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Brief Biography of Imam Mahdi (A.S.)
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Posted: 23 March 2014 at 12:43am
Name: Muhammad.
Title: Al-Mahdi, Al-Qa'im, Al-Hujjah, Al-Gha'ib, Sahibu'z-Zaman.
Agnomen: Abul-Qasim.
Father's name: Imam Al-Hassan (AS).
Mother's name: Hazrat Narjis (SA).
Birth: Sha'ban 15, 255 A.H.
Death: Still alive but in occultation.
(The hidden Imam who is expected to return)
"The world will not come to an end," said the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), " until a man from my family (Ahlulbayt) and of my name shall be master of the world, When you see a green ensign coming from the direction of Khorasan, then join them, for the Imam of God will be with the standards who will be called al-Mahdi."
"The Mahdi will be descended from me, he will be a man with an open countenance and a face with a high nose. He will fill the earth with equity and with justice, just as it has been filled with tyranny and oppression." (Biharul Anwar, Majlisi)
Imam Mahdi (AS), the last in the line of the Twelve Ithna Ashari Imams was born on 15th Shaban 255 Hijri in Samarra, Iraq. His father was the Eleventh Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) and his mother was Nargis Khatoon, grand daughter of the Emperor of Rum.she changed her name from Melica to Nargis.
It was 8th Rabiul Awwal 260 Hijri when our Twelfth Imam led the funeral prayer of his father Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS). He was only Five years old, yet the whole crowd of muslims including the Abbasid caliph of that time Al-Mu'tamid followed the young Imam without question. Once the prayers were over and the Imam went inside the house, that the Caliph realised the full implication and significance of the occasion and he immediately ordered his soldiers to enter the house and search for the young Imam. They did not find any one inside the house. The Caliph was very angry at this incompetence of ministers and other officials who were unable to find a boy of five who had just led the prayers and had just disappeared. The caliph had no inkling of the secrets that God did not want to reveal. He went back to his palace and into the luxurious life of a playboy king while the world around him squeezed his empire into oblivion.
The Imam's period of lesser concealment began immediately after he led the funeral prayers and disappeared inside the house. This was in the year 260 Hijri.
The doctrine of 'Ghaiba' or concealment, declares simply that the Imam has been withdrawn by God from the eyes of people, that his life has been miraculously prolonged, that he has been seen from time to time, has been in correspondence with others, and has maintained a control over the guidance of the followers and the believers and the safety of Islam from its enemies.
In the following few pages we shall try to bring some evidence from the Qora'an and the authentic Hadith of the Prophet to prove the point to interested readers.
This is an essential belief that Imam Mahdi (AS) Sahibuz zaman, is alive and guide's his followers whenever such need arises. This is based on the verses of the Holy Qur'an that express the idea of Divine Guidance through the Prophets and Imams. " And among those whom we have created are a people who guide others with truth, and in accordance therewith act justly" . (Sura vii V 180)
" We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere (Sura 2, V.155)
A great Hanafi scholar Muhammad ibn Muslim cites Imam Ja'afar al-Sadiq (AS) explaining the meaning of the above Verse. Imam indicated that there would be signs indicating the coming (reappearance) of al-Mahdi(AS) which are the means whereby God tests the faithful. "Something of fear" is a reference to masses perishing by contagious diseases; "hunger" is a reference to high prices of foodstuffs; "Some loss in goods" is a reference to scarcity and famines; "Lives" is a reference to mass destruction of human lives, probably global wars; "Fruits" is a reference to lengthy periods of draughts; so when all that happens, then give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere."
"This is its interpretation," continued the Imam , quoting Verse 7 of Sura 3, which indicates that "only those who are firmly grounded in knowledge are capable of interpreting the verses of the Holy Qur'an", adding, " We the Ahlulbayt are the ones firmly grounded in knowledge".
In the book "Yanabi al Muaddah", the Hanafi scholar and Mufti of Istanbul during the Osmani Caliphate in Turkey writes on page 321, quoting Imam Ja'afar al-Sadiq (AS) interpreting Verse 83, Sura III of the Holy Qora'an comments as follows:- " When the Qa'im al-Mahdi reappears, there will be no land on earth where the Kalima is not said. "This could be a reference to the fact that by the time al-Mahdi reappears, all continents of the world will have muslim populations. They already do now.
After presenting the above proofs from the Qur'an, the following are authentic traditions from the Prophet of God regarding Imam Mahdi (AS).
At the end of Vol.2 of Fara'idh al-simtain and on page 269 Ibn Khaldun's 'Mukaddimah' , it is related from Ibn Abbas, that the Holy Prophet said, " Ali is Imam of my nation and my successor therein after me, and among his offspring is the awaited Qa'im who shall fill the world with justice and equity as it was filled with injustice and oppression. The Prophet further elaborates, " be ware of doubting, for to doubt the order of God, the Mighty, the Sublime, is apostasy (Kufr). Ibn Khaldun also states that " When imprisoned with his mother in the house, he entered a sort of well or pit in the house that his family occupies at Samarrah, Iraq, and there he disappeared, but he is to come forth at the end of the age to fill the earth with justice".
Allama Jalaluddin Suyuti quotes in his book Jalalul- Oyun Vol.6 page 50. " The Hour shall not come till Al-Mahdi takes charge on earth on my behalf," said the Messenger of God. Allama Suytu also quotes Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal that famous companion Abu Said Khadhri quoting the Messenger of God saying, " I bring you glad tidings of al-Mahdi, God shall send him to my nation, in a time different from your own, and after a series of earthquakes, and he shall fill the earth with justice and equity as it was filled with injustice and oppression. He shall distribute the wealth equitably among the inhabitants of the earth. In the manual in which he sets forth the many duties and privileges of pilgrims, Majlisi has given an accepted form for a short letter in Arabic, which anyone can write, and sent to his Imam of the age. It may be placed on the tomb of any of the Imams, or it may be fastened and sealed, and covered with clean earth and cast into the sea or river or a deep well. In any case it will reach the Hidden Imam and he will give his personal attention.
There is a famous saying of Imam Hussain (AS) about the twelvth Imam. " The Ninth of my descendants is the Imam who will rise with the Truth. God will grant life to earth through him after its death. The true faith will supersede all religions through him. His absence shall be lengthy during which many people will go astray. Only a few will remain on the Right Path. They shall suffer pains , people will put pressure on them, saying," let us know when this promise of the Return of the Mahdi is fulfilled". Those who will bear the pains and denials patiently will get the same rewards as those who accompanied the Prophet during his expeditions for Jihad."
Imam Zainul Abedeen (AS) has said, " Of us one will be born whose birth will remain secret so much so that the people will say that he was not born at all."
Imam Muhammad al Baqir (AS) is quoted by Kulaini in Al-Kafi, " Nine Imams after Hussain are destined, the last of them will be al-Qaim."
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) is quoted in Ilal al-shaa'i saying, " The fifth of the descendants of my son Musa will be the Qa'im a descendant of the Prophet (SA).
Imam Musa ibn Ja'afar (AS) was asked once, " Are the Qa'im with the truth?" The Imam replied, " I also rise truthfully, but the real Qa'im is he who will remove the enemies of God from earth and will fill it with justice. He shall be my fifth descendant. His absence will be lengthy during which multitudes will turn away from the faith while only a few will uphold it".
Imam Ali al-Reza (AS) in the above saying of Imam Hussain (AS) that due to the excessive the length of the concealment of the 12th Imam many believers will have doubts about his existence. Many will question the very longevity of his life and the usefulness of his presence as an Imam. Reza said, " O Da'bil, my son Muhammad (AS) will come when I am gone. After him, his great grand son will be named Muhammad(AS) who will be the Qa'im. He will be awaited during his absence. When he appears, the world shall bow down before him."
Imam Muhammad Taqi (AS) has said " The Qa'im will be from amongst us the third of my descendants".
Imam Ali Naqi (AS) said, " My successor will be my son Hasan; but what will be your condition during the reign of Hasan's successor"? Those who were present asked, "Why, what do you mean by that"? Imam replied, " you will not have the chance to see him, later you will not be allowed to mention his name". Then the Imam was asked as to how they should mention him. Imam replied, " You may say that he is the last of Muhammad's (PBUH) (infallible) descendants. "
Some people asked Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), " your forefathers have said that the earth would never be without knowing the sign of Allah (Hujjatullah) till Doomsday, and he who dies without knowing the Imam of his time will die the death of ignorance". Imam replied, " That was as true as the shining day. They inquired as to who would be the Imam who would be the sign of the Mercy of God after his death, Imam replied, " He will be my son, the namesake of the Holy Prophet (Muhammad Abul Qasim). He who died without knowing him will die the death of ignorance. His absence will be so lengthy that the ignorant will wander puzzled and would surely stray from the Right Path. But the Righteous shall remain steadfast and pray for their Imam to appear within their life time".
