All Under One Flag!

 

The Omani Flag

All Under One Flag! – Feel And Act As One!

By Majid Said Nasser Al Suleimany

As kids, we have read all these stories. Most of us have been told these stories by our parents, grandparents or have read them in school too!! How come we conveniently have forgotten all these now?

This is the story of the Father laying on his deathbed and calling his children around him. Then he gives each child a stick and asks them to break the stick in two. Each one of them is able to do that. Then he takes all the sticks and ties them up in a bundle. He then asks each child to do the same. None of them are able to break up the bundle.

Each one of them looks in amazement and awe at their dying father and what he is now up to. Then the father cautions – so long as you stick together as one, nothing will ever happen to you in your lives. But if you get out of the bundle and be as a single stick, everyone outside can break you into two. You must always be together and act as one. Remember this always my children! If you want to bring in drama and heroics in, the father soon dies after saying this. In real life, the father lives a bit longer, before the last breath leaves his body, giving enough time for his children to do their home works and comprehend their father’s teachings!

A long time ago when I was in Secondary School in that distant land, this was the time of the Apartheid system in South Africa. We had some Black Africans from South Africa who were there as refugees, and some of them joined our school too. At that time, I was the Head Prefect of our wing in school, and one of my jobs was to invite and welcome new students in the school. This particular student was very hostile to me. He used to tell the local African students why do you keep a ‘coloured’ (I came to know later it meant Arabs and Asians in his left behind country, and as his white African brothers peers were ruling the country in their absence). Why do you keep this coloured as your Head Prefect? Are you not ashamed of yourselves? Have you no pride? What is wrong with you peoples?

I was really taken aback by these unprovoked and uncalled for challenges, when all that I was trying was to make the guy feel welcome and at home, as my job duties, aspects and responsibilities called on up on me to do so. I got very angry and annoyed and decided to quit. The Students Council and The School Management refused to accept this, and I was really touched to see the students stand up (most of them fellow blacks but of another country) and tell the guy off. In the end, this chap became my very good friend, as the knack in me to bring friendships and trust where previously there was hostility and annoyance.

All the students told him off – he was selected by us not because of his colour but by the trust, faith, credibility and confidence that we have on him – and nothing else – and he is one of us. You – you are a stranger and guest to our country – so please behave as one!

Long time ago I was forced as part of the college curriculum in that place to read about Socialism. In one of the Marxist theories, they believed in breaking up law and order by the use of a gun (actual words peace comes through the barrel of the gun!). One of their theories was to divide the peoples and leadership by such tactics and show the leadership in poor format. But the punch line was – Divide and conquer.

That is a plain message when you want to divide and split your enemy, by giving colouring and specifics to peoples, so they end up paying homage and more interests in this than at looking as they say the bigger picture. Or not looking outside the box. Or not seeing the forest because of the trees.

One country that I really admire is India. Where else in the world you would have a Muslim President, a Sikh Prime Minister, and a Christian as a Defence Minister. Whichever part of India you come from, you are one as First Indian. The same case is in USA with their multi-ethnic backgrounds, with a Black American as Secretary of State. Then you have all the mix, and even refugees to the country can make it to being rich and high positions of state (Remember Dr. Kissinger and Madeline Albright?). Now President Obama – the first non-white USA President.

For our future generations and for record in history books, we need to impart on our younger generations that due to the complexities involved in our history, we may come from different backgrounds – but we are first and foremost as first Omanis and this is the only country that God has given to us as our own. We need to stop these polarizations and bringing up artificial splits and divisions. Remove all these pointing out fingers. Remove all the jealousies, envies and what have you. In the global village we are now in, we cannot afford such things and must be shunned at all costs.

One time while studying in UK in my Business Studies, I made a grave mistake to talk badly about one Indian descendant guy but nationality of a different country. The guys from that land (if you want to say original owners of the land or natives) were pissed off with me and put me directly into my place.

I make the call again today.

We are all as Omanis as one people. We must all be as ONE and love each other as ONE. Despite any artificial differences or nature, we are as one. We see things unfolding in front of our eyes in other places, and we must learn from these. There is nothing as bad and ugly as seeing things gone wrong in other places, and you as a human being with God’s graces and intelligence and wisdom given not doing anything to change and or confirm. We become only worse than animals.

*** We can still do Much more***

We as Omanis can still do much MORE by loving each other MORE; be MORE kind, gentle, caring, generous and feeling to each other MORE, support each other MORE, be one people under one flag and one Nation under HM MORE; help, assist and co operate with each other MORE; avoid differentiating, polarising, friction avoidance MORE – and not let others outsiders interfere and try to divide and split us MORE.

