Feeling sleepy, napping in the middle of the day, spending utterly alone time; breakfast with courtesy efficiently with a room service delivery, I suddenly thought of an expression: Crossing the Rubicon. Wondered if It might be applicable to the situation faced by world leaders today. Perhaps might be. This is what I discovered, on Wikipedia.
“The expression means to make a difficult decision with irreversible consequences – in short, to pass the point of no return. It refers back to a decision made by Julius Caesar in January 49 BC that changed ancient Rome forever. The phrase “crossing the Rubicon” is an idiom that means “passing a point of no return“.[1] Its meaning comes from allusion to the crossing of the river Rubicon by Julius Caesar in early January 49 BC. The exact date is unknown.[2] Scholars usually place it on the night of 10 and 11 January because of the speeds at which messengers could travel at that time.[3]
His crossing of the river precipitated Caesar’s civil war,[4] which ultimately led to Caesar’s becoming dictator for life (dictator perpetuo). Caesar had been appointed to a governorship over a region that ranged from southern Gaul to Illyricum. As his term of governorship ended, the Senate ordered him to disband his army and return to Rome. As it was illegal to bring armies into Italy (the northern border of which was marked by the river Rubicon) his crossing the river under arms amounted to insurrection, treason, and a declaration of war on the state.
According to some authors, he uttered the phrase alea iacta est (“the die is cast”) before crossing.The phrase “crossing the Rubicon” has survived to refer to any individual or group committing itself to a risky or revolutionary course of action, similar to the modern phrase “passing the point of no return“. Caesar’s decision for swift action forced Pompey, the consuls, and a large part of the Roman Senate to flee Rome.”
This could have have relevance in these times. Reading the October 20, 2023 Arab News gave testimony to the fact that there is a great deal happening in Saudi Arabia. USA Senator Lindsay Graham and an entourage of senators were here, meeting with MBS. Look to my October 16, 2023 blog, the title summarized the situation: Senator Graham Talks like a Blustering Ignoramus: Blustering Defined. I understand what is happening, therefore do not hold not hold much hope for the success of that contretemps
Contretemps is a word with many synonyms. Many do not adequately describe the Gaza-Palestine atrocity, they paid by comparison. : quarrel, squabble, altercation, clash, fight; dispute, dissension; sett-to, run-in.
But there was enlightening news to come. The Malaysian Prime Minster is also in Riyadh for a meeting of the GCC and the ASEAN summit. The headlines announced:.
Anwar Ibrahim thanks Saudi crown prince for “passionate and timely” remarks on Gaza, decries ‘hypocrisy’ in international politics. Arab News continued:
“RIYADH: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has decried as “insanity” the situation unfolding in Gaza, warning that the world is not blind to the “hypocrisy” of Western leadership as it has repeatedly failed to condemn Israeli aggression, and drawing marked parallels with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to Arab News on Friday on the sidelines of the inaugural GCC-ASEAN Summit in Riyadh, Anwar said the conflict in the Middle East had exposed what he saw as a proclivity for “contradiction and hypocrisy” in international politics, noting that there is “talk about human rights on one end,” but the denial of those same rights to others.”
“This is historic in a sense that the GCC and ASEAN are two small regional groups that are economically very vibrant, and we are entering to this collaboration without the influence of the big powers, and to essentially benefit from the strength in the GCC, with the phenomenal growth, and the sustainability in ASEAN,” Anwar said.
“We had been discussing this for years, and then the crown prince said, ‘OK, let me host it.’ So, we were all quite excited and because of the crown prince’s support and the presence of all leaders of GCC and ASEAN, we settled on the few parameters on how to further enhance the issue of trade and mechanisms to foster investment.”
“Underpinning the Malaysian leader’s confidence in this formal tie-up between the Gulf and ASEAN blocs is the “phenomenal change” he has witnessed in the former, not least in Saudi Arabia over the past decade.
Having frequently visited Riyadh as a young graduate, Anwar said he is well acquainted with the region, and has personally bore witness to the rate of change.
