Wednesday, August 03, 2011

On at the Height of Summer: Escaping the Heat in the Olympics

Much of the country -- and the world -- is suffering sweltering, debilitating heat. If parts of the globe are hot, I guess that still means, despite global warming, that parts of the world are cold. Relatively speaking, those of who live in Western Washington are cool. My brother said during his visit, that Washington's weather alone would bring people here to live. Makes sense to me.

So what do you do when it finally gets hot in Washington (i.e. 70 or 80 degree F)? Stay around home to enjoy the temps? NO! You go the mountains to feel cool. Bonita and I went to the Olympic Mountains recently, ancient peaks most of which were never covered by the glacial ice, geologically off the beaten path, so to speak. This fact accounts for the fact that there are some species, both plant and animal, that are found nowhere else. -gw

I have heard Shaykh Shahíd-i-Mazkán relate the following: “I was privileged to meet Siyyid Básir at the height of summer during his passage through Qamsar, whither the leading men of Káshán go to escape the heat of that town. Day and night, I found him engaged in arguing with the leading ‘ulamás who had congregated in that village. With ability and insight, he discussed with them the subtleties of their Faith, expounded without fear or reservation the fundamental teachings of the Cause, and absolutely confuted their arguments. No one, however great his learning and experience, was able to reject the evidences he set forth in support of his claims. Such were his insight and his knowledge of the teachings and ordinances of Islám that his adversaries conceived him to be a sorcerer, whose baneful influence they feared would ere long rob them of their position.”