We owe it to HM, our beloved nation, our history, traditions, heritage, culture, customs and values more. HM has made great personal and self sacrifices for us all Omanis that today we can hold our heads high with pride, esteem and dignity. It is not what we think and feel – but we will be judged by our ACTIONS – and not empty WORDS or RHETORICS!

The time to do that is now, not tomorrow. Just Now!

We wish him a very long life and health – and for the renaissance and enlightenment to ever continue and move ever forward – Amin.

This article was written several years ago and can be found in my Between Us Only! Series Books here at *** http://www.myownmajid.com and http://www.myown-ebooks.com

This article is extracted from The Sequel – Between Us Only! http://www.trafford.com/08-0890

Other Books Here *** Between Us Only! Series (ex Oman Daily Observer Columns – Between Us Only!)

Stop The Gaza Massacres!

Or Live and Let Live!

TO ISRAEL, ITS BACKERS AND THE HYPOCRITES BETRAYALS – NOTHING IS PERMANENT IN THIS WORLD! EXCEPT GOD! YOUR DAY WILL COME SOONER THAN YOU EXPECTED!

And the Arab Leadership are afraid more of human beings than God Allah SWT – only eternal fire and punishment from the grave await you – Remember your Religion!

A Call To The Arab Armies To Help and Save The Situation!

I am writing this as a human being – and a citizen of the land – and with rights and freedom to express myself – though trust me – I hate ‘politics’ for sure – and even in writing it!

Writing is a struggle against silence. Carlos Fuentes

This article was written on November 5 2012 with the last invasion. If you read it all over again – it is history repeating itself against the biggest prison camp in the world of Gaza – whilst so-called Democracy and Freedom Preachers and their Associates and The Hypocrites look the other way – because they are more afraid of people rather than God Allah SWT! Shame on all of them – especially The Hypocrites!

 

Horrific Gaza Images – Family of 10 killed in their home!

As a small boy of 5 years of age I used to wonder out aloud this tease from the African elders that they used to make after a hawk (eagle) has scooped down and taken up in the air the hurriedly and scurriedly running for cover baby chickens with its mother. Even the cock used to run too – instead of facing its ground the adversary! The tease (joke) was that the chickens were cursing that ‘May the sky fall on the eagle!’ You cannot blame the Mother Chicken for saying that seeing its baby has already been taken away by the hawk! It is a desperate vain attempt to go on with life – with all the hawks around!

You will excuse me for the also simile and the metaphor – especially to those that love and defend our adversaries in privacy and in secrecy – whilst pretending and acting in front of us for whatever reason like wishing to keep the job and welcome etc. But if I was a play or drama writer – and I had money to spare – I would write this satirical tragical drama of how the so-called Israeli leaders find themselves lumped together and meeting Hitler in burning eternal hell – and their protesting that a grave and serious mistake has been made! Only this time of all the machinations and schemers of their controlling media and their supporters would not work – because it is God that they are facing now!

Horrific Gaza Images – Family of 10 killed in their home!

In my life one thing that I hate the foremost is in ‘cursing people’ – but I can easily curse those people that do not see much or a great deal of killed babies, children and women – and even men – when bombs rain down on their homes – and killing entire families at one go! Sometimes I feel that even if he is in Hell – but Hitler and his Nazi cronies cannot afford but smile seeing his victims ‘doing it also to other peoples’!

Horrific Gaza Images – Family of 10 killed in their home!

You will excuse me also for sounding religious and all the semantics and similes involved – and for those that do not know it – or know but prefer to marginalise and to ignore! But our Great Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) – peace be upon him – is turning in his grave seeing his grandchildren doing these things to each other! I am saying this as a Grandfather feels seeing sometimes my innocent young grandchildren fight each other – and with typical ‘chip of the old block’ feelings and expressions like ‘do not like you’ escapades and remarks!

Horrific Gaza Images – Family of 10 killed in their home!

I am very certain and convinced that there would be some people saying to me that you are only looking at one side of the story – and not both sides – and ‘we expected better things from you’! I would retort that is how they control their media and our minds and outlooks – because Israel (and their supporters – disappointing others again – too soon too!) – are very good in pushing things to the maximum – and when people react – unfortunately negatively and to their disadvantage – they start ‘history and episodes’ from these incidents – and not from the start of what they did! Sadly and with great hurt and sadness too their blind supporters of whatever Israel is doing to others.

