Vaitheeswaran - Movie Review

What kind of movie is Vaitheeswaran? Is it a movie revolving around a young man, who is a reincarnation of a small boy, who died 30 years back? Or, is it a movie revolving around a young man, who operates using his brain and muscles to settle scores with the baddies?

In other words, the movie revolves around an eternal question on the happenings in the world: does everything happen according to fate or is it human endeavor that causes everything?

Well. The answer depends upon through whose eyes you view the movie. If you look through Mani Sankaran’s eyes, you would conclude that the movie is all about fate. If you look through Dr. Bala’s angle, you would end up concluding that everything is done through human endeavor.

Director Vidyadharan has tried to give a different colour to the usual tussle between an individual and a powerful politician by bringing in reincarnation theory. Nevertheless, he hasn’t fully relied upon the theory to make the proceedings move ahead. He has deftly created a two layered script that operates along the parallel lines of divinity and the logic.

The first scene itself tells you the storyline. Saravanan, a small boy is killed by Dhanasekaran (Sayaji Shinde), a politician without any traces of murder. Mani Sankaran, an astrologer, who is well versed in Nadi Josyam, finds that the boy would reborn and revenge his death. He tells the mother that though her boy died according to his fate, he would soon reborn and meet her after thirty years.

He asks her to stay inside the temple and pray the God for 30 years to meet her son. The mother sincerely follows his instructions.

Cut. Dr. Bala (Sarathkumar), a psychiatrist, gets into trouble when he wants to help his police friend (smart looking) Riaz Khan and his girlfriend (Suja), who fall victims of Dhanasekaran, who commits a murder. Though he could not save them from the clutches of Dhanasekaran, he is determined to expose the rotten politician.

Mani Sankaran and the mother are waiting for the day of Saravanan’s arrival. Bala, along with his girlfriend Rupa (glamourous Meghna Naidu), a Veejay in a private channel, is planning his way to punish the politician. The turn of events bring both Bala and Dhanasekaran to the village where the mother is praying for 30 years. The battle ends up with the hero coming out with triumph.

The interesting aspect of the film is the script that operates in two layers. Everything happens according to the predictions of Mani Sankaran’s Nadi Josyam. At the same time each and every incident can be perceived as normal development happening according to the plans of the human beings. The way logical and divine dimensions operate as parallel lines makes the proceedings interesting. When you think some development as unbelievable, the script promptly comes out with logical and humanly explanation for the same.

The problem with the script is that it is too predictable to be exciting. While director has conceived some unexpected turns in the narrative (the turns happening after Sarath meeting the mother), the major portion of the twists and turns are predictable. Moreover, the characterization of the politician is too clichéd to provide any interest.

Director Vidyadharan, however, has to be commended for his guts to avoid the mandatory duet song(s) post interval. He has concentrated on the narrative without deviating from the plot by inserting songs.

Performance wise, Sarath has done a neat job in a role that doesn’t have much of heroism. He scores in intense scenes and excels in action sequences. However, there is no big challenge in his role and hence the impact of the role too is limited.

Meghna Naidu, who flaunts her body without inhibitions, sizzles in the beach song. She is competent in the role of a veejay and a girlfriend of the protagonist. Though she comes through out the movie, she doesn’t get much scope to act.

Sayaji Shinde is competent in a routine role while Mano Bala as his assistant scores high points through his sharp and satirical comments. Vijayakumar, Riaz Khan, and Suja have done their respective parts well.

The music by Srikanth Deva is effective in terms of background score. The title song is melodious and there is no much to write about other songs. Cinematography by S. Saravanan and M.V. Panneer Selvam is pleasing to the eyes while Raja Mohamed’s editing is crisp.

Overall, the movie’s two layered script is interesting but it lacks the element of excitement, as the proceedings are rather predictable.

Verdict: Dealing with an eternal question

The director’s take - 'Aegan'

After the stupendous success of ‘Billa’ expectations are running high amidst Ajith fans for ‘thalai’s next film ‘Aegan’. This film is being directed by the very popular dance master Raju Sundaram who will take the director’s chair for the first time. We were all seeing and wondering about Ajith sporting a beard for around half a year now. The hero, who looks smashing with a clean shave, had not used the razor even when his daughter was born.

But now the suspense is out and we all know that Ajith was sporting the beard for ‘Aegan’. So far all news about this film as well as Ajith role was a tightly bottled up secret. We had only been informed that Ajith will essay a very different role in this film. But in a recent interview to the press the director Raju Sundaram has come out with more news on Ajith’s role as well as on the film ‘Aegan’.