All these predictions were recorded since the time of the Holy Prophet who himself prophesied the advent of the Mahdi. (Read this Hadith in the story of the 5th Imam).
As in the above saying of Imam Hussain (AS) that due to the excessive length of the concealment of the 12th Imam many believers will have doubts about his existence. Many will question the very longevity of his life and the usefulness of his presence as an Imam.
To the question of existence, we have seen above the many Verses from the Qora'an and Hadith of the Prophet and all the Eleven Imams. We have also read quotations from the Books of Ahlul Sunna wal Jama'a and many scholars and philosophers from the earliest times to the present.
As far as the longevity of his life, in Qur'anic terms it is not difficult to explain. Prophet Jesus is alive and will come out with the 12th Imam. Prophet Sheeth and Prophet Khidhr are still alive according to the Verdict of the Qur'an. If God keeps his guided ones alive for a certain purpose there should not be any doubt.
As for the usefulness of his concealed existence, there are numerous occasions when the Imam miraculously helped those who called him for help.
During the period of Ghaibate Sughra (the period of lesser concealment) from the time of the death of his father Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) in the year 260 Hijri, our 12th Imam was seen only by a few people who were appointed his ambassadors (Safeer) on his behalf to convey his teachings to the believers. These Four Ambassadors were as follows:
1. Abu Amr Uthman ibn Sa'id al Asadi. He was a deputy of 10th Imam Ali Naqi (AS) and after his death, of the 11th Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) and after his death, of our 12th Imam.
Having performed these duties of conveying the messages from the Imam to the believers and the teachings of Ahlulbayt, he died in Baghdad and was buried there.
2. Abu Ja'afar Muhammad ibn Othman al Amri, the son of the first Ambassador was appointed the 2nd Safeer of our 12th Imam. He died in 305 Hijri (917 AD) .
3. Abul Qasim Hussain ibn Rauh Nawbakhti was appointed the Imam's 3rd Safeer. He was a top ranking scholar and Faqeeh, renowned for his knowledge of all Islamic sciences. He was also a very pious man. Under the directions of the 12th Imam, his 3rd Safeer Hussain ibn Rauh performed his duties as Safeer for the next 15 years. He died in the year 320 Hijri
4. Abul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samari. He was the last Safeer of the 12th Imam, succeeding Hussain ibn Rauh as directed by the Imam. He performed his duties for 9 years and died on the 15th Shabaan 329 Hijri (May 15, 941 AD) Having being asked on his deathbed as to who would succeed him, he replied: Providence now wishes to give the matter another shape the duration of which is known to God alone."
After Abul Hasan there was no Safeer. In this sorrowful year, i.e. 329 Hijri, many scholars such as Ali ibn Babwayh Qummi and Muhammad ibn Yaqub Kulaini, the learned compiler of al-Kafi also died. Besides these events, an extra ordinary phenomenon was also witnessed. In the sky so many stars did shoot that it seemed as if Doomsday had come. That year was named as the year of the dispersal of stars. After this, followed a dark period because no saffeer was left to directly approach the Imam al Mahdi (AS). It is also related that Imam himself told his last Safeer that there will not be any more appointments of Sofara. When asked what the believers would do, the Imam replied, "follow the Foqaha of our Deen, those who have knowledge of Qora'an, who protect Deen and would not follow their own desires".
In answering those who question the usefulness of the Imam in concealment, there are numerous occasions mentioned in books of many Ulemas, such as Shaikh Mufid (d413 Hijri) Allama Hilli (d. 726) /shahid Thalith Noorullah Shoostry (d.1019). They have mentioned in their own period as to how the 12th Imam was approached and gave help. All these stories are mentioned in their own books.
Here in this book I would like to mention two such occurrences that happened to those who have told their experiences to me personally. Both of them are now dead and it is important for me to tell these happenings before my own death.
I lived in Najef in the fifties and during my stay there I used to visit Kerbala nearly every week. In the town of Kerbala there was a Dispensary run by the Pakistan Government. The Pharmacist there was one Mr.Rizvi who not only distributed medicine to the poor of Kerbala but also looked after the patients and sometimes even prescribed medicine for them. There was no qualified doctor to attend to the patient. Mr.Rizvi used to go to Baghdad on Friday to get stocks from the Hospital there. On one such occasion when he was coming back by Minibus, the Bus driver stopped at Mehmudiya, half way Kerbala. It was late in the evening. The Bus Driver told the passenger's that there was something wrong with the Bus engine and he could not proceed until next morning. The passengers would have to provide for their own Board and lodging themselves for the night. Mr.Rizvi was very upset. He had a box load of medicine with him and if he would not be in Kerbala, the next morning his patients would be disappointed and some of them might have to go without any medicine. He was standing by the Road side, in this little town Mehmudiya, some 40 miles from Kerbala. Night was getting darker. People were sitting in dark coffee houses drinking coffee or playing card games etc. As time passed his worries increased. He realised that if he does not move from there soon, some youngsters might come and vandalise his goods and stocks of medicine. So he prayed to God and the words uttered were "Ya Sahebuz Zaman Udrikny" O'Imam of the Time, help me. Moments later, he saw a jeep car stopped right there where he was standing and a very good looking young Arab gentleman got out of the Jeep and told him, "Do you want to go to Kerbala"? He was astonished at this help and said yes, of course I want to go to Kerbala. He said, "put your box in the car and sit beside me". The man drove the car and arrived in Kerbala an hour later. Without asking him the address of his destination he took him straight to the door of the Dispensary and stopped. Mr.Rizvi got down, brought his box of medicine down and started to look for some money in his pocket to give something to the Driver of the Jeep. When he turned to look for him, there was nothing there. There was no jeep car, no man, nothing. The road was completely empty. He bowed down on the dust of Kerbala to thank God for sending the help through the Imam of the Time. He told me this story personally and he had no doubt in his mind that the help came from the 12th Imam. From that time onward his devotion towards helping the people of Kerbala had increased a hundred fold. He died some years later while still helping his patients in that little Dispensary in Kerbala.
My second story was from the lips of an Englishman, Col.Abdullah Baines. During the 2nd World War he was stationed at the Royal Air Force Base at Habbaniyah, a town some 22 miles south of Baghdad. During the height of the war there was some scare in Britain that Hitler might invade Iraq to grab oilfields. It was 1942 that the Commander of the Base decided to evacuate families of the people living at the base. Col.Baines was given the task of leading the caravan of jeep cars full of women and children from Baghdad to Damascus. They had to pass through the Desert where there was no road and they had to find there way by looking at the stars as Captains of the ship sail in the sea and find there way to their destination. Col.Baines was a Christian but he was well versed in Islamic history and especially the history concerning the lives of the Imams. He had read many books about the 12th Imam and was well aware of the stories of those faithful who believe who receive help from the Imam in their distress. They call the Imam and help comes to them. All the women and children with Col.Baines were all christians and not muslims.
Half way through their journey of this caravan of five jeeps through the desert, they lost their way in a desert storm. They were hopelessly lost, going round and round in the desert, not knowing where to go and how to find their way to Damascus. They decided to camp there. Made a circle of jeep cars and all travellers sat down on the ground to await a miracle to get them out of that endless desert. They did not know what to do. One day and one night passed like that and when the next day's sun came scorching, all of them were in despair. Water stocks had gone and thirsty children began to demand for water. Col.Baines did not know what to do. Then he remembered that he read somewhere that if you are in such distress, call the Imam of the time for help. He put up his hands in the shape of prayer, closed his eyes and asked in his heart for the Imam to help. He said, "we are all Christians and we may be sinners, but these children with me are innocent , they do not deserve to die in this manner. O'Imam of the Time, help them get out of this desert". His prayers had not even ended when he saw that two horsemen were coming right through the eye of the storm. They came near the circle of jeep cars, approached Col.Baines, and asked, " Do you all wish to go to Damascus". He said "yes of course". They said, "follow us". The jeeps lined up and followed the horsemen. They had gone a few miles until the way became clear for them. Their guides told them to go straight to the West and they will reach Damascus. In a few days they all reached Damascus and safety. Col.Baines realised that his prayers to the 12th Imam were heard and help arrived from the Imam.
