♫ Highway to Hell ♫'s definitions

Shahada

A creed between a Muslim and Allah.

la ilaha illa Allah; Muhammad rasul Allah - There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah.

Shahada = "witness," the Muslim profession of faith.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ May 24, 2010

Eye of Horus

Designed to resemble the eye of a falcon, this symbol is called the Eye of Ra or Eye of Horus which represents the right eye of the Egyptian Falcon God Horus. As the udjat (or utchat), it represented the sun, and was associated with the Sun God Ra (Re). The mirror image, or left eye, represented the moon, and the God Tehuti (Thoth). (A very similar concept of the sun and moon as eyes appears in many religious traditions, such as the Celtic tale of the hand of Nuada.)

According to legend, the left eye was torn from Horus by his murderous brother Seth (Set), and magically restored by Thoth, the God of magick. After the restoration, some stories state, Horus made a gift of the eye to Osiris, which allowed this solar deity to rule the underworld. The story of this injury is probably an allusion to the phases of the moon as the eye which is “torn out” every month. Together, the eyes represent the whole of the universe, a concept similar to that of the Taoist Yin-yang symbol. Spiritually, the right eye reflects solar, masculine energy, as well as reason and mathematics. The left eye reflects fluid, feminine, lunar energy, and rules intuition and magick. Together, they represent the combined,transcendent power of Horus. The Eye of Horus was believed to have healing and protective power, and it was used as a protective amulet, and as a medical measuring device, using the mathematical proportions of the eye to determine the proportions of ingredients in medical preparations) to prepare medications. The Masonic all seeing eye, the Eye of Providence symbol found on American money, and our modern Rx pharmaceutical symbol are all descended from the Eye of Horus.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 4, 2010

Sunni

The branch of Islam that accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors of Muhammad.

Anyone who is a Sunni believes that any good Muslim man may be elected as the caliph. However, anyone who says there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah, is a Muslim.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ May 25, 2010

Kodachi

A kodachi is a sword that is longer than a dagger, but shorter than a long sword.

A kodachi is somewhat similar to the wakizashi.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 19, 2011

MPB

Brazilian Pop is known in its native land as MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) which literally stands for Popular Music of Brazil in Portuguese. Arising at the same time as the eclectic, innovative Tropicalia sound, MPB is a rich, poetic style that incorporates the sounds of both the Samba and the Bossa Nova. American rock, pop and jazz have also contributed to the sound; but at its heart, MPB has a distinct Brazilian sensibility, with themes reflecting the tensions, struggles and triumphs of the Brazilian people.

MPB: Caetano Veloso, Bebel Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim Aka Tom Jobim, Elis Regina, Ivete Sangalo, Marisa Monte, Tribalistas, Daniela Mercury, CéU, Trio Mocoto, Milton Nascimento, Ana Paula Lopes, Pedro Mariano, Gilberto Gil, Dorival Caymmi, Chico Buarque, Celia Mara, Elizete Cardoso, Guilherme Arantes, Tim Maia, Djavan, Toquinho, Sandra De Sá, Marcos Valle, Baby Consuelo, Rita Lee, Banda Eva, João Bosco, Ara Ketu, Nara Leão, Zélia Duncan, Gonzaguinha, Os Mutantes, Gal Costa, and Maria Bethânia.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ March 19, 2010

Hinduism

Hinduism is a modern reference to the many religious paths of India deriving from the Persian word for an Indian. Hindus themselves now use the term, though it is more traditional to refer to the Sanatana Dharma—the Eternal Law. The religion is centered on the Vedas (the 4 Hindu holy texts) and the caste system related in it. Outside that core is a vast and rich world of texts, teachings, stories, rituals, behaviors, experiences, etc. A pious Hindu will rise early, to meditate on the god or goddess, pray and ritually bathe before the morning meal. Hinduism has many gods/goddesses such as Vishnu, Krishna, Shiva, Rama, and Kali, to name a few.

4 important goals in Hinduism are kama (pleasure), artha (wealth), dharma (duty and obligation), and moksha (liberation from samsara, the endless cycle of reincarnation).

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ June 1, 2010

Sunnis

(SOO-nees) The majority group in Islam that believes that any good Muslim man may be Caliph (Islamic leader on Earth, much like the Pope, who is voted in).

There is a split between Shi'ites and Sunnis due to political/religious disagreements over Islamic leadership, or the Caliph.

by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ October 7, 2009