In this fast-paced flick Ajith will be seen as a hard core, and rough cop who completes any task assigned to him successfully. Ajith with his original beard in place will have Nayantara as his heroine. Will the ‘Billa’ magic work yet again, let’s wait and watch.

‘Aegan’ also has a very impressive star cast with Suhasini Mani Rathnam, Jayaram, Suman, Nasser, M.S. Bhaskar, Sriman, and ‘Arinthum Ariyamalum’ fame Navdeep.

Raju, the director, has said that this film will have the right dose of romance, humour as well as hair-raising stunts scenes. This film also has a specialty – in the sense one stunt scene for ‘Aegan’ was choreographed by none other that the stunt choreographer of Jackie Chan himself and this stunt features hero Ajith Kumar. The director has planned to shoot the song sequences for this film from the exquisite locales of England, New Zealand and Australia. One more credit that ‘Aegan’ has is that it is the first film in the Tamil industry to be shot from Hong Kong.

This big-budget film is made under the banner of Ayangaran International. The producers of the film are Ayangaran Karuna Murthy and Arun Pandiyan.

The director Raju Sundaram has promised that he will work very hard for this film and he has also said that ‘Aegan’ will be one of the best films ever in the Tamil film industry. Well, with many brownie points to its credit in terms of the cast, crew and the locations we expect it to be a fantastic grosser and an all-round entertainer when ‘Aegan’ hits theatres.

Gautham teams up with Ajith

Sivaji Productions, who produced Superstar Rajinikanth's blockbuster Chandramukhi, is planning to produce a movie featuring Ultimate Star Ajith in the lead. The production house has booked Ajith for the film, which will be his next project after Raju Sundaram's ‘Aegan’, produced by Ayngaran International.

The big budget film will have Gautham Vasudeva Menon as its director. It would be the first time Gautham coming together with Ajith. Prabhu, one of the producers of Sivaji Productions, says that it would be a stylish action packed entertainer. The movie is likely to have music by Harris Jayaraj, Gautham Menon’s favorite. The heroine could be from Bollywood.

Ajith, who is concentrating on his current project with Raju Sundaram, would come to the movie by September. Prabhu will don an important role in this project.

Tail: The producers have denied the rumour suggesting that the movie would be a remake of Sivaji Ganesan’s hit movie ‘Puthiya Paravai’.

Vijay’s advice to Ajith

Vijay, who is very keen in not allowing his child’s picture appearing in the media, has advised Ajith to follow the same policy. Vijay, in fact, did not allow any one to take photograph till the child completed one year.

Ajith, who has decided to follow Vijay’s advice, hasn’t given any photographs of his child to the media. He has even refused to tell the name of the child.

Sarath Kumar and Vijayakanth: Different Styles

Sarath Kumar’s ‘Vaitheeswaran’, which is under production for quite some time now, will hit the halls by this Saturday (March 15^th 2008). The delay is said to be caused by the venture of the producers in the small screen and Sarath’s political activities.

Though Sarath is very busy with his political actions, he has preferred not to mix up his films and the politics. Both his ‘Vaitheeswaran’ and the forthcoming movie ‘1977’ don’t have any political message or ‘punch’ dialogues to boost the image of the hero.

The other hero cum political leader Vijayakanth, on other hand, has a different approach. He makes it a point to show his party flag in his movie in some way or the other. Moreover, he wants some ‘MGR style’ scenes – helping the poor and embracing the old – to be incorporated in his films.

Both the heroes want to reach the same target but they obviously prefer different routes.

Best wishes Cathy on your Birthday

Instead of counting candles,
Or tallying the years,
Contemplate your blessings,
As your birthday nears.

Consider special people
Who love you, and who care,
And others who’ve enriched your life
Just by being there.

Think about the memories
Passing years can never mar,
Experiences great and small
That have made you who you are.

Another year is a happy gift,
So cut your cake, and say,
"Instead of counting birthdays,
I count blessings every day!"

Once a year I get the chance
To wish you birthday cheer.
It pleases me no end to say,
I wish you another great year.

So happy birthday to you Cathy,
From the bottom of my heart.
And may your good times multiply,
Till they’re flying off the chart!

Happy birthday to you... May Allah shower blessings on you… Many More Happy Returns of the Day Swt Hrt ...

With Love Haseem

Legends and the Qur’an

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

"Reciting Salawath on our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is an activity that will be accepted by Allah, even if we don't have Ikhlas (piety)".

