Everett Jenkins Birthday Blog

Good Afternoon, My name is Everett Jenkins and the title of my presentation is "The 100 Greatest Muslims".  However, before I begin my presentation I have a three part introduction which I feel is necessary for understanding of why we are here together this afternoon.   First, I would like to acknowledge Cossette Sun, the person who initiated my being invited to speak this afternoon.  Cossette has been a dear friend for over forty years now.  As I recall, Cossette was the Assistant Librarian at the University of California Berkeley Law School in 1976.  I was a student at the law school at that time and I needed a part time job to pay for my education.  I was lucky enough to find work shelving books at the law library and, in that capacity, came to work for Cossette.  I believe it was the next year that Cossette left UC Berkeley to work for the Alameda County Law Library in Oakland and since I still needed a job, Cossette allowed me to follow her t...

  Perhaps in recognition of Women's History Month, PBS scheduled the airing of a documentary on the life of Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman and the first Iranian to win the Fields Medal https://www.pbs.org/show/secrets-surface-mathematical-vision-maryam-mirzakhani/ Those who have seen the movie A Beautiful Mind will recall that it was John Nash's obsessive pursuit of the Fields Medal which some believe contributed to his schizophrenia. It is doubtful that such was the case, however, it is true that the Fields Medal is awarded only to the most promising young mathematicians and is, therefore, the most desired honor for young mathematicians.  The fact that the first woman to win the award is an Iranian is remarkable, and the fact that she died at the age of 40 is simply tragic. For those interested in such topics, I encourage you to watch Secrets of the Surface.  Like me, you may not be able to follow the mathematics, but you may be able to appreciate that the country of...

Today is International Women's Day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women%27s_Day a day that, in a strange historical twist given current events, first became a national holiday in 1917 Russia.  What a difference a century can make. For my celebration of International Women's Day during this fourteenth centennial year of the Hijra, I have chosen to remember the Magnificent Seven women who are on my list of the 100 Greatest Muslims and, in particular, I have found the memory of Mumtaz Mahal to be of particular note.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumtaz_Mahal Once you learn about the life of Mumtaz Mahal, one tends to be filled with admiration and one can begin to understand why Shah Jahan created one of the Seven Architectural Wonders of the World -- the Taj Mahal -- to serve as her mausoleum and her shrine.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal Peace, Everett Jenkins Fairfield, California March 8, 2022 P.S. Mumtaz Mahal is No. 76 on my list.

For the past twenty-five years, I have been made acutely aware that the passage of time can be a relative concept.  Within the Abrahamic religions, the three main branches, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all mark time by different calendars.  As one who studies those differences, occasionally, a cross cultural event may occur that combines one or two events in a notable occurrence.  For me, this year, 2022, is a significant year because, in Christian time, it marks the 1400 year anniversary of the Hijra. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijrah I know, for many, such an anniversary means very little.  However, for me, the anniversary has great significance.  Indeed, for me, this anniversary is a reason to celebrate some of the more notable individuals in the history of the world ... and, as it happens, the ones I am currently focused on are the most notable Muslims. And so, my friends, I commend to you the biography of Muhammad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhamm...

  Once again I must commend PBS for its airing of a profound documentary.  This time the commendation is given for the airing of the documentary "Driving While Black" https://www.pbs.org/show/driving-while-black/ In addition to addressing the current issues involved in "driving while black", the documentary also gives the history of the automobile and its impact on the mobility of African Americans and on the growth and demise of African American communities.   I highly recommend this documentary.  It explains a great number of things.  For me, one of the things it explained was the reason why my Dad drove all night from Glasgow, Montana to Oklahoma City for Christmas in 1963 with five kids in a crowded car.  I wonder what things it might explain for you. Peace, Everett Jenkins Fairfield, California March 7, 2022

  As with my reading and my writing, my television viewing sometimes gets delayed.  Such was the case with my viewing of the six hour limited series entitled "Women of the Movement".  Originally scheduled for February, I spent last night binge watching the series.  Focusing on the murder of Emmett Till and the subsequent courageous journey of his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, whose actions helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement, the series is one that while stirring up painful memories is one that should be watched.   As it happens, March is Women's History Month.  I do not know how others celebrate or commemorate the month, but I, for one, could think of no better way than to dedicate some time this month to watching "Women of the Movement" and, perhaps, reflecting on the sacrifices that so many women such as Mamie Till Mobley made to make this world a better place. Now, I have done my due diligence.  It is time to get some sleep. Peace, Everett ...

Summer Breeze has come and gone, but Black History continues.  This morning I viewed a PBS documentary entitled Slavery By Another Name.  This documentary profiles a practice of peonage that existed throughout the South after the Civil War which essentially continued the practice of slavery well into the 20th century.  https://www.pbs.org/video/slavery-another-name-slavery-video/ For those who believe that slavery ended in 1865 and that we should get over what happened so long ago, I commend Slavery By Another Name.   What reparations should be paid for the continued enslavement of African Americans after 1865?  What reparations should be paid for state sanctioned slavery?  What reparations should be paid for state sanctioned murder? Of particular note are the comments made by some of the descendants of those who committed the crimes against the African American convict laborers.  It is very sad to see the guilt that has been passed down for gener...

The following is a speech I made on February 18, 2012, at the Renaissance Weekend held in Santa Monica. The topic was "Flashes of Genius (Glimpses of Extra-ordinarily Novel Thinking ). I repeat the speech here because I have always thought that it was one of my better presentations.  Everett Jenkins Fairfield, California March 2, 2022 Good Morning, On the way to the hotel this morning, I listened to Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up."  It is a stirring piece of musical genius and contains the line "You raise me up so I can stand on mountains."   Yesterday, we heard from individuals who stand on mountains.  The presentations on "The Ultimate Theory of Time", "The Spaces of Nature", "Dark Energy and the Runaway Universe" are pretty heady stuff and are undoubtedly flashes of genius.  However, today, I would like to focus on those who helped to raise them, and us, up to stand on mountains.  Today, I want to talk about the Muslim cont...