When Saddam Hussein attacked Iran (the Mullahs!) we in the Arab world remained quiet and passive – though we were warned and cautioned that one day he will do the same to us when that was over. Either we ignored it – or thought it could never happen – but it did happen in the invasion of Kuwait – and all Hell was let loose!

It seems to me that once again we have not learnt our lessons of history. I am saying that with due respects to both sides of the equation – that wants to divide the Islamic world into contrasting and conflicting political zones! And if those that see what is happening in Gaza now do not awake up from this deep sleep and slumber – then let them sleep for good and not wake up ever again – because a person who can do this to your own brother ‘is definitely not your ally and or friend either! And you have got your priorities all mixed-up and all wrong!

And that brings me to my next point I wish to make here too! The biggest casualty and victim in such wars is The Truth! It is just degrading and shameful – I would even say disgusting, repugnant and pathetic when ‘people in leadership’ who should know better take side to support blindly what the true Aggressor is doing to other human beings! Also to both sides not to make a worse situation turn even more worse!

If the Arab spring uprisings have not forewarned and w\’woken them up’ – let me try a desperate last attempt in resuscitation! Which is this! Even the young Arab true blood (and even Muslim) abhor and are disgusted to see what is going on – and done to other people by these peoples – who were themselves holocaust victims – but have now easily and conveniently forgotten. Our Great Prophet Moses (Musa) is just another chapter in the history!

What I mean to say that future relationships between people – especially with the young ones – are critically damaged – and that is not only internationally and globally – but even internal too. The world now has become a more dangerous and unsafe place with all that is going on – and the increased extremism, fundamentalism and radicalisation – and sadly and tragically with the younger ones too – and the future leaders in society

People should learn to live and let live – and we have enough problems and hardships already to be increased by such unneeded wars, destructions, malaise, decadence and wastages of wars. And we will all die one day – and meet our Maker! If you had escaped the Human Rights courts of the world – there is definitely a Higher Judge just waiting for you – and that will be the day when you meet him!

I would advise Israelis and all their supporters to hear the interview between Sir Robert Frost and Bishop Desmond Tutu in Al Jazeera – posted here too in www.majidwrite.com – and time to change fast before it is too late!

May peace, understanding, tolerance, co-existence and patience prevail – including pragmatism and senses – Amin Amen! Take Care!

By Majid Al Suleimany

Posted at: www.majidall.com and at www.majidwrite.com

Goodbye; My VIP Visitor!

Please Note! – This article was written last year in my column Between Us Only! in The Oman Daily Observer before the articles were abruptly stopped last year in November 2013 ! However, the article is still valid!

Only Israel decides to attack already starving hungry people and with still little to eat and cherish! Whilst we in GCC etc. spend a lot of money on food etc.! We are busy buying clothes – whilst the poor Gazans buy burial shrouds for their dead! Allah Be Our Judge Ameen Amen!

*** Goodbye; My VIP Visitor!

 

Some years ago, I had visited this great Religious Scholar house and I was commenting to him that you have been staying with us for the last 20 days and that you will soon be leaving us till the next time! He hushed me not to speak so loudly lest you hear – and get angry and annoyed with this assertion – and decide to leave even earlier? I queried him as to how you could overhear as we were speaking alone at the time – and you were not with us then at that time – as we were having some sweets and Omani coffee at that time? He replied me – Trust me – he has ears all over the place – and he will certainly hear you!

When I was a young child and for the first time was told to receive you and show you around in that old place of ours in that distant land – and it was a day or two before you were going to leave us that poor granddad was crying uncontrollably and profusely that he may not be around next time you came – I wondered aloud the relationships between you two to go to this extent!

I must admit – with sincere and due apologies to you now – but at that time I was looking forward for you to go – so things could return to me ‘as normal as a kid usually wants’ – and not follow at that time I thought as hard and rigid rules. I wondered that though you were a guest in our house – even if invited – but you did not have to give us all these things to observe whilst you were and especially with us then!

I used to joke with you in my crude and dry sense of humour that in the local lingo you could only stay with us for 10 days only – as the cut off and limiting factor – but you just looked at me with great sad eyes – that even as a kid ‘I should have known better’ than say this absurd cutting remarks to you – after all you were our invited guest too. If you remember I joked about you if you knew farming and how to plough – because that is what was called for to force you to repay your overstay – and being the guest of the house. They even allowed brute force for you to repay the overstay – in case you refused to do so!