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This article considers the relation of the Qur'an, the central religious text of Islam, and myths and legends. "Myths are narratives that serve to explain and describe the experienced world by laying bare its archetypal patterns; they are often staged in a cosmic or supernatural framework so as to manifest binding truths, to generate meaning and provide guidance. Legends, raising no such universal claim, may be understood as narratives of pious imagination celebrating an exemplary figure."

Whether the Qur'an contains myths or legends is a hyper-sensitive and controversial question since "the term 'myth,' in particular, is sometimes thought to be irreconcilable with the concept of revelation. The Qur'an contains many religious accounts considered legendary or derivative by non-Muslim historians. Most of this literature was created hundreds of years after the events they document, therefore they are not considered to have any historical accuracy. The content is usually Jewish folklore rejected by Jewish scholars. Historians and source critics think that Muhammad mistook these accounts for being orthodox Jewish and Christian beliefs and therefore incorporated them into the Qur'an. Critics of Islam therefore conclude that the Qur'an cannot be from God because it contains these unhistorical legends.

The Qur'an's response

During Muhammad's lifetime, non-Muslims accused Muhammad of borrowing from "tales of the ancients" to compose the Qur'an. Because Muslims believe that the Qur'an was not revealed all at once, the Qur'an quotes these critics.

“ But the misbelievers say: "Naught is this but a lie which he has forged, and others have helped him at it." In truth it is they who have put forward an iniquity and a falsehood. And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has caused to be written: and they are dictated before him morning and evening." Say: "The (Qur'an) was sent down by Him who knows the mystery (that is) in the heavens and the earth: verily He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur'an [Qur'an 25:4-6]) ‘’

Satan and Adam

In the Qur'an, Satan originally has favor with God. When God creates Adam, he commands all the angels to bow to him. Satan refuses to worship Adam and is therefore rebuked by God. The apocryphal Jewish work Life of Adam and Eve also contains this narrative.

“ Then Michael came; he summoned all the troops of angels and told them, "Bow down before the likeness and the image of the divinity." And then, when Michael summoned them and all had bowed down to you, he summoned me [Satan] also. And I told him, "Go away from me, for I shall not bow down to him who is younger than me; indeed, I am master prior to him and it is proper for him to bow down to me. ”

Additionally, some confusion comes from the Qur'anic passage because in it God speaks to the angels, implying that Satan is an angel while elsewhere in Islam Satan is called a jinn instead. The Life of Adam and Eve considers Satan an angel. If this was a source of the Qur'an, it explains why Satan is implied to be an angel.

Animal names

According to the Qur'an, God dictates the names of the animals to Adam. This element is similar, but the opposite of Genesis, that tells about the naming of the animals but says that Adam named them. There is a document written later than Genesis and before the Qur'an that might link these two accounts.

“ The wisdom of Adam displayed itself to greatest advantage when he gave names to the animals. . . . But without the gift of the Holy Spirit, Adam could not have found names for all. ”

The Holy Spirit is present in the Qur'an also. While the term originated among Christians who believed the Holy Spirit to be the divine work of God within humans, Muslims believe the Holy Spirit is a name for the angel Gabriel who speaks to prophets on behalf of God. Thus if Muhammad heard this story, he would have interpreted it to mean that God told Adam the names.

Killing all mankind

The Qur'an says that because of the murder of Abel by Cain,

“ . . . That if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. . . . Qur'an [Qur'an 5:32]”

The Qur'an does not tell the reason for the connection between Abel and this proverb, but the Jewish Mishnah does.

“ For this reason, man [i.e. the first human being] was created alone to teach that whoever destroys a single life is as though he had destroyed an entire universe, and whoever saves a single life is as if he had saved an entire universe.

(Mishnah Sanhedrin, 4:5) ”

Note that the Mishnah is respected by most Jews as human commentary, not divine.

Abraham idol wrecker

A Jewish depiction of Abraham smashing the idols

The Qur'an has the same story as the Midrashic about Abraham smashing idols contained in Midrash Bereishit 38:13 and Surah 21 in the Qur'an. Abraham's father was an idolater but Abraham is a devout monotheist. Abraham breaks many idols and the people try to burn him until God rescues Abraham.

Qu’ran Quote: "What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted?"

Midrash: "Then why do you pray to them and worship them?"

Qu’ran Quote: "after ye go away and turn your backs"

Midrash: "the woman rushed out into the street"

Qu’ran Quote: So he broke them to pieces, (all) but the biggest of them

Midrash: "he broke them all except the largest"

Qu’ran Quote: They said, "Art thou the one that did this with our gods, O Abraham?"