Once the war was over, Col.Bains embraced Islam, changed his name to Abdullah Baines and after his retirement from the Army, settled in Kent. He has himself told me his story before his death in 1965. He also told me to publicise this as much as possible for this is the truth and people should not refrain from telling the truth.
There are numerous experiences of this kind of help given by the Imam to people in distress who call him for help. Ayatollah al-Jazaeri told us two such stories of his own experiences in Iran when help came from the Imam to people.
Although absent and unrepresented, Imam al-Mahdi (AS) still guides people and defends the faith. Even though unseen, the Imam supervises the world affairs and guides it. This curtain will exist as long as Providence deems it necessary. The time will come, which may be too late for many of us, but when the curtain of absence will be removed, Imam al-Mahdi (AS) will reappear and as predicted by the Prophet, fill the world with justice and equity, discarding the prevailing injustices and oppressions. May God bring about his early reappearance and ease his coming.
We beseech the Most High and Almighty to make our effort of enduring benefit and to help us in disseminating benevolence and guidance. He is the Hearing and Answering
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The promised Mahdi, who is usually mentioned by his title of Imam-i 'Asr (the Imam of the "Period") and Sahib al-Zaman (the Lord of the Age), is the son of the eleventh Imam. His name is the same as that of the Holy Prophet (sawas). He was born in Samarrah in 256/868 and until 260/872 when his father was martyred, lived under his father's care and tutelage. He was hidden from public view and only a few of the elite among the Shi'ah were able to meet him. After the martyrdom of his father he became Imam and by Divine Command went into occultation (ghaybat). Thereafter he appeared only to his deputies (na'ib) and even then only in exceptional circumstances.
The Imam chose as a special deputy for a time Uthman ibn Sa'id 'Umari, one of the companions of his father and grandfather who was his confidant and trusted friend. Through his deputy the Imam would answer the demands and questions of the Shi'ah. After Uthman ibn Sa'id, his son Muhammad ibn Uthman Umari was appointed the deputy of the Imam. After the death of Muhammad ibn Uthman, Abu'l Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh Nawbakhti was the special deputy, and after his death Ali ibn Muhammad Simmari was chosen for this task.
A few days before the death of Ali ibn Muhammad Simmari in 329/939 an order was issued by the Imam stating that in six days Ali ibn Muhammad Simmari would die. Henceforth the special deputation of the Imam would come to an end and the major occultation (ghaybat-i kubra) would begin and would continue until the day God grants permission to the Imam to manifest himself. The occultation of the twelfth Imam is, therefore, divided into two parts: the first, the minor occultation (ghaybat-i-sughra) which began in 260/872 and ended in 329/939, lasting about seventy years; the second, the major occultation which commenced in 329/939 and will continue as long as God wills it. In a hadith upon whose authenticity everyone agrees, the Holy Prophet (sawas) has said, "If there were to remain in the life of the world but one day, Allah would prolong that day until He sends in it a man from my community and my household. His name will be the same as my name. He will fill the earth with-equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny.''
On the Appearance of the Mahdi
In the discussion on prophecy and the Imamate it was indicated that as a result of the law of general guidance which governs all of creation, man is of necessity endowed with the power of receiving revelation through prophecy, which directs him toward the perfection of the human norm and the well-being of the human species. Obviously, if this perfection and happiness were not possible for man, whose life possesses a social aspect, the very fact that he is endowed with this power would be meaningless and futile. But there is no futility in creation. In other words, ever since he has inhabited the earth, man has had the wish to lead a social life filled with happiness in its true sense and has striven toward this end. If such a wish were not to have an objective existence it would never have been imprinted upon man's inner nature, in the same way that if there were no food there would have been no hunger. Or if there were to be no water there would be no thirst and if there were to be no reproduction there would have been no sexual attraction between the sexes. Therefore, by reason of inner necessity and determination, the future will see a day when human society will be replete with justice and when all will live in peace and tranquility, when human beings will be fully possessed of virtue and perfection. The establishment of such a condition will occur through human hands but with Divine succor. And the leader of such a society, who will be the savior of man, is called in the language of the hadith, the Mahdi.
In the different religions that govern the world such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Islam there are references to a person who will come as the savior of mankind. These religions have usually given happy tidings of his coming, although there are naturally certain differences in detail that can be discerned when these teachings are compared carefully. The hadith of the Holy Prophet (sawas) upon which all Muslims agree, "The Mahdi is of my progeny," refers to this same truth. There are numerous hadiths cited in Sunni and Shi'ite sources from the Holy Prophet (sawas) and the Imams concerning the appearance of the Mahdi, such as that he is of the progeny of the Prophet (sawas) and that his appearance will enable human society to reach true perfection and the full realisation of spiritual life. In addition, there are numerous other traditions concerning the fact that the Mahdi is the son of the eleventh Imam, Hasan al-'Askari. They agree that after being born and undergoing a long occultation the Mahdi will appear again, filling with justice the world that has been corrupted by injustice and iniquity.
As an example, Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (the eighth Imam) has said, in the course of a hadith, "The Imam after me is my son, Muhammad, and after him his son Ali, and after Ali his son, Hasan, and after Hasan his son H. Hujjat al-Qa'im, who is awaited during his occultation and obeyed during his manifestation. If there remain from the life of the world but a single day, Allah will extend that day until he becomes manifest, and fill the world with justice in the same way that it had been filled with iniquity. But when? As for news of the 'hour,' verily my father told me, having heard it from his father who heard it from his father who heard it from his ancestors who heard it from Ali, that it was asked of the Holy Prophet (sawas), 'Oh Prophet (sawas) of God, when will the "support" (qa'im) who is from thy family appear?' He said, 'His case is like that of the Hour (of the Resurrection). "He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares" (Quran, VII, 187).102
Saqr ibn Abi Dulaf said, "I heard from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida [the ninth Imam] who said, 'The Imam after me is my son, Ali; his command is my command; his word is my word; to obey him is to obey me. The Imam after him is his son, Hasan. His command is the command of his father; his word is the word of his father; to obey him is to obey his father.' After these words the Imam remained silent. I said to him, 'Oh son of the Prophet (sawas), you will be the Imam after Hasan?' The Imam cried hard, then said, 'Verily after Hasan his son is the awaited Imam who is "al-qa'im bi'l-haqq" (He who is supported by the Truth).' "
Musa ibn Ja'far Baghdadi said, "I heard from the Imam Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Ali [the eleventh Imam] who said, 'I see that after me differences will appear among you concerning the Imam after me. Whoso accepts the Imams after the Prophet (sawas) of God but denies my son is like the person who accepts all the prophets but denies the prophethood of Muhammad, the Prophet (sawas) of God, upon whom be peace and blessing. And whoso denies [Muhammad] the Prophet (sawas) of God is like one who has denied all the prophets of God, for to obey the last of us is like obeying the first and to deny the last of us is like denying the first. But beware ! Verily for my son there is an occultation during which all people will fall into doubt except those whom Allah protects.''
The opponents of The Followers of Ahlu Bayt protest that according to the beliefs of this school the Hidden Imam should by now be nearly twelve centuries old, whereas this is impossible for any human being. In answer it must be said that the protest is based only on the unlikelihood of such an occurrence, not its impossibility. Of course such a long lifetime or a life of a longer period is unlikely. But those who study the hadiths of the Holy Prophet (sawas) and the Imams will see that they refer to this life as one possessing miraculous qualities.
Miracles are certainly not impossible nor can they be negated through scientific arguments. It can never be proved that the causes and agents that are functioning in the world are solely those that we see and know and that other causes which we do not know or whose effects and actions we have not seen nor understood do not exist. It is in this way possible that in one or several members of mankind there can be operating certain causes and agents which bestow upon them a very long life of a thousand or several thousand years. Medicine has not even lost hope of discovering a way to achieve very long life spans. In any case such protests from "peoples of the Book" such as Jews, Christians and Muslims are most strange for they accept the miracles of the prophets of God according to their own sacred scriptures.
The opponents of The Followers of Ahlu Bayt also protest that, they considers the Imam necessary in order to expound the injunctions and verities of religion and to guide the people, the occultation of the Imam is the negation of this very purpose, for an Imam in occultation who cannot be reached by mankind cannot be in any way beneficial or effective. The opponents say that if God wills to bring forth an Imam to reform mankind He is able to create him at the necessary moment and does not need to create him thousands of years earlier. In answer it must be said that such people have not really understood the meaning of the Imam, for in the discussion on the Imamate it became clear that the duty of the Imam is not only the formal explanation of the religious sciences and exoteric guidance of the people. In the same way that he has the duty of guiding men outwardly, the Imam also bears the function of walayat and the esoteric guidance of men. It is he who directs man's spiritual life and orients the inner aspect of human action toward God: Clearly, his physical presence or absence has no effect in this matter. The Imam watches over men inwardly and is in communion with the soul and spirit of men even if he be hidden from their physical eyes. His existence is always necessary even if the time has not as yet arrived for his outward appearance and the universal reconstruction that he is to bring about.
