The armies which set out from Saudi Arabia to conquer the various provinces such as Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Persia, North Africa and so forth took with them both the original political biases of Mecca and Medina and in many cases their own favourite leaders. It was difficult for the Khalifs to control the provinces which had been conquered by such armies as these tended to settle down most often in places with older cultures and better chances of agriculture, and the soldiers respected their own generals rather than the central authority.

As the central authority declined, people turned to discussing the nature of Christ, the relationship that existed between the Emperor and Pope, and also the many problems relating to the Trinity. One heresy succeeded another at an extraordinary pace and, although the Church called numerous ecumenical councils, the difficulties remained unsolved. Here were born the Monophysites, the Duophysites, the Nestorians, the Albigentsians, the iconoclasts and many other such heresies.

Your incessant and drenching downpours in Tanganyika which you so happily call 'short rains' will no doubt give you similar worries. I only wish they did not strike everywhere I go. Life gets soggy. I have nicknamed my own private cloud, 'deluge'.

Over-expansion means the inclusion of remote peoples into the framework of a society whose ways of living and ideals are born, guided and sometimes dictated from a focal point, the capital. A concrete example of this is that during the life of the Khalifate, the poor agriculture and the lack of natural resources useable in those times of the focal point, Saudi Arabia, clashed with that which the Muslims found in the more fertile countries such as Persia and Spain.

En Islam, il est dit qu’Allah nous rend responsables, durant notre vie, de la bonne gestion de Sa création : nous sommes effectivement les trustees et non pas les propriétaires de Sa création. C’est la raison pour laquelle j’ai voulu choisir le mot « Trust », parce que ce mot correspond le mieux à l’éthique de l’Islam et de l’individu face à la création d’Allah. Voilà donc la raison pour laquelle le Trust, tout en étant une fondation, s’appelle « Trust »

But as an individual one can make a difference. Might we try to stop using plastic completely? Buy glass instead. Insist on reusable straws and more. Might you try to recycle everything you can. Plant more, plant everywhere. Become an Olympian planter. Have a plant in your kitchen. Buy local as much as you can.