Midrash: "'What hast thou done?' they demanded, angrily."

Qu’ran Quote: He said: "Nay, this was done by - this is their biggest one! ask them, if they can speak intelligently!"

Midrash: "I? Nothing," answered Abraham. "See, the largest idol . . . It seems to me that he has been angry and has killed all the others. Ask him why he did this."

Qu’ran Quote: "Thou knowest full well that these (idols) do not speak!"

Midrash: "'They cannot speak,' said Terah."

Qu’ran Quote: They said, "Burn him and protect your gods,

Midrash: Let them be bound and cast into the furnace

Qu’ran Quote: We said, "O Fire! be thou cool, and (a means of) safety for Abraham!

Midrash: "Abraham walked unharmed in the flames"

Qu’ran Quote: We made them the ones that lost most!

Midrash: "Twelve men in all perished . . . Haran was burned to ashes at once"

The Qur'an does not explain what it means that the idolaters lost more than Abraham, but the Midrash explains. The story is accepted by Jews as non-historical and created by Jews who were warning of following the Greek gods. Elements of the story probably have roots in the Apocalypse of Abraham and the Book of Jubilees. Abraham's father's name is Azar in the Qur'an and Terah in the Midrash and Bible

“ . . . though some of the later Arab writers give the name . . . as Teraḥ. Others claim that Azar was his real name, while Teraḥ was his surname (Nawawi, "Biographical Dict. of Illustrious Men," p. 128; but see Jawaliḳi, "Al-Mu'arrab," ed. Sachau, p. 21; "Z. D. M. G." xxxiii. 214). Still a third class of authorities say that Azar means either "the old man" or "the perverse one." ”

However Shia Muslims believe that Azar is Abraham's Uncle, and that he looked after Abraham like a son when his biological father died.

Moses' milk

God forbids Moses from suckling from a foster mother in both the Qur'an and Talmud.

“ And We had already forbidden foster suckling mothers for him, until [his sister] said: Shall I show you a household who will rear him for you and take care of him?" [Qur'an 28:12] ”

“ The Holy One, Blessed is He, said: "Shall the mouth that will one day speak to me suckle from anything unclean?" ”

Pharaoh's magicians

Pharaoh's magicians in the Bible magically turn their staffs into snakes, but the Qur'an says this was only a trick and that the magicians convert and follow Moses. Ambrosiaster, a 4th century biblical commentary, also says the magic was a trick and they converted:

“ Jannes and Jambres were two brothers, magicians and enchanters of the Egyptians, who through phony magic thought to resist God's mighty acts. But worsted by Moses they confessed in pain from their sores that God was active in Moses. ”

Korah's keys

The Qur'an describes Korah as exceedingly wealthy in the same way as the Talmud.

“ Korah was one of Moses' people, but he betrayed them and oppressed them. We gave him so many treasures that the keys would certainly weigh down a company of men possessed of great strength. [Qur'an 28:76] ”

“ And Rabbi Levi said: "The keys to Korah's treasure house was a load for 300 white mules and the keys and locks were leather." ”

Flying Mountain

Both the Qur'an and the Talmud tell the story of God raising a mountain over the Israelites

“ We raised the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said): "Hold firmly to what We have given you." [Qur'an 7:171] ”

“ The Holy One, blessed is He, raised a mountain over Israel as though it were a dome. And He said to them: if you hold to the Torah all is well, but if not you will be buried here! ”

The Cave

The story of men protected by sleeping in a cave is taken from a Jewish legend, according to Muhammad Asad, though was understood by the earliest Islamic scholars as a Christian legend.

“ As already mentioned, the majority of the classical commentators rely on this Christian legend in their endeavour to interpret the Qur'anic reference (in verses 9-26) to the Men of the Cave. It seems, however, that the Christian formulation of this theme is a later development of a much older oral tradition -a tradition which, in fact, goes back to pre-Christian, Jewish sources. This is evident from several well-authenticated ahddrth (mentioned by all the classical commentators), according to which it was the Jewish rabbis (ahbdr) of Medina who induced the Meccan opponents of Muhammad to "test his veracity" by asking him to explain, among other problems, the story of the Men of the Cave. Referring to these ahddrth, Ibn Kathir remarks in his commentary on verse 13 of this surah: "It has been said that they were followers of Jesus the son of Mary, but God knows it better: it is obvious that they lived much earlier than the Christian period-for, had they been Christians, why should the Jewish rabbis have been intent on preserving their story . . . ? ”

Mary's care

Several elements of Mary's story in the Qur'an, her miraculous food and finding a husband, are absent in the Bible but present in the Gospel of James.

“ Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure."[Qur'an 3:37] ”

“ And Mary was in the Temple nurtured like a dove and received food from the hand of an angel. ”

and

“ they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary. [Qur'an 3:44] ”

“ [L]et every one of them bring his rod, and he by whom the Lord will show a sign will be the husband of Mary. ”

The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew describes Mary sitting below a palm tree with Jesus and miraculously receiving its fruit.

“ But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee. [Qur'an 19:24] ”

“ Jesus, with a joyful countenance, reposing in the bosom of His mother, said to the palm: O tree, bend thy branches, and refresh my mother with thy fruit. And immediately at these words the palm bent its top down to the very feet of the blessed Mary. ”

Jesus creates birds

In the Qur'an, Jesus forms birds out of clay,

“ I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird [Qur’an] ”

This parallels an episode in the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas where he does the same:

“ [Jesus] then made soft clay and shaped it into twelve sparrows. ”

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was written, at the earliest, in the second century or, at the latest, in the sixth century.

Jesus speaks in the cradle

The Injilu 't Tufuliyyah or the Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ, contains an Arabic translation of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and additional narratives. This contains a narrative of Jesus speaking while an infant, also contained in the Qur'an.

“ But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" He [Jesus] said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; [Qur'an 19:29] ”

“ Jesus spake when he was in the cradle, and called out to his mother Mary:— "Verily I am Jesus, the Son of God, the Word, whom thou hast given birth to according to the good tidings given thee by the Angel Gabriel, and my Father hath sent me for the Salvation of the World."

Islamic View of Adam

Adam is the first prophet of Islam and mentioned in the Qur'an as the husband of Eve (Hawwa).

Adam in the Qur'an

Adam is mentioned in the Qur'an as the first man created by Allah. A verse in Sura al-Imran states:

The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was. (3:59)

Eve is not mentioned by name in the Qur'an, but is referred to as Adam's spouse. Islamic tradition refers to her as Hawwa, an etymologically similar name. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari recounts the tale of her creation, stating that she was named because she was created from a living thing (since the Arabic word meaning "living" is "'hayy'").

Iblis

2:34 “ وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (٣٤) ”

And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith.

7:11 Walaqad khalaqnakum thumma sawwarnakum thumma qulna lilmalaikati osjudoo liadama fasajadoo illa ibleesa lam yakun mina alssajideena

It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who bow down.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15:31 Illa ibleesa aba an yakoona maAAa alssajideena

Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15:32 Qala ya ibleesu ma laka alla takoona maAAa alssajideena

((Allah)) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

38:74 Illa ibleesa istakbara wakana mina alkafireena

Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

38:75 Qala ya ibleesu ma manaAAaka an tasjuda lima khalaqtu biyadayya astakbarta am kunta mina alAAaleena

((Allah)) said: "O Iblis! What prevents thee from prostrating thyself to one whom I have created with my hands? Art thou haughty? Or art thou one of the high (and mighty) ones?"

Adam in Hadith

Tabari

The early Muslim commentator Tabari adds a number of details to the Torah, based on claimed hadith as well as specific Jewish traditions (so-called isra'iliyyat). Tabari records that when it came time to create Adam, Allah sent Gabriel (Arabic: Jibril), then Michael (Arabic: Mika'il),and the lay from the earth; but the earth complained, saying I take refuge in Allah from you, if you have come to diminish or deform me, so the angels returned empty-handed. Tabari goes on to state that Allah responded by sending the Angel of Death, who took clay from all regions, hence providing an explanation for the variety of appearances of the different races of mankind.

According to Tabari's account, after receiving the breath of Allah, Adam remained a dry body for 40 days, then gradually came to life from the head downwards, sneezing when he had finished coming to life, saying "Praised be Allah (al-hamd li-allah)". Having been created, Adam, the first man, is described as having been given dominion over all the lower creatures, which he proceeds to name. As one of the people to whom Allah is said to have spoken to directly, Adam is seen as a prophet in Islam.