Ghaibat-us-Sughra means 'the minor concealment.' Its period was about 70 years. It began in 260 A.H. when Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) first went into concealment, and ended in 328 A.H.
During Ghaibut-us-Sughra, the Imam appointed some agents to represent him and the people. The Imam had four agents. After the death of the fourth agent, the Imam went into major concealment (Ghaibut-ul-Kubra). This was on the 10th Shawal 329 A.H.
The Signs Heralding the Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s)
Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.) has said: "Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before Doomsday, Allah will expand that day to such length of time as to accommodate the kingdom of a person from my Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by name. He will fill out the earth with and justice as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny (by then)"
From this Hadith, it is clear to every Muslim that the twelfth Imam will reappear when this world is full of sins and injustice.
There are many signs mentioned by the Masumeen (a.s) on the reappearance of the 12th Imam. It is reported in Biharul Anwar that after the last pilgrimage the Prophet made, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) stood near the Kaaba, and called his people to listen to him. The Prophet said: "listen to me carefully so that you transmit these words of mine to those who are absent today." The Prophet began, "My people, a time will come when kings and rulers will be tyrannical." The Prophet also said that the payment of Zakat will be stopped.
According to the Masumeen (a.s), Muslim countries will seek aid from non Muslim countries. This is already evident in a number of Muslim countries. Another prediction that is come true is that 60 impostors will claim to be Prophets. By their attractiveness, their persuasion, and their personality, they will misguide the people. 58 false Prophets have already emerged since the days of the Prophet (s.a.w.). We have only two more to witness.
It is reported in Qayamat-e-Sughra citing "Oqdatud-Durr" that Hazrat Amir (A.S) has said that the Mahdi will not appear until one-third of the world population will die by being killed and one-third will die as a result of epidemics.
The Last Signs Heralding the Appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s)
There is a Hadith from Imam Muhammed Baqir (a.s) that for three or seven consecutive days, one will see reddish yellow fire raging in the East.
Sufiani will emerge in Palestine, where he will start a revolt in the month of Rajab. He will be an uncompassionate rebel and his rule will last for eight consecutive months. He will conquer and rule Egypt for four consecutive months. Sufiani will conquer Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, and Syria. Sufiani has been specifically described by Aimma A.S. as an ugly, blistered, green-eyed, cross-eyed person who will be an enemy of the friends of the Ahlul-Bait. Imam Ali (a.s) has said that Sufiani's hatred of the devotees of the Ahlul-Bait will be such that any person named Ali, Fatema, Hassan, Hussein, Zainab, Ruquaiya will be arrested and beheaded straight away without further investigations. Sufiani will rip the Mimber of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). The holy house of the Prophet which contains his grave will be pulled and used as a stable. Horses will be tied in that Holy place.
Sufiani will then decide to attack Makka. His purpose would be to demolish the Holy Kaaba and kill the entire population of Makka. Sufiani's army will set out via Baghdad but, as Allah would have it, when they get between Medina and Makka, in the desert of Baida, suddenly one night they will hear a voice from the sky which will say, "O Baida eat up the entire army of Sufiani." It is said that the entire army numbering 100,000 persons will be swallowed up by the earth, except for two. The two who will be spared will suddenly encounter an angel. He will slap both of them turning their faces right round, looking behind instead of front. And that will be the time when Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) will already have reappeared in Makka. The Imam will establish his authority in the Holy Mosque at Makka in the Haram. The angel will then order one of them calling him Bashir. "O Bashir, go straight to Makka, into the Haram and inform the Imam that Sufiani's army has been swallowed up by the land. The other called Nazir will be ordered to go to Sufiani and tell him that the Imam has already appeared. He should proceed straight to Makka and declare allegiance to him.
Sufiani will prepare to attack the Imam but will not have enough courage. The Imam will catch Sufiani in Jerusalem and will kill him.
Imam Ali (a.s) has said that nine definite signs will precede the emergence of Hazrat Mahdi (a.s). These nine signs are:
Dajaal will emerge. A loud voice will be heard from the sky. Sufiani will appear and wage a fierce war. The army of Sufiani will be swallowed by a sudden opening of the land between Makka and Medina in the desert of Baida. A revered wise saint will be murdered in Makka. (This saint is to be a Hashimite descent.) A Seyyid descendant of Imam Hassan (a.s) will emerge with his army. The army of Seyyid-e-Hassan and an image of a man will appear in the sky opposite the sun. There will be two eclipses in the holy month of Ramadhan contrary to the normal order and calculation and the eclipse of the moon. On three occasions a loud voice from the sky will be heard in the holy month of Ramadhan.
The Reappearance
Hazrat Isa (Jesus), Hazrat Khizr, Hazrat Ilias, and Hazrat Idris (a.s) will give allegiance to the Imam when he re-appears. Also Jibrael will announce 313 companions of the Imam. These 313 companions will be people of eminent piety, great knowledge and absolutely steadfast in their determination and faith towards the Imam. Another 1000 people will be in the army of the Imam. These people will fight battles and kill enemies like Dajal, who will appear from India. Dajal will have the musical tunes with him. Then the Imam will lead the prayers, Hazrat Isa (a.s) will be behind him.
Let us all pray to Almighty Allah for the reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s).
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text:
Hank necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 26 diseños de 14 diseñadores freelance.
We need to modernize our old logo!
Its been in use for 14 years, and it looks the part.
Chameleon Images Incorporated
Chameleon Images is a prepess imaging company. We work miracles with color-correction and image doctoring. However, our graphic design skills are somewhat dated. We want a modern rendition of our 14 year-old logo so that we look more professional next time we submit a project bid.
currently the logo uses a chameleon motif with soft edges- along with "Chameleon Images Incorporated" in a sefif font. It essentially looks straight out of 1995- and this is no good.
our current logo can be seen our on VERY outdated webpage here:
Currently the small office does not understand the need for a logo facelift. I work for chameleon images as a flash designer. I'm much too busy with projects to allocate time for a logo redesign. However, I do have a lot of pride invested in this company, and I'm utterly embarassed by our current logo. Also since the company does not know that I'm doing this, I have to pay for the logo out of my pocket in hopes of later being compensated. So due to this reasons I invite you designers out there to go somewhat crazy with the design.
- chameleon motif
- sans-serif font
- our entire company name "Chameleon Images Incorporated"
- serif-fonts
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This book by Ann Marie Shillito has been published in October 2013 by Bloomsbury. The first heading of the introduction reads, 'Don't be intimidated!' and serves as Shillito's motivational motto for the interested maker who is on the verge to engage with digital technologies. 'I want this book to empower, knowing that engagement with and access to digital technologies will continue to improve and that as designer makers we have exceptional knowledge and expertise to take full advantage of all the means available to enhance our practice.'
A practicing designer/maker with a background as a jeweller, Shillito is also the founder of Anarkik3D developer of the 3D modelling product Cloud9. This software enables the user to employ haptic feedback – with a force feedback device – to model virtual 3D objects using also their sense of touch. (I was priveledged to tested an early prototype of this system – it had also stereo-scopic vision co-located with the users real gestural positions).
I like the fact that this complex and multifaceted theme is introduced by an experienced maker. In writing this book, Shillito has also included the voices and works of 45 international contributors who have included digital technologies together with their practice to various degrees.
Being image rich, this book makes it easy to see the diverse opportunities digital technologies have to offer for craft and design practitioners. It takes an honest look as to what would be requried from a maker to access these opportunities. The investment in acquiring the necessary skills is significant. A chapter each is given to 2D and 3D technologies and there distinct applications. Chapter 6 'Accessing digital technologies' might be of particular interest to the novice digital/maker.
Chapter 2, 'A craft-minded approach', touches on important questions for contemporary making that sees traditional disciplines becoming less defined through the very technologies that hold so much potential for them. This chapter sets the context against which this book draws its value. It canvases the value of the skills and approaches unique to the designer/maker that both inform the output the creative works as well as the development/application of these digitally-based processes.
I have been familiar with all the technologies introduced in Digital Crafts and have used a fair part of them directly. While all aspects are illustrated with completed works by competent digital Designer/makers, I would have been interested to see how some of these works progressed from conception to realisation.
