of 6-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was stuck in a car with the bodies of her slain family members ...

Peace, Mercy and Blessings of God with you all

Dear Brothers, Sisters, and fellow citizens of Sri Lanka,

In the name of God, I wanted to share some advice in Islam about voting based on some research and studies I have done owing to the elections coming up.

*Context*
Modern Democracy is a system designed by mankind, not very old and is based on the Greek method of ‘debating to decide’ which the western world embraced during their renaissance period during the 18th-19th century, famously known as a system “of the people - by the people - for the people”. In short, a system by Man. For nearly 1200 years since the Islamic State was born till the end of the Ottoman Empire the world was in a state of an overall global peace and stability. Muslim rule was good for the world and all its people. But after the fall of the Islamic rule based on Shar’ia Law (Divine Law based on the Qur’an and Sunnah), mainly owing to the Multiple Crusades in the last millennia and the rise of British Imperialism, which then led to mass-scale Slavery & Colonization, ultimately led to ‘democracy’ as the main system of government that got promoted in the last century by these oppressive powers. And if you look at the condition of the world today, more than 70% of the countries in the world are completely unstable with internal strife, economically bankrupt with a few countries controlling and exploiting the rest of the world. Essentially a ‘corrupt few controlling the oppressed more’ which is the nature of democracy and what it has spawned at a global level and national level.

*Islamic Legal Opinion*
Whether Muslims should participate in the democratic process (Vote) is a matter of _Ijtihad_ (Scholarly Legal Deliberation based on the Qur’an and Sunnah). And there are different opinions about this. However for Muslims living in countries not governed by the Shar’ia, there is a majority opinion that Muslims should participate in the process, but according to the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

*Situation in Sri Lanka*
My limited knowledge about the situation is Sri Lanka is that it is chaotic right now! As every time, elections are ugly affairs and it is bringing out the ugliness of many people. Bribing, extortion, alcohol, violence, character assassinations, lying, vain speech, useless talk, vile and base behaviour and all kinds of evil is spawned during the elections. And as Muslims we must be very cautious to not get mixed up in all this ugliness. As leaders of our own families, we should also prevent our families, and friends from getting mixed up in them as well.

*Perception about Voting*
As Muslims we do not believe Voting has any power in it. _*Allah SWT says in Surat Yusuf إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ , Authority/Legislation belongs only to Allah!*_ So our vote, if it has any impact, is only if Allah SWT permits it. If we understand this fact, then it will help us avoid mixing with the ugliness of election-time chaos, protect our character and make a wise decision.

*Voting*
Voting is your personal decision. And as Muslims, we are accountable to Allah SWT in every single deed we do. So in your vote you are responsible to Allah SWT. And Allah SWT judges you by your intentions. So simply using our vote with a sincere intention is all that matters. If you sincerely believe that you are voting to the best candidate based on your best judgement, then say Bismillah and vote accordingly. And keep away from the ugliness and protect your character. That is all.��

*Choosing Who to Vote*
In Islam, there is guidance in choosing leaders. The Sunnah of the Prophet SAW and the righteous predecessors have clear instructions on how we should choose our leaders. Basically we look for the person with the best character and most qualified for the position. Noble Character being the priority. The righteous predecessors (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Hasan ibn Ali, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, Salahuddin Al-Ayyoobi - peace be upon them are a few examples of such leaders of our past. So in any election, basically look for the person with the most noble character and highest level of qualifications. Also look for the candidate with good character who respects all religions and will empathize with the needs of Muslims and other minorities. Be sincere in your judgement and vote confidently and leave everything to Allah SWT.��

May Allah SWT guide us all and make our decisions lead to benefit the Muslim Ummah and lead to Peace & Security to all the people in the country! Allahumma Ameen.

And Allah Knows Best!

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam and my fellow human beings!

As’Salaamu Alaikum Wa’rahmathullahi Wa’barakathuhu, I greet you with the Islamic greetings of Peace, Mercy and Blessings!

I write this small piece to share some of my current thoughts. And I write this from the vantage of being your brother while thanking all of you who even with a word have shown goodness and mercy toward me.

As those who are blessed with a home to sleep in, food on the table, a means of income, family and friends around us and hope of another useful day ahead of us that we wake up to, first and foremost there is much gratitude that is owed to The One Who Provides. And we are not grateful enough! That is a fact! I ask Allah SWT to guide us and help us become from among those who are sincerely grateful to him.

Despite the blessings that may seemingly surround us, the world we live in is chaotic. The news has no good news to offer. Death, Destruction, R**e, Theft and Deceit has encompassed us. If you think, even for a moment, just because you live in the warmth of your house and those of your family that all is well, then you are surely of those who are misguided, blind or deliberately ignorant. And we can only say that then you are among the fools.

There is a war going on. Not a war between Israel and Palestine. But a war of ideologies. A foolish war but it is afoot. It is not a new war. It is very old. And the century we live in is one in which the injustice seemingly has overcome the just. It is clear to us that all the European philosophical thinking and the western ideologies of the past few centuries are naught in value. Great Britain and the United States have dominated the global scene and shaped the modern age. They are the superpowers. And we have submitted to them, by accepting their terms.