Bukhari

According to the Sahih Bukhari, Adam was created about thirty meters in height. Since then the stature of human beings is being diminished continuously. (8:74:246)

Other

At this point, Adam takes a prominent role in Islamic traditions concerning the fall of Satan. In these, when Allah announces his intention of creating Adam, some of the angels express dismay, asking why He (Allah) would create a being that would do evil. Teaching Adam the names reassures the angels as to Adam's abilities, though commentators dispute which particular names were involved; various theories say they were the names of all things animate and inanimate, the names of the angels, the names of his own descendants, or the names of Allah.

In the Muslim tradition, Satan (Iblis, Arabic for Satan), is regarded as a jinn and made out of fire, rather than an angel made out of light. This supports the Islamic notion of angels being creations that would not be accountable since they lack free will. When Allah commands the angels to bow to Adam, Satan is also present and refuses due to his pride, and is summarily banished from the heavens. Liberal movements within Islam have viewed Allah's commanding the angels to bow before Adam as an exaltation of humanity, and as a means of supporting human rights.

More extended versions of the fall of Satan also exist in works such as that of Tabari, and the Shi'a commentator al-Qummi. In these explanations Iblis is sent against his fellow jinn, who had angered Allah by sin and fighting. In such versions where Satan leads the battle on Allah's behalf, rather than his own, it is the pride and conceit resulting from his victory which results in his expulsion, since pride is seen as a sin. In other accounts this pride is based on Adam's creation itself, which incites Satan's resentment: he was created from fire, while Adam was created from the (lower) substances of sand, dirt, or mud; so Satan refuses to bow in submission to a creation made out of a "lower" substance. Islamic traditions based on the Qur'an further record that, in vengeful anger, Iblis promises Allah that he will lead as many humans astray as he can, to which Allah replies that it is the choice of humans - those who so desire will follow Satan, while those who so desire will follow Allah.

Al-Qummi records the opinion that Eden was not on earth but in heaven. After disobeying Allah, Allah sends Adam and Eve to earth, arriving first at mountain peaks outside Mecca; Adam on Safa, and Eve on Marwa. In this account, Adam remained weeping for 40 days, until he repented, at which point Allah rewarded him by sending down the Kaaba, and teaching him the hajj. Other Islamic traditions hold that Adam was moved to Sri Lanka, as the next best thing to Eden, and, viewing Adam as having been a giant, human size having shrunk drastically before the great flood, Adam's Peak is said to contain his giant footprint.

The Qur'an also describes the two sons of Adam (named Qabil and Habil in Islamic tradition, but not mentioned by name in the Qur'an) that correspond to Cain and Abel. In fact, Qabil and Habil are the Arabic names of Cain and Abel.

Announced Projects - Fans are eager about

Sometimes all that is needed is just the names to create enough flutter, not to mention the hoopla that usually surrounds it. Yes, we are talking about those movies that were just announced or those that just hit the floors, bringing with them an inexorable buzz that is hard not to notice.

Is a ‘Rasigar Manram’ flag mandatory Vijay?

Some news is doing the rounds in Kollywood about Vijay soon going to introduce a flag for his fan club. But is a flag all that necessary for an actor’s fan club? Won’t it make the fan club look more like a political party?

Recently a welfare meeting of Vijay’s fan club was held in Dharamapuri district. Actor Vijay too was there for a good cause. He donated around 10 personal computers to a government school, he presented away tricycles for the physically challenged, gave away sewing machines for the widows and the actor has also issued funds for bringing up bus shelters in some places. Seems like Vijay is one charitable person!

When someone asked him what has made him so popular in such a short span is Tamil Nadu, Karnataka as well as Andhra Pradesh, the actor divulged that it is the unconditional support from his fans that has made him so popular. He has also mentioned that every time his fans call him up and wish him he gets a boost to perform even better in future. But will Vijay act in other languages if given a chance. The actor is reported to have answered that he will not be interested in acting in any other language other than Tamil. Vijay seems to be one loyal son of the soil!

Recently there was a Vijay Rasigar Manram that took place in Erode and the actor was believed to unveil a flag for his fan club members. When asked by the news men as to why he is introducing flag for his fan club the actor replied that it was a wish from his fans that he was fulfilling. When he was asked if he was doing all these to enter politics, Vijay was prompt to say a definite ‘no’ and he also mentioned that he feels good that he is able to do such acts which make him feel good. Earlier his father, director Chandrasekar, had denied about Vijay stepping into politics.

The actor was also commended by his fans on his acting skills his timing in comedy as well as his ability to dance. Vijay also cheered his fans by singing the song ‘Adungada yenna suthi’ from his film ‘Pokiri’.

‘Ilayathalapathi’ Vijay for sure seems to be a true crowd puller.