Glory Days

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For most visitors to Bangkok a prerequisite visit to Patpong red light district is a must. It's alluring go-go bar lights and chrome stripper poles have attracted tourists from all corners of the globe. But today Patpong is not just a front for the sex industry anymore. With more and more commercial businesses propping up it has become more of a watered down sleaze district.

Located in the commercial business district called Silom, Patpong is indistinguishable from any other local businesses without its neon signs turned on. But by sundown and when the shops of the popular night markets have finished setting up on the streets of Patpong 1 the surrounding area takes on a whole different energy level.

You can easily find Patpong red light district without any problems at all. There are two train systems, one underground and the other an elevated train system with stations just a few minutes walk to Patpong. And any taxi driver will without a doubt know where Patpong is just by mentioning it.

Patpong was once the king of Bangkok's 3 red light districts. Though its glory days are surely not gone and forgotten. As of writing Patpong's major go-go bar group King's entertainment has followed suit to its brethren Soi Cowboy red light district and started making improvements and renovations in their own clubs.

And that's not all where its transformation ends. After Patpong was deemed as an official 'Entertainment Zone' by the Thai government back in 2004, more mainstream business have started between the niches of go-go bars and sex shows. There is more of a noticeable police presence - and with that no more prostitutes working on streets of Patpong no matter how clear sex for sale goes on inside of the go-go bars.

Is Patpong safer? Well Patpong was never dangerous. Although occurences of pick pocketing happens as it does in any other tourist heavy destinations. Patpong has always been relatively safe back since the days when American soldiers stepped through the doors of a go-go bar during the Vietnam War era. Though the only real annoyance are the touts trying to sell you on taking a trip to up the stairs of a go go bar to see a sex show.

Today many hotels have opened up near Patpong drawing vacationers of all varieties - not just sex tourists. So you will often find many families, retirees and honeymooners strolling through the lanes of Patpong shoulder to shoulder and ogling at the scantily clad women prancing on stage.

Patpong may go down in history as Bangkok's prime red light district but it certainly has an all new appeal for visitors looking to trek through the sleaze without getting too dirty.

Visit Bangkok Patpong Nightlife District for more information on where to stay and what to see in one of Bangkok's infamous tourist attractions

Edwin M. Clark is a business consultant who works and travels to Southeast Asia for over 9 years. His experience and knowledge in the region has provided valuable information and resources for business ventures and mid range to major corporations in the travel industry. He is also a writer and contributor to http://www.bangkokforvacation.com.

What Happened When Allah Has Revealed His Glory to the Mountain?

Many people do not know Allah. This series (1-68) is an attempt to help them to know their Creator.

Verses 7:143-144 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) Was Moses able to see Allah? 2) When Moses fell down senseless? 3) What happened when Allah revealed His glory to the mountain? 4) Why Moses said to Allah: I turn unto Thee repentant? and 5) Allah preferred Moses by two great items.

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In thee previous article (67)

Allah did appoint for Moses to spend in the mountain thirty nights and added to them ten days and he completed the whole time appointed by his Lord of forty nights as he promised;

and Moses said unto his brother: Take my place, be my deputy among the people. Do right, enjoin them to do right, and do not follow the way of mischief-makers by committing transgressions.

The meaning of verse 7: 143

And when Moses came at Allah's appointed tryst (time), that is, the time at which Allah had promised to speak to him, and his Lord spoke with him, without any intermediary, with speech which he heard from all directions,

Moses said, ‘My Lord! Show me, Yourself, he wished to see Allah, that I may behold You! That I may gaze upon Thee.’

Allah Said, ‘You shall not see Me, that is to say, you do not have the power to see me, you will not be able to see me in the life of this world, O Moses,

but behold the mountain, which is stronger than you are, and if it remains, stays fixed, in its place, then you shall see Me’, that is, [then] you shall remain fixed [able] to see Me, otherwise, you will not have the capacity [for it].

And when his Lord revealed Himself, that is, [when] He manifested of His Light the equivalent of half a nail of a little finger, as stated in one Hadith (said by the Prophet Muhammad), to the mountain He leveled it to the ground and Moses fell down senseless, having lost consciousness at the awesomeness of what he had seen.

And when Moses recovered his senses he said, ‘Glory be to You!, in Your transcendence. I repent to You, for having asked You what I was not commanded to ask, and I am the first of the believers’, of my time.