I remember when I told my granddad on this – I was laughing loudly – and with great mirth – but he was not laughing back – and looked sadly at as a lost cause and child – and just confirming his suspicions that it was wrong for him to force his daughter to marry my father – and in hindsight he should not have done that. With his big stick – he looked debating whether he should strike me with it – but just decided to be cutting more = add salt to the wound by saying – what else can one expect – the rule like father like son is very true! I was upset with my granddad that he thought you as more important than the rest of us – especially our poor targeted dad!

I have to admit to you this. I do not know how you are going to take it – knowing you can be sensitive a few times when you feel tired by all the remarks of others. And especially showing to be double faced and being hypocritical – that in front they show that you are most welcome – but hidden and away from you they look at the calendar – and hope that you will go away soon – and leave them alone to do the things they were used to do – with you not around to keep them in check – and forcing them to perform and try to ‘be better people’!

But I assure you – because I know them – and I am a ‘chip of the old block’ – as I am one of them too – we will all try to behave – and be nice and good – and hope it will be longer before you come and visit us again! Despite all the sermons and lectures – once it is night and eating contest time – we just behave as if you are not around. Like the East Africans say – if you want to insult someone that badly – why choose words or behaviour to do it – just do it – and all goes! I apologise and am very sorry for all these – but you are a great understanding person – even if it grieves and hurts you too!

And then another thing! I know you are not a great eater or drinker either – but even though you keep telling us that we are cooking too much food that goes to waste everyday – that even the cats (and dogs) are no longer interested in the left-overs – but despite your lectures, counsels and advices – they still do it.

I wonder if it is wickedly and purposefully done – so you get angry and annoyed – and leave early. But I guess they still want you to stay – and are showing it in their own ways – because they are looking forward for that special day gifts and presents – that you usually give out on the last few days! And of course all those money for the kids – after you have left the night before!

There is something that I must admit to you too before you go! If you have noticed – I was not that welcoming this year like in the past – because I am trying real hard to remain hospitable, receptive and welcoming! A few cases I had a mind just to tell you to please go – and I cannot keep up the pretences anymore – but my health has gone bad – and being diabetic too – had short fuses of anger and fury – and I think you must have noticed as I have dealt with others – even in the family.

I apologise sincerely for all these things – and I have a great mind that if my situation continues – perhaps you will not see me next time you come – but please do pray for me – and forgive me too. I have tried really hard this time – believe me!

My VIP Visitor – until the next time you come – adieu – and as I cannot say goodbye now – because you will still come to visit us – even if I may not be around the next time – but others will surely be there to receive you – welcome you – and all the grace and mercies you bring. For those that do not appreciate – and even behave worse than before – feel sorry for them – and pray for them only!

That is the only thing you can do for them – and please forgive them too! Including those that had a public lunch in demonstrations of your visit – because they did not want you to come and visit – and they were being advised to ‘make you feel welcome’!

I will try my level best to welcome you again – next time you do visit – but if you find my health and state has detiorated further to not able to welcome you – please forgive me from now! I had really tried – but dismally have failed – and let you down for the first time in my life now. My heart cries with remorse and sadness – but what else I can do? I only hope and pray that you will understand – and appreciate what I am saying to you now only! So sad…

So sad the more – because I do not know if you come the next time – if I will be around? And if – if I could welcome you and show you around? Because this time it was very difficult – and even on that day when my glucose count went down that low – because I was so sad and unhappy – and even The Paper and some Family members had attacked me – and I just could not take it!

I know that day you were disappointed – but what else could I do? That is why I am keeping away from The Paper – and those same Family members too! I hope you will not look at me ‘with lesser eyes’ – but I am so sad and unhappy – please Forgive Me Only!

Goodbye – My VIP Guest and Visitor – The Month of Ramadhan Fasting!

Eid Greetings!

Take Care! 

By: 

Majid Al Suleimany

*** Extracted from My Book – Between Us Only! The Sequel – Three – www.myownmajid.com

http://www.createspace.com/4153263  – http://www.createspace.com/4153269 – http://www.createspace.com/4304972  –

Between Us Only! Series New Books! Perhaps the reason they closed my columns ‘afraid I will become Mr. Famous!

Added Note – This time it was extremely hard and difficult being acute diabetic case – so if I am not around to welcome you next time around – you will understand why – My VIP Guest!

 

Behind The Wheel! Proof Prototype Review!

Behind The Wheel! Proof Prototype Review!

Full BTW Cover Arabic

Open For Full Cover!

Behind The Wheel! Arabic – Proof Prototype Review!

With family members at Holy Month of Ramadhan Futur Breakfast yesterday Friday night July 11 2014!

Reviewing the book!

Best regards,

Majid Al Suleimany