Digital Craft is certainly a worthwhile resource for anyone interested in the contemporary Designer/Maker model as well as the current state of digital manufacturing and the processes required to access them.


text:
September 11, 2008
Table of Contents, Dictionary and Thesaurus in Google Docs
Google Docs actually creates a bookmark for each heading from the document and displays the bookmarks hierarchically using lists. Unsurprisingly, when you open the document in Microsoft Word, the application treats the table of contents created in Google Docs as a list.
You can find more information about a word directly from Google Docs: click on the Tools menu and look up the word in Merriam-Webster's dictionary and thesaurus and in Encyclopædia Britannica.
In the Tools menu, there are two other options that allow you to search the web for the selected text. It would be nice to see the results in a pop-up box and to link to them directly from Google Docs, but this is not yet possible.
{ Thanks, Mike. }
8 comments:
The TOC is amazing. Combined with Zotero, I can finally use Google Docs for all of my academic writing. I've been waiting for this.ReplyDelete
this is indeed the icing on the cake for docs...bye bye Word..ReplyDelete
Hello !ReplyDelete
I haven't tried it as of yet, but I would like to know if for texts in other languages than English, dictionaries, thesaurus and encyclopaedias are contained in the menu ? Or must such tools be added by the user by means of bookmarking the links of online dictionaries in the respective language ?
I write a lot in French.
Thank you very much for your reply.
It's English-only, for now.ReplyDelete
Hello, Alex ! :)ReplyDelete
Thank you for answering. The "for now" part lets me hope that other languages will be integrated as well.
Google Docs are helpful for people like me who thinks a lot while wring a single sentenceReplyDelete
Nice a worthy effort by google,but we are looking for this option for all other languagesReplyDelete
Where is the widget that adds a Table of Contents?ReplyDelete


text:
Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported Monday that Clay Matthews had successful surgery on his thumb. a bushel in the second quarter as South American output posts its biggest decline on record, Rabobank's analysts wrote in their report. Joe Berger Women's Jerseys dollar, marking its fifth day of declines for a total drop of about almost 2 percent. What sets him apart from everybody else is that he can go from a standing start to full speed faster than anybody I've ever seen," former Colts coach Ted Marchibroda said in David Halberstam's 2005 book, The Education of a Coach.
Scott Crichton Youth Jerseys But McCown looks like he's played a couple of years in this game. Routine act, bad outcome," our sage friend, Tom Curran, wrote Monday. Cheap Audie Cole Jerseys Favre spent the first 22-plus minutes speaking emotionally about his family. When he got healthy it was a big addition. Did the rest of the NFL assume Welker would return and not bother making a legitimate run at the receiver? One writer said Brown had "pillow hands" because of his inability to get off blocks.
Cordarrelle Patterson Women's Jerseys I feel like that's the way with the rest of us; he's no different," Del Rio said. There were games and tournaments, to be sure, but even the players talked of the difficulty of going back to near-empty arenas after the thrill of Vancouver or Sochi. Two days later, Manning will retire.
Cheap Terence Newman Jerseys You're talking about a career-ending injury. as well as interviewing select players signed to rookie contracts. Christie has governed New Jersey for five years, winning praise for his handling of the damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Danielle Hunter Youth Jerseys Although general manager John Schneider told Around The NFL at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday that the organization intends to bring in as much competition as possible, coach Pete Carroll stressed Thursday that Rawls is the heavy favorite to replace the recently retired Marshawn Lynch. He's a Hall of Famer for sure, multiple Super Bowls, and that's something that I look forward to doing.
Shamar Stephen Youth Jerseys Hopefully we won't have any significant issues here, but we can have some storm surge, some rain, tornados and some flooding. He usually doesn't celebrate after scoring, and wasn't about to contemplate how he might react if he finds the target against England. In Carolina, he's taking the formula into overdrive by pairing three freaky-athletic linebackers with a brutal defensive line that is giving opponents fits. And it's possible (getting a deal done), is really what I'm getting to.


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Front yards are being ripped up in a San Jose neighborhood, and while residents are well aware of who the culprits are, there's very little they can do.
The torn-up lawns are the work of wild pigs on a feeding frenzy, residents said. They strike in the middle of the night, digging up lawns in the Evergreen neighborhood of South San Jose.
"They came in and ... I saw a huge pack of them, and they were effectively ripping up the sod," resident Rod Murchison said.
Murchison and his neighbors said there are about 20 of the wild boars, and they have destroyed more than half a dozen lawns in the neighborhood over the past week.
Kevin McFatridge lives up the street from Murchison. His front lawn looks like a war zone. The pigs even took out his geranium plants.
"We can handle a little patch here or there, but our entire lawn is now gone, and that's very frustrating," McFatridge said.
Murchison believes the pigs came from the ranchland across the street from his home. He said he had a similar problem about 10 years ago but it stopped after neighbors got together to secure a fence. Murchison even put up a device that shines a red light, simulating a pig predator. He hopes it will be enough to keep the hungry grub hunters away.
Murchison's 10-year-old daughter Katie built two fairy houses in the front yard. She's so worried about the pigs, she put up a warning.
"I put up the sign so the fairies would know not to come at night because the pigs might come," Katie said.


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Repeat DWI offender pleads guilty to murder for wreck
A repeat drunken driver who killed another motorist while driving the wrong way on U.S. 281 pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder.
Frances Rosalez Ford, 39, entered the plea without any agreement in place with prosecutors — a risky move that means the district attorney's office will have the option of asking for the maximum sentence, life in prison, when she's sentenced by state District Judge Philip Kazen next month.
Ford told officers she had been drinking vodka and cranberry juice cocktails prior to causing the head-on wreck with motorist Lawrence Vigier Belcher, 38, near the Hildebrand Avenue exit in the early morning hours of Oct. 14, 2010.
A blood test revealed her to have an alcohol level of 0.19 — more than twice the legal limit.
"I was flashing my lights and honking my air horn," trucker Frank Cervantes told police, explaining he tried to get Ford to pull over as he watched vehicles swerve out of her way. "She did look over at me a couple times. I rolled down my window and motioned for her to stop and she just turned her head and continued on."
Moments later, he said, he heard "the most horrific crunch."
Ford was charged with murder instead of intoxication manslaughter, which carries a maximum punishment of 20 years, because she had been convicted twice before of driving while intoxicated.
In multiple letters to the judge, Ford described herself as an Army vet who had been going through a "terrible and emotional divorce" and had recently lost her house to foreclosure.
"When I landed in jail, all I wanted to do was be the person who died," she wrote. "I'm not worth anything, no one will miss me, my marriage failed, I can barely make ends meet, my kids will be better off without me...."
But she's now glad she's alive, she said, adding as she asked for mercy that she would like to return to jail — as a volunteer — to share her story with others.
Twitter: @HearsaySA


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Newspaper responds to criticism of controversial map
The Des Moines Register is responding to national criticism for posting an online map of Iowa schools that did not have resource officers.
The map was up on the newspaper website for about 30 minutes.
Vice President and Editor Rick Green released this statement to KCCI 8 News saying in part, "Our digital team's intention yesterday was to offer a comprehensive analysis of Iowa's 348 public school districts. It was done without offering specific information about the schools themselves. There was no intent to be reckless."
Green said the Register conducted a statewide survey of resource officers following the tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary.
He said the Register heard from readers who wanted to know if their schools had any kind of police officer presence.
Green said while that's important information, the manner in which it was displayed was not the best.


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Happy New year!
Good morning 2012! I for one am pretty pleased to see the back of 2011 and welcome the new year with open arms!
I never keep (or even remember) my resolutions each year, so this time I thought if I wrote them down it might keep me in check. Hopefully this time next year I will look back and have achieved at least 5 of them (keeping it real) here goes….
- Learn to use my camera properly and take MUCH better photos (start by reading the manual?)
- Hang that blessed CUSTOM WEDDINGS sign outside my shop!
- Get better use out of my expensive archival inkjet printer (manual??)
- Buy a Serger and make some use of my Fashion Degree by making a few clothes
- Have printed running yardage available (upholster a chair for the shop window)
- Work on a new line of Organic Cotton Voile Crib bedding for next holiday season
- Create a new digital line of paper goods - cards, calender, journals etc..
- Finish my Letterpress Weddings Collection once and for all!
