BBM for BlackBerry 10 updated, all Privacy and Control features now free!

In addition to the BBM for Android update rolled out, BlackBerry has also updated BBM for BlackBerry with much of the same improvements including ditching the fees for all the Privacy and Control features such as timed messages and photos, retract, private chat, and the ability to edit messages.



In addition to the BBM for Android update being rolled out, BlackBerry has also updated BBM for BlackBerry with much of the same improvements including ditching the fees for all the Privacy and Control features such as timed messages and photos, retract, private chat, and the ability to edit messages. Additionally, there are a few other changes as well according to the full change log.


Read More »

Anti-Cyber Crime Law, Saudi Arabia (Official English Translation)

Originally Posted on September 9, 2014:

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers - Official Translation Department - Translation of Saudi Laws

The  Anti-Cyber Crime Law  was issued under the Council of Ministers Decision No. 79, dated 7/3/1428 H, and it was approved by Royal Decree No. M/17, dated 8/3/1428H. The Act was published in the Issue No (4144) of the Official Gazette (Um Al Qura) on 13/04/1428H.



Sources:
http://citc.gov.sa/English/RulesandSystems/CITCSyste/Pages/CybercrimesAct.aspx
http://www.citc.gov.sa/English/RulesandSystems/CITCSyste/Documents/LA_004_%20E_%20Anti-Cyber%20Crime%20Law.pdf

Article 3: Any person who commits one of the following cyber crimes shall be subject to imprisonment for a period
not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand riyals or to either punishment:
1. Spying on, interception or reception of data transmitted through an information network or a computer without
legitimate authorization.
2. Unlawful access to computers with the intention to threaten

Article 5: Any person who commits one of the following cyber crimes shall be subject to imprisonment for a period not exceeding four years and a fine not exceeding three million riyals or to either punishment:
1. Unlawful access to computers with the intention to delete, erase, destroy, leak, damage, alter or redistribute private data.
2. Causing the information network to halt or breakdown, or destroying, deleting, leaking or altering existing or stored programs or data.
3. Obstruction of access to, distortion, and causing the breakdown of services by any means.

Article 6: Any person who commits one of the following cyber-crimes shall be subject to imprisonment for a period
not exceeding five years and a fine not exceeding three million riyals or to either punishment:
1. Production, preparation, transmission, or storage of material impinging on public order, religious values, public
morals, and privacy, through the information network or computers.
2. The construction or publicizing of a website on the information network or computer to promote or facilitate
human trafficking.
3. The preparation, publication, and promotion of material for pornographic or gambling sites which violates public
morals.
4. The construction or publicizing of a web site on the information network or computer to trade in, distribute, demonstrate method of use or facilitate dealing in narcotic and psychotropic drugs.

Article 7: Any person who commits one of the following cyber-crimes shall be subject to imprisonment for a
period not exceeding ten years, and a fine not exceeding five million riyals or to either punishment:
1. The construction or publicizing of a website on the information network or on a computer for terrorist organizations
to facilitate communication with leaders or members of such organizations, finance them, promote their
ideologies, publicize methods of making incendiary devices or explosives, or any other means used in terrorist
activities.
2. Unlawful access to a web site or an information system directly, or through the information network or any
computer with the Intention of obtaining data jeopardizing the internal or external security of the State or its national economy.

Article 8: The imprisonment and the fine may not be less than half the maximum if the crime is coupled with one of the
following:
1. The crime is perpetrated through organized crime.
2. The offender holds a public office and the crime perpetrated relates to this office, or if he perpetrates the crime using his power or influence.
3. The luring and exploiting of minors and the like.
4. The offender has been previously convicted of similar crimes within or outside the Kingdom. 

Article 9: Any person who incites, assists or collaborates with others to commit any of the crimes stipulated in this Law shall be subject to a punishment not exceeding the maximum punishment designated for such crimes, if the crime is committed as a result of said incitement, assistance or collaboration, and he shall be subject to a punishment not exceeding half the maximum punishment designated, if the intended crime is not committed.

