I love Islam and cream soda

Did a radio show today - check the podcast (click link below) Auset Maryam Ali Presents: Guest: Brother Taj

So, I am studying and trying memorize the 57th surah/chapter of the Quran, called al Hadeed , or "Iron"... At the 25th verse, God states He "sent down" (arabic: anzalna ) iron, which man uses for its various benefits. It is interesting that He says this as opposed to other verbs - and while this could be read in a metaphorical sense, I have been chasing the literal meaning. So, I wondered: "sent down" from where...? Dipping into cosmology, I find that nothing in our solar system is h ot enough to create nearly all elements on/in our planet, and that they occur as the result of supernovas elsewhere (from a loooong time ago), its expelled matter streaking across the universe, eventually collecting into the cooling mass that became our solar system and planet. Now, the Quran is not a science manual, nor do I subscribe to the notion that science is supposed to confirm the veracity of the Quran, but I am impressed when there is a confluence of the tw

My experience can be summed up by that scene in Rio in Furious Five, where The Rock's character tracks down Vin Diesel and his crew. The Rock is full of American puffery, with guns drawn about to arrest everybody, when Vin turns the tables, reminding him, “This is Brazil!” First off, I'm truly and sincerely sorry. And I know I must go beyond a mere apology and give some sort of explanation for my behavior. Truth is, I was being a dick. As a high level athlete representing a lone superpower in the greatest sports competition, I also carried a bit of pride and arrogance. I came to Rio, assuming it to just be a party  town enclosed in a third world country. With It's clogged rivers, corrupt politicians, and tainted mosquitos, it was easy to look at Brazil with disdain. Add to that, I simply had a less than stellar Olympic experience. I won a single gold, as the member of a relay team that featured my biggest nemesis as my teammate. Head to head against Phelps, I was a