- Formulate a digital template based on my 2010 Family Tree Design
- Design an Animal Alphabet for posters and small limited archival runs
- Create a portfolio of prints for Licensing
- Illustrate a Children's Book
- Hire an employee to help with all of the above
- Take a vacation somewhere warm (England /New Zealand does not count)
- Practice more Yoga and work less hours
I know! it's a big list which is why I only aim to cross off 5 of them, then if I achieve more I'll get a major pat on the back!


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Assessment |
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Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Philosophy Index: Aesthetics · Epistemology · Ethics · Logic · Metaphysics · Consciousness · Philosophy of Language · Philosophy of Mind · Philosophy of Science · Social and Political philosophy · Philosophies · Philosophers · List of lists
Ferdinand de Saussure (November 26, 1857 - February 22, 1913) was a Swiss linguist, considered by many to be the father of structuralism.
Born in Geneva, he laid the foundation for many developments in linguistics in the 20th century. He perceived linguistics as a branch of a general science of signs he proposed to call semiology (now generally known as semiotics).
Life and Work: Relatively little is known about Saussure's life apart from his academic pursuits. Born in Geneva to a family known for its scholastic achievement, Saussure's interest and ability in linguistics was recognized early. His first professional essay was written at fourteen, a response to the works of the paleontologist Pictet, a family friend . Before starting his graduate work at the University of Leipzig in 1876 (at nineteen), Saussure had taught himself Sanskrit, attended a year of courses at the University of Geneva, submitted various articles for publication and joined the Société de linguistique de Paris. This would suggest he was a well-prepared and largely self-taught teen prodigy by the time he arrived at Leipzig.
The German academic community was undergoing violent disagreements about language at this time; the advent of the Comparative Method in the late nineteenth century made it possible to reconstruct the history of certain parent languages and scholars were reexamining all elements of their field. However, it did not succeed in establishing the next wave of linguistics which Saussure would dominate because it did not pursue the nature of its object of study, that nature is to be found in more than the elemental words of which a language consists; it speaks to the formal relations between those components. The Neogrammarians, who led the emergent school of linguistic thought at Leipzig, embraced the Comparative Method. While Saussure would work under them as a student, he would evetually break with their teachings.
In 1878 Saussure spent a year studying at Berlin. At twenty-one he wrote four articles plus a 300-page monograph: Mémoire sur le système primitif des voyelles dans les langues indo-européenes. This would be the only full-length book published by him in his lifetime. The Mémoire was revolutionary and considered ingenious by many, although some of his mentors and peers at Leipzig were highly dismissive of its individuality. It did, however, establish his reputation and provide the foundation of his work on the Cours de linguistique générale. After the Mémoire, Saussure returned to Leipzig to finish his dissertation, which was submitted in 1880; he received his doctorate and the thesis was published in 1881.
In 1880 he moved to Paris and became a senior lecturer at l'Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes. There he taught Gothic and Old High German, Sanskrit, Latin, Persian and Lithuanian. When he arrived in Paris, the graduate education system was transforming at a magnificent rate. There was much enthusiasm – especially in language and linguistics. Two strands of linguistics vied for prominence: that anchored at the Sorbonne, which published in Revue de linguistique et philologie comparée, and that led by Michel Brèal, which published in Société de linguistique de Paris. Saussure followed Brèal's group.
French psychologists and sociologists were also making great strides in the study of the workings of the mind and the nature of consciousness and unconsciousness, which held great potential for linguistic scientists. Saussure studied the work of Broca, Wernicke, Bergson, Jung, Weber, and Durkheim with interest, and applied it to his own.
However, over the years, Saussure became ever more obsessed with the idea of plagiarism, for fear of inadvertently incorporating the theories of one of his colleagues into his own research. He thereafter increasingly isolated himself. In reviewing the work being done in linguistics at this time, we find that many of the concepts that would appear in Saussure's Cours were already in development by other scholars, but not to the same degree or in the same manner. What was original about his concepts was his approach, his use of terminology and his incorporation of sociology, anthropology and philosophy.
Saussure returned to Geneva in 1891 and became a professor at the University. He was to teach there for the rest of his life. He began by giving courses in Sanskrit and Indo-European languages as well as historical and comparative linguistics. Only after a colleague died in 1906 did he add general linguistics; this would lead to the development of his famous three courses. As his curiosity and the complexity of his research increased, his published output decreased. In the last fifteen years of his life he produced only three papers. After 1906 the majority of his academic energy went into his series, Cours de linguistique générale. He approached these courses from three directions, without using any course notes.
Saussure's systematic reexamination of language is based on four assumptions:
- The scientific study of language needs to develop and study the system rather than the history of linguistic phenomena.
- the basic elements of language can only be studied in relation to their functions rather than in relation to their causes.
- the relationship between the signifier and the signified in language is arbitrary.
- language is primarily a "social activity" (in some ways this is the most radical and yet least developed element of his system); language is socialized at every level, from the production of phonemes to the interpretation of complex meaning.
In many ways, the dualities of the first three assumptions are all reconfigured and resolved socially. They led Saussure to call for a new science that would go beyond linguistic science and study the life of signs within society. He would identify this as semiology, which is now interchangeably identified with semiotics' (from Dr. Klage's lecture on "Structuralism and Saussure").
Unbenownst to most of his colleagues, in the last seven years of his life Saussure began a new strain of research dealing with the anagrammatical properties of certain classical Latin and Indo-European poems. He mentioned his pursuit in only a few personal letters, and it wasn't until fifty years after his death that eight boxes of notebooks and sketches were discovered and analyzed. Saussure had become fascinated with the idea that, in a verse-form known as Saturnian (poetry) (with forebears reaching back through Homer to ancient Sanskrit), poets encoded a name – often that of a god or patron – into the words of a poem. He had serious questions about his research, and was unsure of his findings – the anagrams were sometimes misleading and even yielded incorrect names. More importantly, he realized his new work would undermine some of the basic tenets of his Cours; giving special status to poetic language over "normal" language.
Nevertheless, critics like Julia Kristeva and Jacques Derrida embraced this newfound work and incorporated it into their own approaches. As Kristeva proclaimed: "We accept the principles set out by Ferdinand de Saussure in his "Anagrams,"
- Poetic language adds a second, contrived, dimension to the original word
- There is a correspondence between elements, in both metre and rime
- Binary poetic laws transgress the rules of grammar
- The element of the key word (or even letter) 'may be spread over the whole length of the text or may be concentrated in a small space, such as one or two words.' (Cambridge Companion to Saussure, 184)
In the end, Saussure abandoned his anagrams, perhaps because he had set too stringent a system of rules for himself which would not allow for such a leap of imagination.
The Course of General Linguistics (Cours de linguistique générale): Saussure died in February, 1913. Within a month colleagues and former students realized what might be the greatest tragedy of his passing: that the genius of his Cours de linguistique générale remained solely in the memories and notebooks of the students fortunate enough to have enrolled in one of his three courses. Immediately a plan was formulated by Charles Bally and Albert Sechehaye to recreate the Cours from the notes and memories of those students, along with a strong amount of editing. Albert Riedlinger's meticulous notes formed the basis of the manuscript and he provided editorial support.
There was, and has continued to be, much controversy over the "real" Saussure and the "interpreted" Saussure through his students' notes and editorial manipulation. Considering that the editors chose to write the manuscript in the first-person (which certainly would not have been inherent in student notes), it at least begs the question of authorial authenticity. Regardless, it has been called one of the great achievements of Western intellect, contemplating the issue that language can be analyzed as a formal system of organized difference, apart from the dialectics of real-time production and comprehension.
It is important to recall that structuralist analysis concerns itself with the units ("phonemes") and rules of the system, rather than its specific content. In terms of language, these units are words and rules are the grammar which make order of the words.
The Cours is broken down into a series of sections:
1) Section I: The Nature of the Linguistic Sign.
2) Section II: Linguistic Value.
- which raises the connection between ideas and language, and the inseparable link between thought and sound. The terms "langue" (system of language), "parole" (individual unit within langue), "value" (collective meaning assigned to signs), "signification" (meaning), and "difference" (relation that creates value) are developed here. Within this section also lies the portion which deals with Synagmatic and Associative Relations, the basis for the social foundations of the course and the analysis of groups and discourse.<p> 'A Selection of Basic Points from the Cours:
- the sound-image is nothing more than the sum of a limited number of elements or phonemes
- language is a storehouse of sound-images.
- the sound-image is sensory - "material" - and can be opposed to the more abstract term, the concept.
- language is a system of signs that express ideas, and is therefore comparable to a system of writing.
- a linguistic sign is a two-sided psychological entity made up of a concept and a sound-image that are intimately united, each recalling the other. This combination of concept and sound-image is also identified as signified and signifier.