In other words, Allah said to Moses:

but gaze upon the mountain (the highest mountain in Midian!)

if the mountain stands still in its place when seeing Me, then may be you will see Me. And when Allah revealed His glory to the mountain He sent it crashing down. And Moses fell down senseless he passed out. And when he woke from his fainting, he glorified His Lord and said: Glory unto Thee! I turn unto Thee repentant from asking to see You, and I am the first of true believers that you will not be seen in the life of this world.

N.B.:

the use of this expression [lan tar?n?, ‘you shall not see Me’] instead of lan ur?, ‘I shall not be seen’, implies that it is possible to see Allah, exalted be He.  But who will see Him?  Only, the believers will see Him in the Afterlife.

The meaning of verse 7:144

Allah said to him: ‘O Moses, I have elected you, chosen you, from among mankind, the people of your time, for My Messages and My Speech, that is, for My having spoken to you. So take what I have given you, of bounty, and be of the thankful’, of My favors.

In other words, Allah said: O Moses! I have preferred thee above mankind, above the Children of Israel by My messages and by My speaking unto thee. So hold that which I have given thee, act upon that which I have given you, and be among the thankful that I chose to speak to you from among all people.

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Verses 7:143-144 in different English translations of the meanings of Arabic Quran:

Verse 7:143

QARIB: and when moses came at the appointed time and his lord spoke to him, he said: 'lord, let me see, that i can look at you. ' he replied: 'you shall not see me. but look at the mountain; if it remains firm in its place, then shall you see me. ' and when his lord was revealed to the mountain and caused it to be crushed and leveled whereupon moses fell down senseless, and when he recovered, he said: 'exaltations to you! i repent to you. i am the first of believers. '

SHAKIR: and when musa came at our appointed time and his lord spoke to him, he said: my lord! show me (thyself), so that i may look upon thee. he said: you cannot (bear to) see me but look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then will you see me; but when his lord manifested his glory to the mountain he made it crumble and musa fell down in a swoon; then when he recovered, he said: glory be to thee, i turn to thee, and i am the first of the believers

PICKTHAL: and when moses came to our appointed tryst and his lord had spoken unto him, he said: my lord! show me (thy self), that i may gaze upon thee. he said: thou wilt not see me, but gaze upon the mountain! if it stand still in its place, then thou wilt see me. and when his lord revealed (his) glory to the mountain he sent it crashing down. and moses fell down senseless. and when he woke he said: glory unto thee! i turn unto thee repentant, and i am the first of (true) believers.

YUSUFALI: when moses came to the place appointed by us, and his lord addressed him, he said: "o my lord! show (thyself) to me, that i may look upon thee." Allah said: "by no means canst thou see me (direct); but look upon the mount; if it abide in its place, then shalt thou see me." when his lord manifested his glory on the mount, he made it as dust. and moses fell down in a swoon. when he recovered his senses he said: "glory be to thee! to thee i turn in repentance, and i am the first to believe."

Verse 7:144

QARIB: he said: 'moses, i have chosen you from all mankind with my messages and my words. therefore, take what i have given you, and be among the thankful.'

SHAKIR: he said: o musa! surely i have chosen you above the people with my messages and with my words, therefore take hold of what i give to you and be of the grateful ones

PICKTHAL: he said: o moses! i have preferred thee above mankind by my messages and by my speaking (unto thee). so hold that which i have given thee, and be among the thankful.

YUSUFALI: (Allah) said: "o moses! i have chosen thee above (other) men, by the mission i (have given thee) and the words i (have spoken to thee): take then the (revelation) which i give thee, and be of those who give thanks."

About the Author

Co-Chief editor, October Weekly magazine, Cairo, Egypt.

Do christians feel that the glory days are behind them?

Like if you move to seattle and people say "You should have been here in the 90s, man"

Wow - take a history course, dude. Seriously. Christianity was the institution primarily **responsible** for science for over 1,000 years in Europe - not to mention literacy and the preservation of classics. And you really don't have any clue regarding the spread of Christianity or its military might during that period. Read, for example, about the Eastern (Byantine) Roman Empire or the Ottoman Empire.

We are in *so* much better position now than then.

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com

Windies relive Kensington glory days
THE NEW Kensington Oval relived some of the old glory days yesterday-and it was sweet, sweet, sweet. See Page 62 A packed ground, containing mainly hometown supporters, was treated to an impressive West Indies victory by 14 runs over India that has kept alive their hopes of a semifinal berth in the ICC World Twenty20.

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