Review: Manazel Alaswaf Hotel, Madina, Saudi Arabia (Updated)

Coordinates: 24.464065, 39.609176

Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/QQG4XXP6QJA2

Address: Central Area, Qurban (Prince AbdulMohsen) Street , Next to Othman Ibn Affan Mosque, 42311 Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Phone: +966 14 818 5500

"Very good 3-star hotel", I stayed there for 2 nights with my wife on 11th and 12th March 2016

 

Positives:

• Although it was crowded but the receptionist was quick to give us room
• It was a little early check-in but the hotel right away gave us the room
• There were several lifts, all were functional and quick so we never had to wait long
• AC was very good
• There were 2 half liter water bottles and stuff for tea making available in the room
• Several power sockets were available in the room for charging mobiles
• Free WiFi was available and worked well in off-peak hours
• Very good light control, you could easily make it dark to sleep in day time
• Very near to Masjid a Nabvi (women section is far for aged ladies)
• Utility stores and fast food was available near the hotel
• Free Public parking was available at 5 to 10min walk

Negatives:

• It would be nice if they can arrange some free parking space
• The tap of water sink in the washroom was leaking
• The shower space was too small
• While booking I explicitly requested for a quiet room but from one side the room was in front of the busy lifts and on the other side the window was towards a busy road, while sleeping I had to keep 1 pillow over my head to minimize the noise
• There was only 1 key for the door, more keys would be convenient

★★★ Manazel Alaswaf Hotel, Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia Located in Medina, Manazel Alaswaf Hotel offers simply furnished accommodations. Free WiFi access is available throughout. http://www.booking.com/hotel/sa/fndq-mnzl-lswf.en-g… View Now Very good 3 star hotel - Review of Manazel Alaswaf Hotel, Medina, Saudi Arabia - TripAdvisor Manazel Alaswaf Hotel: Very good 3 star hotel - See 6 traveler reviews, candid photos, and great deals for Manazel Alaswaf Hotel at TripAdvisor. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g298551-… View Now

urShadow's Blog: Reviews: Hotels in Madina, Saudi Arabia     http://naumankhan.blogspot.com/2016/06/reviews-hote…   View Now

-urShadow

What Did Muhammad SAW Say? - By Yusuf Estes, Former Christian Preacher (English)

Originally Posted on November 20, 2009:

What Did Muhammad SAW Say?

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught many important principles and morals, and even set forth rules for combat setting the precedent and still exceeding the rules of war set forth by the Geneva Convention.

Consider the following:

All innocent life was sacred and as such none could be harmed, except those who were engaged against them in active combat. Saving one life was as if one had saved the entire world, while taking an innocent life was as if one had taken the lives of the entire world.

There was to be no genocide of any tribes even up until some had committed genocide against some Muslims. He offered mutual protection and forgiveness to the all even after certain ones broke their covenants with him many times. He did not allow them to be attacked until it was clearly proven they were traitors during time of war and tried to bring down the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Muslims at any cost. Retaliation was only to those Jews who had turned traitor and not others.

Slaves were common in those days for all nations and tribes. It was Islam that encouraged freeing of the slaves and the great reward from Allah for those who did so. Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave the example of this by freeing slaves and encouraging all of his followers to do the same. Examples include his own servant (who was actually considered like a son to him) Zaid ibn Al Haritha and Bilal the slave who was bought by Abu Bakr only for the purpose of freeing him.

While there were many attempts of assassination made on Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, (most famous was the night that Ali took his place in bed while he and Abu Bakr escaped to Madinah), he did not allow his companions to slaughter any of those who had been involved in these attempts. Proof for this is when they entered Makkah triumphantly and his first words were to command his followers not to harm such and such tribes and so and so families. This was one of the most famous of his acts of forgiveness and humbleness.