The joint summit has concluded, this reported by Arab News.
RIYADH: Leaders of several countries sent messages of thanks to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman following the conclusion on Friday of the first joint summit of Gulf Cooperation Council and Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, which took place in Riyadh.
It feels It feels like I am on the front lines. I spoke of hypocrisy yesterday. Type hypocrisy into the search engine, you shall see it has been featured 20 times throughout the course of this blog.
Fortunately I am now in Saudi Arabia and on the right side of the Rubicon. so to speak). I am not on the wrong side – Canada is one the wrong side. More about the situation there in a couple of days. I received an email from a mosque in Edmonton speaking of the dire backlash suffered by Muslims at the hands of misinformed, ignorant Canadians.
Do admit that I was unaware of the participating countries in the GCC and ASEAN. Looked it up and now we both know: GCC countries: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE, and from the ASEAN side Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines. Formidable, I would say.
Formidable: inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable. Synonyms are frightening, IF you are on the other side of the Rubicon: able, adept, adroit, accomplished; impressive, strong, powerful, mighty, terrific, tremendous, great, indomitable, invincible, masterly, virtuoso, expert, knowledgeable, qualified, excellent, brilliant, outstanding, first-rate, nifty, ace, stellar, wizard, crackerjack, badass. My favorites of old would have been the last two; I have been of the Islamic Faith only three years, already I have seen the truth. My favorites are now: able, adept and adroit. Those are strengths that will best serve the Creator. Others on this side of the Rubicon are powerful, strong, mighty and terrific. One in particular: MBS.
A hardship was visited upon me yesterday. Severe indigestion, nausea, vomiting explosively, embarrassingly once in the Oberlio Tea Room I as unable to keep anything down. Hardship is a huge concept in the Islamic Faith. The examination will begin with English language synonyms: deprivation, destitution,, need, misfortune, distress, suffering, affliction, pain, misery, wretchedness, tribulation, adversity, disaster, ruin, trials and tribulations, dire straits.
The Quran speaks of hardship: So surely with every hardship with hardship there is ease. So when you are free strive hard, and to your Lord turn all your attention. (Quran 94: 5-8). Quran 94 is, in English: Comfort.
Ease finally came, allowing for the completion of the blog. Ease arrived in two ways, both from the Creator: 24 hours of sleep and a bottle of zam zam water, given to me days ago by a Manager of this Oberlio Hotel. This water stayed within me, providing much needed hydration.
This again from Wikipedia:
The Zamzam Well (Arabic: بئر زمزم, romanized: Biʾru Zamzam Arabic pronunciation: [biʔru zam.zam]) is a well located within the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is located 20 m (66 ft) east of the Kaaba,[2] the holiest place in Islam. According to Islamic narratives, the well is a miraculously generated source of water, which opened up thousands of years ago when the son of Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismaʿil (Ishmael), was left with his mother Hajar (Hagar) in the desert. It is claimed to have dried up during the settlement of the Jurhum in the area and to have been rediscovered in the 6th century by Abd al-Muttalib, grandfather of Muhammad. Millions of pilgrims visit Mecca and Medina each year while performing the hajj or umrah in order to drink its water.
I urge you to read the entire account in Wikipedia Zamzam Well. I knew of it, but was not entirely aware of its history and divine importance until I read Wikipedia.
Today I am free. It is my duty to strive hard and to my Lord turn all my attention.
The following photographs illustrate another example of hardship becoming ease. Returned to the Medina Art Center because all of its treasures had not revealed because it inconveniently closed. However, upon return found that Sundays is its closure day: it was Sunday. This the hardship, next the ease. Located right next door is a another museum of much import. It recreates a Medina Market of old – exhibiting crafts and craftsmen of enormous talent. You shall hear of it soon.
A photograph from the Medina Art Center is a miracle, a marvel. It is a camel shoulder bone with verses of the Quran, inscribed upon it. I will learn more of its history on my return visit.