- the linguistic sign is arbitrary - in the sense that there is no natural connection between the signifier and the signified.
- the sign is not only arbitrary but linear.
- it is impossible to conceive of ideas without language - language must preexist the idea - language becomes the sign of the idea.
- imagine thought as the front and back of a piece of paper, or two sides of a coin; irrevocably connected. So with language, sound and thought cannot be divided.
- signs used in writing are arbitrary.
- in a language-state everything is based on definitions.
- in discourse, words acquire relations based on the linear nature of language because they are chained together.'
- The western European or French school, guided by Saussure's teachings,
- The eastern European/Russian or Formalist school, centered in the Prague Linguistic Circle, led by Roman Jakobson and heavily influenced by the works of Saussure,
- The North American school, led by Leonard Bloomfield, who took issue with many of Saussure's theories, and later Noam Chomsky, who began discussing Saussure in remarks made at the 1962 International Congress of Linguists and in papers thereafter. While Chomsky did not fully agree with many of Saussure's theories, he did find certain commonalities between his own concepts and those of the Swiss linguist.
- (1878). Essai d'une distinction des différents a indo-européens. Memoires de la Société de linguistique, 3:359-70.
- (1879). Mémoire sur le système primitif des voyelles dans les langues indo-européennes. Leipzig: Teubner.
- (1908). Mélanges de linguistique offerts à M. Ferdinand de Saussure (no eds.). Paris: Champion.
- (1909). Interview with A. Riedlinger, 19 January 1909. In Godel, 1957/1969a.
- (1916). Cours de linguistique générale (published by C. Bally and A. Sechehaye in collaboration with A. Riedlinger). Lausanne and Paris: Payot. (CLG)
- (1922). Recueil des publications scientifiques. Geneva: Editions Sonor.
- (1957). Cours de linguistique générale Cours II 1908-1909: introduction (d'aprés des notes
- (1959). Course in General Linguistics (trans. W. Baskin). New York: Philosophical
- (1960). Souvenirs de F. de Saussure concernant sa jeunesse et ses études (ed. R. Godel).
- (1964/5). Notes et documents sur Ferdinand de Saussure (1880-1891) (présentées par
- (1968). Cours de linguistique générale (critical edition by R. Engler, vol. 1). Wiesbaden:
- (1972 [1916]). Cours de linguistique génrale (ed. T. de Mauro). Paris: Payot. (CLG/D)
- (1974). Cours de linguistique générale (Notes personnelles) (critical edition by R. Engler,
- (1974 [1959]). Course in General Linguistics (trans. W. Baskin, with an introduction by
- (1978). Essai pour réduire les mots du grec, du latin et de l'allemand à un petit nombre de
- (1979). Saggio sul vocalisimo indoeuropeo (Italian edition, introd., trans. and ed. G.C.
- (1983). Course in General Linguistics (trans. and annotated by R. Harris). London:
- (1993). Troisiéme Cours de linguistique générale / Third Course in General Linguistics (1910-1911), d'après les cahiers d'Emile Constantin (ed. and trans. E. Komatsu
- (1994). [Letter dated September 1912 to Bally]. Cahiers Ferdinand de Saussure, 48: 132.
- (1996). Premier Cours de linguistique générale / First Course in General Linguistics
- (1997). Deuxième Cours de linguistique générale / Second Course in General linguistics
- (2002). Ecrits de linguistiques générale (ed. S. Bouquet and R. Engler). Paris: Gallimard.
See alsoEdit
- Linguististics
- Structuralism
- Semiotics
- Formalism
- Roman Jakobson
- Claude Lévi-Strauss
- Roland Barthes
- Jacques Lacan
- Julia Kristéva
- Jacques Derrida
- Leonard Bloomfield
- Noam Chomsky
- Michael Silverstein
External linksEdit
- Saussure's Third Course of Lectures on General Linguistics
- Dr. Mary Klages's lecture on Structuralism and Saussure
- Terms used in The Course on General Linguistics
- Hearing Heidegger and Saussure, by Elmer G. Wiens
- The Cambridge Companion to Saussure. ed. Carol Sanders. Cambridge: Cambridge U P. 2004.
- Harris, Roy. Saussure and his Interpreterers. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Edinburgh U P. 2003.
- Klage, Mary. "Structuralism and Saussure." Introduction to Literary Theory course. University of Colorado at Boulder. (c) 2001. <http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/saussure.html>(February 7, 2006).
- The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. ed. Vincent B. Leitch. New York: WW Norton & Co. 2001. 956-77.
- Gabriel Rupp and Ronald Schleifer. "Ferdinand de Saussure".Johns Hopkins Online Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism. ed. Michael Groden, Martin Kreiswirth, and Imre Szeman Baltimore: Johns Hopkins U P. (c)2005.(February 1, 2006).an:Ferdinand de Saussure
ast:Ferdinand de Saussure bg:Фердинанд дьо Сосюр ca:Ferdinand de Saussure de:Ferdinand de Saussure el:Φερντινάντ ντε Σωσσύρ es:Ferdinand de Saussure eo:Ferdinand de SAUSSURE eu:Ferdinand Saussure fa:فردینان دو سوسور fr:Ferdinand de Saussure gl:Ferdinand de Saussure ko:페르디낭 드 소쉬르 io:Ferdinand de Saussurehe:פרדינן דה סוסיר nl:Ferdinand de Saussureno:Ferdinand de Saussurept:Ferdinand de Saussure ro:Ferdinand de Saussure ru:Соссюр, Фердинанд де sk:Ferdinand de Saussure fi:Ferdinand de Saussure sv:Ferdinand de Saussurezh:索緒爾
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Q: What are the various compressive suits available and in what way do they help a child with special needs?
A: There are various compressive suits available worldwide, just do a google search on compressive suits for therapy and a long list will appear. Each suit has different properties, is made of different materials and claims to have certain benefits. For example: compressive suits for children with autism are supposed to improve sensory input. Compressive suits have also been used for children with poor balance and proprioception (knowing where your limbs are in space). However, not all suits are suitable for all children. Compressive suits can cause increased difficulty in breathing, worsen scoliosis or hip dysplasia if not fitted properly.
Please consult your therapist for an assessment before use.
Janell Lee
Paediatric Physiotherapist
Credit: A video by Channel 5
Credit: A video by Trixie Chua & Celine Kim for Special Seeds Singapore.
Credit: A video by NCSS


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Look – Gold, Copper, & Black Smoky Eye for New Year's Eve 2008
Here's my New Year's Eve look! 🙂 There are two different lip looks I used with this look — the one I'll actually be sporting is the lighter, less bold lip, but I figured it was worth a shot to see how a redder lip might look with it, too. You know, for those who want to be more dramatic 😉
The boy and I will be driving up to his family's house in a little bit, and we'll spend our NYE hanging out with them. My plans are pretty tame, but I like them that way. Since I don't drink, partying tends to be less fun for me (seriously, being sober while everyone else is drunk/buzzed and giggling at inane things… not so fun), so staying in for NYE is exactly my speed.
I hope whatever NYE plans you have for the evening are fabulously fun! Stay safe and enjoy ringing in the new year! 🙂
You will need the following…
- Eyes: Blonde's Gold pigment (golden tan), Goldmine eyeshadow (true gold), Amber Lights eyeshadow (copper), Antiqued eyeshadow (dark coppery brown), Mont Black eyeshadow (black with gold flecks), Rose Blanc eyeshadow (pale white gold), Urban Decay Honey 24/7 Liner (gold), Penultimate Eye Liner (black), Plushlash mascara (black)
- Cheeks: Chanel Corail Tweed Blush (coral), Redhead MSF (bronzy-red)
- Lips: Benefit Sexy Gold Lipstick (golden shimmer), Prestigious lipgloss (sheer berry-red)
- Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
- Substitutes: Blonde's Gold = Tan; Mont Black = Carbon; Rose Blanc = Nylon; Redhead = Springsheen; Prestigious = Star Nova
Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Blonde's Gold pigment all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Goldmine eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Amber Lights eyeshadow to the middle of the lid. Darken the outer lid using Antiqued eyeshadow using the 239. Darken crease with Mont Black eyeshadow using the 239. Sweep Rose Blanc eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Honey 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, Penultimate Eye Liner on upper lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Chanel Corail blush using the 129, then highlight with Redhead MSF. Apply Benefit Sexy Gold lipstick to lips, and then top with Prestigious lipglass for color and shine.
Check out more photos!