We have submitted to the western (US-European) hegemony by accepting their ideologies such as Democracy, Nationalism, Capitalism, Colonialism, Slavery (both traditional forms and neo forms of it), Paper Currency, Modern Economics, Survival of the Fittest, Nuclear Arsenal Accumulation, and a Digital Mindset.

From a young age, anyone who was born in the past 500 years, whether they like it or not, is a subject to western ideological dominance. We prioritize the English language, imitate western culture, and think that Westerners are those by whom we must measure the standards of being gentlemanly, honorable and chivalrous. Such utter nonsense and yet we subscribe to it. How sad!

But the truth is that as the Europeans are simply Colonizers. Nothing else. As the Crusades and the European military dominance took over the world from the Islamic Empire, more specifically the Ottomans during the past millennia, they took a world that was by and large peaceful, stable, and free and shook the world with their military and wealthy grip and established their dominance upon the rest.

The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand: the countries that dominate the global scene today were all built on the back of grave oppression. Oppression that cannot be measure by any standard that man can invent. I have been reading a little about the horrors and atrocities committed by the Europeans against the indigenous peoples of Canada and my brothers and sisters, if you think that Gazans and Palestinians are facing the worst of humanity, I can surely say that the Canadian indigenous population faced if not the same but worse crimes by the European colonial settlers. I will not try to pain that horrific picture here and now.

But my point is that it is time we de-westernize our mindsets. We are all puppets to western ideologies and tools. We are in essence slaves. The African people who were herded to North America during the 15th – 18th century were taken there in the name of slavery. The white people were their slave masters. But the black people did not allow for the white supremacy to overtake their minds. And despite the centuries it took, their efforts led to their acceptance in the North American region albeit conditional, and the struggle is ongoing.

But this modern form of slavery is worse than mere overpowering by the gun. It is ideological warfare, and it is time to liberate yourselves. And you will not liberate yourself until you acknowledge first and foremost the fact that “Yes, I am a slave. But not anymore”.

The moment you admit this fact, By Allah! many doors will open to you. And the path is not easy. It is thorny, muddy and uphill. But that path must be taken if you wish to see the light at the end of this climb. I know because I am on that path, Alhamdulillah! But I do not wish to be alone. I know many who are on the same path, but I believe that we need to recruit more and hence I write this piece urging you to take this path my brothers and sisters.

Do not be blinded by the comfort around you. The comfort is a veil to hide the ugliness behind the comfort. From the branded shoe you wear to the cup of coffee you drink, there is terrible oppression in the form of debt burdening of poor economies, child labour, resource plundering, starving families, day light massacres, economic imprisonment and unspeakable brutality committed to deliver these comforts to you and me.

When I see my brothers and sisters and my fellow human beings, around the world, giving in to the comfort of this world, deliberately blinding themselves to the reality and content in living in the bubble of their personal life, I feel sad. We must wake up and we must save ourselves.

I know I am calling you for something discomforting. Even reading through this (and I am grateful for your time if you have read this), you are thinking “this is just asking for trouble. Nobody wants to go through all this. Everything is going well and fine. I have my job. I have money. I keep earning more. My family is happy. Why do I need to put myself through this seemingly tedious task of liberation?”, I can assure you that I understand. I know that the call for liberation is not one that which will have many who answer. But I am hoping that the few who would accept, are more than sufficient to change the course of mankind.

And Allah SWT does not allow injustice to prevail. We have seen far worse oppressors than European Colonizers, Zionist Bullies and Western ‘Nuclear’ superpowers. All of you will die. And all of you will pay for your crimes. And you will be shamed in front of humanity In Sha Allah.

It is from the Creator we began, and to Him we will return. So I urge all of you to prepare for the meeting with He, who create you for that meeting is the only meeting worth preparing for!

May Allah SWT punish the oppressors and make us not from those who oppress!

My first ever full fledged flyer design and print effort. It was January 2006. National Jamboree at Nuwaraiya Eliya was all set to happen. The troop had big plans with the site, and we wanted to give a wider experience for visitors hence this idea of a flyer. I remember having to rush to the printer drenched in the rain, and with the low budget having to go with the Yellow ‘Demy’ paper as the choice of paper. If I had time, I was hoping to do a Sinhala version, but we left a few days earlier so that didn’t work out. Colorfully it looked much better at the time, but now looking at it, I love the vintage vibe it gives. The whole experience taught me much that I carry with me to this date.
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Guys, my lesson today, is never fear to be creative and to take initiative. It’s a very important trait. But you must make sure that it’s all worth it. How do you do that? By giving it your best and beyond, and determining to learn from it as much as you could. Despite the criticism (and boy had I plenty of those for this job) ☺️👊
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Days of old. The entire troop got together to create this one for us. As usual.
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Perhaps digital has diminished creativity in a sense. I hope as a youngster today you won’t depreciate the value of the old ways. Good luck to all who try to be original. ☺️👊
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