Military combat was forbidden for the first thirteen years of prophet hood. The desert Arabs did not need anyone to tell them how to fight or do combat. They were experts in this area and held feuds amongst tribes that lasted for decades. It was not until the proper method of warfare was instituted by Allah in the Quran, with proper rights and limitations according His Commandments, that any retaliation or combat was sanctioned. Orders from Allah made it clear who was to be attacked, how and when and to what extent fighting could take place.

Destruction of infrastructures is absolutely forbidden except when it is ordained by Allah in certain instances and then only according to His Commands.

Cursing and invoking evil actually came to the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from his enemies, while he would be praying for their guidance. Classic example is that of his journey to At-Taif where the leaders would not even hear him out nor offer so much as the normal courtesy called for and instead they set the children of the street against him, throwing rocks and stones at him until his body was bleeding so much, blood filled his sandals. He was offered revenge by the angel Gabriel, if he would give the command, Allah would cause the surrounding mountains to fall down upon them destroying them all. Instead of cursing them or asking for their destruction, he prayed for them to be guided to worship their Lord alone, without any partners.

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, claimed every person who is born is born in a state of ISLAM (submission to God on His Terms in Peace), as a Muslim (MU-Islam means; "one who does ISLAM" i.e.; submits to God's Will and obeys His Commandments). He further stated, God has created each person in the image that is His according to His plan, and their spirit is His. Then as they grow older they begin to distort their faith according to the influence of the prevailing society and their own prejudices.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught his followers to believe in the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them all, and to believe in them as true prophets, messengers and servants of Almighty Allah. He insisted on ranking all the prophets up at the highest level without any distinction between them, and ordered his followers to say the words, "peace and blessings be upon him" after mentioning their names. 

He also taught the Torah (Old Testament), Zabur (Psalms) and Enjil (Gospel or New Testament) were originally from the very same source as the Quran, from Allah to the angel Gabriel. He asked the Jews to judge according to their own Book, and they tried to cover up some of it to hide the correct judgment, knowing he, peace and blessings be upon him, could not read.

He prophesied, predicted and foretold of events to come and they happened just as he had said they would. He mentioned so many things that people of his time could not have known, yet we have seen the evidences manifest over and over throughout the centuries in science, medicine, biology, embryology, psychology, metrology, geology and many other disciplines and even space travel and wireless communications, all of which we take for granted today. He even predicted something from the past that would come true in the future, and it has..

The Quran states pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea while chasing after Moses and Allah said He would preserve Pharaoh as a sign for the future. Dr. Maurice Bucaille in his book, "Bible, Quran and Science" makes it clear this has happened and the very person of Pharaoh has been discovered in Egypt and is now on display for all to see.
This event took place thousands of years before Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and it came true in the last few decades, many centuries after his death.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity – but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God. He insisted people praise Almighty God, alone and not to celebrate him or his companions in any way. While most people do not hesitate to raise to divinity and even make 'gods' out of other individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, accomplished.

Uniting mankind together for the purpose of worshipping the One God of Adam and all the other prophets, peace be upon them all, was his main motivating cause and his striving was for the sole purpose having everyone to understand and follow the codes of moral excellence set forth by Allah in His Revelations.

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad’s, peace and blessings be upon him, followers, but the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, claimed to be a servant, messenger and prophet of the Almighty God; the same God of Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon and of Jesus, the Christ, son of Mary (peace be upon them all). He claimed he was receiving revelation from Almighty God (Allah) through the Arch Angel Gabriel, calling it the Recitation (Quran).

He ordered people to believe in God as One, without partners, and to follow the Commandments of Almighty God to the best of their abilities.

He forbade himself and his followers from evil practices and filthy habits, showing them the proper ways to eat, drink, use the toilet and proper behavior in all relationships. This he claimed was all from Allah.

Muhammad - Prophet of Islam http://www.prophetofislam.com/what_did_muhammad_say… View Now