text: Girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss as many as four days of school each month because they don't have the necessary supplies to staunch their period blood. As a result, Always and Tampax are launching an awareness-building and fundraising program in the U.S. and Canada to help the situation. Um, did Always and Tampax ever think that maybe just giving African girls pads and tampons would be more cost-effective than spending millions of dollars making North Americans aware of the problem? Just saying. Also, yes, this is another excuse to use that creepy anime period cartoon. [MediaPost ]


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Clinical Librarian Victoria Treadway with Dr Girendra Sadera and medical colleagues at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Image copyright Wirral University Teaching Hospital.
The campaign
Every day across the healthcare sector in England more than a million decisions are made that have a profound and lasting impact on people's lives and which influence the quality of healthcare and the cost of services.
CILIP and Health Education England (HEE) are campaigning for decisions in the healthcare sector to be fully evidence-based, calling on government and health service providers to employ and make use of the skills of librarians and knowledge specialists in meeting their obligations under The Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Take a look at our impact
Librarians and knowledge services have a real impact on the cost and quality of healthcare services, working with clinicians, allied health professionals, service managers and those procuring or commissioning healthcare services.
Pledge your support
If you have 1 minute:
- Share this message: Health librarians & info services bring the evidence for #amilliondecisions in #healthcare #nhs www.cilip.org.uk/amilliondecisions
- Sign up to receive campaign news
If you have 5 minutes:
- Download a campaign postcard and this infographic
- Download the campaign autosignature and link to this page
- Formally submit a library and knowledge impact case study via Knowledge for Healthcare
Local advocacy materials
Poster and flyer templates for your own local use: A3 poster | A4 poster | A4 flyer
Tweet your impact stories
Every day health librarians and knowledge specialists add real value across the NHS and healthcare sector. Tweet your impact stories #amilliondecisions
Informing users of our physical spaces of our contribution— WHH Evidence Service (@WHHKES) 23 January 2017
to quality improvement #impact #amilliondecisions @WHHNHS pic.twitter.com/3NLnAE3Tm4
Meeting the Act
Over the course of the campaign we will be engaging with key audiences with responsibility for delivering and shaping healthcare services to show how library and knowledge specialists can help teams at all levels across healthcare to meet their obligations under the Health and Social Care Act.
If you work in healthcare and would like to know more about library and knowledge services in your area or about meeting your obligations under the Act, please contact the Health Education England (HEE) Library and Knowledge Services lead for your area.
CILIP: a home for health library and information professionals
If you are a librarian or knowledge specialist working in healthcare, join CILIP for a range of benefits tailored to your needs, including:
- The opportunity to join CILIP's Health Libraries Group, a UK-based network covering all health and social sectors and geographical areas in the UK
- Access to the PKSB for Health
- Special member rates on CILIP Conference and the Health Libraries Group Conference and events, publications and much more
- Professional registration and CPD
Campaign logo and more information
To request the campaign logo, graphics or more information about the campaign, contact Cat Cooper
Related Links
- Campaign news announcement
- Health Education England
- Making a positive impact on the cost and quality of care: examples of our impact
- Utilising clinical librarianship on ward rounds
- CILIP's Health Libraries Group
- Knowledge for Healthcare
- NHS Library and Knowledge Services in England Policy
- Contribution of trained health librarians infographic


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LaFerrari. McLaren P1. Porsche 918 Spyder. Koenigsegg Agera R. And that's not all. What if they threw in an Enzo and a Carrera GT, among others? Sounds like a dream. Except its real. And all of them are one track. Whaaaaaaaaaaa??
This little gathering of supercars and their forefathers could only be possible at a ridiculous millionaire's trackday. That's just what happened at the Assen Circuit in Holland.
Must be nice.
(As has been pointed out, we've done this once before, but it's still cool, isn't it?)


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*** (out of four)
None of Robert Pattinson's roles have fully lined up with his shifty absent-mindedness. In "Twilight," he tries to make Edward mysterious and tortured, but comes off as vacant. In this year's "Bel Ami," he plays a social climber without any of the perspective or charisma that would have justified the romantic opportunities he unconvincingly obtains.
In writer-director David Cronenberg's disturbing, oddly funny "Cosmopolis," Pattinson's inherent, detached restlessness finally becomes an asset. In many ways, billionaire Eric Packer (Pattinson), the 28-year-old head of Packer Capital, lives at a distance from those around him. He spends most of his time in his stretch limo, comfortably removed from anarchist protestors outside. Eric's had the car adjusted to quiet the noise outside, and he barely flinches at the bumpiness caused by people pushing his moving status symbol. As the 99 percent rage and re-purpose a poem in which rats become currency, Eric rides in the first-class section of capitalism's upper echelon, less interested in the people who work for him than the desire to put a heliport on his roof.
Cronenberg's adaptation of Don DeLillo's novel suffers from persistent chattiness. "Cosmopolis" constantly presents characters (played by pros including Juliette Binoche and Samantha Morton), often while talking with Eric in his car, directly discussing financial issues and other blunt subjects regarding personal worth and time-management. Those scenes can feel like a play, not a movie, in which people's conversations are a verbal means of looking in the mirror.
Yet "Cosmopolis," which at times recalls "American Psycho" and "Shame," never bores. It's profoundly attuned to the desperate, ironic tragedy of recycled viciousness—Paul Giamatti plays a mystery man who may have it out for Eric—and the futility of discussion after the fact. When Vija (Morton) comments that an aggressive act lacks originality, Eric responds, "What's original? He did it, didn't he?"
The guy's arrogance frequently comes off as an act; he uses money as self-defense and covets sex like a commodity to be negotiated over, urging, "There isn't time not to have it" as if his chances may disappear at any time. (For the same reason, he schedules a daily doctor's appointment, including a prostate exam in the limo.) Simultaneously Eric acts as if treating problems like they don't matter means they don't. He's a child earning the salary of thousands of adults, and Pattinson finds just the right mix of power and weakness.
Certainly, when Eric's friend Shiner (Jay Baruchel) asks, "Do you ever get the feeling sometimes that you don't know what's going on?," it's hard not to think of Pattinson's recent personal troubles. Hopefully the actor can bounce back from Kristen Stewart's infidelity; with the exciting, dangerous "Cosmopolis" he at last proves he deserves roles, not just headlines.
Watch Matt on "You & Me This Morning," Friday at 6:55 a.m. on WCIU, the U
firstname.lastname@example.com. @mattpais
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This latest blowup about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) targeting certain groups over tax exemptions is really bad.
To the editor:
This latest blowup about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) targeting certain groups over tax exemptions is really bad.
Then, again, they approve these exemptions based on one person�s statement that they do not coordinate their actions with a particular candidate. Anyone who runs a political action committee that coordinates with the candidate is guilty of lying to the IRS and unworthy of this tax exemption.
A recent media report states that many have lied about this with no attempts by the IRS to redress the situation because it is nearly impossible to prove.
Steven Colbert started such a PAC on his show with his lawyers� help and showed how easy it is to game the system.
We have sequestered all government agencies including the IRS and saddled them with a tax-exemption quagmire when their main job is to collect taxes.
Why do we have tax exemptions for political campaign money in the first place? Who is really at fault for even having such laws that put political money on an equal footing with that spent for charity?
By the way, when it comes to true charity, the last thing one should consider is whether or not it is a tax write off.
Ken Hayden


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Students involved in the following courses may be eligible for a school letter.
Review the Disclosure for the Performance Eligibility/Code of Conduct rules.
Dance Company (class)
Shakespeare/Theatre Company (auditioned)
Titan Guitar Ensemble (class)
Madrigals (class)
PAC (Performing Arts Company) (class)
Yearbook Staff (class)
Titan Orchestra (class)
Studio Art (class)
StuCo (class)
Improv (club)
Ballroom (club)
3D Design II (class)
Master Production (class)
Audio Lab II
Qualification Standards:
- In order to qualify for the classes, you must complete an entire year and receive an "B" grade with no more than 3 excused absences and/or tardies per quarter. In addition, students must engage and be involved in high quality collaborative design, candid feedback and original work. Additionally, students must not receive a level 200, 300, 400, or 500 discipline demerit, which includes repeated violations of level 100. Students must also participate in all required performances/events.
- For a Theatre Company letter, a student must have a significant role in a minimum of two theatrical productions over the course of the year. Ensemble members do not qualify for a letter.
- In order to receive a letter in 3D design/Master Production/Audio Lab II, a student must qualify for all "class" expectations as well as contribute to 5+ school related pieces/performances.